For the last few decades, the Democratic Party has promoted itself as the party of young, idealistic, and energetic Americans wanting to change the world for the better. Unfortunately, there is not a bit of truth to this image. Recently the Democratic Agenda has been a recycling of the same liberal ideas that have been around for decades. These ideals have been twisted into a Statist agenda promoted by President Obama, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Harry Reid. The Democratic Party is not the party of the young or the “next generation”. In reality, the Democratic Agenda seriously harms the interests of Young Americans and is almost guaranteed to result in a country that is weaker, poorer, less safe, and less free.

Most Young Americans are just beginning their careers and are anxious to prove themselves. They are young idealistic and dying for their opportunity to contribute, start a business, or bring their new idea or invention into reality. However, the policies of President Obama and the Democratic Congress make it impossible for Young Americans to pursue these goals.

To begin building a foundation for the future, to develop an idea or to start a business, Young Americans need income. They need jobs. In the last two years, President Obama and the Democratic Congress have pushed policy after policy that kills jobs. In fact the unemployment rate among Young Americans is double that of the national average. It is common sense: no job, no income. Without income, Young Americans cannot pursue their goals. They must wait at the back of the line, remaining dependent on government handouts or worse, their parents.

In the recent economic recession, over 8 million jobs have been lost. In order to recover the U.S. economy must create 8 million new jobs. Democrats are more concerned with “saving jobs”. Saving jobs does nothing for those of us that are unemployed or underemployed. To save a job means to protect an existing worker from being laid off. The Stimulus Package spent $1 trillion to protect the jobs of government employees and union workers. It is no coincidence that both of these groups overwhelmingly vote democrat.

Where does that leave Young Americans? Well unless you are already a government employee or union worker, the Stimulus Package did not help you at all. Even worse, some of that $1 trillion was borrowed from China, Saudi Arabia, and Russia.

Government spending has exploded under President Obama and led to record-shattering deficits. Deficits mean one thing: future taxes. In other words, $1 trillion was spent to protect a small group of pro-Democratic workers and that $1 trillion will have to be paid back by Young Americans.

The government always hopes that as long as the economy grows they will be able to collect more taxes in the future and pay off our debt without raising taxes. However, this only works if you control spending. Politicians in Washington just don’t know how to do that. Whatever “extra” taxes the government collects, they spend rather than paying down the debt.

Future taxes means higher costs to American companies and small businesses, but the Democrats have not stopped there. With the new Healthcare Reform and Cap and Trade – they now seek to increase regulatory rules and costs on American businesses. It is bad enough they want to increase taxes they also want to increase overhead costs. Reports show that American companies are producing some profits but they are not spending it to expand. Instead American companies are sitting on an estimated $1 trillion in cash because they have no idea if they will be able to make a profit once the new taxes and regulations take effect.

To sum up, the federal government cannot create jobs and their policies are discouraging the private sector from creating jobs.

Young Americans are also very concerned with international conflict and national security. War impacts Young Americans more than any other age group. The average age of an active duty soldier is 21 years old. It has been a well known truth throughout history: the young fight wars. When the U.S. Government decides to go to war, it is Young Americans that actually fight and die in the war. As a result, Young Americans view national security not as a political issue, but something that could throw them into a war zone in the near future.

Under President Obama, the U.S. has become less secure. Iran has not stopped its nuclear program, North Korea continues to threaten war, and our rivals, China and Russia, grow stronger. Despite these threats, President Obama proposes cutting spending on an already underfunded and steadily weakening U.S. military. As our rivals grow stronger, President Obama is more worried about offending them than protecting Americans.

China recently developed a new anti-satellite missile that can shoot down American satellites. In recent days, China announced it is also developing a new missile that can penetrate the defenses of an aircraft carrier and sink it at a range of 900 miles. Russia is developing a new fighter that will rival the F-22 Raptor. Does it sound like they are planning for a new age of peace and cooperation with the United States?

History has taught us that appeasement and complacency have tragic consequences. It failed in the 1930s and it will fail now. It emboldens aggressive leaders that dream of their own empire. It is in these situations that new conflicts can erupt and Young Americans will be asked (or drafted) to fight and die for their country.

Many believe the Democrats are advocates for individual freedom. Nothing could be further form the truth. Democrats have proposed numerous new policies that suppress speech, religion, economic choice, and other freedoms. The media would have you ignore these policies because Democrats tend to favor gay marriage and abortion rights for women. But promoting liberty in one area does not balance oppression in another.

Democrats proposed the “fairness doctrine” which would give the government greater control over the content of political programming on radio and television. Government control of speech on any medium violates the First Amendment. Speaker Pelosi stated that Americans speaking out at town halls against politicians is “un-American”. Tea Partiers have been attacked during peaceful protests by operatives of pro-Democrat groups.

It becomes clear. The Democratic Party is in favor of free speech as long as you agree with their position. If not, you need to shut up.

Freedom of religion is also under threat. Liberal groups have tried very hard to eliminate all expressions of Christianity from government buildings, schools, public parks, in public speeches, and other areas. They have manufactured a fear that the U.S. Government is on the verge of establishing a state religion with these symbols. The United States has never established a state religion. If anything, expression of Christian ideology has generally declined in the last fifty to sixty years as the country has become more religiously diverse.

It is well known many Christian groups strongly support the Republican Party. Some Democrats have decided the proper means of dealing with this political disagreement is through suppressing these groups as much as possible. By suppressing Christian groups in public spaces, one is better able to dominate the conversation with your own secular beliefs.

The right to bear arms has been a cherished right of Americans for over two hundred years. Yet, many Democrats argue that the individual right to bear arms has suddenly become a grave threat to public safety. Despite the lack of statistical evidence, some Democrats have tried to persuade Americans that individuals can’t be trusted with guns any more. The fact that this position flatly contradicts the Constitution does not appear to be a problem to them.

In America, a poor African-American from Hawaii can go to Harvard, become a successful lawyer, teach at the University of Chicago, and become President of the United States. Yet the system that makes this possible is being demonized by that very same man.

In America we have no set classes or castes. A person can begin their life on the bottom and reach the top. There are no social or institutional barriers to success. Anyone who works hard can succeed and prosper. They succeed because they are given opportunity, given choices. They succeed because they know best how to pursue their own happiness.

The Democratic Party ignores this tradition and argues that Americans succeed and fail due to unfair rules and barriers in our society. They argue the lower class struggles because the rules biased against them somehow. They argue the upper class play by different rules allowing them to stay rich. Yet when asked what rules and barriers are responsible for this situation, Democrats fail to provide a single concrete example. The entire argument is hollow and baseless. The argument is meant only as a superficial justification for expanded government power and creating a sense of entitlement among Democratic constituencies.

Their solution is to limit opportunity and choice to prevent the rich from benefiting from these fictional, unfair rules. The problem is these new limitations affect everyone: higher taxes, greater regulation of the marketplace, limitation of consumer choices, and now the required purchase of health insurance. When these policies are enacted the people they are designed to help are often hurt the most. Today, minorities are still struggling, the unemployed remain unemployed, and Young Americans are still waiting their turn.

Most Young Americans are entering this system from the bottom. They are not in a position to take advantage of the new rules but are the first to suffer the costs. The squeeze on the “cheating upper class” and “Wall Street fat cats” does not benefit Young Americans. Instead, it is choking the job market.

The Democratic Party has nothing to offer Young Americans except a horrible job market, less opportunity, less safety, less freedom, and less choice. Not a single part of the Democratic agenda benefits Young Americans. In 2008, the U.S. was struggling economically and had fiscal problems – but these problems were manageable. That is no longer the case. In two years, a troubled country has spiraled downward into a country in deep crisis. Young Americans cannot afford another two years of a Democratic Congress. It is time Young Americans wake up to the fact that we were deceived by this “young, idealistic, and energetic” Party in 2008. It is a mistake we can fix in 2010 and 2012.

Author Bio: J. Wesley Fox is the Chairman of Restore America’s Legacy PAC. He is a recent graduate of DePaul University College of Law and has been active in local and national politics for several years. He currently lives in New Jersey after growing up in the Chicago suburbs.www.restoreamericaslegacy.com

Category: Politics
Keywords: Young Americans,Democratic Party,Obama,unemployment,individual freedom, national security,Statism