Why Don't Americans Trust the Federal Government?

American approval for the federal government is at an all-time low and they are skeptical that the government can solve even the simplest problems. The Obama State of the Union Address is a prime example as to why Americans do not trust the federal government. Obama likes to have it both ways. Obama says with a straight face that he is going to “freeze domestic spending over the next 5 years” but then says we are going to invest heavily in green energy. The Obama State of the Union Address was full of hypocrisy and contradictory statements and there is no wonder the American public has spoiled on him and the federal government.

Obama declared that the “worst of the storm has passed” referring to the recession, when 9.4% of Americans are still unemployed. In fact, the unemployment number is probably closer to 15% and the underemployment rate is still over 20%.

On one hand Obama is pushing for higher child care tax credits, but at the same time is asking for parents to do their role in educating their kids.

Obama wants to double down our investment on roads, education, efficient cars, and the high speed rail, but claims it is imperative that we reduce our national debt.

Obama vowed he will veto any bills with earmarks (a campaign promise he has broken to date), but it was Republicans that passed a measure to make certain that no bill will pass the House with earmarks.

Obama wants to punish those “evil” oil companies and increase their taxes meanwhile, he proposed lowering the corporate tax rate.

Obama preached of the greatness of the Recovery Act and how it saved us from a depression and it enabled 2 million Americans to keep their jobs. If the stimulus was so great, why not have another one? After all, Obama thinks every dollar invested by the federal government into the economy yields 1.5 dollars of economic stimulus in return.

Obama is asking for more corporate and individual innovation to make the U.S. economy strong, but his policies of creating entitlements (ObamaCare) and extending unemployment benefits is making people more dependent on the federal government. Free people and corporations are innovators, not individuals and corporations waiting for their next government handout.

Obama ensures us that ObamaCare will lower our healthcare costs and insurance premiums. But Americans saw their average premiums go up 25% this year alone. There is no way insurance costs will go down if there is no cap to insurance policies and insurance companies have to accept preexisting conditions.

Obama continues to claim he is open to Republican ideas such as medical malpractice reform (tort reform). If this is true; then why didn’t Obama force Democrats to include these cost savings ideas in ObamaCare in the first place?

Obama applauded past NASA programs for their innovation, but he killed the recent NASA Constellation program.

Obama is asking kids to pursue math and science careers. But let’s face facts; Obama is a math and science illiterate. His State of the Union address proves this point. After all, increasing government expenditures does not reduce the debt and stimulate the economy.

These are just a few examples of the many contradictory and hypocritical statements uttered by Obama during the State of the Union Address. He may think most Americans are a bunch of dummies, but even his most avid supporters in 2008 are becoming skeptical. It is about time.