Aptos, CA psychologist: Massive government spending IS the problem… and now is the time for historic choices about freedom, individual responsibility and free markets.

“Take away Reagan/Bush tax cuts and we wouldnâ€t have a spending problem (Santa Cruz Sentinel, Letter to Editor by Sosbee 4-29-2011).

Wrong. Reaganâ€s tax cuts lead to unprecedented growth in 1982-84 over 7.1% for 4 straight quarters and over 4% growth for another 2 years.

Obama uses massive government spending (Keynesian economic theory) to fix our problems. Results? So far, no fix. And no support for Keynesian theory. Obama’s massive spending diet does not work.

Obama saddles the country with more debt in 2 years than all other Presidents combined. Bushâ€s $168 BILLION one-time tax rebates in 2008 were followed by Obamaâ€s $814 BILLION spending, cash for clunkers, the $8,000 home buyer tax credit, the Detroit auto bailouts, and BILLIONS for green jobs. Oh, and ObamaCare which takes over 1/6th of the economy.

Dealing with entitlements is the elephant in the room the Democrats refuse to address. Ryan’s GOP budget does talk about the elephant in the room.

So, how best to rein in Medicare? One way not discussed so far: 1) restore the $575 BILLION which Obama cut. 2) Give seniors — those over 65 as well as those now 55 — the choice of “premium care” (individual choice) versus 15 faceless bureaucrats who congress cannot override.

Yes we’ve got serious spending problems to address. We must reduce the deficit as the number one priority. And do it while preserving freedom of choice, encouraging individual responsibility and allowing free markets to work.

DrCameronJackson@gmail.com