The following identify the problems our country is facing followed by profound wisdom from former presidents of the United States.

Wall Street and big business vs. Congress

Complicated problems can have simple solutions; yet it is Wall Street interests, major companies, special interests, and the opposing and/or complying federal government forces that have greatly complicated matters and created enormous financial burdens for most Americans.

America’s personal and financial bondage has five main causes: the rejection of God, the bloated federal government’s overreach in all areas of our life, Wall Street’s financial innovations, big business greed and the global warming agenda.

Greedy and shrewd people like complexity whether it is in tax laws or financial vehicles because they can manipulate them to their own financial advantages and gain while many others pay the cost. Wall Street is the best example of this practice.

Wall Street financial innovations are so complex that only a few understand them, and they are the ones who profit while a majority of Americans pay the price.

“A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad.” — Teddy Roosevelt

The Federal Reserve, banks and Wall Street firms

The beginning of the subprime mortgage disaster was the Federal Reserve’s aggressive printing of money to stimulate an economy reeling from the 9-11 terror events, followed by Wall Street’s insatiable appetite for home mortgages that they packaged and sold — complemented by the greed of many mortgage bankers and banks.

The printing and lending of vast sums of money led to Americans paying more for their homes and thus higher mortgage payments. Americans’ mortgages increased from $6.8 trillion in 2001 to $11 trillion in 2007.

Investor hunger encouraged lenders to issue $2.4 trillion of subprime mortgages from 2001 to 2006. The increased credit allowed more Americans to buy houses and helped push up home prices 59 percent from 2000 to 2005, according to the National Association of Realtors.

At this point, Americans have lost $4 trillion in home equity, which some expect could reach has high as $6 trillion, while the public is still stuck with payments on the mortgages. It is estimated that 13 million homes in the United States are worth less than the mortgages placed on them.

The Federal Reserve and Wall Street-led subprime fiasco is expected to cost the American taxpayers $1 trillion to bailout banks, mortgage companies and Wall Street firms.

“Whoever controls the volume of money in any country is absolute master of all industry and commerce.” — James Garfield

“He who controls the money supply of a nation controls the nation.” — James Garfield

Federal government size

According to the Cato Institute, 80 percent of the federal government’s activities should be at the state level.

“Because power corrupts, society’s demands for moral authority and character increase as the importance of the position increases.” — John Adams

“That government is best which governs the least, because its people discipline themselves.” — Thomas Jefferson

“Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, can not long retain it.” — Abraham Lincoln

“There is nothing more corrupting, nothing more destructive of the noblest and finest feelings of our nature, than the exercise of unlimited power.” — William Harrison

“A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have.” — Gerald Ford

“Government always finds a need for whatever money it gets.” — Ronald Reagan

“Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them.” — Ronald Reagan

Federal government deficit

President Bush’s 2009 federal fiscal budget is $3.1 trillion — 50 percent higher than when he took office in 2001.

On Monday, July 28, the White House reported a projection for a $482 billion deficit for the budget year ending in September 2009, which would be the highest, recorded. The Bush Administration defends that by saying the federal deficit is only 3.5 percent of the $14 trillion U.S. economy.

The federal debt has moved from $5.7 trillion in 2001 to $9.539 trillion on July 30, 2008.

“There is no dignity quite so impressive, and no independence quite so important, as living within your means.” — Calvin Coolidge

“Blessed are the young, for they shall inherit the national debt.” — Herbert Hoover

Nine-million-word U.S. Tax Code

Accountants and attorneys wrote the excessive 9-million-word tax code for their advantage, not that of the American public. It takes Americans an average of 28 hours per household and over $250 billion to file their tax returns.

Moreover, Congress frequently creates tax benefits that help certain industries but it always end up coming out of the American people’s pockets in higher costs of goods, more regulations, higher deficits and taxes creating bigger problems than benefits for the country.

“Collecting more taxes than is absolutely necessary is legalized robbery.” — Calvin Coolidge

Congress

Americans are frustrated because they can’t penetrate the two-party grips on the political power that is costing them financially, complicating their lives, and causing despair.

Congress has a long history of passing bad legislation then trying to correct it with additional legislation, and most times making the situation even worse.

“There is more selfishness and less principle among members of Congress than I had any conception of, before I became President of the U.S.” — James Polk

“We live in a stage of politics, where legislators seem to regard the passage of laws as much more important than the results of their enforcement.” — William Taft

“Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.” — John Quincy Adams

Nation is on the wrong track

Only 17 percent of Americans believe the country is on the right track.

According to the June 9-12 Gallup Poll, 30 percent of Americans approve of the job George W. Bush is doing as president. That figure is two percentage points better than his personal low rating of 28 percent, which he has received four times in the past two months.

The all-time low approval rating for any president in Gallup annals is 22 percent for Harry Truman in 1952.

Congress’ 19 percent approval rating is one point better than last month’s 18 percent, which matched the August 2007 and March 1992 readings as the worst Gallup has measured since it began tracking Congressional job approval in 1974.

“Any man worth his salt will stick up for what he believes right, but it takes a slightly better man to acknowledge instantly and without reservation that he is in error.” — Andrew Jackson

Costly realities: the American people pick up the tab

Wall Street vs. Congress, and the American people pick up the tab.

Some 17,000 lobbyists influence Congress to pass certain legislation, and the American people pick up the tab.

A $3.1 trillion-a-year federal government, and the American people pick up the tab.

A 9-million-word U.S. tax code, and the American people pick up the tab.

Global warming and the environmental agenda have left the country extremely vulnerable to foreign sources of oil, helped facilitate the largest transfer of wealth from one region (the US) to another (the Middle East) in the history of the world, stopped refinery construction and onshore and offshore drilling, led to higher foods costs, and costly regulation and compliance … and the American people pick up the tab.

U.S. nation-building continues in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the American people pick up the tab.

Secular humanism vs. the Bible

Secular humanism’s hold on the U.S. media, many U.S. college and university professors, the ACLU, liberals and many Democrats has come at an enormous cost to America.

The homosexual agenda is moving into the public schools, public corporations through the payment of same-sex benefits, and homosexual activists have plans for the U.S. military and hate-crime legislation.

With the help of the U.S. media, they have moved the debate away from morality to civil rights. There are not enough votes in Congress to approve a Constitutional amendment defining marriage as one man and one woman. Two states — California and Massachusetts — perform same-sex marriages.

“Hold fast to the Bible. To the influence of this Book we are indebted for all the progress made in true civilization, and to this we must look as our guide in the future.” — Ulysses S. Grant

“A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.” — Teddy Roosevelt

We do not need more intellectual power, we need more spiritual power. We do not need more of the things that are seen, we need more of the things that are unseen.” — Calvin Coolidge

“An intellectual is a man who takes more words than necessary to tell more than he knows.” — Dwight Eisenhower

“Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged.” — Ronald Reagan

America’s problems: The reason for every major problem facing America is in the Bible.

Sin: The root cause of every major problem facing America is our sin.

America’s solutions: The solution to every major problem facing America is in the Bible.

Constitutional republic: The United States is a constitutional republic, not a democracy. Democracies are based on man’s will —specifically, the will of the majority (completely aside from moral considerations).

By contrast, our constitutional republic is based on Judeo-Christian principles and constitutional checks and balances between the three branches of government (executive, legislative and judicial).

America’s enemy: Radical Islam cannot be defeated, but it can be managed and contained. U.S. troops should not be in the middle of ancient sectarian conflicts between Shiites and Sunnis. The U.S. should stop nation building.

Iran: Prepare to stop Iran’s nuclear weapon development, because they will negotiate until their program is completed. A nuclear-armed Iran is a threat to the world.

Israel: Don’t force Israel into indefensible borders. The Quartet Road Map would place Iranian-funded Hamas, which controls the Palestinians’ government, in East Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria (The West Bank).

Russia wants Israel to give the Golan Heights to Iran proxy Syria. Iran-funded Hezbollah, which is on Israel’s northern border, would be closer to Israel.

The American people are paying greatly for Congress’ actions.

Charlie Reese, a former columnist of The Orlando Sentinel wrote:

“One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president and nine Supreme Court justices — 545 human beings out of the 300 million — are directly, legally, morally and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

“It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted — by present facts — of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can’t think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people.”

For examples, look at our U.S. Middle East policy, the lack of a national energy policy, ethanol mandates, the immigration issue, the bloated federal government, excess regulation on business, excess environmental regulations, national security overlaps, the 9,000,000-word U.S. tax code, run away Wall Street futures trading, sub-prime mortgage fiasco, no interest rate limits to what lenders can charge, the funding concerns for Social Security and Medicare, destructive and costly partisanship, and earmarks … to name just a few. Corrections or adjustments to their previous legislation almost always lead to even worse situation for the American people. It is time for major change.

Federal government size: Eighty percent of what is currently handled at the federal level should, constitutionally, be at the state level, and the federal government should begin the transfer immediately. Downsize the federal government by 10 percent a year. Balance the budget as soon as possible.

Federal Tax Code: Eliminate most of the 9-million-word tax code. Reduce the federal tax rates for individuals to a single tax rate in the 16 to 18 percent range. No taxes for those making $30,000 a year or less. No estate taxes. This plan is possible with a smaller federal government.

The Government Accountability Office said 72 percent of all foreign corporations and about 57 percent of U.S. companies doing business in the United States paid no federal income taxes for at least one year between 1998 and 2005.  Simplifying the US tax code could eliminate this and help small and medium size companies better compete. Stop industry-specific tax deductions that further complicates the US tax code, which would also lessen Washington lobbyist’s influence over the US tax code.

Greed: Insurance companies, energy companies, health care companies, pharmaceutical companies, hedge funds, banks and Wall Street firms have extracted $3.5 to $4 trillion from Americans due to their use of Washington’s highest price lobbyists to influence Congressional legislation. This must be stopped.

Wall Street futures traders: Traders/speculators have cost Americans hundreds of billions of dollars more for their oil and food due to their control and manipulation over futures trading — while putting that money in their pockets. One of the solutions would be to raise substantially the amount of margin money required for futures speculators and limit the amount of contracts they can purchase.

National energy: Drill onshore and offshore, build new refineries, and fully develop the massive oil, natural gas, and coal resources the United States has been blessed with while being environmentally reasonable and responsible.

Global warming: Sponsor a national debate to finally disprove the global warming myth that is endangering America and costing American people a tremendous amount of amount of money in food, fuel and regulatory costs. A major cooling cycle is about to begin.

Health care: Fix costs for medical procedures and tests with regional cost-of-living factors considered, cap rewards for malpractice lawsuits, promote and reward healthy patients, and encourage insurees to stop the overuse of health care benefits for an already overtaxed health care system.

Immigration. Businesses, banks and many cities around the country opened their doors to illegal immigrants, so they came to the United States. Congress passed an immigration bill in 1988, but never enforced it. At that time, there were 3.5 million illegal immigrants in America. Today, that number is much higher.

America is technically short of workers, and 5 percent unemployment is considered full employment. Sadly, many white and black American young adults can’t pass the drug tests the insurers require of the businesses they insure. Consequently, there aren’t enough qualified workers to fill vacant jobs and many Americans don’t want the jobs the immigrants fill, so to keep from a major disruption of the U.S. economy it is a good idea to preserve the non-American workers we have — and if they have a good work record, move them towards citizenship.

There will never be a win-win immigration solution due to years of non-compliance and lack of enforcement; both sides will have to give while being compassionate and humane in solving this very divisive issue facing America.

Life: Life begins at conception and must be protected.

Marriage: Marriage is between one man and one woman.

Social Security: The federal government needs to stop taking $200 billion a year from Social Security income to pay down the federal deficit.

Medicare: Insure that Medicare is continuing to make the necessary changes to become more efficient, help small doctor’s offices become better managed businesses, and standardize procedure costs to keep costs down and doctors honest.