Oh we got trouble ... right here in River City

We are on the eve of the 2008 election. The closing arguments are being made and the voters are sharpening their pencils before they cast their vote. What will be the outcome? Will McCain pull it out or will Obama hold on? No one really knows, but all indications are the undecideds will decide the outcome.

But as citizens of perhaps the greatest political experiment in history, we have to step back and ask ourselves this simple question. Who is in charge here? The growing government influence over all aspects of the economy or the people? In the final analysis, who should control the fate of the citizens? Should it be self determination or government intervention?

The left believes that the people are incapable of helping themselves. The strong only do so at the expense of the downtrodden. If there were no downtrodden, there would be no rich, successful, powerful group of movers and shakers. The left wants to help the downtrodden by holding down the success of those who have escaped poverty. How, by using the oldest trick in the political playbook, redistribution of wealth.

The right wants self determination at the expense of those unfortunates who live lives of quiet despair. Of course, that is not their intent, but it is the net result. For Capitalism to succeed, there has to be haves and have nots. For socialism to succeed, the haves, have to be willing to cooperate and give to the have nots. Without the cooperation, you have anarchy, something not society can withstand.

So the conundrum is simple. Left - redistributes through high taxes and regulation from the wealthy to the poor. Right - redistributes through capitalism by extracting money from the poor (through consumerism) and giving it to the rich.

Or at least this is the picture, the left would have everyone believe. The left suggests that taking from the rich and giving to the poor is noble, compassionate and caring. Unfortunately, there is over 2000 years of documented human history to show it does not work. When the tide rises in the harbor ALL the boats rise. Sure, there maybe some inefficiencies - but under socialism there are inefficiencies as well. There is no perfect system.

So what it boils down to is power. Both the left and the right want the power. The left wants it so they can control the people through handouts and government subsidies. The right wants the power so they can keep the capital markets free from greed and corruption (usually by the left).

What is the net result? Stalemate. The left struggles to restrict the right. And the right struggles to protect the system from the left. The net result is confusions and anger. Neither can win the struggle without the hearts and minds of the people.

So we go back to the voters booth. And with pencil in hand, the voters must choose between two very different systems of government. The choice is between self determination and Government control and distribution. America has withstood this struggle through the centuries, but is on the precipice of another real test.

And regardless of who wins - McCain or Obama - the struggle will continue. Ultimately, the people will have to decide while they still can. Which way will you vote?