Way back in 1996, then-president Bill Clinton famously declared that “the era of big government is over.”

Well, so much for that idea, especially from a Democrat.

Barack Obama proposes $292 billion per year in new government spending, on everything from government-run health care — $65 billion per year on the low-end — to establishing a “green energy sector” — $15 billion per year — to increases in foreign aid — $25 billion per year — to his much-touted “national service plan” — $3.5 billion. All told, his administration would run up a bill of more than $1 trillion above and beyond what our government already spends. Good thing the National Debt Clock in New York was just expanded to accommodate digits up to a quadrillion.

Is that the price of change? Really?

Maybe I’m the only American who detests those deductions on every paycheck. Maybe I’m the only American who detests paying taxes. Maybe I’m the only American who thinks government is grossly bloated and inefficient.

But, somehow, I doubt it.

The era in which the American government is permitted to live outside of its means and borrow like a Florida condo flipper must end, especially in light of the current economic crisis. With unemployment creeping higher and corporate earnings falling, the government’s tax receipts can only be expected to fall further.

Obama’s taxation and economic policies amount to an attempt at wealth redistribution, and make less sense economically than they do politically. The Washington Times went so far in their condemnation as to say “Mr. Obama’s anti-war and class-warfare rhetoric borders on the demagogic.”

Is that what we really want for America?

We must seek a balanced budget perennially, and, even though John McCain’s pledge to balance the budget may seem like little more than a pipe dream, at the very least he is willing to pay the idea lip service. The only greater danger we face — economically or otherwise — than foreign oil is for funding. Japan holds $644 billion of our government’s debt, which is second only to the big player, China, which holds $350 billion more. What happens when the Chinese decide to stop buying up our debt? I’m not sure we’re ready to find out.

So, I endorse John McCain, for a variety of reasons — gun owners’ rights, social issues, the tar on terrorism, small government — plainly he represents my ideological, economic and political views more fully than a community organizer from Chicago. At the end of the day, however, the deal breaker between myself and the Illinois Senator plainly comes down to dollar signs.

I can’t afford Barack Obama, you can’t afford Barack Obama and America can’t afford Barack Obama.

— Ryan Frederick is a senior in management from Orient