Another year over and an economy in shambles, a government expanding by leaps and bounds with one industry after another seeking (and receiving) government aid.

Now, to matters worse, the president most responsible for the expansion of federal authority (Bush) is set to cede power to the country's first socialist president (Obama), who is destined to outdo him thanks to the overwhelming leftist majority in Congress.

Already, Obama is speaking of a virtual alphabet soup of expansionist programs to "help" the economy. These programs are more likely to help leftist politicians maintain their wealth and power. Inevitably, these programs will be about as successful the WPA. The one thing that could actual help the economy, such as a massive across the board tax decrease, will not even be entertained by a leftist government determined to remove every basic decision from the hands of individual citizens.