What Freedoms Have We Lost Under Obama?

People have been asking me and other conservatives: "What freedoms have we lost under Obama? What freedoms?"
They ask this question as if they simply don't understand that we always lose freedom whenever the government grows larger and whenever it impacts more aspects of our lives. That's simply a given.
You don't have to read Milton Friedman to know that capitalism is based on economic freedom -- a job, a home, a business -- all tied to the opportunity to succeed.
And Obama has delivered a shrunken economy with bigger government and tighter controls.
Anyway, consider now that more than half of the nation's fourth graders get their lunches from the federal school lunch program. These lunches are either free or heavily subsidized. When Obama provides the very food you need to survive, he has more control over your life and you have less freedom.
When 15 percent of all Americans now rely on food stamps to feed their families (and that number is growing as well) that's more freedom that has been lost and more control exerted by the federal government.
When a record number of Americans are out of work and have to rely on an unemployment compensation check (and hope and pray that their unemployment benefits will be extended) they are more dependent on Big brother and less free.
Programs such as these have grown all our of proportion. And the federal bureaucracy keep getting bigger and bigger.
And let's look at Obamacare. This massive new federal program will rob us of at least five additional freedoms: 1) The freedom to choose what's in your own health plan because the federal government will effectively impose a list of benefits;  2) The freedom to be rewarded for healthy living, or pay your real costs because community rating will now take effect; 3) The freedom to choose high-deductable coverage because Obamacare threatens to eliminate the trend toward consumer-driven care; 4) The freedom to keep your existing plan because (despite everything the White House has said) even your "existing" plan will not be the same (indeed, will never again be the same) once the federal government begins imposing regulations and mandates and competition will be stifled as well and, finally 5) The freedom to choose your own doctors because Obamcare means that most Americans may have to access health care through "exchanges" where your primary care doctor and/or other gatekeepers will be able to decide when and if you need to see another doctor (cardiologist, oncologist, etc.) and who that doctor will be.
Indeed, you will no longer have to freedom to not have any health care plan at all because Obamacare will mandate your purchase of same (that's at the crux of the current Supreme Court challenge).
Plus, Obamacare will impose enormous new taxes on everyone and every time your taxes go up, you have less freedom. In fact, larger government almost always means more taxes. Your own hard-earned  money gives you access to the things you need and want in life. When the government takes more from you (and you keep less) you have less money and less freedom -- less access to life's needs and rewards.
As has been pointed out at Free Republic: "The impact of Obama's restructuring of our economy and consumer demand has already resulted in a grave loss of the independent decision-making that has marked our robust economy for centuries." Government regulation stifles freedom, limiting options and opportunities.
Furthermore, as the national debt has grown under Obama (grown during his term so far to the point where it exceeds that of all the other presidents combined) the burden of this debt is stealing our children's and grandchildren's future.
But don't take my word for it. Listen to the people: A recent poll shows that nearly half of all Americans now believe there has been a decrease in freedom under Obama. In fact, nearly 40% of all Americans feel there has been a BIG decrease in personal freedom.
A government that's big enough to promise to give you everything you think you want is also powerful enough to also take away everything you really need. And what you really need is the freedom to decide for yourself how to live your life and what to do with your hard-earned money.
So, next time some liberal presses you for an answer to the question "WHAT freedoms have we lost?" you now have an answer.
Voila!