EDITORIAL - The Democratic Party announced recently their plan for the future, dubbed "A New Direction for America". Unfortunately and quite predictably, it offers further government expansion on top of an already bloated federal government platform. Instead, this is "The Same Old Plan for America".

Detailed below are the 6 points the DNC outlined within their plan:

Make Health Care More Affordable: Fix the prescription drug program by putting people ahead of drug companies and HMO’s, eliminating wasteful subsidies, negotiating lower drug prices and ensuring the program works for all seniors; invest in stem cell and other medical research.

Lower Gas Prices and Achieve Energy Independence: Crack down on price gouging; eliminate billions in subsidies for oil and gas companies and use the savings to provide consumer relief and develop American alternatives, including biofuels; promote energy efficient technology.

Help Working Families: Raise the minimum wage; repeal tax giveaways that encourage companies to move jobs overseas.

Cut College Costs: Make college tuition deductible from taxes; expand Pell grants and slash student loan costs.

Ensure Dignified Retirement: Prevent the privatization of Social Security; expand savings incentives; and ensure pension fairness.

Require Fiscal Responsibility: Restore the budget discipline of the 1990s that helped eliminate deficits and spur record economic growth.

Let's take a look at these one by one.

"Make Health Care More Affordable". The single best way to make healthcare more affordable for all Americans is to remove the federal government from the entire process. As more government regulations take effect, the higher healthcare costs get and the less available much needed medicines become. Removing the government from healthcare makes it more affordable for everyone to get the medicines they need.

"Lower Gas Prices and Achieve Energy Independence". A great way to lower gas prices and increase our supply is to relax government regulations that govern oil exploration. The federal government's environmental policies work as a significant deterrent for oil companies to build more refineries and explore our homeland for oil, an endeavor that would effectively make America less dependent on Arab nations.

"Help Working Families". Family, churches and charities are the best way for families to get the help they need. Relying on the government to fund and prioritize people's hardships is not cost effective and results in hurting the very people who need help. Minimum wage laws hurt employment opportunities and raise prices for goods and services. In fact, regulations like minimum wage encourage companies to move their businesses overseas into nations with far less government interference.

"Cut College Costs". Again, this initiative results in government involvement in matters that do not constitutionally concern them. The federal government cannot and should not implement policies and regulations to seemingly lower the cost of higher education. This is the job for charities, scholarships and private grants, which can provide this assistance more effectively and efficiently.

"Ensure Dignified Retirement". Keeping Social Security in the hands of our politicians is the surest way against a "dignified retirement". Let people manage their own money instead of the federal government. The government needs to return everyone's hard earned Social Security tax money. The government has no constitutional right to force people to contribute to a "savings account" managed by politicians. People deserve the right to keep the money they earn and manage it as they see fit.

"Require Fiscal Responsibility". Start by reducing the size of the government to that which is directly authorized by the U.S. Constitution. That includes the elimination of the federal government's unconstitutional departments, agencies and programs. That also includes returning the American people's hard earned money, which eventually makes its way into the economy, spurring economic growth and vitality.

This "plan" by the Democratic Party illustrates well how large our federal government has become and, if left in the hands of our current politicians, how much larger it will grow. Sadly, the Republican Party is no different. When it comes time to vote, be sure to select the candidate that truly understands the Constitution and believes in small government and individual liberty.