The health care bill mandates that Americans who don't have insurance must buy it from private companies. The "government-run" public option never made it into the bill.
First of all, mandating anything is a characteristic of socialism, not capitalism. As I've stated above, the current system is not a free market and this mandate further establishes that fact. Second this lays the ground work for more policies that would lead to a takeover by the Federal Government of the healthcare system.
The U.S. is (thankfully) moving away from the notion that all peoples of the world are in need of democratic institutions and human rights, and it is the duty of the U.S. to lead the way.
I think you're actually completely wrong here. This is one area Obama has not reversed Bush doctrine, but rather expanded on it. Escalations in Afghanistan/Pakistan, Libya, etc.
Charter school/voucher programs are expanding
These changes would be coming from the state/local sector, not because of the Fed. I think this types of changes are badly needed too.
Union bargaining rights have been scaled back dramatically (think Wisconsin)
Again, state and local action here. Unions are bad enough but Government Unions are the worse. Even FDR spoke about how collective bargining should never be allowed to occur. I've read articles about how these changes in Wisconsin have already reversed school districts from running in the red to having a surplus at the same time enhancing the students experience by allowing smaller class room sizes.
The 2001 tax cuts for high-income earners were extended, despite high unemployment and deficit figures
Obama is completely flipping on this one. He's on a crusade for massive tax hikes now. Even thou history repeatedly shows that tax cuts usually create tax revenues and hikes do the reverse.
At the Fed level it sure is.
