October 30, 2008
The Spendthrift
Neither the Associated Press…
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama was less than upfront in his half-hour commercial Wednesday night about the costs of his programs and the crushing budget pressures he would face in office.…nor CBS News…Obama's assertion that "I've offered spending cuts above and beyond" the expense of his promises is accepted only by his partisans.
[Obama] seems blind to the concept his numbers don't add up.…believe that Barack Obama has an actual plan to pay for all of the government expansions and increased resdistribution he's promising.Let's start with his highly suspect, and widely discredited, claim that he can find federal "spending cuts beyond the costs" of his promises. Very few independent economists believe he has identified the savings needed to offset his remarkable list of tax credits, tax cuts and spending pledges.
This comes as no surprise to conservatives. But what about the Obama supporters out there? Are you expecting him, if elected, to advance much more aggressive “revenue enhancing” proposals than he’s talked about so far? Or are you expecting him not to deliver most of what’s he’s promising? Or do you think all this policy talk is for losers, and that the only important thing is to have the right man in charge, no matter what he has to say to get there?
I hope that all the so-called "conservatives" who have supported Trotskyite Bush's implementation of a domestic quasi-police state will be happy if the Democrats sweep.
Imagine a vindictive George Jefferson with all the powers of the fascistic "Patriot" Act, domestic spying, Guantanamo and indefinite confinement of citizens without trial.
Great job Bushites.
Have faith.
The Obamessiah is going to take the dollar loaves and dollar fishes and feed us all!
Posted by: Tom W at October 30, 2008 8:36 PMI remember Ronald Reagan promising not to raise taxes in the 1984 election. I also remember Walter Mondale famously telling the debate audience that the next president was going to have to raise taxes to pay for social security and the only difference between the two was that Mondale would tell you he was going to raise taxes and Reagan would not. Mondale lost and taxes were raised.
Posted by: Phil at October 31, 2008 6:25 AMPhil,
So are you with the "Barack Obama must be planning to raise taxes more than he's saying" crowd?
Andrew, I really think Phil is part of the hate-Bush/worship-Obama-because it's-trendy-at-cocktail-parties crowd.
Posted by: George at October 31, 2008 10:07 AMAndrew
I think most voters understand that candidates speak in code while campaigning. The point of the story about the 1984 election was that Mondale told the truth and Reagan told voters what they expected to hear. Voters decided that Reagan was less apt to raise taxes than Mondale even though they understood that he may have to. Reagan's desire was not to raise taxes and his speaking to that desire indicated that he may not raise taxes as much as Mondale. Candidates do not get credit for telling the truth except after they have lost. In the same way the Obama themes of financial justice speaks to many voters. Those like yourself who dissect each phrase and endlessly crunch the numbers miss the point entirely. To answer your question I would have to say that I would expect Obama to handle issuses of taxation and the economy responsibly. The situation next year may require actions that would be contrary to positions taken now.
George
Do flocks of seagulls count as a crowd?
I cringed when I heard him say that in the ad, because the last thing we need in a recession is spending cuts. I don't have a problem with deficit spending to turn the economy around.
Posted by: mrh at November 1, 2008 1:09 PM" the last thing we need in a recession is spending cuts"
MRH, is this an economic theory that you are citing? If so, please elaborate.
Secondly, isn't it irresponsible of us to give our children and grandchildren the bill for our spending?
Posted by: Monique at November 1, 2008 3:20 PM