Charitable as I am, I thought I’d offer some assistance to the Obama camp. First, I’ll offer them “what the other side would say if they heard this,” and then, I’ll offer some insights on “change” that will outwit the critics and land their man in the Oval Office.
What the Other Side Would Say If They Heard This
Barack: On Feb. 13, 2008 you commented:
“It’s a Washington where George Bush hands out billions in tax cuts year after year to the biggest corporations and the wealthiest few who don’t need them and don’t ask for them — tax breaks that are mortgaging our children’s future on a mountain of debt; tax breaks that could’ve gone into the pockets of the working families who needed them most."
A few points the other side would
make:
- George Bush doesn’t “hand out” tax cuts. Tax cuts mean that the government doesn’t put its “hand in” our pockets as much as it used to. Big difference. The money isn’t yours to spend, Barack.
- Only the biggest corporations and wealthiest few got breaks? Interesting. I’m at the bottom of the chart, and I got a break. Granted, it was only a few bucks, but then again, I’d expect that GM or Bill Gates would get a larger “break” than me. They paid more taxes. That’s only fair. (Fairness is something you value, right?)
- Tax breaks are “mortgaging our children’s future.” That’s interesting too. Isn’t that like a bank robber saying that not robbing as many banks is putting his family in debt? I thought that government spending on liberal social programs was the problem. If anything, tax breaks increase the government’s intake of dollars – because people are making more money. If you care about debt reduction, start talking about Medicare reform, or about growing the economy. (Or, in a perfect world, both.)
- Tax breaks that could have gone to
working families. What? If the "working families" got all the tax breaks, wouldn't we still be mortgaging our children's future? Also, and more importantly, how can you give a break to people who hardly
pay taxes to begin with? You must mean that all the
money the government could have taken
from the rich could have been given to
the poor. Aren't we doing enough of that already?
More things the other side would be
likely to say in response:
It’s sad that Americans have lost the ability to discern what is really being said by aspiring politicians. Does no one ever wonder what real-life is content behind “hope” and “change” and other platitudes of good will? Or why politicians always must pit rich against poor – as if those who make the money in America are the enemy?
The amazing secret of capitalism is that the rich do share with the poor – the rich give people jobs. The rich give people loans to buy their cars and houses. The rich give people capital to try their business ideas. Penalizing the rich guy at the top of the chain hurts everybody, especially the poor. When rich guy’s company has to cut back on productivity because of tax hikes, he’ll still be able to afford his mortgage. You’ll be looking for a job. So, before you join the rally against the rich, think. Just think, for one moment.
Obama contends that he’ll pay for his health care programs, infrastructure improvements and assorted goodies for the masses by “ending the war in Iraq” and by eliminating the Bush tax cuts. In other words: he'll channel all the money we spend on the military that is working into social programs that aren’t working; then he'll tax the living daylights out of anyone who makes decent money.
And, after Obama calls for a general retreat of the U.S. military from the War on Terror, the same enemies will re-emerge, stronger and smarter, to challenge us again. That’s when war will get really expensive. (Will he then say, “I’m going to pay for the war by ending my health care programs”?)
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I can see it now. This is exactly the sort of thing they might say on talk radio, or on those conservative blogs, or even at some lunch buffet in Alabama after Sunday church. Tell me I’m wrong.
What Obama Should Say to Outwit the
Other Side
To help out, here is some positive and uplifting content to feed the hungry, cheering and fawning crowds: (Feel free to quote me, here, Barack. No citation is needed.)
1. On Taxes. “We’re going to CHANGE the way Washington does business! We’re going to eliminate capital gains and dividend taxes, to spur investment in new jobs and technologies, and help retirees and soon-to-be retirees! We’ll give Baby Boomers hope who have none! Give them hope! We’re going to eliminate the tax that Social Security recipients pay on their Social Security benefits, and a bunch of other strange taxes like the AMT, death tax, etc! We’re going to simplify the tax code so that we don’t all have to spend $100 a year just to figure the whole mess out! Think of the children, think of the burden we could take off of their shoulders, by such common sense measures!”
2. On Infrastructure. “ I want to set up a conference with important people from the 50 states (remember those?), and figure out what areas of national infrastructure require the Federal government’s involvement. For everything else – all that stuff the Feds should never have gotten into in the first place, we’re going to hand it back to the States, and to the people, just like the 10th Amendment says! I’ll make a priority list of whatever Federal projects need tackling, we’ll work down the list in order and in a fiscally-sane way, over a few years. I also know that we need power in America– power to fuel our dreams and our future! Yes, yes, power to the people! That’s why I’m proposing that we let energy companies to build new plants, even if they aren’t as “green” as we wish they could be. But newer power plants will be more “green” than older ones, so it’s a step in the right direction for all of us. Our children will thank us! We all know what the “green” objective is, but until technology can catch up to our hopes, we do still need the lights to come on at night. We still need power so that the poor can get up and go to work every morning, and forge a better and brighter future!”
3. On Health Care. “I know how
you feel, you who spend your own money on health care. I know, I know, the costs are high. And even though Americans are receiving the
best health care in the world, I think we could do better. We must do better, for our children! For our parents! For the unborn! For future
generations! I propose that instead of a socialist health care plan, we funnel dollars into medical research and development. If the government starts paying for surgeries
and doctor visits, prices will only go up, and so will our taxes - and without competition in the marketplace, the quality of care would go down. I don’t want that to happen to you. Not when you’re already struggling to make
ends meet. Not when you're having to choose between feeding your dog and taking your medicine for restless leg syndrome. No American should face such a choice! But think of the possibilities the free market would offer us: If medical technology increases, prices will
go down and the quality of care will go up. Up, up to the highest heights! Yes, the future, people, we can change the future! We can
save Medicare and offer affordable health options for everyone! We have to get the government out of the way! Yes, change! Change for the future! For this we turn to our nation’s best and
brightest – our scientists and doctors!”
Change America! Power! Dream! Green! Inspire! Barack!
Your third point is fundamentally flawed. The World Health Organization reports that "The U.S. health system spends a higher portion of its gross domestic product than any other country but ranks 37 out of 191 countries according to its performance, the report finds." That puts the US behind Columbia, Chile, and Costa Rica just to name a few.
Posted by: Joshua | March 01, 2008 at 02:55 PM
Let me put it to you this way.
Your wife is pregnant with twins, and ultrasounds show that there are going to be significant complications in delivery. Would you rather be:
- in Wichita, Kansas?
- in Kali, Colombia?
- in a Costa Rican village?
Posted by: Dan J | March 05, 2008 at 12:59 PM