An opinion piece in today’s Wall Street Journal paints a very grim, but realistic, picture of where our country will be headed if Barack Obama wins the White House and Democrat majorities in Congress get stronger. (The Senate is expected to be filibuster-proof.)
What you have then is passage of everything the ultra-liberals ever wanted, which will include:
- Medicare for all – Totally public healthcare for everyone of every age, regardless of income. Total people shifted from private health care onto government entitlement: 32 million to 52 million.
- Less private business, more run by government – All sorts of industries will be regulated into oblivion, likely to include telecom, biotech, and drug makers. More government interference in business matters in general will likely make our economic downturn longer and more severe. Example of exellent punitive action that will have a devastating effect on our economy? Windfall profits tax, not just on oil but other industries too. (Because the tax isn’t really paid by the corporations, it’s paid by the consumers… you and me.)
- Unions rule – Something called the “Employee Free Choice Act” will widely expand the number of union shops. Union organizers will have a much easier time getting (forcing) employes to join unions. In general, there will be a big pro-union shift that may sound good for employees, but will like have a net negative effect on them via higher prices that will have to be charged for goods because of the high costs of unions.
- Huge tax increases – It’s not a question of whether taxes will rise. It’s about how much. Obama is planning on raising top income tax rates and the dividend and capital gains rates for high income earners. The result? Less incentive to invest in new businesses and industries, leading to a slowdown in job creation. (This means an attempt to stick it to the “rich” will actually be hurting the lower and middle classes who need the jobs.) The current caps on payroll taxes will also be lifted, so the higher income earners will see a substantial tax increase there. Overall, taxes will eat up more of GDP, and that’s not a good thing. The more taxes take up GDP, the less real economic growth we have, and the poorer consumers are.
- Gaga for green – Regulations and taxes supposedly aimed at curbing “climate change” will further harm our businesses and our economy. There will be trillions of dollars wasted in the name of global warming. (Read: Huge cost, little benefit, total drain on our economy with no value added.)
- Remove voting regulations – Democrats want a law to require natioanal election day registration. This makes it easier to commit fraud at the polls, a favorite tool of Democrats to ensure wins and continued liberal rule of our government. There is also a possibility of letting felons vote nationwide. The Fairness Doctrine, aimed at shutting up conservative talk radio, will likely be reimposed.
- Tons of special interests – If you think special interests are bad now, just wait. We’re talking shutting down Guantanomo, trying terrorists in civilian courts, gutting No Child Left Behind, and anything MoveOn.org wants (specifically internet regulation).
God help us all.
Lets just pray this does not happen. I personally do no think McCain was the right choice to be the Republican canidate but he is the lesser of two evils. He and Palin actually cover a wider range of views than Oboma does and I hope it shows come election day.
This scenario is so scary, I really fear for the future of this country. Democrats cozy up to the poor, and pass legislation that ensures that a greater majority of our citizens are at lower middle class or poverty level. This in turn, enables them to get control by spouting promises that their party will lift them out of poverty, or subsidize their lifestyle so they can continue to get handouts without doing what it takes to take care of themselves.
I am all for being charitable, but I resent being forced to give away hardearned dollars. That is not charity, that is socialism. We will be in deep trouble if this country elects yes-man Obama.
Can you imagine the kind of trouble our economy will be in? Those who produce and invest will not possibly be able to do enough to keep up with the level of federal spending (redistribution) Obama wants to do. If people think our economy is in trouble now, just wait. This will look like a picnic compared to the times ahead. And what the poor likely don’t realize is that they will be severely hurt by high prices and scarcity of goods. I wish people would look at the standard of living that Socialist and Communist countries have had through the years. Not too long ago, I visited a European country that was 16 years post-Communism. They are still struggling mightily, and the negative effects of Communism on the economy and standard of living were still very visible. Why haven’t we learned from history?
Unfortunately I doubt the Democrats see Obamas plan as being linked to what a socialist government is. Unless someone actually comes from a country that was a socialist government they have no clue about what it is and what it is all about. They look at it as being fair to every one and not realizing that what will happen is all the money they were making that went to their retirment fund and play money is going to be sent on down to those who are in the low income bracket. This will then make those in that lower end more than likely not srtive to get out of where they are at (we have a few exceptions here who never strived to be better). Why work for something when you can have it handed to you on a silver platter.
Ah yes, it’s easy to forget what a disincentive to work hard Socialism and Communism are.