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Political consultant Dick Morris has been credited with turning around Bill Clinton's campaign, leading to his second term as President. In ...
Read more about Dick Morris.
Political consultant Dick Morris has been credited with turning around Bill Clinton's campaign, leading to his second term as President. In ...
Read more about Dick Morris.
Obama's New Strategy
Dick Morris
Have you noticed a change in Barack Obama's campaign? Instead of
avoiding controversies over values, religion and race, he seems to
welcome them and wade into the debates with an increasing enthusiasm.
Characterizing how the Republicans will attack him, he predicted that they would criticize his "funny name" and add, "And by the way, did you notice that he's black?"
Obama used to go out of his way to avoid this kind of reference, but now he brings it on. Deliberately.
Why?
Obama and the conservative right are mutually trying to keep the debate about his candidacy on the existential level -- is he the hope for America's future or a Manchurian Candidate, a kind of sleeper agent sent to destroy our democracy? That debate, which pits Obama's rhetoric against the Rev. Wright's rantings, is a contest that could go on all day, and Obama would win it. It is simply a bridge too far to believe that Obama is that evil and that invidious.
But the more the debate covers such fundamental questions, the more it ignores the details -- details that could bring Obama down.
Quite simply, Obama would rather address his religious views and his optimism about America and his embrace of diversity than talk about his plans to raise taxes, let gasoline prices soar and socialize healthcare.
In our new book, "Fleeced," we try to bring the debate back down to earth, focusing on the specific plans that Obama has announced during his presidential primary campaign and discussing the consequences. This is the debate Barack Obama hopes he can avoid.
Consider his proposals:
-- In effect, he would legislate a 60 percent tax bracket for upper-income Americans, killing all initiative and innovation. He'd raise the top bracket to 40 percent. He'd apply FICA taxes to all income, not just that under $100,000 as at present. So add 40 percent plus FICA's 12.5 percent plus Medicare's 2 percent plus state and local taxes averaging, after deduction, at 5 percent to 6 percent, and you have a 60 percent bracket.
-- He would double the capital gains tax, saddling the 50 percent of Americans who own stock with dramatically higher taxes.
-- He'd double the dividend tax, hitting elderly coupon-clippers now retired and depending on fixed incomes.
-- He wants to cover 12 million illegal immigrants with federally subsidized health insurance, dramatically driving up costs and forcing federal rationing of healthcare. As in the United Kingdom and Canada, you will not be permitted certain medical procedures if the bureaucrats decide you are not worth it.
-- He proposes requiring Homeland Security operatives to notify terror suspects that they are under investigation within seven days of starting the investigation
-- He says that unless they can establish that there is "probable cause to believe that a certain individual is linked to a specific terrorist group," Homeland Security cannot seize his documents and search his business. The current standard is only that the search be "relevant" to a terror investigation.
He does not oppose $5-per-gallon gasoline but only says that he wishes there had been a more "gradual adjustment" to the higher prices.
Obama can talk about the Rev. Wright and flag lapel pins and his wife's love of America all day long. But what he resists is a specific discussion of his own plans for our country. That's the discussion he fears and he avoids. And it's the discussion John McCain must force upon him if he is to have any realistic chance of winning the election.
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To find out more about Dick Morris and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com. Distributed By Creators Syndicate Inc.
Copyright 2008 Dick Morris And Eileen Mcgann
This news arrived on: 06/26/2008
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Posted Comments:
07-10-2008 23:18
sassy12 wrote:
Obama
The E-mail I got says that there is no recard of Obamas birth in Hawaii so how can he even run for presadent. obama has a plan for this country but he stole it from Hillary so he realy cant talk about it till he gets the offical word that he is the dems. choice even thou he isn't the magoratys choice.
06-29-2008 05:22
Harry wrote:
Obama
Sure, why not elect him, after all how much damage can he do in 4 years? Double your taxes! You know you should help the government more. Give all the illegal aliens more benefits! our government, you, and I all have too much money. Give the other 40% of American's healthcare! When we go to the doctor's office, we never have to wait,because they are just waiting for us to show up; matter of fact there isn't even a need to set up an appointment. Life will be great when he is elected; we will all have high paying jobs, everyone gets to go to college,the price of gas will return to less than a dollar,both the air and water will be clean,terrorism will stop,and peace will overtake the planet. We all want change, Bush has been a disaster. Obama's decades of experience and knowledge is far better than the couple of months that McCain has . We need someone that knows what he is doing, not a beginner!
06-27-2008 21:49
Bernie Swang wrote:
Black president
What the critics are forgetting is that Barack Obama is HALF WHITE! wHY MUST WE ALWAYS BE REMINDED THAT HE IS BLACK? In my opinion, whatever happens in the coming election....how can it get any worse after this Bush administration has dragged us into the gutters?
06-27-2008 20:55
Colin wrote:
Obama
I really cannot understand what the views of a preacher who is not the Pres. candidate have to do with anything ? Why not seek the views of the hobo on the street ?? Just as relevant !
It seems to me like desperately searching for some dirt to throw at Obama. I say elect him and see. he seems to be on the rails, unlike some of the current ones in power .. who have become a joke.
It seems to me like desperately searching for some dirt to throw at Obama. I say elect him and see. he seems to be on the rails, unlike some of the current ones in power .. who have become a joke.
06-27-2008 15:04
Laura wrote:
Obama
In the beginning I thought Obama was great. Now I believe he is a 'loose canyon' and you don't know what he is going to destroy.
I hope America wakes up before it is too late.
I hope America wakes up before it is too late.
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