Obama Will Tax More Than Just the 'Rich'

He really does.

John doe of NY 2:55PM July 17, 2008

I would agree that part of the economic downturn in the US arises from the fact that we have become more effective recently in border security, and thus have less of the economic blessing of illegal immigrants who come here to work, but I don't think Bush wanted the outcome of fewer immigrant workers, I think it was foisted on him by a looming isolationist threat within the party.

But I think that Jimmy P mainly missed the boat because he does not ascribe evil intent to the Democrats. At some point you have to realize that they aren't simply mistaken, and that the consequences of their policies are not unintended. There is such a thing as error, but there is also such a thing as revealed preference.

Anybody should have seen the economic downturn coming as soon as the Democrats took control of Congress in the beginning of 2007. They think that their political interests are served by suffering. Kind of like a doctor who gives advice that makes people require his services even more. The doctor doesn't hate his patients, and he certainly wouldn't wish them harm, he just wants to make sure that he has their business.

It is like the thing they accuse corporate America of doing--developing products that are designed to fail so that people will have to buy more of the same kind of thing later on.

The Republican ideology will only be popular if people have the hope of economic success as individuals. From the second amendment to laissez-faire capitalism, the Republican position is advanced when power works out well in the hands of individuals. To the extent that their hope as individuals can be taken away, people will vote for Democrats. Thus, the fear of being "left behind" is the consistent message of every Democratic campaign.

The Democrats seemingly purposefully have established policies that have reduced domestic energy production, and not just of oil and nuclear, but overall. No hydrogen, no switchgrass, no cheap sugar, no PHEV, etc. And just because Bush likes those things. And now they want to take back existing oil leases.

Their attack on credit institutions made homes harder to buy, and accelerated the collapse of the housing market.

Their position on the minimum wage was designed to reduce employment.

By opposing privatization, they have pretty much guaranteed that the Social Security system will fail (but that is still a matter of long-range planning).

They tried, but failed, to pull out of Iraq, so that future of the Middle East would look more like North Korea than like South Korea (the difference in those regions of Korea arises mainly as a consequence of the fact that we withdrew from the North but protected democracy in the South).

If you wanted to do evil in the world, it is hard to imagine any way that would be more effective than the policies the Democrats have promoted. A direct and explicit "pro evil" policy wouldn't work, but dressing the lust for power at all costs in the disguise of concern works wonders.

Mazzula of VA 1:02PM July 01, 2008

Oi stop deleting comments

Victor of WA 2:14AM June 27, 2008