Imagine that last fall, before being elected, Barack Obama had outlined the positions he has embraced since being inaugurated. An honest campaign speech could have gone something like this:
“As we approach Election Day, the American people should not waste the crisis we find ourselves in.
“Consequently, if elected, I promise to get us over the Bush financial meltdown with a stimulus program that will borrow $ 787 billion – which, of course, will add to the already sizable budget deficit (nearly $ 500 billion) projected in the Bush administration’s last budget.
“By March of next year, my new $ 3.6 trillion budget will include a spending bill with over 8,500 budget earmarks to target in-need constituents.
“In addition to the stimulus/borrowing plan, I intend to devote $ 634 billion to fund a new supplementary national health-care system. But that is not all. Unfortunately, the initial Bush bank bailout of some $ 700 billion also may well have to be augmented by an additional $ 750 billion.
“Although my new spending proposals may raise the federal deficit in my first year to $ 1.75 trillion, I promise the American people that by the end of my first term, I will halve the federal deficit – albeit adding another $ 3 to $ 5 trillion to the national debt.
“Those savings can be accomplished by upping the federal income tax to about 40 percent on those rich 5 percent of Americans who currently pay only 60 percent of our aggregate income taxes – as well as lifting Social Security caps on their payroll taxes and cutting out many of their tax deductions.
“With state income taxes, federal income tax, and Social Security and payroll taxes, along with new cutbacks in deductions, some of these rich will pay over 60 percent of their incomes in taxes. That is not an unreasonable rate in comparison with past levels – or the fact that well over 40 percent of Americans do not make enough to pay any federal income taxes.
“I expect that Wall Street may react negatively to these proposals. We may see the Dow fall an additional 2,000 to 3,000 points after I’m elected. It may descend to under 7,000 during my first weeks of office. And this may be the moment when the economy continues to cool and unemployment rises.
“But to deal with this reaction of entrenched interests, I promise a fresh team of hard-nosed American professionals – understanding that it is impossible to ensure that none have past insider connections and occasional tax problems.
“From the former Clinton administration, I will select Rahm Emanuel to run my staff. To oversee revenue, Timothy Geithner will assemble a large team at Treasury. Senator Clinton herself will run State, and I will anchor my cabinet with pros like Tom Daschle, Eric Holder, Bill Richardson, and Hilda Solis.
“On matters of protecting civil liberties, I assure the American people that I have examined the Patriot Act, the FISA accords, and renditions – and I have discovered that they, in fact, do not shred our Constitution. I will, however, shut down Guantanamo Bay – but must keep it open another year and appoint a task force to study the issue.
“Our new direction in energy policy will center on cap-and-trade initiatives that promote wind and solar power. While we won’t rule out oil, gas, coal, and nuclear development, problems with greenhouse-gas emissions and nuclear waste mean that these ossified 20th-century industries – including new offshore-drilling development – must be discouraged and further taxed or regulated to subsidize our green future.
“Abroad, I promise to give America a new image. My first television interview will be with al Arabiya. Due to both new initiatives and my unique background, I can reassure them that no longer will the United States alienate the Muslim world. Our aim is to return to stable and friendly relations with the Middle East characteristic of 20-30 years ago.
“Indeed, on matters in the Middle East, I will bring back my suspended adviser Samantha Power. I look forward to her input, along with that of Charles Freeman, former ambassador to Saudi Arabia and critic of Israel, as head of the National Intelligence Council, to craft new directions in the region.
“We expect to open new dialogues with Basher al-Assad of Syria and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran without preconditions. And to further the cause of peace in the Middle East, the United States will pledge almost $ 1 billion to help rebuild the Gaza strip that is governed by Hamas.”
Now all that would have been hope and change that we could have voted on.
Thank you, Mr. Victor Davis Hanson for your truthful words you so skillfully put into Hussein Obama’s mouth.
More Pages:
- Obama canceled America’s “Return to the Moon” program started by former president George Bush.?
- Solar Turbines: Have You Seen The Obama Fact Check On His Stimulus? (6/28/2011)
- ‘Carter was a fool’ say the majority of a nation who elected Bush TWICE? BUT: Was Jimmy Carter right?
- Solar Energy: John MC Cain Filibustered Wind Energy In 2007, How Can He Now Say He Will Support It? (11/22/2011)
- For those of you that support a progressive tax… Would you Also support Progressive Pricing?
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Would any politician be elected if they were to give a truthfull speech. No matter what party.
I’m sorry…is there an actual point and/or question lodged somewhere in all this obfuscation?
With all these flaws, the public trust him and the Democrats moe than the the Republicans. This is why Republicans are out.
You can’t put your faith and hope in one person. A simple man can’t bail out us out.
I do think your revised speech hits the mark.
Just think, if the administration at that time had been truthful maybe just maybe you would not be asking these questions.*
Yes he would be elected even though he lied. This last election every gay liberal and thug whom never voted before voted for Bama, right or wrong he still would have gotten the freaks votes.
95% of the black vote would still have gone to him (it’s a racist thing) … and likely the young who jumped right back onto their Ipods and American Idol shows, not giving another thought that they had effectively shot themselves in the foot!
Absolutely. A rock would have been elected after Bush’s disasterous administration.