By Dick Morris
June 25, 2008
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 which 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:
=95 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 5-6 percent, and you have a 60
percent bracket.
=95 He would double the capital gains tax, saddling the 50 percent of
Americans who own stock with dramatically higher taxes.
=95 He'd double the dividend tax, hitting elderly coupon-clippers now
retired and depending on fixed incomes.
=95 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 U.K. and Canada, you will
not be permitted certain medical procedures if the bureaucrats decide
you are not worth it.
=95 He proposes requiring Homeland Security operatives to notify terror
suspects that they are under investigation within seven days of
starting the investigation.
=95 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 do***ents and search his
business. The current standard is only that the search be "relevant"
to a terror investigation.
=95 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 5-6 percent, and you have a 60
percent bracket.
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.
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Morris, a former political adviser to Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) and
President Bill Clinton, is the author of =93Outrage.=94 To get all of Dick
Morris=92s and Eileen McGann=92s columns for free by email, go to
www.dickmorris.com.
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