When you take on Barack Obama's recent comments, there's a lot to debunk. There are the gun and God insults, the hypocrisy on trade, the accusations of racism, and more. One item that has gotten little attention is Obama's thesis -- that voters are embittered because Washington has done nothing to save their jobs. Here's Obama today at the Alliance for American Manufacturing:
But we also know this is a problem that goes beyond the failures of George Bush - because for decades, through both Democratic and Republican administrations, we've seen the number of American-owned steel companies dwindle down. For decades, our economic policies have been written to pump up a corporate bottom line, rather than promote what's right, without any consideration for the burden we all bear when workers are abused or the environment is destroyed.
Last year President Bush was considering a series of tax breaks "to make them more competitive around the world," but a major problem was that it would likely lead to a confrontation with Democratic leaders. In 2004, there was broad bipartisan support for a tax bill that lowered the corporate tax rate from 35 to 32 percent for manufacturers and a range of others, and which also changed tax rules to end anti-competitive penalties on U.S. exports. The 2003 Bush tax cuts included several provisions to spur business investment -- including a capital gains tax reduction. Those provisions were the most controversial ones, and led to much Democratic opposition. Obama promises to repeal them, and to double the capital gains tax rate if he is elected president. The 2001 tax cuts included a repeal of the estate tax -- which makes it possible for heirs not to sell off or divide up family businesses -- and also lowered income tax rates for all taxpayers.
That's just the highlights of the Bush presidency, but you get the point. Haven't Democrats been complaining for decades that Republicans want nothing but tax cuts for corporations and big businesses? Those are precisely the measures that tend to help jobs stay here in the U.S. They are also the ones that Democrats have constantly opposed. Trade agreements have helped open markets to U.S. exports, creating more jobs here. (Fortunately, Obama doesn't count himself among those who cling to 'anti-trade sentiments' as a way of explaining job losses.)
There's plenty to pick apart in Obama's insulting statement, but this is a whopper. He seeks the nomination of the party that inevitably favors higher business taxes and more regulations, and tries to claim that Republicans have been indifferent to job creation? The hypocrisy is stunning.
By the way, House Republicans intend to force a vote tomorrow on a measure to block the Democrats' planned $683 billion tax increase. Do you think Obama would...
Nah. I bet that's just another distraction.
