Nothing New Or Different About Obama

NRO: Illinois Senator's Record On Economic Issues Shows He's Liberal To The Core

(National Review Online)  This column was written by Larry Kudlow

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Media mogul Oprah Winfrey anointed him presidential heir-apparent on "Larry King Live." Three-thousand adoring fans clung to his every word in New Hampshire. His new book sits atop The New York Times' bestseller list. Over on "Monday Night Football," he announced that, after "a good deal of soul-searching," that he is ready (wink-wink) ... "for the Bears to go all the way!" (How’s that for free advertising?)

Barack Obama is on a big-time roll.

In a Washington minute, the Democratic senator from Illinois has the media saying, "Hillary Clinton who?" But every honeymoon must come to an end, and I can think of a few reasons why Wall Street might want these nuptials annulled fast.

Last Sunday, while stumping — er, speaking — in New Hampshire, the young senator delivered an interesting line. Attempting to explain his sudden rock-star ascendancy to the pantheon of presidential hopefuls, Obama said voters wanted a new vision: "It's a spirit that says we are looking for something different — we want something new."

Trouble is, there’s nothing "new" or "different" about Barack Obama. Behind that charm and charisma — a media-entrancing appeal worthy of Bill Clinton —is an extremely liberal-left politician.

Just look at his record.

Obama voted against the Bush tax cuts on capital gains and dividends, justifying his anti-growth stance with the old class-warfare saw about tax cuts for the rich. Of course, these are the very same tax cuts that spurred economic expansion, created record job growth, and reduced the deficit as revenues flooded the Treasury.

The young senator also voted against repealing the death tax. He dismissed it as a "Paris Hilton tax break" that would give "billions of dollars to billionaire heirs and heiresses." Try telling that to the owners of farms, ranches, and small businesses who are forced to sell their legacies because of this tax.

He swings a nice protectionist bat, too. He has voted against free trade (CAFTA) and U.S. energy independence (drilling in ANWR), and has opposed lifting a $0.54 per gallon tariff on Brazilian ethanol. "Ethanol imports are neither necessary nor a practical response to current gasoline prices," he claimed. Nonsense.

He's also strongly opposed to personal retirement accounts for Social Security reform, and prefers instead that the government stewards your money. As Amanda Carpenter wrote in Human Events, "When speaking out against various tax cuts, Obama has likened the 'Ownership Society' — which entails such things as personalized Social Security accounts, health savings accounts and school choice — to 'social Darwinism.'"

The George W. Bush way has been to work toward ending the multiple-taxation of savings and investment — to lower taxes and put the people's money back in the people's wallets. It's all about capital. Simply put, the economy can't grow without capital to fertilize the soil of new technologies, jobs, and businesses. But Obama scoffs at such notions.

The senator is liberal to the core. He voted against Supreme Court judges Sam Alito and John Roberts. (Even liberal senators Russ Feingold and Pat Leahy voted for Roberts.) He said no to Patriot Act wiretap extensions, despite their proven effectiveness on halting terrorist attacks over the past five years. He collaborated in blocking John Bolton's appointment to the United Nations. He earned a perfect 100 percent rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America. He voted against a ban on partial-birth abortions twice as a state senator. He opposed the Defense of Marriage Act and stood against the Federal Marriage Amendment, despite acknowledging his belief that marriage is between a man and a woman.

Let's remember that Democrats won their congressional majority by doing their best impersonation of Republicans. In securing their November sweep, the Democrats captured a huge margin of independent Ross Perot voters — fiscal conservatives who favor balanced budgets, an end to deficit spending, and strong national security. Obama fails these independents on each account.

Do Democrats really want Obama to take them on a U-turn back to the left?

If the Democrats really want to embrace a rising star, they need look no further than Harold Ford, the young African-American congressman from Tennessee who nearly captured a Senate seat last month. Ford appreciates free markets and capitalism. He has boldly crossed party lines to vote to extend the investor tax cuts and expand tax-free savings accounts. He avoids class-warfare platitudes and embraces the Ownership Society. He's optimistic — Reaganesque. And his pro-growth vision stands in stark contrast to Obama's nanny-state predilection.

The good news for Obama is that there are about 700 days until Election Day 2008. If he decides to seek the Democratic nomination, he has time to change his message — perhaps after a few chats with Harold Ford.

[jkdbri-2009]

I LOVE MR. BARACK OBAMA!!!GO! BARACK GO! IN 2008!!! HE WILL HAVE MY VOTE!!!

[deadhead9496]

the red state's worst nightmare!
A young, educated, liberal African American that has a *** good chance of sitting in the oval office in 08! I think Lennon had it right all along...
"Instant karmas gonna get you
Gonna knock you right on the head"

[huskerarmy]

"without big buiness there are no "corportate" tax receipts... Without tax receipts the Federal government can't provide for R&D grants, social programs, security, highways and bridges....... everything you can imagine"

And of course, Preceptions, big business makes their product and money in a vaccum, through osmosis. We would certainly all be better off as slaves. That way business would have even more taxable income, more money to trickle down on us and more things to give us. What a wonderful life it would be.

[feelfree1]

Re: "Nothing New Or Different About Obama"

I don't like to encourage the fascist extremists at the National Review Online, but this is my perception of him as well. I hope that I am wrong.

[decristo50]

Kudlow must be living in another universe altogether. When he says " Obama voted against the Bush tax cuts on capital gains and dividends, justifying his anti-growth stance with the old class-warfare saw about tax cuts for the rich."
Anti Growth? Class Warfare? Is he joking. Is he aware that thsese tax cuts cut into the money needed to support Bush's crazy war? And this too ... "He has voted against free trade (CAFTA) and U.S. energy independence (drilling in ANWR).." Voted AGAINST US energy independence? Like drilling in Alaska is the energy panacea we have been waiting for? I could go on ... and on. He speaks of Obama's vote against John Bolton as if that was a horrible decision. This is just another example of pathological conservative journalism. He makes spurious connections where non exists. He related everything to anything. Is this what the National Review has fallen to? Writers like this one? Mike in Los Angeles

[tejasdemo]

yea, that comment about the "death tax" is right on. Little Ma and Pa Kettle aint losing the farm because of the death tax.

Lol

[tejasdemo]

More *** from the Nazis who think everybody really does want to be like them.

The fact is that nobody wants to be like them and they can not deal with it so they have to rely on Rush Limpbaugh, O'Reilly, Fox News and their other screamin at the rain mindless morons to make them feel better.

It's ok to say liberals are good for everyone because they are.

[flautus]

More conservative kool-aid drinking nonsense. This bush economy, like rambo ronnie's, only benefits the upper 2%, the real historical mission of the republicans. In the last 50 years individuals went from paying 25% of the income taxes to 75%- with the reverse for coporate criminals. Most of that burden shift has come since the reagan, I mean redneck revolution. In the last 14 years, 98% of us have seen a mere 2% increase in our income on average. The upper 2% have seen a whopping 57% increase, and the mega-pig upper .01% have seen several hundred %. The jobs created are *** jobs with no security and low wages- just where the corporate pigs want us.
The republican agenda hasn't changed in a 100 years. Keep the rich / corporations in control and ride the backs of the rest of us like beasts of burden- neo-conmen notwithstanding. Of course Obama is liberal- he's highly educated, sensitive, and greed isn't his sacrament. You neocon morons can try to sabotage his ascendancy all you want, but his charisma will ultimately carry the day. "Not all conservatives are ignorant" ,(the greed pigs), "but most ignorant people are conservative"- anon.pol. 1845.

[mjv2944]

perception

Ever think about all the tax breaks that big business gets? How about the incentive to out source witha tax break. Big business and oil have gotten away with murder when it comes to taxes and subsidies and that includes the rich. Everyday working people pay a big chunk.

Obama/Edwards/Edwards/Ovbama either way its a winner. Sorry neocons, but you blew it big time and Americans finally seen what you really are and kicked your collective a-s-s-e-s.

[czarhezar]

Hold on Larry!

Why are you smearing the guy in such early stage? Dont blow your cover so prematurely there will be sufficient time for neocons and Rep's mediamachine to nail him in due course. Don't worry.

[mrthornman]

And at least I do some research, instead of pulling them from me arse.

[mrthornman]

I see you do not dispute that they ARE facts.

My point is this: Here is another neocon seeking to advise us on this person or that person, when his own life seems to be a mess. Why should we give a rip what this guy says?

[bushmaster83]

mrthornman,
Excellent work on going to Wikipedia to get your facts. Instead of attacking him personally why don't you discuss his ideas and opinions.

[mrthornman]

Yes. This guy is THE Larry Kudlow:

* History of drug and alcohol abuse
* Married 3 times
* Famous Quotes: Kudlow called for the US to attack Iraq because "a lack of decisive follow-through in the global war on terrorism is the single biggest problem facing the stock market and the nation today."

In other words, your typical conservative mouthpiece, a proud son of the moral majority.

[stevenak]

I am so tired of the ESTATE tax being called the death tax. Not one family farm was ever lost to this tax. IT affects 7,000 individuals in the US. It is in place to prevent another aristocracy. No one but the incredibly wealthy ever pay it, and they don't miss it. Get your facts together Kudlow!

[getcentered]

Hereniko:

THANK YOU!
Your comment Rocks!!

Barack Obama in '08!

[hereniko]

Let the right rave and try to divert and divide again.
Let them bring up his middle name, his color and his leaning to the dreaded evil "left." Even call him "Liberal".
NRO and all the Rove spin doctors will not be able to distract Americans from being lead by a man who inspires us to believe again in the American dream. We respond to his call to hold hands with fellow Americans on both side of the bridge. He has made us dream again and have hope. No better gift during this holdiay season.
We're ready.
He's ready.
Why wait?
Barack Obama in '08!

JPH

[susanhelit]

Nicely misleading editorial - so, turning down Bush, extremely conservative biased tax cuts makes someone an extreme liberal? Not even close!

And, yeah, when tax cuts are considered, we can't just think, "Oh, goodie, less taxes, that sounds nice!", remeber that the government needs a certain amount of money to run, and that money will come from our pockets (as, after all, it is our government). So, whose pockets should it come from, and how much? I don't see a reason to give Paris Hilton, and others inheriting millions a tax break, when the taxes must be paid by others on money they actually WORK for. Cut taxes on the rich and businesses, and the poor and middle class must make up the difference. Or we can go the Bush way, pretend like we can spend like crazy while cutting taxes, and just go hugely into debt, which can be paid back after he's out of office. By us.

Even many conservative Republicans stronly disagree with this administration's spending habits - opposing them is hardly the mark of an extreme liberal - it's a mark of sanity!

[actornaught]

The country, as well as democrats, voted for honest working government and against the corruption of the self-serving (notice how much the neocons are self-fulfilling their own 'bad government' scare...). This author makes a pretty good case FOR Obama.

Then there's the tired neocon strategy to make 'liberal' an insult by redefining it to fit their hate-mongering. Quite an immoral bunch...

[syphlis]

is the larry kudlow that wrote this article the same larry kudlow who used to snort coke and suffer from alcoholism?