The Denver Dems Aren’t Making the Sale

National Review: A Close Race And Unanswered Questions Put The Pressure On Obama

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

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There is no Biden bounce according to the latest Gallup tracking poll, as John McCain actually is taking a 46-44 lead over Barack Obama. Scott Rasmussen reports a 46-46 tie after the Democratic National Convention’s first night, which reverses a 3 percentage point Obama lead.

Meanwhile, another Gallup poll says 50 percent expect their taxes to be raised under Obama, despite the complaints of his economic advisors that they’re only raising taxes on the top few percent.

Make no mistake about it: There are many doubts and unanswered questions about the Illinois senator regarding his experience, his foreign policy, his economics, and his prior political and spiritual relationships. And despite some good moments last night, I don’t think Michelle Obama made the sale. At the end, only her husband can do it. Hillary can’t do it. If the badly split Democrats can be united at this late date, only Obama can do the job. No one else.

Reagan united a split GOP in 1980. George W. Bush united the McCain, Forbes, and cultural-conservative factions in 2000. Goldwater couldn’t do it in ’64. Neither could Humphrey in ’68. Of course, Jerry Ford couldn’t do it in ’76. And Carter failed dismally in 1980. But Bill Clinton succeeded in 1992.

Now it’s Obama’s task in 2008. That’s his job. No one else can do it for him.

And as the stock market looks on warily, falling slightly today after plunging yesterday, the lead story in this morning’s Wall Street Journal is a serious indictment of Obama’s economic program. “Senator Obama is proposing to use the government to remake economic policies in a way that hasn’t been seen in Washington in decades.” And if it’s a three-house Dem sweep, it will be Katy bar the door. Big-government spending programs, tax increases, trade restraints, a government health-care plan, cap-and-trade on climate change - all without any real deficit restraints, which are accorded a low priority.

Incidentally, while the public clamors for drill, drill, drill, Obama wants high-cost, cap-and-trade carbon regulation enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency. Now, McCain also wants cap-and-trade, but not if India and China don’t go along. Apparently Obama will not be constrained by the rest of the world.

Sure, the economy is languishing. But do we really want a big-government, high-tax solution? Do we really want higher investment taxes that would leave government bigger and private enterprise smaller? Do Americans really blame “rich” people? Or do they actually believe success is a good thing and should not be punished? Do rank-and-file working folks really want to do away with the secret ballot for unionization in the form of the so-called card check? And if there were a three-house Dem sweep, wouldn’t Obama’s middle-class tax credit be overturned in favor of even more government spending, just as Bill Clinton’s plans were subverted back in 1993? The National Taxpayers Union says Obama’s new spending would total $344 billion. That’s a big number. One has to wonder if that’s the opening bid or the final one.

The Obama economists sincerely believe that theirs is a growth program. His advisors are friends of mine - all of them terribly smart: Jason Furman, Austan Goolsbee, Robert Reich, Jarrod Bernstein. So this is surely not personal on my part. But I question their economic model. Raising marginal tax rates will minimize - not maximize - economic growth and jobs. Ditto for enlarging the size, scope, and sweep of government.

Business cycles come and go. Each has its own set of excesses and subsequent corrections. It is the nature of free-market capitalism. But heavy-handed government solutions are being rejected worldwide, and it seems foolhardy for the USA to move away from economic freedom when virtually the rest of the world is moving toward it.

One of the greatest tax reformers of all time was John F. Kennedy. He slashed marginal tax rates across the board for businesses and people of all income levels. The economy boomed in the 1960s. Reagan copied the JFK model in the 1980s. Are we turning back this supply-side model? I fear the Obama men are doing just that. I think that fear is worrying the stock market right now.

John McCain’s economic program is certainly not flawless. And his ad bashing business, oil, and others nearly reaches the class-warfare level of Obama-Biden. It’s a Big Mac mistake. Nor does McCain have a solid tax-cutting program for the middle class. More on all that later.

But as the Democrats discuss the economy tonight, I’m willing to bet they are not gonna make the sale. Obama’s task Thursday night will be a monumental challenge.

[davewrite1]

To me, what Republicans have become, with the advent of supply side and neoconservatism, is a legion of hatred and propaganda %u2013 Machiavellian warriors without a heart and without principle. They%u2019ve made high art of lies, distortion, deception, ruthlessness, and character assassination. There is nothing they will not do or say or do to keep the reins of power. Sophistry, non pareil!

[veteran188]

The Dems are not making the sale???
what??

oh, of course!, we need to show Obama , cutting brush, drinking beer with a fake cowboy, LYING the country into a fake war,

The republicons, the new nazi''s, the anti american fascists

four more of the same -Mcsame

[pigsknpontif]

Kudlow is a loon. He needs to just "go away" instead of occupying TV slots and web waves to spread his idiotic bias and bigotry.

[noboundary]

Oh please. Look at some real facts for a change - surpluses during the Clinton presidency followed by through-the-roof spending by Bush, resulting in record deficits, all mortgaging our children''s future. But then again, you wouldn''t know a fact if it bit you in the face. You don''t deserve the right to lecture anyone about what will happen under a democratic administration. But we already are painfully aware of the catastrophe caused by the republicans.

[sparks224]

The Denver Dems Aren%u2019t Making the Sale?

National Gallup Tracking Obama 49, McCain 41 Obama +8

Poor Larry Kudlow, trapped in his little neo-con fantasy world.

[noloyalisti]

God forgive elicatlover for voting for more Bush and not for change. We have been suckered by the corporations to vote for their puppets.

These guys are Republicans posing as independents. They are as frightened of change that we need after 8 years of terror as any brainless GOPer. God forgive America for the Grand Oil Party.

[sparks224]

"We are two independents...%u201D?%u201D...despite having always voted Democratic in the past.....%u201D?
Posted by elicatlover

Do you believe in the Ten Commandments?
What about "thou shall not bear false witness".

[sparks224]

kyfarmer,
If you can''t tell the difference between Barack Obama and Adolf Hitler, there is something seriously wrong with you.

They don''t call you guys RepubliTards for nothing.

[kyfarmer-2009]

Seems to me in the 1930''s there was a guy in Germany that drew huge crowds of people with his charismatic speeches - people desperate for "change". Soon after, his propaganda minister was telling the news agencies what they could print. And a tussle occurred outside the Brown hotel in Denver this week - where ABC investigative news team were harassed and the producer was arrested - for what reason? They wanted to a report on the donors and financial backers of the Democratic party. Very interesting, very similar tactics, me thinks...

Are you ready to march the goose-step???
Hope you know how to grow a garden and keep it hidden...

[kyfarmer-2009]

Seems to me in the 1930''s there was a guy in Germany that drew huge crowds of people with his charismatic speeches - people desperate for "change". Soon after, his propaganda minister was telling the news agencies what they could print. And a tussle occurred outside the Brown hotel in Denver this week - where ABC investigative news team were harassed and the producer was arrested - for what reason? They wanted to a report on the donors and financial backers of the Democratic party. Very interesting, very similar tactics, me thinks...

Are you ready to march the goose-step???
Hope you know how to grow a garden and keep it hidden...

Larry Kudlow clearly underestimated what was going to be said Thursday night. Not only was it sold, but to the 82,000 at Invesco Field, the hundreds on the street in times square watching, the millions of views on TV and watching the stream over the Internet.

As for $344 billion price tag, even it is true, which I doubt, its less than the Bush deficit and less than an year in Iraq.

Come November 5th, Kudlow can tell me again how he doesn''t think it was sold.

[markangeloo]

More than not more then.

A8151947; U sir & your dog are egets
which is far worse than an idiot.

[kevboom]

Ah, the tired old lie about higher taxes. Democrats and Obama aren''t anti-business or anti-rich, they''re just for fair play, which the rich and their minions like Kudlow don''t like the sound of. Fair play sounds pretty good to most folks, or should, after 8 years of Bush''s giveaways to corporations. We won''t have to raise taxes on anyone if we just make everyone pay what they should already be paying--a fair share. I would support a flat tax, no deductions. How many Republican-leaning corporations or rich would say the same thing? None, because they know they make a killing in profits off of loopholes and NEVER pay their fair share. I like what I hear when a candidate says he''ll level the playing field. Government is supposed to be for the people after all, not a select few with the power to buy dirty politicians through lobbying. If we''re going to give tax credits, give them to small businesses that strengthen communities, not to corps. like Walmart that suck communities dry, give them to alternative fuel start-ups that will truly reduce dependence on foreign oil, not big oil that has undermined every higher fuel standard and mass transit option in this country for decades to keep America addicted, give them to companies that invest in American communities, not ship jobs over the border. It''s a lie to say Obama is anti-business. He''s just for investing in business that will make this country stronger and more secure, serving all of us, not just a privileged few.

[a8151947]

Dems Aren%u2019t Making it, they never have. Look who they picked to run. I have a dog that knows more then this _________________.

[mycomment-2009]

I don''t know . . . not seeing a lot of comments expressing similar concerns :(
Posted by SamTheTVCat at 03:58 AM : Aug 29, 2008

I know what you mean...I would love to throw caution to the wind and jump on the Obama band wagon but some instinct inside me keeps asking hard questions about his inexperience, his sudden rise to fame. But most of all for the life of me I can''t get over the feeling that he''s just like these other TV preachers who take people in by the millions and deceive them. I guess I am somewhat jaded also. I''m mostly republican but I have voted several times for democrats. I had intended on voting for Hillary if she had got the nomination because I thought she was in the middle somewhere between Obama and McCain. I''ve tried to keep and open mind and listen to all the speeches but the biggest turnoff for me is the adulation that people lavish on him...it makes me feel weird towards him.

[babooph]

Kudlow having suffered alcoholism & failure ,as Bush does,was saved as a spokesman for the rich& privaliged.He must serve them& never let the facts get in the way of his opinion.Rush had the dope thing & same stuff.

[irliberal]

Not surprising, Obama has a negative effect on the neocons. Indigestion, incontinence and abject sobbing are the symptoms. Too bad, so sad.

The only real question is, what will all the third shift bitter, bitter neocon spammers going to do after November 6? heheh

Great job Obama - electrifying, historic speech, you''ve got my vote, and the vote of every real American.

[samthetvcat]

---"If Kudlow really believes that there was no bounce, how does he explain the 84,000 plus/minus in the stadium and the millions watching on tv? Can McCain equal or exceed this feat?"---
Posted by ramos937

It''s an old article - been up for a couple of days or so (?) For sure Barack''ll get a big bounce from his speech, wouldn''t you think?

[samthetvcat]

---"But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the nay-sayers don''t understand is that this election has never been about me. It''s been about you."---

Okay, I couldn''t sleep LOL

Stuff like this probably brings people to tears - but really isn''t it probably about him? He''s a politician, he''s got ambition . . .

Probably I''m going to get attacked for sounding ''jaded'', and my judgment isn''t perfect, but the reality is that isn''t what Barack excels at to a certain extent praying on desperate peoples'' desire to believe? And aren''t we all feeling beyond desperate after 8 years of Bush? Yikes!

I''m trying to be fair and not just shoot down a helium baloon . . . just not sure what''s a fair level of skepticism and what''s deserving of criticism that one''s overly cynical. Like if no President ever delivers on their promises, then maybe skepticism is too harsh and unappreciative a response to inspiration? But if there''s slim chance and people actually think there is AND that slim chance might actually lead to policies which might leave us vulnerable or worse off (?)

I don''t know . . . not seeing a lot of comments expressing similar concerns :(

[ramos937]

Did writer Kudlow see the same convention I did? But wait..he writes for the National Review which is GOP dominated.

If Kudlow really believes that there was no bounce, how does he explain the 84,000 plus/minus in the stadium and the millions watching on tv? Can McCain equal or exceed this feat?