Opinion> Debra Saunders> Bailout Generation

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Bailout Generation

For eight years, Democrats have hurled all manner of criticism at President Bush. Some of the heat was well deserved, some was not.

Either way, it is about to be their turn to be held to the standards they held for Bush — and they are not prepared. I saw a taste of the future at the Democratic convention in Denver, when Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., sat down with journalists to discuss the now President-elect Barack Obama's economic plan. In light of an anticipated $482 billion deficit — how quaint that humble number seems today — I asked Stabenow, how can Obama propose a tax cut and more spending?

Her answer: "The first question is: How do you do a tax cut and fight a war, which is what George Bush did." Funny thing. Stabenow seemed genuinely and completely oblivious to the fact that her nominee was campaigning daily on a platform that promised a tax cut for 95 percent of American families, while he pledged to beef up the U.S. presence in the war in Afghanistan. Sounds like a tax cut during a war to me.

And now, after Obama spent the silly season saying he would rescind the Bush tax cuts on families earning more than $250,000, Obama is rethinking the issue. Sunday he said on "Meet the Press," "My economic team right now is examining, do we repeal that through legislation? Do we let it lapse so that, when the Bush tax cuts expire, they're not renewed when it comes to wealthiest Americans? We don't yet know what the best approach is going to be."

That is, there could be a new tax cut and old tax cuts while America is fighting two wars — without Bush in the Oval Office.

It makes you wonder: Did Democrats not believe what they said on the campaign trail in 2008? Or did they believe what they said then, but they've moved away from their core beliefs because they'll do anything and spend any amount of other people's money to retain power?

They complained that Bush gave tax cuts to corporations.

Now that they are in charge of Congress, Democrats are raiding the cookie jar so that they can toss cookies to favored industries. Note the proposed emergency credit line of $15 billion for Detroit's Big Three. (Credit Bush, by the way, for insisting that the money come from an existing program.)

Blame Bush for the $700 billion bailout bill — which Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid inflated by another $110 billion. Obama promised "change you can believe in." Here it is: Earlier this year, Obama proposed a $50 billion stimulus package, which grew to $175 bil before Election Day. Now the proposed price tag is reported to be $700 billion — with well-wishers suggesting a $1 trillion package.

The bailout mentality is growing — as is the list of people who believe they should be recipients. It's not just the auto companies who want to follow greedy investment houses. State governments want in. Experts are calling for billion-dollar infrastructure projects — I guess because state governments weren't spending on infrastructure.

Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, proposed redistributing the unspent $350 billion in Bush bailout money by suspending federal payroll taxes for two months. It's a bad idea, in that the last stimulus package failed to stimulate the economy as hoped. It makes the entire country look like the Wal-Mart shoppers who crushed to death a Long Island temporary worker in their rush for a bargain.

So where is Barack Obama? Sure, I know many readers will jerk their knees and blame Bush. It's a freebie. But after a while, the public may start to wonder: Where's the responsibility now?

E-mail Debra J. Saunders at dsaunders@sfchronicle.com. To find out more about Debra J. Saunders, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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I just read this article by Ms. Saunders and my question is: Who is surprised by Obama and the rest of the chronically and congenitally ignorant leftists saying one thing to gain power, then backing off it when it becomes apparent, even to them, that their platform, if enacted, will destroy the country? Perhaps they knew this all along and are not really ignorant, rather they are venal and addicted to lying to the country. When I was a flaming liberal during my college and early adult years, I was ignorant enough to genuinely believe the things that Obama said in his campaign. I foolishly thought that empty vessels such as "change" and "hope" could change the world. Remember the Crosby, Stills, Nash song that said " We can change the world, Rearrange the world"? Well, I grew up thanks to Jimmy Carter, and have spent the last 30 years waiting for the other liberals to grow up. Not even on the horizon!! These Peter Pans of the modern world go blithely on, tearing the country down board by board with their idiocy, blind idealogical stupidity, and refusal to face a reality that stares them in the face. Finally, I have despaired. We have the country we have because we have put our faith in the basic honesty and intelligence of the voters. If that honesty and intelligence ever existed, it is gone now. Today we have the muslim hordes saying the equivalent of "Carthage must be destroyed", only they substitute the USA for Carthage. Fifty years ago, this country would have risen up and crushed a threat such as this. With an Obama at the helm, we can look forward to our own destruction coming from within or without, but coming as surely as death and taxes.

Comment: #1
Posted by: Jobe
Tue Dec 16, 2008 8:26 AM