The incessant drumbeat for months coming from the Democratic Party in general and the Obama campaign in particular, has been that if you want change you must vote for the Democrats. For once I agree with them. If Barak Obama wins the election and Democrats consolidate their majorities in the House and in the Senate I guarantee this country will definitely see change and plenty of it. A large enough majority of Democrats in both houses would mean that a filibuster by Republicans would be impossible — one party (Democrats) would be able to pass anything they want.
The Wall Street Journal (10-17-08) warns that "this would be one of the most profound political and ideological shifts in U.S. history. Liberals would dominate the entire government in a way they haven't since 1965, or 1933." There will be change across this country like never before. Consider the following "changes" that might very likely occur. All of the following, according to the WSJ, have very good chances of becoming law in 2009 or 2010 with an Obama presidency and a Democratic majority in Congress.
Socialized Medicine. Yes, just like Canada, we would have government-run cradle to grave health insurance for all. If you like the way the federal government has been running the economy you'll love how they'll control your health care. Waiting for 18 months to see a dentist or a year or two before getting needed surgery will put us right in there with the other socialist countries of the world where this is normal operating procedure (pun intended).
Rise in Taxes. Obama will raise the top income, dividend and capital-gains rates which would increase the cost of new investment in the U.S. He would lift the cap on income subject to payroll taxes that fund Medicare and Social Security, turning what was meant to be a pension insurance program into an income redistribution program. Small businesses will be hurt and will not only be forced to lay workers off, but will pass along the cost increases to the consumer.
More Government Control of Private Business. More regulations will be imposed on big business resulting in the government making itself a larger part of every major business in the country. Large-scale investigations with harsh penalties will be imposed. Windfall profits tax on oil and other industries would be likely. New tougher rules will result in companies getting taken over by the feds, either completely or in increments or simply leaving the country altogether.
Free Speech and Voting Rights. Look for national, election-day voter registration (a long time goal of ACORN and other left-leaning "community organizer" groups) which would make it much easier to stack the voter rolls. Felons could get the right to vote nationwide. The Fairness Doctrine of several decades ago could easily be reimposed either by Congress or the Obama FCC which would allow the supermajority left to shut down talk radio and other voices of political opposition.
Special Interest. Special interest groups such as the National Education Association, trial lawyers, ACLU, Planed Parenthood and big Unions would be empowered like never before. We would see legislation passed all over the place which would benefit their leftist agendas affecting schools, tort reform, how we deal with terrorists, illegal immigration, and other cultural and national security issues.
Green Scheme. In the name of climate change, a tax-and-regulation program will be imposed. Cap and trade would give Congress trillions of dollars in new spending from the auction of carbon credits, which it would use to pick winners and losers in the energy business and across the economy. Gross Domestic Product and millions of jobs would be at the mercy of a huge new global-warming bureaucracy.
And speaking of change, there's one other little change that I can point to that has happened already. I don't remember our enemies ever throwing their support behind a candidate for president before. But get this, as reported by WorldNetDaily, in the words of Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi who said the following during a recent televised national rally.
"There are elections in America now. Along came a black citizen of Kenyan African origins, a Muslim, who had studied in an Islamic school in Indonesia. His name is Obama," said Gadhafi in little-noticed remarks he made at a rally marking the anniversary of the 1986 U.S. air raid on his country.
The remarks, translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute were aired on Al Jazeera this past June. The video has been posted on YouTube.
"All the people in the Arab and Islamic world and in Africa applauded this man," continued Gadhafi. "They welcomed him and prayed for him and for his success, and they may have even been involved in legitimate contribution campaigns to enable him to win the American presidency.
"We are hoping that this black man will take pride in his African and Islamic identity, and in his faith, and that [he will know] that he has rights in America, and that he will change America from evil to good, and that America will establish relations that will serve it well with other peoples, especially the Arabs," Gadhafi said.
Gadhafi got that one right. Oh, yeah. There will be change, you can bet on it!
