Obama's Economic Mirage

Washington Post ^ | April 13, 2009 | Robert J. Samuelson

[neverdem]

President Obama has made no secret of his vision for America's 21st-century economy. We will lead the world in "green" technologies to stop global warming. Advancing medical breakthroughs will improve our well-being, control health spending and enable us to expand insurance coverage. These investments in energy and health care, as well as education, will revive the economy and create millions of...

--snip--

What defines the "post-material economy" is a growing willingness to sacrifice money income for psychic income -- "feeling good." Some people may gladly pay higher energy prices if they think they're "saving the planet" from global warming. Some may accept higher taxes if they think they're improving the health or education of the poor. Unfortunately, these psychic benefits may be based on fantasies. What if U.S. cuts in greenhouse gases are offset by Chinese increases? What if more health insurance produces only modest gains in people's health?

Obama and his allies have glossed over these questions. They've left the impression that somehow magical technological breakthroughs will produce clean energy that is also cheap. Perhaps that will happen; it hasn't yet. They've talked so often about the need to control wasteful health spending that they've implied they've actually found a way of doing so. Perhaps they will, but they haven't yet.

We cannot build a productive economy on the foundations of health care and "green" energy. These programs would create burdens for many, benefits for some. Indeed, their weaknesses may feed on each other, as higher health spending requires more taxes that are satisfied by stiffer terms for cap-and-trade. We clearly need changes in these areas: ways to check wasteful health spending and promote efficient energy use. I have long advocated a gasoline tax on national security grounds. But Obama's vision for economic renewal is mostly a self-serving mirage.

[neverdem]

Obama, Who Vowed Rapid Action on Climate Change, Turns More Cautious

But the administration, while insisting that its health care initiative be protected, did not fight to keep cap-and-trade in the budget resolutions that Congress passed last week, and it wound up in neither the House’s version nor the Senate’s.

I have long advocated a gasoline tax on national security grounds.

Taxing imported energy makes more sense, but energy needs to be cheaper. Otherwise, it's a pretty good analysis of the liberal fairy tale.

[drypowder]

A chicken in every pot and Zero is providing the pot too.
Astounding!

[calex59]

What if U.S. cuts in greenhouse gases are offset by Chinese increases? What if more health insurance produces only modest gains in people's health?

What if the whole global warming scam is one big frickin' fake?(which it is)

There will not be "more" health insurance but less, because if the government takes over we will see the same thing that has happened in every other country with national health coverage, rationing and people going without treatment until they die from waiting for an apointment.

[norraad]

...."uh, . . did somebody say pot?"

[drypowder]

From the lips of the president during the great depression. Give this guy time, he’ll bring it up but it probably won’t have anything to do with cooking chickens.

[steelyourfaith]

 

Beam me to Planet Gore !

[Buckeye McFrog]

the term “post-material economy” does not give me a nice warm feeling....

[JasonC]

As long as they accept post material tax payments that we get to just make up and wave our hands about, its fine by me. I'll prosper, they can tell themselves silly stories.

[PGalt]

Great post! Thanks for the ping. The green/socialist oligarchy stealing our greenbacks with their risky schemes and cutting our legs out from under us to save us from their gang green. Keep the “change” Barack. Music to read this post by...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBY99bRXtYI&feature=related

[FreeKeys]

gang green

heh.

[SunkenCiv]

thanks neverdem.

Are You Better Off Today?
American Thinker | April 14, 2009 | Richard N. Weltz
Posted on 04/13/2009 11:43:28 PM PDT by neverdem
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2228607/posts

First the Politicians Come After the Rich...
Real Clear Markets | April 1, 2009 | Steve Malanga
Posted on 04/01/2009 10:21:07 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2219945/posts

Taking Communism away from the Communists:
The Origins of Modern American Liberalism
telospress.com | April 4, 2009 | Fred Siegel
Posted on 04/13/2009 6:38:32 PM PDT by neverdem
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2228483/posts

[Entrepreneur]

This just appeared in Newsweek. Mass layoffs must have reduced the number of Newsweek censors, uh, editors, if this slipped past.