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A President Barack Obama
Townhall.com ^ | October 12, 2008 | Salena Zito

Posted on 10/12/2008 7:45:41 AM PDT by Kaslin

Most Americans wake every morning to news that Barack Obama will win next month’s presidential election. Strategists even say the word “landslide” aloud.

Every poll shows it, every pundit echoes it, and every analyst predicts it – therefore it must be true, right?

Let’s take this political axiom to some of those who do the predicting, to project what America will look like under an Obama administration, governing with a Democratic congressional majority led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

“First of all, let’s dismiss any talk of socialism,” says Democrat strategist Bob Beckel, who worked in Jimmy Carter’s White House with a Democrat-controlled Congress. “The idea that Barack Obama is going to bring socialism to this country is just crazy.”

Beckel says that, in government and politics, the policy pendulum always swings back and forth and, particularly in this economic crisis, “people will want – and Obama will deliver – more government involvement.”

“They feel more comfortable with that than they do with a bunch of people on Wall Street,” he says.

Beckel sees an Obama appointment of Hillary Clinton to the Supreme Court bench as soon as an opening occurs, and he dismisses the massive move towards industry regulations that some people predict.

One insider, who refuses to predict on the record, says privately that Obama will quickly announce his appointments to the cabinet positions of state, defense, treasury and attorney general. He believes Obama’s cabinet is shaping up to look like this: retiring U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., as defense secretary; Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick as attorney general; New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a political independent, at treasury; Susan Rice as national security advisor; Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., as secretary of state.

Mark Siegel, a former Democratic National Committee executive director, says Obama will want to make it immediately clear to America and to the world that “there's a new sheriff in town." He expects Obama to make that point dramatically by issuing several executive orders.

Siegel says you will see Obama immediately suspend all pending judicial nominations, close Guantanamo, then reassure the world that he will never permit torture.

Also look for a doubling of the Peace Corps, a brand-new Volunteer Youth Network, an expansion of U.S. assistance for “Teach for America," and a reduction of interest rates on student loans, Siegel predicts.

What a difference four short years makes says Brian Darling, a congressional analyst for the Heritage Foundation.

Darling predicts Obama’s tax policy will have an immediate effect on small businesses and result in many individuals seeing their marginal tax rate double. Any Supreme Court retirements would dramatically change the direction of American jurisprudence. And he warns that the push for new regulations is the wrong reaction to problems on Wall Street.

“We need more capitalism, not less. Telecommunications has thrived without regulations, and our economy should make sure that politicians in Washington do not try to regulate and tax our way out of the current economic downturn.”

University of Arkansas political scientist Bob Maranto says the Illinois senator is a pragmatist tactically: “Obama knows that if you try to impose things like racial quotas and gay marriage, that would not be a vote-winner. But if you appoint federal judges who impose those policies, you can evade responsibility.”

Maranto suspects those are the judges Obama would appoint.

He warns that Obama is no fool. “Socialism is dead, and Barack Obama knows it,” he explains. “He would, however, favor a very strong government hand in regulating the economy, both because he believes that government knows best and because that means more subsidies and jobs to hand out to supporters, and more votes and PAC contributions to get in return.”

All four men agree that if Obama becomes president with Congress sharing his beliefs, then “change” is definite – but not infinite.

The degree of success or enforcement, they say, depends on how far the press and the next mid-term election will allow the new president and Congress to go.


TOPICS: Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; elections; obama; obamaaspresident; zito
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To: The Great RJ
The biggest change under Obama will be a reinstatement of the fairness doctrine extending even to Internet bloggers. I expect many bloggers and talk radio to go to offshore Internet hosting and the radio airwaves will be swept of all but token talk radio. Look for high taxes on Internet service as Obama will pursue plans to extend broadband service to places in rural area where hardly anyone lives or has computers.

Once Obama hands control over to the UN, there will be nowhere talk radio nor bloggers can go.

Say goodbye to Rush, Levin, Hannity, Free Republic, Townhall, etc.

Lest you think Sirius Satellite will be a haven, the FCC has left itself an opening to regulate that as well.

61 posted on 10/12/2008 9:26:47 AM PDT by Erik Latranyi (Too many conservatives urge retreat when the war of politics doesn't go their way.)
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To: mapmaker77

“...He will confiscate every gun that he can find.
He will make it illegal to criticize anything the gov’t does. He will oppose every attempt at making America energy independant. And if you think you have seen corruption at the highest levels of the gov, you ain’t seen noyhin’ yet.”

He will get a civil war.


62 posted on 10/12/2008 9:30:01 AM PDT by ought-six ( Multiculturalism is national suicide, and political correctness is the cyanide capsule.)
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To: eggman

“Very few business functions will be able to operate without some government involvement. Sure sounds like socialism to me.”

No, it sounds like fascism.


63 posted on 10/12/2008 9:34:27 AM PDT by ought-six ( Multiculturalism is national suicide, and political correctness is the cyanide capsule.)
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To: alloysteel

“Carefully enclose this cache of firearms and ammunition in a hidden location, then report it ‘stolen’. That way, when the ‘civilian’ authorities come looking for your (legally registered, but presumed stolen) weapons, you can say, that you cannot produce them.”

Sorry, but when it gets to that point it is time to use the weapons. I think it was Thomas Jefferson who said: “The Second Amendment is for when they try to take it away.”


64 posted on 10/12/2008 9:39:24 AM PDT by ought-six ( Multiculturalism is national suicide, and political correctness is the cyanide capsule.)
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To: alloysteel

“They brought Nixon to his knees, didn’t they?”

Nixon brought Nixon to his knees.


65 posted on 10/12/2008 9:41:00 AM PDT by ought-six ( Multiculturalism is national suicide, and political correctness is the cyanide capsule.)
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To: ought-six

“No, it sounds like fascism.”

You are right! We have a local race for here for a judge. This candidate stated that Obama is a Fascist. You ought to see the letters to the editor calling for this guy’s head. I’m voting for him just because he got the balls to speak the truth.


66 posted on 10/12/2008 9:41:41 AM PDT by caver (Yes, I did crawl out of a hole in the ground.)
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To: phillyfanatic

Well, we old codgers are on our way out and, I suppose, are considered obsolete. The younger generation seems hellbent on electing this Marxist empty suit. When they wake up in the world that Barack & Michelle & Louis Farakkhan & Cousin Odinga “imagine”, if it gets horrible enough, maybe they’ll read the Constitution in large enough numbers to “change” things. By that time, it will be costly. I have no grandchildren, but I hate it for the future generation.


67 posted on 10/12/2008 9:43:28 AM PDT by Twinkie (CALL IT WHAT IT IS . . . . COMMUNISM . . . .)
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To: Kaslin
“Socialism is dead, and Barack Obama knows it,”

This is said when the leaders of the Senate and House are socialists and it is highly likely that our next president will be a socialist?

68 posted on 10/12/2008 9:44:58 AM PDT by ColdWater
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To: Kaslin
I know this is politically incorrect and that we as a nation are so much more enlightened now than the Greatest Generation was then, but I really don't give a d@mn!!

What the heck has happened to the sanity of the American people?

Can you even IMAGINE that in 1948, just 7 years after Pearl Harbor, electing a President of the United States with the last name of Yakamoto, Tojo or Hirohito?? It would be unthinkable right, even if the person was a 2nd generation American born to American citizens of Japanese descent.

Impossible you say, me too, yes just 60 years later, 7 years after 911, WHILE WE ARE STILL AT WAR, we are about to elect a man by the name of Barack Hussein Obama!!

Utter insanity!!

69 posted on 10/12/2008 9:47:11 AM PDT by PISANO
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To: Kaslin


Are we really gonna let this happen?

“The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism."

"But under the name of 'liberalism,' they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program,
 until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened."

Socialist presidential candidate
Norman Thomas

 


70 posted on 10/12/2008 9:47:37 AM PDT by Beckwith ('Typical White Person')
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To: chippewaman

Who would lead this 2010 Republican Revolution? Even if a leader appears, how will she/he get the word out. Expect the fairness doctrine to be passed in year 1 of the Obama regime so conservative talk radio will be gone by the 2010 election. Also expect laws regarding “hate speech” which will be used to censor the internet blogs. Most of the Republicans left in Congress will be Rino’s or will adapt Rino behavior to survive in the Pelosi/Reid dictatorship. Certainly, the only Republicans invited to the TV talk shows will be Rino’s. If McCain continues to be a good boy and keeps slapping down supporters at his campaign events he can continue to be a primary Republican spokesperson on the Sunday talk show circuit.

Unfortunately ideas can only win if they are published and discussed. My fear is an Obama administration backed by large leftist majorities in both houses of Congress will place shackles on freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and the free flow of ideas.

No doubt the nation will be in a grave economic crisis during Obama’s first term. For at least 2 years he will blame Bush and the Republicans everyday for the problems. Roosevelt was reelected in 1936, after 4 years of governing during the depression. With restrictions on speech and press, the voting population will only hear the anti-conservative, anti-Republican message. It is more likely the Republicans will lose more seats in the 2010 election if Obama wins in 2008. A revolution will take a strong leader and the ability to get the message out.

Reagan spent 8 years as governor of California gaining executive experience and refining his message before running for the Presidency in 1976. He had also served in the military, as well as President of the Screen Actors Guild, plus had a successful run as a B movie actor where he honed his communications skills. At this time Bobby Jindal and Sarah Palin seem to the the rising voices of conservatism in the Republican Party. Both have very limited state level executive experience. Jindal is governor of one of the most corrupt states in the union. It will be difficult for him to make it to 2010 without being tainted in some way by the corruption in Louisiana. Certainly the press and the Democrat organizations in both Alaska and Louisiana will be looking for every opportunity to bring down the potential rising stars of the Republican Party. Beyond these two, the rest of the Republican field looks like more of the same old Republican establishment.

The country desperately needs a new patriot to emerge and lead us out of the wilderness. Who can it be?


71 posted on 10/12/2008 9:47:39 AM PDT by Soul of the South (When times are tough the tough get going.)
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To: Beckwith

God forbid if this is going to happen


72 posted on 10/12/2008 9:51:27 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

a Democrat-controlled Congress. “The idea that Barack Obama is going to bring socialism to this country is just crazy”.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Crazy only because it is already here! He should have followed this with,”Who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes”.


73 posted on 10/12/2008 10:11:14 AM PDT by RipSawyer (What's black and white and red all over? Barack Hussein Obama)
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To: CommieCutter

Liberals do not acknowledge leftist extremism. Beckel and his liberal compatriots have never had a conversation with any of 0’s mentors. They do not understand or admit that Marxism is an activist political movement in the US.
The increasingly powerful leftist cabal has gained substantial control in education, media and politics. They have now rocked the financial markets with their anticapitalist agenda. The complicit suppport of the liberal establishment has made these gaqins possible. I do not believe it is possible for the fools in the liberal movement to wake up to the reality of an 0 tyranny.
An 0 presidency, with his attendant fascism and Marxist doctrine, will be the harbinger of patriot revolt. The cultural revolution has been afoot since the 30’s. It will be won when one side destroys the other, not before. There can be no compromise. Look for the oppression of patriots under an 0 administration.


74 posted on 10/12/2008 10:19:29 AM PDT by Louis Foxwell
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To: Soul of the South

The Hussein cult intend to pass hate crimes legislation....therefore our churches will be under threat of jail, as will many other of our organization and what little media our side has.


75 posted on 10/12/2008 10:21:28 AM PDT by roses of sharon (When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will put him to flight (Isaiah 59:19)
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To: Illinois Rep

You are correct, except for the part about McCain being “loaded with excitement,energy and enthusiasm” and “Americans are eager to get behind them.”
I sense more a feeling that there is no one except Sarah who understands and she is beholden to an idiot.
McCain’s admonition to his followers that 0 is a family man, a good man and a patriot, is evidence that he is the doddering fool 0’s minions have made him out to be.


76 posted on 10/12/2008 10:29:01 AM PDT by Louis Foxwell
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To: alloysteel

Interesting...I’d like to be in denial about your post - but I recently went to Sportsmans Warehouse to buy my first shotgun, telling him ‘I’m new to guns’. He said, ‘’No worries. We’re seeing more NEW folks in here everyday - loading up on everything, before election. They just look at me and say ‘tell me what I need to know and what I need to load up on’.’’


77 posted on 10/12/2008 10:45:01 AM PDT by LittleBillyInfidel (''Undocumented nukes want to do the job that American nukes won't do.'')
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To: Erik Latranyi

So what if the offshore host is someplace like Sealand that just tells the UN to stuff it?


78 posted on 10/12/2008 10:50:28 AM PDT by coydog (Keep Canada green - paint a Liberal!)
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To: Kaslin

Project what America will look like under an Obama administration, governing with a Democratic congressional majority led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.


Projectile vomit.

McCain and Palin need to hammer this point constantly: What does undivided Democrat rule mean for our economy and security?


79 posted on 10/12/2008 10:50:39 AM PDT by Senator Goldwater
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To: Amos the Prophet

This is starting to remind me of Washington’s prophecy.


80 posted on 10/12/2008 10:52:40 AM PDT by coydog (Keep Canada green - paint a Liberal!)
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