“Forward,” reads the slogan on President Obama’s reelection posters. Toward what, specifically, the president and his top aides have said relatively little. Obama’s speech to the Democratic National Convention on Thursday laid out general goals on smaller-scale issues while saying little about the larger debates that probably would dominate a second term if he was reelected. Administration officials defend that approach, noting that Republican nominee Mitt Romney has offered even fewer specifics.
The clearest priority that Obama has established for a potential second term is his demand that tax rates go up on incomes over $250,000 per year. If he is reelected, that goal would set up an early, and potentially intense, battle with congressional Republicans, who are likely to retain control of the House and perhaps win a majority in the Senate.
Obama would have some powerful leverage in that fight. In a meeting with reporters several months ago — long before he joined the Republican ticket as the vice presidential nominee — Rep. Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) argued that Republicans should make their budget plans a major theme of the election because winning would then provide a clear mandate for implementing their plans. “Elections are about choices,” he said.
Pressed on whether he would make the same statement if Obama won, Ryan didn’t answer. White House aides, however, will not be so reticent. They have made clear that having put the tax issue at the center of his campaign, Obama will claim a mandate for it even in a narrow victory.
The current low tax rates adopted under President George W. Bush expire automatically on Dec. 31. If Congress gridlocks, Obama would win the higher rates, but that would also trigger an across-the-board increase that would violate his promise not to raise taxes on the middle class.
To prevent that, White House aides have indicated that Obama would try for a deal resembling the “grand bargain” he unsuccessfully sought last year with House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio). That would involve congressional Republicans agreeing to accept some higher taxes and Democrats accepting new restraints on the government’s big entitlement programs, primarily Medicare. Obama’s aides concede that the possibility of that happening would depend on how Republicans interpreted an Obama victory in November, whether it would cause them to compromise with Obama or fight even harder.
While dealing with the budget, a second Obama administration would face several additional challenges in the following areas.
IRAN: Is a compromise possible with the government in Tehran over its nuclear program? An agreement almost certainly would have to include allowing Iran to continue enriching uranium to at least low levels, a right guaranteed under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Israel would object to such an agreement, but the risk of another Middle East war could impel the United States to go for the deal after the election, foreign policy experts say.
HEALTHCARE: A reelected Obama administration would have to spend substantial time and energy implementing the president’s healthcare reform law. The law takes full effect in 2014. Between now and then, getting it in place will require many politically fraught decisions, including how much flexibility to give to states and private insurance companies. Read more in LATIMES.
Ok. The LA Times has shown its huge pro-Obama bias, but lets put some things in perspective.
On the issue of taxes: If Obama wins reelection, and he refuses to extend the Bush tax cuts, the Bush tax cuts will automatically expire at the end of this year. That means that taxes will automatically go up for ALL OF US. You see, as much as the Democrats tried to brainwash the country that the Bush tax cuts were “tax cuts for the rich”, they weren’t. They were tax cuts FOR EVERYONE.
As an example, if the Bush tax cuts are allowed to expire, the popular additional child tax credit, currently $1,000 per child, will go back to only $500 per child. In addition, tax rates FOR EVERY TAX BRACKET will go up. That means for you, your shver and your parents, and for the richer people who are supporting your kids’ schools.
It is too long to get into right now, but do your research on how the expiration of the Bush tax cuts will affect YOU.
HEALTHCARE: It will be a disaster when ObamaCare is implemented. Most of the country knows it, ask your doctor for specifics. Every doctor is dreading it. Did you see the Food Stamps office lately? That is how the doctors office will look when the fedreal government takes over health care. It will be fully implemented in 2014.
ECONOMY: It will be in shambles. More and more people are dropping out of the labor market each month. We’re heading for another recession, and the debt crisis that the US is facing is going to take us to the same place that Greece is. We cannot continue borrowing, and Obama will not do anything about it. We will either end up defaulting on the debt, which will send the entire world economy into depression, or the federal reserve will print trillions of dollars, which will cause hyper-inflation, just like in Germany right before the Nazis came to power. Not so good.
IRAN: Let’s not go there. We all know it won’t be good.
GOVT PROGRAMS: The Obama Administration will try to get as many people onto govt programs, ensuring the permanent power of the Democrat party (as everyone will want to always vote Democrat to get their precious programs). This will cause two things: The permanent poverty of most of the US population, as everyone will be on govt programs, and won’t work. Also, it will cause that the Democrat party will be the only party in power for generations, and with no competition, they will enact whatever they want, which will in effect give them total power, just like the rest of the left-wing dictatorships in the world.
SOCIAL UNREST: My guess is that the American people will not allow the Democrats to take total control of America without a fight. I believe that there will be social unrest and chaos. My sense of the mood of the country is that there will be a civil war soon. (DHS has been preparing in the past few years for such a scenario.)
Don’t forget what Obama told former Russian President Medvedev, when he didn’t realize that the mic was on and the media was able to hear him:
He said, “Tell Vladimir that after the election I will have more fexibility.” In other words: “I can’t tell everyone now what I will be doing after I win reelection, because then I won’t be reelected.”
Beware of such a person.
you can expect to head into the future COMMUNISM of america that we are heading to, as our rights get taken away step by step, watch as the economy continues getting worse & worse, soon everyone will be stuck in a dictatorship of communist with no rights or feedoms left.
open your eyes & watch on a weekly basis as you get watched more & more & all rights & freedoms are removed from all USA residents. the USA is about to become what used to be communist Russia
save yourself now-before its too late-& head for aliya to Eretz yisroel
about to enter into a country thats about to collapse & be totally destroyed. forget all the freedoms & many other things taken for granted in the USA today. everyone will be stuck with the USA poverty & no more money for government programs…
I WISH YOU LUCK & SUGGEST YOU SAVE YOURSELF NOW BEFORE ITS TOO LATE. BY leaving the USA & heading to Israel towards the bringing of Mashiach. don’t wait until it happens & its too late, for then you will be leaving the USA in poverty without anything to take with you R”L
Republicans will Not retain any power in the house or senate
Why doesn’t rush limbaugh, the knower of all, run for president?
Moshe,
Are you in Israel? How is it working for you? I am not opposed to the idea but do you have a job? Are you able to make ends meat for your children and family? From what I understand it is not easy there.
Congress has to get rid of the Alternative Minimum Tax, or at least raise its thresholds. The middle class in NJ is hit harder by the AMT than that of any state. Of course, if you own a business, you invest enough in it each year to lower your AGI under Section 179 of the Internal Revenue Code and pretty much avoid taxes altogether.
Neither Democrats or Republicans care about Americans who work hard enough to support their families but do not earn enough to shelter their income.
They spend more on inmates in prison then are what spent on children in schools.. inmates are there to be punished not to have gym, tv, free medical. computer time, 3 hots and a cot, no rent too pay, no bills too worry about . wonder why we have so many repeat offenders they dont mind going to jail they get treated there better then home…. dont political figuars ever mention anything about this .. no they dont.. its a waste of time lol
Good point star glow. Thanks for pointing out how silly this entire conversation is. Vote Romney, it’s as simple as that. Those who vote Obama haven’t a clue.