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THE CONSERVATIVE REVIEW - February 1, 2011
Obama Believes American Exceptionalism Begins With Government
by: David Limbaugh
Obama's latest watchword, "investments," is not, as I
originally assumed, simply a euphemism for government
spending. It captures his entire economic philosophy -- a
philosophy that is permanently engrained in the core of
his being and disastrous for America's "future."
President Bill Clinton shrewdly used the word as a more
palatable substitute for income tax rate increases, say-
ing taxpayers needed to "invest" more of their hard-
earned dollars in America. But Obama's use of the term
was different in two important ways. First, for him,
"investments" would apply to the spending side of the
fiscal equation. He would ask our support in his plan
to "invest" more government money in infrastructure and
education.
Secondly, and more significantly, Obama used the term to
candy-coat his fundamental lack of confidence in the
private sector and free market, as well as his commitment
to faith in government as the primary engine for economic
growth.
For all the analysis of Obama's speech, I don't think
nearly enough has been made of this theme, which was
interwoven throughout it. For it is the key to understand-
ing that regardless of any promises he might make to move
to the center, he will not do so willingly. It is also
critical to comprehending why, despite the marked failure
of his economic policies, he is virtually incapable of
voluntarily changing course.
Obama's critics often say that it's important to pay more
attention to his actions than his words. Though there is
much validity in that, it's also true that we must not
overlook his words, for he is not always careful to
disguise his heartfelt views.
In his pre-speech teasers, Obama telegraphed that he would
be emphasizing job creation. Indeed, he said that he saved
the nation from economic collapse through his (atrociously
wasteful and wholly ineffective trillion-dollar) "stimulus"
bill. He insisted that he has succeeded in reigniting the
economy but that the matter of job creation is an entirely
separate process that will follow through his next round
of magic.
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He didn't bother acknowledging that he's played this same
tune many times before (saying he wasn't focused enough on
jobs but now he is) or that he specifically promised from
the outset that job growth would result from his stimulus.
But he did tell us multiple times in this speech how he
envisions job growth finally coming about.
Yes, he rolled out the blame-Bush card again, but he also
underscored the limitations of the free market to produce
economic growth and employment. His entire "Sputnik" meme
was based on this wrongheaded notion.
When the Soviet Union lurched ahead of us in the space
race, America's leaders launched a national effort to
surpass the Soviets. For Obama, by analogy, the federal
government has to be the prime mover in leading and
catalyzing America's comeback in education and in economic
growth. We cannot understand Obama without recognizing
that he believes the private sector can't create or
innovate without paternalistic direction and googobs of
money from the wiser beings in Washington.
"We know what it takes to compete for the jobs and
industries of our time," he said. "The first step... is
encouraging American innovation." Note that he didn't
mean "encourage" in the sense of getting government off
businesses' and people's backs. He means the federal
government should proactively prod, direct and lead us
into the promised land of economic growth.
He credited government for providing money for "basic
research" and "cutting-edge scientists and inventors"
throughout history, without which the hand of the free
market would have been not only invisible but also
impotent. As a result, he pledged from his command-
control perch to "invest in biomedical research,
information technology and especially clean energy
technology" (that PC token can never be omitted) --
"an investment that will strengthen our security,
protect our planet and create countless new jobs for
our people." So far, they've been "countless" indeed.
This is just one example. Read the transcript and
you'll see that throughout he betrays his blind faith
in the indispensability of government action to job
growth.
It would be bad enough if Obama's ideas merely retarded
their stated goal of restoring job growth. But they
necessarily involve Keynesian prescriptions of throwing
obscene and budget-busting amounts of federal money at
this ephemeral solution. Even if Obama wanted to reduce
the deficit and debt, his economic philosophy would
compel him always to spend more and would prevent fiscal
responsibility.
If you listened to the speech and came away believing
Obama is receptive to moving to the center, then you
didn't hear or understand him. For the GOP to make headway
on restoring fiscal sanity to this nation, it must first
understand him. Then it must oppose and reverse him.
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