A Real Stimulus Compromise

I don't listen to Rush Limbaugh, but occasionally do read his articles when he writes them. The reason I do not listen to him is not nearly as important as judging the content of his message. I do not always agree with him. But when I do, I do.

The Obama Administration and Congressional Democrats would love nothing more than to cut off his voice. Because he is opposed to the Obama stimulus, so they have chosen to single him out for the purpose of making him a red herring. They want the red herring, because they cannot debate the merits of this package. They cannot debate the merits, because there are none.

Like Limbaugh, I believe this is nothing more than an attempt to make the people think they are doing this for them, when it's nothing more than payback to special interests (something they accuse the GOP of, at every opportune moment). It's garbage, because it is not going to create any jobs (except for the in the government). And jobs are the one of the Democrats' main causes, come election time. Remember election time? Jobs this and jobs that? Jobs, jobs, jobs?

The Democrats want to make people like Limbaugh the argument, instead of about what it needs to be. Besides testing the waters for a fairness doctrine debate, they want to make people think bipartisanship is going along with the Democrats' ideas in lock-step, without concerns or reservations. Opposition is not tolerated in progressive circles without brazen shout-downs, and it does get ugly so get ready.

The Democrats's idea of bipartisanship is all their way, but true bipartisanship involves compromise. Limbaugh has put them to the test with this proposal:

Fifty-three percent of American voters voted for Barack Obama; 46% voted for John McCain, and 1% voted for wackos. Give that 1% to President Obama. Let's say the vote was 54% to 46%. As a way to bring the country together and at the same time determine the most effective way to deal with recessions, under the Obama-Limbaugh Stimulus Plan of 2009: 54% of the $900 billion -- $486 billion -- will be spent on infrastructure and pork as defined by Mr. Obama and the Democrats; 46% -- $414 billion -- will be directed toward tax cuts, as determined by me.

Then we compare. We see which stimulus actually works. This is bipartisanship! It would satisfy the American people's wishes, as polls currently note; and it would also serve as a measurable test as to which approach best stimulates job growth.

I say, cut the U.S. corporate tax rate -- at 35%, among the highest of all industrialized nations -- in half. Suspend the capital gains tax for a year to incentivize new investment, after which it would be reimposed at 10%. Then get out of the way! Once Wall Street starts ticking up 500 points a day, the rest of the private sector will follow. There's no reason to tell the American people their future is bleak. There's no reason, as the administration is doing, to depress their hopes. There's no reason to insist that recovery can't happen quickly, because it can.

Because it's Limbaugh, this has no chance to succeed. Because it involves giving back to the people directly, the Dems will not support it. They won't support it because they think they know better than us. It's just another way to keep us all dependent on them, so we will re-elect them. And as long as they can stack the deck in their favor, they retain their power over us and can shout down every good idea that promotes individual liberty and freedom.