OT: Samuelson on the 2008 Presidential Campaign Speech We Won't Hear

Here's a speech that Robert J. Samuelson (political commentator for
Newsweek magazine, and columnist for - among others - the Washington
Post newspaper) says that we *might* hear if Barack Obama or John
McCain were injected with truth serum:

( http://www.newsweek.com/id/136912?tid=relatedcl )

"Fellow Americans, I know you worry about the economy. So do I. But,
frankly, if you elect me, I won't do much about it. It's a $14
trillion economy. Every three months, 7 million Americans change jobs.
Presidents aren't powerful enough to steer this colossus. Sure, we can
pass 'stimulus' programs, but if we overdo it—as we did in the 1970s—
we will make the economy worse. Believe me, presidents would prevent
recessions if they could.

"What we can do is preserve an economic climate that favors long-term
growth. That means holding down the tax burden to maintain incentives
for work and investments. We're already running a $400 billion or so
deficit; some broad-based tax increases may be needed. This will
disappoint conservatives, who think no one should pay taxes, and
liberals, who think only the rich should pay them. But we must also
cut spending, because, unless we do, the future tax increases will be
crushing.

"Of necessity, spending cuts should focus on Social Security, Medicare
and Medicaid . These programs are projected to grow from about 45
percent of the present budget to 70 percent over a couple of decades.
Paying for that exclusively with taxes would be devastating for the
economy and our children. Paying exclusively by cutting other programs
would gut vital government services. I admit that raising eligibility
ages for baby boomers and cutting some benefits are unfair. People
should have received more warning. But our politicians have so dawdled
that there's no warning time left.

"We've also dawdled on energy. No one likes $125-a-barrel oil. Last
year, we paid an average price of $64 a barrel for imports. Some blame
the oil companies, but the truth is that we're all to blame. Americans
like cheap gasoline and big vehicles. Nothing was done to dampen
consumption. Meanwhile, Congress restricted new oil and gas
exploration on environmental grounds. So, demand rose and supply fell.
In 1985, we imported 4 million barrels of oil a day; now that's 12
million.

"'Energy independence' is a fraud. We simply use too much foreign oil.
All we can do is limit our dependence by shifting to more-efficient
vehicles and increasing domestic production. But these measures will
take years and have only modest effects. The same is true of global
warming. Without major technological breakthroughs, making big cuts in
greenhouse gases will be impossible.

"Finally, let's discuss poverty. Everyone's against it, but hardly
anyone admits that most of the increase in the past 15 years reflects
immigration—new immigrants or children of recent immigrants. Unless we
stop poor people from coming across our Southern border, legally and
illegally, we won't reduce poverty. Period. That doesn't mean we
should try to expel the 12 million illegal immigrants already here—an
impossible and morally dubious task. Many families have been here for
years; many have American children. We need a pragmatic accommodation:
assimilate most people now here; shift future immigration to the
highly skilled.

"Vote for me. I'll tell the truth."

- - - - - - - - - - -

Unfortunately, that speech will never be given, as Samuelson observes
in his conclusion:

Of course, our hapless candidate would be dismissed as misinformed,
offensive, possibly racist and, of course, unelectable. People say
they value candor, but in practice they don't. Almost all our major
national problems require patience: the capacity to take somewhat
painful actions now to avoid greater future pain. In an ideal world,
elections would help move public opinion toward such policies.

But that doesn't happen. Politics is mostly about immediate
gratification—about offering up convenient scapegoats and instant
solutions for voters' complaints, even if the villains and promises
are often false. We in the media bless this process by treating much
of the self-serving rhetoric with undeserved seriousness. Is it any
wonder that our genuine problems persist year after year and, in the
end, foster public cynicism?

- - - - - - - -- --- - ----- ---

Please note the URL - this is an extract of copyrighted material of
Newsweek. Please visit the site for the full column.
.

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