Ben Stein Talks Sense

This is a great column. In the past few years I’ve come around to supporting the Cato Institute position that “the size of government is best measured by the level of spending and regulation. Reducing tax revenues only shifts part of the burden of government spending to future generations.”

New Pages Being Added

I’ve decided to start adding separate pages on key topics. The first two (which you can view by clicking on pages at the right) focus on Barack Obama’s liberal votes in Illinois and on Obama’s tax record in Illinois.

Buyer’s Remorse Could Hit Democrats

I believe if Democrats nominate Barack Obama they may soon be having buyer’s remorse.
The heavily “blue” tinge of the front-loaded primaries of 2008 did two things. First, it gave Republicans a candidate who can appeal to moderates and independents. Second, it turned the Democrat contest into a race to the left.

In November, Obama will be easier to beat

If there is one lesson from this year’s campaigns, it ought to be that the media, pollsters and pundits can’t get anything right.Given that, Democrats might want to re-think the media’s, pollsters’ and pundits’ coronation of Barack Obama. We’re being told that Obama will be the stronger candidate against John McCain in the fall.

I’m not so sure.

Be Very Afraid (1)

It’s considered bad form for Democrats to attack one another for raising taxes. So, during the primary season we haven’t heard much about Barack Obama’s tax and spend record in Illinois.

But, now that Republicans have settled on a conservative, deficit-hawk as our nominee, it’s time for us to start letting people know about Barack Obama’s record on taxes.

Republicans controlled the Illinois Senate and the Governor’s office until 2003. But in 2003, Democrats took over the Senate and the Governor’s office.

It didn’t take long for them to start trying to raise taxes. During the two years after Democrats took control of the Illinois Senate (2003-2004), Obama voted for:

• An increase in sales taxes ($59 million);
• To reinstate the death tax in Illinois ($45 million);
• A natural gas tax increase ($42 million);
• A gaming tax increase ($201 million);
• A series of increases in business taxes ($57 million);
• A liquor tax increase ($7 million);
• A renewable energy tax ($15 million);
• A business income apportionment tax ($24 million);
• A tax hike on farm and other equipment purchases ($74 million);
• Tax on federal tax-exempt bonds $19 million);
• Tax on bankruptcy cases ($4 million);
• Tax on off-shore investments ($16 million);
• Tax on business income ($30 million);
• Tax on life insurance $(9 million).

For the record, that comes to more than $600 million in just two years.