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Obligatory Iowa Primary Post |
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Friday, 04 January 2008 |
So Iowa likes Mike Huckabee: No surprises here. Obama surprised more people with his win, but since I feel somehow obliged to post about Iowa and I don't want to talk about elections. Since there is supposed to be some substance in government policy, let's take a detailed look at these candidates' policy statements and their actual records. Barack Obama
Barack Obama, junior Senator and elections super-star.
He's a powerful speaker, and he's charismatic in a very serious,
reflective sort of way. His theme is "change" and he's stuck to that
meme, but what does his policy look like? Mike Huckabee
Southern Governor, bass guitarist, and authentically evangelical. He thinks quick and has a wide-ranging sense of humor. His campaign slogan is "Faith. Family. Freedom." (in that order)
Barack Obama: Economy & Taxes Promises: Barack Obama's Economic statements at his website are quite thorough. No matter what you are curious about, he probably addresses it here. I would sum it up as "optimistic" and "expensive." The model seems to be built on increasing lower and middle-class spending & investment through a combination of targetted tax cuts, regular minimum wage increases, and subsidy for domestic manufacturing. He also calls for universal "next-generation" broadband system, extended school programs, and mortgage bailout funds. Paying for it: Roll back Bush's tax cuts for the rich* cut earmarks, and cut certain corporate subsidies (for student loan, oil, and gas companies). He says he'll cap the operating debt, so does that imply more tax hikes for the rich* if his plans go over the available budget? *The terms rich and wealthy are not ever actually defined Mike Huckabee: Economy & Taxes Promises: Cheap imports, cheap everything, instant increases in global productivity! "When the FairTax becomes law, it will be like waving a magic wand releasing us from pain and unfairness." This is an actual quote from Huckabee's website! He also says we'll have "Free Trade, but it has to be fair trade." Whatever that is supposed to mean is anyone's guess.
Fact-check: Huckabee talks about cutting government spending, but he grew the government in Arkansas at an annual rate of 9.6% - about three times inflation.
Paying for it: 23% National Income Tax, the "Fair Tax"
Barack Obama: Healthcare Promises: Comprehensive national insurance regulation. Replace state insurance-markets with a national insurance market, subjecting all providers to a set of increasingly stringent requirements. Barack's plan is just short of a universal coverage system. Cheap policies would be available from the government, and subsidies for low-income and middle-income Americans would be expanded. Coverage for children would be "mandatory," so I'm assuming that would be a parental responsibility with government with generous assistance for certain individuals. Paying for it: Tax increases on employers who do not provide health-care, savings created by a national insurance market, and
Mike Huckabee: Healthcare Promises: "Lead a complete overhaul of our health care system." He talks about market solutions, state competion, and reducing the potential legal liabilities to doctors and hospitals when something goes wrong. Paying for it: Savings generated by preventative medicine, and "encourag[ing] the private sector to seek innovative ways to bring down costs and improve the free market for health care." In a market dominated by government regulation, does that mean he would abolish some subsidies and regulations? He doesn't say.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 09 April 2008 )
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