Obama and Jimmy Carter’s Second Term

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This is a meme that deserves to be resureceted.  Don’t beleive me?  The Wall Street Journal:

Against this backdrop, Sen. Obama is proposing to use the government to remake economic policies in a way that hasn’t been seen in Washington in decades.

The last two Democratic presidents, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, were hamstrung by rising deficits, feuds with Democrats in Congress and antigovernment sentiment in Washington. Sen. Obama’s advisers argue that he would be largely free from those constraints, easing the way for him to put in place big government programs, tax increases on the wealthy and trade restraints.

An Obama victory would be nearly certain to usher in a larger Democratic majority, which could give his proposals smoother sailing through Congress. If the economy is faltering if and when he takes office — as most economists and policy experts predict it will be — Mr. Obama would push for a stimulus plan with a price tag of $115 billion, his aides say. The plan would include $1,000 rebates for moderate-income and middle-class families, aid to state and local governments and heavy spending on roads, ports and levees and other infrastructure to create jobs.

Sen. Obama, in campaign appearances and discussions with staff, has said that he would start his term in office with three big economic priorities, apart from a possible stimulus plan. One would be a government health-care plan to cover millions without insurance. Another would be a system of tradable pollution permits to reduce emissions and bankroll alternative-energy projects. He’d also push the first increases in income-tax rates since 1993 and in capital-gains taxes since 1986.

Universal health care, carbon taxes, higher taxes, protectionism, increased regulation, and a huge spending plan, this is the old time liberal gospel.

Sure, Obama tries to buy off the middle class with some tax cuts but his fundamental outlook is more government paid for by raising taxes.  Forget his occasionally mention of the free market, he acts as if the prime lever in the economy should be the federal government.  And income redistribution is the goal (beside helping his union, and government dependent social service, supporters).

Is a shaky economy a good time to revamp the entire health care system and raise marginal tax rates?  I think history says no.