An article on www.ibdeditorials.com called “Potholes Ahead on Route To Welfare State” claims that President Obama is coming up against “roadblocks” while trying to execute his welfare plan for the economy. This article was written by conservative Michael Barone, who says that the President is leaning toward an European style welfare state. He gives examples of the taxes that the President wants placed on higher wage earners, a program that will tax coal energy producers, and putting a stop to “secret ballots in unionized elections".
The author gives some examples of road blocks the that will prevent these plans from happening. He says that one senator Kent Conrad Chairman of the senate house committee has decided that the program is not going to happen this year. He states that the cap and trade program would cause residential and commercial energy bills to go up since the companies would be taxed more.
Another example of a barricade for the welfare plan was made by Republican Sen. Arlan Specter who said he would not vote to advance the unions' card check bill. This would “effectively” abolish the secret ballot in unionization. It was also stated that “it would impose mandatory federal arbitration after 120 days of bargaining, so that for the first time federal arbitrators would set wages and working conditions without any guidelines “.
The author speaks of parts of President Obamas program that have not encountered resistance. Such as the higher taxes for higher wage earners and a national health insurance program. The author makes the argument that national health insurance might not work because the business politics in the current health care system do not all have the same standards. He says that a welfare state is easier to set up in European countries because they have more centralized governments and rigid parliamentary systems.
The cap and trade energy program is a good idea I think because it is away to ween or dependence in fossil fuels and will give energy corporations more incentive to produce greener technologies. I think people should have the right to choose what union they want to be a part of. This will give large corporations like Wal-Mart less freedom to rip it's employees off. With all the people in this country being denied health care because they lack insurance a national program is the only way to go. Everybody deserves access to health care. Of course a doctor might have give up their 300 million dollar home and a Ferrari or two.
