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Democrats, Get Down to Business (Harold Ford Jr.)
New York Times ^ | January 24, 2010 | Harold Ford Jr.

Posted on 01/25/2010 6:59:39 AM PST by reaganaut1

SCOTT BROWN’S victory last week in the Massachusetts Senate race, following the Republican gubernatorial triumphs in New Jersey and Virginia, marked the third time in three months that the Democratic Party has lost the support and trust of independent voters.

The message these voters sent was clear. With one out of five Americans unemployed or underemployed, President Obama and the Democratic Party need to shift attention away from health care and toward a bold effort to create jobs, improve the economy and rein in the size of government.

Here are four simple steps we must take immediately to put us, and the nation, on a better course:

First, cut taxes for businesses — big and small — and find innovative ways to get Americans back to work. We can start by giving any companies that are less than five years old an exemption from payroll taxes for six months; extending the current capital gains and dividend tax rates through 2012; giving permanent tax credits for businesses that invest in research and development; and reducing the top corporate tax rate to 25 percent from 35 percent.

America’s primary job-creating machine — the private sector — needs to be rejuvenated. Democrats must lead now on job creation or risk forfeiting Congressional majorities in November.

Second, we should pass a more focused health reform bill that restructures current health care costs before spending more, prohibits insurance companies from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions, enacts responsible reform on malpractice suits and extends health coverage to all children. And we must allow states to have input into the expansion of health coverage, as they will have to pay for much of the reform themselves.

This program isn’t all that Democrats wanted from health care reform right now, but it’s what the country wants.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Editorial; Front Page News
KEYWORDS: haroldford; haroldfordjr
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Ford was a Democratic congressman from Tennessee who narrowly lost a 2006 Senate race to Bob Corker and is now running for the Democratic nomination for Senate in NY. He makes more sense than most Democrats, certainly including the President.
1 posted on 01/25/2010 6:59:40 AM PST by reaganaut1
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To: reaganaut1

2 posted on 01/25/2010 7:06:55 AM PST by MichaelAsher54
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To: reaganaut1

He’s got it half right. Leave health care alone. Cut taxes.


3 posted on 01/25/2010 7:07:35 AM PST by Eric in the Ozarks (Impeachment !)
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To: reaganaut1

I think we in NY have had ENOUGH with CARPETBAGGERS. Our Homegrown LIBERALS are Bad ENOUGH.


4 posted on 01/25/2010 7:08:49 AM PST by gwilhelm56 (OBAMA ... Orwell's 1984 was a WARNING ... NOT a TEXTBOOK!!!)
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To: reaganaut1

Is Ford still a Democrat? That makes no sense to liberals.


5 posted on 01/25/2010 7:09:20 AM PST by nhwingut (Palin/Bachmann '12)
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Lying to your enemy.

Known in Islam as ‘taqiyya’.


6 posted on 01/25/2010 7:10:08 AM PST by evets (beer)
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To: reaganaut1
a bold effort to create jobs, improve the economy and rein in the size of government.

Only problem is no one in the Democrat party has the sligthest clue how to do any of this. Everything they are purposing is making a bad situation worse

Every American politicians should be required to read this book. They are following exactly in the same footsteps the Japanese did all during the 1990s. It failed. It will not work this time either.

Japan's Lost Decade: Origins, Consequences and Prospects for Recovery by Gary Saxonhouse and Robert Stern

7 posted on 01/25/2010 7:10:57 AM PST by MNJohnnie ("The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other peoples' money" Lady Thatcher)
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To: reaganaut1

So where have I heard this plan before?? Oh, that’s right, it’s very close to the Republican alternative to the Porkulus. But guess what? There’s no money left. They blew it on pork!

I don’t know what kind of Democrat Harry Jr. is. All I know is that he did battle with Nancy Pelosi and lost, and anything with a “D” by their name is dubious at best.


8 posted on 01/25/2010 7:11:10 AM PST by dajeeps
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To: Eric in the Ozarks

Why did Harold Ford move to New York?

After losing the Senate election to Bob Corker in 2006 in his home state of Tennessee, he now lives in New York and is considering a political comeback there.

What’s with carpet bagging Democrats going to New York to run for office? Are they too liberal for the places they left behind? Is New York’s law very liberal on carpet bagging politicos not being residents there?

And I know Alan Keyes ran for Senate in Illinois in ‘04 when he lived in Maryland, against Obama that year. I don’t like the carpet bagger idea. Our elected representatives are supposed to be from the places that elect them.


9 posted on 01/25/2010 7:11:53 AM PST by Dilbert San Diego
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To: reaganaut1
Democratic congressman from Tennessee who narrowly lost a 2006 Senate race to Bob Corker and is now running for the Democratic nomination for Senate in NY.

Following Hillary's footsteps as carpet bagger extrordinnaire, I see. His home state didn't want him. I guess he thinks he'll have a chance in NY since he's Derek Jeter's evil twin.


10 posted on 01/25/2010 7:16:48 AM PST by edpc (Those Lefties just ain't right)
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To: reaganaut1

he apparently is morphing into a more liberal pol than he was in TN.
i hope Pataki jumps into this race give Rs a chance to grab another “blue” Senate seat and force Dems to play even more defense


11 posted on 01/25/2010 7:16:48 AM PST by DM1
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To: nhwingut
Is Ford still a Democrat? That makes no sense to liberals.

He's Southern Democrat. That makes no sense to liberals, either..............

12 posted on 01/25/2010 7:18:37 AM PST by Red Badger (Education makes people easy to lead, difficult to drive; easy to govern, but impossible to enslave.)
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To: reaganaut1

I wish he’d been the democrat presidential nominee in 2008. That way I could have voted for the first black president AND the more conservative candidate.


13 posted on 01/25/2010 7:30:40 AM PST by murdoog ("Aim high. Shoot straight. Praise the Lord. Audit the FED." Gary North)
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To: reaganaut1

Harold Fraud, Jr., scion of the notoriously corrupt Memphis Ford family, talks out of both sides of his mouth. He’s smart enough to pose as a moderate Dim, but get him on his home turf (like a black church or union townhall) and you will see what he really believes.

For just one of his lies see: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1714829/posts


14 posted on 01/25/2010 7:38:16 AM PST by SharpRightTurn (White, black, and red all over--America's affirmative action, metrosexual president.)
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To: reaganaut1
President Obama and the Democratic Party need to shift attention away from health care and toward a bold effort to create jobs, improve the economy and rein in the size of government.

BS. We don't need political opportunists. We need people who do what they swear to do in the first place when they take office: uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States.

15 posted on 01/25/2010 7:56:13 AM PST by Fester Chugabrew (Liberal Land: Where lies are true and the truth is a smear campaign.)
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To: reaganaut1
The good, often missed, point I see in this race for the NY RAT nomination...

The NY RATS may see him as too moderate and pick a different RAT to nominate. With any luck that will piss off the blacks that vote based on skin color, as long as it has the magic ‘D’ after the name.

That may give the Republican candidate just enough of an edge to squeak out a win.

16 posted on 01/25/2010 7:59:45 AM PST by Beagle8U (Free Republic -- One stop shopping ....... It's the Conservative Super WalMart for news .)
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To: Dilbert San Diego
Why did Harold Ford move to New York?

Got a job on Wall Street ... Merrill Lynch I think.

17 posted on 01/25/2010 8:03:25 AM PST by freespirited (Congratulations Senator Brown. One down, 59 to go.)
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To: reaganaut1

Unless Democrats understand that Government does not create jobs, they are doomed to failure and making the problem worse. Stimulus was nothing more than a payoff to contributors. No jobs were created (or saved) because of the stimulus.

I see they want to break up the banks. Interesting because, here in Ohio, National City Bank was acquired by PNC Bank because of an infusion of Government funds (TARP or Stimulus - I can’t get an answer to which). I just got a letter from PNC that all my account numbers are going to change (necessitating me having to rework my automatic deposits and bill paying) and they are going to charge fees for wire transfers (both directions). This reminds me of the Air Academy National Bank at the Air Force Academy that charged us for deposits. Looks like I have to go shopping for a new bank.


18 posted on 01/25/2010 8:11:06 AM PST by OrioleFan (Republicans believe every day is the 4th of July, democrats believe every day is April 15)
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To: reaganaut1

Democrats “getting down to business” is what CAUSED Brown’s election!!!


19 posted on 01/25/2010 8:19:09 AM PST by Oldpuppymax (AGENDA OF THE LEFT EXPOSED)
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To: Oldpuppymax

wait a minute...aren’t these some of the ideas that repubs have been talking about all year?? So now Ford comes in, takes the repub talking points as his own and the GOP will just sit there and let it happen.


20 posted on 01/25/2010 9:05:07 AM PST by Castle21o
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