Worried about healthcare affordability? Reform of medical malpractice lawsuits will go a long way to lowering healthcare costs, as will health savings accounts and small-business-community group purchasing power. Let?s work through consumers exercising responsible choices, not through benefit explosions from the government that only leverage business and insurance costs.
If you think the U.S. is about to lurch toward a European style economy, think again. There will be no explosion of payroll taxes in the president?s plan. Nor will there be sales or VAT taxes layered on top of income taxes.
Does the president know every detail of every program that will make up his economic reform agenda? Not yet. Will he get absolutely everything he wants from Congress? Never happen. But will this most underrated politician succeed in implementing his broad-based vision? Don?t bet against it. This is the guy who barely won in 2000, yet was able to push through big chunks of reform for education and healthcare -- not to mention four significant tax cuts.
Might not international events get in the way of Bush?s domestic agenda? It?s possible. But then again, following free elections in Afghanistan -- a miracle in itself -- it?s possible that in a little more than a month?s time the world will witness free elections in both Palestine and Iraq. Indeed, Bush?s strong belief in the transformational power of a free economy is nearly equal to his strong belief in the transformational power of international freedom and democracy. Those are two vision things worth fighting for.
One of the best barometers of the health of the political economy and the future outlook for business and economic growth is the U.S. stock market. Since the election, stock indexes have gained 6 percent. Since Bush took the lead in his reelection bid way back in August, the averages are up more than 12 percent.
Question: What does the stock market know that the mainstream media do not? Answer: almost everything.