McCain's Mission

Laura Ingraham

John McCain is in the fight of his political life. The media lemmings have all but called the race for Obama. Certain so-called Republicans are already assigning blame for a McCain defeat. Question: At this crucial time, will McCain dig deep to prevail during these dark days? No one who doesn't know how to win survives 5 1/2 years tortured in a prison cell.


McCain has time to turn his campaign around. This requires a nimble, devastating response to the Obama worldview, specifically his far left economic vision for America. Obama laid out his economic plan on Monday, which included initiatives to:


--help people who remain in homes they can't afford
--impose a 90-day ban on foreclosures
--bailout states and localities awash in budget deficits
--create a new federal lending entity
--reduce health-care costs by having government invest (read: spend tax-dollars) for "preventive care, new technology" and increased access to providers
--government "investment" (read: spending) for new teachers, college tuition, and "green jobs"
--payments of $3,000 to businesses for each new job created


This all comes on top of Obama's "tax cut" plan -- in reality a massive new welfare program that envisions cutting checks to 95% of Americans. John McCain should issue a reminder that one-third of Americans don't pay any taxes at all--yet they will be getting a check during Obama's Excellent Utopian Adventure.


A self-employed plumber in Holland, Ohio asked The One directly why he--a productive member of society--had to cough up for the rest of the country. Obama's response was telling: "It's not that I want to punish your success. I just want to make sure that everybody that is behind you, that they have a chance for success too."


"I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."


Read that again. When you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody. Obama's economic plans aren't concerned with generating new jobs and new wealth; his concern is with socializing America. And he's not even hiding it!


A shocking new Rasmussen poll shows why he may succeed. A staggering 47 percent of Americans now believe hiking taxes on the wealthy is a good idea. Why? Americans have not witnessed a convincing example of fiscal conservatism in the last eight years, and John McCain has been woefully inadequate in providing a meaningful tutorial on why tightening our federal belts makes sense now more than ever. With Americans monitoring the Dow Jones like a personal EKG monitor, it's understandable people want to try something different.


McCain needs to separate himself from Obama and Bush. He needs to offer Americans step-by-step directions out of the morass. He needs a few pithy thoughts for growing our economy -- like tax cuts on income, capital-gains, dividends as well as serious-minded reform in Washington.


McCain offered hope this afternoon. Noting contrasts with Obama, he finally delivered a few choice blows: "If I'm elected President, I won't spend nearly a trillion dollars more of your money, on top of the $700 billion we just gave the Treasury Secretary, as Senator Obama proposes. ... If I'm elected President, I won't fine small businesses and families with children, as Senator Obama proposes, to force them into a new huge government run health care program, while I keep the cost of the fine a secret until I hit you with it. ... If I'm elected President, I won't raise taxes on small businesses, as Senator Obama proposes, and force them to cut jobs. ... I will keep small business taxes where they are, help them keep their costs low, and let them spend their earnings to create more jobs."


Boo-yah! That's the kind of fighting spirit we need. The economy is by no means Obama's strong suit. To win Wednesday night's debate -- and, indeed, the election -- McCain needs to keep his newfound fighting spirit alive.