Smith Faculty Opinion Article

Peter Morici By Dr. Peter Morici, Professor of International Business
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November 4, 2009 

Intolerance and Arrogance Cost Democrats Virginia and New Jersey

Last August, I wrote that on marquee issues—health care reform, cap and trade and the recession—the Democrats are unwilling to listen to the legitimate concerns of center-leaning voters and business leaders who made possible their victories in 2008, and arrogance will destroy their grip on power.

Now it has happened in Virginia and New Jersey.

Americans have grown weary of Nancy Pelosi’s left leaning colleagues forcing on the majority of Americans a minority solution on health care—the Public Option as a Trojan Horse for a single payer system. President Obama promising not to raise taxes on the middle class but forcing health care reforms that will raise the cost of health insurance by one or two thousand dollars a year for the typical middle class family.

Polemical math to justify a $759 billion stimulus package that is not delivering private sector jobs as promised, abuse of the TARP to nationalize General Motors and subsidize big bonuses at Goldman Sachs instead of fixing the banks, and Cap and Trade that will send what good paying jobs are left in America, outside of Wall Street, Hollywood and the Washington, to China.

Virginia was no surprise—the Democrats have not done much there but raise taxes, increase red tape at the Motor Vehicle Bureau and fail to solve the transportation problems they were sent to Richmond to fix. It is a conservative state by nature.

But New Jersey!

Barack and Nancy, Wake Up!

Democrats are not supposed to lose in New Jersey if things are going well for Democrats

Times are not good for Democratic candidates, because Obama and Pelosi's policies work against the interests and deny the sensibilities of most Americans.

Mr. Obama and Ms Pelosi may believe 1970s French socialism is good for America but Americans simply do not.  

Peter Morici is a professor at the University of Maryland School of Business and former Chief Economist at the U.S. International Trade Commission.