An interview with political author and Fox Network commentator Dick Morris

  • Jennifer Kneuss
  • August 17, 2010
  • 274
                        
“It is really good to be here in Dover, Ohio,” said Dick Morris, a one time top advisor of former president Bill Clinton. Morris was in town as a featured speaker for a political rally on Saturday, August 14 at the Tuscarawas County Fairgrounds in Dover. “I am here with Americans for Prosperity, a non-partisan group that wants to oust the big spenders in Washington,” stated Morris, now a political author and commentator, who is well known as being a former Democrat who now has more conservative leanings. Morris has been a commentator for Fox News programs such as Hannity & Colmes, the O’Reilly Factor, and Hannity. He met with the Bargain Hunter in the Americans for Prosperity tour bus for an interview prior to addressing rally attendees publicly. “The whole future of this country is at stake in this election. People always say that, but it is true. If we lock in the Obama policies, we will have a socialist economy. It is hard to have an elephant that large in your living room and still have a free enterprise system functioning around it.” Morris continued, “It is a philosophy, and an assumption, that by government spending you can solve the problems of a country, when, in fact, you are borrowing the money and causing the problems. It is a little like back in the Middle Ages, when a guy was sick, they said, oh, he has evil spirits, so we have to cut him open and bleed him. When he was half dead, they said, see, he still has more evil spirits inside. Then, when he died, they said, we told you he had evil spirits. That is what the government is doing when they are borrowing money and spending money. They are crowding out consumer borrowing, because the government got to the loan window first.” “This is about getting voters’ attention. Do you realize how unusual this is?” queried Morris. “There are 2,000 people in that grandstand behind us, and it is 90 degrees out. They are sitting there watching and listening to political speeches. I have been in American politics for 40 years, and I have never seen anything like that. It is just unbelievable, what you are watching here. I think it is because people are realizing that there is no recovery. Obama is saying, ‘have a nice recovery, but don’t spend any money, because I am going to attach you next year. And if you are in the health care business, don’t expand, because you don’t know what my regulations are going to be. And if you are a bank, don’t lend any money, because I will take you over if the loans are bad. Or if you’re manufacturing or coal, or utilities, watch it, because I am going to impose a big tax in cap and trade on you next year.’ That is not the way to have a recovery.” Morris commented on his dramatic change from being a staunch Democrat to a more conservative position. “I switched from being a Democrat advisor to a Republican supporter because the scenery around me moved. I have always been a fan of a balanced budget, and I was a big part of Bill Clinton achieving a balanced budget. I have always been against a deficit, and now this guy has a 1.4 trillion dollar deficit. Bill Clinton cut the capital gains tax…I have always been for cutting that tax. What it really boils down to, is that I have always been a conservative Democrat. And now there ‘ain’t no such thing’ anymore. You are either a Pelosi/Obama/Reed Democrat, or you are a Republican. So hey, I’m a Republican!” he exclaimed, chuckling. Morris had spoken in 15 different congressional districts across America in 14 days with the political action group. “I love to be working with these candidates. I also love working with Fox network, although my appearance here has nothing to do with them. Sometimes I feel I am working for Radio Free Europe in getting the facts out in the face all the others out there, (who are) spreading disinformation.” Morris was questioned about his views on insurance reform. “I think that a vast proportion of what Obama has done is vastly unconstitutional. In fact, if we don’t repeal it first, the court will throw it out. He says that he is requiring everybody to buy health insurance to buy it, under the interstate commerce laws. First of all, you can’t sell insurance interstate. So by definition, it is not interstate. Secondly, the people haven’t bought anything, so how is that commerce? If it is not interstate, and it is not commerce, how is it justified by interstate commerce laws?” “I think that what is going on now, is that politics no longer stays in the grandstand. Everyone is now an activist, and a player. That is why voter turnout has grown so dramatically in recent years. It’s a very good thing,” commented Morris, as he rose to his feet in response to a signal from aides that it was his turn to take the platform. “But until now, most of the mobilization has been on the left, like moveon.org…ACORN, and the new black panthers. Now the conservatives have mobilized. (They have mobilized) just as vigorously, though not as ruthlessly, and we’re not committing voter fraud. But there is really a mobilization going on, and I think that is terrific.” With that, Morris shook the hand of the BH reporter goodbye, and then moved out onto the stage before the crowd of 2,000 plus cheering attendees who were waiting to hear the political activist’s address. More information can be found at www.americansforprosperity.com, which claims a following of 1.2 million suppo


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