A little something I threw together in between projects. Feel free to share this with others.
Obama has impressed me not just because he is a powerful speaker able to inspire the country [1]. But that he has taken a logical stance on the issues that almost all Americans can get behind, that he has the right kind of judgment, experience, and background to lead this country [2][3]. And his impressive run for office is breaking the political mold in the process.
Sure, Obama wants to make Healthcare more available to all Americans [4], but he also wants to balance the budget by “enforcing pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) budgeting rules which require new spending commitments or tax changes to be paid for by cuts to other programs or new revenue” [5].
Sure, Obama has called “for an end to subsidies for oil and gas companies that are enjoying record profits,” but he will also “tackle wasteful spending in the Medicare program” [5].
Sure, Obama wants to redeploy our troops elsewhere than Iraq, not just because the thousands of American lives lost and the negative effect on foreign relations, but also because Iraq is bankrupting our country [6][7][8] and distracting us from fighting al Qaeda and tracking down Osama Bin Laden on the “right battlefield in Afghanistan”[9][10][11].
Sure, Obama wants to drive Americans to service in the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps [12]. But he also wants to expand and better equip our military [13] and strengthen Homeland Security [14].
Sure, Obama wants us to focus more on cleaner energy but not just to help the environment but to also help reduce our dependency on foreign oil [15].
Sure, Obama is strong on crime [16]. But he also “understands and believes in the constitutional right of Americans to bear arms”[17].
Sure, Obama wants to roll back the Bush tax cuts that have “shifted more of the tax burden from the nation's rich to middle-class families” [18]. But only to put in his own tax cut that will focus on struggling low and middle income working Americans [19][20].
Sure, Obama wants to work to improve our legal immigration system. But he also wants to secure our border and crack down on illegal immigration [21].
Obama’s stance on the issues are not original, he is far from the first to state these views. In fact, they are the views shared by most Americans. And that is why his views are so impressive, they are impressively reasonable. But many get caught up on one or two issues that they may differ on and over look that none of these policies mean anything if one cannot lead the country to accomplish them. The president needs to a strong leader able to inspire the nation. The presidents in our history that have done the most for the country have all been inspiring speakers such as Lincoln, JFK, and Reagan [22]. This is an area that few will argue Obama out shines the other candidates [1]. But you don’t need to buy into the hype. Obama has shown that he has the ability to use his skills to get things done [23].
I am a proud independent, and will vote for the candidate that is best for the country, regardless of the party. Americans need to question whether they should put their country or political party first. There are those that cross party lines to vote for Hillary because they see her as a weaker candidate. They would rather risk the country be lead by a candidate that they see as worse for the country just so their own party has a better chance of winning [24]. Or there are those that cross party lines to vote for Obama as the candidate they see as best for our country [25][26][27][28].
But this election cycle is about more than polices, it is about how our politics should work. Hillary has remained secretive about much of her “experience” in the White House [29] and where she gets the money to fund her campaign [30]. She also has been trying to manipulate the system in anyway she can to steal the election [31]. Obama and McCain have both pushed from transparency reform [32].
McCain is at least more trustworthy than Clinton, but he has “flip-flopped” on so many key issues it is hard to know where he really stands anymore [33]. And on the issues he has not, such as the War in Iraq, he was wrong. Iraq continues to bankrupt our country and cause us to neglect the hunt for Al Qaeda and neglect strengthening Homeland Security [11].
The truth is the political parties fail to up-hold what they pretend to represent. The Democratic party’s primary is not very democratic because of these “superdelegates”[34] that don’t follow the vote of the people. The Democrats are also caught up in race and gender. Voting for a candidate based on their race or gender no better than voting against them based on their race or gender. Chose your candidate based on the “content of their character” [35].
And since Reagan left office the Republicans have been responsible for a dramatic expansion in government spending (more than Democrats, even if you factor out military spending) [36][37]. And those sources do not take the War in Iraq into account which was originally estimated at about $50 Billion [38], but is now costing us Trillions [7] or $4,100 a household [39] plus almost 4,000 American lives lost [40] (How many years do we want to keep our troops in Iraq again Mr. McCain? [41]).
Many of the attacks Obama has come under are childish and offensive to America. They mock his uncommon name [42] [43], try to call him unpatriotic for not always wearing a flag pin [44][45], and falsely accuse him of being a Muslim [46][47][48]. This is offensive not just because it is a straight up lie, but because it implies that America is a nation of religious intolerance. A glance at the First Amendment [49] confirms that America is a nation built on religious tolerance.
These attacks imply that Americans are shallow bigots that judge people solely on their name, and religion. And that patriotism is judged by things such as wearing a flag pin. It shows how strong of a candidate Obama is that these are the main lines of attack that his enemies are forced to try.
We need a president like Obama that can bring this nation together and lead it as a whole, not a half. A president who polices may not perfectly mirror your own, but polices that American can unite behind; A president that is not only reaching out to those in his own party but to Independents and Republicans too [25][26][27][28].
-John Von Hollen
Plus, I don’t know why his rivals need to artificially color Obama’s skin darker in ads [50]. If they want to try to play up race as an issue just show that he knows how to shoot a three-pointer [51] and pass around pictures of him showing off his gold chains and tattoos [52].
[1] http://www.barackobama.com/speeches/index.php
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama
[3] http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2008/02/07/2008-02-07_for_proof_obama_can_manage_look_at_his_c.html
[4] http://www.barackobama.com/issues/healthcare/
[5] http://www.barackobama.com/issues/fiscal/
[6] http://www.cedarcomm.com/~stevelm1/usdebt.htm
[7] http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/16/AR2007111600865.html
[8] http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/17/business/17leonhardt.html
[9] http://www.barackobama.com/2007/08/01/remarks_of_senator_obama_the_w_1.php
[10] http://www.barackobama.com/issues/pdf/IraqFactSheet.pdf
[11] http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-502es.html
[12] http://www.barackobama.com/issues/service/
[13] http://www.barackobama.com/issues/foreignpolicy/
[14] http://www.barackobama.com/issues/homeland/
[15] http://www.barackobama.com/issues/energy/
[16] http://obama.senate.gov/issues/crime/
[17] http://www.barackobama.com/issues/additional/Obama_FactSheet_Western_Sportsmen.pdf
[18] http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/08/16/politics/main636398.shtml
[19] http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/09/18/obama.taxplan/index.html
[20] http://www.barackobama.com/issues/economy/
[21] http://www.barackobama.com/issues/immigration/
[22] http://www.americanrhetoric.com/top100speechesall.html
[23] http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/20/201332/807/36/458633
[24] http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_030308/content/01125107.guest.html
[25] http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2008/02/mccain_adviser_cannot_campaign.html
[26] http://www.republicansforobama.org/
[27] http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article1752381.ece
[28] http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23394070/
[29] http://www.newsweek.com/id/57351
[30] http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4421457&page=1
[31] http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8583.html
[32] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Funding_Accountability_and_Transparency_Act_of_2006
[33] http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/9111.html
[34] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superdelegate
[35] http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm
[36] http://www.independent.org/newsroom/news_detail.asp?newsID=31
[37] http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/1204-03.htm
[38] http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/16/AR2007111600865.html
[39] http://www.nationalpriorities.org/costofwar_home
[40] http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/
[41] http://www.ronpaul2008.com/press-releases/123/ron-paul-mccain%E2%80%99s-reckless-%E2%80%98100-years-in-iraq%E2%80%99-comment-endangers-americans/
[42] http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,333489,00.html
[43] http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=163575&title=daily/colbert-%E2%80%93-muslim-hillary
[44] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5LZI50dMbM
[45] http://www.barackobama.com/factcheck/2007/11/12/obama_is_a_patriot.php
[46] http://www.barackobama.com/factcheck/2007/11/12/obama_has_never_been_a_muslim_1.php
[47] http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/22/obama.madrassa/
[48] http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1007/6314.html
[49] http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html#amendmenti
[50] http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/03/did-the-clinton.html
[51] http://youtube.com/watch?v=daH0ltD20A0
[52] http://www.freakingnews.com/pictures/25000/Barack-Obama-Bling-Bling-25322.jpg
Cliff Notes:
Obama’s polices are impressively reasonable. Obama can get things done for all Americans. Most attacks on Obama are false. Don’t vote based on Party. Hillary is evil. Republicans have failed us
Sure, Obama wants to make Healthcare more available to all Americans [4], but he also wants to balance the budget by “enforcing pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) budgeting rules which require new spending commitments or tax changes to be paid for by cuts to other programs or new revenue” [5].
Sure, Obama has called “for an end to subsidies for oil and gas companies that are enjoying record profits,” but he will also “tackle wasteful spending in the Medicare program” [5].
Sure, Obama wants to redeploy our troops elsewhere than Iraq, not just because the thousands of American lives lost and the negative effect on foreign relations, but also because Iraq is bankrupting our country [6][7][8] and distracting us from fighting al Qaeda and tracking down Osama Bin Laden on the “right battlefield in Afghanistan”[9][10][11].
Sure, Obama wants to drive Americans to service in the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps [12]. But he also wants to expand and better equip our military [13] and strengthen Homeland Security [14].
Sure, Obama wants us to focus more on cleaner energy but not just to help the environment but to also help reduce our dependency on foreign oil [15].
Sure, Obama is strong on crime [16]. But he also “understands and believes in the constitutional right of Americans to bear arms”[17].
Sure, Obama wants to roll back the Bush tax cuts that have “shifted more of the tax burden from the nation's rich to middle-class families” [18]. But only to put in his own tax cut that will focus on struggling low and middle income working Americans [19][20].
Sure, Obama wants to work to improve our legal immigration system. But he also wants to secure our border and crack down on illegal immigration [21].
Obama’s stance on the issues are not original, he is far from the first to state these views. In fact, they are the views shared by most Americans. And that is why his views are so impressive, they are impressively reasonable. But many get caught up on one or two issues that they may differ on and over look that none of these policies mean anything if one cannot lead the country to accomplish them. The president needs to a strong leader able to inspire the nation. The presidents in our history that have done the most for the country have all been inspiring speakers such as Lincoln, JFK, and Reagan [22]. This is an area that few will argue Obama out shines the other candidates [1]. But you don’t need to buy into the hype. Obama has shown that he has the ability to use his skills to get things done [23].
I am a proud independent, and will vote for the candidate that is best for the country, regardless of the party. Americans need to question whether they should put their country or political party first. There are those that cross party lines to vote for Hillary because they see her as a weaker candidate. They would rather risk the country be lead by a candidate that they see as worse for the country just so their own party has a better chance of winning [24]. Or there are those that cross party lines to vote for Obama as the candidate they see as best for our country [25][26][27][28].
But this election cycle is about more than polices, it is about how our politics should work. Hillary has remained secretive about much of her “experience” in the White House [29] and where she gets the money to fund her campaign [30]. She also has been trying to manipulate the system in anyway she can to steal the election [31]. Obama and McCain have both pushed from transparency reform [32].
McCain is at least more trustworthy than Clinton, but he has “flip-flopped” on so many key issues it is hard to know where he really stands anymore [33]. And on the issues he has not, such as the War in Iraq, he was wrong. Iraq continues to bankrupt our country and cause us to neglect the hunt for Al Qaeda and neglect strengthening Homeland Security [11].
The truth is the political parties fail to up-hold what they pretend to represent. The Democratic party’s primary is not very democratic because of these “superdelegates”[34] that don’t follow the vote of the people. The Democrats are also caught up in race and gender. Voting for a candidate based on their race or gender no better than voting against them based on their race or gender. Chose your candidate based on the “content of their character” [35].
And since Reagan left office the Republicans have been responsible for a dramatic expansion in government spending (more than Democrats, even if you factor out military spending) [36][37]. And those sources do not take the War in Iraq into account which was originally estimated at about $50 Billion [38], but is now costing us Trillions [7] or $4,100 a household [39] plus almost 4,000 American lives lost [40] (How many years do we want to keep our troops in Iraq again Mr. McCain? [41]).
Many of the attacks Obama has come under are childish and offensive to America. They mock his uncommon name [42] [43], try to call him unpatriotic for not always wearing a flag pin [44][45], and falsely accuse him of being a Muslim [46][47][48]. This is offensive not just because it is a straight up lie, but because it implies that America is a nation of religious intolerance. A glance at the First Amendment [49] confirms that America is a nation built on religious tolerance.
These attacks imply that Americans are shallow bigots that judge people solely on their name, and religion. And that patriotism is judged by things such as wearing a flag pin. It shows how strong of a candidate Obama is that these are the main lines of attack that his enemies are forced to try.
We need a president like Obama that can bring this nation together and lead it as a whole, not a half. A president who polices may not perfectly mirror your own, but polices that American can unite behind; A president that is not only reaching out to those in his own party but to Independents and Republicans too [25][26][27][28].
-John Von Hollen
Plus, I don’t know why his rivals need to artificially color Obama’s skin darker in ads [50]. If they want to try to play up race as an issue just show that he knows how to shoot a three-pointer [51] and pass around pictures of him showing off his gold chains and tattoos [52].
Obama representin' [52]
[1] http://www.barackobama.com
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wi
[3] http://www.nydailynews.com
[4] http://www.barackobama.com
[5] http://www.barackobama.com
[6] http://www.cedarcomm.com/~
[7] http://www.washingtonpost.
[8] http://www.nytimes.com/200
[9] http://www.barackobama.com
[10] http://www.barackobama.com
[11] http://www.cato.org/pubs/p
[12] http://www.barackobama.com
[13] http://www.barackobama.com
[14] http://www.barackobama.com
[15] http://www.barackobama.com
[16] http://obama.senate.gov/is
[17] http://www.barackobama.com
[18] http://www.cbsnews.com/sto
[19] http://www.cnn.com/2007/PO
[20] http://www.barackobama.com
[21] http://www.barackobama.com
[22] http://www.americanrhetori
[23] http://www.dailykos.com/st
[24] http://www.rushlimbaugh.co
[25] http://weblogs.baltimoresu
[26] http://www.republicansforo
[27] http://www.timesonline.co.
[28] http://www.msnbc.msn.com/i
[29] http://www.newsweek.com/id
[30] http://abcnews.go.com/Blot
[31] http://www.politico.com/ne
[32] http://en.wikipedia.org/wi
[33] http://www.thecarpetbagger
[34] http://en.wikipedia.org/wi
[35] http://www.americanrhetori
[36] http://www.independent.org
[37] http://www.commondreams.or
[38] http://www.washingtonpost.
[39] http://www.nationalpriorit
[40] http://edition.cnn.com/SPE
[41] http://www.ronpaul2008.com
[42] http://www.foxnews.com/sto
[43] http://www.thedailyshow.co
[44] http://www.youtube.com/wat
[45] http://www.barackobama.com
[46] http://www.barackobama.com
[47] http://www.cnn.com/2007/PO
[48] http://www.politico.com/ne
[49] http://www.law.cornell.edu
[50] http://blog.wired.com/27bs
[51] http://youtube.com/watch?v
[52] http://www.freakingnews.co
Cliff Notes:
Obama’s polices are impressively reasonable. Obama can get things done for all Americans. Most attacks on Obama are false. Don’t vote based on Party. Hillary is evil. Republicans have failed us
Posts
2 comments:
Here's someone who has accomplished... well, nothing, in his years in Congress. He never sponsored a bill, never took a stand, and voted "present" on anything even slightly controversial. Now he gives you the standard list of campaign promises, and you swoon all over him.
Maybe you'd be interested in buying a bridge I have for sale?
List of bills Obama has sponsored:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/person.xpd?id=400629&tab=bills
Not that Obama is perfect but he is a hell of a lot better than McCain. McCain has missed more votes than any other senator, including Tim Johnson who suffered a Brain Hemorrhage in 2006.
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