Senator Barack (Hussein) Obama continues to climb in the polls and ride the surge of primary successes. His charismatic likability, superior speaking skills, and inspiring personality have made him something of a pop-star. By the way, you are not supposed to mention that his middle name is Hussein because then you will be a fear monger and possibly charged with a hate crime (more on that later).
I find it intriguing that debates between Obama and Clinton bland and boring when both characters are so passionate and dynamic. To me, the candidates look the same in debate, except that Obama is new and fresh, and Clinton comes off stale and used. Of course, as his popularity grows, so will America's scrutiny. What does Barack Obama stand for? What kind of change will he bring? The title of the speech sounds good, but what about the content?
I have heard a few of Obama's critics and the top criticism is, "what has he accomplished?" Google "Obama accomplish" and you will be astounded at the lack of factual accomplishments you find. Everything I found criticized the lack rather than itemized the fact.
I went to the source to look at his plan for issues, because if you listen to his speeches, you will not get this information. To be fair, I heard him talk about his health plan in the media. To be honest, his plan scares me. There is a lot of froth (like whipped cream on my wife's Starbucks latte). Where does the money come from for this plan? (hint: check YOUR wallet).
I looked at other issues on his site. I still found froth, but I also found some coffee to go with it (so to speak). For instance, he has a vested interest in Civil Rights. I believe there is still work to be done in the realm of civil rights, I think that these two items are pretty low on the priority list:
Expand Hate Crimes Statutes
Obama will strengthen federal hate crimes legislation and reinvigorate enforcement at the Department of Justice's Criminal Section.
Law & Order is not a reality show.
End Deceptive Voting Practices
Obama will sign into law his legislation that establishes harsh penalties for those who have engaged in voter fraud and provides voters who have been misinformed with accurate and full information so they can vote.
Let's be honest, crime is crime. It doesn't really matter how the perp feels when he commits the crime. The perp's "feelings" don't make the violence any more or less violent or the trauma any more or less traumatic. As a recent crime victim, I can assure you that I could not care less how the thugs were "feeling" when they held me at gunpoint. I am for harsher sentencing, but not on the wishy-washy basis of feelings. How do you prove in a court of law what a person was feeling anyway? Seriously,
Regarding deceptive voting practices, let's first stop pandering to illegal (whether felons or illegal immigrants) to try to establish suffrage for them. Any Democratic candidate who wants to seriously engage in discussion about deceptive voting must first decry the Democratic efforts to redefine voting rights.
If his items are listed by priority, and surely they are not randomly posted, he should have prioritized these two before the above items:
Reduce Crime Recidivism by Providing Ex-Offender Support
Obama will provide job training, substance abuse and mental health counseling to ex-offenders, so that they are successfully re-integrated into society. Obama will also create a prison-to-work incentive program to improve ex-offender employment and job retention rates.
Eliminate Sentencing Disparities
Obama believes the disparity between sentencing crack and powder-based cocaine is wrong and should be completely eliminated.
On issues of the economy, he espouses nice sounding ideas. The devil, however, is in the details. When we talk about tax cuts for middle class, how do we define middle class? I assure you, I am far from rich, but I have no assurance that I would get the tax cut. Great politicians have a knack for speaking in terms that tickle the ears of a broad demographic. The problem, as a listener, is that if you hear what you want to hear, you may miss out on what is really being said. Senator Obama needs to speak in more definitive terms. They man will not even give a straight answer to a simple (and quite frankly, stupid) question.
Unbelievably, his economic plan includes this item:
Deploy Next-Generation Broadband: Obama believes we can get broadband to every community in America through a combination of reform of the Universal Service Fund, better use of the nation's wireless spectrum, promotion of next-generation facilities, technologies and applications, and new tax and loan incentives.
That is "sweet" and all, but why is that even on a presidential candidate's radar. Isn't that an issue for free-market? Why should my tax dollars pay for your broadband acess? How about if we just outlaw wireless security so everyone can log on through my account?
I could go on, or you can just go to his website. Ladies, while you are there, try not to faint. (What's up with that anyway?)
What about the challenger, Hillary Clinton?
Well, she can make people faint too. It must be something they learn in Democrat school:
Now this is key, you have to watch both videos to catch it . . . they both say the SAME THING about the fainter. Who is plagiarizing whom?
As far as issues, feel free to read them yourself. Frankly there are more similarities than differences. Senator Clinton is running on a platform of experience. Too her credit, in the 109th Congress she has sponsored 177 pieces of legislation to include:
- 82 bills
- 87 amendments
- 8 resolutions
Senator Clinton has taken initiative with quite a few bills, and I have not looked at previous sessions.
Tying a bow on it, the way I see the Democratic nominations,
Freshman Obama is for change: I have said it before, it he does not win the presidency, he can become the spokesperson for the "Save the Penny" campaign and re-use all of his signs. K-Fed is waiting for your call . . .
"Experienced" Clinton is for bills:
By golly there are places I could go with that one.
Image credits: Obama, Federline, Pennies, Assorted Change
