Historic 2008 Election?

[cjwilhelmi]

Obama is Christian and attends Church of Christ.

Joe do you have a source for that?

[Beta]

His website, 4th paragraph.

http://obama.senate.gov/about/

And wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama


Although his grandfather or father may/may-not have been muslim, IMHO not that it matters. But some people might say it does.

[Zeuslax]

There's a lot of people that are going to care that he's black. They'll fall into the same crowd that is pissed off that the Steelers hired an African American head coach! No one can contest that he is the most viable African American candidate ever!

[Beta]

There's a lot of people that are going to care that he's black. They'll fall into the same crowd that is pissed off that the Steelers hired an African American head coach! No one can contest that he is the most viable African American candidate ever!

Of course people are going to care that he's black, those people are known as "racists" to the smarter, nose-breathing community.

[sohotrightnow]

Obama and Bush have a lot in common besides their drug use. Obama obviously got into Harvard Law School because he is black and Bush got into Harvard Business School because he was from a lower-income family from the South. The similarities are uncanny.

[cjwilhelmi]

Did a quick google search and found an interesting Obama speech from 2006. Its a good read.

http://news.ucc.org/index.php?option=co ... &Itemid=56

[Beta]

Did a quick google search and found an interesting Obama speech from 2006. Its a good read.

http://news.ucc.org/index.php?option=co ... &Itemid=56

Obama is an INCREDIBLE speaker. Very charismatic. Not that Ole' W doesnt get a reaction out of me every time he gets on camera and start moving his lips and sputtering out sentence fragments but Obama can really move an audience.

[Adam G]

He is cut from a different cloth and is not part of the Good Ole Boy network that exists in both parties. Don't you think the country needs somebody like this? Not necessarily Obama, but somebody who does not resemble the same clones that each party trots out every election?

I tend to keep most of my political opinions to myself, but this statement best describes my beliefs. Look at the major candidates who have ran in the last few election cycles: Bob Dole? As much charisma as the fruit that shares his name. Kerry? Come on, listening to him is like listening to a record on repeat. Nader? Same arguments he's had for the last twenty years that have gotten him to the same spot, third place. Al Gore? A less exciting version of Kerry.

I'm not saying Obama, or anyone for that matter, is my clear cut choice. I'm saying that I like the fact that we're having candidates come in who buck the trend of cookie-cutter candidates pushed out by the Reds and Blues.

[Sonny]

I'm not saying Obama, or anyone for that matter, is my clear cut choice. I'm saying that I like the fact that we're having candidates come in who buck the trend of cookie-cutter candidates pushed out by the Reds and Blues.

The problem with the diverse candidates - Obama (black), Hillary (female), and Richardson (Hispanic) - is they are all cut from the same liberal cloth.

IMHO - Socialized medicine, higher taxes, unsecured Mexican border to the South, and placating Islamic Terrorism abroad won't fly with most American Voters. If a candidate ran on a strict conservative/quasi-libertarian platform, I think they would win going away. Obviously, some of opinions on this board differ.

[Brent Burns]

His website, 4th paragraph.

http://obama.senate.gov/about/

And wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama


Although his grandfather or father may/may-not have been muslim, IMHO not that it matters. But some people might say it does.

I know that United Church of Christ differs from Churches of Christ:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Christ

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Church_of_Christ

Growing up, I have experienced attending a Church of Christ church in West Virginia and in Texas; a United Church of Christ (Congregational Church) in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. Both are quite different.

[Beta]

Christian, nonetheless.

[laxfan25]

IMHO - Socialized medicine, higher taxes, unsecured Mexican border to the South, and placating Islamic Terrorism abroad won't fly with most American Voters.

IMHO, I think many Americans are warming to the idea of a National Helath Care program - look at how they have been received in two states that announced major initiatives in this area - Mass and CA, both with Republican governors. They're stepping in because the federal gov't has let us down majorly in this arena. The prescription drug bill was a nice little gift to the pharma industry - let's prohibit the largest buyer of drugs from negotiating better prices. The VA has that power, and their costs are significantly lower because of that.
As far as higher taxes, it would be awfully nice if leaders that expend large amounts of money on foolish pursuits would step to the plate and say "we've got to pay for this!" To spend a trillion dollars on Iraq, and put it all on our kids and grandkid's credit cards is disingenuous. Bush says "we can't raise taxes - it would hurt the economy!" That bill is out there, and the interest on it will continue to rise. To campaign as a tax cutter and then continue to increase the federal budget is hypocrisy. It's very easy to campaign that way, but I've got to balance my budget at home, and that leads to tough choices sometimes. Be honest at least.
Spending $18 billion to build a fence makes for good PR, but will be as effective as the Maginot Line. A guest worker program and some kind of amnesty for those that have been here for years is the only realistic option. American businesses want the low-cost work force, and there has not been effective enforcement on hiring restrictions.
As has been said many times, pursuing those that have done us harm is something that all of us support. Letting Bin Laden go is something that has never been explained to me. Put the resources we've wasted in Iraq towards that effort, and the problem would have been diminished a long time ago. Instead, we have increased the hatred of the US, diminished our standing and reputation on the global stage and increased instability in the Mideast with our misguided war against Sadaam. He's dead now - and are we better off? Has it helped win the struggle for the hearts and minds of the people?
This a war of ideas we are engaged in - it's not one we can ever hope to win militarily, and the sooner we recognize that, the better off we will be.
Throwing out catchphrases like "socialized medicine" and Islamic Terrorism brings back echoes of the Cold War and the life and death battle with the Global Expansion of Communism. Bad ideas will perish of their own dead weight - we need to reclaim the mantle that is written on the Statue of Liberty if we hope to succeed. Just MHO.

[CATLAX MAN]

As a resident of California, I can tell you that the Health Care Plan of AHNOLD is not being received very warmly at all. The big problem with these types of plans is the mandatory providing of health care by all employers. It's a good idea in concept, but in reality, it does not work. It is a burden on the small employer who can't afford the rising costs of health care.

[laxfan25]

As a resident of California, I can tell you that the Health Care Plan of AHNOLD is not being received very warmly at all. The big problem with these types of plans is the mandatory providing of health care by all employers. It's a good idea in concept, but in reality, it does not work. It is a burden on the small employer who can't afford the rising costs of health care.

But it's a bigger burden on small employees that can't afford the rising costs of health care. If not everyone is covered, it's not really universal. The concept is good and right - we just need to find a way to make it work. If we can find a way to come up with a trillion dollars to bring truth, justice and the American Way to Iraq, you would think we could do the same for the good of our own citizens. Heaven forbid, even a tax increase to fund it, while also using all available tools to control health care costs. Perhaps a system of public clinics as a base safety net, while allowing those that wish to, to pay more to go to their preferred provider.

I'm not an expert, but it can't just be an intractable problem with no solution.

[Kyle Berggren]

If a candidate ran on a strict conservative/quasi-libertarian platform, I think they would win going away. Obviously, some of opinions on this board differ.

I agree completely. It's too bad Goldwater passed, but if we had another Barry Goldwater, be it with a less radical foreign policy, he'd run away with it in today's political climate. They'd have to use a word other than conservative, or the liberal left would blow a gasket. I think people would be surprised with how varied conservatives have become. When I say I'm a conservative, it usually shocks people to find out I could care less about gay marriage. The stereotype is out there, we have to deal with it.