Thread: Obama's priorities...let's take a look

This thread is wandering badly. It's about Obama's priorities, remember?

Originally Posted by FayeQuarry

This thread is wandering badly. It's about Obama's priorities, remember?

Actually Obama has made fewer preconditions regarding meeting the with the fanatical regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran than he has regarding having a debate with McCain.
link

Obama has made Iran a central issue I'm afraid.

“Why is it that Senator Obama wants to sit down with the president of Iran, but hasn’t yet sat down with Gen. Petraeus, the leader of our troops?

^ good question.

Originally Posted by sabang

The 'higher taxes' proposed for the rich are hardly draconian- even Warren Buffet and Bill Gates say they pay too little tax.

Um, I don't think either gentleman makes $250k a year, either.I think you have to add way more than three 000s to reach their annual income levels.

Not sure if this should be categorized as a flip-flop or reneging on another commitment. In any case the “candidate for change” has now decided to vote yes on a the FISA bill that before he said he would support a filibuster of.

“support a filibuster of any bill that includes retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies”.

Here is where he says he’ll support a filibuster:
Election Central | Talking Points Memo | Obama Camp Says It: He'll Support Filibuster Of Any Bill Containing Telecom Immunity


Here is where is says I’ll vote for it:
Obama Supports FISA Legislation, Angering Left | The Trail | washingtonpost.com


Feingold and Dodd still want to try and make a filibuster work (maybe Obama will swing back and give the lads a hand tomorrow?):
Slashdot | Dodd, Feingold To Try and Filibuster Immunity Bill


And an interesting letter from one of the many readers of the Rutland Herald:
Democrats sell out in Congress: Rutland Herald Online

Not to be outdone by the readership of the Rutland Herald, Feingold has posted a similar comment on his web page:
Statement of U.S. Senator Russ Feingold on the FISA Deal

(wait a minute Fiengold posted his comments before the Rutland Herald guy so maybe it's the other way around)

Personally I ain't a big fan of the bill. McCain no doubt will vote yes for it. And Bush is probably chomping at the bits to sign the damn thing.

Sen. Barack Obama on Wednesday unveiled a plan to create volunteer and service opportunities to help tackle some of the nation's most pressing issues, part of his weeklong focus on patriotism and national service.

"This won't be a call issued in one speech or one program -- I want this to be a central cause of my presidency," Obama said in a speech at the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs.

"We will ask Americans to serve. We will create new opportunities for Americans to serve. And we will direct that service to our most pressing national challenges."

He added, "When you choose to serve -- whether it's your nation, your community or simply your neighborhood -- you are connected to that fundamental American ideal that we want life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness not just for ourselves, but for all Americans. That's why it's called the American dream."

Obama highlighted his time as a community organizer on Chicago's South Side and his stint heading Project Vote, a group that helped register 150,000 new African-American voters in the Illinois city, according to his campaign.

"I wasn't just helping other people. Through service, I found a community that embraced me; citizenship that was meaningful; the direction I'd been seeking. Through service, I discovered how my own improbable story fit into the larger story of America," he said.

Obama highlights plan for national service - CNN.com

Nice to see a Politician appealing to more than the tired old porkbarrel style of politics, the gas tax holiday being the obvious example.

Nice also that the term 'national service' is not subverted to mean just the military.

Obama sounds more like Kennedy than Clinton.

Originally Posted by sabang

Obama sounds more like Kennedy than Clinton.

I don't know about that - this national service spiel doen't sound too much off of what Clinton promoted and then created Americorps. Sure Clinton ended up turning his focus mainly creating Americorps, but he also waxed quizotically about volunteering and the idea of citizenship.

I like the idea of promoting more national service, and generally speaking the US population is pretty lazy so the easier it is made for folks to participate the more participation they will get. That being said I am not too keen on driving this from the federal government. Not that I don't think it is a good idea for the President to promote volunteer service and the like, but I am leery of the potential for the politicalization of it, the creation of a federal department or staff to promote/support/control it, and the inevitable pork-barrel crap that ends up attached to pretty much any federally promoted issue. I mean take a look at some of the pork-barrel crap that is attached to bills passed thru congress in the past - hell many of the disaster relief bills should be renamed pork-barrel bills, with a bit of relief.

Barack Obama's policy switches are giving the Left whiplash | Gerard Baker - Times Online

Barack Obama's policy switches are giving the left whiplash

The Democratic nominee's policy pivots are causing anguish among liberals. He is no fool

Change, it turns out, wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. Having campaigned for the past year as the agent of transformation, the man who would lead an historic shift in America's political direction, Barack Obama is discovering that there is quite a lot he likes about the way things are.

In the above articale I particularly liked this little snipit:

If next week he (Obama) named Dick Cheney as his running-mate and revealed that he spends his spare time drilling for oil in wildlife habitats, the only surprise would be that it took him so long.

Seems that pragmatism has won over idealism, which sounds alot like politics as usual to me.

I wonder what happened to that idealistic man who was the candidate for change and against politics as usual?

The Associated Press: Obama says Iraq trip could refine his policy

Obama says Iraq trip could refine his policy
FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Democrat Barack Obama struggled Thursday to explain how his upcoming trip to Iraq might refine, but not basically alter, his promise to quickly remove U.S. combat troops from the war.
A dustup over war policy — one of the main issues separating the Illinois senator from his Republican opponent, John McCain — overshadowed Obama's town-hall meeting here with veterans to talk about patriotism and his plans to care for them. Republicans pounced on the chance to characterize Obama as altering one of the core policies that drove his candidacy "for the sake of political expedience." He denied equally forcefully that he was shifting positions.
Arriving in Fargo, Obama hastily called a news conference to discuss news of a sixth straight month of nationwide job losses, but the questioning turned to Iraq policy and his impending trip there.
"I am going to do a thorough assessment when I'm there," he said. "I'm sure I'll have more information and continue to refine my policy."

Speaking of the candidate for change, seems Obama might be changing his tune as it relates to Iraq as well. IMHO he created a bit of a problem when early in his campaign he gave a specific timeline (16-18 months) for the removal of combat troops from Iraq. Locking down a firm timeline on an issue like this so early on makes it easy pickin's when the inevitable tweaking takes place.

The red team really took him to task on what some are going so far as calling a flip-flop on Iraq today. I on the other hand am glad to see some refinement on the issue. I applaud him for his commnets (in the morning) in regard to saying that after his pending trip and chance to talk with the folks on the ground that he will "have more information and continue to refine my policy". On the other hand seems he might have been better served had he actually made a trip to Iraq and got the lay of the land prior to outlining an exit timeline in the first place.

I think he might have yet opened himself up to future problems on this issue when in the afternoon he came back out and stuck to his 16-month timeline. Being so adamant about the timeline in the afternoon might come back to bite him later.

Originally Posted by Bugs

I think he might have yet opened himself up to future problems on this issue when in the afternoon he came back out and stuck to his 16-month timeline. Being so adamant about the timeline in the afternoon might come back to bite him later.

Perhaps so but the 16 month draw down may be achievable if he can get the Iraqi government to agree and adhere to steps needed to get their house in order. Certainly, US relations with Iran will play a major role in stabilizing the Iraqi situation.

I read somewhere this week Iraq has reached satisfactory progress on 15 of 18 points of order necessary prior to assuming full control of their own security. They're having trouble hammering out a satisfactory SOFA, so maybe they're ready to step up and act like they got a pair. Good negotiating tactic regardless of who wins the White House.

Indeed there is a train of thought that goes along the lines of "iraq won't ever be ready until they are forced to be ready". As such putting a firm timetable in place may actually end up being benefical to those ends. However, if forcing a timetable on them does not have the desired effect of getting them to step up to the plate, then things could go tits up pretty quickly.

If will be a fine wire to walk in getting them to believe the US is firm on the timetable, and yet on the other hand not being so firm with it as to allow things to possibly get beyond repair should the Iraqies fail to measure up.

I've never understood why pundits give candidates such shit about flip-flopping. What exactly is wrong with modifying your position based on better intelligence, reasoning or even political expediency? I think both candidates should be allowed to flip fop around like drunken shrimp.

I have no problems with that, as long as they arrive at the right conclusions.

These are flip flops:



These are rational changes based on situational changes and political astuteness:

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

Taking union money—was against, now for; Public financing—was for, now against; Lifting the Cuba embargo—was for, now against; Cracking down on illegal immigrant employers—was against, now for; Telecom immunity in the FISA—was against, now for; D.C. gun ban—was for, now against; Taking Big Oil money—says he’s against, but takes money from Big Oil execs; NAFTA—was against, now for; and Death penalty—was against, now for.

This is....err, OK he's kinda like, hell I don't know!:

Sunlen Miller
ABC News

Barack Obama took a "tough love" message to African American youth, telling that finishing high school is a better route to success in life than an unlikely trip to the NBA or the top of the rap industry.

"You are probably not that good a rapper. Maybe you are the next Lil' Wayne, but probably not, in which case you need to stay in school," Obama, D-Ill., told a cheering crowd, brought to a standing ovation at a town hall meeting in Powder Springs, Georgia.

The presumptive Democratic nominee was speaking about high school drop out rates and the need for people to be committed to working hard in school so they can get a job after school.

Obama said he knows some young men think they can't find a job unless they are a really good basketball player.

"Which most of you brothas are not," Obama, who played basketball in high school, a sport he continues to play to this day, said jokingly. "I know you think you are, but you're not. You are over-rated in your own mind. You will not play in the NBA."

Obama, who will be the first African American presidential nominee of a major partyaccepts the Democratic nomination on August 28, 2008, in Denver, spoke to a predominantly black audience at the Georgia event.

The candidate regularly voices a "tough love" message in front of all groups –- telling parents to turn off the video games, get off the sofa, and if their child is in trouble in school to "not cuss out the teacher."

The town hall marks Obama's first visit to Georgia -- a state not won by a Democratic presidential candidate since then-Gov. Bill Clinton's win in 1992 -- in the general election campaign. Speculation has also surrounded former Sen. Sam Nunn, D-Ga., a potential Obama vice presidential pick that could help put the Peach State in play.

Obama's visit is part of the campaign's week-long effort to campaign in so-called "red states" that have favored Republicans in recent elections and, presumably, also lean toward his Republican rival, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

Political Radar: Obama Slams Hoop Dreams for High School Diplomas

***

Reminds me of Bill Cosby. Good message, but will it be received?

Putting things into perspective -

"John McCain suffered as a POW longer than Barack Obama has been a senator.

In fact, John McCain was a Prisoner of War 13 times longer than Barack Obama was a US senator before he decided to run for President.


From the time Barack Obama was sworn in as a United State Senator, to the time he announced he was forming a Presidential exploratory committee, he logged 143 days of experience in the US Senate.


In contrast, John McCain has 26 years in Congress, 22 years of military service, and 1,966 days in captivity as a POW in Hanoi"

But, Obama was a community service organizer and he did .

Thanks to Nobody Says It Better « Sigmund, Carl and Alfred

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

Putting things into perspective -

"John McCain suffered as a POW longer than Barack Obama has been a senator.

In fact, John McCain was a Prisoner of War 13 times longer than Barack Obama was a US senator before he decided to run for President.


From the time Barack Obama was sworn in as a United State Senator, to the time he announced he was forming a Presidential exploratory committee, he logged 143 days of experience in the US Senate.


In contrast, John McCain has 26 years in Congress, 22 years of military service, and 1,966 days in captivity as a POW in Hanoi"

How many voters will consider this relevant enough to vote for McCain over Obama. I don't think "experience" will be an issue, based on what I've seen, read, and heard.

Age, and positions will likely be more of an issue.

McCain's rank in the Navy was fairly low. (No direspect, but he wasn't in a leadership position.)

Originally Posted by Milkman

McCain's rank in the Navy was fairly low. (No direspect, but he wasn't in a leadership position.)

Fairly low rank? Not in a leadership position?

About three years after McCain returned from Vietnam he became the commanding officer of the Navy's largest training squadron (VA-174) in Florida, and he retired from the Navy with the rank of Captain.

Sure he never obtained the rank of Admiral but that hardly means he had a fairly low rank (Captain O-6 ain't a fairly low rank IMHO). And sure he was not a front line commander during war time, but I fail to see how one could classify a person that was the CO of the Navy's largest training squadron as not in a leadership position.

Washington Times - Politics, Breaking News, US and World News - "McCain camp: 'Shocked and disappointed'" by Dinan

...talk about McCain's postwar executive experience as commander of the Navy's largest aviation squadron, VA-174, a training squadron based at Cecil Field in Florida.

John McCain’s service record

After months of treatment and therapy, McCain regained his flight status by late 1974 and became commanding officer of a training squadron stationed in Florida by 1976.
McCain retired from Navy on April 1, 1981 as a captain.

Knew there was a reason I don't pick up a copy of Rolling Stone anymore. This Glowbama thing is getting out of hand...

Bugs, I stand corrected on McCain's leadership as a Captain. Boon, the "Rolling Stone." What a farce of a magazine, especially in politics.

As for Obama's priorities, both candidates are muddying the waters, becoming more controlled, tightening the leash on surragates (cheerleaders that go on talk shows to support a candidate) and both are flopping and focusing big-time on the low-info voter.

Still more flipping & flopping by you know who...

Moonbattery: Still More Flipping and Flopping

and another: Moonbattery: Flip Flop Flip Flop Flip Flop