Barack Obama In "08"?

[Psycho4Bud]

Rumor has it this dude may run in "08"..........any thoughts?
http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Barack_Obama_SenateMatch.htm

Have a good one!:thumbsup:

[birdgirl73]

I hope Senator Obama will run. He's intelligent and articulate. He's also got some moderate tendencies that are appealing. And by that, I mean I think he could make some progress in reconciling some of the very strong polarization that's occurred in our country. He will get a lot of Democratic votes and, I think, could give Hillary a run for her money. Most people who can look at our political situation objectively know that while she can certainly run and probably get the nomination, she can never win. The hatred for her is too great among too many people, and the conservatives are far better at getting the vote out to beat her than Democrats are at motivating voters to help her win. People don't like Hillary.

Here's what I think will happen, however, if Obama goes up against her. Hillary, who is flush with campaign money and has a real rock-star fund raiser on her team in the form of Bill, will get the Democratic nomination simply because she has more resources and recognition. Obama will make a "face print" on the country if he challenges her. But in the end, she'll still get the nomination. Once that's happened, I can easily see her putting Obama on the ticket as her VP candidate. And that might help her chances a lot more than we realize. And whatever happens either way, Obama, who's still quite young, has laid the groundwork for a future run in 2012.

[phytokind]

I've got nothing against Obama and Hillary, but the Democrats really need to get some people out there that will have an actual chance of winning the election. I don't know who that might be, but it definitely isn't Obama or Hillary.

[the image reaper]

while Obama is a sharp, intelligent, likeable candidate, and MAY be an outstanding President some day, I will never cease to be amazed at how gullible the American voters are ... this man, a freshman Senator, has only been in politics an extremely short time ... his skyrocketing popularity is based on his keynote speech at the last Democratic convention ... gimme a break ! ... ONE SPEECH is all it takes for people to choose you as the leader of the world's most powerful nation ?? ... (the mind boggles) ... I give up, I'm gonna go live in the woods, and eat berries (and smoke pot, of course) ... :D

[phytokind]

I'm gonna go live in the woods, and eat berries (and smoke pot, of course) ... :D[/QUOTE]

Best idea yet.

[Fengzi]

I agree with Obama on quite a few issues except his position on illegal immigrants and mandatory three strikes law. I'm also a bit concerned whenever I hear about someone opposes tax cuts for the wealthy. Not that I support tax cuts for the wealthy, I just want to know how they define "wealthy" since what might be considered wealthy in Illinois or Alabama would be consider "juts getting by" here in Silicon Valley.

I see four big issues that would keep him from getting elected:

1. His position on illegal immigration
2. His position on the three strikes law and the death penalty
The Reps' big argument ever since 9/11 (before that too) has been security. I can see them really attacking Obama on this: "he wants to open the borders and give felons a break. Vote for _ _ _ _ instead, she?/ he will keep America safe."

3. He's Black
It shouldn't matter in this day and age but I can't help but think it would. Maybe not though, as I would imagine that for a lot of people for whom this would matter would vote Republican anyway.

4. His name is Barack Hussein Obama
A person's name doesn't mean shit to me but there is a signifigant number of people in this country who would be thinking "I ain't votin for nobdy named Hussein" or "sounds like a God damn Mulsim name to me". And if you don't think names are important, how the hell else did us Californian's get the Governator?

Edit: 5th Issue(Image Reaper reminded me) a very short political career.

[Ozarks]

I don't know enough about him to know.

If he starts gaining traction it will be interesting to see how he reacts when the Clinton machine starts "leaking" dirt about him ? will he go after her or will they stand up arm in arm and blame the Republicans both knowing it's a lie.

Will he stand up and take on the machine ? will he make the back room deal with Howard Dean so he will have a machine of his own ? no way he can built his own machine and win in 3 way (or more) primary.

Regardless of party, does every freshman Senator who writes a book and does an interview automatically become "Presidential timber"?

[Breukelen advocaat]

With apologies to Ira Gershwin...

You say Al-KAY-da
And I say Al-KEYE-da
You say Osama
And I say Obama
Al-KAY-da, Al-KEYE-da
Osama, Obama
Let's call the whole thing off.


Iraq is going to be THE issue of '08, at least in the voters' minds.

[Spiritual]

He actually cares about people, something we rarely see in politicians.

I think he'd be a good president, but he is young and I think he'd be great as a VP in '08.

By the way, I'm going to see him tomorrow.

[4fingerlid]

He may be intelligent and articulate but I can already see the GOP and it's right wing talk radio goosesteppers having a field day with his name and playing the race card to scare the masses.

[Nylo]

Blegh, no thanks. I've heard next to nothing about the guy and I'm being to consider him because 1) he's not hillary and 2) he's black.

I'm also sick to high hell with affirmative action; and I'm hispanic. So not too crazy on his issue there.

[Torog]

Howdy Psycho4Bud,

I'm just curious,what is his religion ?

He may have a muslim name,but is he muslim ?

And if he's a Christian,why does he not have a Christian name ?

Have a good one !

[Psycho4Bud]

Howdy Psycho4Bud,

I'm just curious,what is his religion ?

He may have a muslim name,but is he muslim ?

And if he's a Christian,why does he not have a Christian name ?

Have a good one !

Hey Torog,

Here ya go bro:

"I am a Christian.â?¦ So, I have a deep faith. I'm rooted in the Christian tradition. I believe that there are many paths to the same place, and that is a belief that there is a higher power, a belief that we are connected as a people.

"That there are values that transcend race or culture, that move us forward, and there's an obligation for all of us individually as well as collectively to take responsibility to make those values lived.â?�

Thus, U.S. Senate candidate for Illinois Barack Obama in a campaign contribution by Chicago Sun-Times columnist Cathleen Falsani.
http://www.mensnewsdaily.com/archive/s/stix/2004/stix082204.htm

Have a good one!:thumbsup:

[Fengzi]

Howdy Psycho4Bud,

I'm just curious,what is his religion ?

He may have a muslim name,but is he muslim ?

And if he's a Christian,why does he not have a Christian name ?

Have a good one !

See what I mean??? With enough folks like Torog in this country, no way a guy named Barack Hussein Obama would get elected. :(

I'll give Torog credit though, at least he asks.

[Psycho4Bud]

This will be his scandle if he does run:

Jeri Ryan said her then-husband took her on three "surprise trips" in the spring of 1998 to New Orleans, New York and Paris, during which he took her to sex clubs. She said she refused to go in the first and went into the second at his insistence.

"It was a bizarre club with cages, whips and other apparatus hanging from the ceiling," she said in the court document, adding that her husband "wanted me to have sex with him there, with another couple watching. I refused."

She said on arriving at the third club, in Paris, "people were having sex everywhere. I cried. I was physically ill. [He] became very upset with me and said it was not a 'turn on' for me to cry."

In his legal response to her allegations, Jack Ryan said while he did arrange "romantic getaways" for the couple, they "did not include the type of activities she describes."

"We did go to one avant garde nightclub in Paris, which was more than either one of us felt comfortable with. We left and vowed never to return," he said.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/06/22/ryan.divorce/


LOL.....horny dems..........I did not have sex with that woman, or that one, or that one.............

Have a good one, or two, or three........LOL:thumbsup:

[Fengzi]

This will be his scandle if he does run:

Jeri Ryan said her then-husband took her on three "surprise trips" in the spring of 1998 to New Orleans, New York and Paris, during which he took her to sex clubs. She said she refused to go in the first and went into the second at his insistence.

"It was a bizarre club with cages, whips and other apparatus hanging from the ceiling," she said in the court document, adding that her husband "wanted me to have sex with him there, with another couple watching. I refused."

She said on arriving at the third club, in Paris, "people were having sex everywhere. I cried. I was physically ill. [He] became very upset with me and said it was not a 'turn on' for me to cry."

In his legal response to her allegations, Jack Ryan said while he did arrange "romantic getaways" for the couple, they "did not include the type of activities she describes."

"We did go to one avant garde nightclub in Paris, which was more than either one of us felt comfortable with. We left and vowed never to return," he said.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/06/22/ryan.divorce/


LOL.....horny dems..........I did not have sex with that woman, or that one, or that one.............

Have a good one, or two, or three........LOL:thumbsup:

What are you smokin' Psycho? Looks like you got better stuff than usual. What would this have to do with Obama running in 2008?

As far as horny Dems, Jack Ryan is a Republican . Seems the GOP is just as horny. Although I can't really fault the guy for going to sex clubs. At least this scandal doesn't have to do with underage boys, like we've come to expect from the GOP.

Still, it blow my mind to think that Jack Ryan, the man who saved us from the brink of nuclear holocaust so many times, would be such a perv ;)

[Psycho4Bud]

What are you smokin' Psycho? Looks like you got better stuff than usual. What would this have to do with Obama running in 2008?

As far as horny Dems, Jack Ryan is a Republican . Seems the GOP is just as horny. Although I can't really fault the guy for going to sex clubs. At least this scandal doesn't have to do with underage boys, like we've come to expect from the GOP.

Still, it blow my mind to think that Jack Ryan, the man who saved us from the brink of nuclear holocaust so many times, would be such a perv ;)

Actually I do have a pretty good batch right now.....hehehe. Hey, I just stated that this would be used against the dude; by NO MEANS am I against these types of clubs.......hell, if there was one in town here I'd probably be a regular! :D

I'm all for legal weed, and prostitution. LOL....now if ya can find a clean prostitute with some weed........OH HELL YA!!!:stoned:

Have a good one!:thumbsup:

[Bong30]

You guys dont even want to know what I think...............

I voted No. (erased a bunch of stuff for BG) LOL

THe Democrats are pretty thin.... to pull this guy out.

I would rather vote for Colin Powell OVER Obama....any Day, for our first African American President. He should atleast have SOME experience...Damn.

[andruejaysin]

Jeri Ryan said her then-husband took her on three "surprise trips" in the spring of 1998 to New Orleans, New York and Paris, during which he took her to sex clubs. She said she refused to go in the first and went into the second at his insistence.

She's the borg chick from star trek, right? If she is I'd kinda like to take her to a sex club myself. Not sure what this has to do with obama, and I have no idea if he'll run, but the vp nomination is probably his if he wants it.

[Fengzi]

Obama was out here in the San Fran area yesterday. Unfortunately I just caught a bit on the evening news but the guy does seem extremely likeable. He's very charismatic, very eloquent, and appears to be quite humble. When asked if he was actually going to run he responded that he was still thinking about it, but first needed to determine what he had to offer America and if it was enough for the job.

His lack of experince is still a concern but hey, experience or not, he'd be better than what we got now. Then again, so would the guy working the fryer at McD's so...

[SkatePopwar]

hes my last hope for humanity then :P

unless i become president!!

[Fengzi]

Yeah, well, maybe a young president will be better than an older one.

To be honest, I believe that there should be an age limit for the presidency, and that age should be 40. Here's my reasoning...

Most of the people in the U.S. are under the age of 40. That's half a generation with its own philosophies and insights into how things should be run. The people over 40 make up a lower percentage of the population (since...you know...health issues), and thus aren't going to have opinions that'll really reflect THE PEOPLE. Sure, you sacrifice experience for the sake of the people, but isn't that why we have a check on the presidential power?

Of course...not when one party controls everything...

My two cents.

Jake

Intersting idea Jake, but the job of President really does require experience and wisdom. Of course, neither of these qualities are possessed by our current "leader", but that's a different issue ;) One thing you come to realize as you grow older is that you really didn't know shit back when you thought you knew it all. Experience and, more importantly wisdom, are only gained through the passage of time, and it takes some trial and error. Personally, I'd prefer the man(or woman) with their finger on the button to be pretty much out of the trial and error faze of life.

The best way for young people to be represented is by getting out and voting. Ever wonder why the politicians pay so much attention to the opinions of senior citizens? Because, as a group, the percentage of people 65 and older that vote is far higher than any other age group. I'm not sure of the exact figure but it's something like 80%+ of people over 65 vote compared to around 50% of those in the 18-35 age group. Switch those numbers around and the you'll start to see politicians that cater to the opinions of "THE PEOPLE"

[Ozarks]

Yeah, well, maybe a young president will be better than an older one.

To be honest, I believe that there should be an age limit for the presidency, and that age should be 40. Here's my reasoning...

Most of the people in the U.S. are under the age of 40. That's half a generation with its own philosophies and insights into how things should be run. The people over 40 make up a lower percentage of the population (since...you know...health issues), and thus aren't going to have opinions that'll really reflect THE PEOPLE. Sure, you sacrifice experience for the sake of the people, but isn't that why we have a check on the presidential power?

Of course...not when one party controls everything...

My two cents.

Jake


When the founding fathers though about that, they came up with almost the (35 or older) exact opposite conclusion, I guess they took wisdom over youth.

The older you get the more sense that will make to you.;)

[KiEfBoyjBm]

I will agree that he is articulate and seems to have his heart in the right place, that would explain why he is politically moderate compared to most democrats. But there is one thing that he supports that would keep me from voting for him for any political office, let alone president.

That is a women's right to choose, I believe that no person with any morals or ethics whatsoever could condone abortion. And I feel that anyone who could support abortion must have motives beyond the issue. In the case of a politician those motives are political gain. And the fact that he has no problem with abortion speaks very clearly about his character: He will do what is necessary to get elected.
A lot of you may be pro-abortion for various reasons but at the core of this issue is humanity. It was inhumane to force black people into bondage. It was inhumane to subject them to Jim Crow laws. "Separate but equal" is just as ridiculous as "A women's right to choose." When our children look back at Roe vs. Wade they will ultimately see us in the same light as we see our ancestors, just a little bit barbaric.

[KiEfBoyjBm]

...I don't see any provision in the Constitution that allows for the Federal Government to say whether or not it's legal for a woman to have an abortion or not...

Women who are having triplets or twins can choose to abort 1 or all but one child, does that sound right. Did the founding fathers include anything about slavery? Oh yeah, black people count as 3/5th of a person, do you think we should follow what the founding fathers said to the tee? I don't think so either.

But one other aspect is that if you are a male and produced a child with a women, she can choose to abort that baby even if you object to it. But if she has the baby then you are completely liable for half of that child until he is 18. Does that sound right?


...Also, Kiefboy, the fact that he's pro-abortion shows that he will NOT do what is necessary to get elected. Last time I checked, the majority of people are against abortion, not for it.

The reason Barack gets elected is he accepts money from radical left wing pac's which allow him to be popular in a very Democratic state; those are his interests and they are highly specified. Those special interests are his constituency and not the people of Illinois or the people of the United States.

The only provision I think we need to add is a term limit for public service in Washington. 10 years for president, 8 years as vice-president, 12 years of senate, 6 years for house of representatives. And you could move up or down to do another job after you have exhausted your term limit. I believe that would put some younger guys in office, but still allow for wisdom. And get them home to, "obey the laws that they created."

[birdgirl73]

Also, Kiefboy, the fact that he's pro-abortion shows that he will NOT do what is necessary to get elected. Last time I checked, the majority of people are against abortion, not for it.
Public opinion polls right now still show that about 70% of Americans support abortion remaining legal, although of that percentage, generally about 50% of respondents want it to be legal only under certain circumstances, some of them very restrictive.

That 70%-pro and 30%-against abortion approval ratio has remained fairly steady over the years, but the percentages of people who want restrictions on legal availability have been steadily increasing. So of the 70% or so who want it to remain legal, that 50 - 51% group who want limitations is gradually growing.

It's a hugely controversial topic, of course, and I've always felt abortion legality should be determined by an actual vote instead of by our courts and legislators. That would settle it once and for all. Personally, I think abortion is an abominable thing. Anyone with a heart does. I wish people would consider adoption as the choice of first resort without fail. But as someone connected to the medical world, I know that making abortion illegal won't stop the procedure from occurring. It'll simply cause more maimings and harm when young women seek back-alley procedures, as was the case before 1973.

Obama is like most Democrats in that he wants abortion to remain safe, legal, and, ideally, rare.

[budzy malone]

Sorry bad news folks. I am the motherfuckin president. I also have been and always will be. They just keep changing my name and picture to fool all the gullible sheep out there. My advice. Stop following and be a leader yourself.
Someone asked about religion. Well Christianity is basically "boy meets girl, falls in love with girl. Marries the girl. Spends all his money on the girl. They live happily ever after!".
Muslim is basically a more discplined religion where you can have many wifes, but you can not look at their faces or ankles, they have to walk ten feet behind you at all times and 5 times a day you bend over on a small carpet and pray to the EASTSIDE of town. This will keep ALLAH from eating you when he gets mad.

[KiEfBoyjBm]

Yes, we have such a fabulous two-party system. As the former independent governor of Minnesota, Jesse Ventura has said, "it gives us 1 more choice than the communists had." As Americans we claim to have so much liberty, this must be exactly how the founding fathers envisioned what America might become. "It is like a store that only sells Coke and Pepsi. Two colas, one slightly sweeter than the other depending on your tastebuds." I want some Root Beer, Damn it. And yes I have realized that both parties are comprised mostly of crooks.

And yes I would support some type of referendum sealing the fate of abortion once and for all. The politicians aren't going to do anything about it.

this is the video (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4500453489485069487&hl=en) in which I quoted Jesse Ventura above, it is Jesse and Kinky Friedman @ Texas A&M.

[Nylo]

Since we're on the topic of 3rd party systems, I recently just started digging up some old info on Ross Perot. I never really paid much attention to the guy. Looking back I'd love to see a candidate with this kind of drive today; for an '08 election it would be amazing to see someone rise to the challange the way he did. Campaigned with his own money, was put on the ballot by the people .

Sure he was a rich, insane billionare. But he was a rich, insane billionare with some pretty good ideas.

"The activist is not the man who says the river is dirty. The activist is the man who cleans up the river. "

[Hamlet]

I heard an in depth interview with Obama on NPR last Sunday. He impressed me. A very intelligent individual who talked frankly about himself, the issues, and what he believed. It was refreshing to hear someone speak their mind without any hint of some consultants coaching ringing in the undertones.

I'm glad he's in Government. I hope he stays there and I'm sure he will.

[Bong30]

You dont vote for spite Bill....come on.

then we have hillary....think about it.

[Fengzi]

You dont vote for spite Bill....come on.

then we have hillary....think about it.

Tell that to all the folks who voted for Dubya the first time around.



You vote for someone who can do the job.

My point exactly :thumbsup:

[Psycho4Bud]

Well the poll has closed and by one vote it was decided that Obama would be better than Hillary.......Imagine that.:D

Have a good one!:thumbsup:

[Breukelen advocaat]

What Obama isn't: black like me
by Stanley Crouch

If Barack Obama makes it all the way to becoming the Democratic nominee for President in 2008, a feat he says he may attempt, a much more complex understanding of the difference between color and ethnic identity will be upon us for the very first time.

Back in 2004, Alan Keyes made this point quite often. Keyes was the black Republican carpetbagger chosen by the elephants to run against Obama for the U.S. Senate seat from Illinois. The choice of Keyes was either a Republican version of affirmative action or an example of just how dumb the party believes black voters to be, since it was obvious that Keyes came from the Southeast, not the Midwest.

That race was never much of a contest, but one fascinating subplot was how Keyes was unable to draw a meaningful distinction between himself as a black American and Obama as an African-American. After all, Obama's mother is of white U.S. stock. His father is a black Kenyan. Other than color, Obama did not - does not - share a heritage with the majority of black Americans, who are descendants of plantation slaves.

Of course, the idea that one would be a better or a worse representative of black Americans depending upon his or her culture or ethnic group is clearly absurd. Even slavery itself initially came under fire from white Christians - the first of whom to separate themselves from the institution were Quakers. The majority of the Union troops were white, and so were those who have brought about the most important civil rights legislation.

Why then do we still have such a simple-minded conception of black and white - and how does it color the way we see Obama? The naive ideas coming out of Pan-Africanism are at the root of the confusion. When Pan-African ideas began to take shape in the 19th century, all black people, regardless of where in the world they lived, suffered and shared a common body of injustices. Europe, after all, had colonized much of the black world, and the United States had enslaved people of African descent for nearly 250 years.

Suffice it to say: This is no longer the case.

So when black Americans refer to Obama as "one of us," I do not know what they are talking about. In his new book, "The Audacity of Hope," Obama makes it clear that, while he has experienced some light versions of typical racial stereotypes, he cannot claim those problems as his own - nor has he lived the life of a black American.

Will this matter in the end? Probably not. Obama is being greeted with the same kind of public affection that Colin Powell had when he seemed ready to knock Bill Clinton out of the Oval Office. For many reasons, most of them personal, Powell did not become the first black American to be a serious presidential contender.

I doubt Obama will share Powell's fate, but if he throws his hat in the ring, he will have to run as the son of a white woman and an African immigrant. If we then end up with him as our first black President, he will have come into the White House through a side door - which might, at this point, be the only one that's open.

Originally published on November 2, 2006 - Stanley Crouch
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ideas_opinions/story/467300p-393261c.html
Stanley Crouch is a columnist, novelist, essayist, critic and television commentator. He has served since 1987 as an artistic consultant at Lincoln Center and is a co-founder of the department known as Jazz at Lincoln Center. In 1993, he received both the Jean Stein Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and a MacArthur Foundation grant. He is now working on a biography of Charlie Parker.

[BlueCat00]

This is why Obama should be president. Please read and I am sure you will agree. Among other things I trust Obama to turn the eyes of our nation to Darfur and the 200,000 people that are dying a day. We need to join the rest of the world in helping these people.
This is where our nation should be focused and not on the fabricated war for oil that is killing our young americans. This would restore the honor America. If you don't know this man please take the time to learn.

Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii to Barack Hussein Obama, Sr. of Nyangoma-Kogelo, Siaya District, Kenya, ( if you are against a man because of his name you are truly ignorant)

Obama has lived in africa and also india. He has more international diplomacy than Bush could ever dream of.


Obama has written several books in his first one, he is very honest which is more than I can say for most politicians Obama writes about smoking marijuana and trying cocaine during his teenage years Inviting journalists to contrast his earlier admission with Bill Clinton's "didn't inhale" remarks made during the 1992 presidential campaign, Obama recently stated: "I inhaledâ??that was the point." <--- you gotta love that!

Obama studied for two years at Occidental College, before transferring to Columbia College, an undergraduate division of Columbia University. There he majored in political science, with a specialization in international relations. Upon graduation in 1983, Obama worked for one year at Business International Corporation before moving to Chicago and taking a job with a non-profit organization helping local churches organize job training programs for residents of poor neighborhoods.

Obama then left Chicago for three years to study at Harvard Law School. He was elected president of the Harvard Law Review, obtaining his Juris Doctor degree, magna cum laude, in 1991. On returning to Chicago, Obama supported a voter registration drive, then worked for the civil rights law firm Miner, Barnhill and Galland, and taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School
I just don't understand anyone saying he has no experience! He is brilliant.

In 1996, Obama was elected to the Illinois State Senate from the 13th District in the south side neighborhood of Hyde Park, in Chicago. In January 2003, Democrats regained control of the chamber, and Sen. Obama was named chairman of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.

Obama helped to author an Earned Income Tax Credit for the state that provided benefits to the working poor. He also worked for legislation that would cover residents who could not afford health insurance, and helped pass bills to increase funding for AIDS prevention and care programs.

Obama authored a law requiring police to videotape interrogations for crimes punishable by the death penalty. He also pushed through legislation that would force insurance companies to cover routine mammograms.

After describing his maternal grandfather's experiences as a World War II veteran and a beneficiary of the New Deal's FHA and GI Bill programs, Obama said:

No, people don't expect government to solve all their problems. But they sense, deep in their bones, that with just a slight change in priorities, we can make sure that every child in America has a decent shot at life, and that the doors of opportunity remain open to all. They know we can do better. And they want that choice.

He also said: When we send our young men and women into harm's way, we have a solemn obligation not to fudge the numbers or shade the truth about why they're going, to care for their families while they're gone, to tend to the soldiers upon their return, and to never ever go to war without enough troops to win the war, secure the peace, and earn the respect of the world.

Obama's public profile continued to climb through 2005 and 2006. TIME magazine named Obama one of "the world's most influential people," listing him among twenty "Leaders and Revolutionaries" for his high-profile entrance to federal politics and his popularity within the Democratic Party. An October 2005 article in the British journal New Statesman listed Obama as one of "10 people who could change the world." During his first two years in the Senate, Obama received Honorary Doctorates of Law from Knox College, University of Massachusetts Boston, Northwestern University, and Xavier University of Louisiana <---- that makes 5 PhDs! His intelligence is astonding!

In April 2005, Obama sponsored his first Senate bill, the "Higher Education Opportunity through Pell Grant Expansion Act", Entered in fulfillment of a campaign promise to help needy students pay their college tuitions, <---- he keeps his promises.

Obama was a co-sponsor of the "Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act", introduced by Sen. John McCain
Obama also supported a later revision, the "Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act", passed by the Senate on May 25, 2006. He offered three amendments that were included in the bill passed by the Senate: (1) to protect American workers against unfair job competition from guest workers; (2) require employer verification of their employees' legal immigration status through improved verification systems; and (3) fund improvements in FBI background checks of immigrants applying for U.S. citizenship.

Obama is among the first national politicians to actively engage the public through new Internet communication tools. In late 2005, he began podcasting from his U.S. Senate official web site. It has been reported that Obama responds to and has personally participated in online discussions hosted on politically-oriented blogosphere sites. I know this because I talked to him and was one of the first to beg him to run for president in back in 2004!

n June 2006, Obama campaigned against making recent, temporary estate tax cuts permanent, calling the cuts a "Paris Hilton" tax break for "billionaire heirs and heiresses.

Also in June 2006, Obama worked to broaden his party's political base, encouraging Democrats to reach out to evangelicals and other church-going people, saying, "if we truly hope to speak to people where theyâ??re at â?? to communicate our hopes and values in a way thatâ??s relevant to their own â?? we cannot abandon the field of religious discourse."

At an October 2006 campaign rally for Phil Angelides, Democratic Party nominee for Governor of California, Obama criticized the Bush administration "for the war in Iraq, a broken health care system, and a failure to recognize the threat of global warming

On November 20th, 2006, Obama announced that the United States should begin to withdraw troops from Iraq starting in 2007. "It is time to give Iraqis their country back, and it is time to refocus America's efforts on the wider struggle yet to be won." With the increasing death rate, and lack of progression in Iraq, Obama has now been added to the list of politicians to voice out with a specific date for troop withdraw.

AND NO TOROG HE IS NOT MUSLIM: Obama is a member of Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ.

Of his religious affiliation, Obama has written:

I was drawn to the power of the religious tradition to spur social change. In the history of these struggles, I was able to see faith as more than just a comfort to the weary or a hedge against death; rather, it was an active, palpable agent in the world. It was because of these newfound understandingsâ??that religious commitment did not require me to suspend critical thinking, disengage from the battle for economic and social justice, or otherwise retreat from the world that I knew and lovedâ??that I was finally able to walk down the aisle of Trinity United Church of Christ one day and be baptized. It came about as a choice and not an epiphany; the questions I had did not magically disappear. But kneeling beneath that cross on the South Side of Chicago, I felt God's spirit beckoning me. I submitted myself to His will, and dedicated myself to discovering His truth

I hope and pray he will be President and I hope you guys will support him.

PEACE

BlueCat

[Bong30]

Fuck Obama

he will NOT be president.....get a grip.

[BlueCat00]

Fuck Obama

he will NOT be president.....get a grip.

Did you even read what I wrote? Fuck Obama is not a intelligent debate. What exactly do you not like about him? Elaborate please and your killing my stone dude. :rasta: lighten up.

[andruejaysin]

If you're waiting for intelligent debate from bong you might want to pack a bowl and get comfortable.

[BlueCat00]

hahaha Oh I see. well I have taken on Torog and the hamster (amsterdam) so Bong doesn't scare me in the least. Good to see you still here BTW :D

[BlueCat00]

And I expect a reply to this thread from you TOROG you old redneck hippie!! :D

Let the political debates begin.....house and senate don't you just love it!

[Hamlet]

Great post BlueCat...I'm liking Obama more and more all the time. Compare that resume side by side with Dubya's and you start to realize exactly what we've elected into leadership and why we're in the mess we're in.

The only thing I found annoying was his pandering to the religious crowd, but I suppose a political career isn't going very far without doing so.....or that's the perception anyway. (where's a Thomas Jefferson when you need him)

If he stays on this role I imagine seeing him as a running mate with Hilary. I never thought i would see the day when a woman and a black man could take the Executive offices, but after the devastation and miserable failure the NeoCons have brought about, I think the country is ripe for it.

[Psycho4Bud]

And I expect a reply to this thread from you TOROG you old redneck hippie!! :D

Let the political debates begin.....house and senate don't you just love it!

Don't care for it at all...........but VERY happy to see you again!! How ya been? Hope all is well........or at least better.

Have a good one!:thumbsup:

[Bong30]

Did you even read what I wrote? Fuck Obama is not a intelligent debate. What exactly do you not like about him? Elaborate please and your killing my stone dude. :rasta: lighten up.

as a socialist you left this out......




Extend welfare and Medicaid to immigrants
Obama supports the folowing principles regarding immigration:


Continue to extend state-funded welfare benefits for legal immigrants.


Use state funds to continue some Medicaid coverage for legal immigrants.


BC we need

Boarders
Language
Culture..........



I will give you...he is better than most Libs, but he is still a socialist lib.

[andruejaysin]

Continue to extend state-funded welfare benefits for legal immigrants.


Use state funds to continue some Medicaid coverage for legal immigrants.Thought you guys only hated illegal immigrants. Face it bong, you are as racist as the nazis, you're just to stupid to realize it. Which, to be fair, does make you less dangerous.

[Bong30]

My number one Beef is Illegal Imagration......

Lets see Islam Isnt a race.....????

and illegal isnt a race.....?????

Look who is dumb.....YOU


See Idiot..... when you are losing the debate you use word like Racist... They are called show stoppers and when its all you got, you through it.....

I know you just Suck......


I am Dangerous...dont fucking forget it..... those guns you got from your grand pa wont help you.....Buhhahahab buhahahahaha

[Blazed and Confused]

See Idiot..... when you are losing the debate you use word like Racist... They are called show stoppers and when its all you got, you through it.....


Kinda like how you used the work socialist incorrectly?

[andruejaysin]

Good, debate the issues, a new arena in which to humiliate you... If it is only illegal aliens you have a problem with why do you criticize obama for supporting benifits for LEGAL immigrants? Is it legal which bothers you? That the mud people are as american as you? Islam isn't a race, but bigotry against a religion is less discusting? And they sorta look like mexicans, I can see how you might be confused.

[Psycho4Bud]

And they sorta look like mexicans, I can see how you might be confused.

LOL....Good ol' Alex Jones.....the HERO from Pissplanet has a love for Muslims but a hate for Mexicans........kind of blows away your theory there.

Have a good one!:thumbsup:

[andruejaysin]

LOL....Good ol' Alex Jones.....the HERO from Pissplanet has a love for Muslims but a hate for Mexicans........kind of blows away your theory there.

Have a good one!:thumbsup:Yes, the random lunatic throws the curve off, no dought about that.

[BlueCat00]

Good, debate the issues, a new arena in which to humiliate you... If it is only illegal aliens you have a problem with why do you criticize obama for supporting benifits for LEGAL immigrants? Is it legal which bothers you? That the mud people are as american as you? Islam isn't a race, but bigotry against a religion is less discusting? And they sorta look like mexicans, I can see how you might be confused.

This is really funny...mud people? LMAO sarcasm is so funny when you are high :smokin:

[Bong30]

Tell the sarcasm to Nick Berg.


Im talking about the end of westen civilization... you guys make jokes


Proof once again...Liberalism is a Mental Disorder.

[Zimzum]

Tell the sarcasm to Nick Berg.


Im talking about the end of westen civilization... you guys make jokes


Proof once again...Liberalism is a Mental Disorder.


And what does that make a war monger? You are no different then an extreamest screaming Jihad Jihad.

[andruejaysin]

Tell the sarcasm to Nick Berg. Stay out of pakistan and you'll be fine, though there seems little in your head of value anyway.[/QUOTE]


Im talking about the end of westen civilization... you guys make jokes[/QUOTE]I am reminded of gandi's view of "western civilization"[/QUOTE]


Proof once again...Liberalism is a Mental Disorder.[/QUOTE]No, but paranoid scizaphrenia is. Fortunately, it responds well to treatment. But of course anyone who points your illness out becomes a co-conspirator.

[BlueCat00]

Bong dear maybe if you actually read about Nick Berg you would direct your anger accordingly. Nick Berg is dead because George Bush wanted to control the oil in the middle east. If Bush had not taken us into an illegal war Nick Berg would still be alive at least that is what HIS FATHER beleives.

Your anti liberal talk is simply Rush Limbaugh regurgitation it is getting as old and tiresome as he is...

[Zimzum]

LOL Rush can be funny. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xmwQEly39w)

[BlueCat00]

LOL Rush can be funny. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xmwQEly39w)

LMAO I love Colbert!

[Bong30]

Rush is a fucking Idiot like you guys

[andruejaysin]

Rush is a fucking IdiotWell hell, something we agree on. I'll smoke a bowl to that. Hey, that's two things.:rasta:

[Bong30]

Just because Nick was ther he should have his head chopped off......

It was used by Al quida aginst wussies like you guys to weaken our resolve to win.......


See you guys and Gals are wussies, no stomach for war and death......let me tell you

THEY HAVE A STOMACH FOR IT, AND THEY WANT YOUR BLOOD....






THEY WERE KILLING US BEFORE IRAQ............Debate that....


You libs seam to forget that......(no one will say shit about the point)

[Zimzum]

lol Bong you are unreal. Seriously war is not always the best way to go.


See you guys and Gals are wussies, no stomach for war and death......let me tell you

THEY HAVE A STOMACH FOR IT, AND THEY WANT YOUR BLOOD....

They are being told the SAME THING YOU PREACH! Tell me Bong what would your plan be to go at it with Iran? Don't just say war, explain your war. Without the preteen insults.

[Bong30]

We need to get the people behind us....most of them are, but are too affraid to stand up.

We need to get the allatollah to outlaw the 12vers again....way to radical.

They need to say that isreal has right to exist........

Then give up there nuclear ambitions......(they dont need the energy) Huumm?????

Stop telling christians and jews living in Iran that they equal dogs...in society.


I could go on for hours.......


yours.....

[Bong30]

Just turn the whole place to glass during friday prayers......


Nuke ......

Terahn

Mecca

and Madina

Damascuss


then lets see what they got...... Maybe they will be an allie like Japan? Hummm????


bring it bitches......(radical Islam...not you zim)

[Bong30]

you didnt say shit about them killing us before Iraq? WHY

[Zimzum]

Yes there were attacks prior. 300+ Marines in one attack alone. But those attacks weren't at the frequency they are today. If you saw foreign troops in your homeland, not leaving. Would you not also stand up then to rid them from the US? Why do we have bases everywhere, yet no one has one here?

[Bong30]

Yes there were attacks prior. 300+ Marines in one attack alone. But

BUT nothing, the answer is yes bong they were



those attacks weren't at the frequency they are today.


Iran is in IRAQ....dont you see we are fighting, Iran, Hammas, and Alquida in Iraq.....CANT YOU SEE THAT?

so they are attacking us in Iraq..... great, the great americans are taking it so dumb shits can sit here and bash america...Great....



If you saw foreign troops in your homeland, not leaving. Would you not also stand up then to rid them from the US?

If my choice was....get head chopped off by Sunni /shiite war, or have america there for securty? ill take USA, as most Iraqis will tell you. (want me to post it?)


Why do we have bases everywhere, yet no one has one here?

They dont want us there cause we are cristians..... Look at OBL one of the reason he hates us is cause we were on Holy soil during the first Iraq war.....


So you are saying we dont have embassys here from other countries? Please


The UN is here for christ sakes......


If we didnt have a military we would ask for help just like the countries did that we have bases in right?


Like I said before we need to pull our troops out of germany, out of Korea, and other places that are not in the hot bed of radical islam.

[Bong30]

we have the ACLU, if that isnt a hostile occuping force i dont know what is....

[Zimzum]

[quote=Bong30]So you are saying we dont have embassys here from other countries? Please

No I said Bases, as in Military bases

The UN is here for christ sakes......

The UN is a joke, maybe once a good idea, but a joke now


If we didnt have a military we would ask for help just like the countries did that we have bases in right?

But we have a military


Like I said before we need to pull our troops out of germany, out of Korea, and other places that are not in the hot bed of radical islam.[

I guess you don't mind a NKorian dictator having a nuke, but a Muslim one is out of the question?
/QUOTE]

Whats after Iran? Somalia or how about Indonesia?

[Bong30]

[quote=Bong30]So you are saying we dont have embassys here from other countries? Please

No I said Bases, as in Military bases

We have a military we dont need help... we are there to help.

The UN is here for christ sakes......

The UN is a joke, maybe once a good idea, but a joke now

Good idea gone bad......


If we didnt have a military we would ask for help just like the countries did that we have bases in right?

But we have a military


Like I said before we need to pull our troops out of germany, out of Korea, and other places that are not in the hot bed of radical islam.[

I guess you don't mind a NKorian dictator having a nuke, but a Muslim one is out of the question?

Korea isnt saying shit about killing all the jews....Kim jong ill is crazy he is a dictator for all those who think Bush is.....

I think we can outlast Kim jong ill and he will just Die......


/QUOTE]

Whats after Iran? Somalia or how about Indonesia?

We might need to go kick some more ass....I dont know. If the world would denouce radical Islam.... we wouldnt need to do it for every body.






I would like to pull the troops home and do a "Huddle" spend 5 years or so..

Building a wall along southern boarder

regroup the military

Save money....make money

Make wepons

train soldiers

get the enemy out of the counrty.....the Ward churchills of the USA....


Then stand there flexing in the Matrix.....just say

you fuck with us, your gone....fucking gone, erased from the earth.


Zero tollerance..for bullshit. They take hostages......we erase the whole fucking city.....wanan play?

Im done with the bullshit:thumbsup:

[VoidLivesOn]

"In June 2006, Obama campaigned against making recent, temporary estate tax cuts permanent, calling the cuts a "Paris Hilton" tax break for "billionaire heirs and heiresses."

What exactly does this mean?


I'm interested I'll be 18 by 08.

[BlueCat00]

Wait just a minute BONG...you spread your psychotic little terror rant all you want but DO NOT call yourself a Christian. Christ would NEVER want to Nuke any country. You are part of the evil warmongers that will destroy this planet.

You are the danger You are the bad guy.

[Bong30]

Wait just a minute BONG...you spread your psychotic little terror rant all you want but DO NOT call yourself a Christian. Christ would NEVER want to Nuke any country. You are part of the evil warmongers that will destroy this planet.

I will call myself, what ever i Like...Try again. I am a realist


See blue..... when you are Losing the debate... you bring words like "warmonger, racsist, heritic.....whatever...." but you are still losing

You bet your ass...Im not even close to being Christ.

I am a person that sees the threat OUR kids face with shit like Political correctness, illegal imagration ( ie downfall of Boarders, language, and culture), and Radical Islam.


^^^^anybody debate that?........^^^^ didnt think so.

You cant even grasp what we are up aginst......you cant. That is where your disorder comes in.

You are the danger

you bet your ass

You are the bad guy.


Yes and I am raising kids and I vote....sweet:thumbsup:




you need to bring way better than that....

[Bong30]

Its OK for them to Nuke Isreal Right Blue?

[pisshead]

Wait just a minute BONG...you spread your psychotic little terror rant all you want but DO NOT call yourself a Christian. Christ would NEVER want to Nuke any country. You are part of the evil warmongers that will destroy this planet.

You are the danger You are the bad guy.

nooo, you're all wrong...his nukes spread freedom and love and peace and prosperity...

the terrorists' nukes are bad and evil and they do it because they hate freedom and are evil muslim freedom hating bad muslim evil terrorists who really really really really hate freedom a whole lot.

[Psycho4Bud]

Allow me to butt in for a bit..........BlueCat, did ya receive my P.M.?

Good luck Bong...........this is a STUBBORN one here! LOL

Have a good one!:thumbsup:

[Psycho4Bud]

nooo, you're all wrong...his nukes spread freedom and love and peace and prosperity...

the terrorists' nukes are bad and evil and they do it because they hate freedom and are evil muslim freedom hating bad muslim evil terrorists who really really really really hate freedom a whole lot.


And what if they were Mexican nukes Pisshead?:yippee:

Have a good one!:thumbsup:

[Bong30]

Allow me to butt in for a bit..........BlueCat, did ya receive my P.M.?

Good luck Bong...........this is a STUBBORN one here! LOL

Have a good one!:thumbsup:

ask my wife.. I wrote the book on Stubborn.... LOL


she better bring her A++++ game.

[Bong30]

nooo, you're all wrong...his nukes spread freedom and love and peace and prosperity...

the terrorists' nukes are bad and evil and they do it because they hate freedom and are evil muslim freedom hating bad muslim evil terrorists who really really really really hate freedom a whole lot.


We nuked Japan.....seams they are doing better than any muslim country????


you could make a career of being wrong.....

hey smart guy.... how are they on FREEDOM OF RELIGON?


they do hate freedom.. just like you hate america.

[Hamlet]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


"In June 2006, Obama campaigned against making recent, temporary estate tax cuts permanent, calling the cuts a "Paris Hilton" tax break for "billionaire heirs and heiresses."

What exactly does this mean?

Yeah, that was a 'poison pill' the Republicans stuck in a bit of legislation to kill a minimum wage increase. I'm not familiar with the exact wording n' such of the legislation, but supposedly it was a tax cut on inheritence for the MegaRich. It wouldn't effect you and me, or even the wealthy, but only the superwealthy like the Waltons, Hiltons, Gates, etc.

But anyway, that's how Legislators kill off something they don't want to see go through. Republicans don't want a minimum wage increase, but they can't stop it from being presented. They do, however, have the right to tweek and attach things, so they came up with this "Megarich' taxcut that they knew the Democrats would never go along with.

I agree with eliminating estate taxes considering that money has already had taxes paid on it and people should be able to pass their estates down to their heirs, not to the Federal Government. It's bullshit though that it should only go to the super-affluent. Shows you who the Republicans are really looking out for, doesn't it?

[BlueCat00]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Yeah, that was a 'poison pill' the Republicans stuck in a bit of legislation to kill a minimum wage increase. I'm not familiar with the exact wording n' such of the legislation, but supposedly it was a tax cut on inheritence for the MegaRich. It wouldn't effect you and me, or even the wealthy, but only the superwealthy like the Waltons, Hiltons, Gates, etc.

But anyway, that's how Legislators kill off something they don't want to see go through. Republicans don't want a minimum wage increase, but they can't stop it from being presented. They do, however, have the right to tweek and attach things, so they came up with this "Megarich' taxcut that they knew the Democrats would never go along with.

I agree with eliminating estate taxes considering that money has already had taxes paid on it and people should be able to pass their estates down to their heirs, not to the Federal Government. It's bullshit though that it should only go to the super-affluent. Shows you who the Republicans are really looking out for, doesn't it?


Absolutely! And it is a bullshit law..Alternet did a great article about it a while back.

The case for abolishing the federal estate tax is a sham, deflated by Congress' own research and investigative reporting.

http://www.alternet.org/story/25480/

[BlueCat00]

((((We nuked Japan.....seams they are doing better than any muslim country????))))

OMFG no human can be this stupid. This is beyond dumb. I won't even waste my time with you.

*whistles* here boy get away from your humans computer. Bong30, I think your dog MUST be at your computer. Go away doggy.

[Bong30]

((((We nuked Japan.....seams they are doing better than any muslim country????))))

OMFG no human can be this stupid. This is beyond dumb. I won't even waste my time with you.

*whistles* here boy get away from your humans computer. Bong30, I think your dog MUST be at your computer. Go away doggy.

Nice personal attacks....


what about any point........?

I have one for you blue.....your not going to like it....Ill start thread...


If you want to play, lets go.....


Ill go get in One of my 2 japanese cars not pakistani cars.....

[Psycho4Bud]

Hey BlueCat,

I sent an e-mail to ya and deleted the post that had your addy. You have any trouble with that just send me a reply.

Have a good one!:thumbsup:

[Fengzi]

((((We nuked Japan.....seams they are doing better than any muslim country????))))

OMFG no human can be this stupid. This is beyond dumb. I won't even waste my time with you.

*whistles* here boy get away from your humans computer. Bong30, I think your dog MUST be at your computer. Go away doggy.

Gotta agree with Blue on this one Bong. I really can't believe that even you would you think the reason Japan is where it is today is because we nuked it. Japan is where it is today because they are smart little buggers. As a culture they place a high value on education and hard work (and some pretty feaky porn too, but that's another story). It was these traits that made them a major military power prior to WWII and the same traits that made them a major technological/economic power afterwards. I guarantee you, even if we nuke the shit out of the Middle East, 100 years from now they still will be far behind us.

[BlueCat00]

No Bongo I don't want to play with you and I have not personally attacked you. To do that I would have to KNOW you personally and then post something personal about you. I can only judge you by your posts and I have read enough to know you are a wacko so why waste my time? I have just been scrolling by your post really. DO I honestly think you'll have a moment of enlightenment and grow a brain? NO,See you are either really really dumb or really really evil either way it is a waste of good energy.

Case in point: You advocate "nuking" several different cities so wiping out innocent people does not bother you. You evidently have never read what happened and is STILL happening to the people of Japan as a result of those horrible bombs. AND those were small bombs compared to what would be used today. Maybe you only care about Americans if that is the case then did you stop to think dropping so many bombs with the current green house ceilings would contaminate the rest of the world including the USA. Many innocent Americans would die. YOU would be responsible for their MURDERS. You then are no better than the terrorist who straps on a bomb and takes innocent lives. You are one in the same. I can't imagine being filled with so much HATE...and I sure don't want it around me so just drive off in your little Japanese car.....BE GONE...

Oh I do have one more question Mr. Bongo USA why aren't you driving an AMERICAN car? HMMMMM? MR Flag waver?

STOMP OUT HATE/ SMOKE WEED :dance:

[BlueCat00]

Gotta agree with Blue on this one Bong. I really can't believe that even you would you think the reason Japan is where it is today is because we nuked it. Japan is where it is today because they are smart little buggers. As a culture they place a high value on education and hard work (and some pretty feaky porn too, but that's another story). It was these traits that made them a major military power prior to WWII and the same traits that made them a major technological/economic power afterwards. I guarantee you, even if we nuke the shit out of the Middle East, 100 years from now they still will be far behind us.

Absolutely, Fengzi! I have a couple friends living in Japan. Jenise just finished a movie about the Japanese reaction to the Iraq war. I will have to look for the link and post it. I would love to go to Japan. We are so behind technologically it is depressing. The Japanese KICK ASS. AND they are leading the way in environmetal protections as well. PLUS those Japanese game shows crack me up :D

[VoidLivesOn]

No Bongo I don't want to play with you and I have not personally attacked you. To do that I would have to KNOW you personally and then post something personal about you. I can only judge you by your posts and I have read enough to know you are a wacko so why waste my time? I have just been scrolling by your post really. DO I honestly think you'll have a moment of enlightenment and grow a brain? NO,See you are either really really dumb or really really evil either way it is a waste of good energy.

Case in point: You advocate "nuking" several different cities so wiping out innocent people does not bother you. You evidently have never read what happened and is STILL happening to the people of Japan as a result of those horrible bombs. AND those were small bombs compared to what would be used today. Maybe you only care about Americans if that is the case then did you stop to think dropping so many bombs with the current green house ceilings would contaminate the rest of the world including the USA. Many innocent Americans would die. YOU would be responsible for their MURDERS. You then are no better than the terrorist who straps on a bomb and takes innocent lives. You are one in the same. I can't imagine being filled with so much HATE...and I sure don't want it around me so just drive off in your little Japanese car.....BE GONE...

Oh I do have one more question Mr. Bongo USA why aren't you driving an AMERICAN car? HMMMMM? MR Flag waver?

STOMP OUT HATE/ SMOKE WEED :dance:

If this were a live television broadcast this is the part when everyone goes "Ooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"

These debates get heated.

[Bong30]

No what im saying..some time you have to make the ultimate decision. These people are not rational. I would love to go into a "cold war' with them, but they dont understand MAD.


The only way to beat a birth rate is.....the ultimate decision.....


witch we made 2 times before.....and yes Japan is better off today. The casualty reports were over a Million dead If we had to invade the mainland.

NOw that we knoked the shit out of them, they quit that kamikaze shit...too






We can just wait till they nuke Isreal......Im down. Then we will end it.....another 6 millon jews later.

[Bong30]

No Bongo <<<< nice

Oh I do have one more question Mr. Bongo USA why aren't you driving an AMERICAN car? HMMMMM? MR Flag waver?


Liten Blue....My MOM has worked for toyota for 21 years now...my dad worked for chrysler for 35.....I worked for toyota for several years myself... I drive toyota cause they make the best cars. Duhhhh I am a realist.


STOMP OUT HATE/ SMOKE WEED :dance:

Nice personal attacks...... you are a class act

[Blazed and Confused]

If you were a realist you'd know terrorism isn't real. How many attacks have there been in the past decade (related to Islam, of course)? One. The real terrorists are the people who strike terror into Amerricans. And what do you have to worry about anyway? I'm guessing you live in the heart of Texas or Alabama.

[birdgirl73]

Are you for real, Blazed, in thinking there's only been one terrorist attack in the last decade? You might want to refer to this list, which lists the terrorist attacks perpetrated by Al Qaeda alone. Trust me. There've been others. You must not read any news.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0884893.html

[BlueCat]

What Obama isn't: black like me
by Stanley Crouch

If Barack Obama makes it all the way to becoming the Democratic nominee for President in 2008, a feat he says he may attempt, a much more complex understanding of the difference between color and ethnic identity will be upon us for the very first time.

Back in 2004, Alan Keyes made this point quite often. Keyes was the black Republican carpetbagger chosen by the elephants to run against Obama for the U.S. Senate seat from Illinois. The choice of Keyes was either a Republican version of affirmative action or an example of just how dumb the party believes black voters to be, since it was obvious that Keyes came from the Southeast, not the Midwest.

That race was never much of a contest, but one fascinating subplot was how Keyes was unable to draw a meaningful distinction between himself as a black American and Obama as an African-American. After all, Obama's mother is of white U.S. stock. His father is a black Kenyan. Other than color, Obama did not - does not - share a heritage with the majority of black Americans, who are descendants of plantation slaves.

Of course, the idea that one would be a better or a worse representative of black Americans depending upon his or her culture or ethnic group is clearly absurd. Even slavery itself initially came under fire from white Christians - the first of whom to separate themselves from the institution were Quakers. The majority of the Union troops were white, and so were those who have brought about the most important civil rights legislation.

Why then do we still have such a simple-minded conception of black and white - and how does it color the way we see Obama? The naive ideas coming out of Pan-Africanism are at the root of the confusion. When Pan-African ideas began to take shape in the 19th century, all black people, regardless of where in the world they lived, suffered and shared a common body of injustices. Europe, after all, had colonized much of the black world, and the United States had enslaved people of African descent for nearly 250 years.

Suffice it to say: This is no longer the case.

So when black Americans refer to Obama as "one of us," I do not know what they are talking about. In his new book, "The Audacity of Hope," Obama makes it clear that, while he has experienced some light versions of typical racial stereotypes, he cannot claim those problems as his own - nor has he lived the life of a black American.

Will this matter in the end? Probably not. Obama is being greeted with the same kind of public affection that Colin Powell had when he seemed ready to knock Bill Clinton out of the Oval Office. For many reasons, most of them personal, Powell did not become the first black American to be a serious presidential contender.

I doubt Obama will share Powell's fate, but if he throws his hat in the ring, he will have to run as the son of a white woman and an African immigrant. If we then end up with him as our first black President, he will have come into the White House through a side door - which might, at this point, be the only one that's open.

Originally published on November 2, 2006 - Stanley Crouch
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ideas_opinions/story/467300p-393261c.html
Stanley Crouch is a columnist, novelist, essayist, critic and television commentator. He has served since 1987 as an artistic consultant at Lincoln Center and is a co-founder of the department known as Jazz at Lincoln Center. In 1993, he received both the Jean Stein Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and a MacArthur Foundation grant. He is now working on a biography of Charlie Parker.


THANKS for this article. I really enjoyed reading it. In enforced one of my main
reasons for wanting Obama for President. He will focus on Africa the genocide and hopefully will not be full on empty promises.

[aznson01]

who?

[VoidLivesOn]

Has anyone thought about this? I'm sure oyu have I just wanna know what you people think.

I mean we've had presidents for countelss years now. All white, every one of em'...I think. Don't get all technical on me now...skin tone was WHITE.

If Obama WERE to win how plausable do you think something like assasination would be? I mean the first non-white president could turn a few heads and piss off the wrong people. Even though were in the 21st century and we like to pretend racism isn't an issue by being PC from time to time, it's obviously still is.

What do you think?

[Blazed and Confused]

Are you for real, Blazed, in thinking there's only been one terrorist attack in the last decade? You might want to refer to this list, which lists the terrorist attacks perpetrated by Al Qaeda alone. Trust me. There've been others. You must not read any news.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0884893.html

Excuse me, I was not clear enough. I meant to US civilians within the borders of the United States. Since ,generally, liberalism is centered around community and conservativism is centered toward the self, I believe these are the only types of attacks Bong would have to worry about. Granted, I have made alot of assumptions in this claim, point being, the terrorist scare is vastly bloated to the common American, despite what Rumsfeld's Color of the Day is (oops, was).

[BlueCat]

Excuse me, I was not clear enough. I meant to US civilians within the borders of the United States. Since ,generally, liberalism is centered around community and conservativism is centered toward the self, I believe these are the only types of attacks Bong would have to worry about. Granted, I have made alot of assumptions in this claim, point being, the terrorist scare is vastly bloated to the common American, despite what Rumsfeld's Color of the Day is (oops, was).

:D LOL good one Blaze :clap:

Void, I have thought about who I want for president a lot I find Obama's exposure to other cultures an asset. One can only hope our country has grown beyond making skin an issue. HAHAHA what am I saying? :confused:
I worry about the idiots out there too. It is asking a lot of Obama and his family. Still I hope he runs.:)

[Torog]

:D LOL good one Blaze :clap:

Void, I have thought about who I want for president a lot I find Obama's exposure to other cultures an asset. One can only hope our country has grown beyond making skin an issue. HAHAHA what am I saying? :confused:
I worry about the idiots out there too. It is asking a lot of Obama and his family. Still I hope he runs.:)

Howdy BlueCat,

First off,let me say Welcome back !

Now then,from what I've heard,it sounds like the probable course of events will be that Obama runs for prez,but will be outshined by Hitlery,and Obama will probably wind up as her VP,in order to git the black vote in for Hitlery.

We shall see....

Have a good one ! :jointsmile:

[BlueCat]

Howdy Torog!

It is nice to be back. I hope you and your family are well.

I don't know if Obama would take a VP offer from Hillary or not. They don't see eye to eye on a lot of issues. Frankly I see Obama as the stronger figure.

I would never vote for Hillary simply because of her involvement in Mena Arkansas during Bush Sr. era. and because she NEVER takes a real stand for or against anything. She tries to stay in the gray all the time. I find that rather cowardly. I know the Republicans are all wanting her to run but I think that is because they know she can be easily beaten public convidence is simply not with her. I did a phone survey with Moveon a few weeks ago and on the question of Hillary no one seemed to really trust her. I am afraid I feel the same.

Good talking to you again.

Cat

[medicinal]

The idea of Obama for president excites me! I think that is the main reason I like him. He exudes positive energy. It sure would show the world that were not white supremests, and some fresh Ideas are sorly needed inside the beltway. My favorite ticket is Obama-Edwards, or Edwards-Obama, I think they'd make a great team!

[birdgirl73]

That is precisely who I'd like to see on the Democratic ticket, Medicinal! I think they're both sincere, intelligent men who have the interests of the American people--not just rich ones--as their top priorities. I have been an Edwards fan for four years, and the more I see and read about Obama, the more I like him.

[Breukelen advocaat]

From Obamaâ??s own website, here is a perfect example of a leader with a special interest in education. Notice the spelling in the last sentence of his position regarding the issue of â??Homeland Securityâ?�. :D


Education
Senator Obama is committed to providing every American with the opportunity to receive a quality education, from pre-kindergarten to college or vocational school to job retraining programs.

Homeland Security
Senator Obama believes that greater attention needs to be paid to the nationâ??s homeland security. To that end, he has supported efforts to distribute more funds to cities like Chicago most at risk of a terrorist attack. He has also introduced legislation to strength chemical plant and drinking water security and to enhance disaster preparedness.
http://obama.senate.gov/issues/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Maybe this guy Obama should worry about enhancing the literacy of his web writers before he goes on about his commitment to educating the rest of us.

[Torog]

Howdy Torog!

It is nice to be back. I hope you and your family are well.

I don't know if Obama would take a VP offer from Hillary or not. They don't see eye to eye on a lot of issues. Frankly I see Obama as the stronger figure.

I would never vote for Hillary simply because of her involvement in Mena Arkansas during Bush Sr. era. and because she NEVER takes a real stand for or against anything. She tries to stay in the gray all the time. I find that rather cowardly. I know the Republicans are all wanting her to run but I think that is because they know she can be easily beaten public convidence is simply not with her. I did a phone survey with Moveon a few weeks ago and on the question of Hillary no one seemed to really trust her. I am afraid I feel the same.

Good talking to you again.

Cat

Howdy BlueCat,

We're doing fine-thanx ! :)

Well I've heard tell,that Obama simply isn't seasoned enough to be the president,he has little experience in Washington,DC..which is why Hillary chose to be a Senator and gain experience and seasoning,before making a run for the presidency.

I do find it interesting,that there ain't as much support on the Left,for Hillary-as one would imagine. At this point,Hillary is trying to look like a centrist and a moderate liberal. If she were elected president(God forbid),then she would swing farther to the left,I believe that she could convince Obama to be her running mate,one-because of his lack of experience,and two-because he will bring in the African-American vote.

The question that needs to be asked is,what level of support is there for Hillary and Obama,amongst African-Americans,not the white democrats.

Have a good one ! :jointsmile:

[Torog]

Howdy BA,

Since we abandoned phonics in the public schools,folks can't spell very well,the younger ones,that is..and no one seems to take the time to proof-read anymore.

Have a good one ! :jointsmile:

[birdgirl73]

Yep, no one proof-read Obama's Web copy!

You asked some interesting questions up there, Torog. For me, part of the attraction about Obama is that he's not a seasoned politician. Presidents rely so heavily on advisers and input from others that I don't see him being at a terrible disadvantage because of his lack of experience, but of course he may have his eyes on 2008 for a preliminary run, then 2012 or later for an actual win. One of the things I like about Obama is the fact that he still speaks from his heart, uncensored and candidly. He hasn't yet begun to measure every word for its political value or safety, which is part of the appeal.

The reason the left doesn't like Hillary is because we know that, although she may be able to get the nomination and raise the most money, she can't win. The hatred for her among the voting populace, particularly the far right, is too great. Anyone with any sense can see this, and frankly she'll do more harm to our cause by running and losing than she would be letting someone who has an actual chance take a spot on the ticket. Also, Hillary has sold herself and our party out by working so hard to appear more centrist in the last two years. It's hard for me and many others to forgive her for that.

[medicinal]

I agree, Hillary is a flip-flopper. When she jumped on John Kerry I took notice. She also stood up for Bush on Iraq, and now blames him for the prosecution of the war. It's no wonder the republicans hope she runs, she would be soundly trounced by John McCain. I'm stickin aith the Obama-Edwards thing, we can only hope. I'd even consider an Obama-Kusinitch ticket. Kusinitch was one of the congressmen to vote against the War!

[BlueCat]

That is precisely who I'd like to see on the Democratic ticket, Medicinal! I think they're both sincere, intelligent men who have the interests of the American people--not just rich ones--as their top priorities. I have been an Edwards fan for four years, and the more I see and read about Obama, the more I like him.

ME TOO!! They are both social democrats, what a perfect team! I don't care which one gets VP! I saw Edwards give a speech in North Carolina when he was running with Kerry and I have followed everything Obama has written since 2004. They are both fantastic intelligent men that will fight for the middle class.

They give people hope :)

[Psycho4Bud]

They are both fantastic intelligent men that will fight for the middle class.

***WARNING***

DO NOT eat while reading political posts..........damn near choked to death when I read this statement!!:eek:

Have a good one!:jointsmile:

[medicinal]

The big fear for us Obama-files, is that like the kennedys before him, he will be assasinated! The kennedys were the last politicians to try and make a change in our country and "they" (The real powers that be) killed them. So conspiracy theory or not, I feel this is a real threat to Obama if he wins the nomination.

[BlueCat00]

I'm BACK in the saddle again! (Music playing in my head)

So the old stomping ground looks the same. I have been in beautiful Costa Rica hanging with the rastas mon..:rastasmoke:Puerto Viejo to be exact. It was great. I'll have to post a few photos but the weed is pure chit there! :( Theres lots of cheap cocaine but I don't do coke just weed and the weed is brown and nasty. I really missed my BC bud. So I came back for good weed, good conversation and the election which I might add is also doing great! :woohoo:

We have been giving caucus classes and had to move to a larger building there are so many young people wanting to ride the Obama wave.
Not one person that came to caucus training was for Billary! :D

Barack is gonna win and I am so happy! And for all ye of little faith:S3:

I got to see him in Seattle and he signed my book. The Audacity of Hope. (great book btw)
If you have not had the opportunity to see Obama in person PLEASE try. It is an amazing experience not just because he is an excellent speaker but because the electricity in the crowd is intense. It is amazing. Really makes you feel like you're taking your country back! :thumbsup:

Good to see everyone still kicking it. I missed blogging a lot!

[marijuanavillebilly]

while Obama is a sharp, intelligent, likeable candidate, and MAY be an outstanding President some day, I will never cease to be amazed at how gullible the American voters are ... this man, a freshman Senator, has only been in politics an extremely short time ... his skyrocketing popularity is based on his keynote speech at the last Democratic convention ... gimme a break ! ... ONE SPEECH is all it takes for people to choose you as the leader of the world's most powerful nation ?? ... (the mind boggles) ... I give up, I'm gonna go live in the woods, and eat berries (and smoke pot, of course) ... :D

i can make blueberry waffles!

yeah the people are stupid, kinda why we have a 8-10% innocent rate in prison. if it looks good and smells good they just dig right in.

[BlueCat00]

Actually I find that pretty offensive. calling people stupid because YOU haven't done your research?

First experience is not really an issue. George W. Bush, only served six years as the Governor of Texas before his presidency of course hes an asshole and look at the mess we are in...bad example..lets try again :D

Abraham Lincoln served two years in the U.S.House, and seemed to do all right.

Previous presidents have been governors, or had a longer term in the Senate or House, before taking office but all of these experiences prepare a person to operate within the system, rather than to change the system. Yet change is what this nation needs. Barack has correctly pointed out that the two of the most experienced people in Washington, Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney, have led the U.S. into the disaster of Iraq.

Focusing on experience is also a way to avoid talking about qualities such as leadership, intelligence, courage, fairness, judgment, temperament and integrityâ??qualities that truly matter in a leader.
Barack's experience has developed these qualities.


He has ten years experience in public office, more than the two other leading Democratic candidates, Hillary Clinton (six-plus years as Senator from New York) and John Edwards (six years as Senator from North Carolina). Barack's first eight years spent in the Illinois senate before his two years (and counting) of service in the U.S. Senate, should not be forgotten.

So please do you research and try looking at the experience he has:

"In the Illinois State Senate, he helped working families get ahead by creating programs like the state Earned Income Tax Credit, which in three years provided over $100 million in tax cuts to families across the state. He also pushed through an expansion of early childhood education, and after a number of inmates on death row were found innocent, Senator Obama worked with law enforcement officials to require the videotaping of interrogations and confessions in all capital cases."

"In the U.S. Senate, he has focused on tackling the challenges of a globalized, 21st century world with fresh thinking and a politics that no longer settles for the lowest common denominator. His first law was passed with Republican Tom Coburn, a measure to rebuild trust in government by allowing every American to go online and see how and where every dime of their tax dollars are spent. He has also been the lead voice in championing ethics reform that would root out Jack Abramoff-style corruption in Congress.

Obama's foreign policy experience includes graduating from Columbia University with a degree in political science with an emphasis on international relations. In the U.S. Senate Obama is unique among Senators in that he serves on three of the four Senate Committees dealing with foreign policy issues including the Foreign Relations; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; and Veterans' Affairs committees and is the Chair of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Relations which is responsible fore U.S. relations with European countries, the European Union, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (i.e., NATO).

When comparing Obama's foreign policy experience with other candidates for President you have Democrat Joseph Biden who is Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Democrat Hillary Clinton who is a member of the Armed Services Committee and John McCain who is the Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee yet there is no Senator except for Barack Obama who serves on three of the four committees that deal with foreign policy.

Obama service on the Foreign Relations committee has placed him in an unique position in that he is the Chair of the Subcommittee on European Relations and serves on the Subcommittees on African Affairs; East Asia and Pacific Affairs; and International Development and Foreign Assistance, Economic Affairs, and International Environmental Protection. This cross-section of subcommittees places Obama in a unique position of having knowledge about Asian, African and European issues. The only other member of the Foreign Relations committee who is running for President is Democrat Joseph Biden who is Chairman of the full Foreign Relations Committee yet unlike Obama he does not serve on any of the other foreign policy committees and his experience is limited to foreign policy issues covered by the Foreign Relations Committee.

Obama has also traveled extensively in his capacity as a member of the Foreign Relations Committee and has visited Russia, Ukraine, and Azerbaijan in Asia; Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, and the Palestinian Territories in the Middle East; and Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Africa in Africa. Obama has also co-sponsored the "Lugar-Obama Act (http://lugar.senate.gov/pressapp/record.cfm?id=267485)" with Republican Senator Richard Lugar who was Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations at the time. This act was a bi-partisan effort to increase U.S. security in terms of the elimination of conventional weapons and weapons of mass destruction.

I could go on and on there is so much more..

So you see the no experience crap is not going to fly anymore.

Nice try though..;)