Why I'm voting for Obama

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by Solon

You write as if Obama can increase taxes at will. Congress might follow him, but a tax increase would hardly be his responsibility alone. Plus, the next president has his work cut out for him if he's going to tackle budget issues. Whether it's McCain or Obama, I'll bet taxes go up and programs get cut. The Bush administration hasn't left a lot of options on the table.

The Congress will become his rubber stamp.

Programs, except for the military will NOT be cut. The military will be depleted, something despised by Dems, and I am not an advocate of interventionism.

Name a program Obama wants to cut outside of the military. If one exists, it is a very small or insignificant one.

If you believe resolving all problems through government to be the answer, you don't decrease the size of government. It won't happen and the Republican Party is completely neutered.

Not my best work, but

a fundamental difference exists between Obama and advocates of small government.

Obama ignores the culture of bureaucracies, the affects of government upon economic activity, and I wonder what aspects of government control in economic sphere he does not advocate. It's unclear what position he takes relative to government injection of liquidity and capital in order to remedy the financial picture, but it appears he takes a very interventionist position. He's posturing now to avoid being tied down to any position.

Obama advocates we should provide more services, i.e., Healthcare, create more bureaucracies, the health care insurance bureaucracy, at a time when we have no further resources.

I guess the key is, Obama trusts more in the wisdom of regulators and bureaucrats, unelected officials, than instincts of inidviduals at large. Obama is a collectivist, whereas I trust individuals to do the right thing if properly motivated.

[fusnik11]

Originally Posted by Archaea

This is a very sad time for economic conservatives, for advocates of smaller government, for civil libertarians, but alas perhaps our time is past.

That boat left the dock in 1980.

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

shut up you dinosaur. you don't have the audacity to hope for better.

Hope is nothing more than delayed disappointment.

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by PaloAltoCougar

Friends and certain family members are surprised, some even shocked, I'm voting for Obama; I vote Republican at least 80% of the time, but not this time. I was a National Review subscriber in high school and always admired WFB's command of language. That's why it's particularly interesting to read today that his son Christopher, another gifted writer, has announced his support for Obama and his resignation from the magazine's editorial staff.

In a CNN story, Buckley mentioned a couple of things I strongly agree with: "Eight years of 'conservative' government has brought us a doubled national debt, ruinous expansion of entitlement programs, bridges to nowhere, poster boy Jack Abramoff and an ill-premised, ill-waged war conducted by politicians of breathtaking arrogance. As a sideshow, it brought us a truly obscene attempt at federal intervention in the Terry Schiavo case."

I also agree with his view that Obama has the intellect and temperament for the job, things in which McCain seems to be deficient. Finally, in matters of personal character, despite McCain's valorous service, I think Obama trumps him.

I'm deeply concerned by the mischief a triumvirate of Obama/Pelosi/Reid may get into, but I'm betting, not without considerable risk I admit, that Obama's intelligence and ability to see the long-term effects on his legacy will be a moderating influence.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-a...ase-for-obama/

Personal character? Obama is dishonest when it comes to character. He's correct when he says that he was only 8 when Ayers was committing terrorist acts, but he is lying through his teeth when he says that he had no idea about Ayers past and is lying when he claims that Ayers was just a neighbor.

He claims he had no idea about the hatred for this country that Reverend Wright spewed as Obama sat in a pew for 20 years. He's either lying or stupid.

He showed his true character when he didn't know tape was rolling as he mocked those in Pennsylvania who "are bitter and cling to their religion and guns."

He is all about political expediency. Moreso than Bill Clinton ever was.

Obama is intelligent, well spoken (when he has a teleprompter), but he lacks experience to be POTUS and is a liar about who he really is.

[MikeWaters]

I can't speak for the rest of you, but I plan to cling tightly to both my religion and my guns.

[BarbaraGordon]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I can't speak for the rest of you, but I plan to cling tightly to both my religion and my guns.

especially the guns?

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I can't speak for the rest of you, but I plan to cling tightly to both my religion and my guns.

As do I.

But if Obama gets his way, you can only cling to your gun, not use it for defense.

[Solon]

Originally Posted by Archaea

The Congress will become his rubber stamp.

Programs, except for the military will NOT be cut. The military will be depleted, something despised by Dems, and I am not an advocate of interventionism.

Name a program Obama wants to cut outside of the military. If one exists, it is a very small or insignificant one.

If you believe resolving all problems through government to be the answer, you don't decrease the size of government. It won't happen and the Republican Party is completely neutered.

Not my best work, but

a fundamental difference exists between Obama and advocates of small government.

Obama ignores the culture of bureaucracies, the affects of government upon economic activity, and I wonder what aspects of government control in economic sphere he does not advocate. It's unclear what position he takes relative to government injection of liquidity and capital in order to remedy the financial picture, but it appears he takes a very interventionist position. He's posturing now to avoid being tied down to any position.

Obama advocates we should provide more services, i.e., Healthcare, create more bureaucracies, the health care insurance bureaucracy, at a time when we have no further resources.

I guess the key is, Obama trusts more in the wisdom of regulators and bureaucrats, unelected officials, than instincts of inidviduals at large. Obama is a collectivist, whereas I trust individuals to do the right thing if properly motivated.

I'm generally a fan of limited government, but I don't see how the next president - whether it's Obama or McCain - can responsibly tackle the budgetary issues that the current administration has left behind without raising taxes and cutting benefits. I know what both Obama and McCain are saying, but a lot of that is going to be impossible (IMO).

[PaloAltoCougar]

Originally Posted by il Padrino Ute

Personal character? Obama is dishonest when it comes to character. He's correct when he says that he was only 8 when Ayers was committing terrorist acts, but he is lying through his teeth when he says that he had no idea about Ayers past and is lying when he claims that Ayers was just a neighbor.

He claims he had no idea about the hatred for this country that Reverend Wright spewed as Obama sat in a pew for 20 years. He's either lying or stupid.

He showed his true character when he didn't know tape was rolling as he mocked those in Pennsylvania who "are bitter and cling to their religion and guns."

He is all about political expediency. Moreso than Bill Clinton ever was.

Obama is intelligent, well spoken (when he has a teleprompter), but he lacks experience to be POTUS and is a liar about who he really is.

I understand Obama's no saint, but saints don't get involved in politics in the first place. I'm concerned about McCain's remarkably bad academic record, his reputation for being "the meanest S.O.B on the Hill" (and while I like toughness, I don't like jerkness), his spasmodic decisionmaking (Palin, the bailout, etc.) and he remains a bit of a lecher according to certain private accounts. Obama's devotion to his wife and kids seems sincere, and his personal achievements are very impressive.

Yes, I am bothered by his 20-year attendance record in front of the inflammatory reverend, and by his socialist role models from his youth. But I put everything on the scales, and it still tilts pretty firmly toward Barry.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by Solon

I'm generally a fan of limited government, but I don't see how the next president - whether it's Obama or McCain - can responsibly tackle the budgetary issues that the current administration has left behind without raising taxes and cutting benefits. I know what both Obama and McCain are saying, but a lot of that is going to be impossible (IMO).

Until you can prove to me, government is operating as efficiently as possible with no substantial waste, I am unwilling to entertain tax increases.