Comments on: Race, Gender And Bias In The Electorate

CBS' Kathy Frankovic: Some Americans Admit To Not Voting For Certain Types Of People

[omega39-2009]

Blazercoach, I will concede that McCain has had a position as a budget hawk (his finest moment repudiating Bush''s tax cuts while we marching down the road to war) but he has flip-flopped on his tax position while advocating we spend the next 100 years in Iraq. That isn''t going to lead to a balanced budget. What will McCain do? Will he bring the cost of the Iraq war back into the budget process or will he continue Bush''s supplemental funding to keep it out of the budget numbers? What will he cut, most of the discretionary spending such as Medicaid payments to the states will amount to holding the levels where they are, that wouldn''t even make up for the monies that are being robbed from Social Security to hide the size of the deficit. You can talk about Republican fiscal responsibility but place a footnote that Bush and a Republican Congress added 4 Trillion dollars to the national debt (basically doubled it) in seven short years. As for entitlements, the Medicare expansion was the largest giveaway since LBJs administration and once again it was a supposedly fiscal Republican congress that held the vote open to pass that monster. Even if I were to disregard what I have written above, how will McCain force a democratic congress to capitulate to his desire to cut programs aimed at the poor so capital gains reductions can be maintained? I just don''t see it happening. The NY Times was a link to the article where Ben Stein gives tax advice to John McCain.

[alphaa10-2009]

During Obama''''s first eight years as Illinois legislator, he sponsored over 820 bills--- 233 regarding healthcare reform, 125 on poverty and public assistance, 112 crime fighting bills, 97 economic bills, 60 human rights and anti-discrimination bills, 21 ethics reform bills, 15 gun control, six veterans affairs and many others.

In addition, during his first year in the US Senate, he wrote 152 bills and co-sponsored another 427.

These included--

*The Coburn-Obama Government Transparency Act of 2006
*The Lugar-Obama Nuclear Non-proliferation and Conventional Weapons Threat Reduction Act
*The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act
*The 2007 Government Ethics Bill
*The Protection Against Excessive Executive Compensation Bill

In all, since he entered the US Senate, Obama has written 890 bills and co-sponsored another 1,096.

[alphaa10-2009]

Obama said, "Let me say at the outset that I vehemently disagree and strongly condemn the statements that have been the subject of this controversy. I categorically denounce any statement that disparages our great country or serves to divide us from our allies."

Obama says he does not endorse Wright''s "fiery sermon" and states his own views at
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barack-obama/on-my-faith-and-my-church_b_91623.html

Declaring his own beliefs should have been enough for any candidate to do.

Indeed, GOP bozos now so amused about Wright''s comments should remember McSame, himself, backpedaled furiously only two weeks ago from ultra-right, napalm-and-brimstone Baptist preacher John Hagee. Hagee dismissed the Roman Catholic Church as "apostate" and a "cult". By the way, he also wants to bomb Iran.

(see Obama comments--2)

[alphaa10-2009]

Obama comments--2

As CBS reported, "Today, Sen. McCain offered carefully measured words: ''I don''t have to agree with everyone who endorses my candidacy,'' he said. ''They are supporting my candidacy. I am not endorsing some of their positions.'' "

In this year, we are doomed to an avalanche of shameful, negative deceit from the GOP''s Lee Atwater School of Smear. With graduates like Karl Rove at large, Americans must pay close attention to the facts and leave gut-thinking behind. That also will be a first.

But the entire country is alive with desire for wholesale change in Washington after seven years of corruption, disaster and deceit from the Bush administration. McSame appeals to those who want more of the Bush politics that brought us 911-- a Bush who had not even met with his anti-terrorism working group, and a Paul Wolfowitz who, busy planning invasion of Iraq, had to ask why all the fuss about this "al Qaeda" group...

[alphaa10-2009]

CBS reports, "David Axelrod, senior adviser to Obama, said he is uncertain ... about the influence of race on working-class white voters. "I think for older voters, it''s more of a leap than for younger voters. But I don''t think it''s an insuperable barrier." "
---
As part of that demographic, I have seen white males vote with enthusiasm for Hillary Clinton. At the same time, I have seen other white males vote with equal enthusiasm for Obama. I, myself, voted for Edwards.

When Edwards left the campaign, I wanted a candidate closest to what Edwards offered the country-- a realistic public policy to benefit most Americans, not just the Beltway corporate lobby tribe.

I also wanted a candidate pledged to a thorough rebuilding of the national infrastructure-- from bridges and highways to job and educational opportunities for even older Americans, who have much to contribute to our changing economy, if only given the chance.

(see White Male Demographic-- 2)

[alphaa10-2009]

White Male Demographic-- 2

That is a policy both white and black, male and female voters will find especially beneficial as we recover from seven years of a void of leadership during the Bush and GOP congressional terms.

While Clinton deserves credit for her attempt at a national healthcare plan 14 years ago, Edwards deserves credit for the best-planned approach to national healthcare ever fielded. Of the remaining primary field, Obama seems most likely of the three candidates to bring that policy to reality.

Voting for a demographic rather than the interest of the country is what keeps us divided and frustrated as Americans. It is as sexist to vote for, or against, Clinton because she is female, as it is racist to vote for, or against, Obama because he is black.

Obama himself understands this well enough to distance himself from rhetoric about gender or race. Obama concentrates, instead, on rising above the residue of past politics, and is extremely popular with younger Americans as a direct result. The entire country wants reformative change-- not four more years of either Bill Clinton or George Bush.

[blazercoach1]

By the way....your point about entitlements and Social Security are also STRONG Republican points...

and why did you send a link to the NY TImes??

[blazercoach1]

Omega,

But that''s exactly why McCain CAN win. He has consistently fought spending, tried to reign in cost on EVERYTHING, and tried to fix the loopholes in the system that encourage spending.

NOBODY can top his record on that issue. One can say that there is no hope because nobody has done it yet.....but I think here is where Obama and McCain agree: There''s always hope.

In this case, though, it''s only McCain saying "spend less". And that''s the message he can sell all the way to the White House. (Obama gets points for wanting to bring down the cost of health care, rather than just promise all the insurance companies that people will be forced to buy their product, regardless of cost!)

[candide777]

True, but refusing to do it makes one suspect, and about the last thing in the world Obama needs right now is his patriotism questioned, wouldn''t you say?
Posted by trapbreak at 07:43 PM : Mar 17, 2008

First, you are lying when you say he "refuses." I do not wear one either, but I don''t refuse because this is a free country and no one has ordered me to wear one. Second, Obama is not going for the idiot vote. His supporters recognize that 90% of the politicians who pin that flag on are nothing but con artists. There''s no reason to copy-cat a con artist when you are the real deal.

[candide777]

His refusal to wear an American flag,

Posted by trapbreak at 07:24 PM : Mar 17, 2008

Yes, please do make an issue of that. It''s time we brought this issue to the forefront and recognized that wrapping oneself in the American flag never has and does not now make one a true American. Bush is a fake American, and he can pin that falg on every day for the rest of his life. He will still be a fake American.