“Race War” Politics

It seems as though Clinton & Obama have agreed to a cease fire in regard to their “race war” that was raging in the headlines and sound bites during the last few days. Anytime we debate such issues whether it be race or gender (two issues that seem to get a lot of attention due to those candidates who are in the spotlight), we avoid the real issues of the campaign and ones that we as Americans should be truly concerned about–Iraq, the economy, education, immigration, health care reform, and a host of other issues that should matter more than a candidate’s race or gender.

Personally, I can’t believe that Obama would allow his campaign to be drug into such bickering. His words from his 2004 keynote address at the Democratic National Convention were words of a man that looked beyond such issues:

Now even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us — the spin masters, the negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of “anything goes.” Well, I say to them tonight, there is not a liberal America and a conservative America — there is the United States of America. There is not a Black America and a White America and Latino America and Asian America — there’s the United States of America.

It’s just as stupid as those on the Republican side of the aisle make an issue of Romney’s Mormon faith. Let’s make this election about the issues and the ideas the candidates put forth to solve them.

Huckabee to Iran: “The next thing you see will be the gates of Hell”

What the Huck!?  I don’t agree with Governor Mike Huckabee on everything, but you can’t say that the man isn’t a good orator.  His homespun style and background as a Baptist preacher give him a unique oratorical style. Last night when asked whether or not he backed the decision of the U.S. naval commanders to not fire on the Iranian ships during the recent incident in the Strait of Hormuz he responded

“Be prepared, first, to put your sights on the American vessel. And then be prepared that the next thing you see will be the gates of Hell, because that is exactly what you will see after that.”    

Bill Richardson Out of Race…”Corrupt Bargain”?

Bill Richardson is dropping out of the race for president.  Richardson finished 4th in the New Hampshire primary in which he only brought in 5% of the Democratic vote.  He performed even poorer in the Iowa caucuses, bringing in only 2% of the vote.  The question now emerges of whom Bill Richardson will put his support behind now that he has dropped from the race.  Richardson’s name has been floating around for sometime as a potential vice presidential candidate.  Here’s where things get complicated.  During the Iowa caucuses, rumors  were floating around that Bill Richardson’s campaign had instructed its supporters to back Barack Obama if he failed to muster the required 15% threshold.  Could there have been some type of “corrupt bargain” (A reference to the election of 1824 in which John Quincy Adams defeated Andrew Jackson for the presidency in a contested election that was decided by the House of Representatives.  Speaker the House Henry Clay backed Adams and was later named his secretary of state) made in which Richardson realized he stood a snowball’s chance in hell of acquiring the Democratic nomination and secretly placed his support behind Obama in exchange for the vice presidential slot on the Obama ticket or a spot in a future Obama administration? I highly doubt that such an agreement was made.  It seems highly improbably taking into consideration Richardson’s close ties to the Clinton camp.  Richardson served as U.N. ambassador and energy secretary under President Clinton.  If nothing else, the story makes for good political news/speculation. An Obama-Richardson would be hard for the Republicans to beat. Obama’s message of change has drawn many supporters to him.  Richardson has an impressive resume that includes a great deal of experience in foreign affairs and Richardson would greatly appeal to the Hispanic community.

Who is Barack Obama–FACT CHECK

I have received an e-mail now from two individuals that contains falsehoods and slander in regard to Barack Obama.  I’ll admit that I disagree with Barack Obama on many issues, but I do not believe that is reason to slander him.  The following was a reply that I sent to both individuals who sent me the e-mail. The forward that I was sent is after my reply.  

 

My reply: 

 

I am writing this e-mail in reaction to an e-mail I recently received in which the subject was “Who is Barack Obama”.  The e-mail is an excellent example why you can not trust everything that you read on the internet.  Some sources are more reliable than others.  Anyone can introduce false information as fact on the internet.  I can log into Wikipedia and edit the entry on elephants to state that the population of African elephants has tripled during the last six months (this was done by Stephen Colbert).

First and foremost, I am not a supporter of Barack Obama.  His message of “hope” does not resonate with me.  At this point in the electoral process I am not sure who I am going to back.  Most likely it will be a Republican.  However, I believe in the politics of civility.  It is OK to disagree with someone, but disagreements should be grounded in reason. Too often people resort to name calling, bigotry, & slander towards those of different ideological views.  A five year old is capable of this. 

Anyone with any political savy, awareness of current events, or access to an internet search engine could quickly disprove many of the claims made in the e-mail that I was sent.  I am going to try and set the record straight on a number of these.

The e-mail says you can check the facts they stated on snopes.com.  The following link from Snopes will crush many of the claims written in the e-mail:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/muslim.asp

In regard to Barack Obama being educated in a “Wahabi school in Jakarta”.  Insight Magazine and Fox News went crazy with this story in January 2007 and attributed it to an unnamed source in the Clinton campaign.  In reality, the school that Obama attended while living in Indonesia was not a radical Muslim school, but secular school.  CNN disproved these allegations and reported on them:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/22/obama.madrassa/

A CNN video on the report is available here:

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/01/22/cnn-obama-debunk/

In regard to Obama taking his oath of office on a Koran, this is also false.  This page from the St. Petersburg Times’ PolitiFact looks into those claims:

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/238/

Minnesota Democratic Congressman Keith Ellison took his oath of office on a Koran when he assumed office in January 2007.  This Koran had belonged to Thomas Jefferson.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Ellison_%28politician%29#Quran_Oath_Controversy_of_the_110th_United_States_Congress

There is no requirement that a president or any other office seeker place his/her hand on the Bible.  Theodore Roosevelt did not place his hand on anything when he took his oath.  John Quincy Adams placed his land on a book of laws.

In regard to Obama not showing reverence to the flag by refusing to place his hand over his heart, slouching, and turning his back.  I believe this is largely attributed to a picture that appeared in Time Magazine and was widely circulated via e-mail

http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1662530_1446035,00.html

To top it off here’s a YouTube video from when the above picture was taken:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxfvxKBXRM4

Obama  may not have his hand over his heart, but I don’t see slouching, a back turned, or blatant disrespect.

In regard to Obama not reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, I provide you with a YouTube video in which he does so in the Senate Chamber:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC9veEouqqQ

Some have accused Obama of not being a patriot because he fails to wear an American flag on his lapel.  Obama in his own words on the subject:

“Somebody noticed I wasn’t wearing a flag lapel pin and I told folks, well you know what? I haven’t probably worn that pin in a very long time. I wore it right after 9/11. But after a while, you start noticing people wearing a lapel pin, but not acting very patriotic. Not voting to provide veterans with resources that they need. Not voting to make sure that disability payments were coming out on time.

“My attitude is that I’m less concerned about what you’re wearing on your lapel than what’s in your heart. And you show your patriotism by how you treat your fellow Americans, especially those who served. You show your patriotism by being true to our values and our ideals and that’s what we have to lead with is our values and our ideals.”

Source:
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/04/obamas-lapels/

For everyone who actually read through this e-mail.  I apologize for my ranting, but I can’t stand these types of things from EITHER side of the political spectrum.  It doesn’t matter if someone is Muslim, Jewish, Catholic, Mormon, or even atheist.  The Constitution specifically prohibits any type of religious litmus test.  Article VI of the Constitution states, “No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.”

In many ways I believe Barack Obama represents what is amazing about America.  His father was a man from Kenya and was a goat herder at one point in his life.  His mother was a white woman from Kansas.  He’s a former law professor, U.S. senator, and a rising star in U.S. politics.  He’s gone from an obscure Illinois legislator to political rock star almost overnight.  My disagreements with Obama are ideological and policy related, but I will not slander the man simply because I disagree with him. 

 

The forwarded e-mail:

Subject: Fwd: Who is Barack Obama?

 

We checked this out on ” snopes.com“. It is factual. Check for

yourself.

 

Who is Barack Obama?

 

Probable U. S. presidential candidate, Barack Hussein Obama was born

in Honolulu , Hawaii , to Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a black MUSLIM

from Nyangoma-Kogel , Kenya and Ann Dunham, a white ATHIEST from

Wichita , Kansas

Obama’s parents met at the University of Hawaii When Obama was two

years old, his parents divorced. His father returned to Kenya . His

mother then married Lolo Soetoro, a RADICAL Muslim from Indonesia.?

When Obama was 6 years old, the family relocate to Indonesia . Obama

att ended a MUSLIM school in Jakarta . He also spent two years in a

Catholic school.

 

Obama takes great care to conceal the fact that he is a Muslim. He is

quick to point out that, “He was once a Muslim, but that he also

attended Catholic school.”

 

Obama’s political handlers are attempting to make it appear that

that he is not a radical.

 

Obama’s introduction to Islam came via his father, and that this

influence was temporary at best. In reality, the senior Obama returned

to Kenya soon after the divorce, and never again had any direct

influence over his son’s education.

 

Lolo Soetoro, the second husband of Obama’s mother, Ann Dunham,

introduced his stepson to Islam. Obama was enrolled in a Wahabi school

in Jakarta .

 

Wahabism is the RADICAL teaching that is followed by the Muslim

terrorists who are now waging Jihad against the western world. Since

it is politically expedient to be a CHRISTIAN when seeking major

public office in the United States , Barack Hussein Obama has joined

the United Church of Christ in an attempt to downplay his Muslim

background. ALSO, keep in mind that when he was sworn into office he

DID NOT use the Holy Bible, but instead the Koran.

 

Barack Hussein Obama will NOT recite the Pledge of Allegience nor

will he show any reverence for our flag. While others place their hands

over their hearts, Obama turns his back to the flag and slouches.

Let us all remain alert concerning Obama’s expected presidential

candidacy.

 

The Muslims have said they plan on destroying the US from the inside

out, what better way to start than at the highest level – through the

President of the United States , one of their own!!!!

 

Please forward to everyone you know. Would you want this man leading

our country?…… NOT ME!!!

 

 

Select a Candidate Quiz

The link below takes you to a website and quizzes you on your positions on various political issues.  It’s a relatively short quiz, only 11 questions.  After taking the quiz, it shows you how the presidential candidates stack up in comparison to the views you hold.  

 

http://www.wqad.com/Global/link.asp?L=259460 

 

 

The Politics of Change

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has been running his campaign promoting a message of change and hope. Many other candidates on both sides of the political spectrum are now echoing bits of Obama’s message that has helped give him such a large boost in the polls. However, I find his message of hope lacking. For one it lacks substance. I care more about policy. You can have good intentions, but good intentions only get one so far.  George W. Bush campaigned in 2000 stating that he was going to be a uniter, not a divider. He pledged to cross party aisles to reach goals. George W. Bush has turned out to be one of the most divisive presidents in U.S. history. I do find a certain appeal in Obama’s message of going beyond “horizontal” politics. For someone such as myself who is in their mid-20’s, ever since we have been old enough to know there was a person in the world called the president, there has either been a Bush or a Clinton occupying the White House. The partisan bickering is a turn-off to many. I am a moderate and do not neatly fall into the mold of a Republican or a Democrat (however I tend to lean right more often than left).Presently, Obama seems to be as unstoppable as Clinton appeared to be six months ago. Maybe Obama can do for the 2000s what Kennedy did for the 1960s. Will there be another Camelot?

USA Can’t Walk & Chew Gum?

After watching the Democratic debate on ABC Saturday night, the Democrats seem to put forward the point that America can’t work on other issues while fighting the War in Iraq. Bill Richardson seemed to stress this point more than any of the other Democratic candidates.

During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln seemed to be able to accomplish quite a few things while trying to save the Union. Given he was working with a mostly Republican Congress, but the list is still worth noting:

• Department of Agriculture created
• Morrill Act–provided land grants for universities
• Morrill Tariff–highest tariff up to that point in US history; helped protect US industry and promote development
• Homstead Act–allowed settlers to acquire 160 acres of land for free
• National Bank Act of 1863–national banking system that remained in place until the creation of the Federal Reserve
• Pacific Railroad Act–created two corporations whose responsibilities it was to build a transcontinental railroad
• Legal Tender Act–authorized the use of money not backed up with gold or silver