Why should I vote for Obama?

[Federal Farmer]

OK all you Obamabites, here's your chance to convince me to vote FOR your man, and not simply against McCain.

Please, no cheap shots from the Republicans, I want to see if there's a single Obama supporter here who knows enough about the man to be able to convince me that they're right based SOLELY on Obamas record.

Any "McCain is so much worse" non-sense will automatically be disregarded. It's your job to persuade me based on his actual record, and not some silly campaign slogan, that he's better suited to be POTUS than McCain. Actual record comparisons are permitted, and actually preferred.

For bonus points, see if you can do it without making ANY negative commentary about McCain.

 

[top gun]

OK all you Obamabites, here's your chance to convince me to vote FOR your man, and not simply against McCain.

Senator Obama is a great communicator. This should never be discounted as many things including consumer confidence are affected. Senator Obama is documented as being extremely intelligent and excellent at working with people. Besides what is commonly know about him he has also sat on several business boards of trustees.

Even cut down in half this is still a 2 pager...

Barack Obama

A graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, Obama worked as a community organizer and practiced as a civil rights attorney before serving in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004. From 1992 to 2004, he also taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School. [/B] After winning a landslide primary victory in March 2004, Obama delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in July 2004. He was elected to the Senate in November 2004 with 70% of the vote.

As a member of the Democratic minority in the 109th Congress, he cosponsored legislation to control conventional weapons and to promote greater public accountability in the use of federal funds. He also made official trips to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In the current 110th Congress, he has sponsored legislation regarding lobbying and electoral fraud, climate change, nuclear terrorism, and care for returned U.S. military personnel. Since announcing his presidential campaign in February 2007, Obama has emphasized withdrawing American troops from Iraq, increasing energy independence, decreasing the influence of lobbyists, and promoting universal health care as top national priorities.

Following high school, Obama moved to Los Angeles, where he studied at Occidental College for two years.[8] He then transferred to Columbia University in New York City, where he majored in political science with a specialization in international relations.

Obama entered Harvard Law School in late 1988 and at the end of his first year was selected as an editor of the law review based on his grades and a writing competition. In his second year he was elected president of the law review, a full-time volunteer position functioning as editor-in-chief and supervising the law review's staff of 80 editors.

Obama taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School for twelve years, as a Lecturer for four years (1992–1996), and as a Senior Lecturer for eight years (1996–2004).

Obama was a founding member of the board of directors of Public Allies in 1992, resigning before his wife, Michelle, became the founding executive director of Public Allies Chicago in early 1993. He served on the board of directors of the Woods Fund of Chicago, which in 1985 had been the first foundation to fund Obama's DCP, from 1993–2002, and served on the board of directors of The Joyce Foundation from 1994–2002. Obama served on the board of directors of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge from 1995–2002, as founding president and chairman of the board of directors from 1995–1999. He also served on the board of directors of the Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Center for Neighborhood Technology, and the Lugenia Burns Hope Center.


State legislator

Obama was elected to the Illinois Senate in 1996. Once elected, Obama gained bipartisan support for legislation reforming ethics and health care laws. He sponsored a law increasing tax credits for low-income workers, negotiated welfare reform, and promoted increased subsidies for childcare. In 2001, as co-chairman of the bipartisan Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, Obama supported Republican Governor Ryan's payday loan regulations and predatory mortgage lending regulations aimed at averting home foreclosures, and in 2003.
Obama was reelected to the Illinois Senate in 1998, and again in 2002.[30]

In January 2003, Obama became chairman of the Illinois Senate's Health and Human Services Committee when Democrats, after a decade in the minority, regained a majority. During his 2004 general election campaign for U.S. Senate, police representatives credited Obama for his active engagement with police organizations in enacting death penalty reforms. Obama resigned from the Illinois Senate in November 2004 following his election to the US Senate.

In July 2004, Obama wrote and delivered the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, Massachusetts. After describing his maternal grandfather's experiences as a World War II veteran and a beneficiary of the New Deal's FHA and G.I. Bill programs, Obama spoke about changing the U.S. government's economic and social priorities. He questioned the Bush administration's management of the Iraq War and highlighted America's obligations to its soldiers. Drawing examples from U.S. history, he criticized heavily partisan views of the electorate and asked Americans to find unity in diversity, saying, "There is not a liberal America and a conservative America; there's the United States of America." Broadcasts of the speech by major news organizations launched Obama's status as a national political figure and boosted his campaign for U.S. Senate.

In August 2004, Alan Keyes accepted the Illinois Republican Party's nomination. In the November 2004 general election, Obama received 70% of the vote to Keyes's 27%, the largest victory margin for a statewide race in Illinois history.

 

[top gun]

Page #2

U.S. Senator

Obama was sworn in as a senator on January 4, 2005. Though a newcomer to Washington, he recruited a team of established, high-level advisers devoted to broad themes that exceeded the usual requirements of an incoming first-term senator. He hired Pete Rouse, a 30-year veteran of national politics and former chief of staff to Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle, as his chief of staff, and economist Karen Kornbluh, former deputy chief of staff to Secretary of the Treasury Robert Rubin, as his policy director. He recruited Samantha Power, author on human rights and genocide, and former Clinton administration officials Anthony Lake and Susan Rice as foreign policy advisers.

Legislation

List of bills sponsored by Barack Obama in the United States Senate:
Consistent with his interests in conservation, Obama voted in favor of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Obama took an active role in the Senate's drive for improved border security and immigration reform. In 2005, he cosponsored the "Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act" introduced by Republican John McCain of Arizona. He later added three amendments to the "Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act", which passed the Senate in May 2006, but failed to gain majority support in the House of Representatives.In September 2006, Obama supported a related bill, the Secure Fence Act, authorizing construction of fencing and other security improvements along the United States–Mexico border.[58] President Bush signed the Secure Fence Act into law in October 2006, calling it "an important step toward immigration reform."


Senate bill sponsors Tom Coburn (R-OK) and Obama discussing the Coburn–Obama Transparency Act Partnering with Republican Senators Richard Lugar of Indiana and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, Obama successfully introduced two initiatives bearing his name. "Lugar–Obama" expanded the Nunn–Lugar cooperative threat reduction concept to conventional weapons, including shoulder-fired missiles and anti-personnel mines. The "Coburn–Obama Transparency Act" authorized the establishment of www.USAspending.gov, a web search engine launched in December 2007 and run by the Office of Management and Budget.[62] After Illinois residents complained of waste water contamination by a neighboring nuclear plant, Obama sponsored legislation requiring plant owners to notify state and local authorities of radioactive leaks.[63] A compromise version of the bill was subsequently blocked by partisan disputes and later reintroduced.[64] In December 2006, President Bush signed into law the "Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act," marking the first federal legislation to be enacted with Obama as its primary sponsor.

In January 2007, Obama worked with Democrat Russ Feingold of Wisconsin to eliminate gifts of travel on corporate jets by lobbyists to members of Congress and require disclosure of bundled campaign contributions under the "Honest Leadership and Open Government Act," which was signed into law in September 2007. He introduced S. 453, a bill to criminalize deceptive practices in federal elections, including fraudulent flyers and automated phone calls, as witnessed in the 2006 midterm elections. Obama's energy initiatives scored pluses and minuses with environmentalists, who welcomed his sponsorship with McCain of a climate change bill to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by two-thirds by 2050, but were skeptical of his support for a bill promoting liquefied coal production. Obama also introduced the "Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007," a bill to cap troop levels in Iraq, begin phased redeployment, and remove all combat brigades from Iraq before April 2008.

Later in 2007, Obama sponsored an amendment to the Defense Authorization Act adding safeguards for personality disorder military discharges, and calling for an official review following reports that the procedure had been used inappropriately to reduce government costs. He sponsored the "Iran Sanctions Enabling Act" supporting divestment of state pension funds from Iran's oil and gas industry, and joined Republican Chuck Hagel of Nebraska in introducing legislation to reduce risks of nuclear terrorism. A provision from the Obama–Hagel bill was passed by Congress in December 2007 as an amendment to the State-Foreign Operations appropriations bill. Obama also sponsored a Senate amendment to the State Children's Health Insurance Program providing one year of job protection for family members caring for soldiers with combat-related injuries.


Committees

Obama and Richard Lugar visit a Russian mobile launch missile dismantling facilityObama held assignments on the Senate Committees for Foreign Relations, Environment and Public Works and Veterans' Affairs through December 2006. In January 2007, he left the Environment and Public Works committee and took additional assignments with Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. He also became Chairman of the Senate's subcommittee on European Affairs.

As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Obama has made official trips to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In August 2005, he traveled to Russia, Ukraine, and Azerbaijan. The trip focused on strategies to control the world's supply of conventional weapons, biological weapons, and weapons of mass destruction as a first defense against terrorist attacks. Following meetings with U.S. military in Kuwait and Iraq in January 2006, he visited Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian territories. At a meeting with Palestinian students two weeks before Hamas won the legislative election, Obama warned that "the U.S. will never recognize winning Hamas candidates unless the group renounces its fundamental mission to eliminate Israel." He left for his third official trip in August 2006, traveling to South Africa, Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Chad. In a speech at the University of Nairobi, he spoke about political corruption and ethnic rivalries. The speech touched off controversy among Kenyan leaders, some formally challenging Obama's remarks as unfair and improper, others defending his positions.

Policies and proposals

On the role of government in economic affairs, Obama has written: "We should be asking ourselves what mix of policies will lead to a dynamic free market and widespread economic security, entrepreneurial innovation and upward mobility [...] we should be guided by what works." Speaking before the National Press Club in April 2005, he defended the New Deal social welfare policies of Franklin D. Roosevelt, associating Republican proposals to establish private accounts for Social Security with social Darwinism. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Obama spoke out against government indifference to growing economic class divisions, calling on both political parties to take action to restore the social safety net for the poor. Shortly before announcing his presidential campaign, Obama told the health care advocacy group Families USA that he supports universal healthcare in the United States, the same kind of health care that Members of Congress give themselves.

At the Tax Policy Center in September 2007, he blamed special interests for distorting the U.S. tax code. His plan would eliminate taxes for senior citizens with incomes of less than $50,000 a year, repeal income tax cuts for those making over $250,000 as well as the capital gains and dividends tax cut, close corporate tax loopholes, lift the $102,000 cap on Social Security taxes, restrict offshore tax havens, and simplify filing of income tax returns by pre-filling wage and bank information already collected by the IRS. Announcing his presidential campaign's energy plan in October 2007, Obama proposed a cap and trade auction system to restrict carbon emissions and a 10 year program of investments in new energy sources to reduce U.S. dependence on imported oil. Obama proposed that all pollution credits must be auctioned, with no grandfathering of credits for oil and gas companies, and the spending of the revenue obtained on energy development and economic transition costs.

Obama was an early opponent of the Bush administration's policies on Iraq.

Obama taking questions from a crowd in New HampshireSpeaking to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs in November 2006, Obama called for a "phased redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq" and an opening of diplomatic dialogue with Syria and Iran. In a March 2007 speech to AIPAC, a pro-Israel lobby, he said that the primary way to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons is through talks and diplomacy, although not ruling out military action. Obama has indicated that he would engage in "direct presidential diplomacy" with Iran. Detailing his strategy for fighting global terrorism in August 2007, Obama said "it was a terrible mistake to fail to act" against a 2005 meeting of al-Qaeda leaders that U.S. intelligence had confirmed to be taking place in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas. He said that as president he would not miss a similar opportunity, even without the support of the Pakistani government.

Obama has encouraged Democrats to reach out to evangelicals and other religious groups.

Obama made several statements in a campaign video released in October 2007 related to defense spending and nuclear weapons. In addition to promising to end the war in Iraq, Obama stated that he will enact budget cuts in the range of tens of billions of dollars.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3mOyuJvX8U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qTD7geUCyM

 

[GenSeneca]

Hell, I could have copied and pasted stuff from the Obama website.... Somehow I don't think thats what Fed's looking for in a reply but I could very well be wrong. I look forward to his response.

 

[pocketfullofshells]

I will do this , but I want to wait a bit, as I am not a official Obama supporter but rather only leaning that way. Though for all the attacks on here , seems there is not to many Obama supporters on this site...I seem to do alot of the Deffending and I am not even sure I will vote for him lol.

 

[Sihouette]

I guess you could support Obama if you want. No harm in backing someone who is destined to lose...

It never stopped Nader supporters.

Once that youtube video gets on mainstream, it's all over for Obama anyway. If it was just one guy saying it, but I think it's up to three now and at least one of them was killed not long after he spilled the beans...

It might be a coincidence, but it doesn't look good for Obama either way. Being gay might be forgiveable, but being gay and smoking crack recently...he won't survive that politically..

I didn't believe it myself at first, but the evidence does lean disturbing towards credible..and just leaning that direction is all the GOP will need to finish him off once and for all..

Never mind that he isn't up to the task of running the country in spite of all that..

 

[pocketfullofshells]

I guess you could support Obama if you want. No harm in backing someone who is destined to lose...

It never stopped Nader supporters.

Once that youtube video gets on mainstream, it's all over for Obama anyway. If it was just one guy saying it, but I think it's up to three now and at least one of them was killed not long after he spilled the beans...

It might be a coincidence, but it doesn't look good for Obama either way. Being gay might be forgiveable, but being gay and smoking crack recently...he won't survive that politically..

I didn't believe it myself at first, but the evidence does lean disturbing towards credible..and just leaning that direction is all the GOP will need to finish him off once and for all..

Never mind that he isn't up to the task of running the country in spite of all that..

funny in a thread just asking to talk about obama and why yes....with it asked very clearly not to just attack McCain and all of that....someone had to come in and just throw mud and mindless allegations against Obama...

 

[Libsmasher]

[]

A graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, Obama worked as a community organizer and practiced as a civil rights attorney before serving in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004.[/] From 1992 to 2004, he also taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School.

Yeah - THAT'S what we need now in the US --- a LAWYER running things.

Obama entered Harvard Law School in late 1988 and at the end of his first year was selected as an editor of the law review based on his grades and a writing competition. In his second year he was elected president of the law review, a full-time volunteer position functioning as editor-in-chief and supervising the law review's staff of 80 editors.

The above is pure, refined, 112% BS. The reason that he got on the Harvard Review is because of the Law school's policy of selecting half the members on the basis of "affirmative action" - probably the same way he got into the law school to begin with. His classmates who were on the review said they elected him because he was Mr. Congeniality with everyone, and didn't stake out an ideological position like others.

In August 2004, Alan Keyes accepted the Illinois Republican Party's nomination. In the November 2004 general election, Obama received 70% of the vote to Keyes's 27%, the largest victory margin for a statewide race in Illinois history.

This was the biggest bonanza of PURE LUCK anyone in politics ever had. The republican incumbent withdrew because of corruption charges. Late in the campaign, the feckless illinois state republican party, the biggest clown circus in the country, dragged in Alan Keyes, a person who didn't even live in illinois and didn't know the state and its problems. Keyes, an academic, is FARRRRRRRR the intellectual superior of Obama, but he has an irritating speaking manner. Obama's margin was a gift of the incompetent illinois republican party - nothing else.

 

[Federal Farmer]

Senator Obama is a great communicator. This should never be discounted as many things including consumer confidence are affected. Senator Obama is documented as being extremely intelligent and excellent at working with people. Besides what is commonly know about him he has also sat on several business boards of trustees.

Nice C&P job top gun, but if I wanted to read carefully crafted campaign literature I'd just go through the stack of it here on my desk and re-read the ones I already HAVE on Obama.

I want YOU to tell ME why I should vote for the man, since I already KNOW what his publicists and campaign organizers have to say on the subject.

 

[Federal Farmer]

funny in a thread just asking to talk about obama and why yes....with it asked very clearly not to just attack McCain and all of that....someone had to come in and just throw mud and mindless allegations against Obama...

Don't worry about it PFOS, Sil only sees what he/she wants to see, which is why he/she is a CT'er. Frankly, he/she is about to join the list of idiots on my IGNORE LIST.

 

[Federal Farmer]

Keyes, an academic, is FARRRRRRRR the intellectual superior of Obama, but he has an irritating speaking manner.

You know, I actually like Mr. Keyes, A LOT. His only political challenge is that he's not willing, or able, to take a question on a complicated subject and reduce it down to a 30 second "sound bite" so that the sheeple can digest it. Frankly I'd much rather listen to someone who has obviously given a subject a lot of thought explain their position fully, than to some pre-packaged political pablum that clearly indicates that they've been TOLD what to say, which to me at least, means that they DON'T know what they're talking about.

 

[top gun]

Nice C&P job top gun, but if I wanted to read carefully crafted campaign literature I'd just go through the stack of it here on my desk and re-read the ones I already HAVE on Obama.

I want YOU to tell ME why I should vote for the man, since I already KNOW what his publicists and campaign organizers have to say on the subject.

That's what thought... you were just wanting to waste a lot of someone's time.

The issue was important enough that I felt it was still important enough to supply the relevant facts & background as to Senator Obama's history & qualifications.

I've said over and that on a personal level Senator Obama is a Good, Christian, Family Man, Husband & Father. That he's always made the grade at the top in his studies building a person who can work threw problems in a intelligent way. That's he's a great communicator. He has a great caring for our country that has given him so much and for those less fortunate. All those things that help make up a real person. All those things that make a good leader.

Harvard Law School (graduated Cum Laude) Lawyer
Editor of the Harvard LAW Review
Highly successful Community Organizer
Constitutional Law Professor
Author of Best Selling books
Sat on several business boards of trustees
Well respected bipartisan State Senator
United States Senator that has traveled all over the world and sat on several important committees


We can see what a privileged, C-average in school, Cowboy shoot from the hip, gut feeling Governor has done to this country. We know Senator Obama's "competition" in a John McCain... another privileged 5th from the BOTTOM of his class (894 out of 899) at the Naval Academy not to mention a 72 and a half year old person going in is simply not as mentally or physically equipped and he has said himself he will just follow on with more Bush type policy.

We have serious problems, and we need serious people to solve them.

Well rounded, hard working, intellegent, can communitate well his message to the American people. Senator Obama fits this call.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qTD7geUCyM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vZOtJhfwrY

 

[Sihouette]

It's really weird watching people I know who wouldn't vote for Obama if their life depended on it, suddenly jump to his defense when we are discussing whether or not one should vote for him?

The name of this thread is "Why should I vote for Obama?" I offered that if you want to support a loser you would be no different from a Nader supporter. I also offered that if you can look at real statements from gay men saying they've recently had sex with Obama and smoked crack with him, and that one who alleged just that was executed not long after (from Obama's church).

Look, it's simple. If you want to support the GOP's covert act of promoting Obama as electable until such time as the democrats cannot reverse their nomination of him (just after August), knowing full well from that O'Reily youtube with Tony Snow that "everyone in the press" knows the [Gay/Crack Obama] story is "in play" and will be released just after his nomination, then go for it.

Just don't be disappointed when like clockwork things unfold exactly they will.

Sometimes losing can be a good life experience.

 

[Dr.Who]

[
I've said over and that on a personal level Senator Obama is a Good, Christian, Family Man, Husband & Father. That he's always made the grade at the top in his studies building a person who can work threw problems in a intelligent way. That's he's a great communicator. He has a great caring for our country that has given him so much and for those less fortunate. All those things that help make up a real person. All those things that make a good leader.

I think you have made your point that he is a good leader and speaker. Is that enough? After all ( and I hate to go here, it is sooo done) Hitler was a good leader and speaker. I doubt anyone running for president could get this far without being a good leader. President Bush who is called incompetent by many on the left mostly as wishful thinking would not have made it as far if he were not a good leader. A horrible public speaker but obviously many people and nations followed him.

The much more important question and really the only one is will he lead us where we should go? Based on the list far above about what laws and policies he supports the answer is a clear and resounding NO!

 

[Pandora]

I think you have made your point that he is a good leader and speaker. Is that enough? After all ( and I hate to go here, it is sooo done) Hitler was a good leader and speaker. I doubt anyone running for president could get this far without being a good leader. President Bush who is called incompetent by many on the left mostly as wishful thinking would not have made it as far if he were not a good leader. A horrible public speaker but obviously many people and nations followed him.

The much more important question and really the only one is will he lead us where we should go? Based on the list far above about what laws and policies he supports the answer is a clear and resounding NO!

I thought the same thing but did not dare say it. But another person I thought of who was a good leader and great speaker is the great communicatior Ronald Reagan. The left said at the time and until recently that being a great communicator and speaker was not enough. But now that they have one, it is........ go figure!