The Real Obama
By Thomas SowellCritics of Senator Barack Obama make a strategic mistake when they talk about his "past associations." That just gives his many defenders in the media an opportunity to counter-attack against "guilt by association."
We all have associations, whether at the office, in our neighborhood or in various recreational activities. Most of us neither know nor care what our associates believe or say about politics.
Associations are very different from alliances. Allies are not just people who happen to be where you are or who happen to be doing the same things you do. You choose allies deliberately for a reason. The kind of allies you choose says something about you. (Read Full Article)
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Oct 24, 12:27 AM |
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Your comments make me sad. I challenge you to be objective, curious. There is much to criticize about Obama and McCain. But apples to apples, Obama seems such a better hope for our country. Trying to convict by associations, none primary, all understandable within an honest context, seems cheap and not to the point that we need to heed. We need a smart, calm, visionary person at the helm of this country. By default, Obama is our only chance.
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Oct 14, 08:24 AM |
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Tom Sowell, take a hike and bring all of the repugant lemmings with ya, ya betcha.
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Oct 14, 07:18 AM |
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What kind of drivel is this? Have you looked at what he's cited? If you're going to make crazy accusations, go big Sowell! Why not claim Obama eats infant human beings? Snacks on snake heads? Hunts endangered species? Worships the devil, while naked and while having intercourse w/mexican circus midgets? Why not go big like this???
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Oct 14, 12:17 AM |
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HEY THOMAS SOWELL - GIVE EQUAL TIME TO THE REAL MCCAIN/PALIN AND THEIR SEEDY ALLIANCES/ASSOCIATIONS/ALLIES & ETHICS VIOLATIONS!
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Oct 09, 07:15 PM |
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HITLER.
Look at how he rose, what he did along the way to suppress any opposition, and the world knows what he did once he got there - nor was he a natural citizen of Germany (he was Austrian).
Do we really want this smooth-talking charlatan Obama to run our country? Have you taken an objective look at what he's doing to suppress criticism, his criteria for who should live. Have you read the naked racism and admissions of how to manipulate the masses that he published in his books? Do you know that his traitor friend Ayers did EXACTLY the same thing to the Pentagon as bin Laden did, just with a smaller bomb, and that Obama was supporting Ayers Marxist agenda and indoctrination of children until 2005? Do you know that Obama is on the Homeland Security committee, so he knows exactly what our weaknesses are?
Just remember, you lemmings who would be better off signing up with a Jim Jones cult, if you vote for this Obamanation (abomination - is that just a coincidence?), the end of our country is on your hands, and I must assume that since Obama also hates the US, you do too.
Incidentally, yes, Obama probably is a US citizen, wherever he was born, unless his mama renounced her citizenship before he was born and the rumors that he wasn't really born in Hawaii are true. More to the point, by virtue of his natural father, he is probably a citizen of Kenya, and by virtue of his adopted father (the stepfather who his mother married), he is also very likely a citizen of Indonesia. Now, I call that divided loyalties, and even though the Framers did not put a prohibition against it into the Constitution, they clearly did not want anyone with potential or perceived loyalty to another nation to be elected President, which is why we have the prohibition against any naturalized citizen being President.
Think about that when you vote for Obama, too.
Look at how he rose, what he did along the way to suppress any opposition, and the world knows what he did once he got there - nor was he a natural citizen of Germany (he was Austrian).
Do we really want this smooth-talking charlatan Obama to run our country? Have you taken an objective look at what he's doing to suppress criticism, his criteria for who should live. Have you read the naked racism and admissions of how to manipulate the masses that he published in his books? Do you know that his traitor friend Ayers did EXACTLY the same thing to the Pentagon as bin Laden did, just with a smaller bomb, and that Obama was supporting Ayers Marxist agenda and indoctrination of children until 2005? Do you know that Obama is on the Homeland Security committee, so he knows exactly what our weaknesses are?
Just remember, you lemmings who would be better off signing up with a Jim Jones cult, if you vote for this Obamanation (abomination - is that just a coincidence?), the end of our country is on your hands, and I must assume that since Obama also hates the US, you do too.
Incidentally, yes, Obama probably is a US citizen, wherever he was born, unless his mama renounced her citizenship before he was born and the rumors that he wasn't really born in Hawaii are true. More to the point, by virtue of his natural father, he is probably a citizen of Kenya, and by virtue of his adopted father (the stepfather who his mother married), he is also very likely a citizen of Indonesia. Now, I call that divided loyalties, and even though the Framers did not put a prohibition against it into the Constitution, they clearly did not want anyone with potential or perceived loyalty to another nation to be elected President, which is why we have the prohibition against any naturalized citizen being President.
Think about that when you vote for Obama, too.
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Oct 09, 01:59 PM |
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Why doesn't main stream meida pick up on the true facts. I've only seen Fox News trickle some facts on Barrack Hussein Obama. By the way I'm not sorry for writing or saying Hussein . Maybe the Feds will investigate this . Its a very sad day in America when the goverment says we can't use or even mention a middle name . If Hussein Obama happends to get in I'm sure he will be opressing more than his middle name. Freedom of speech will be gone by the wayside along with the rest of are freedoms .
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Oct 09, 11:33 AM |
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But when your opponent has little to no record to speak of (and people seem to be choosing to ignore what little record there is, which is clearly at odds with what he's no promising) what else is there to challenge him on but his morals and values? How can you convince people the man is a con artist teling people what they want to hear, except to show examples of how he has questionable associations which most people would not approve of.
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Oct 09, 10:47 AM |
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So, I lost a few points of respect for Dr. Sewell. This is the first time I've ever felt as though he generalized to the point of sounding like a drinker, as opposed to the intellectual that he really is.
That people are stuck on Obama's relationship with Ayers is really depressing. No one will talk about the fact that Palin is married to a man who is a part of a group that wants Alaska to secede from the US. Is she not a radical, does she not hate America, is she not a potential terrorist? If you're going to hold Obama to a standard that is different from those on the right, I think that is where the error is.
And therein lies the problem for McCain. There are people who honestly will not vote for Obama because he is black. But there are even more people who will not vote for McCain because they've been burned by the current president, who is a republican. McCain's problem is not that he can't seem to change people's minds about Obama. Rather that he can't change enough minds about Bush. So, as opposed to sticking to the issues and getting his platform on the front page, he has resorted to the same kinds of tactics used by Bush/Rove to defeat him in 2000.
If you don't like Obama's platform-don't vote for him. But don't make him out to be a terrorist or some goofball who happens to be on the front page of the news everyday. The guy did what the majority of people in the country do all the time, he took advantage of every available opportunity given to him. Is he an opportunist, perhaps. But we all are. Everyone would love to have been afforded the opportunities he's had. But to hate the man because he is from Chicago is about the most base thing you can do.
For Dr. Sewell to write this piece without stating any facts is a bit disengenusous. And to continue to perpetuate these lies about Obama calls into question his own integrity.
That people are stuck on Obama's relationship with Ayers is really depressing. No one will talk about the fact that Palin is married to a man who is a part of a group that wants Alaska to secede from the US. Is she not a radical, does she not hate America, is she not a potential terrorist? If you're going to hold Obama to a standard that is different from those on the right, I think that is where the error is.
And therein lies the problem for McCain. There are people who honestly will not vote for Obama because he is black. But there are even more people who will not vote for McCain because they've been burned by the current president, who is a republican. McCain's problem is not that he can't seem to change people's minds about Obama. Rather that he can't change enough minds about Bush. So, as opposed to sticking to the issues and getting his platform on the front page, he has resorted to the same kinds of tactics used by Bush/Rove to defeat him in 2000.
If you don't like Obama's platform-don't vote for him. But don't make him out to be a terrorist or some goofball who happens to be on the front page of the news everyday. The guy did what the majority of people in the country do all the time, he took advantage of every available opportunity given to him. Is he an opportunist, perhaps. But we all are. Everyone would love to have been afforded the opportunities he's had. But to hate the man because he is from Chicago is about the most base thing you can do.
For Dr. Sewell to write this piece without stating any facts is a bit disengenusous. And to continue to perpetuate these lies about Obama calls into question his own integrity.
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Oct 08, 06:58 PM |
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It's time for change. It's time put the evil corporations out of business and give America back to the people. It's time to leave the America's right wing religous extremists behind. It's time for a change. It's time to end the unconstitutional undeclared war in Iraq and stop the persecution of minority religions. It's time to stop the exploitation of the world workers by Imperialist America. It's time for a change! It's time to abolish currency and redistribute wealth each according to his need!
Purge the Decadent Capitalist Pigs!
It's time to vote for Obama!
Have you voted yet?
Are you registered to vote?
Do your support your government union members?
Remember, voting for higher taxes is patriotic!
Are you a member of your local union?
Purge the Decadent Capitalist Pigs!
It's time to vote for Obama!
Have you voted yet?
Are you registered to vote?
Do your support your government union members?
Remember, voting for higher taxes is patriotic!
Are you a member of your local union?
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Oct 08, 04:51 PM |
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Ayers: “Taken Out of Context”
Let’s play a “what if” mind game. Here are the steps:
- Take all that you know about the interactions between Senator Obama and William Ayers,
- remove William Ayers and his infamous quote (“I wish we had [bombed America] more to stop the war”) out of that context.
- Replace Ayers with a KKK terrorist who had lynched blacks in the 1940s when McCain was a young boy,
- and now says “I wish we had lynched more [n-words] to stop integration”.
- Next, replace Ayers with an anti-abortion terrorist who had bombed women’s health clinics in the 1970s when Governor Palin was a young girl,
- and now says “I wish we had bombed more abortion mills to stop abortion”.
Ask yourself the following:
- Would Barack Obama interact as much with such persons?
- Would the news media be so cavalier about such persons?
- Would Mayor Daley have made either of the above “Citizen of the Year?”
- Would the University of Illinois at Chicago employ as a professor such persons?
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Oct 08, 04:37 PM |
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Wow, a full day later and only one person even attempts to list Obama's accomplishments (and can only offer vague descriptions and weak examples at that)
Kind of telling, isn't it?
Kind of telling, isn't it?
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Oct 08, 02:03 PM |
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Dear ConservativeLeader, I will try to respond to all your points below. My responses will follow "SANITY SAYS:"
To Sanity: From your previous post
How do you make a country better by raising taxes on its people??? How do you make a country better by saying you will negotiate with dictators, terrorist organizations and those supporting terror with no pre-conditions?? SANITY SAYS: Obama is going to repeal tax breaks for wealthy people and cut taxes for 90% or so of working people. We are deficit spending like crazy, our debt had doubled and yes we need to cut spending but we also need to "pay our way", we can't keep borrowing. Read Tom Friedman's essay today with regard to taxes. On negotiating with dictators. Hell, yes, negotiate. Try to find some common ground. Try to solve problems without war (like we did with Libya). Our president may face a choice of going to war with Iran within the next decade to stop them from acquiring nuclear weapons. It would be a disgrace against humanity and an injustice to our fighting men and women if he didn't do whatever he could to resolve the conflict before spilling their blood. Negotiating only with preconditions is pointless. If the conditions have been met, then you wouldn't need to negotiate. That's like a labor union saying we won't negotiate with management until AFTER you give us a big fat raise. After they get the big fat raise, WHAT'S IS THERE TO NEGOTIATE FOR??
How do you make a country better by imposing Socialistic Dogma into the government versus Liberty, Democracy and Freedom? SANITY SAYS: Liberty, democracy and freedom are of course the foundation of our nation. But even Republicans argue for limits to liberty...like in abortion, or Patriot Act and many others). Absolute liberty (kill others if you want) would be anarchy, and total government control (fascism) is terrible too. We are constantly trying to find the right balance. If you have certain assertions against Obama regarding socialism, let me know. Are you talking about healthcare, for example? Healthcare is totaly screwed up in this country. If you don't have an employer that offers coverage it's very difficult to get an insurer to cover you. If you have a precondition, forget about it. The "free market" simply isn't interested in solving this, and the government needs to help. Why? because when people go to the Emergency Rom they DO get treated and WE pay for it anyway with our taxes. It's much cheaper if we pay for that person's preventative medicine than waiting until they show up in the emergency room.
You are right, we do need to stand up in an "Executive" board meeting of our corporation and say "Damit-We need to fix these problems!!" We need to fix the right problems to sustain our nation. The ideas, ideals and philosophies you support are the WRONG things for America.
Sanity, you say you don't hate your own team but the political philosophy and candidate that you appear to support appears to be making suggestions that will only make this team (the United States) economically weaker, less self-sufficient, more susceptible to terrorists and evil nations of the world. How is that not hating your team?? SANITY SAYS: I believe we will be economically stronger with Obama than McCain. We can disagree but I think the Clinton/Democratic economics are better than the Geroge Bush/Republican economics, if history offers a lesson. Why would we be "less self-sufficient"? I don't know what your basing this on...if anything, Obama is more of a protectionist than McCain (one of my few disagreements with Obama, in fact). More susceptible to terrorists and evil nations of the world? What would be your basis for this? You don't think Obama is serious about loose nukes? You don't think he is serious about homeland security and emergency response? You don't think he's going to try to solve our conflicts with Iran and North Korea? I think we will be stronger, more respected, have more allies, and accomplish more towards reconciliation of our differences with other nations under Obama.
You say it starts with identifying your strengths and weaknesses. OK-here are some weaknesses that the US needs to fix to protect itself and become a more prosperous nation....
1. Weak Borders Securityconfused smileyecure our borders with a fence. Stop the flow of illegal immigrants. SANITY SAYS: Yes, let's secure our borders. I'm all for that.
2. Weak Illegal Immigration Policy: Crack down on all illegal immigrants already here in this country-find them, confine them and send them back home. SANITY SAYS: Yes, I agree. But be careful, there will be serious economic impacts when apples cost $4 each. But on principle, I agree with you.
3. Weak Energy independence: Drill here, drill now, pay less-and build more refineries and nuclear energy plants SANITY SAYS: Drill safely and use nuclear power safely, sure. I agree. So does Obama. But let's also invest in new and better technologies because petro and nukes both have big downsides. I used to live near a nuclear power plant and it's frickin' scary, believe me...e.g., Chernobyl.
4. Weak Tax Policy: Cut all taxes on everyone. In fact-to really make if fair and encourage hard work, impose a flat tax of 8% regardless of income and exempt anyone making less than $50K per year. SANITY SAYS: I could support a flat tax with a progressive provision as you suggest. BUT what I really think we should do is tax idle wealth (the kind of wealth that just snowballs WITHOUT hard work...aristocratic wealth) so that taxes on workers can be lower. But let me say this, I know some wealthy people and I know people who own businesses and let me tell you, these people take advantage of the tax code in ways ordinary Americans cannot. They are buying plasma screen TVs and charging it to their company, going on fabulous vacations and writing them off their taxes, and it's sick. Whatever tax laws we have, we need to enforce them just like we need to enforce border security.
5. Weak Business Policy: Cut all business and corporate taxes in the US to compete for new businesses to provide jobs to US Citizens. SANITY SAYS: If businesses are reinvesting the money in R&D and new initiatives and hiring people to do productive things, give them huge tax breaks. If the CEOs are making hundreds of millions of dollars so they can buy houses in Switzerland, don't give them tax breaks. And yes, benchmark our taxes to nations we compete with.
6. Weak Individual Investment Strategy: Let US Citizens invest their Social Security Withholdings in their own private mutal fund/IRA accounts. What would that be for a hard working American 300-500 per month at least. That would definitely create some wealthy Americans at retirement. SANITY SAYS: When you have an economic downturn and people on the verge of retiring lose 10 to 20% of their retirement, will the government make up the difference or say tough luck? What's your vision here?
Do you agree with these as weaknesses to fix SANITY?? SANITY SAYS: answers above.
America has played badly for many years???? What could you possibly mean by that???? We were so evil we liberated Europe from a tyrant during WWII. We were so evil we protected Europe from the "EVIL" Communist empire for 60 years during the cold war. We are so evil that we provide food aid to starving nations across the world. We are so evil that we are providing billions of US taxpayer dollars to Iraq and Afghanbistan to help them rebuild the infrastructure of their nations? Our principles and people are solid. Our ideals are solid. America believes in liberty for ALL, freedom, capitalism, the right for all Americans to have the OPPORTUNITY to be successful through hard work and study. SANITYS AYS: I never said we were "so evil". You are again, misconstruing my opinions and intentions. To interpret me correctly, you need to start from an assumption/foundation that I LOVE THIS COUNTRY and everything I want to see changed is with a goal of making us stronger and better, even if you intellectually disagree with me. Of course I'm proud of what we've done at different points in history. Of course we've done great things. We all agree about that. But a baseball player can be proud of his team -- the uniform he wears -- and proud of winning the world series last season but still be pissed off at his bullpen's performance this season. The U.S. has done some things that do not live up to its ideals and we need to recognize them and fix them: Our one-sided view of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict ignores the history of that part of the world and is an injustice; our invading of a sovereign nation (Iraq) for no good reason; our refusal to help solve human-caused global warming even though we are the primary cause; supporting dictators around the world at the expense of liberty; and Guantanamo Bay to name a few. We CAN celebrate our greatness and be patriotic AND identify/address our failings. It's possible and HEALTHY to do both things. We can disagree about which failings are more serious than others and how to address them, but there's nothing wrong with raising the issues and discussing them. It's the ongoing dialogue our founding fathers demanded. THAT is democracy.
IS THIS WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN SANITY?? Are these the "weaknesses" you believe we need to fix?
Tell me where you stand and perhaps we could have a reasoned, logical discussion about the issues.
To Sanity: From your previous post
How do you make a country better by raising taxes on its people??? How do you make a country better by saying you will negotiate with dictators, terrorist organizations and those supporting terror with no pre-conditions?? SANITY SAYS: Obama is going to repeal tax breaks for wealthy people and cut taxes for 90% or so of working people. We are deficit spending like crazy, our debt had doubled and yes we need to cut spending but we also need to "pay our way", we can't keep borrowing. Read Tom Friedman's essay today with regard to taxes. On negotiating with dictators. Hell, yes, negotiate. Try to find some common ground. Try to solve problems without war (like we did with Libya). Our president may face a choice of going to war with Iran within the next decade to stop them from acquiring nuclear weapons. It would be a disgrace against humanity and an injustice to our fighting men and women if he didn't do whatever he could to resolve the conflict before spilling their blood. Negotiating only with preconditions is pointless. If the conditions have been met, then you wouldn't need to negotiate. That's like a labor union saying we won't negotiate with management until AFTER you give us a big fat raise. After they get the big fat raise, WHAT'S IS THERE TO NEGOTIATE FOR??
How do you make a country better by imposing Socialistic Dogma into the government versus Liberty, Democracy and Freedom? SANITY SAYS: Liberty, democracy and freedom are of course the foundation of our nation. But even Republicans argue for limits to liberty...like in abortion, or Patriot Act and many others). Absolute liberty (kill others if you want) would be anarchy, and total government control (fascism) is terrible too. We are constantly trying to find the right balance. If you have certain assertions against Obama regarding socialism, let me know. Are you talking about healthcare, for example? Healthcare is totaly screwed up in this country. If you don't have an employer that offers coverage it's very difficult to get an insurer to cover you. If you have a precondition, forget about it. The "free market" simply isn't interested in solving this, and the government needs to help. Why? because when people go to the Emergency Rom they DO get treated and WE pay for it anyway with our taxes. It's much cheaper if we pay for that person's preventative medicine than waiting until they show up in the emergency room.
You are right, we do need to stand up in an "Executive" board meeting of our corporation and say "Damit-We need to fix these problems!!" We need to fix the right problems to sustain our nation. The ideas, ideals and philosophies you support are the WRONG things for America.
Sanity, you say you don't hate your own team but the political philosophy and candidate that you appear to support appears to be making suggestions that will only make this team (the United States) economically weaker, less self-sufficient, more susceptible to terrorists and evil nations of the world. How is that not hating your team?? SANITY SAYS: I believe we will be economically stronger with Obama than McCain. We can disagree but I think the Clinton/Democratic economics are better than the Geroge Bush/Republican economics, if history offers a lesson. Why would we be "less self-sufficient"? I don't know what your basing this on...if anything, Obama is more of a protectionist than McCain (one of my few disagreements with Obama, in fact). More susceptible to terrorists and evil nations of the world? What would be your basis for this? You don't think Obama is serious about loose nukes? You don't think he is serious about homeland security and emergency response? You don't think he's going to try to solve our conflicts with Iran and North Korea? I think we will be stronger, more respected, have more allies, and accomplish more towards reconciliation of our differences with other nations under Obama.
You say it starts with identifying your strengths and weaknesses. OK-here are some weaknesses that the US needs to fix to protect itself and become a more prosperous nation....
1. Weak Borders Securityconfused smileyecure our borders with a fence. Stop the flow of illegal immigrants. SANITY SAYS: Yes, let's secure our borders. I'm all for that.
2. Weak Illegal Immigration Policy: Crack down on all illegal immigrants already here in this country-find them, confine them and send them back home. SANITY SAYS: Yes, I agree. But be careful, there will be serious economic impacts when apples cost $4 each. But on principle, I agree with you.
3. Weak Energy independence: Drill here, drill now, pay less-and build more refineries and nuclear energy plants SANITY SAYS: Drill safely and use nuclear power safely, sure. I agree. So does Obama. But let's also invest in new and better technologies because petro and nukes both have big downsides. I used to live near a nuclear power plant and it's frickin' scary, believe me...e.g., Chernobyl.
4. Weak Tax Policy: Cut all taxes on everyone. In fact-to really make if fair and encourage hard work, impose a flat tax of 8% regardless of income and exempt anyone making less than $50K per year. SANITY SAYS: I could support a flat tax with a progressive provision as you suggest. BUT what I really think we should do is tax idle wealth (the kind of wealth that just snowballs WITHOUT hard work...aristocratic wealth) so that taxes on workers can be lower. But let me say this, I know some wealthy people and I know people who own businesses and let me tell you, these people take advantage of the tax code in ways ordinary Americans cannot. They are buying plasma screen TVs and charging it to their company, going on fabulous vacations and writing them off their taxes, and it's sick. Whatever tax laws we have, we need to enforce them just like we need to enforce border security.
5. Weak Business Policy: Cut all business and corporate taxes in the US to compete for new businesses to provide jobs to US Citizens. SANITY SAYS: If businesses are reinvesting the money in R&D and new initiatives and hiring people to do productive things, give them huge tax breaks. If the CEOs are making hundreds of millions of dollars so they can buy houses in Switzerland, don't give them tax breaks. And yes, benchmark our taxes to nations we compete with.
6. Weak Individual Investment Strategy: Let US Citizens invest their Social Security Withholdings in their own private mutal fund/IRA accounts. What would that be for a hard working American 300-500 per month at least. That would definitely create some wealthy Americans at retirement. SANITY SAYS: When you have an economic downturn and people on the verge of retiring lose 10 to 20% of their retirement, will the government make up the difference or say tough luck? What's your vision here?
Do you agree with these as weaknesses to fix SANITY?? SANITY SAYS: answers above.
America has played badly for many years???? What could you possibly mean by that???? We were so evil we liberated Europe from a tyrant during WWII. We were so evil we protected Europe from the "EVIL" Communist empire for 60 years during the cold war. We are so evil that we provide food aid to starving nations across the world. We are so evil that we are providing billions of US taxpayer dollars to Iraq and Afghanbistan to help them rebuild the infrastructure of their nations? Our principles and people are solid. Our ideals are solid. America believes in liberty for ALL, freedom, capitalism, the right for all Americans to have the OPPORTUNITY to be successful through hard work and study. SANITYS AYS: I never said we were "so evil". You are again, misconstruing my opinions and intentions. To interpret me correctly, you need to start from an assumption/foundation that I LOVE THIS COUNTRY and everything I want to see changed is with a goal of making us stronger and better, even if you intellectually disagree with me. Of course I'm proud of what we've done at different points in history. Of course we've done great things. We all agree about that. But a baseball player can be proud of his team -- the uniform he wears -- and proud of winning the world series last season but still be pissed off at his bullpen's performance this season. The U.S. has done some things that do not live up to its ideals and we need to recognize them and fix them: Our one-sided view of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict ignores the history of that part of the world and is an injustice; our invading of a sovereign nation (Iraq) for no good reason; our refusal to help solve human-caused global warming even though we are the primary cause; supporting dictators around the world at the expense of liberty; and Guantanamo Bay to name a few. We CAN celebrate our greatness and be patriotic AND identify/address our failings. It's possible and HEALTHY to do both things. We can disagree about which failings are more serious than others and how to address them, but there's nothing wrong with raising the issues and discussing them. It's the ongoing dialogue our founding fathers demanded. THAT is democracy.
IS THIS WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN SANITY?? Are these the "weaknesses" you believe we need to fix?
Tell me where you stand and perhaps we could have a reasoned, logical discussion about the issues.
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Oct 08, 01:10 PM |
Report Abuse Reply |
DEMAND GROWS FOR OBAMA'S
'HOPE' CAMPAIGN TO RETURN
$400,000 IN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM
CAREER CRIMINAL
________________________________________
STEALING A PAGE FROM NIKE'S PLAYBOOK[1]:
WHY EVERYTHING ABOUT THE OBAMA'S 'HOPE'
CAMPAIGN IS FRAUDULENT OR CRIMINAL
________________________________________
"You can assume this (relationship) came from the highest levels
(of the Obama Campaign)," says the Designer / Criminal.[2]
(The Washington Post)
Using the 'Creep Factor' this next Obama association is somewhere
between "a wee bit creepy"[3] and "half creepy."[4]
(TIME, Philadelphia Daily News, Los Angeles Times)
Obama 'HOPE' is part of a "grass-roots, stealth marketing developed by the Obama Campaign to access a 'prized demographic': the skateboard and illegal graffiti sub-culture. Indeed, "in several cases it has been responsible…for the (illegal) street graffiti that has popped up all over the country, primarily in urban areas such as New York, Chicago, Seattle and LA. …although it has very carefully kept plausible distance for purposes of "street cred" and obeying the law. (Graffiti, of course, is illegal)."[5] (New York Post)
The OBAMA 'HOPE' designer and career criminal admits he "was contacted by the Obama campaign to create an officially sanctioned poster…I didn't want to do something without proper authorization."[6] (Editor: Permission? Wow, what a rebel!)
(New York Post, Wired, Washington Post)
"'HOPE' is nothing more than a political — as well as corporate — propaganda" image used to lure young voters to Obama.[7] (MyArtSpace Blog)
________________________________________
FACT: Officially, The Obama 'HOPE' Image Was Made By A Career Criminal.[8]
• The 'HOPE' graffiti vandal was arrested again with 100's of other Anarchists on August 25th at the DNC for graffiti.[9] (Charleston City Paper)
• This was the 'HOPE' designer's 14th arrest.[10] (Denver Westword News)
FACT: Obama and The Obama 'HOPE' Campaign Has Received $400,000 in Contributions from the Convicted Career Criminal and 'HOPE' Designer.
• The career criminal / vandal "estimated the profits from his Obama-themed merchandise topped out around $400,000. He says he donated the entire amount to the campaign...I've given the max amount to the campaign. Now we're just buying billboards and postering (Editor: One can read 'postering' as slang for more DNC stealth-sponsored 'illegal graffiti')." [11] (Wired Blog)
• "Obama 'HOPE' inspired merchandise has earned over $400,000 for the Obama Campaign"[12] (MyArtSpace Blog)
QUESTION: Why does Obama and The Obama 'HOPE Campaign align themselves with another career criminal like Obama's criminal associate, the "Slum-Lord Landlord"[13] Antoin 'Tony' Rezko?
• What difference is there between Obama's association with a convicted political fundraiser / "slum landlord"[14] Antoin Rezko and a convicted criminal and major campaign contributor who vandalizes America's buildings? NONE. Both associations are "A Mistake".[15]
• Is Obama's association with this criminal / designer necessary to get a high caliber 'hope' campaign design?
__– No. "In truth (the HOPE design) is not all that unique."[16] (The New York Times)
__– No. In fact, the 'HOPE' design "admittedly…was inspired by Soviet propaganda posters..."[17] (The Los Angeles Times)
__– No. In fact, the 'HOPE' design was taken from "Alberto Korda's famed shot of revolutionary Che Guevara…"[18] (Wired Blog)
__– No. In fact, the 'HOPE' design is the 2008 Democratic equivalent of the 'Che Guevara Poster' (with all that implies). [19] (The Washington Post)
__– No. In visual terms, this poster actually says, "MORE MAO!"[20] (The Washington Post)
__– No. Actually, most astute observers see this Obama poster and think: "REDS!"[21] (The Washington Post)
__– No. Most astute observers (not the pathetic "apathetic" [22] sort voters for which the poster was designed) are "reminded of a totalitarian cult."[23] (The Washington Post)
__– No. This image "makes Obama look like Big Brother." Indeed, even Obama strategists are counting on the apathy of otherwise learned viewers when they brag that they "don't think the Big Brother look will cost Obama votes." [24] Indeed, the spinning strategist continues, the reason why "a person makes a connection between this poster and Russian propaganda is probably because they are set in their ways and has already made up their mind." [25] On the other hand, there is a more substantive reason why viewers see 'Big Brother' in this image: they know the source of the plagiarism. (Philadelphia Daily News)
__– No. Any mediocre illustrator with Photoshop and plagiarism skills could have made the Obama desired image; "in fact, the designer worked in such close coordination with campaign communications director Scott Goodstein that they discussed the color palette for the Obama print."[26] The Obama 'HOPE' campaign made sure the designer "used a photo and slogan approved by the Obama campaign…while (the designer was told) what to do as well as the message to convey."[27] (New York Post, MyArtSpace Blog)
• Is This Association with the career criminal designer Necessary so Obama can become a leader in supporting 'cool cats' and other 'Rebellious Leaders of Change'?
__– No. Why does Obama associate with the 'HOPE' designer when he is a noted, career 'plagiarist'.[28] (Art-For-Change Blog)
__– No. Why does Obama associate with the 'HOPE designer when he is a 'flip-flop' "vandal simply riding the coat-tails of Obama…"[29] (MyArtSpace Blog)
__– No. Why does Obama associate with the designer's when his fascination and reliance upon Communist imagery is so well known that Time called upon the designer recently to do a portrait of Vladimir Putin? (TIME)
QUESTION: Why does Obama and The Obama 'HOPE Campaign align themselves with another career criminal with a long record of disparaging remarks against the United States like Rev. Jeremiah Wright?
• The only difference between Obama's association with Rev. Jeremiah Wright's long record of disparaging remarks against the United States and the 'Hope' designer record of disparaging remarks against the United States is SCALE. Rev. Wright's megachurch membership in Chicago "currently exceeds 6,000"[30], whereas the designer's "worldwide propaganda delivery" website "engineers" roughly 64,000 page views per week according to Alexa.com.
• The vandal, who admittedly has a long history of disparaging remarks[31] against the United States like Rev. Jeremiah Wright, still continues to disparage the U.S.A. Indeed, his recent book is intentionally entitled, E Pluribus Venom, itself an impotent and pitiful affront to America's de facto motto, E Pluribus Unum.
• This major Obama contributor and criminal, despite his recent 14th arrest at the DNC, vows to continue his illegal graffiti crime wave, mocking the United States Justice System in the US press: He "isn't ready to quit postering…It would take me having potential jail time to quit postering, and that's not likely to happen."[32] (Denver Westword News)
QUESTION: Why does Obama and The Obama 'HOPE Campaign align themselves with another jaded political contributor like the fugitive Aiham Alsammarae?
• The only difference between Obama's $2,300 campaign contribution from the fugitive Mr. Aiham Alsammarae (which he was pressed to returned on April 29th [33]) and the criminal 'Hope' designer's estimated $400,000 campaign contribution is: $397,700.
• One can only suspect that the Obama decision to return Mr. Alsammarae's contribution was (1) because the amount was so meager, and because Alsammarae was (2) only an 'accused fugitive'[34] (3) with criminal ties[35], (4) who broke out of an Iraqi jail[36] and (5) fled to The United States[37], rather than donating nearly half-a-million dollars while being a full fledged, American career criminal, who got arrested for the 14th time in Denver just days before Obama's Denver DNC acceptance speech – and afterwards still vows in the US Press to continue a life of crime. [38] (Denver Westword News)
QUESTION: Countless critics have raised questions about this public image issue[39]. Why have their criticisms been ignored? Why has the Obama campaign continue to endorse this criminal and this 'HOPE' image when it depicts Obama and The Obama Campaign is such negative terms?
• Even in Hollywood, most observers understand "this ('HOPE' image debacle) cannot be the Obama campaign's idea of good public relations."[40] (The Los Angeles Times)
• The Obama campaign continues to HOPE that this duplicitous issue remains "a generation thing. The kids know the designers work, old-timers don't."[41] In other words, in regards to this image issue, the Obama Campaign figures America's youth are easy dupes; whereas American adults will remain unaware on the key facts surrounding this important issue. (Philadelphia Daily News)
• Clearly, this association is necessary because Obama wants to "lure to young voters" [42]:
__– Look: The poster was designed for "younger", pathetic "apathetic" voters. [43] (The Washington Post)
__– Yes. The design's appeal rests almost exclusively on "that (which) might make its way onto dorm room walls of fanboys."[44] (The Washington Post)
__– The 'HOPE' campaign's association with the career criminal is clearly an obvious, blatant political conceit to "appeal to the youth in the United States. What better way (for politicians) to appear hip than to utilize the skills of a career street vandal."[45] (MyArtSpace Blog)
________________________________________
SUMMARY:
WHAT IS OBAMA 'HOPE'?
________________________________________
• Obama 'HOPE' is nothing more than political — as well as corporate — propaganda" used to lure young voters to Obama.[46] (MyArtSpace Blog)
• Obama 'HOPE' is another instance where Obama has aligned himself with a career criminal.
• Obama 'HOPE' is another instance where Obama has aligned himself with another person with a long-record of disparaging The United States.
• Obama 'HOPE' is another instance where Obama has accepted political contributions from a career vandal.
• "Obama 'HOPE' campaign has received over $400,000 in campaign contributions"[47] from a career vandal and disparaging American. (Wired Blog, MyArtSpace Blog)
• Obama 'HOPE' "in several cases has been responsible…for the (illegal) street graffiti that has popped up all over the country, primarily in urban areas such as New York, Chicago, Seattle and LA. …although it has very carefully kept plausible distance for purposes of "street cred" and obeying the law. (Graffiti, of course, is illegal)."[48] (New York Post)
• Obama 'HOPE' is, ultimately, Obama's self-image / vision for himself and United States under his leadership:
• A Stalinist Tyrant
• A Communist
• A Radical Revolutionary
• As Big Brother
• As an Anarchist
• As a RED
• As Mao
• As a Totalitarian Cult Leader
• As a Plagiarist
________________________________________
DEMANDS
________________________________________
1. OBAMA MUST DENOUNCE ASSOCIATION WITH CAREER CRIMINAL AND MAJOR CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTOR
2. OBAMA MUST IMMEDIATELY RETURN $400,000 IN CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CAREER CRIMINAL
• Obama and The Obama 'HOPE' Campaign Should Return $400,000 in Contributions from Another Convicted Career Criminal / Major Campaign Contributor.
• Obama and the Obama 'Hope' Campaign should distance themselves from another convicted criminal like Antoin 'Tony' Rezko.
• Obama and the Obama 'Hope' Campaign should distance themselves from another disparaging American like Rev. Wright.
• This major Obama contributor and criminal, despite his arrest record, continues to make a mockery of the United States Justice system: "There's a unmistakable note of glee in his voice when he (the career criminal) describes "bombing" -- or shimmying up drain pipes and scaffolding to illegally paste posters -- in nearly 40 public spots around San Francisco." [49] (Wired Blog)
• The graffiti vandal is one of America's leading graffiti advocates to America's teenagers and youth. In his recent book, The Philosophy of Obey Giant: The Formative Years (1989 - 2008), the criminal-designer urges Young American's to take up graffiti and consider public buildings as acceptable targets. How much will this crime wave cost America?
• The criminal designer, having already "given the max amount to the campaign" [50] is now currently engaged "just postering (read 'postering' as slang for 'illegal graffiti')."[51] (Wired Blog)
• Using the 'Creep Factor', this Obama / criminal vandal association is somewhere between "a wee bit creepy"[52] and "half creepy."[53] (TIME, Philadelphia Daily News, Los Angeles Times)
3. OBAMA MUST DENOUNCE ILLEGAL GRAFFITI IN THE UNITED STATES
• America's 'War Against Graffiti' costs American taxpayers and cities over $10 - $12 billion dollars a year.[54]
4. OMAMA MUST DENOUNCE THE LATEST UNITED STATES ILLEGAL GRAFFITI CRIME SPREE WHICH THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN HAS STEALTHILY ENCOURAGED, WHILE GIVING FULL DETAILS AS TO THE CAMPAIGN'S COMPLICITY IN ENCOURAGING GRAFFITI VANDALS
5. OBAMA MUST DENOUNCE HIS FEBRUARY 22nd STATEMENTS 'ENCOURAGING' ILLEGAL GRAFFITI ON AMERICA'S TRAFFIC STOP SIGNS.
• Obama must renounce his February 22 letter proudly supporting the graffiti vandal's images littering America's "stop signs".
6. OBAMA AND 'HOPE' CAMPAIGN STRATEGISTS MUST EXPLAIN WHY THEY SELECTED THESE VISUAL ELEMENTS FOR OBAMA:
• Obama as a Stalinist Tyrant
• Obama as a Communist
• Obama as a Radical Revolutionary
• Obama as Big Brother
• Obama as an Anarchist
• Obama as a RED
• Obama as Mao
• Obama as a Totalitarian Cult Leader
• Obama as a Plagiarist
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1] How Nike Conquered Skateboard Culture: The Sneaker Giant Rewrote The Marketing Playbook To Tap The Outsider Sport, Maria Hampton, Adbusters, July 13, 2006
[2] Obama's On-the-Wall Endorsement, By William Booth, Washington Post, May 18, 2008
[3] Inspiration vs. Substance, By Joe Klein, TIME, Thursday, Feb. 07, 2008 ; Obama Mania: Is this 2008 ... or 1984?, By Gar Joseph, Philadelphia Daily News, Daily News Clout, Apr. 4, 2008
[4] Will Those Images By Shepard Fairey That Are Spreading Across The Landscape Help Or Hurt The Candidate? by Meghan Daum, Los Angeles Times, April 12, 2008
[5] Paint Misbehavin' In Team O's 'Street Art', By Maureen Callahan, New York Post, April 24, 2008
[6] Read the "fringe-radical's"own confession: 'Obey' Street Artist Churns Out 'Hope' for Obama, By Jenna Wortham, Wired Blog, September 21, 2008; Paint Misbehavin' In Team O's 'Street Art', By Maureen Callahan, New York Post, April 24; Obama's On-the-Wall Endorsement, By William Booth, Washington Post, May 18, 2008
[7] MyArtSpace Blog, September 21, 2008, Obama's Obedient Artist: Is Shepard Fairey a Farce?
[8] True authorship of the 'HOPE' image is currently in dispute. See: Paint Misbehavin' In Team O's 'Street Art', By Maureen Callahan, New York Post, April 24, 2008; 'Obey' Street Artist Churns Out 'Hope' for Obama, By Jenna Wortham, Wired Blog, September 21, 2008; and Obey Plagiarist Shepard Fairey: A Critique by Artist Mark Vallen, with assistance from Lincoln Cushing, Josh MacPhee, and Favianna Rodriguez, Art-For-Change.
[9] Charleston Native Arrested During Denver DNC, By Greg Hambrick, Charlestion City Paper
[10] Causing Trouble at the DNC, Denver Westword News, September 04, 2008
[11] 'Obey' Street Artist Churns Out 'Hope' for Obama, By Jenna Wortham, Wired Blog, September 21, 2008
[12] MyArtSpace Blog, September 21, 2008, Obama's Obedient Artist: Is Shepard Fairey a Farce?
[13] Obama and His Slum-Lord Landlord, Tim Novak, Chicago Sun-Times, April 23, 2007
[14] Obama and His Slum-Lord Landlord, Tim Novak, Chicago Sun-Times, April 23, 2007
[15] Obama on Rezko deal: It was a mistake, By Dave Mckinney And Chris Fusco, Chicago Sun-Times, November 5, 2006
[16] Beyond Red, White and Blue, Steven Heller, New York Times, February 15, 2008
[17] Tagged: He's It Election Becomes Their Turf, By Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, August 23
[18] 'Obey' Street Artist Churns Out 'Hope' for Obama, By Jenna Wortham, Wired Blog, September 21, 2008
[19] Obama's On-the-Wall Endorsement, By William Booth, Washington Post, May 18, 2008
[20] Obama's On-the-Wall Endorsement, By William Booth, Washington Post, May 18, 2008
[21] Obama's On-the-Wall Endorsement, By William Booth, Washington Post, May 18, 2008
[22] On-the-Wall Endorsement, By William Booth, Washington Post, May 18, 2008
[23] On-the-Wall Endorsement, By William Booth, Washington Post, May 18, 2008
[24] Obama Mania: Is this 2008 ... or 1984?, By Gar Joseph, Philadelphia Daily News, Daily News Clout, Apr. 4, 2008
[25] Obama Mania: Is this 2008 ... or 1984?, By Gar Joseph, Philadelphia Daily News, Daily News Clout, Apr. 4, 2008
[26] Paint Misbehavin' In Team O's 'Street Art', By Maureen Callahan, New York Post, April 24, 2008
[27] MyArtSpace Blog, September 21, 2008, Obama's Obedient Artist: Is Shepard Fairey a Farce?
[28] Obey Plagiarist Shepard Fairey: A Critique by Artist Mark Vallen, with assistance from Lincoln Cushing, Josh MacPhee, and Favianna Rodriguez, Art-For-Change
[29] MyArtSpace Blog, September 21, 2008, Obama's Obedient Artist: Is Shepard Fairey a Farce?
[30] Church Official Website
[31] Most recently acknowledged, again, on his website, September 30.
[32] Causing Trouble at the DNC, Denver Westword News, September 04, 2008
[33] Obama To Donate Funds Received From Aiham Alsammarae, BY CHRIS FUSCO, Chicago Sun-Times, April 29, 2008
[34] Obama To Donate Funds Received From Aiham Alsammarae, BY CHRIS FUSCO, Chicago Sun-Times, April 29, 2008
[35] "Alsammarae posting his Oak Brook mansion and two South Loop condominiums to help free Rezko.", Obama To Donate Funds Received From Aiham Alsammarae, BY CHRIS FUSCO, Chicago Sun-Times, April 29, 2008
[36] Obama To Donate Funds Received From Aiham Alsammarae, BY CHRIS FUSCO, Chicago Sun-Times, April 29, 2008
[37] Obama To Donate Funds Received From Aiham Alsammarae, BY CHRIS FUSCO, Chicago Sun-Times, April 29, 2008
[38] "It would take me having potential jail time to quit postering, and that's not likely to happen.", Causing Trouble at the DNC, Denver Westword News, September 04, 2008
[39] To name a few: Obama as an art form: Will Those Images By Shepard Fairey That Are Spreading Across The Landscape Help Or Hurt The Candidate? by Meghan Daum, Los Angeles Times, April 12, 2008; Obama Mania: Is this 2008 ... or 1984?, By Gar Joseph, Philadelphia Daily News, Daily News Clout, Apr. 4, 2008
[40] Will Those Images By Shepard Fairey That Are Spreading Across The Landscape Help Or Hurt The Candidate? by Meghan Daum, Los Angeles Times, April 12, 2008
[41] Obama Mania: Is this 2008 ... or 1984?, By Gar Joseph, Philadelphia Daily News, Daily News Clout, Apr. 4, 2008
[42] MyArtSpace Blog, September 21, 2008, Obama's Obedient Artist: Is Shepard Fairey a Farce?
[43] Obama's On-the-Wall Endorsement, By William Booth, Washington Post, May 18, 2008
[44] Obama's On-the-Wall Endorsement, By William Booth, Washington Post, May 18, 2008
[45] MyArtSpace Blog, September 21, 2008, Obama's Obedient Artist: Is Shepard Fairey A Farce?
[46] MyArtSpace Blog, September 21, 2008, Obama's Obedient Artist: Is Shepard Fairey a Farce?
[47] See: MyArtSpace Blog, September 21, 2008, Obama's Obedient Artist: Is Shepard Fairey a Farce?; 'Obey' Street Artist Churns Out 'Hope' for Obama, By Jenna Wortham, Wired Blog, September 21, 2008
[48] Paint Misbehavin' In Team O's 'Street Art', By Maureen Callahan, New York Post, April 24, 2008
[49] 'Obey' Street Artist Churns Out 'Hope' for Obama, By Jenna Wortham, Wired Blog, September 21, 2008.
[50] 'Obey' Street Artist Churns Out 'Hope' for Obama, By Jenna Wortham, Wired Blog, September 21, 2008
[51] 'Obey' Street Artist Churns Out 'Hope' for Obama, By Jenna Wortham, Wired Blog, September 21, 2008
[52] Inspiration vs. Substance, By Joe Klein, TIME, Thursday, Feb. 07, 2008 ; Obama Mania: Is this 2008 ... or 1984?, By Gar Joseph, Philadelphia Daily News, Daily News Clout, Apr. 4, 2008
[53] Will Those Images By Shepard Fairey That Are Spreading Across The Landscape Help Or Hurt The Candidate? by Meghan Daum, Los Angeles Times, April 12, 2008
[54] Taggers Beware: The Writing is on the Wall, By Douglas Page, Officer.com, September 2005 Issue
'HOPE' CAMPAIGN TO RETURN
$400,000 IN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM
CAREER CRIMINAL
________________________________________
STEALING A PAGE FROM NIKE'S PLAYBOOK[1]:
WHY EVERYTHING ABOUT THE OBAMA'S 'HOPE'
CAMPAIGN IS FRAUDULENT OR CRIMINAL
________________________________________
"You can assume this (relationship) came from the highest levels
(of the Obama Campaign)," says the Designer / Criminal.[2]
(The Washington Post)
Using the 'Creep Factor' this next Obama association is somewhere
between "a wee bit creepy"[3] and "half creepy."[4]
(TIME, Philadelphia Daily News, Los Angeles Times)
Obama 'HOPE' is part of a "grass-roots, stealth marketing developed by the Obama Campaign to access a 'prized demographic': the skateboard and illegal graffiti sub-culture. Indeed, "in several cases it has been responsible…for the (illegal) street graffiti that has popped up all over the country, primarily in urban areas such as New York, Chicago, Seattle and LA. …although it has very carefully kept plausible distance for purposes of "street cred" and obeying the law. (Graffiti, of course, is illegal)."[5] (New York Post)
The OBAMA 'HOPE' designer and career criminal admits he "was contacted by the Obama campaign to create an officially sanctioned poster…I didn't want to do something without proper authorization."[6] (Editor: Permission? Wow, what a rebel!)
(New York Post, Wired, Washington Post)
"'HOPE' is nothing more than a political — as well as corporate — propaganda" image used to lure young voters to Obama.[7] (MyArtSpace Blog)
________________________________________
FACT: Officially, The Obama 'HOPE' Image Was Made By A Career Criminal.[8]
• The 'HOPE' graffiti vandal was arrested again with 100's of other Anarchists on August 25th at the DNC for graffiti.[9] (Charleston City Paper)
• This was the 'HOPE' designer's 14th arrest.[10] (Denver Westword News)
FACT: Obama and The Obama 'HOPE' Campaign Has Received $400,000 in Contributions from the Convicted Career Criminal and 'HOPE' Designer.
• The career criminal / vandal "estimated the profits from his Obama-themed merchandise topped out around $400,000. He says he donated the entire amount to the campaign...I've given the max amount to the campaign. Now we're just buying billboards and postering (Editor: One can read 'postering' as slang for more DNC stealth-sponsored 'illegal graffiti')." [11] (Wired Blog)
• "Obama 'HOPE' inspired merchandise has earned over $400,000 for the Obama Campaign"[12] (MyArtSpace Blog)
QUESTION: Why does Obama and The Obama 'HOPE Campaign align themselves with another career criminal like Obama's criminal associate, the "Slum-Lord Landlord"[13] Antoin 'Tony' Rezko?
• What difference is there between Obama's association with a convicted political fundraiser / "slum landlord"[14] Antoin Rezko and a convicted criminal and major campaign contributor who vandalizes America's buildings? NONE. Both associations are "A Mistake".[15]
• Is Obama's association with this criminal / designer necessary to get a high caliber 'hope' campaign design?
__– No. "In truth (the HOPE design) is not all that unique."[16] (The New York Times)
__– No. In fact, the 'HOPE' design "admittedly…was inspired by Soviet propaganda posters..."[17] (The Los Angeles Times)
__– No. In fact, the 'HOPE' design was taken from "Alberto Korda's famed shot of revolutionary Che Guevara…"[18] (Wired Blog)
__– No. In fact, the 'HOPE' design is the 2008 Democratic equivalent of the 'Che Guevara Poster' (with all that implies). [19] (The Washington Post)
__– No. In visual terms, this poster actually says, "MORE MAO!"[20] (The Washington Post)
__– No. Actually, most astute observers see this Obama poster and think: "REDS!"[21] (The Washington Post)
__– No. Most astute observers (not the pathetic "apathetic" [22] sort voters for which the poster was designed) are "reminded of a totalitarian cult."[23] (The Washington Post)
__– No. This image "makes Obama look like Big Brother." Indeed, even Obama strategists are counting on the apathy of otherwise learned viewers when they brag that they "don't think the Big Brother look will cost Obama votes." [24] Indeed, the spinning strategist continues, the reason why "a person makes a connection between this poster and Russian propaganda is probably because they are set in their ways and has already made up their mind." [25] On the other hand, there is a more substantive reason why viewers see 'Big Brother' in this image: they know the source of the plagiarism. (Philadelphia Daily News)
__– No. Any mediocre illustrator with Photoshop and plagiarism skills could have made the Obama desired image; "in fact, the designer worked in such close coordination with campaign communications director Scott Goodstein that they discussed the color palette for the Obama print."[26] The Obama 'HOPE' campaign made sure the designer "used a photo and slogan approved by the Obama campaign…while (the designer was told) what to do as well as the message to convey."[27] (New York Post, MyArtSpace Blog)
• Is This Association with the career criminal designer Necessary so Obama can become a leader in supporting 'cool cats' and other 'Rebellious Leaders of Change'?
__– No. Why does Obama associate with the 'HOPE' designer when he is a noted, career 'plagiarist'.[28] (Art-For-Change Blog)
__– No. Why does Obama associate with the 'HOPE designer when he is a 'flip-flop' "vandal simply riding the coat-tails of Obama…"[29] (MyArtSpace Blog)
__– No. Why does Obama associate with the designer's when his fascination and reliance upon Communist imagery is so well known that Time called upon the designer recently to do a portrait of Vladimir Putin? (TIME)
QUESTION: Why does Obama and The Obama 'HOPE Campaign align themselves with another career criminal with a long record of disparaging remarks against the United States like Rev. Jeremiah Wright?
• The only difference between Obama's association with Rev. Jeremiah Wright's long record of disparaging remarks against the United States and the 'Hope' designer record of disparaging remarks against the United States is SCALE. Rev. Wright's megachurch membership in Chicago "currently exceeds 6,000"[30], whereas the designer's "worldwide propaganda delivery" website "engineers" roughly 64,000 page views per week according to Alexa.com.
• The vandal, who admittedly has a long history of disparaging remarks[31] against the United States like Rev. Jeremiah Wright, still continues to disparage the U.S.A. Indeed, his recent book is intentionally entitled, E Pluribus Venom, itself an impotent and pitiful affront to America's de facto motto, E Pluribus Unum.
• This major Obama contributor and criminal, despite his recent 14th arrest at the DNC, vows to continue his illegal graffiti crime wave, mocking the United States Justice System in the US press: He "isn't ready to quit postering…It would take me having potential jail time to quit postering, and that's not likely to happen."[32] (Denver Westword News)
QUESTION: Why does Obama and The Obama 'HOPE Campaign align themselves with another jaded political contributor like the fugitive Aiham Alsammarae?
• The only difference between Obama's $2,300 campaign contribution from the fugitive Mr. Aiham Alsammarae (which he was pressed to returned on April 29th [33]) and the criminal 'Hope' designer's estimated $400,000 campaign contribution is: $397,700.
• One can only suspect that the Obama decision to return Mr. Alsammarae's contribution was (1) because the amount was so meager, and because Alsammarae was (2) only an 'accused fugitive'[34] (3) with criminal ties[35], (4) who broke out of an Iraqi jail[36] and (5) fled to The United States[37], rather than donating nearly half-a-million dollars while being a full fledged, American career criminal, who got arrested for the 14th time in Denver just days before Obama's Denver DNC acceptance speech – and afterwards still vows in the US Press to continue a life of crime. [38] (Denver Westword News)
QUESTION: Countless critics have raised questions about this public image issue[39]. Why have their criticisms been ignored? Why has the Obama campaign continue to endorse this criminal and this 'HOPE' image when it depicts Obama and The Obama Campaign is such negative terms?
• Even in Hollywood, most observers understand "this ('HOPE' image debacle) cannot be the Obama campaign's idea of good public relations."[40] (The Los Angeles Times)
• The Obama campaign continues to HOPE that this duplicitous issue remains "a generation thing. The kids know the designers work, old-timers don't."[41] In other words, in regards to this image issue, the Obama Campaign figures America's youth are easy dupes; whereas American adults will remain unaware on the key facts surrounding this important issue. (Philadelphia Daily News)
• Clearly, this association is necessary because Obama wants to "lure to young voters" [42]:
__– Look: The poster was designed for "younger", pathetic "apathetic" voters. [43] (The Washington Post)
__– Yes. The design's appeal rests almost exclusively on "that (which) might make its way onto dorm room walls of fanboys."[44] (The Washington Post)
__– The 'HOPE' campaign's association with the career criminal is clearly an obvious, blatant political conceit to "appeal to the youth in the United States. What better way (for politicians) to appear hip than to utilize the skills of a career street vandal."[45] (MyArtSpace Blog)
________________________________________
SUMMARY:
WHAT IS OBAMA 'HOPE'?
________________________________________
• Obama 'HOPE' is nothing more than political — as well as corporate — propaganda" used to lure young voters to Obama.[46] (MyArtSpace Blog)
• Obama 'HOPE' is another instance where Obama has aligned himself with a career criminal.
• Obama 'HOPE' is another instance where Obama has aligned himself with another person with a long-record of disparaging The United States.
• Obama 'HOPE' is another instance where Obama has accepted political contributions from a career vandal.
• "Obama 'HOPE' campaign has received over $400,000 in campaign contributions"[47] from a career vandal and disparaging American. (Wired Blog, MyArtSpace Blog)
• Obama 'HOPE' "in several cases has been responsible…for the (illegal) street graffiti that has popped up all over the country, primarily in urban areas such as New York, Chicago, Seattle and LA. …although it has very carefully kept plausible distance for purposes of "street cred" and obeying the law. (Graffiti, of course, is illegal)."[48] (New York Post)
• Obama 'HOPE' is, ultimately, Obama's self-image / vision for himself and United States under his leadership:
• A Stalinist Tyrant
• A Communist
• A Radical Revolutionary
• As Big Brother
• As an Anarchist
• As a RED
• As Mao
• As a Totalitarian Cult Leader
• As a Plagiarist
________________________________________
DEMANDS
________________________________________
1. OBAMA MUST DENOUNCE ASSOCIATION WITH CAREER CRIMINAL AND MAJOR CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTOR
2. OBAMA MUST IMMEDIATELY RETURN $400,000 IN CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CAREER CRIMINAL
• Obama and The Obama 'HOPE' Campaign Should Return $400,000 in Contributions from Another Convicted Career Criminal / Major Campaign Contributor.
• Obama and the Obama 'Hope' Campaign should distance themselves from another convicted criminal like Antoin 'Tony' Rezko.
• Obama and the Obama 'Hope' Campaign should distance themselves from another disparaging American like Rev. Wright.
• This major Obama contributor and criminal, despite his arrest record, continues to make a mockery of the United States Justice system: "There's a unmistakable note of glee in his voice when he (the career criminal) describes "bombing" -- or shimmying up drain pipes and scaffolding to illegally paste posters -- in nearly 40 public spots around San Francisco." [49] (Wired Blog)
• The graffiti vandal is one of America's leading graffiti advocates to America's teenagers and youth. In his recent book, The Philosophy of Obey Giant: The Formative Years (1989 - 2008), the criminal-designer urges Young American's to take up graffiti and consider public buildings as acceptable targets. How much will this crime wave cost America?
• The criminal designer, having already "given the max amount to the campaign" [50] is now currently engaged "just postering (read 'postering' as slang for 'illegal graffiti')."[51] (Wired Blog)
• Using the 'Creep Factor', this Obama / criminal vandal association is somewhere between "a wee bit creepy"[52] and "half creepy."[53] (TIME, Philadelphia Daily News, Los Angeles Times)
3. OBAMA MUST DENOUNCE ILLEGAL GRAFFITI IN THE UNITED STATES
• America's 'War Against Graffiti' costs American taxpayers and cities over $10 - $12 billion dollars a year.[54]
4. OMAMA MUST DENOUNCE THE LATEST UNITED STATES ILLEGAL GRAFFITI CRIME SPREE WHICH THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN HAS STEALTHILY ENCOURAGED, WHILE GIVING FULL DETAILS AS TO THE CAMPAIGN'S COMPLICITY IN ENCOURAGING GRAFFITI VANDALS
5. OBAMA MUST DENOUNCE HIS FEBRUARY 22nd STATEMENTS 'ENCOURAGING' ILLEGAL GRAFFITI ON AMERICA'S TRAFFIC STOP SIGNS.
• Obama must renounce his February 22 letter proudly supporting the graffiti vandal's images littering America's "stop signs".
6. OBAMA AND 'HOPE' CAMPAIGN STRATEGISTS MUST EXPLAIN WHY THEY SELECTED THESE VISUAL ELEMENTS FOR OBAMA:
• Obama as a Stalinist Tyrant
• Obama as a Communist
• Obama as a Radical Revolutionary
• Obama as Big Brother
• Obama as an Anarchist
• Obama as a RED
• Obama as Mao
• Obama as a Totalitarian Cult Leader
• Obama as a Plagiarist
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[1] How Nike Conquered Skateboard Culture: The Sneaker Giant Rewrote The Marketing Playbook To Tap The Outsider Sport, Maria Hampton, Adbusters, July 13, 2006
[2] Obama's On-the-Wall Endorsement, By William Booth, Washington Post, May 18, 2008
[3] Inspiration vs. Substance, By Joe Klein, TIME, Thursday, Feb. 07, 2008 ; Obama Mania: Is this 2008 ... or 1984?, By Gar Joseph, Philadelphia Daily News, Daily News Clout, Apr. 4, 2008
[4] Will Those Images By Shepard Fairey That Are Spreading Across The Landscape Help Or Hurt The Candidate? by Meghan Daum, Los Angeles Times, April 12, 2008
[5] Paint Misbehavin' In Team O's 'Street Art', By Maureen Callahan, New York Post, April 24, 2008
[6] Read the "fringe-radical's"own confession: 'Obey' Street Artist Churns Out 'Hope' for Obama, By Jenna Wortham, Wired Blog, September 21, 2008; Paint Misbehavin' In Team O's 'Street Art', By Maureen Callahan, New York Post, April 24; Obama's On-the-Wall Endorsement, By William Booth, Washington Post, May 18, 2008
[7] MyArtSpace Blog, September 21, 2008, Obama's Obedient Artist: Is Shepard Fairey a Farce?
[8] True authorship of the 'HOPE' image is currently in dispute. See: Paint Misbehavin' In Team O's 'Street Art', By Maureen Callahan, New York Post, April 24, 2008; 'Obey' Street Artist Churns Out 'Hope' for Obama, By Jenna Wortham, Wired Blog, September 21, 2008; and Obey Plagiarist Shepard Fairey: A Critique by Artist Mark Vallen, with assistance from Lincoln Cushing, Josh MacPhee, and Favianna Rodriguez, Art-For-Change.
[9] Charleston Native Arrested During Denver DNC, By Greg Hambrick, Charlestion City Paper
[10] Causing Trouble at the DNC, Denver Westword News, September 04, 2008
[11] 'Obey' Street Artist Churns Out 'Hope' for Obama, By Jenna Wortham, Wired Blog, September 21, 2008
[12] MyArtSpace Blog, September 21, 2008, Obama's Obedient Artist: Is Shepard Fairey a Farce?
[13] Obama and His Slum-Lord Landlord, Tim Novak, Chicago Sun-Times, April 23, 2007
[14] Obama and His Slum-Lord Landlord, Tim Novak, Chicago Sun-Times, April 23, 2007
[15] Obama on Rezko deal: It was a mistake, By Dave Mckinney And Chris Fusco, Chicago Sun-Times, November 5, 2006
[16] Beyond Red, White and Blue, Steven Heller, New York Times, February 15, 2008
[17] Tagged: He's It Election Becomes Their Turf, By Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, August 23
[18] 'Obey' Street Artist Churns Out 'Hope' for Obama, By Jenna Wortham, Wired Blog, September 21, 2008
[19] Obama's On-the-Wall Endorsement, By William Booth, Washington Post, May 18, 2008
[20] Obama's On-the-Wall Endorsement, By William Booth, Washington Post, May 18, 2008
[21] Obama's On-the-Wall Endorsement, By William Booth, Washington Post, May 18, 2008
[22] On-the-Wall Endorsement, By William Booth, Washington Post, May 18, 2008
[23] On-the-Wall Endorsement, By William Booth, Washington Post, May 18, 2008
[24] Obama Mania: Is this 2008 ... or 1984?, By Gar Joseph, Philadelphia Daily News, Daily News Clout, Apr. 4, 2008
[25] Obama Mania: Is this 2008 ... or 1984?, By Gar Joseph, Philadelphia Daily News, Daily News Clout, Apr. 4, 2008
[26] Paint Misbehavin' In Team O's 'Street Art', By Maureen Callahan, New York Post, April 24, 2008
[27] MyArtSpace Blog, September 21, 2008, Obama's Obedient Artist: Is Shepard Fairey a Farce?
[28] Obey Plagiarist Shepard Fairey: A Critique by Artist Mark Vallen, with assistance from Lincoln Cushing, Josh MacPhee, and Favianna Rodriguez, Art-For-Change
[29] MyArtSpace Blog, September 21, 2008, Obama's Obedient Artist: Is Shepard Fairey a Farce?
[30] Church Official Website
[31] Most recently acknowledged, again, on his website, September 30.
[32] Causing Trouble at the DNC, Denver Westword News, September 04, 2008
[33] Obama To Donate Funds Received From Aiham Alsammarae, BY CHRIS FUSCO, Chicago Sun-Times, April 29, 2008
[34] Obama To Donate Funds Received From Aiham Alsammarae, BY CHRIS FUSCO, Chicago Sun-Times, April 29, 2008
[35] "Alsammarae posting his Oak Brook mansion and two South Loop condominiums to help free Rezko.", Obama To Donate Funds Received From Aiham Alsammarae, BY CHRIS FUSCO, Chicago Sun-Times, April 29, 2008
[36] Obama To Donate Funds Received From Aiham Alsammarae, BY CHRIS FUSCO, Chicago Sun-Times, April 29, 2008
[37] Obama To Donate Funds Received From Aiham Alsammarae, BY CHRIS FUSCO, Chicago Sun-Times, April 29, 2008
[38] "It would take me having potential jail time to quit postering, and that's not likely to happen.", Causing Trouble at the DNC, Denver Westword News, September 04, 2008
[39] To name a few: Obama as an art form: Will Those Images By Shepard Fairey That Are Spreading Across The Landscape Help Or Hurt The Candidate? by Meghan Daum, Los Angeles Times, April 12, 2008; Obama Mania: Is this 2008 ... or 1984?, By Gar Joseph, Philadelphia Daily News, Daily News Clout, Apr. 4, 2008
[40] Will Those Images By Shepard Fairey That Are Spreading Across The Landscape Help Or Hurt The Candidate? by Meghan Daum, Los Angeles Times, April 12, 2008
[41] Obama Mania: Is this 2008 ... or 1984?, By Gar Joseph, Philadelphia Daily News, Daily News Clout, Apr. 4, 2008
[42] MyArtSpace Blog, September 21, 2008, Obama's Obedient Artist: Is Shepard Fairey a Farce?
[43] Obama's On-the-Wall Endorsement, By William Booth, Washington Post, May 18, 2008
[44] Obama's On-the-Wall Endorsement, By William Booth, Washington Post, May 18, 2008
[45] MyArtSpace Blog, September 21, 2008, Obama's Obedient Artist: Is Shepard Fairey A Farce?
[46] MyArtSpace Blog, September 21, 2008, Obama's Obedient Artist: Is Shepard Fairey a Farce?
[47] See: MyArtSpace Blog, September 21, 2008, Obama's Obedient Artist: Is Shepard Fairey a Farce?; 'Obey' Street Artist Churns Out 'Hope' for Obama, By Jenna Wortham, Wired Blog, September 21, 2008
[48] Paint Misbehavin' In Team O's 'Street Art', By Maureen Callahan, New York Post, April 24, 2008
[49] 'Obey' Street Artist Churns Out 'Hope' for Obama, By Jenna Wortham, Wired Blog, September 21, 2008.
[50] 'Obey' Street Artist Churns Out 'Hope' for Obama, By Jenna Wortham, Wired Blog, September 21, 2008
[51] 'Obey' Street Artist Churns Out 'Hope' for Obama, By Jenna Wortham, Wired Blog, September 21, 2008
[52] Inspiration vs. Substance, By Joe Klein, TIME, Thursday, Feb. 07, 2008 ; Obama Mania: Is this 2008 ... or 1984?, By Gar Joseph, Philadelphia Daily News, Daily News Clout, Apr. 4, 2008
[53] Will Those Images By Shepard Fairey That Are Spreading Across The Landscape Help Or Hurt The Candidate? by Meghan Daum, Los Angeles Times, April 12, 2008
[54] Taggers Beware: The Writing is on the Wall, By Douglas Page, Officer.com, September 2005 Issue
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Oct 08, 12:35 PM |
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The O'Bummer's associations with Ayers would have to be listed on an application for a U.S. Government Security Clearance. His close associations with persons who advocate violent overthrow of our government AND WHO ACTUALLY BOMBED GOVERNMENT / POLICE BUILDINGS would be further investigated and would prevent the Messiah from getting a job requiring a clearance--his application would be denied for good reason.
Rocketman
Rocketman
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Oct 08, 11:46 AM |
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I just wonder about the balance? Obama's home? Rezko . His work? Chi town politics, Pelosi, Reid Franks Scumer? Ok,maybe church, well, maybe not that either........The Rev. WOW!!!! ok, maybe the work on the board or teacher/worker, well, Ayers, and ACORN. PHEW!!! Any ideas out there, where can I go in the Obama resume to feel confident that this is a person looking out for ALL Americans? When we as a country have spent how much in bail outs (at least 3 recently?) are we really a MEAN country?
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Oct 08, 10:58 AM |
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Wow. This article is so lop-sided! I can't help but think when I read articles like this that there is an agenda at work. But I won't speculate about the motives of the author, just say that this is dreadful and in no way paints a remotely objective picture of Ayers/Obama connection.
When Obama met Ayers, the man was a well-known and well-respected professor with a reputation as a reformer (in fact, he still is respected by all kinds of people - and there's no way they're ALL radical terrorists.) Now I don't know about you, but I sure as heck don't do a background check on every person I meet or work with, and I am not so perfect that I throw stones at someone with a past because I have done my own bad deeds and I know that my past isn't who I am today.
Thing is, a lot of people today working towards improving the lives of those less fortunate have backgrounds that you wouldn't expect. Social workers who were juvenile delinquents. Cops who started out as street punks. People change. Or if they don't change, sometimes they just grow up. Either way, they say actions speak louder than words. And there are some people saying that Bill Ayers isn't repentant, well, I don't know about that, but I do know that he left the Weathermen before (possibly even *because*) they'd moved from bombing empty buildings to targeting people, and that tells me that he did have a conscience. And he did turn himself in when he didn't have to, and that tells me that he can own up to responsibility for what he did.
And when a famous philanthropist was giving out half a BILLION dollars to various cities for education reform, I do know that Bill Ayers (and two other people) got together and wrote the grant that won money for Chicago. I do know that the people who served on the board of that Annenberg challenge were from all walks of life, Democrats and Republicans, businessmen and women and people known for their work in civil rights and reform - men and women who do NOT have reputations as radicals. Heck, one woman was the President of a Presbyterian Theological Seminary. I mean, there are a lot of people much closer to Ayers than Obama, and it hard-pressed to believe that each and every one of these people approve of bombing, or "hate America" or anything like that. That just sounds paranoid.
And I do know that the work they did positively impacted the lives of any number of children - now young men and women - by rejuvenating and fixing a failing educational system. I don't know how biased you have to be to be unwilling to admit that the Annenberg Challenge was good not only for the city of Chicago, but for all of the other cities that received grants and reformed their education systems as well. By the way, I'm a product of that improved school system in Chicago, where I went to a predominantly low-income Af-Am junior high school previously known as one of the worst, and ended up being accepted at the #1 high school in the city - a competitive education track that has positively shaped my career and my life. (For those who're curious or know the city - Michelle Clark Middle to Lane Tech.)
So that's what I do know. There's an article where Ayers supposedly says that he wishes he had've set more bombs, but there are articles that say that his words were distorted, including the man himself. Who do we believe? Basically, I think we end up believing who and what we *want* to believe, because there sure as heck isn't a way to be 100% certain of who's telling the truth.
Now I think it was in the Palin/Biden debate where someone mentioned this idea of not questioning the motives/morals of the people you're working with (because really, there is no way to know for certain what they are thinking), but by examining what they do - their judgment. And that makes sense, because I was raised a Christian, and as far as I know, only G-d knows the hearts of men.
So if I'm going to judge or condemn a person, I have got to look at their actions, and as far as I can tell, this so-called "friendship" between Barack Obama and William Ayers has been one devoted to doing charitable and/or good works. When they worked together on the Woods foundation, it was to write grants to win money for non-profit organizations that fought against poverty and racism. When they worked together on the Annenberg Challenge, it was to improve the education conditions of hundreds of thousands of students. Now, I just can't see anything wrong with that. And if I ever get the opportunity to do that much good in the world, I really don't care about the past crimes, mistakes, affairs, or business of the people that I work with, because I know how to put aside my personal feelings/beliefs to get the job done for a cause that's bigger than myself.
As for the rest of it, well, people will say what they say. It is your opinion that Obama shouldn't have associated himself with William Ayers, even though given the nature of Obama's work, chances were he would've been tripping over Ayers left and right, especially since the two men worked at the same school, and lived in the same neighborhood (by the way, that neighborhood was close to the school they worked at, which makes pretty good sense to me why they'd live near each other.) And as far as I know, Hugh Hefner, Muhammad Ali, and some guy from White Zombie all lived in that neighborhood at some time or other. I guess they're all terrorists by proximity, too! Maybe Obama should've quit his job, stopped doing charity/education reform, and moved to another state, to avoid the risk of working with Ayers. But that seems pretty extreme to me.
This whole line of attack is just silly. Obama's never lobbed a bomb in his life. And he outright said that he doesn't condone and actually despises the actions of William Ayers from 40 years ago. And I think that even the people who absolutely hate Obama could admit to themselves that if William Ayers was a modern-day bomb-lobbing terrorist, Obama wouldn't have an associations with him. I mean, give the man that much credit. There is nothing, outside of some pretty malicious speculation, to suggest that Obama has the desire to bomb buildings or cause massive damage to people or property. Unless, of course, Bin Laden's around. But I can understand that. I'm a pacifist, but I'd make an exception for Bin Laden.
There are good people and bad people in this world. There are bad people who used to be good, and good people who used to be bad, and they are our co-workers, friends, relatives, and associates. And sometimes we know their past, and sometimes we don't, but I think that most of us here probably judge our friends and associates based on who they are now and what they are doing *now*, not who or what they were about 40 years ago. And I think it's safe to say that we have friends, associates, and co-workers that we don't agree with on everything, we might even sharply disagree on some pretty core issues, but we don't cut off those ties because we know it's possible for adults with different ideas and backgrounds to work together, especially if that work is towards something like a noble goal.
So that's my 50 cents. I know that's not much currency on this site, because I have seen that it tends to lean towards McCain/Palin, but I am so tired of seeing this whole Ayers thing discussed by people who really seem to have no desire within them to look at the whole picture - just the negative parts that make them feel better or support their arguments.
When Obama met Ayers, the man was a well-known and well-respected professor with a reputation as a reformer (in fact, he still is respected by all kinds of people - and there's no way they're ALL radical terrorists.) Now I don't know about you, but I sure as heck don't do a background check on every person I meet or work with, and I am not so perfect that I throw stones at someone with a past because I have done my own bad deeds and I know that my past isn't who I am today.
Thing is, a lot of people today working towards improving the lives of those less fortunate have backgrounds that you wouldn't expect. Social workers who were juvenile delinquents. Cops who started out as street punks. People change. Or if they don't change, sometimes they just grow up. Either way, they say actions speak louder than words. And there are some people saying that Bill Ayers isn't repentant, well, I don't know about that, but I do know that he left the Weathermen before (possibly even *because*) they'd moved from bombing empty buildings to targeting people, and that tells me that he did have a conscience. And he did turn himself in when he didn't have to, and that tells me that he can own up to responsibility for what he did.
And when a famous philanthropist was giving out half a BILLION dollars to various cities for education reform, I do know that Bill Ayers (and two other people) got together and wrote the grant that won money for Chicago. I do know that the people who served on the board of that Annenberg challenge were from all walks of life, Democrats and Republicans, businessmen and women and people known for their work in civil rights and reform - men and women who do NOT have reputations as radicals. Heck, one woman was the President of a Presbyterian Theological Seminary. I mean, there are a lot of people much closer to Ayers than Obama, and it hard-pressed to believe that each and every one of these people approve of bombing, or "hate America" or anything like that. That just sounds paranoid.
And I do know that the work they did positively impacted the lives of any number of children - now young men and women - by rejuvenating and fixing a failing educational system. I don't know how biased you have to be to be unwilling to admit that the Annenberg Challenge was good not only for the city of Chicago, but for all of the other cities that received grants and reformed their education systems as well. By the way, I'm a product of that improved school system in Chicago, where I went to a predominantly low-income Af-Am junior high school previously known as one of the worst, and ended up being accepted at the #1 high school in the city - a competitive education track that has positively shaped my career and my life. (For those who're curious or know the city - Michelle Clark Middle to Lane Tech.)
So that's what I do know. There's an article where Ayers supposedly says that he wishes he had've set more bombs, but there are articles that say that his words were distorted, including the man himself. Who do we believe? Basically, I think we end up believing who and what we *want* to believe, because there sure as heck isn't a way to be 100% certain of who's telling the truth.
Now I think it was in the Palin/Biden debate where someone mentioned this idea of not questioning the motives/morals of the people you're working with (because really, there is no way to know for certain what they are thinking), but by examining what they do - their judgment. And that makes sense, because I was raised a Christian, and as far as I know, only G-d knows the hearts of men.
So if I'm going to judge or condemn a person, I have got to look at their actions, and as far as I can tell, this so-called "friendship" between Barack Obama and William Ayers has been one devoted to doing charitable and/or good works. When they worked together on the Woods foundation, it was to write grants to win money for non-profit organizations that fought against poverty and racism. When they worked together on the Annenberg Challenge, it was to improve the education conditions of hundreds of thousands of students. Now, I just can't see anything wrong with that. And if I ever get the opportunity to do that much good in the world, I really don't care about the past crimes, mistakes, affairs, or business of the people that I work with, because I know how to put aside my personal feelings/beliefs to get the job done for a cause that's bigger than myself.
As for the rest of it, well, people will say what they say. It is your opinion that Obama shouldn't have associated himself with William Ayers, even though given the nature of Obama's work, chances were he would've been tripping over Ayers left and right, especially since the two men worked at the same school, and lived in the same neighborhood (by the way, that neighborhood was close to the school they worked at, which makes pretty good sense to me why they'd live near each other.) And as far as I know, Hugh Hefner, Muhammad Ali, and some guy from White Zombie all lived in that neighborhood at some time or other. I guess they're all terrorists by proximity, too! Maybe Obama should've quit his job, stopped doing charity/education reform, and moved to another state, to avoid the risk of working with Ayers. But that seems pretty extreme to me.
This whole line of attack is just silly. Obama's never lobbed a bomb in his life. And he outright said that he doesn't condone and actually despises the actions of William Ayers from 40 years ago. And I think that even the people who absolutely hate Obama could admit to themselves that if William Ayers was a modern-day bomb-lobbing terrorist, Obama wouldn't have an associations with him. I mean, give the man that much credit. There is nothing, outside of some pretty malicious speculation, to suggest that Obama has the desire to bomb buildings or cause massive damage to people or property. Unless, of course, Bin Laden's around. But I can understand that. I'm a pacifist, but I'd make an exception for Bin Laden.
There are good people and bad people in this world. There are bad people who used to be good, and good people who used to be bad, and they are our co-workers, friends, relatives, and associates. And sometimes we know their past, and sometimes we don't, but I think that most of us here probably judge our friends and associates based on who they are now and what they are doing *now*, not who or what they were about 40 years ago. And I think it's safe to say that we have friends, associates, and co-workers that we don't agree with on everything, we might even sharply disagree on some pretty core issues, but we don't cut off those ties because we know it's possible for adults with different ideas and backgrounds to work together, especially if that work is towards something like a noble goal.
So that's my 50 cents. I know that's not much currency on this site, because I have seen that it tends to lean towards McCain/Palin, but I am so tired of seeing this whole Ayers thing discussed by people who really seem to have no desire within them to look at the whole picture - just the negative parts that make them feel better or support their arguments.
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Oct 08, 10:15 AM |
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Pointed Questions NOT Asked of Obama:
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Oct 08, 09:16 AM |
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Palin is the anti christ
Oct 07, 11:46 PM Report Abuse
Reply
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Obama hung around with this nasty terrorist?!?!?! OMG!!!!!
The real question is if this guy is such a filthy dangerous terrorist why is he teaching english to kids?
If the kiddos can be around him he cant be THAT bad a guy. Not dangerous at least. I mean for petes sake did you see his coke bottle glasses? How can you dislike a 4 eyes? Theres something wrong with you.
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Why don't you ask the children(now grown ups) of the people maimed and killed by the group this man was part of.
Why don't you try to "FEEL" what is like to have your house bombed and have fire engulf your house and not getting out because you don't know what's waiting outside(they might be waiting for someone to get out "SO THEY CAN FINISH THE JOB").
Yeah!
Bill Ayers aint so bad.
Would you have your children being taught by this "HUMAN" being.
Oct 07, 11:46 PM Report Abuse
Reply
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Obama hung around with this nasty terrorist?!?!?! OMG!!!!!
The real question is if this guy is such a filthy dangerous terrorist why is he teaching english to kids?
If the kiddos can be around him he cant be THAT bad a guy. Not dangerous at least. I mean for petes sake did you see his coke bottle glasses? How can you dislike a 4 eyes? Theres something wrong with you.
===============================================================
Why don't you ask the children(now grown ups) of the people maimed and killed by the group this man was part of.
Why don't you try to "FEEL" what is like to have your house bombed and have fire engulf your house and not getting out because you don't know what's waiting outside(they might be waiting for someone to get out "SO THEY CAN FINISH THE JOB").
Yeah!
Bill Ayers aint so bad.
Would you have your children being taught by this "HUMAN" being.
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Oct 08, 09:06 AM |
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From abroad, I've already sent in my ballet for McCain/Palin.
Obama is a fraud, has always been one and always will be. It's who he is. A liar and an opportunist. Not a leader. Not someone I want representing my beautiful country.
How embarrassing it is to read the posts by Obama followers. It is true, they ignore the facts that are right in their face. Have their brains gone on "sleep" mode? It seems the case.
There is no other person in this race with more integrity, honesty and bipartisanship than McCain. And Palin shows a great track record as well.
What idiots. This is the circus of all circuses, and all 3 clown ring leaders, Obama, Pelosi and Reid will be laughed at throughout the rest of history. They are shameful and embarrassing.
Obama is a fraud, has always been one and always will be. It's who he is. A liar and an opportunist. Not a leader. Not someone I want representing my beautiful country.
How embarrassing it is to read the posts by Obama followers. It is true, they ignore the facts that are right in their face. Have their brains gone on "sleep" mode? It seems the case.
There is no other person in this race with more integrity, honesty and bipartisanship than McCain. And Palin shows a great track record as well.
What idiots. This is the circus of all circuses, and all 3 clown ring leaders, Obama, Pelosi and Reid will be laughed at throughout the rest of history. They are shameful and embarrassing.
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Oct 08, 09:05 AM |
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Obama is a solipsistic self-centered dissembling equivocating shyster that he would never tell
the truth. Obama lies and distorts. He doesn't want the America public to know who he is because he is
everything the USA is not. Obama is a Marxist socialist and Americans are looney to elect him.
The entire housing fiasco that is a the base of our financial mess is the fault of Carter and Clinton and Democratic Congresses that refused to address it. Clinton has admitted that, but not the fact that he also passes the Motor/Voter Act that currently undermines our process of one man/one vote.
Fannie Mae was a socialist social engineering project and it has caused what all socialist ideas cause: ruin. Fannie Mae was a Democratic slush fund and Obama was number 2 in getting money from Fannie Mae - middle class taxpayer money given to Obama. Chris Dodd and Barney Frank and Charlie Rangel are selfish dirty politicians who should be tried by the Feds. RLT is an idiot presenting the false argument the far-left liberals always use - what a bunch of stupid fools.
Obama has spent only 154+ days in the Senate and most of that time he was running for the presidency. Obama chose connections with the most radical anti-American hating people in his personal and political life. He supports the Cloward-Piven scheme to destroy capitalism and replace it with socialism. He supports ACORN, worked for them as a community organizer and represented them in court. He worked with Ayers and we have no accounting for the millions Obama spent as head of Woods Hole where he worked with Ayers. His spiritual adviser, Rev. Wright, is as prejudice as David Duke. He is a dissembler, an equivocator who parses the truth so he cannot be trusted because he will not tell us what he really thinks, but plays the Saul Alinsky (a far-left mentor) game of making people feel like victims, flaring up class warfare, insisting on socialist ideas such as social engineering, supporting movements that aim at restricting or eliminating Americans rights under the Constitution such as the Second Amendment, insisting he is a world citizen not an American citizen, a world leader not the leader of the American people, he says nothing of substance but relies on the old "change and hope" crap that sounds good to desperate people, he rejects personal responsibility and wants government under socialism to "fix" everything, he leans toward indoctrination rather than education for students, he lies about his opponent, he has less experience than Sarah Palin, he plays dirty Chicago "thug" politics, he presents image only without substance, he doesn't even know that America has 50 states, he is the most liberal politician with a 90%+ partisan voting record, he is out for his own power and glory and has done NOTHING for the USA but take, he cheated to get his own mortgage, he refused to expose the Frannie Mae mess and was the second top receiver of taxpayer funds from that Democrat slush fund, he will appoint radical leftist to the Supreme Court who will chip away at our freedoms under the Constitution, Obama tried to deny that he voted to cut off funding for our troops in the middle of their missions, Obama is trying to run away from his support for higher taxes, voting 94 times in the U.S. Senate either for higher taxes or against tax cuts. Obama had the audacity to say that his administration would be tough on Islamic terrorist groups such as Hamas, but what he didn't tell you is that the Political Director for Hamas has endorsed Obama's campaign for president because he believes Obama will be soft on terrorism, He wants to almost double the capital gains tax. He wants to strip the FICA tax cap off every worker making more than $97,500. He wants to increase the dividend tax. He wants to let the Bush tax cuts expire — giving almost every American family an automatic tax increase.
He has called for more than $800 billion in new spending programs.
He is so radical he even backed driver’s licenses for illegal aliens — even though such a move would help future terrorists move freely in the United States.
He is the most pro-abortion candidate in the history of the country. In 2001, as a state legislator in Illinois, he opposed a bill to protect live born children — children actually born alive! He was the only Illinois senator to speak out against the bill. That alone removes Obama from consideration as even being civilized.
He opposes gun rights. He has long history of trying to deny ordinary citizens access to guns. He had the nerve to bring up the recent financial industry crisis and assign blame, but he didn't mention that the top 3 recipients of campaign donations from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were Democrats -- and that he was ranked #2, Obama didn't mention that he was among those who supported the granting of sub-prime loans to individuals who could not afford to pay them back.He is arrogant and egotistical and anti-American. He is directly connected to Soros.
Obama served from 1995 to 1999 as chairman of the board of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge (CAC), the brainchild of Ayers, an organization that funneled some $100 million into the hands of community organizers and activists, including ACORN, in order to radicalize Chicago's public schools.
Obama is a far-left extremist who wants to tax Americans and redistribute our wealth to his causes around the world - Global Poverty Act for one. He said "ALL" children should get an education - not AMERICAN children, but ALL children - He insists he is a citizen of the world, but never claims to be proud of being a citizen of the USA. His use of racism in order to make "typical white people" feel guilty and then vote for him is disgusting. ACORN is under investigation for voter fraud and right now ACORN is coercing voters into voting for Obama. Nursing home residents and the homeless are being USED by Obama to steal the election. He cannot be trusted because he has provided no basis for trust, but he has provided tons of actions that should make voter extremely leery of his intentions, which I believe have only Obama at heart - he is a user of people to get what he wants.
Obama is a politician of process without principle - and that is dangerous. Lincoln wanred us of that in his debates with Douglas. Obama has no moral center but believes that any end justifies any means. Obama's policies, actions, non-actions, and equivocations prove he wants to change the USA from a Democratic Republic into a weak and trembling socialist state.
Obama is a conflicted individual with a false ego and no ethical boundaries. His lack of character disqualifies him from the office of president.
Carter/ Clinton /Democrats' socialist social-enginering policies have ruined us.
These are the same policies of Obama, Mr. Marxist Socialist Soros Sock Puppet himself.
Clinton Lewinskied the American taxpayer. Obama will Lobotomize us. Mr. World President will take tax all of us to death to pay for his socialist world political policies. Obama cares NOTHING about and has done NOTHING for the USA except take, take, take.
If zerO is elected, it will take honest, moral, ethical and strong politicians to undo it and we have none of these in America. Every politician is a coward, Obama among the worst. He is dissembling shyster.
Say goodbye to the Constitution if Oblahma is voted in with ACORN's subversive, anti-democratic actions and Obama's blessings.
The following articles tell the truth:
Although Frank now blames Republicans for the failure of Fannie and Freddie, he spent years blocking GOP lawmakers from imposing tougher regulations on the mortgage giants. In 1991, the year Moses was hired by Fannie, the Boston Globe reported that Frank pushed the agency to loosen regulations on mortgages for two- and three-family homes, even though they were defaulting at twice and five times the rate of single homes, respectively.
Three years later, President Clinton’s Department of Housing and Urban Development tried to impose a new regulation on Fannie, but was thwarted by Frank. Clinton now blames such Democrats for planting the seeds of today’s economic crisis.
"I think the responsibility that the Democrats have may rest more in resisting any efforts by Republicans in the Congress or by me when I was president, to put some standards and tighten up a little on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac," Clinton said recently.
In 1995, as Howard Husock pointed out eight years ago in City Journal, "the Clinton Treasury Department's 1995 regulations made getting a satisfactory CRA rating much harder. The new regulations de-emphasized subjective assessment measures in favor of strictly numerical ones. Bank examiners would use federal home-loan data, broken down by neighborhood, income group, and race, to rate banks on performance."
Creditworthiness and due diligence no longer mattered. As a 1999 New York Times editorial observed: "Fannie Mae, the nation's biggest underwriter of home mortgages, has been under increasing pressure from the Bill Clinton administration to expand mortgage loans among low- and moderate-income people and felt pressure to maintain its phenomenal growth in profits."
On Frank's and Clinton's watch, the Community Reinvestment Act was changed to force the issuance of bad loans. Banks would be rated on the number of loans, not on their soundness. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were then encouraged to buy them up. It was all about affordable housing, even if the housing was unaffordable.
"From the perspective of many people, including me, this is another thrift industry growing up around us," Peter Wallison, a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, said back in 1999. "If they fail, the government will have to step in and bail them out the way it stepped up and bailed out the thrift industry."
That prediction came true, but it didn't have to.
On Sept. 11, 2003, the Bush administration proposed to Congress a new agency under the Treasury Department to assume supervision of Fannie and Freddie. The new agency would have had the authority to set capital-reserve requirements, veto new lines of business and determine whether the two quasi-government lenders were adequately managing the risk of their ballooning portfolios.
When former Treasury Secretary John Snow pleaded for Frank to support Fannie and Freddie reform, Frank responded: "These two entities — Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — are not facing any kind of financial crisis. The more people exaggerate these problems, the more pressure there is on these companies, the less we will see in terms of affordable housing."
Democrats believe in affordable housing even if it's at the expense of the vast majority who watch their credit, work hard and pay their mortgages on time. But for the deadbeats, particularly Democratic constituencies, they have ways to make affordable the housing you couldn't afford. So first, they forced them into housing they couldn't afford, and now they give them a financial mulligan.
the truth. Obama lies and distorts. He doesn't want the America public to know who he is because he is
everything the USA is not. Obama is a Marxist socialist and Americans are looney to elect him.
The entire housing fiasco that is a the base of our financial mess is the fault of Carter and Clinton and Democratic Congresses that refused to address it. Clinton has admitted that, but not the fact that he also passes the Motor/Voter Act that currently undermines our process of one man/one vote.
Fannie Mae was a socialist social engineering project and it has caused what all socialist ideas cause: ruin. Fannie Mae was a Democratic slush fund and Obama was number 2 in getting money from Fannie Mae - middle class taxpayer money given to Obama. Chris Dodd and Barney Frank and Charlie Rangel are selfish dirty politicians who should be tried by the Feds. RLT is an idiot presenting the false argument the far-left liberals always use - what a bunch of stupid fools.
Obama has spent only 154+ days in the Senate and most of that time he was running for the presidency. Obama chose connections with the most radical anti-American hating people in his personal and political life. He supports the Cloward-Piven scheme to destroy capitalism and replace it with socialism. He supports ACORN, worked for them as a community organizer and represented them in court. He worked with Ayers and we have no accounting for the millions Obama spent as head of Woods Hole where he worked with Ayers. His spiritual adviser, Rev. Wright, is as prejudice as David Duke. He is a dissembler, an equivocator who parses the truth so he cannot be trusted because he will not tell us what he really thinks, but plays the Saul Alinsky (a far-left mentor) game of making people feel like victims, flaring up class warfare, insisting on socialist ideas such as social engineering, supporting movements that aim at restricting or eliminating Americans rights under the Constitution such as the Second Amendment, insisting he is a world citizen not an American citizen, a world leader not the leader of the American people, he says nothing of substance but relies on the old "change and hope" crap that sounds good to desperate people, he rejects personal responsibility and wants government under socialism to "fix" everything, he leans toward indoctrination rather than education for students, he lies about his opponent, he has less experience than Sarah Palin, he plays dirty Chicago "thug" politics, he presents image only without substance, he doesn't even know that America has 50 states, he is the most liberal politician with a 90%+ partisan voting record, he is out for his own power and glory and has done NOTHING for the USA but take, he cheated to get his own mortgage, he refused to expose the Frannie Mae mess and was the second top receiver of taxpayer funds from that Democrat slush fund, he will appoint radical leftist to the Supreme Court who will chip away at our freedoms under the Constitution, Obama tried to deny that he voted to cut off funding for our troops in the middle of their missions, Obama is trying to run away from his support for higher taxes, voting 94 times in the U.S. Senate either for higher taxes or against tax cuts. Obama had the audacity to say that his administration would be tough on Islamic terrorist groups such as Hamas, but what he didn't tell you is that the Political Director for Hamas has endorsed Obama's campaign for president because he believes Obama will be soft on terrorism, He wants to almost double the capital gains tax. He wants to strip the FICA tax cap off every worker making more than $97,500. He wants to increase the dividend tax. He wants to let the Bush tax cuts expire — giving almost every American family an automatic tax increase.
He has called for more than $800 billion in new spending programs.
He is so radical he even backed driver’s licenses for illegal aliens — even though such a move would help future terrorists move freely in the United States.
He is the most pro-abortion candidate in the history of the country. In 2001, as a state legislator in Illinois, he opposed a bill to protect live born children — children actually born alive! He was the only Illinois senator to speak out against the bill. That alone removes Obama from consideration as even being civilized.
He opposes gun rights. He has long history of trying to deny ordinary citizens access to guns. He had the nerve to bring up the recent financial industry crisis and assign blame, but he didn't mention that the top 3 recipients of campaign donations from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were Democrats -- and that he was ranked #2, Obama didn't mention that he was among those who supported the granting of sub-prime loans to individuals who could not afford to pay them back.He is arrogant and egotistical and anti-American. He is directly connected to Soros.
Obama served from 1995 to 1999 as chairman of the board of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge (CAC), the brainchild of Ayers, an organization that funneled some $100 million into the hands of community organizers and activists, including ACORN, in order to radicalize Chicago's public schools.
Obama is a far-left extremist who wants to tax Americans and redistribute our wealth to his causes around the world - Global Poverty Act for one. He said "ALL" children should get an education - not AMERICAN children, but ALL children - He insists he is a citizen of the world, but never claims to be proud of being a citizen of the USA. His use of racism in order to make "typical white people" feel guilty and then vote for him is disgusting. ACORN is under investigation for voter fraud and right now ACORN is coercing voters into voting for Obama. Nursing home residents and the homeless are being USED by Obama to steal the election. He cannot be trusted because he has provided no basis for trust, but he has provided tons of actions that should make voter extremely leery of his intentions, which I believe have only Obama at heart - he is a user of people to get what he wants.
Obama is a politician of process without principle - and that is dangerous. Lincoln wanred us of that in his debates with Douglas. Obama has no moral center but believes that any end justifies any means. Obama's policies, actions, non-actions, and equivocations prove he wants to change the USA from a Democratic Republic into a weak and trembling socialist state.
Obama is a conflicted individual with a false ego and no ethical boundaries. His lack of character disqualifies him from the office of president.
Carter/ Clinton /Democrats' socialist social-enginering policies have ruined us.
These are the same policies of Obama, Mr. Marxist Socialist Soros Sock Puppet himself.
Clinton Lewinskied the American taxpayer. Obama will Lobotomize us. Mr. World President will take tax all of us to death to pay for his socialist world political policies. Obama cares NOTHING about and has done NOTHING for the USA except take, take, take.
If zerO is elected, it will take honest, moral, ethical and strong politicians to undo it and we have none of these in America. Every politician is a coward, Obama among the worst. He is dissembling shyster.
Say goodbye to the Constitution if Oblahma is voted in with ACORN's subversive, anti-democratic actions and Obama's blessings.
The following articles tell the truth:
Although Frank now blames Republicans for the failure of Fannie and Freddie, he spent years blocking GOP lawmakers from imposing tougher regulations on the mortgage giants. In 1991, the year Moses was hired by Fannie, the Boston Globe reported that Frank pushed the agency to loosen regulations on mortgages for two- and three-family homes, even though they were defaulting at twice and five times the rate of single homes, respectively.
Three years later, President Clinton’s Department of Housing and Urban Development tried to impose a new regulation on Fannie, but was thwarted by Frank. Clinton now blames such Democrats for planting the seeds of today’s economic crisis.
"I think the responsibility that the Democrats have may rest more in resisting any efforts by Republicans in the Congress or by me when I was president, to put some standards and tighten up a little on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac," Clinton said recently.
In 1995, as Howard Husock pointed out eight years ago in City Journal, "the Clinton Treasury Department's 1995 regulations made getting a satisfactory CRA rating much harder. The new regulations de-emphasized subjective assessment measures in favor of strictly numerical ones. Bank examiners would use federal home-loan data, broken down by neighborhood, income group, and race, to rate banks on performance."
Creditworthiness and due diligence no longer mattered. As a 1999 New York Times editorial observed: "Fannie Mae, the nation's biggest underwriter of home mortgages, has been under increasing pressure from the Bill Clinton administration to expand mortgage loans among low- and moderate-income people and felt pressure to maintain its phenomenal growth in profits."
On Frank's and Clinton's watch, the Community Reinvestment Act was changed to force the issuance of bad loans. Banks would be rated on the number of loans, not on their soundness. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were then encouraged to buy them up. It was all about affordable housing, even if the housing was unaffordable.
"From the perspective of many people, including me, this is another thrift industry growing up around us," Peter Wallison, a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, said back in 1999. "If they fail, the government will have to step in and bail them out the way it stepped up and bailed out the thrift industry."
That prediction came true, but it didn't have to.
On Sept. 11, 2003, the Bush administration proposed to Congress a new agency under the Treasury Department to assume supervision of Fannie and Freddie. The new agency would have had the authority to set capital-reserve requirements, veto new lines of business and determine whether the two quasi-government lenders were adequately managing the risk of their ballooning portfolios.
When former Treasury Secretary John Snow pleaded for Frank to support Fannie and Freddie reform, Frank responded: "These two entities — Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — are not facing any kind of financial crisis. The more people exaggerate these problems, the more pressure there is on these companies, the less we will see in terms of affordable housing."
Democrats believe in affordable housing even if it's at the expense of the vast majority who watch their credit, work hard and pay their mortgages on time. But for the deadbeats, particularly Democratic constituencies, they have ways to make affordable the housing you couldn't afford. So first, they forced them into housing they couldn't afford, and now they give them a financial mulligan.
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Oct 08, 07:24 AM |
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For those who wish to view both sides of the issue, read:
[www.huffingtonpost.com]
[www.huffingtonpost.com]
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Oct 08, 06:47 AM |
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Well I guess that we know about everyone's skeleton's, how 'bout focus on the real issue's. Because either way, one is gonna our next president and vice president. And the only that's mattering right now is who's gonna clean up the issue's. Not someone's past.
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Oct 08, 04:27 AM |
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The issue isn't what Obama or McCain WANT to do in the future, it is what they will HAVE to do to clean up the mess created by eight years of mismanagement by Bush. We are beginning to see horrifying results of what Bush did to the country reflected in the mortgage crises, the credit crises, the investment banking crises and the stock market crises. The country is a mess right now.
The mess created by the Bush administration is so bad right now that solutions that work effectively are very limited. For example, most knowledgeable and honest people agree that the banking system will need to be nationalized to protect (save?) the economy. Even the great conservative Republican intellect and pundit, Ben Stein, agrees that is the case. Doing that amounts to socialism, pure and simple. But if that is what it takes to save the country from financial collapse, then whoever the president is, whether Obama or McCain, will need to do it. That doesn't mean Obama or McCain are socialists. Obama or McCain will only be reacting to the problems created by Bush with the only solutions that work.
The terrible mess created by Bush is not limited to just banking. Most of Obama's or McCain's first term in office will be about fixing all the other (besides just banking) problems created by Bush. It doesn't matter if Obama or McCain get elected, either one will have to do what is required to get the country out of the mess we are in. If that means they need to nationalize businesses, then so be it. If it means price controls, like those imposed during the Vietnam War, are required, then so be it. Sure actions like these are socialist, no question about it. But we are soooo far beyond worrying about what we call a solution, we need solutions that work and we need them implemented fast.
Long gone are the days when we had the luxury of sitting around debating whether free markets are better than socialist markets. We can all agree that in a perfect world free markets are better than socialist markets. But in the very imperfect and messy situation Bush has made for the country, it doesn't matter what type of solutions are put in place - nor does it matter how we label them - all that matters is that they work.
The issue boils down to whether we think Obama or McCain is better suited to clean up the mess Bush has made of the country. The situation is much too serious to make the wrong choice on this one.
The mess created by the Bush administration is so bad right now that solutions that work effectively are very limited. For example, most knowledgeable and honest people agree that the banking system will need to be nationalized to protect (save?) the economy. Even the great conservative Republican intellect and pundit, Ben Stein, agrees that is the case. Doing that amounts to socialism, pure and simple. But if that is what it takes to save the country from financial collapse, then whoever the president is, whether Obama or McCain, will need to do it. That doesn't mean Obama or McCain are socialists. Obama or McCain will only be reacting to the problems created by Bush with the only solutions that work.
The terrible mess created by Bush is not limited to just banking. Most of Obama's or McCain's first term in office will be about fixing all the other (besides just banking) problems created by Bush. It doesn't matter if Obama or McCain get elected, either one will have to do what is required to get the country out of the mess we are in. If that means they need to nationalize businesses, then so be it. If it means price controls, like those imposed during the Vietnam War, are required, then so be it. Sure actions like these are socialist, no question about it. But we are soooo far beyond worrying about what we call a solution, we need solutions that work and we need them implemented fast.
Long gone are the days when we had the luxury of sitting around debating whether free markets are better than socialist markets. We can all agree that in a perfect world free markets are better than socialist markets. But in the very imperfect and messy situation Bush has made for the country, it doesn't matter what type of solutions are put in place - nor does it matter how we label them - all that matters is that they work.
The issue boils down to whether we think Obama or McCain is better suited to clean up the mess Bush has made of the country. The situation is much too serious to make the wrong choice on this one.
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Oct 08, 03:40 AM |
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Sowell is essentially asserting that "character" matters, which is true. He then judges Obama's character in light of the people he has associated with in the past. To be fair, Sowell should also judge McCain's character in light of the people he has associated with in the past.
McCain's most infamous association in the past was with Charles Keating, who was found guilty of defrauding investors and depositors of the failed Lincoln Savings and Loan in Phoenix. Keating's fraud financially devastated tens of thousands of depositors in his bank. None of Obama's associates ever did anything that bad. Keating was found guilty of fraud and went to prision. None of Obama's associates ever went to prison. McCain was reprimanded by the United States Senate for engaging in poor judgment and bad behavior for trying to prevent the federal government from investigating Keating's fraudulent activities. Obama has never attempted to protect any of his associates from a criminal investigation.
Of the two, whose past associations reflect the biggest character flaw. It is obvious that McCain's association with Keating is much worse than any of Obama's associations. Sowell's analysis is not very "fair and balanced" in this regard.
Since we are on the topic of character flaws, McCain has a horrible character flaw that Obama does not. McCain left a wife and three kids to marry a younger and wealthier woman. Obama has never done that. McCain's character flaw in this regard is HUGE. It goes to the issue of TRUST. It reveals McCain is not trustworthy. I want the President of the United States to be a trustworthy man. I want to be able to trust what he says. We have just suffered through 8 long years of having a liar as president. Bush is not, and never was, worthy of the trust of the American people. We can not afford to have another 4 years of a president we can not trust.
McCain has proven himself to be a liar and a cheater, in both his marriages and his political campaigns. If I can't trust a man's marriage vows, and can not trust him to tell the truth during a political campaign. I can't trust him to tell the truth if elected President of the United States.
McCain's most infamous association in the past was with Charles Keating, who was found guilty of defrauding investors and depositors of the failed Lincoln Savings and Loan in Phoenix. Keating's fraud financially devastated tens of thousands of depositors in his bank. None of Obama's associates ever did anything that bad. Keating was found guilty of fraud and went to prision. None of Obama's associates ever went to prison. McCain was reprimanded by the United States Senate for engaging in poor judgment and bad behavior for trying to prevent the federal government from investigating Keating's fraudulent activities. Obama has never attempted to protect any of his associates from a criminal investigation.
Of the two, whose past associations reflect the biggest character flaw. It is obvious that McCain's association with Keating is much worse than any of Obama's associations. Sowell's analysis is not very "fair and balanced" in this regard.
Since we are on the topic of character flaws, McCain has a horrible character flaw that Obama does not. McCain left a wife and three kids to marry a younger and wealthier woman. Obama has never done that. McCain's character flaw in this regard is HUGE. It goes to the issue of TRUST. It reveals McCain is not trustworthy. I want the President of the United States to be a trustworthy man. I want to be able to trust what he says. We have just suffered through 8 long years of having a liar as president. Bush is not, and never was, worthy of the trust of the American people. We can not afford to have another 4 years of a president we can not trust.
McCain has proven himself to be a liar and a cheater, in both his marriages and his political campaigns. If I can't trust a man's marriage vows, and can not trust him to tell the truth during a political campaign. I can't trust him to tell the truth if elected President of the United States.
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Oct 08, 03:17 AM |
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