After reading Barack Obama’s The Audacity of Hope, I have concluded that he might be the new hero for the Democratic Party. Democrats have been searching for a new person to champion liberalism since Bill Clinton was forced to abandon some of his liberal policies. This is not an easy task, especially after the recent congressional election that saw a number of democrats campaign on a moderate platform. I believe they found that champion in Obama. Make no mistake, Hillary Clinton is no conservative; however, party loyalists have become a bit confused and suspicious about her commitment to true liberalism. Honestly, I think those people are crazy. There is no debate over HRC’s leftist ideology. It has been a few weeks since I completed my reading of Obama’s work, but here is what I gathered:
- He supports abortion; in his mind, he finds the idea of the government limiting one’s reproductive rights to be a violation of liberalism. He suggests that the government should work harder to provide and make such access to the poor more available. He does a nice job selling this point by comparing the needs of the many to that of the few.
- Welfare needs to be re-evaluated (note: Bill Clinton signed legislation in 1996 giving states greater control of welfare. I sensed that Obama would like to see the federal government take back some of that power).
- It is not the role of government to determine who a person should love (gay marriage).
- With a growing deficit, it is imperative that the government increase revenue by raising taxes.
Check this out below:
The most liberal member of Congress running for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination isn’t Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio.
It’s Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.
And the Republican candidate who’s grown less conservative over his years in Congress? Sen. John McCain of Arizona…
The study, released this month by the National Journal, a respected inside-the-Beltway research report, will help voters cut through the spin and hype of TV sound bites in coming months and judge these candidates for themselves…
The 2006 scores, for example, were based on as many as 95 votes on such issues as federal spending, tax cuts, the war in Iraq, embryonic stem-cell research and border security.
On the Democratic side, the analysis of “lifetime” voting records shows Obama as the most liberal with a score of 84.3 after two full years in the Senate. The most liberal score possible was 99.
Eddie, do you think this hurts his chances in the general election (where the rule of thumb is to tack centrist after winning the nomination of your party)?
Obama definitely has a shot to win the Democratic nomination. There is a clever video (from an unknowns source) just released on YouTube that parodies the famous Apple “1984″ ad by offering up Obama as the alternative to a drone mentality that has been surrounding Senator Clinton.
I want to see the public’s reaction to Hillary on a step-ladder behind her podium facing Obama in a debate. I want to see if Hillary’s pretzel policy on the war holds up to Leftists as much as Obama’s fairly consistent position. I want to see if Democrats chose a vocal liberal or a “slight of hand” liberal to be their candidate in 2008.
I think time is working against Clinton as she tries to hang on to her lead. Although Obama is certainly more liberal, he comes off as far less abrasive and I think he has more appeal to centrists than he should due too his charisma. I think it will be really interesting to see how it turns out and if the clinton loyalty can successfully be converted by Hilary all the way through the primary season.
“…I think he has more appeal to centrists than he should due too his charisma.”
Good point.
I’m not sure that two years is enough time to judge anyone. I certainly hope that I change over the course of two years, and I know that I do, so I don’t know why we should expect any different from Senator Obama. After all, I voted for W during his first run for presidency and look where that’s gotten me. Now granted, I have become decidedly more liberal as I’ve gotten older, but the man I voted for is not the same person that’s the President of the United States.
People are not paying attention. Again, “…I think he has more appeal to centrists than he should due too his charisma.”
This is why he might win. He sounds the part in that he has such mass appeal. People are caught up in his charm and intellect; his charm might be better than Bill in the end. He is playing the same game Bill played in ’92. Oh, I think he is emulating Bill; he still must convince blacks that he is a Bill. Plus, people are sick of the republicans and W. Obama is saying the right things. Kristi, I once thought his short time in DC would hurt, but I am thinking it will help. It is new. I just do not think the average person will be able to decode his liberalism come the general election. Still, the race for DC starts with them Dems.
I thought Harding would pull me to the middle; I think it has pushed me farther to the left.
Plus, I really do not think the Christian right will be a threat. That stuff put W in last election, it is not going to work this time.
Have you noticed that race as an issue with Obama has become a secondary matter in white America?
I must disagree Jason.
i heard on the radio that Obama had a long lost grandmother while he was searching back on his roots. now his campaign commitee wont let her talk to Obama nor to the press. is this a racist matter? i dont think so but the press sure will.
You just listed several very fine reasons why Obama should never become president.
Here’s a fun one for you. Can YOU name one noteworthy accomplishment of Barack Obama that would qualify him for service as POTUS?