President Obama

[Hobie Dog]

I know many here don't want to get in to politics but I wanted to share an experience that was very enjoyable and informative. Hopefully no one will be offended.

Living in San Marcos I was nearly trampled tonight leaving the gym by college students running to get in to a venue to hear Obama. He was scheduled to speak 5 hours later. Being a college town the celebrity type enthusiasm is amazing.

At a local restaurant last night I stumbled in to his local campaign manager. A very bright young (unemployed) college graduate with a great personality. We had a delightful conversation. He determined quickly that I am a "White Angry Christian Conservative". He was dead on.

He begged me to attend tonights speech so I could see how wonderful his candidate is. I said I would pass since I know he is a great speaker but clueless on the issues. So, we discussed some issues. I thought you would "enjoy" some of the conversation. I will only hit a few highlights since the conversation was 2 hours long.

Me: What is the most important issue?
Him: Immediate pull out of Iraq.

Me: So the first day in office?
Him: Definitely

Me: So after we throw up the white flag where are we going to battle the enemy?
Him: What enemy?

Me: So, what is his intent on the defense budget?
Him: Cut 1/2 to 2/3 out immediately. It's a waste of money to have all that spy stuff, satellites, CIA, etc.

Me: Does it bother you that people that want to kill us are coming across the border in droves?
Him: Do you believe that?

Me: What is his stand on health care?
Him: Everyone should have access to health care.

Me: They do now. A hospital can not turn away someone based on ability to pay.
Him: Oh, I didn't know that.

Me: How will he pay for this?
Him: Raise taxes on the wealthy. They can afford it. And, after all, it's a small percentage and the rest of us will never make it to the American dream.

Him: Are you a conservative, independent or republican?
Me: Conservative
Him: Would you ever cross over and vote Democrat
Me: NEVER
Him: Why?
Me: Because I cannot vote for anyone that would align themselves with a party that condones a total lack of integrity or moral standards.
Him: True, but there are some Republicans that are sleazy too.
Me: But the party doesn't condone them.
Him: True

I really like this young man. He just needs to grow up a little, as do millions of voters. I'm taking him fishing this spring. We'll have fun debating.

 

[MrKimber44]

I don't think the US is really ready for Obama or Clinton.

 

[Texas1911]

Sounds like he is just confused and has the classic signs of our younger generation (my generation). As much as I'd like to believe in flowers, butterflies, and green pastures the rest of the world is full of knieving people that would kill a village of people in a heartbeat for either a dollar or another 1/8" of power. Alot of times that village is us, and we need to be able to use all that "CIA, Spy stuff" in order to recognize the threats and deal with them before they get off the ground.

Sometimes we do things wrong, sometimes we fail, but doing something is better than plugging our ears and waiting for the bullet.

 

[SIG_Fiend]

I've said this before and I'll say it again. Personally, I think it would be kind of cool to have a president of the African-American or female persuasion. I think it could be nice for a change. Unfortunately for the 2 candidates that currently fit this description, they both have horrible views on most of the issues facing our country, and most of their policies and liberal views would be harmful to our country IMO. Also, some of their views are just downright ridiculous such as instantly pulling out of Iraq. It's moves like that that have made us enemies around the world. We've already done the damage in Iraq, and as far as I'm concerned we need to assist the Iraqi government until it is strong enough to handle things on it's own before we can realistically start pulling out. Pulling out too early could cause a big uprising in insurgency, which could lead to a drastic increase in attacks, deaths, and who knows maybe an overthrow of the current Iraqi government and a new dictator taking over. Things are just not so simple in real life that you can one day just say "Well, it's been fun but, we're out of here!".

As far as the whole increase taxes for the wealthy to pay for the less fortunate, this is just a completely ridiculous idea and goes completely against what this country is supposed to be about. I have heard a lot of less than wealthy individuals automatically side with this view as well without realizing the facts and certainly for somewhat selfish reasons. I really wish I had saved the article I read, but someone made some excellent points about at least Hillary Clinton's proposed tax programs. I don't remember the exact details but on say an estate worth $7 million, it would be taxed something like $3-4 million, which is just absolutely ridiculous. People need to get off their lazy @sses, get out there, and actually try to be successful rather than catching a break on the backs of others. Successful and wealthy people already pay a heck of a lot more in taxes than those considerably less wealthy.

 

[Hobie Dog]

I forgot one question I asked him

Me: Do you believe Bin-Laden, Chavez, etc. are watching the campaign on CNN?
Him: Yes
Me: Who do you think they want to win?
Him: The Democrats

Enough Said.

 

[Texas1911]

I had a Yankee lady from Obama's campaign call the house yesterday. They are calling everyone I think because there has never been a democrat in this house.

 

[drricktx]

Obama

I'm not being facetious at all with this question. Can anyone tell me one single thing that Obama has accomplished thus far in his political career? What has he done to deserve the right to be our next president? I'd have no problem at all voting for a black or female if they matched my criteria for making a good president. Hillary and Obama doesn't even come close.
Rick

 

[XTPHP1]

Why is Obama and Hillary already slated as the POTUS? It is still months away before the election. Anything can happen. Obama will have to start explaining his "Change" and how he plans to pay for it. Same with that bitch Hillary.

 

[Texas1911]

Why is Obama and Hillary already slated as the POTUS? It is still months away before the election. Anything can happen. Obama will have to start explaining his "Change" and how he plans to pay for it. Same with that bitch Hillary.

Because the media is predominantly liberal ran.

 

[thebuckhuntress]

Sounds like they should have picked a different person to represent him!

 

[zembonez]

I'd have no problem at all voting for a black or female if they matched my criteria for making a good president.

I'd vote for somebody with two heads and green skin if I thought he or she was good for the well being of the good old US of A. I want true leadership that will adhere to the constitution as written and stand up to those who want to trample it. I'm sure I am asking for too much...

 

[Texas1911]

I'd vote for somebody with two heads and green skin if I thought he or she was good for the well being of the good old US of A. I want true leadership that will adhere to the constitution as written and stand up to those who want to trample it. I'm sure I am asking for too much...

Ol' Ron Paul sure believes in it.

 

[zembonez]

Ol' Ron Paul sure believes in it.

Yeah but his platform is rediculous... not an electable candidate. He comes across as a nut when he promises to "Abolish the IRS".

As a valid candidate, some restraint is necessary to garner support from a wide range of voters (Whether we like it or not). Most of the 85 percenters in this country just go do what they were told when they vote. It's SAD.

 

[SIG_Fiend]

I very much want Ron Paul to win. Part of me knows it will never happen because he is far too "good" of an ideal president. Also, there are a few issues I disagree with him on, such as instantly pulling out of Iraq. It seems to me the country needs quite a bit more stabilization before we can just pull out, otherwise we risk the Iraqi people being hurt worse by an uprising in terrorist activities after leaving, and/or their government not being strong enough to resist an overtaking by some new tyrant (just theorizing). As far as his views on small government, abolishing the IRS, and a non-interventionist foreign policy, I wholeheartedly agree with him. I feel there are some circumstances where it is our duty as a much more well off country to help other less fortunate countries out when they face genocides or other despicable horrors. However, I also think we probably shouldn't so readily "police" the world and somewhat impulsively invade other countries as we currently do.

I am sick and tired of voting for candidates that are less of a POS compared to others, as afterall "less" means they are still a POS. Ron Paul is one of the few that seems to actually have morals any more. Other than Paul, I would have gladly considered Fred Thompson, though he bowed out unfortunately. I think he's a pretty good guy. Giuliani is a threat to our liberties just as much as any of the Democrats, maybe more so since he's hiding under the Republican veil, even though his views are very Democratic and liberal in nature. Huckabee seems okay, though I don't know a whole lot about the guy. Mitt Romeny was another terrible choice and liberal in veil, though luckily he gave up without a fight. Mccain, I honestly don't understand. After being a POW and being in a position where his rights were basically taken away from him, I would think he should understand better than any of the other candidates and better than 99% of politicians in Washington just how important it is to maintain civil liberties and our constitutional rights. I say this not to belittle what he has been through, as I still honor him for serving his country. Though his track record in being more anti-gun than pro-gun just seems odd. I want to vote out of principal, however with the slant of the media, pretty much every network out there is talking as if it is down to Clinton/Obama/Mccain, and they seem to be ignoring all the other candidates.

 

[zembonez]

I tend to agree with most of your observations, but unfortunately, it would be a total financial catastrophe to simply abolish the IRS. The funding of almost everything public in this country is a complex web. Far too many people are directly affected by the collection and redistribution of taxes to just delete the source and do a 180.

A comprehensive plan providing removal of current tax collection methods and a schedule for their incremental replacement with a new system has not been produced by a candidate to date to my knowledge. Simply promising to remove the IRS and live happily ever after is not a plan... nor is promising some mysterious flat or consumption tax.

I welcome a new plan. I just haven't seen a workable one yet.

 

[chevydeerhunter]

I tend to agree with most of your observations, but unfortunately, it would be a total financial catastrophe to simply abolish the IRS. The funding of almost everything public in this country is a complex web. Far too many people are directly affected by the collection and redistribution of taxes to just delete the source and do a 180.

A comprehensive plan providing removal of current tax collection methods and a schedule for their incremental replacement with a new system has not been produced by a candidate to date to my knowledge. Simply promising to remove the IRS and live happily ever after is not a plan... nor is promising some mysterious flat or consumption tax.

I welcome a new plan. I just haven't seen a workable one yet.

You are exactly right. It would be a total financial meltdown to just abolish the IRS as well as abruptly undoing all the social mess the left has sidled us with for the last 40 years.
If either Clinton or Obama get in, say goodbye life as we know it. The middle class will bear the brunt of the financial bull bearing down on us to pay for the pie-in-the-sky universal health care.

I was talking to a coworker today who said that she wouldn't vote for Hillary because the wants "universal" health care. Obama's plan is better because he offers subsidies to people who can't qualify for Medicaid or SCHIP. I asked her where she thought those subsidies would come from? She said the government and there began the civics lesson she obviously slept through in high school. People who support this candidate have their heads in the sand and all they're hearing is the word change.

 

[SIG_Fiend]

Oh I agree completely about the IRS thing. I agree with Ron Paul out of principle that I think the IRS shouldn't exist, though at the same time he wants to simply abolish it with one fell swoop of the pen. That is one part of his belief I just can't agree with. It's the same as the situation in Iraq. There are far too many people intertwined, dependent on, and in some way that would be drastically and negatively affected by such a move that it is just not that simple. That is what I meant to say. I agree with him in principle on that subject, just not the method.

 

[zembonez]

People who support this candidate have their heads in the sand and all they're hearing is the word change.

Change for the sake of change does nothing to solve any issues. Typical Dem Party symbolism without any substance. Keep in mind that the left believes that we live in the most despicable country on earth and should immediately try to become New Europe. Heaven help us.

I agree with Ron Paul out of principle that I think the IRS shouldn't exist, though at the same time he wants to simply abolish it with one fell swoop of the pen.

This does scare me. Utopian candidates that say what they think we want to hear are on both sides of the aisle. The best thing to do is have Texas secede and take up arms.

OK.... maybe that isn't quite it.

 

[chevydeerhunter]

OK.... maybe that isn't quite it.

But it is possible!

 

[XDguy]

I forgot one question I asked him

Me: Do you believe Bin-Laden, Chavez, etc. are watching the campaign on CNN?
Him: Yes
Me: Who do you think they want to win?
Him: The Democrats

Enough Said.

This is a good point that I was thinking about the other day. If McCain wants to win he really needs to drive this home to the american people. I am sure there is no shortage of terriorists and evil people campaigning for the Democrats in this election. If the terrorists are on the same side as you are, then you've choosen the wrong side. Pretty simple really.