Letters to the Editor
Factoidus
Published Letters: 155 Editor's Choice: 4
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@Publicola
[Read the article: Flip-flopping to the White House]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Obama did not provide any leadership on the videotaping bill in Illinois - Emil Jones put Obama's name to it, as I've said, in exchange for his vote to divert needed state monies from poor districts to wealthy ones. This was a way to appease campaign donors at the expense of the needy.
Further, Obama stated that he disagreed with the majority in Kennedy v. Louisiana. They, in part, found it unconstitutional to execute someone based upon the word of a child - and one whose testimony hadn't been unequivocal. The support of the death penalty - so unfair that a quick look at the race of those on death row can tell you it is unfairly and unequally applied, by the way - in a case like Kennedy is nothing more than bloodthirsty. Shame on Barack for that.
And add that gruesome position to his support of faith-based programs, his enthusiastic vote on FISA (yes, enthusiastic - he could have dissented and the vote would still have passed - he instead supported it), his belief that a democratic vote to ban an easily concealed and dangerous weapon in a community besieged by that weapon's consequences is unconstitutional (it is more important that some nutjob be able to own a handgun than that the poor and crime-ridden communities be able to ban them in the name of public health), and his inconsistant stand on public financing of campaigns makes him a dangerously right-leaning politician. Sorry, but he won't get my vote. To me, he's just Bush Lite.
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@Publicola
[Read the article: Flip-flopping to the White House]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I live in Illinois, and I was here during the time that bill was passed. Obama was a very, very minor player - and quoting his website does not make that not so.
You seem to be stuck on the fact that he is consistent in his rabidly right-wing positions. I agree with you - it's why he didn't get my vote in the primary (I'm liberal, and I don't vote for knee-jerk conservatives)and won't in the general. His death penalty views can be charitable described as bloodthirsty, his belief that handgun ownership trumps democracy is deplorable and dangerous, his support of FISA smacks of a fascist and imperial presidency, and his incredible backspin on public financing of campaigns reveals him to be a dishonest and untrustworthy politician.
Too bad. Would've been nice is we'd nominated a real leader and a true reformer.
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@Publicola
[Read the article: Flip-flopping to the White House]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Despite the fact that you naively believe that the ObamaFactCheck.com is not an Obama funded and operated website, please know that I posted the reply you recently responded to before you posted the claptrap quoting other puff pieces regarding his "leadership" on that bill. My position stands.
But here's the thing - take a cursory glance at any death row and you will see that it is unjustly and unfairly applied to minorities. You needn't see any more than that to avoid supporting the death penalty for any crime. But Obama specifically said that he disagreed with the holding in Kennedy, and he's never taken that back. That means he supports allowing the death penalty for a black mam accused by an equivical child of a crime that did not result in the death of the victim. That's bloodthirsty and vengeful, but it has nothing to do with being reasonable, consistant and fair.
He's Bush lite. You can avoid all the rest of what I've said, but he's dangerously wrong on this and many, many other issues. He believes in a dangerously unfair system - and, in the unlikely event he's elected, he'll use his power to further disadvantage the poor and the minorities. He doesn't get my vote - and you needn't tell me that he'll get yours. I'm only thankful there's not enough people like you to make a real difference.
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Will Barack's Travel Make a Difference? Sadly, No.
[Read the article: Obama's schedule]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The dangerously right wing (supports warrantless spying on Americans, the death penalty in southern states in cases involving equivocal testimony by children against black men that don't result in murder, supports handgun ownership despite democratic votes seeking to ban them in the name of public health, cynically lies to his supporters about his view of campaign finance) Barack Obama will gain no perspective that will change his views on this trip - it's purely theatrical.
Amazing that his supporters are beginning to forgive anything short of child rape (for which he'd have to execute himself) from this radically conservative candidate. Thank goodness he can't win in November!
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@jeffersonian
[Read the article: Obama's schedule]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"Faintly veiled rascist neocon smear"? Honestly, I'm quite liberal. Your candidate isn't. But the argumentum ad hominem really doesn't refute any of the points I made, and the vulgar and lame attempts at humor lead me to the conclusion that you may have stayed up past your bedtime. This sort of behavior doesn't make your parents proud of you.
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A Growing Unease
[Read the article: A big November ahead for Senate Democrats]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The House and the Senate have approval ratings lower than Bush - the question really is, will the dissatisfaction that the electorate feels with a Democratically controlled House and Senate spill over to the general election? Of course, the alternative is to vote for the Republicans, which can't make Americans happy, but as the Democrats have been so miserable at living up to the bright promise of their 2006 election campaigns, maybe many will decide to stay home entirely, convinced that their vote will make as much difference as which candidate gets in. When the choices are between two evils and Republicans and Democrats are equally despised (as, sadly, they should be), perhaps the electorate just stays home.
That's not the election day option that leads to a better country, but it is one I'm hearing more and more.
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It's off the table
[Read the article: Exposing Bush's historic abuse of power]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Nancy Pelosi, when she became the Speaker of the House, stated that "impeachment" was "off the table". It was the first inkling I had that it didn't matter who we voted it......they're all either criminals, or criminally enabling.