Sunday, April 20, 2008

Points of Agreement & Disagreement Barack Obama

Update April 22, 2008

Gee wonder whether our points of disagreement with some of Barack Obama's approach to create a fair economy were an influence on Pennsylvania's Democratic voters unconvinced or convinced about Obama on that point.

Maybe so. Obama is a different type of candidate for President. On many issues he draws the moderate Democrat, on many issues he draws the liberal Democrat, on many issues he draws the yes, there are some, reportedly, conservative Democrat.

What remains in Obama's favor of electability in the Fall? Two major factors.

Independent voters who are not necessarily committed to an IndependentParty Presidential candidate are more likely to vote for Barack Obama.

And another factor:

In comparison to Clinton supporters who reveal should Obama be the nominee they would vote for John McCain by some 28 percent whereas Obama supporters - only some 19 percent - say they would vote for John McCain in the Fall should Clinton be the nominee.

Imagine over one-fourth of Democrat voters would rather John McCain be elected President of the United States than Barack Obama? Isn't that telling? What possible motivation would there be for that? There is a blast-from-the-past motivation (let's say) should Pennsylvania statistics hold true concerning an overwhelming amount of slightly aged white women voters preferring Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama.

Doesn't that show the angry white-woman Clinton voters would rather lose the election to John McCain than see Barack Obama have a chance in the White House for some likely 8 years? Isn't that indicative of the odd feminist-selfishness of Clinton voters?

Net the Truth Online (April 23, 2008)

March 26, 2008
If McCain vs. Obama, 28% of Clinton Backers Go for McCainIf McCain vs. Clinton, 19% of Obama backers go for McCain

...As would be expected, almost all Democratic voters who say they support Obama for their party's nomination also say they would vote for him in a general election matchup against McCain. But only 59% of Democratic voters who support Clinton say they would vote for Obama against McCain, while 28% say they would vote for the Republican McCain. This suggests that some Clinton supporters are so strongly opposed to Obama (or so loyal to Clinton) that they would go so far as to vote for the "other" party's candidate next November if Obama is the Democratic nominee....

...Still, when almost 3 out of 10 Clinton supporters say they would vote for McCain over Obama, it suggests that divisions are running deep within the Democratic Party. If the fight for the party's nomination were to continue until the Denver convention in late August, the Democratic Party could suffer some damage as it tries to regroup for the November general election...

http://www.gallup.com/poll/105691/McCain-vs-Obama-28-Clinton-Backers-McCain.aspx



Yep, it'll all be coming after the Pennsylvania election. Our need to point out each and every difference we have with many of the positions of Barack Obama. (Update: it's still coming. Even with Clinton's win in the popular vote in PA by some 200,000 votes (unofficial, that could narrow depending on official tallies including absentees and provisionals), Clinton gained a net of only 10 delegates in comparison to Obama in PA.

Obama continues his over 150 plus lead in over-all committed delegates.)

For now, we have an area of agreement and disagreement with Barack Obama based on a clip of his comments made in Lancaster, PA reportedly, at a town-hall meeting.

Unofficial transcript of portion:

Wants to create an economy that's fair, believes in capitalism, free markets entrepreneurship... people have to work but when CEO makes more in a month ... than worker makes in entire year... gets tax breaks... worker left holding bag when company gets sold or goes belly up CEO gets million dollar bonus and ordinary worker loses his pension, something is wrong... something has to change...

He finds it unacceptable CEO's get tax breaks, we can agree there. Nobody should get tax breaks, or everybody should. Problem is, the taxes are burdensome on business to begin with, and with more environmental concerns weighing in on the political scene, expect more such taxes to be imposed and those in a sick cycle become more burdensome. Business owners are always looking for ways to pay less taxes because more taxes are a stranglehold on innovation, research and development, and the like. So until government stops taxing for what is politically expedient and not best for the country's economic development, expect CEOs to look for tax breaks and make every attempt to influence those who will or will not give the breaks to them.

Obama: They are making millions in bonuses while workers lose their pensions.

Not exactly accurate. Yes, a couple of Enron execs were shown to have been despicable and deceitful concerning their knowledge of stocks about to tank, and workers lost the equity in their pensions so the pensions were valueless, but not all CEOs are that way or there wouldn't be any companies left after a short while.

Yes, CEOs get paid the big bucks and get the big bonuses. But why should we care as long as they are treating the workers fairly in salary and benefits in keeping with levels of experience, work product, etc.

That's called capitalism, and according to Obama, he's ok with capitalism and free markets and entrepreneurship.

We hold out the hope Obama will acknowledge some less than "taxing" way to meet his expectations to create a "fair" economy - his understanding and support of capitalism and free markets and entrepreneurship point to some potential there, and maybe his sentiments about Washington lobbyists will go toward that end.

We don't agree with the idea to tax the wealthy to pay for government programs for everybody else. At the same time, we agree the wealthy should not get off from paying their fair share of taxes. But the taxes have to be in keeping for only the absolutely necessary and few programs government should be doing.

Doing far more than their constitutional duties, that's where our Washington leaders have gone wrong, on both sides of the aisle...

Obama clip in Lancaster, PA

http://pop.youtube.com/watch?v=bExmgsHo0s0&feature=related

Lay, Skilling guilty on nearly all counts
Former CEOs convicted of fraud, conspiracy, face lengthy prison terms

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12968481/

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