Obama and Bush not so far apart...
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Article I came across last night on CNN..
- Abstinence: Bush expanded community-based abstinence education during his term, including a $28 million budget increase for 2009 in an effort to "Teach both abstinence and contraception to teens." Obama concurred in April when he said: "We want to make sure that, even as we are teaching responsible sexuality and we are teaching abstinence to children, that we are also making sure that they've got enough understanding about contraception."
- Affirmative action: Bush said of the 2003 University of Michigan affirmative action case: "I strongly support diversity of all kinds, including racial diversity in higher education. But the method used by the University of Michigan to achieve this important goal is fundamentally flawed" -- because it depended solely on race. Bush has said other factors, such as socioeconomic status, should be considered, which would include poor white students.
Obama now agrees with that view. "Inside Higher Ed" referred in May to "Obama's suggestion that he may be ready to change the focus of affirmative action policies in higher education -- away from race to economic class. ... In his debate in Philadelphia with Hillary Clinton, he said in response to a question, that his own privileged daughters do not deserve affirmative action preferences, and that working-class students of all colors do." - Budgets: Obama voted for Bush's budgets, which included 19 spending bills.
- Capital punishment: Like Bush, Obama supports capital punishment. He spoke out in opposition to the recent Supreme Court decision that denied the death penalty for child rapists. And in his 2006 memoir, Obama said, "I believe there are some crimes -- mass murder, the rape and murder of a child -- so heinous that the community is justified in expressing the full measure of its outrage by meting out the ultimate punishment."
- **Education: **Obama supports charter schools, as does Bush, and merit pay for teachers, and he voted in favor of supporting the president's 21st Century Community Learning Centers.
- Economics: Obama told reporters that he agreed with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Bush's bailout package, then voted for the $700 billion plan. And despite routinely criticizing "the Bush tax cuts," Obama is now offering tax cuts of his own (although only for the 95 percent of taxpayers earning less than $250,000 a year). What a concept!
- Energy: In signing the $12.3 billion Energy Policy Act of 2005, Bush said it "promotes dependable, affordable, and environmentally sound production and distribution of energy for America's future." Obama voted for the energy plan and called it a "first step toward decreasing America's dependence on foreign oil."
8.** Faith-based initiatives/fatherhood: **Bush is well known for his commitment to the faith-based community -- with initiatives for the poor and on fatherhood -- and he expanded the ability to allow faith-based providers a seat at the funding table. Obama, who has railed against Bush's efforts, has still found a way to embrace them, saying he would "expand" faith-based initiatives. He used his Father's Day speech to echo the president's Fatherhood Initiative. - FISA: Of the Senate bill passage that rewrote intelligence laws to grant immunity to telecommunications companies that participated in the Bush administration's wiretapping program, Bush said: "This vital intelligence bill will allow our national security professionals to quickly and effectively monitor the plans of terrorists outside the United States, while respecting the liberties of the American people."
Obama, who supported it, after opposing FISA last year, said: "Given the grave threats that we face, our national security agencies must have the capability to gather intelligence and track down terrorists before they strike, while respecting the rule of law and the privacy and civil liberties of the American people." Almost identical, huh? Are we sure they don't share the same speechwriter? But Obama did take heat for his change of heart, as The Washington Post reported that: "The Illinois senator's reversal on the issue has angered liberal groups." Guess you can't please everyone. - Gay marriage: Both Obama and Bush agree that marriage is and should remain between one man and one woman. As far back as 2004, Obama said: "Gays ... should not marry." And in a 2007 Senate debate, he said: "I agree with most Americans, with Democrats and Republicans, with Vice President Cheney, with over 2,000 religious leaders of all different beliefs, that decisions about marriage, as they always have, should be left to the states. ... Personally, I do believe that marriage is between a man and a woman."
- Global AIDS: Obama has said the U.S. must "lead the global fight against the AIDS virus." And earlier this year, he encouraged lawmakers to "Use whatever works with AIDS, including teaching abstinence." Obama has given Bush kudos for his efforts to combat global AIDS and the record amount of funding ($15 billion over 5 years) the president has earmarked for the fight. Obama said in September, "I think President Bush -- and many of you here today -- have shown real leadership in the fight against HIV/AIDS."
- Health care: While they don't share similar views on universal health care coverage, Bush and Obama agree that the problem with health care is "about affordability" and there is a need to address minority health concerns with more coverage and targeting. That is why Bush expanded community health care centers, covering the uninsured and targeting urban areas, to the tune of $1.5 billion for 1,200 centers "coast to coast."
- Middle-class tax cuts: While he hasn't voted for such cuts, Obama is pushing his biggest economic initiative yet: tax cuts for the middle class. "We've got to help the middle class," Obama said Tuesday. Perhaps unbeknownst to him, Bush has already been there, done that. In signing the 2001 Tax Cut Bill, Bush said: "Tax relief is an achievement for families struggling to enter the middle class. For hard-working lower-income families, we have cut the bottom rate of federal income tax from 15 percent to 10 percent. We doubled the per-child tax credit to $1,000, and made it refundable. ... Tax relief is an achievement for middle-class families squeezed by high energy prices and credit card debt."
- Minority homeownership: Obama adopted the Congressional Black Caucus principles "to increase minority homeownership" as it is "one of the best wealth-creation vehicles for minority families." These principles were developed as part of Bush's vision to expand minority homeownership to 5.5 million new homeowners by 2010. "Across our nation, every citizen, regardless of race, creed, color or place of birth, should have the opportunity to become a homeowner," Bush said.
Similar comparisons can be drawn for their positions on small businesses and on businesses owned by women and minorities. - National security: Obama voted yes on preauthorizing the much ballyhooed Patriot Act, sought by the Bush administration.
- Offshore drilling: Bush has consistently pushed for drilling offshore, while Obama, who until recently opposed it, now says he's for it. In Nashville, Tennessee, he told an audience: "We're going to have to explore new ways to get more oil, and that includes offshore drilling."
- **Racial profiling: **Obama's campaign literature states that he will call for a ban on racial profiling, even though Bush issued a directive that banned racial profiling in 2001. In his order, Bush said to the attorney general: "I hereby direct you to review the use by federal law enforcement authorities of race as a factor in conducting stops, searches and other investigative procedures. ... I further direct that you report back to me with your findings and recommendations for the improvement of the just and equal administration of our nation's laws."
- Religion: It is widely known that Obama is a person of faith. He has said: "I am a proud Christian who believes deeply in Jesus Christ." Bush, who shares the same faith, has been just as much, if not more vocal, about his faith. He once told The Washington Times that he doesn't "see how you can be president without a relationship with the Lord."
- Supreme Court ruling on gun ban: Despite his past endorsements of some gun control measures, Obama's reaction to the recent Supreme Court decision upholding the constitutional right of individuals to own handguns mirrors the administration's. Obama now says: "As a general principle, I believe that the Constitution confers an individual right to bear arms."
- Welfare reform: An Obama ad this summer said he "passed a law to move people from welfare to work" and "slashed the rolls by 80 percent" (though all states had to as a result of the Clinton administration's mandate). Obama said in 2004: "Go into the collar counties around Chicago, and people will tell you they don't want their tax money wasted by a welfare agency." In 2003, Bush successfully called on Congress to reauthorize and expand on welfare reform efforts, "to make welfare even more focused on the well being of children and supportive of families."
So, although he has been ranked as the most liberal senator by the National Journal and obviously hasn't voted with Bush as often as Sen. McCain has -- based on his voting "record" -- Obama's "rhetoric" still sounds a lot like, well, Bush. McCain might want to take that into account the next time Obama talks about another Bush term.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/13/wall.bush-obama/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
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Just because people agree on some of the same issues doesn't make them the same person, or mean they have the same values.
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Funny thing with Obama on equal rights is women working in his campaign earn on average $9,000 less than men. Women working in McCains earn up to $2000 more than men
Obama would ruin this country quicker than anyone thinks Bush ever did...
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Oh even more good news about what Obama wants!
http://www.nypost.com/seven/10152008/news/politics/obama_fires_a_robin_hood_warning_shot_133685.htm
OBAMA FIRES A 'ROBIN HOOD' WARNING SHOT
WASHINGTON - You won't find it in his campaign ads, but Barack Obama let slip his plans to become a modern-day Robin Hood in the White House, confiscating money from the rich to give to the poor.
Conservatives yesterday ripped Obama after he was caught on video telling an Ohio plumber that he intends to take the profits of small-business owners and "spread the wealth around" to those with lesser incomes.
The fracas over Obama's tax plan broke out Sunday outside Toledo when Joe Wurzelbacher approached the candidate.
Wurzelbacher said he planned to become the owner of a small plumbing business that will take in more than the $250,000 amount at which Obama plans to begin raising tax rates.
"Your new tax plan is going to tax me more, isn't it?" the blue-collar worker asked.
After Obama responded that it would, Wurzelbacher continued: "I've worked hard . . . I work 10 to 12 hours a day and I'm buying this company and I'm going to continue working that way. I'm getting taxed more and more while fulfilling the American Dream."
"It's not that I want to punish your success," Obama told him. "I want to make sure that everybody who is behind you, that they've got a chance for success, too.
Then, Obama explained his trickle-up theory of economics.
"My attitude is that if the economy's good for folks from the bottom up, it's gonna be good for everybody. I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."
Critics said Obama let the cat out of the bag.
"It's clear that his main goal is redistribution of wealth, not growth," said Andy Roth with the anti-tax group Club for Growth. "He's perfectly happy to destroy wealth as long as he can redistribute it."
Obama has been meticulous, Roth said, to conceal the "socialistic" nature of his tax plans. "But every once in a while, he lets it slip," he said.
Republican candidate John McCain yesterday charged that Obama's comment was telling.
"This explains how Senator Obama can promise an income-tax cut for millions who aren't even paying income taxes right now," he said in Pennsylvania.
"My plan isn't intended to force small businesses to cut jobs to pay higher taxes so we can 'spread the wealth around.' My plan is intended to create jobs and increase the wealth of all Americans."
So Tintmasters, SLS, all you businesses...get ready for him to try mandating that you pay for employee healthcare or fork over a large sum of money for socialized healthcare (scam1). THEN get ready to fork even MORE on top of that to help redistribute your wealth to all those American's who already don't pay taxes and recieve free money from those of us who do pay.
That is one thing I love about one of Obama's TV ads, "JOHN MCCAINS POLICY PROVIDES NO RELIEF TO 100 MILLION AMERICANS"
Well thats because those 100 Million already don't pay any flippin taxes, they don't need any more relief.
On top of that he was also one of the leading advocates (not to mention the 3rd largest recipient of lobbying funds from them) behind the Fannie/Freddy foundations and changing laws so that those on welfare could get $100,000 mortgages that they could never afford...helping bring this current economic crisis to what it has become. Yet many will still blame Bush and the Republicans, even though McCain wanted Fannie and Freddy investigated almost 2 years ago.
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"6. Economics: Obama told reporters that he agreed with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Bush's bailout package, then voted for the $700 billion plan. And despite routinely criticizing "the Bush tax cuts," Obama is now offering tax cuts of his own (although only for the 95 percent of taxpayers earning less than $250,000 a year). What a concept!"
Did I hear 'tax cuts' there or welfare check...coulda sworn i heard the later...
40% of Americans don't pay in any taxes right now...This means he's going to give taxpayer money to those who don't give anything to the system...yeah, there's a word that discribes that, welfare...
Obama (from above), "I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."
----Sounds like Karl Marx. -
torbs;242007 wrote:
"6. Economics: Obama told reporters that he agreed with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Bush's bailout package, then voted for the $700 billion plan. And despite routinely criticizing "the Bush tax cuts," Obama is now offering tax cuts of his own (although only for the 95 percent of taxpayers earning less than $250,000 a year). What a concept!"Did I hear 'tax cuts' there or welfare check...coulda sworn i heard the later...
40% of Americans don't pay in any taxes right now...This means he's going to give taxpayer money to those who don't give anything to the system...yeah, there's a word that discribes that, welfare...
Obama (from above), "I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."
----Sounds like Karl Marx.K Glen Beck...better find out who's voting for so you can do the same.
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DelSlow;242011 wrote:
K Glen Beck...better find out who's voting for so you can do the same.why is it you always post this immediatly after i say something...you could actually (I know...here it comes!) figure out a good conter-arguement. but no, you pull the typical democrat crap which is simply making fun of the person for their views instead of making an attempt to show them up...congrats, you're so cool
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Umm....this is fairly old news. I'm pretty sure he said quite early in his campaign that he plans on reversing the tax cut for the wealthy that came in the early years of the Bush administration.
Is the full video out there where he talks about capital gains tax reduction? I'd like to see that as well. The question is, how much does he intend to raise taxes on the "wealthy"? Is it 1% or 10%....if it's ten percent I take issue with it...if it's 1% I can handle that. Yes, I'd ideally like to see the taxes flat.
I'm telling you that I can handle paying a percent or 2 more than I currently do. It won't affect my spending habits one bit....however if you give another 2% to someone making, say, 20k per year it allows them to put another $400 into their pockets which WILL go back into the economy...give me another 2% and it goes into my IRA/401k/Roth/whatever....odds are I won't respend it, at least not for another 30 years or so.
torbs;242007 wrote:
"6. Economics: Obama told reporters that he agreed with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Bush's bailout package, then voted for the $700 billion plan. And despite routinely criticizing "the Bush tax cuts," Obama is now offering tax cuts of his own (although only for the 95 percent of taxpayers earning less than $250,000 a year). What a concept!"Did I hear 'tax cuts' there or welfare check...coulda sworn i heard the later...
40% of Americans don't pay in any taxes right now...This means he's going to give taxpayer money to those who don't give anything to the system...yeah, there's a word that discribes that, welfare...
Torbs, I fail to see how a tax cut for the working class is a bad thing or how it is a welfare check. He said the MAJORITY of the people would get tax cuts...not extra payments. If you work and earn a living and make less than $250,000 you will get a tax cut if his plan goes forward.
Tell me why this is bad?
Is it because you will have more money and won't have to try and negotiate every single deal you try and make with someone?
Is it because I will have more money to buy things for my wife and kid?
Is it because people that are working hard for their money might have a chance to put some of it away?
Is it because businesses should according to the past 2 stimulus packages bring about more people spending money and boosting our economy?
Or is it because a liberal is talking about making a move that would normally be seen as fiscally conservative (ok...fiscally moderate) and presenting it to the people? I mean, come on...I've never seen a tax break that the republican party didn't like!
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Then there is the whole issue of the 40% who you claim don't pay taxes (actually 37.2%).
How many of them are retired people living on social security...or maybe even welfare as they may be in nursing homes and such and not have any other source to pay? (BTW, 1 in 7 people in this country are receiving a Social Security benefit...so that's 14% potentially right of the bat)
How many of them suffer from mental/physical disabilities that prevent them from working?
How many work for cash?
And to be fair, how many on welfare could be out working but chose not to and should have their benefits cut off?
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By returning tax levels to what they were during the Reagan administration? Reagan is Mr. Conservative...surely he should have cut taxes if it were fiscally responsible to do so!
The gov't already controls nearly every aspect of your life in some way shape or form, what new things do you see Obama bringing to the table that will affect YOU or ME?
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Reagan ftw. Currently wearing a Reagan/Bush 84 t-shirt.
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02AccordEXV6;242050 wrote:
socialism...We discussed this at a bit of length on AIM Nick...and I've said this before countless times, I'm all for a flat income tax percentage across the board.
However, it could easily be argued that the trickle-down economics that have been implemented under Bush didn't work as planned/hoped.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d04358.pdf#page=34 as you can see on this page, 61% of all US Corporations paid ZERO taxes during.....Bill Clinton's final term in office. So to say that all democrats are socialist is wrong. To say that the rich were overtaxed under Clinton is somewhat misleading....and all that Obama has suggested is rolling back the taxes to what they were under Clinton.... Maybe that is why so many new jobs were created then?? Maybe it will create new jobs now? (Pure speculation, I realize this...but throwing it out there for debate none-the-less)
Now here is the real irony in this.....I've heard from nearly all of you that you think the "bail out" should have gone to the people of this country and not to the corporations, yet when a tax plan comes out that might just do that, you all seem to think it is the most evil thing ever....
I hear that you pay too much in taxes, that it consumes too much of your income....then you bitch when someone wants to lower them for well over 99% of this board and 95% of Americans.
You bitch that the "minority interests" get all the benefits, then when a program that benefits the majority comes out you are all against it.
Here is my guess (not guarantee....guess): If the middle class has more of their hard-earned money to spend, they are likely to buy more things/invest in their future...which in turn causes even less people to potentially need assistance from the gov't down the road (huge savings right there). If they spend more money with your business (if you are in the 250k+ club) you should easily offset any losses due to additional taxes you would have incurred by an increase in volume of business....much like the Walmart philosophy of not making as much on every product sold, but they sell a shitload of products to make up for because they can sell it to a wider variety of consumers.
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