Obama sounds good, but...

...words are not enough

That's the headline of James Klurfeld's column at Newsday.com. An Obama admirer, Klurfeld says, "just saying you want to bring people together isn't sufficient." He makes some good points about some of the key issues facing this country and how on many, there is very little common ground. So the question is how is Barack Obama going to bring about the fundamental change he continuously talks about. He also says that reporters sometimes find Obama to be "aloof, even arrogant." Kurfleld continues saying, "so far, I like what I see. But I'm still not sure what I'm getting.

His feelings are probably that of many. Read the complete article here:

http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-opklu155577880feb15,0,102266.column

Obama the flip-flopper

Back when Barack Obama thought he would have an uphill challenge in fundraising for his presidential campaign, his campaign said that if the Republican in the general election accepted public financing, Obama's campaign would do the same. John McCain's campaign agreed. Now that Barack Obama has shown his true fundraising prowess, he appears to be turning back on his word.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5imF0stzng4QHQfEka6jVR8_Di09AD8UQFCF80

Is Barack Obama tied to special interests?

An AP story today highlighted the energy policy debate of the Democratic candidates. It points out that Barack Obama misled voters about standing up against the nuclear power special interests.

Obama said he "passed" a bill requiring nuclear power companies to disclosed leaks.

Well, it turns out that the bill never passed the Senate and the language that made it out of committee was watered down after Obama met with the nuclear power companies. I don't think that classifies as "straight talk." In fact, it seems to me that this is about as "Washington" as you can get.

The story also points out that Exelon executives and employees have given Obama's campaign over $200,000. But I'm sure they all donated the money because they were glad he was trying to slap their industry with a bunch of new regulations. Oh wait, they talked him out of it.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jyrMRzzhtkEXXcGY9cNmKYSRpVigD8UQG91O0

Barack Obama’s "Ethics" Reform

While Obama should be commended for his refusal to accept money from political action committees, the ethics reform legislation he sponsored did little to stop the truly troublesome practices in Washington, D.C.

While lobbyists can no longer buy a congressional staffer a $10 lunch, for some reason they are still allowed to spend up to $5,000 for the political action committees (PACs) of members of Congress. Yes, pretty much every member of Congress has their own PAC – its not just the labor unions and the corporations. Members of Congress can set up these committees and then beg lobbyists to hand over the big bucks at fundraisers (e.g. ski weekends, hunting trips, spas, etc.) Members in turn use these dollars to bribe their colleagues into supporting them for leadership positions. Leave it to Barack Obama to to make it illegal to have a normal business lunch – and still allow the outrageous excesses of Members’ leadership PACs. Now that’s true ethics reform.

Rants and Raves from Craigslist

Some interesting posts from random people on Craigslist:

"I don't understand why people like Obama..."

http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/rnr/570850068.html

Clinton "just needs to show people they're getting duped"

http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/rnr/570869177.html

"If Obama wins the nomination from the Democrats, I will vote for McCain out of spite!"

http://fortcollins.craigslist.org/rnr/572518004.html

"Today I asked 10 Obama supporters why they were voting for him......8 answered 'change' and the other 2 thought he was 'cool'"

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/rnr/573146971.html

"Another Obama supporter who cannot state specifically WHY he/she is supporting him. MORE proof that people are not voting based on FACTS, but on some ILLUSION."

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/rnr/573136742.html

"Obama: government program is solution to every problem"

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/rnr/573668698.html

"Who says Obama accomplished nothing?"

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/rnr/573056324.html

Obama's economic plan: A lot like Clinton's

Barack Obama unveiled his new plan to revive the economy yesterday. The only problem is that his plan is almost identical to Hillary Clinton's plan. John McCain spokesman Kevin Hassett said Obama's plan is "the most shameless piece of potential plagiarism that I have ever seen."

For a more detailed account, check out the article in the Chicago Sun-Times: http://www.suntimes.com/news/elections/794128,CST-NWS-campweb14.article

Interesting post about Obama's record in D.C. and Illinois

Check out this post on CBS News. It contains some interesting facts:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/17/politics/main2369157.shtml#o

Is Barack’s rhetoric Maytag dependable?

Barack Obama has used Maytag as an example of corporate greed and outsourcing of American jobs ever since he began running for his seat in the U.S. Senate. In fact, if you search the BarackObama.com domain name for the term “Maytag”, you get dozens of mentions of Maytag in Obama's speeches. Let’s check the facts on some of his statements:

“More to do for the workers I met in Galesburg, Illinois, who are losing their union jobs at the Maytag plant that's moving to Mexico, and now are having to compete with their own children for jobs that pay seven bucks an hour.” –At June 4, 2005, Democratic National Convention.

Fact: Fewer than half the Galesburg jobs went to Mexico. Even more were relocated to Maytag’s Amana, Iowa plant. This happened not long after Maytag acquired Amana Appliances to fix its uncompetive refrigeration platform. Most of the job losses in Galesburg were due to efficiency gains because of the acquisition, not because Maytag opened a factory in Mexico. In fact, over 90% of Maytag Appliances' employees were in the United States, even after the Galesburg closing, when all major competitors had operations globally. Maytag’s lack of global operations and high cost structure are what eventually led to the company’s financial downfall, which ultimately led to the company’s buyout by Whirlpool Corporation.

"I’ve met Maytag workers who labored all their lives only to see their jobs shipped overseas; who now compete with their teenagers for $7-an-hour jobs at Wal-Mart."

Fact: Maytag had no operations overseas when this comment was made. All but two of its factories were in the United States - the others located in Mexico. One of the two Mexico plants, Maytag’s Hoover vacuum plant in Mexico, was there before Maytag even acquired Hoover - and long before NAFTA was signed into law.

EVEN MORE OUTRAGEOUS...
"I spoke with workers in Newton who were watching their Maytag plant close down and their shops get shipped overseas. Try telling them to pull themselves up by their bootstraps."

Fact: After Whirlpool purchased Maytag, it announced the closure of three manufacturing plants in Iowa, Illinois and Arkansas. These jobs were moved to Michigan and Ohio, not overseas. (See: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=97140&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=854799&highlight=)

And what about the second Illinois plant - in Herrin - that closed after Barack was elected to the U.S. Senate? This plant closing was announced at the same time as the Newton, Iowa closing. There was no outrage in any of his statements, just a few press releases about Department of Labor benefits for former Maytag employees. I guess it doesn't help his job creation record to point out losing jobs to other states, but he doesn't shy from making political points by politicizing the same Maytag closure announcement in Iowa, coincidentally right before the Iowa caucuses.

Barack Obama’s strategy to stop globalization must be to pick on struggling American companies so much that they end up in Maytag’s position – becoming so uncompetitive that it was bought out by a competitor. That worked out well for Illinois didn’t it – Whirlpool shut down everything left in the state. Now there’s a job creation/protection record.

I wonder if the union leadership in Herrin agrees with what the head of the Galesburg union said in the Chicago Tribune:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-galesburg_obama_webfeb01,1,900662.story

Barack: Liberal Change for America?

Barack Obama repeatedly talks about bringing Republicans, Independents and Democrats together. While he can make a good speech about unity, is change really going to happen when Barack Obama has the most liberal voting record in the United States Senate according to the well-respected political magazine, National Journal?

http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/2008/01/national_journal_obama_most_li.html

The True Barack

Actions Speak Louder than Words

The purpose of this Web site is simple: To get beyond the pundits’ rhetoric to find out who Barack Obama really is. We cannot elect a president based on what he or she says in speeches – we must do it based on his/her goals, proposed policies and ability to lead this great country forward. Everyone’s thoughts are welcome – whether you disagree or agree – but please keep your comments in the spirit of the blog. This site is not intended to perpetuate political propaganda – it is meant to tell the facts about a presidential candidate who many believe has achieved success, not based on substance, but on his public persona.