Why I'm voting for Obama

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by PaloAltoCougar

I understand Obama's no saint, but saints don't get involved in politics in the first place. I'm concerned about McCain's remarkably bad academic record, his reputation for being "the meanest S.O.B on the Hill" (and while I like toughness, I don't like jerkness), his spasmodic decisionmaking (Palin, the bailout, etc.) and he remains a bit of a lecher according to certain private accounts. Obama's devotion to his wife and kids seems sincere, and his personal achievements are very impressive.

Yes, I am bothered by his 20-year attendance record in front of the inflammatory reverend, and by his socialist role models from his youth. But I put everything on the scales, and it still tilts pretty firmly toward Barry.

Fair enough.

I just can't bring myself to vote for someone so far to the left. There is really nothing about his politics that I agree with.

McCain really isn't much better, but unlike Obama. he's at least shown some bi-partisanship.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by PaloAltoCougar

I understand Obama's no saint, but saints don't get involved in politics in the first place. I'm concerned about McCain's remarkably bad academic record, his reputation for being "the meanest S.O.B on the Hill" (and while I like toughness, I don't like jerkness), his spasmodic decisionmaking (Palin, the bailout, etc.) and he remains a bit of a lecher according to certain private accounts. Obama's devotion to his wife and kids seems sincere, and his personal achievements are very impressive.

Yes, I am bothered by his 20-year attendance record in front of the inflammatory reverend, and by his socialist role models from his youth. But I put everything on the scales, and it still tilts pretty firmly toward Barry.

You'll regret this decision like no tomorrow, unless I suppose you're in tight with Goldman Sachs.

OTOH, being a regulatory lawyer, little Barry will create lots of work for you, but you just won't be allowed to keep any of it, and you won't have freedom of choice in who prescribes your meds.

Worrying about the PR promoted character of the denizens of the Hill is a fool's errand. How can you know if his devotion is sincere (unless you're his best friend for the past ten years, you can't), and why would it matter?

[BlueK]

Originally Posted by Archaea

Where I find him to be dishonest is the level of taxation. "I will grant a huge tax break for the middle class." And then he'll claim, "Gee it's much worse than I thought." He knows he's deceiving and plans to dupe us all.

He will increase taxes on us all. He will regulate most industries. He will increase the size of government. He will become our Great Socialist. Hyperbole, I'm sure, but for emphasis sake. He will give us Obamacare, unfortunately.

This is a very sad time for economic conservatives, for advocates of smaller government, for civil libertarians, but alas perhaps our time is past.

It's hard to get a tax increase passed, even by democrats. Raise taxes and risk getting voted out of office. But I'm not voting for Obama or McCain. I'm just not convinced that a win by Obama automatically means the end of the world. I'm not thrilled by 4 more years of Bush-type policies either. On civil liberties Obama might be slightly better than the Bush neocons. This is not enough to make me want to vote for Obama however. I'm going with Barr. For those idiots who think this means a vote for Obama I say would you rather have me cast an actual vote for him? Because I'm sure as heck not giving a rubber stamp approval to the GOP to continue the road we've been on the last eight years, and that's what a vote for McCain would be. In a perfect world the GOP would die and go away and be replaced by the Libertarian Party. Then at least you'd have a true contrast. There would be a big government party and a small government party. Today we have both major parties favoring big, powerful government.

[RC Vikings]

I'm writing in Ron Paul. This guys been screaming for a year how much trouble we're in financially. I won't vote for the other two since Obama is taking us down the socialist road and McCain has proven he can't even run his campaign let alone this country.

[PaloAltoCougar]

Originally Posted by Archaea

You'll regret this decision like no tomorrow, unless I suppose you're in tight with Goldman Sachs.

OTOH, being a regulatory lawyer, little Barry will create lots of work for you, but you just won't be allowed to keep any of it, and you won't have freedom of choice in who prescribes your meds.

Worrying about the PR promoted character of the denizens of the Hill is a fool's errand. How can you know if his devotion is sincere (unless you're his best friend for the past ten years, you can't), and why would it matter?

I'll have no regrets, if only because California is currently so solidly blue my vote matters not a whit.

As for character, you're right that I don't know much, and probably can't, on the character issue. I know a high ranking staffer in the Senate who, though a conservative Republican, has a low opinion of McCain for reasons I won't go into here. Similarly, I know of a very Republican, LDS attorney who, while being educated at the U. of Chicago, was assigned a mentor for a year. This person reports that the mentor, Obama, was very selfless and did a lot of things to help that were neither required nor expected, and were done without a view toward publicity or personal gain (he received none). She was deeply impressed by him over that year and, like me, finds herself in the unaccustomed position of voting for a Democrat this year for president.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by PaloAltoCougar

I'll have no regrets, if only because California is currently so solidly blue my vote matters not a whit.

As for character, you're right that I don't know much, and probably can't, on the character issue. I know a high ranking staffer in the Senate who, though a conservative Republican, has a low opinion of McCain for reasons I won't go into here. Similarly, I know of a very Republican, LDS attorney who, while being educated at the U. of Chicago, was assigned a mentor for a year. This person reports that the mentor, Obama, was very selfless and did a lot of things to help that were neither required nor expected, and were done without a view toward publicity or personal gain (he received none). She was deeply impressed by him over that year and, like me, finds herself in the unaccustomed position of voting for a Democrat this year for president.

Iknow a LDS guy who did law at U. Chicago. He had Obama as a professor and said that he was a very good guy. I don't know about the specifics. I believe this LDS guy is very conservative too.

[BlueK]

Originally Posted by RC Vikings

I'm writing in Ron Paul. This guys been screaming for a year how much trouble we're in financially. I won't vote for the other two since Obama is taking us down the socialist road and McCain has proven he can't even run his campaign let alone this country.

He's not running. Do yourself a favor and let your vote at least count for something by voting for Bob Barr. There is no real difference in philosophy between them and that vote will actaully be counted. Most states don't even bother counting write in votes for candidates who are not registered as running a write in campaign. In most states it takes a lot of work for a third party candidate to get printed on the ballot, but it's not so hard to get registered as a write in candidate. In most places the ballot just gets thrown in the garbage if the voter writes in someone who is not registered. Some states like Oklahoma have banned write in votes entirely.

Also, the more votes a third party gets, the easier it is to get on the ballot next time. State ballot access laws are often based on what percentage of the vote the party gets. If they get enough they may not have to jump through as many hoops to get on the ballot next time. Part of the challenge they face is they have to spend all their money just getting on the ballot and then on lawsuits when the major parties sue to try to get them back off. It's a joke. The democrats filed 34 different lawsuits in 2004 to try to get Nader taken off 34 different state ballots. This time around the McCain campaign has been harassing the Libertarians in several states by filing frivolous motions and suits.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by PaloAltoCougar

Friends and certain family members are surprised, some even shocked, I'm voting for Obama; I vote Republican at least 80% of the time, but not this time. I was a National Review subscriber in high school and always admired WFB's command of language. That's why it's particularly interesting to read today that his son Christopher, another gifted writer, has announced his support for Obama and his resignation from the magazine's editorial staff.

In a CNN story, Buckley mentioned a couple of things I strongly agree with: "Eight years of 'conservative' government has brought us a doubled national debt, ruinous expansion of entitlement programs, bridges to nowhere, poster boy Jack Abramoff and an ill-premised, ill-waged war conducted by politicians of breathtaking arrogance. As a sideshow, it brought us a truly obscene attempt at federal intervention in the Terry Schiavo case."

I also agree with his view that Obama has the intellect and temperament for the job, things in which McCain seems to be deficient. Finally, in matters of personal character, despite McCain's valorous service, I think Obama trumps him.

I'm deeply concerned by the mischief a triumvirate of Obama/Pelosi/Reid may get into, but I'm betting, not without considerable risk I admit, that Obama's intelligence and ability to see the long-term effects on his legacy will be a moderating influence.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-a...ase-for-obama/

I notice Chris Buckley waited for his father to die before he apostatized. This apostasy is dispicable in light of the fact that the conservative movement, including, most notably his daddy's magazine, gave little Buckley his start as a writer. Considering the National Review launched the modern conservative movement and for a long time provided its text, that's as good a place as it gets to start one's writing career. He's biting the hand that has fed him wonderful goodies.

But pundit apostasy happens all the time; see David Brock, Chris Hitchins. There is probably an Ann Coulter apostasy simetime in the future for us to anticipate. They do it to juice their careers, pure and simple. They don't really have beleifs. They say what gets them more sales or air time and therefore more income. They develop a branding to cultivate. It's human nature to care more about that than abstract principle.

A critical mindset leads to constant reassessment of beliefs. But I don't respect middle aged or old people who apostatize from conservativism, Mormonism, or anything else. Reviewing and adjusting beliefs is onething. But the time for radical remaking of your beliefs is college or at the latest grad school, unless you lack conviction.

People need to stick with what they believe is right throught thick and thin. These are thick times for conservatives, granted. Bush is an evil president, granted. But now is the time conservatives need to show courage of their convictions. Just like our liberal brethren did during their uncertain and challenging times. Obama is very cool, granted. Cool does not mean right.

[PaloAltoCougar]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

But I don't respect middle aged or old people who apostatize from conservativism, Mormonism, or anything else.

Read Buckley the Younger's contemporaneous essay on his own apostasy: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-a...ad-i-was-fired You'll be reminded that even the sainted WFB voted for liberal Democrats on occasion; I was disturbed to read he was also close friends with John Kenneth Galbraith. Since there isn't a solid conservative candidate available (and despite my temporary defection, I remain a conservative, as does Christopher), I'm going with the guy I perceive will be the best leader.

But thanks for the heads up on your view of post-adolescent mind changes. I was thinking of bagging the LDS Church, too, and joining your Wiccan, Philosophies of Men, Appletini-sipping cult, but now I'll stick with the Church after all. I wouldn't want to lose your respect.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by PaloAltoCougar

Read Buckley the Younger's contemporaneous essay on his own apostasy: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-a...ad-i-was-fired You'll be reminded that even the sainted WFB voted for liberal Democrats on occasion; I was disturbed to read he was also close friends with John Kenneth Galbraith. Since there isn't a solid conservative candidate available (and despite my temporary defection, I remain a conservative, as does Christopher), I'm going with the guy I perceive will be the best leader.

But thanks for the heads up on your view of post-adolescent mind changes. I was thinking of bagging the LDS Church, too, and joining your Wiccan, Philosophies of Men, Appletini-sipping cult, but now I'll stick with the Church after all. I wouldn't want to lose your respect.

I read both columns. As to the Obama endorsement, what it says is he always liked McCain, even thought him someone who "had to be president," even backed him in a NY Times op-ed piece during the primary that chided Limbaugh and others of his ilk who thought McCain insufficiently conservative. But now little Buckley turns on him...why?...because of McCain's comportment during the primary. Well, okay. Whatever. I'm not thrilled with how McCain has run this campaign either, but it's hardly an ideal milleiu in which to judge a man's fitness to be president after having felt he shiningly made the grade for 72 years (I'm sort of trying to write this in Buckley's pompous faux WFB style).

As to the second column, what did he expect? I don't subscribe to the NR and never have, because of its ideological bent. It's boring. I don't read boring stuff. I probably read more stuff I disagree with than vice-versa (one of the paradoxical attractions of this place). My magazines are New York Review of Books, New Yorker, and TNR. Little Buckley's acting like someone who signed up for the Honor Code then complained for getting kicked out of BYU for drinking beer.

I don't know what the real reason is for Buckley doing this. I smell the stench of opportunism as I suggested before. Or maybe it's just a late mid-life crisis, easily indulged because he just came into a very large inheritance.