Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

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  1. Obama is hoping you won’t notice.

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    p>Just as he’s hoping you won’t notice how he handles issues that are too hot.  

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    p>While state Senator, Obama voted present on bills concerning reproductive rights (claims that it was under instructions from abortion rights groups don’t exactly add up).  

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    p>As Senator, he skipped a vote on the Lieberman-Kyl Amendment because he was too busy campaigning.

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    p>Most recently, Obama skipped a Senate vote on an amendment that sought to “condemn personal attacks on the honor and integrity of General Petraeus.”  Rather than voting no on this amendment clearly attacking his new BFF MoveOn.org, Obama left them twisting in the wind, casting no vote altogether.  Although he cast on votes immediately preceding and succeeding it. Hillary voted no, standing with activists of the Democratic Party.

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    p>I have to wonder what Obama would have done had he been in a position to vote on the Iraq War, instead of talking about it. (Oops, we know — when he votes, he agrees with Hillary Clinton over 98% of the time).

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    p>Hillary Clinton cast votes on those Senate amendments.  When I hear that Obama is against doing “business as usual”, I guess that includes doing your job.

    • HRC has rested her whole health care plan on a mandate which has only ever been tested in Massachusetts, here where it is struggling.  Bob Reich and others have made the point that just because you mandate something does not mean everyone takes it up.  So HRC’s plan will leave some without coverage and others having to fork out for health care they can’t afford.  She has left out how she will enforce her plan – doesn’t want to tell everyone how if they don’t get health care they will be subject to a tax hit.  And after her last foray into the health care shoals, I would have thought this time she would have learned to be upfront about what her ideas entail.  But again she would rather hide the truth, attack the other candidates and do her dealing behind closed doors.

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      p>And HRC has been hitting Obama’s plan for months.  Time to fight fire with fire.  Hope and unity does not mean sitting on your hands and turning the other cheek.  

    • I haven’t been real invested blogging on BMG about the presidential, but as a Obama supporter since November of 2006, I’m been making mental notes. And you have been critical of him from day one.  Your reasoning seems to have changed–from the way he’s injecting religion into politics to your above post about him leaving allies to “twist in the wind”.  

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      p>So it’s clear you just don like him.  Fine.  But I guess I find it disconcerting that someone whose opinion I genuinely respect (that would be you) would have a long-time distain for someone else I respect.  None of us are perfect–you, me or Obama–and I can understand if you felt the negative attributes of Obama outweighed the positive attributes of Obama.  But I’ve never read a single positive word from you about Obama and I can’t figure that out (particularly when that thrusts you into the arms of Hillary–with all her faults).

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      p>So I guess I’m asking you…why do you dislike him so much?  
       

      • Well, Obama really hasn’t changed his stuff over time, so it makes sense that I disliked his approach to governing on day one, and would thus dislike it today.  I try to react to events as they go along.  At base, Obama’s embrace of the GOP approach to religion in politics makes me very uncomfortable, but I’ve said all I have to say on that.  Why bring it up?  However, a lot of what he keeps doing and what he keep learning about him is merely confirming my concerns, so I just point that out, especially given the strongly pro-Obama tilt of the blog.

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        p>For instance, Obama’s approach to religion was the first thing I noticed wherein he accepted right-wing frames.  This has continued with declarations that Social Security is in crisis, “jokes” about the undesirability of trial lawyers, speaking well of Ronald Reagan, and advertisements courting Republicans in a Democratic primary.  Whether or not he sincerely believes these things I’m not sure, but he’s helping the GOP brand as much as Democratic brand.  This extends even to the most recent debate, where he spoke fulsomely of likely nominee John McCain on two occasions.  That is primo general election material “…at even Senator Obama said that John McCain is right on Iraq…”.

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        p>I also have said — and been roundly criticized for it — that I like substance over rhetoric.  Obama formed his presidential exploration committee one year after being sworn into the Senate.  He had less than 400 days as Senator before looking into going to higher office.  This dovetails with my post explaining the missed votes above — he just doesn’t have the background to “clean up” after Bush’s mistakes.  Being a state senator in opposition doesn’t count for much in my book, particularly when punctured by a disastrous run for Congress.

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        p>Yes, Obama drove me to Clinton.  My first choice was Richardson, who has that experience, and also has the track record of promoting the Democratic Party among Republicans that I like.  I admit this is a default choice (like David’s), but to me it is a clear choice.  There’s a lot to dislike about her, and many others here point that out repeatedly.

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        p>I have been open about my admiration of Obama in those areas where I feel he deserves it.  I said in the last couple days that he would make a grand head of state, and I gave him the first slot in my desired “unity” ad.  I opine in this comment how well he could reach undecided general election voters.  He has good qualities about him, as did Deval Patrick, and Senator Obama would be a heck of a candidate in 2012 or 2016 if he puts the time and effort into his current post that Hillary Clinton did when she arrived.  

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