Political Ramblings ...

Barack Obama claims to be the candidate of change, yet he has flip flopped on so many important issues.

Obama's Top 10 Flip Flops:

Obama's Gun Flip Flops - Obama says he's been "consistent" in opposing the D.C. handgun ban. But in the past he agreed that he supported the ban.

Obama's Oil Spill - Obama says he doesn't take money from oil companies. We say that's a little too slick.

Obama's Inflated Health "Savings" - He claims that a shift to electronic medical records will help save families up to $2,500 a year in his first term. Independent experts say that's wishful thinking.

Obama's Lame Claim About McCain's Money - Obama says McCain is "fueled" by money from lobbyists and PACs, but those sources account for less than 1.7 percent of McCain's money.

Obama's Real Record: Public Housing -Obama rich friends hurts communities proof that Obama's Hope and Change rhetoric is all symbolism and no substance?

Look no farther than this devastating Boston Globe investigation:

Obama's Top Ten Flip Flops

1. SPECIAL INTERESTS. In January, the Obama campaign described union contributions to the campaigns of Clinton and John Edwards as "special interest" money. Obama changed his tune as he began gathering his own union endorsements. He now refers respectfully to unions as the representatives of "working people" and says he is "thrilled" by their support.

2. THE CUBA EMBARGO. In January 2004, Obama said it was time "to end the embargo with Cuba" because it had "utterly failed in the effort to overthrow Castro." Speaking to a Cuban American audience in Miami in August 2007, he said he would not "take off the embargo" as president because it is "an important inducement for change."

3. ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. In a March 2004 questionnaire, Obama was asked if the government should "crack down on businesses that hire illegal immigrants." He replied "Oppose." In a Jan. 31, 2008, televised debate, he said that "we do have to crack down on those employers that are taking advantage of the situation."

4. DECRIMINALIZATION OF MARAJUANA. While running for the U.S. Senate in January 2004, Obama told Illinois college students that he supported eliminating criminal penalties for marijuana use. In the Oct. 30, 2007, presidential debate, he joined other Democratic candidates in opposing the decriminalization of marijuana.

5. NAFTA. During the primary season, Obama hammered Hillary Clinton for her support of NAFTA as First Lady, calling the free trade agreement "devastating" and "a big mistake." Now, in an interview with Fortune to be featured in the magazine's upcoming issue, the presumptive Democratic nominee said that NAFTA has indeed been positive for the US in some ways, and that his earlier criticism - while trying to convince white blue collar voters in some states to vote for him - was 'overheated and amplified.'

6. THE DEATH PENALTY. Ten years ago, when Obama was running for statewide office in an ultra-liberal Chicago district, he opposed the death penalty. As Obama announced this week, he now supports the ultimate penalty.

7. HANDGUN BAN. For 8 years--before becoming a US Senator--Obama sat on the board of a non-profit which contributed $2.7 million to efforts advocating for a complete ban on handguns. (Before that, Obama filled out a questionnaire in 1996 stating that he supported a ban on the manufacture, sale AND POSSESSION of handguns.) But starting with his primary campaign in the gun popular Midwest, Obama now opposes such legislation, and claims to support gun owner's rights.

8. PROPOSED FISA LAW IMMUNITY FOR TELECOMS. In October, 2007, Obama pledged that if the FISA bill contained an immunity provision for telecoms, he would not only oppose the bill, he would help block it through a filibuster. This week, he voted for the bill, telecom immunity provisions and all.

9. PUBLIC FINANCING FOR OBAMA'S GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN. In November, 2007, Obama issued a written pledge to opt into the public campaign finance system for the general presidential election, if the Republican nominee also did so. John McCain immediately accepted the pledge, which acceptance Obama acknowledged in writing in November 2007. After he became the Republican nominee, McCain opted into the public finance system (as he pledged to do), but Obama broke his pledge and opted out.

10. THE WAR IN IRAQ. In 2004--when Obama was running for the United States Senate-- Barack Obama not only said that he was open to a U.S. troop increase in Iraq, but warned against a premature troop withdrawal as a "slap in the face to the troops fighting there" which could make Iraq "an extraordinary hotbed of terrorist activity." Fast forward to Obama's presidential campaign premised in large part on an immediate withdrawal from Iraq.

These 10 examples evince 180 degree changes by the Senator from Chicago on fundamental issues going to the core of Obama as a candidate, and provide important indications of whether the "change" candidate will do what he promises to do in the campaign to court our votes.

Legitimate questions are also raised as to whether Obama is accurately portraying himself during the election process, or is he simply feinting to the middle like the good basketball player he is? How many more Obama flip-flops can we expect before November 2008, and to what extent can the "change" candidate continue to portray himself a different kind of politician who rejects "politics as usual"?

Also another note. While he has flip flopped on many issues Barack Obama has had to backtrack on foreign policy issues, just recently on Jerusalem. He tried to outdo John McCain at AIPAC by insisting that Jerusalem remain the undivided capital of Israel. The Palestinians erupted in anger at that statement, and by the end of the day they had Obama backpedaling...



Now, let's discuss last night's "Veepee" debate.
Sarah Palin brought it ... and she brought it with dignity.
Palin is, for some, a hard pill to swallow. Many argue her position on pro-life, the institution of marriage, or her insistance on drilling for oil in Alaska's north slopes. I, however, admire her positions on most of these issues, but there will always be opposition.

When November 4th comes around I'm going to look at it this way:
Who has my best interest at heart?
Who has stood firmly on issues, and who has flip-flopped to get the popular vote?
Am I voting for a popularity contest, or for a Presidential campaign?
And last, but not least, do I want the next President to have the expertise and experience to do the job, or do I want to sit around while he gets his on-the-job-training?

I leave you with a few clips I admire:


[Obama/Biden ... I was for it, before I was against it.]


[Funny ... didn't Obama previously strive to support the gay community?]