Why is Barack Obama so popular?

He is not exactly the bell of the ball down here in the south.

Originally posted by WhatTheory

Originally posted by mental modulator
Alright WHATTHEORY---
What do you figure are the bad damaging ideas,, better yet what is the outcome of these ideas in your opinion?

Well, the outcome will be a socialist EU type of nation.

His damaging socialist ideas and views:
A) Universal Healthcare
B) Income redistribution
C) More government regulation
D) Higher Taxes
E) Larger more intrusive government

That was a few off the top of my head. I'm sure if I really think about it, I could remember much more.

Well sorry my point of view... You shall hate...

A) Universal Healthcare
Fine with me,,, I got "sicker" in Mexico city while traveling, the docs here said "your fine $300.00 please" ....... In Mexico they discovered a long lived ear infection... Cost me $25.00 for everything and meds...
I got better treatment in mexico for christ sake!

B) Income redistribution
You mean Higher taxation on very ultra rich or what???
Any how I do not know any multi millionaires/billionaires ---

And I also know that companies rarely take me into consideration except to "cash" me
I have been charged unfairly for various things many times...

My opinion is that the rich are powerful enough,, I believe the USA is out of balance
In this regard...

C) More government regulation
???
I'm not sure on this can you enlighten me- because if O wants to regulate
OIL and the MORTGAGE industries to protect US CITIZENS I am for that!!!
I might not be keen on everything.... what speculation...

D) Higher Taxes
Well sadly we are in the red $9,000,000,000,000
We are at war, we want another war, our banks are underfunded
I personally want UHC ---
I am prepared for higher taxes!!!


E) Larger more intrusive government
Ya Maybe a yin to Bushes yang --DEPARTMENT OF FRIENDLY HELPERS
DFH ---- Anyhow I think Bush has been the most intrusive president in history...
And not a very good steward of the economy...

Me be a liberal set aside I don't think it could get much worse here unless you tack on previous points from above...

So Ya if your assumptions are right I will vote for Obama and enjoy most of his policies...

He is drawing in masses with personality but no substance. Once he has power he'll show his true colors. More and bigger nannie-state government, more control over individual lives, more interference in private affairs, more shredding of the constitution.

Did anyone mention he may be the antichrist?

Originally posted by woogleuk
I think the OP has some racial issues he / she needs to work out before carrying on with this thread. Where does the African American thing come into play, do you not want a "non-white" guy running yor country? I think Barack seems like a decent HUMAN being, he can't be any worse than Adolf H......sorry.....Geroge Bush, Mr Bush is a war mongerer, he has pretty much said so himself, maybe not in those words, but the idea is there. I say give Barack a chance, I know I dont live in the US, but hey I think my opinion should count, and if i did live in the US I honestly believe I would give him my vote. I'm truly am sorry if my opinion has offended anybody.

This is an issue in itself. The fact hes african american gives him advantage for a very good reason. People like you can paint a nasty picture on someone else and make them seem racist when they aren't.

People in general are afraid to talk of the race factor. Its sad, but the issue is there. Racism is a two way street lets not forget. One can easily say black people are racist, especially since 96% support obama, which is quite unrealistic in terms of educated decisions and statistical probability.

Now the real nitty gritty of what I was getting at is, Obama himself is viewed as an underdog for the very fact of being black. A black man winning the white house would TRULY be the ultimate underdog story.


That's not necessarily how I view it, but instead how a majority of the population does.


The only issue I have with Obama's race is he really can't decide what race he is. One day he's mixed, the next hes a full blooded african american from Kenya and another day he's white. A lot can be said about his wife and himself in terms of the way they reference to white people. One can easily call that an issue with race. Heck look at his wifes college dissertation and try and convince me thats not plagued with racist overtones.

Obama really has nothing to bring to the table. People say "Give him a chance", why not do the same for McCain? After all, regardless of what the liberal hippies want to believe, McCain is quite moderate and really has a voting history that truly shows hes not a hard core conservative.

Do you not remember the chatters of him possibly being a VP for Kerry?
Again McCain is not the McSame the liberals are painting him out to be.


Needless to say, either way you look at it people do not look at the real facts. They expect promises of CHANGE and HOPE to fix this countries problems. The first few years of my life I was pretty much homeless, and the rest of my life afterwards I grew up way under the poverty level. I'm not sure how old you are, but in my short life I've learned very quickly that HOPE and CHANGE don't get you very far.

[edit on 7/27/2008 by AndrewTB]

Originally posted by smokingmonkey
He is drawing in masses with personality but no substance. Once he has power he'll show his true colors. More and bigger nannie-state government, more control over individual lives, more interference in private affairs, more shredding of the constitution.

Absolutely. But even if we assume for a moment that he's NOT a die-hard socialist, look the people he'll be governing with and who will be sending legislation for his approval. Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. Socialists? I don't know about anyone else, but they fit my description of the word quite nicely.

If you like these two loons, feel free to vote for Obama. A vote for Obama is actually a vote for them because he's basically just going to be signing off on their radical liberal/socialist agenda as it comes out of Congress.

Pelosi, Reid and the entire Dem Congress play a significant role in my opposition to Obama.

[edit on 27-7-2008 by vor78]

Originally posted by Level X
reply to post by billyjoinedat2k8

 

1. Obama is popular because people have realized Bush is a war mongering idiot.

Ill give you that one partially.

2. Obama is popular because the younger generation is not as dumb as their republican parents, and understand patriotism means nothing with a president who will sell you out for a dollar.

Our younger generation is not dumb? When was the last time you looked around? I'm not speaking for all, but instead most.

3. Obama is popular because people around the world are tired of seeing a dishonest "white face" flying to their land on Air force one and lying to their face.

People around the world have no idea what life is like in the US. They are told about it as if it were a fairy tale. I'm half Spaniard and know this from first hand experience. The term white face would not settle well with the majority of the world in the nature its being used.

4. Obama is popular because America is fading down the super power ladder.

Not necessarily true. Were still pretty damn strong, and just facing a current downturn. We are already starting to make a comeback.

5. Obama is popular because Bush and McCain and the republicans are un-popular.

Yes, Bush is not popular. McCain on the other hand isn't that far off from Obama in terms of popularity. The main stream medias love fest with Obama leads the general population to believe otherwise.

6. Obama is popular becasue their are hundreds of millions more people without money... than those with and folks are tired of it --- ref. See; Robin Hood, Bonnie and Clyde, Santa and Jesus Christ.

I'm very much poor. By use standards established way back, not even counting inflation, i'm at least 8K under the national poverty level. Im sorry but thats not how me or my family feels. Those that feel that way only want to leech off the government and expect handouts 24/7.

7. Obama is popular because McCain is O.L.D., weak and looks more like the guy who straps you on a donkey to trek into the grand canyon.

I don't know if we are talking about the same person. For a 71 year old man, McCain is in damn good shape. His medical records back that up. Look at the average 60 year old guy and you'll see they are nowhere near as healthy.

8. Obama is popular because, in his own words.... "America needs a major diaper change... because there is not enough energy to get the sh_t off the fan.."

You obviously buy into the rubbish Nobama calls hope. Plenty of everything here, we just have to re-organize it.

[edit on 26-7-2008 by Level X]

Im sorry, but from your post, you obviously know very little.

Originally posted by TheOracle
Because he speaks of Hope and optimism.

McBush plays with your fears. Only in America people would prefer to vote for him and live in a desperate economy, warmongering police state than vote for a black guy who didnt wear an american pin.
Seriously you may not like the guy for this or that, he is not perfect no one is - but..four more years of neocon madness??????

Your right, but hes nowhere near qualified to bring any of the above, nor does he have intentions of delivering on it.

I've told many people this. Dig into his history, read his books and on top of that don't forget his wife. If you still support him afterwards I'd say your 2 stone shy of an Amy Whinehouse crack addiction.

My post history may show I used to be a huge Obama fan. Way before his showdown with Hillary. Luckily I saw the light, I just hope America does in time to save its butt.

Very pretty picture btw.

[edit on 7/27/2008 by AndrewTB]

Originally posted by woogleuk
I think the OP has some racial issues he / she needs to work out before carrying on with this thread. Where does the African American thing come into play, do you not want a "non-white" guy running yor country? I think Barack seems like a decent HUMAN being, he can't be any worse than Adolf H......sorry.....Geroge Bush, Mr Bush is a war mongerer, he has pretty much said so himself, maybe not in those words, but the idea is there. I say give Barack a chance, I know I dont live in the US, but hey I think my opinion should count, and if i did live in the US I honestly believe I would give him my vote. I'm truly am sorry if my opinion has offended anybody.

why do i have racial issues just because i dont like the guy it doesnt mean im racist i hatte it when people are racist and i dont think i deserve it when someone like you says i have racial issues just because i dont like him and you do seriously man get it right.

He does a lot of talking. Just never says anything

I don't vote, Jesus Christ runs my life, when in trouble i do not go to an attorney, as look for the legal meaning of attorney. when reading the book of revelation, there is a group of people that wash their robes in the blood of Christ, this is what sets them apart from all others. I mean look at the presidents over the last 20 years, and what they have done, why would you vote/trust someone that is just going to take more rights away from you. why do you think that they want you to be a REGISTERED voter, just so that they can have juristiction over you. get out of the system to preserve your rights/
keith

Originally posted by Humphrey

Originally posted by WhatTheory

Originally posted by Jesus_Christ
You should love him for the man that he is, not hate him for what he is not.

Boy, I hate to disagree with Jesus_Christ but I don't like him for what he is.
And he is a socialist with bad, damaging ideas.

I have to agree with you..Not sure any of the candidates are ever good but McCain at least has experience.

Obama is too left of center for my tastes...get ready to open your wallets if he wins and educate the illegal imigrants etc.

Man my wallet has already been open the last 8 years to pay for an illegal war.

And I'm already educating illegals, because the schools have no choice

Originally posted by TXMACHINEGUNDLR
He is not exactly the bell of the ball down here in the south.

Not sure what part of the south you are from, but here in ATL he IS the belle of the ball.

[edit on 27-7-2008 by Quazga]

reply to post by Quazga


Yes, but that's Atlanta. Generally speaking, the greater the degree of urbanization, the higher the percentage of the population that votes Democrat. They *always* win the cities.

The question, and one that we really don't know the answer to, is just how well is Barack Obama playing in suburbia, but especially in semi-rural and rural towns, not just in the south but all across America? This is largely the Republican base and the home of the so called Silent Majority. In your own state of Georgia, these voters went 61-39 in favor of George W. Bush in 2004.

www.cnn.com...

One thing we can look at is polling, and even though its sometimes flawed, its the best we have. There, Obama trails by significant margins in most southern states, with the exceptions of Florida, Virginia and North Carolina. McCain appears to have tenuous leads of around 3-5% in Florida and NC, while Virginia appears to be a statistical tie and is the only one that I think Obama might actually pick off.

In the end, I think Obama's supporters are fooling themselves as much about most of these traditional Republican strongholds every bit as much as Republicans are fooling themselves about winning states such as Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Its probably not going to happen for either side. The polls are generally indicating fairly consistent leads of a handful of points in these battleground states for the traditional victor, indicating that the trend will very likely continue for at least this election cycle.

Originally posted by vor78
reply to post by Quazga

 

Yes, but that's Atlanta. Generally speaking, the greater the degree of urbanization, the higher the percentage of the population that votes Democrat. They *always* win the cities.

Good point!

Although I have recently "moved out to the suburbs", I'm still in Fulton County, which notoriously votes democrat.

The question, and one that we really don't know the answer to, is just how well is Barack Obama playing in suburbia, but especially in semi-rural and rural towns, not just in the south but all across America? This is largely the Republican base and the home of the so called Silent Majority. In your own state of Georgia, these voters went 61-39 in favor of George W. Bush in 2004.

This is true, although there is something to recall about 2004. The GOP ran a Democratic Viet Nam Vet, who had no legs, out of office by running attack ads questioning his patriotism.

At first glance, this really swings the pendulum away from the GOP for nasty tactics. However, I would have to concede that McCain was not part of that (as he himself was also being victimized by this from the Bush camp). So that might cancel out any bad taste voters have about 2004.

www.cnn.com...

One thing we can look at is polling, and even though its sometimes flawed, its the best we have. There, Obama trails by significant margins in most southern states, with the exceptions of Florida, Virginia and North Carolina. McCain appears to have tenuous leads of around 3-5% in Florida and NC, while Virginia appears to be a statistical tie and is the only one that I think Obama might actually pick off.

See I have a problem with these polls during the summer.

During the primary season, there were lots of "on the ground" polls going on. Meaning that every time a state would go vote, you would see two things.

1. Level of participation
2. Exit Polls from people who just voted.

As for 1. The Democratic level of participation was much higher than Republican. Albeit there were PUMAs in that group voting Hillary.

Regarding two, they were more statistically accurate during the primary season as polls were being conducted at the place of voting. Now they didn't always predict the outcome accurately even then, but there is always a margin of error.

During the summer months, these polls are being conducted in much more ambiguous ways, and the participation level really can't be measured. So I'm a bit suspicious of the polls currently.

I think that once the VPs are picked, and the conventions occur, the polls will start being more accurate, regardless of what they are forecasting.

In the end, I think Obama's supporters are fooling themselves as much about most of these traditional Republican strongholds every bit as much as Republicans are fooling themselves about winning states such as Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Its probably not going to happen for either side. The polls are generally indicating fairly consistent leads of a handful of points in these battleground states for the traditional victor, indicating that the trend will very likely continue for at least this election cycle.

I'd have to agree that both sides are currently blinded by one thing or another. Me, I'm just happy that for the first time in my life, I *feel* represented. I believe Obama will win, but if he doesn't, at least I got a chance to feel included in the process.

[edit on 27-7-2008 by Quazga]

reply to post by Quazga



One thing I would argue is to use extreme caution when predicting November turnout based on spring primaries. Democrats have typically had *much* higher turnout in the primaries than the Republicans in the last few decades, yet have very rarely won the White House. The following article details this phenomenon:

High Dem Turnout Sends Mixed Signals for November

The '88 example provided is an excellent one. The Dems had a huge primary turnout advantage, Dukakis lead by double-digits through the summer, then promptly got annihilated by Bush in the November election.

One thing that is often not mentioned is the fact that Republican turnout was also at an all-time high this year at just under 21 million. And note: this includes the concerted effort by many Republican voters and commentators to screw with the Dem nomination by voting in the opposite primary instead of their own. They didn't match the huge percentage gains of the Dems, but its something to think about and certainly throws a curveball into the belief that the Republican base is demoralized.

And just to edit this post one more time, LOL, regarding summer polls, I think what that's a reflection of is that time after time, exit polling on election night shows that about 20% of the population makes up its mind in the last month prior to the election and in fact, as much as 10% in the final week! That allows for a huge amount of uncertainty and volatility, no question about it.



[edit on 27-7-2008 by vor78]

Originally posted by rapinbatsisaltherage
I'm sorry but this logic baffles me. McCain and Obama are no better than the other, voting for one over the other is a selection of voting for a lesser evil. Why the hell vote for an evil at all?

For starters, if I would NOT vote for McCain then that means there is more of a chance that Obama will get elected. And that is unacceptable!

Secondly, I do agree with McCain on some major issues but I disagree with Obama on practically everything.

For example, I would trust that McCain would fill vacant seats on the Supreme Court with Constitutionalists. Obama will fill the seats with extreme liberals and that is also unacceptable.

So while I might disagree with McCain on some major issues, he is still far better than Obama.

[edit on 27-7-2008 by WhatTheory]

Obama is more Marxist than Jimmy Carter.

You think Bush has pounced your rights with the Patriot Act, an act Obama happened to vote for, though he told his supporters he was strongly against it, Obama will take away your rights and make you dependent on Government.

You will be disarmed and broke.

You talk of Bush and a Police force? How about Obama's 439Billion project for a "Civilian National Security Force" which is nothing more than a stong-armed Police force to enforce his BS.

Now factor in his arrogant, ignorant, anti-American attitude and you have the destruction of America from the inside out.

Originally posted by jetxnet
Obama is more Marxist than Jimmy Carter.

You think Bush has pounced your rights with the Patriot Act, an act Obama happened to vote for, though he told his supporters he was strongly against it, Obama will take away your rights and make you dependent on Government.

You will be disarmed and broke.

You talk of Bush and a Police force? How about Obama's 439Billion project for a "Civilian National Security Force" which is nothing more than a stong-armed Police force to enforce his BS.

Now factor in his arrogant, ignorant, anti-American attitude and you have the destruction of America from the inside out.

You know, lots of ignorant people forget that socialist leanings today have nothing to do with Marxism.

But let's talk about what these socialist ideas which are so demonized by so many.

1. Better working conditions for workers
2. Shorter work day (From 12 to 8)
3. No child labor
4. Trade Unions to help check the Employers

Do those sound radical to you? They are laws now because of socialist movements across the world in the late 1800's and early 1900's. These movements started due to the industrial revolution and it's continual unchecked threat to individual freedoms around the world.

Now, today there is another key socialist idea being bantered about in congress, and that is one of somehow providing health care to all of Americans. I for one think there are methods which leverage capitalism to achieve this. However the current health market is driving prices up considerably, and making it prohibitive for everyone to participate in Health and Medicine market.

You will find that Socialist movements spring up during times of disenfranchisement of the work force.

Originally posted by Quazga
You know, lots of ignorant people forget that socialist leanings today have nothing to do with Marxism.

It's more ignorant to believe that statement is true.

But let's talk about what these socialist ideas which are so demonized by so many.

1. Better working conditions for workers
2. Shorter work day (From 12 to 8)
3. No child labor
4. Trade Unions to help check the Employers

What makes you think those are socialist ideas?

Now, today there is another key socialist idea being bantered about in congress, and that is one of somehow providing health care to all of Americans. I for one think there are methods which leverage capitalism to achieve this.

Yes, universal healthcare is another socialist idea which must be struck down. Since this is NOT listed in the U.S. Constitution, it should not come to light in America.

[edit on 27-7-2008 by WhatTheory]

reply to post by Quazga


correct sir.

the reason all these people think socialism is the greatest evil is cold war propaganda.

and another reason are south american dictatorial governments, which mostly came about because of abuses by the corrupt right wing capitalist governments before them.

like colombia. in colombia they have FARC. FARC is a marxist regime that took over a section of the country because right wing capitalists abused the working people to the point where they had nothing to lose by arming themselves and taking a stand.

does socialism work better than capitalism? NO.

they are both incomplete, what america has done until recently has been to have a mix of good socialist ideas and good capitalist ideas.

now we have an imbalance because the corrupt neocons have convinced everyone that ANY AND ALL socialist ideas are wrong.

I would also like to point out to an earlier poster that the countries he mentioned in the EU, as well as Japan, have a higher quality of life for their citizens, as well as kicking our butts in terms of economy.

there's a reason that the dollar isn't worth much as it was. I've discussed that elsewhere.