Yes, we can.

[Alex]

The my work here is done.

Just keep in mind that with McCain so far behind at this point the only hope they have is massively inflamed righteous indignation and that it no longer matters much if there is a lot of reality behind it since if it successfully fans flames they won't cool until after the election.

So, before giving in to the indignation pause to see if you're being played.

This is not to say you lack good reason to oppose Obama. On purely philosophical grounds you are completely at odds. But opposition need not require outrage.

[wendybeth]

What, besides the tax thing, do you dislike about Obama, Leo? I'm just wondering if that's the only roadblock to your voting for him. So many conservative (and namely Reaganites) have expressed support for him in spite of his party affiliation and I truly admire people who are able to find the courage to do so, especially in this rather vicious climate.

By the way, very cool to be receptive to our arguements. I really do try and do the same, because I've always believed truth lies in the middle of most extremes. Like I said, I've voted Republican before and no doubt will again. This polarized political situation is very unhealthy, for everyone.

[scaeagles]

Yeah, like I said I don't post here because everyone agrees with me. Sometimes my arguments are solid, sometimes, while my arguments may be valid, there are counters to what I've got to say.

I'm not particularly interested in rehashing my dislike of Obama' policies, as we've been over them, but since you asked.....and again, I'm not trying to debate what has been debated, I'm only trying to answer WB.

I think he is naive and dangerous when it comes to foreign policy, and I think Biden is no genious there either (for example, Obama opposed the surge and still denies it was a success, and Biden wanted to split the country into three parts). I do believe he is at heart a socialist. I believe he wants bigger government. I beleive he will gut the military budget. The thought of most important decisions being made by the triumverate of Pelosi, Reid, and Obama scares the crap out of me.

That's just the quick stuff.

[wendybeth]

Why would he gut the military budget when he's already stated he'd like to expand the military? Other than that, fair enough. I don't think Palin is exactly qualified for the criteria you set forth, but maybe McCain will live through his tenure. Most dissenting conservatives cite his selection of Palin as the last straw for them, but who knows? It could work out- look at Truman. Of course, he actually had loads of experience, but......never mind.

[BarTopDancer]

McCain's foreign policy and potential 8 more years of causing trouble in the Middle East (instead of figuring out how to get our troops home) and pissing off the few allies we have left scare me far more than Obama's lack of experience. I don't think the surge worked. I don't think the war did much other than to completely destabilize the ME and make us a lot more hated and vulnerable. We had the sympathy of almost the entire world after 9/11. We had backing and support to go into Afghanistan. And what's going on there now? Still haven't found bin Laden, still haven't found WMDs, the Taliban is still alive and well. And the majority of the world hates us. Bush fvcked up big time, and I don't think McCain would be willing to do anything to improve that situation. McCain's foreign policy 'experience' = at least 4 more years of Bush.

Leo really needs to talk to the prez of my company. They can panic about teh "socialism" Obama will bring to this country together.

[scaeagles]

Oh - and other specific tax spolicies, WB, including the death tax and captial gains taxes are majorly problematic to me.

As far as the military.....Barney Frank said he wants to cut the military budget by 25%. Frank carries a lot of influence. That may not be Obama, per se, but I don't see Obama vetoing a budget that reduces military spending.

BTD, there are so many things in your post (though not all) I disagree with, but we've hashed over them before....I just didn't want silence to be considered acquiesence.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I don't think Obama has said that surge didn't work when "work" is defined as meeting goals within Iraq. What he's said (and said to Patraeus's face) is that the surge did not support the overall picture of preventing terrorism and protecting American interests. Obama's argument is not that we can't win in Iraq or that the strategies currently employed in Iraq (now that Bush is bothering to listen to his generals) aren't effective. His argument is that Iraq is not the be all and end all of military priority and that our resources are better spent elsewhere. And those currently running things seem to be agreeing with that assessment as they've moved their best man, Patraeus, into a position where he is focusing on Afghanistan more than Iraq.

From accounts of his meeting with Patraeus:

"You know, if I were in your shoes, I would be making the exact same argument," he began. "Your job is to succeed in Iraq on as favorable terms as we can get. But my job as a potential Commander in Chief is to view your counsel and interests through the prism of our overall national security." Obama talked about the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, the financial costs of the occupation of Iraq, the stress it was putting on the military.

source

[Alex]

You have him on the capital gains tax, but his proposals on the "death tax" significantly reduce their impact on any estates smaller than some very large number (I'm thinking $8 million but I haven't looked it up again to confirm).

[wendybeth]

I wasn't aware we were electing Barney Frank.


I'm sorry, but many of the reasons you cite strike me as reaching. I can't help but think you simply don't like the man, and are striving for justification. If you don't like him, fine- I don't know that I could vote for someone I disliked intensely. So many of the things you are worried about are really decided by Congress and the Senate- Obama would have very little control over such things.

[scaeagles]

I can gaurantee you McCain would not vote for a budget that reduced military spending by 25%.

It's not that I don't like Obama as a person - I've said before that he seems like a decent man. I admit a lot of it is distrust of the democrat party and what has typically been the agenda of the democrat party - such as reduction in military spending, lax control of the borders, whatever.