OPINION

Congress Shall Make No Law ...

Written by Realist
Published July 12, 2008

There has been a great deal of press lately about how Barack Obama isn't quite the same person who ran an impressive primary campaign, overcoming a strong challenge by Hillary Clinton, to win enough delegates for the nomination. I doubt I need to recount all of these items, but suffice it to say that these were the seeds to my withdrawing away from supporting his candidacy. I am not about to support someone who doesn't mean what he says and shifts important positions for political advantage. Such a person doesn't display integrity, and similar actions on the part of Hillary Clinton during the primary prevented me from seriously considering supporting her candidacy.

Just to cover my position on McCain as a means of eliminating the major candidates from my list of contention, I cannot support him because he completely abandoned some principled stands in order to cater to those who would see the nation continue down a perilous path. Not preventing serious harm to the majority of a population is hardly a quality of a good leader.

Thus I return to Obama and his loss of my backing.

Upon reaching the number of delegates necessary to win the nomination, it appeared that Obama shifted strategy away from strong positions on major issues facing the nation, seeking instead to implement an "Oh, Wow!" factor designed to baffle with BS instead of dazzling with brilliance. The now-thwarted speech in Berlin was intended to convey a sense in the impressionable that Obama is the Second Coming of John Kennedy. Senator, I remember John Kennedy, and - despite an impressive oratorical ability - you don't come close to matching him.

The second major event of late which got me to wondering about Obama's integrity was the announced plan to "borrow" Bronco Stadium for his acceptance speech. Grandstanding of this sort is merely a sign of exercising one's ego, and doesn't present to me a sign of thoughtful leadership or ability.

As serious as these events were, however, they hadn't brought me to the banks of the Rubicon, nor did they inspire me to cross. What did was the collapse of Obama's opposition to the unconstitutional FISA bill.

Let's start at the beginning. Bush's spying has been declared to be illegal by Chief Judge Vaughn Walker of the U.S. District Court in California in the case of Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation Inc. v. Bush, in which Judge Walker held that the president lacks the authority to disregard the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act as written at the time of the surveillance action.

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Congress Shall Make No Law ...
Published: July 12, 2008
Type: Opinion
Section: Politics
Filed Under: Politics: U.S., Politics: Law and Rights, Politics: Elections and Candidates, Politics: War and Terrorism
Writer: Realist
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Comments

#1 — July 12, 2008 @ 23:17PM — Dave Nalle [URL]

When will we get to read your article on how you can't support Nader because he's an egomaniacal socialist loon?

Dave

#2 — July 12, 2008 @ 23:29PM — Realist [URL]

You've saved me the trouble. I can move on to better things now.

#3 — July 12, 2008 @ 23:35PM — Clavos

"I can move on to better things now."

Maybe we can write in Robert Mugabe. If enough of us do it...

Heh.

#4 — July 12, 2008 @ 23:39PM — sy

I lived through JFK and am sure he is overrated. I agree with you on Obama. He is proving to be just another political scoundrel. A young punk with a suit and a smile and the nerve to exploit the hopes of the masses.

#5 — July 13, 2008 @ 10:06AM — Joanne Huspek [URL]

"Senator, I remember John Kennedy, and - despite an impressive oratorical ability - you don't come close to matching him."

That says it all.

#6 — July 13, 2008 @ 11:33AM — Lee Richards

Not wanting either of these guys for president leaves some of us between a rock and a hard place.

Since the presidency may well be screwed up, maybe the best way we can regain some control over the politicians and our government is to vote for no congressional candidate who has already served at least 12 years in Congress.

#7 — July 13, 2008 @ 12:16PM — jamminsue

Lee: Since the presidency may well be screwed up, maybe the best way we can regain some control over the politicians and our government is to vote for no congressional candidate who has already served at least 12 years in Congress.

We tried that sort of with the "Contract for America" under Gingrich. Didn't work. Face it it's busted but still better than anything else.

Realist: Would you rather a scoundrel that does what is expident or another neocon? True, it seems McCain was bludgeoned into it, but there it is...

#8 — July 13, 2008 @ 13:45PM — Lee Richards

#7:

You'll have to explain how something that's busted is "still better than anything else."

That's a value judgement, not a fact, and not convincing.

"Busted" means no good, useless, worthless. What we've got is at least potentially fixable, but not if we blithely accept it as "still better than anything else". That's giving up without a fight.

#9 — July 13, 2008 @ 14:04PM — Al Barger [URL]

Seems like you have the ex post facto thing all backwards to the intent. The point of that prohibition as I would understand it is that it is a safeguard for criminal defendents, like search and seizure law. That is, it's supposed to prohibit prosecuting someone for violating laws retroactively. It's certainly not meant to keep Congress from changing laws to give the president authority like this, whether doing so is or isn't a good idea.

However, I'm glad to see some of you left wingers fleeing from Obama. Still, this guy is the most left wing guy ever nominated by a major party that I know of. If this pinko ain't commie enough for you, then you're never, ever going to be able to vote for a major party candidate.

Thinking Obama ain't far enough out to support does not strike me as being the mark of a real "realist." But perhaps I should stop before I talk back into supporting him.

#10 — July 13, 2008 @ 17:29PM — Lee Richards

Al, You've mixed me up now. Is he pink, black or Red?

Is McCain too greyo, or not rightie enough?

Your analysis is way over my head. ARGHHH!

#11 — July 14, 2008 @ 14:13PM — Marcia Neil

Obama was never intended for the Presidency of the United States, but Clinton was. Unfortunately for both campaigns George Washington is the standard by which all other presidents have been judged; Washington was no 'fill-up'.

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