Obama: "the most rhetorically effective exponent of liberalism in my lifetime"

[Hamlette]

"Don't get me wrong. The people I meet in small towns and big cities, in diners and office parks, they don't expect government to solve all their problems. They know they have to work hard to get ahead and they want to. Go into the collar counties around Chicago, and people will tell you they don't want their tax money wasted by a welfare agency or the Pentagon. Go into any inner city neighborhood, and folks will tell you that government alone can't teach kids to learn. They know that parents have to parent, that children can't achieve unless we raise their expectations and turn off the television sets and eradicate the slander that says a black youth with a book is acting white.

No, people don't expect government to solve all their problems. But they sense, deep in their bones, that with just a change in priorities, we can make sure that every child in America has a decent shot at life, and that the doors of opportunity remain open to all. They know we can do better. And they want that choice."


http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2007/05/obamas_liberali.html

[n2doc]

1. Dude must not have lived very long

Obama ain't much of a liberal, at least in my book. He is very mainstream. Look at his votes, and see just how many times he is willing to stick his neck out when it really counts.
Not oppoded to Obama, but puff pieces about mainstream dems nowadays get my goat.

[peacebaby3]

4. He's very much a Liberal.

Here's a lot about his voting record:

<http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/Barack_Obama.htm>

<http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=9490> - Ratings from Liberal & Cons groups...always very telling!

[Colobo]

5. Not in your book... but in almost everybody else's...

[papau]

8. Hillary and Obama vote pretty much the same - but its future policy that makes a liberal - and "non-

partisan" votes that are not counted in those ratings because the bills involved such tiny amounts of money show a trading of business tax cuts for minor funding of minor ideas.

I am much more interested in what what he plans to do in the future and will he compromise away too much of the "liberal", or pay too high a price in tax cuts so his ideas get bi-partisan" support.

Actually we will not know until the election - so I am focused on the details on his policy proposals. Next week Obama promises a Health proposal.

Will he also demand, like Hillary, that pre-existing conditions not be taken into account in setting premiums or issuing the policy? Will he demand more? - will he even give details (his cost cutting speech was limited as to details)?

[madrchsod]

2. the goal is to destroy

the social contract between the government and it`s citizens. they have been trying to do this since our republic was founded. every so often they almost succeed but the will of the people to maintain that contract saves us from tyranny. someday it will be written that this was such a dark period in our society where the forces that sought to destroy our republic but the citizens prevailed.

i listened to obama in the hometown of the man who thought that government should`t have any social contract with it`s people. that man became what he was because of that very contract he later wished destroyed.

obama does understand the wants and needs of this country far better than the man who lived 9 blocks away from the corner where obama spoke

[Neshanic]

3. Sullivan's life, a tortured existence of a gay internet sex troll, with religious issues.

[Phredicles]

7. You mean RawMuscleGlutes?

:P

[Neshanic]

9. Yes, I believe that was his nom de internets

[Hamlette]

10. why so hard on Sullivan but not Huffington or Brock? I don't get it.

his being "a gay internet sex troll" is none of my business and his "religious issues" could apply to many of us. At least he's willing to honestly debate it with an atheist (and he always comes to the defense of atheists which you don't even see here on DU.)

His is the best blog on the Internets. IMHO.

[DeepModem Mom]

6. Thanks for posting! nt