Friday, August 29, 2008

Barack Obama: "America's Promise"



The best was saved for the last at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. On the final night of the convention, an emboldened Sen. Barack Obama addressed the 80,000 plus Americans in Invesco Field in Denver and the millions more watching his address on television as he formally accepted the Democratic Party's nomination for PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. The moment was historic, as the first Black man to lead the ticket for a major political party in the United States. The speech was historic, as it was one part biographical, one part politics, and one part blueprint for the changes necessary for America to live up to its Promise.

Barack Obama gave depth to his American experience and his improbable journey on his quest for the White House. He paid homage to the work ethic that was instilled in him by his grandparents, the determination of his mother, and the intellect of his father. As he has said numerous times, his story could only exist in America. And while painting his biographical sketch, he also quashed any undercurrents that questions his love for country or his patriotism.

Obama fit nicely into his battle gear, as he challenged Sen. John McCain on his unbridled support of "these last eight years" of President George W. Bush. The self-proclaimed maverick has been in lockstep with the Bush Administration on economic policy, foreign policy, the war in Iraq, the immigration issue, women's rights, and health care over 90 percent of the time.

The 42 minute speech kept the audience riveted to Obama as he detailed his plan for change in America. He touched on his domestic plan for the economy, the creation of jobs, a tax cut for the middle class (95 percent of the American families will benefit), the need the strengthen the military, a responsible withdrawal from Iraq, universal healthcare, reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies, and hunting down the terrorists responsible for 9/11.

Although, it was hefty, the speech was easy to digest and drew sharp contrasts between intellect of Barack Obama and the senselessness of John McCain.

Barack Obama - "America's Promise"




Text of Barack Obama's Historic Acceptance Speech
To Chairman Dean and my great friend Dick Durbin; and to all my fellow citizens of this great nation.

With profound gratitude and great humility, I accept your nomination for presidency of the United States.

Let me express my thanks to the historic slate of candidates who accompanied me on this journey, and especially the one who traveled the farthest -- a champion for working Americans and an inspiration to my daughters and yours -- Hillary Rodham Clinton. To President Bill Clinton, who made last night the case for change as only he can make it; to Ted Kennedy, who embodies the spirit of service; and to the next vice president of the United States, Joe Biden, I thank you. I am grateful to finish this journey with one of the finest statesmen of our time, a man at ease with everyone from world leaders to the conductors on the Amtrak train he still takes home every night.

To the love of my life, our next first lady, Michelle Obama, and to Malia and Sasha -- I love you so much, and I'm so proud of you.

Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story -- of the brief union between a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who weren't well off or well-known, but shared a belief that in America, their son could achieve whatever he put his mind to.

It is that promise that has always set this country apart -- that through hard work and sacrifice, each of us can pursue our individual dreams but still come together as one American family, to ensure that the next generation can pursue their dreams as well.

That's why I stand here tonight. Because for 232 years, at each moment when that promise was in jeopardy, ordinary men and women -- students and soldiers, farmers and teachers, nurses and janitors -- found the courage to keep it alive.

We meet at one of those defining moments -- a moment when our nation is at war, our economy is in turmoil, and the American promise has been threatened once more.

Tonight, more Americans are out of work and more are working harder for less. More of you have lost your homes and even more are watching your home values plummet. More of you have cars you can't afford to drive, credit card bills you can't afford to pay, and tuition that's beyond your reach.

These challenges are not all of government's making. But the failure to respond is a direct result of a broken politics in Washington and the failed policies of George W. Bush.


America, we are better than these last eight years. We are a better country than this.


This country is more decent than one where a woman in Ohio, on the brink of retirement, finds herself one illness away from disaster after a lifetime of hard work.

We're a better country than one where a man in Indiana has to pack up the equipment he's worked on for 20 years and watch it shipped off to China, and then chokes up as he explains how he felt like a failure when he went home to tell his family the news.

We are more compassionate than a government that lets veterans sleep on our streets and families slide into poverty; that sits on its hands while a major American city drowns before our eyes.

Tonight, I say to the people of America, to Democrats and Republicans and independents across this great land -- enough! This moment -- this election -- is our chance to keep, in the 21st century, the American promise alive. Because next week, in Minnesota, the same party that brought you two terms of George Bush and Dick Cheney will ask this country for a third. And we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look just like the last eight.


On November 4, we must stand up and say: "Eight is enough."


Now let there be no doubt. The Republican nominee, John McCain, has worn the uniform of our country with bravery and distinction, and for that we owe him our gratitude and our respect. And next week, we'll also hear about those occasions when he's broken with his party as evidence that he can deliver the change that we need.

But the record's clear: John McCain has voted with George Bush 90 percent of the time. Sen. McCain likes to talk about judgment, but really, what does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush has been right more than 90 percent of the time? I don't know about you, but I'm not ready to take a 10 percent chance on change.

The truth is, on issue after issue that would make a difference in your lives -- on health care and education and the economy -- Sen. McCain has been anything but independent. He said that our economy has made "great progress" under this president. He said that the fundamentals of the economy are strong. And when one of his chief advisers -- the man who wrote his economic plan -- was talking about the anxieties that Americans are feeling, he said that we were just suffering from a "mental recession," and that we've become, and I quote, "a nation of whiners."

A nation of whiners? Tell that to the proud autoworkers at a Michigan plant who, after they found out it was closing, kept showing up every day and working as hard as ever, because they knew there were people who counted on the brakes that they made. Tell that to the military families who shoulder their burdens silently as they watch their loved ones leave for their third or fourth or fifth tour of duty. These are not whiners. They work hard and they give back and they keep going without complaint. These are the Americans I know.

Now, I don't believe that Sen. McCain doesn't care what's going on in the lives of Americans. I just think he doesn't know. Why else would he define middle-class as someone making under $5 million a year? How else could he propose hundreds of billions in tax breaks for big corporations and oil companies but not one penny of tax relief to more than 100 million Americans? How else could he offer a health care plan that would actually tax people's benefits, or an education plan that would do nothing to help families pay for college, or a plan that would privatize Social Security and gamble your retirement?

It's not because John McCain doesn't care. It's because John McCain doesn't get it.

For over two decades, he's subscribed to that old, discredited Republican philosophy -- give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. In Washington, they call this the Ownership Society, but what it really means is that you're on your own. Out of work? Tough luck. You're on your own. No health care? The market will fix it. You're on your own. Born into poverty? Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps -- even if you don't have boots. You are on your own.

Well it's time for them to own their failure. It's time for us to change America. And that's why I'm running for president of the United States.

You see, we Democrats have a very different measure of what constitutes progress in this country.

We measure progress by how many people can find a job that pays the mortgage; whether you can put a little extra money away at the end of each month so you can someday watch your child receive her college diploma. We measure progress in the 23 million new jobs that were created when Bill Clinton was president -- when the average American family saw its income go up $7,500 instead of go down $2,000 like it has under George Bush.

We measure the strength of our economy not by the number of billionaires we have or the profits of the Fortune 500, but by whether someone with a good idea can take a risk and start a new business, or whether the waitress who lives on tips can take a day off and look after a sick kid without losing her job -- an economy that honors the dignity of work.

The fundamentals we use to measure economic strength are whether we are living up to that fundamental promise that has made this country great -- a promise that is the only reason I am standing here tonight.

Because in the faces of those young veterans who come back from Iraq and Afghanistan, I see my grandfather, who signed up after Pearl Harbor, marched in Patton's Army, and was rewarded by a grateful nation with the chance to go to college on the GI Bill.

In the face of that young student who sleeps just three hours before working the night shift, I think about my mom, who raised my sister and me on her own while she worked and earned her degree; who once turned to food stamps but was still able to send us to the best schools in the country with the help of student loans and scholarships.

When I listen to another worker tell me that his factory has shut down, I remember all those men and women on the South Side of Chicago I stood by and fought for two decades ago after the local steel plant closed.

And when I hear a woman talk about the difficulties of starting her own business or making her way in the world, I think about my grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle-management, despite years of being passed over for promotions because she was a woman. She's the one who taught me about hard work. She's the one who put off buying a new car or a new dress for herself so that I could have a better life. She poured everything she had into me. And although she can no longer travel, I know that she's watching tonight, and that tonight is her night as well.

Now, I don't know what kind of lives John McCain thinks that celebrities lead, but this has been mine. These are my heroes. Theirs are the stories that shaped my life. And it is on behalf of them that I intend to win this election and keep our promise alive as president of the United States.


What is that American promise?


It's a promise that says each of us has the freedom to make of our own lives what we will, but that we also have the obligation to treat each other with dignity and respect.

It's a promise that says the market should reward drive and innovation and generate growth, but that businesses should live up to their responsibilities to create American jobs, to look out for American workers, and play by the rules of the road.

Ours is a promise that says government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves -- protect us from harm and provide every child a decent education; keep our water clean and our toys safe; invest in new schools and new roads and science and technology.

Our government should work for us, not against us. It should help us, not hurt us. It should ensure opportunity not just for those with the most money and influence, but for every American who's willing to work.

That's the promise of America -- the idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation; the fundamental belief that I am my brother's keeper; I am my sister's keeper.

That's the promise we need to keep. That's the change we need right now. So let me spell out exactly what that change would mean if I am president.

Change means a tax code that doesn't reward the lobbyists who wrote it, but the American workers and small businesses who deserve it.

You know, unlike John McCain, I will stop giving tax breaks to corporations that ship jobs overseas, and I will start giving them to companies that create good jobs right here in America.

I'll eliminate capital gains taxes for the small businesses and the start-ups that will create the high-wage, high-tech jobs of tomorrow.

I will, listen now, cut taxes -- cut taxes -- for 95 percent of all working families. Because in an economy like this, the last thing we should do is raise taxes on the middle-class.

And for the sake of our economy, our security and the future of our planet, I will set a clear goal as president: In 10 years, we will finally end our dependence on oil from the Middle East. We will do this.

Washington's been talking about our oil addiction for the last 30 years, and by the way John McCain's been there for 26 of them. And in that time, he's said no to higher fuel-efficiency standards for cars, no to investments in renewable energy, no to renewable fuels. And today, we import triple the amount of oil that we had as the day that Sen. McCain took office.

Now is the time to end this addiction, and to understand that drilling is a stop-gap measure, not a long-term solution. Not even close.

As president, I will tap our natural gas reserves, invest in clean coal technology, and find ways to safely harness nuclear power. I'll help our auto companies re-tool, so that the fuel-efficient cars of the future are built right here in America. I'll make it easier for the American people to afford these new cars. And I'll invest $150 billion over the next decade in affordable, renewable sources of energy -- wind power and solar power and the next generation of biofuels; an investment that will lead to new industries and 5 million new jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced.


America, now is not the time for small plans.


Now is the time to finally meet our moral obligation to provide every child a world-class education, because it will take nothing less to compete in the global economy. You know, Michelle and I are only here tonight because we were given a chance at an education. And I will not settle for an America where some kids don't have that chance. I'll invest in early childhood education. I'll recruit an army of new teachers, and pay them higher salaries and give them more support. And in exchange, I'll ask for higher standards and more accountability. And we will keep our promise to every young American -- if you commit to serving your community or our country, we will make sure you can afford a college education.

Now is the time to finally keep the promise of affordable, accessible health care for every single American. If you have health care, my plan will lower your premiums. If you don't, you'll be able to get the same kind of coverage that members of Congress give themselves. And as someone who watched my mother argue with insurance companies while she lay in bed dying of cancer, I will make certain those companies stop discriminating against those who are sick and need care the most.

Now is the time to help families with paid sick days and better family leave, because nobody in America should have to choose between keeping their job and caring for a sick child or ailing parent.

Now is the time to change our bankruptcy laws, so that your pensions are protected ahead of CEO bonuses; and the time to protect Social Security for future generations.

And now is the time to keep the promise of equal pay for an equal day's work, because I want my daughters to have the exact same opportunities as your sons.

Now, many of these plans will cost money, which is why I've laid out how I'll pay for every dime -- by closing corporate loopholes and tax havens that don't help America grow. But I will also go through the federal budget, line by line, eliminating programs that no longer work and making the ones we do need work better and cost less -- because we cannot meet 21st century challenges with a 20th century bureaucracy.

And Democrats, we must also admit that fulfilling America's promise will require more than just money. It will require a renewed sense of responsibility from each of us to recover what John F. Kennedy called our "intellectual and moral strength." Yes, government must lead on energy independence, but each of us must do our part to make our homes and businesses more efficient. Yes, we must provide more ladders to success for young men who fall into lives of crime and despair. But we must also admit that programs alone can't replace parents; that government can't turn off the television and make a child do her homework; that fathers must take more responsibility to provide love and guidance to their children.


Individual responsibility and mutual responsibility -- that's the essence of America's promise.


And just as we keepour promise to the next generation here at home, so must we keep America's promise abroad. If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament, and judgment, to serve as the next commander in chief, that's a debate I'm ready to have.

For while Sen. McCain was turning his sights to Iraq just days after 9/11, I stood up and opposed this war, knowing that it would distract us from the real threats that we face. When John McCain said we could just "muddle through" in Afghanistan, I argued for more resources and more troops to finish the fight against the terrorists who actually attacked us on 9/11, and made clear that we must take out Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants if we have them in our sights. You know, John McCain likes to say that he'll follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell -- but he won't even go to the cave where he lives.

And today, as my call for a time frame to remove our troops from Iraq has been echoed by the Iraqi government and even the Bush administration, even after we learned that Iraq has $79 billion in surplus while we are wallowing in deficits, John McCain stands alone in his stubborn refusal to end a misguided war.

That's not the judgment we need. That won't keep America safe. We need a president who can face the threats of the future, not keep grasping at the ideas of the past.

You don't defeat a terrorist network that operates in 80 countries by occupying Iraq. You don't protect Israel and deter Iran just by talking tough in Washington. You can't truly stand up for Georgia when you've strained our oldest alliances. If John McCain wants to follow George Bush with more tough talk and bad strategy, that is his choice -- but that is not the change that America needs.

We are the party of Roosevelt. We are the party of Kennedy. So don't tell me that Democrats won't defend this country. Don't tell me that Democrats won't keep us safe. The Bush-McCain foreign policy has squandered the legacy that generations of Americans -- Democrats and Republicans -- have built, and we are here to restore that legacy.

As commander in chief, I will never hesitate to defend this nation, but I will only send our troops into harm's way with a clear mission and a sacred commitment to give them the equipment they need in battle and the care and benefits they deserve when they come home.

I will end this war in Iraq responsibly, and finish the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. I will rebuild our military to meet future conflicts. But I will also renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and curb Russian aggression. I will build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century: terrorism and nuclear proliferation; poverty and genocide; climate change and disease. And I will restore our moral standing, so that America is once again that last, best hope for all who are called to the cause of freedom, who long for lives of peace, and who yearn for a better future.

These are the policies I will pursue. And in the weeks ahead, I look forward to debating them with John McCain.

But what I will not do is suggest that the senator takes his positions for political purposes. Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other's character and each other's patriotism.

The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America -- they have served the United States of America.


So I've got news for you, John McCain. We all put our country first.


America, our work will not be easy. The challenges we face require tough choices, and Democrats as well as Republicans will need to cast off the worn-out ideas and politics of the past. For part of what has been lost these past eight years can't just be measured by lost wages or bigger trade deficits. What has also been lost is our sense of common purpose. That's what we have to restore.

We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country. The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than they are for those plagued by gang-violence in Cleveland, but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals. I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination. You know, passions may fly on immigration, but I don't know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers. But this, too, is part of America's promise -- the promise of a democracy where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort.

I know there are those who dismiss such beliefs as happy talk. They claim that our insistence on something larger, something firmer and more honest in our public life is just a Trojan Horse for higher taxes and the abandonment of traditional values. And that's to be expected. Because if you don't have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics to scare voters. If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from.


You make a big election about small things.


And you know what -- it's worked before. Because it feeds into the cynicism we all have about government. When Washington doesn't work, all its promises seem empty. If your hopes have been dashed again and again, then it's best to stop hoping, and settle for what you already know.

I get it. I realize that I am not the likeliest candidate for this office. I don't fit the typical pedigree, and I haven't spent my career in the halls of Washington.

But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the naysayers don't understand is that this election has never been about me. It's about you. It's about you.

For 18 long months, you have stood up, one by one, and said enough to the politics of the past. You understand that in this election, the greatest risk we can take is to try the same old politics with the same old players and expect a different result. You have shown what history teaches us -- that at defining moments like this one, the change we need doesn't come from Washington. Change comes to Washington. Change happens because the American people demand it -- because they rise up and insist on new ideas and new leadership, a new politics for a new time.


America, this is one of those moments.


I believe that as hard as it will be, the change we need is coming. Because I've seen it. Because I've lived it. Because I've seen it in Illinois, when we provided health care to more children and moved more families from welfare to work. I've seen it in Washington, where we worked across party lines to open up government and hold lobbyists more accountable, to give better care for our veterans and keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorist.

And I've seen it in this campaign. In the young people who voted for the first time, and the young at heart, those who got involved again after a very long time. In the Republicans who never thought they'd pick up a Democratic ballot, but did. I've seen it in the workers who would rather cut their hours back a day even though they can't afford it than see their friends lose their jobs, in the soldiers who re-enlist after losing a limb, in the good neighbors who take a stranger in when a hurricane strikes and the floodwaters rise.

You know, this country of ours has more wealth than any nation, but that's not what makes us rich. We have the most powerful military on Earth, but that's not what makes us strong. Our universities and our culture are the envy of the world, but that's not what keeps the world coming to our shores.

Instead, it is that American spirit -- that American promise -- that pushes us forward even when the path is uncertain; that binds us together in spite of our differences; that makes us fix our eye not on what is seen, but what is unseen, that better place around the bend.

That promise is our greatest inheritance. It's a promise I make to my daughters when I tuck them in at night, and a promise that you make to yours -- a promise that has led immigrants to cross oceans and pioneers to travel west; a promise that led workers to picket lines, and women to reach for the ballot.

And it is that promise that 45 years ago today, brought Americans from every corner of this land to stand together on a Mall in Washington, before Lincoln's Memorial, and hear a young preacher from Georgia speak of his dream.

The men and women who gathered there could've heard many things. They could've heard words of anger and discord. They could've been told to succumb to the fear and frustration of so many dreams deferred.

But what the people heard instead -- people of every creed and color, from every walk of life -- is that in America, our destiny is inextricably linked. That together, our dreams can be one.

"We cannot walk alone," the preacher cried. "And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back."

America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise -- that American promise -- and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess.

Thank you, God Bless you, and God Bless the United States of America.




Read the CNN.com articles Obama's speech and the final evening of the DNC here and here and here and here.

plez sez: i was moved to tears, watching the culmination of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech come to fruition on the 45th anniversary of his "I Have a Dream" speech. the tears freely rolled down my cheek as Michelle Obama and his two daughters came out to greet him at the conclusion of his speech: he hugged his daughters and then embraced and kissed his wife! it was a very emotional moment in plezWorld!

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david gergen, political analyst at CNN, said, "It was less a speech than a symphony... it had high tempo at times, inspiring."

even pat buchanan - one of Obama's harshest critics - lauded the speech as one of the all-time great speeches... ever! it was a call to arms. it was an action plan. it was a repudiation of george bush and john mccain. and it was a celebration of what America will look like when Sen. Barack Obama becomes President Barack Obama.

once again, plezWorld defies ANYONE to come up with a valid set of reasons - other than inbred racism - why this man should not be the 44th President of the United States.

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tonight was the first night of college football. the jacksonville state gamecocks rolled into atlanta for a royal butt-kickin' by the georgia tech yellow jackets. there were several story lines at play for the game:
  • georgia tech has a new head coach - paul johnson - who came from a very successful navy program

  • coach johnson installed a new triple option offense that relies heavily on the running of the ball, instead of the pass (but the first play of the game was a pass by tech qb josh nesbitt, who played a hell of a game as an option quarterback)

  • the jacksonville state quarterback is none other than lsu castoff ryan perriloux, who was kicked off the team earlier this year, soon after they won the national championship (jacksonville, alabama is a LONG WAY from baton rouge, louisiana!)

  • my frat brother, DE Derrick Morgan, would record his first sack of the season during the game...

  • i left the game right before halftime with the score at 27-0 in favor of the yellow jackets... i had to high tail it home to watch Barack Obama's historic speech!

    the yellow jackets ended up winning the game 41-14... and it wasn't even that close!




    12 comments:

    Unknown said...

    "once again, plezWorld defies ANYONE to come up with a valid set of reasons - other than inbred racism - why this man should not be the 44th President of the United States."
    ...So what you are saying, sir, is that if I do not support Mr. Obama, I am an inbred racist? That's hardly a basis for real debate, and I take personal offense at your narrowmindedness in making such a claim. I support Mr. McCain because he has a BACKBONE. He has and will continue to support some unpopular issues. Why? Because he has conviction, conviction that was welded in the fires of torture in a POW camp in Vietnam and further developed over years in the Senate. He has the moral courage to say "Yes, that is what I stand for!" All too often I hear Mr. Obama only speak of what Mr. McCain does wrong or this brilliantly vague buzzword "Change." I challenge you, sir, to explain in detail what Mr. Obama really stands for: big government, higher taxes for all, cowardly foreign policy that will negate our position as a world leader, and a casual shedding of the values on which this country I love was founded. I will vote for John McCain because I love America and what it stands for.

    plez... said...

    matthew,

    i respect your - albeit misguided - desire to vote for john mccain. but at no point did i say that someone who does not vote for Barack Obama is a racist. i asked for responses based on reason and not based on racism... if you aren't a racist, then i couldn't possibly be referring to you!

    you people see the word racism, and you immediately think i'm talking about you... well, as the old saying goes: "a hit dog will holler and a stuck pig will squeal!"

    i asked for ANYONE to come up with a valid reason why Obama should not be President... you have stated your reasons for mccain. he was a POW, but that particular "skill" doesn't appear to be transferable to the Oval Office. i'm more concerned about how did he become a POW in the first place? wasn't he like near the BOTTOM of his graduating class from the naval academy? wasn't he out flying a routine recon mission when he was shot down? wasn't his JUDGEMENT in question about the circumstances that led to his imprisonment? wasn't he offered to be let go because of his FATHER's status as a high ranking naval official? isn't it possible that his arms were "jacked up" when his jet was shot down AND he received favorable attention from the Viet Cong? well, isn't it possible?!? *smile*

    he stands on some morals, and fails miserably at others (how about the moral obligation to his first wife that he dumped for Cindy?). why doesn't he freely admit that he was a philandering infidel who cheated on his first wife - who was crippled in a car accident - with a woman who was twenty-something years his junior (and who also happened to be FILTHY RICH)? what does that tell you about his BACKBONE and what he stands for? what does that tell you about his values and his morals?

    on the other hand, Barack Obama is a loving husband and doting father for two of the cutest little girls on the planet!

    john mccain proudly stands for the war in Iraq... a foreign policy blunder if there ever was one! the sad part is that he continues to stand for it, even though we now know it was wrong and we have no authority to be there... and he wants to hang around for another 5 to 10 years! and he is content to continue spending upwards of $10 billion a month in iraq, even though, that country is nursing over $80 billion dollars in surplus oil revenues!

    you ask what does Obama stand for? last night, he presented a detailed plan for his economic, domestic, reducing our dependence on foreign oil, and restoring america's place in the world as a TRUE WORLD POWER. it is written in great detail on his website. if you don't know what Obama stands for, YOU have made the conscious decision to not find out.

    you talk of BIG GOVERNMENT, as if john mccain hasn't been part and parcel to the largest expansion of REPUBLICAN-led government in this nation's history. his acquiescence to george bush has led to massive cost overruns in Iraq while we pile up TRILLIONS of dollars in deficits here in the US.

    you talk of HIGHER TAXES for all, Barack Obama proposes lowering taxes for 95% of the American households! his tax increase is reserved for the wealthiest among us!

    you talk of a cowardly FOREIGN POLICY, when our current foreign policy is in shambles. lack of respect by world leaders. russian tanks rolling into georgia with impunity because they know the US won't do a thing about it. Al-qeada (the group responsible for the 9/11 attacks) growing and prospering under george bush's watch in afghanistan! and there is NO COALITION of forces who would dream of joining any type of military action with the US at this time... MATTHEW, what flavor Republican Kool Aid have you been drinking?!?

    you talk of a country that YOU love... do you think i don't love my country? do you think Barack Obama doesn't love this country? guess what? WE LOVE THIS COUNTRY PROBABLY MORE THAN YOU DO! this is the only country in the world where Black men like Barack Obama and me could take advantage of the opportunities that America offers... GET OFF THAT SHIT!

    i often wonder about people like you! people who like to exclude and denigrate people who are not like them. people who create barriers to cooperation and love. you don't love this country... you only love the advantage over others that this country has afforded you for so long!

    ~ ~ ~

    i defied YOU to come up with a valid set of reasons why Barack Obama should not be our next President...

    you pulled out the "racism" card (BOO! HOO!)... that FAILED!

    you pulled out that moth-eaten "john mccain was a POW" card (OUCH!)... that FAILED!

    for some strange reason, you tried to pull out "the failed Republican foreign policy" card... that FAILED!

    you tried to lean on that tired and overused "morals & values" card that few republicans even try to live up to... that FAILED!

    MATTHEW... not only did you FAIL! but you are also DISMISSED!

    i beg you... and all who think like you to lock yourselves in your homes on november 3rd... and don't come out until november 5th! thank you!

    rawdawgbuffalo said...

    Did Obama do enough to win? Did his speech convert any of the 20% I have spoke of previously or was he preaching to the choir?

    just asking because thats y asked what happens if obama looses? and questioned the Biden selection

    Unknown said...

    Watch your tongue sir. What have YOU done for this country? I have served in the military for the past eight years so that people like you can speak freely and slander that which I hold dear in the name of "intellectualism". What have you sacrificed for this country? Where were you during the long months I spent away from home, without contact, praying my family would be safe. No, I am not getting self-righteous on you. But I would suggest that in the future you determine the circumstances of an individual before criticizing him or her.
    Anyhow, on to more important things. John McCain's experiences as a POW are 100% relevant to his bid for office. How can I be sure that I can trust John McCain? Because he chose to endure horrors you and I can only imagine rather than go home without his buddies. How do I know I can trust Mr. Obama? I don't know, and that is why I would never vote for him. I shared Mr. McCain's experiences as a Midshipman at USNA, and I can tell you from personal experience that "first" or "last" in one's class doesn't mean a thing. What matters is ability to LEAD, and Mr. McCain has demonstrated this many times over.
    In what way does leadership not transfer to the Oval Office? That's the whole point! There is no "How to be a President" degree. It's all about leadership, character, and trust. All else is secondary.
    Oh yes, I've read a lot about Mr. Obama's plans. I would be thrilled to see, in particular, his diplomatic solution in Palestine. "We'll talk things through," he says. Well, then, go ahead! There's nothing stopping him from doing that right now. These crazy Dem's are out of touch with reality. Osama bin Laden and those like him will NEVER step up to a negotiations table, and to imagine such a thing is fantasy.
    Of course I am somewhat limited in my ability to read his material, since the only way to access his website is to "join the movement". I already joined a movement, it's called the United States of F'n America.
    If spending is already so high, how much further will Mr. Obama raise it by spreading the welfare state? And at the same time he will lower taxes? So, I still fail to understand how this will help to establish a baseline to lower the enormous debt that, if unchecked, will eventually break our economy.
    And what of Reverend Wright? If CNN is going to talk about Mrs. Palin's family dispute, there is no way in hell I am going to just let Reverend Wright go without mention. I want a president who is pro-America, not one who sits in church and nods while hate speech about my country is tossed around like a beach ball. You can try and dodge this one, but the reality is crystal clear.
    And of being a world power. Leadership is about going against the grain sometimes. We may have blundered in Iraq (and/or Afghanistan) by stepping in, but guess what, we're there now, and we are responsible for what happens because we broke the status quo. Leaving the people to see their land crumble would be the true evil, and if Europe doesn't see this, it's because they do not want to.

    Oh, and finally, YOU brought race into this sir, and YOU labeled ME, not the other way around. People like me?? Excuse me sir??? I didn't exclude anyone, but thank you for the rant.
    "i often wonder about people like you! people who like to exclude and denigrate people who are not like them. people who create barriers to cooperation and love. you don't love this country... you only love the advantage over others that this country has afforded you for so long!"

    plez... said...

    matthew,

    watch my tongue?!? just as i allow you to freely come to my site and spew your pablum, i will say whatever i'd like ... in the manner of my choosing. it is of little to no concern to me about your military service (thanks for serving your country, though), because i have not slandered nor spoken any lies ... i know about as much about you, as you know about me! don't worry where i was while you were serving this country, i'm sure your family is just happy that you made it home safely.

    so you trust mccain because he was in the service like you AND that is why you will vote for him. i can appreciate that sentiment. but did you vote for john kerry in 2004 when he ran against that coward george w. bush and that draft-dodging dick cheney?!? kerry was in the military and served in Viet Nam, just like john mccain.

    and are you sure that you'd feel just as confident in the abilities of the person who finished last in his class as the person who finished first? think about that for a moment, because if that were the case, there would be no need for grades, right? just show up for leadership training and everyone who finishes is immensely qualified to lead! wow! talk about living in a dream world!

    i didn't say that his leadership skills didn't transfer to the oval office, because to my way of thinking, he hasn't displayed any REAL leadership... i said, his being a POW was not a skill that was transferable to the Oval Office... and i continue to stand by that argument.

    to be honest... the remainder of your response falls into the category of being mildly to insanely incoherent... you're about as confused as john mccain: Palestinians, welfare state, having to join a movement to access a website, Rev. Wright, and sarah palin (mcsame's veep nominee)... before i thought you drank the Kool Aid, i get the strange feeling that you have an I.V. drip of the stuff. i am not going to respond (but i'm still searching for the place where i called you a racist... i can't seem to find it! it must be on that membership-only movement website you referenced before!

    you're still dismissed!

    Constructive Feedback said...

    [quote]Obama fit nicely into his battle gear, as he challenged Sen. John McCain on his unbridled support of 'these last eight years' of President George W. Bush. The self-proclaimed maverick has been in lockstep with the Bush Administration on economic policy, foreign policy, the war in Iraq, the immigration issue, women's rights, and health care over 90 percent of the time[/quote]

    Plez - do you ever sit back and ponder how much of alignment Barack Obama has with the FAILED URBAN POLICIES that so many of our Black brothers and sisters live under? Do you wonder if he will vacate from some of those positions that HAVE NOT WORKED?

    You live in the Metro Atlanta region and I am sure that you have heard about the dram with Clayton County Schools. No doubt the Black Democrats who dominate this county will practice VOTER NULLIFICATION about what the 9 Democrats on the school board did and not only replace them with 9 new Democrats but vote for Barack Obama - who is apart of this same political machine as well.

    Barack Obama's Chicago school system which has 408,000 children - majority Black with a budget of $3.6 billion. Despite the fact that the STATE pays $1.6 BILLION already the MACHINE which Obama is a part of and which supports him is crying RACISM in that the state doesn't pay MORE for the city's education tab.

    I have to ask you man - what are you ultimately getting out of support for this machine WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY?

    Constructive Feedback said...

    [quote]"once again, plezWorld defies ANYONE to come up with a valid set of reasons - other than inbred racism - why this man should not be the 44th President of the United States."[/quote]

    Mathew - I am sorry. I thought that it was YOU who made these comments quoted above. You were responding to Plez. It thus is no surprise.

    You see Mathew - last night Plez heard a narrative that was in line with his own and thus he was drawn to tears.

    In this narrative the problems in the parts of this country that are most dominated by Democrats is the fault of the past 8 years at the nation level but NOT the problems of the local leader for the past 8 and 40 years that Detroit, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Milwaukee and St Louis - among others have experienced.

    DEAR PLEZ - WHY A BLACK MAN SHOULD QUESTION THE PROMOTION OF BARACK OBAMA TO THE PRESIDENCY:

    First mission - we must make it clear - it is not just OBAMA - it is the MACHINE THAT BARACK OBAMA IS A PART OF.

    Barack Obama can't do a damned thing without this MACHINE support his efforts.

    As I review the great amount of GRIEVANCES that my people have in 2008 - I can't help but notice that where these GRIEVANCES ARE...this MACHINE has unchecked power in all of the levels of governance in these political districts.

    Black people CLAIM that all of our political activism is centered around:

    * Safe Streets where Justice Rules
    * Quality Education For Our Children
    * A sound local economy to employ our people and allow us to trade goods
    * A sound state of HEALTH for our people.

    The irony of it all is that today BLACK PEOPLE have the final say in choosing the PEOPLE who can bring these items forth in their communities. Despite having people in place of their POPULAR CHOOSING these very problems CONTINUE TO EXIST.

    As we review the campaign speeches of these people as they vied for office it is clear that the PROMISES that they made to Black voters before hand have FAILED to be delivered.

    But that force of ideological bias and complicity it funny. Despite the fact that there is a near 100% Democratic lock down in Black communities you don't hear people like Plez speaking much about the LOCAL LEVEL pain that Black folks experience (http://withintheblackcommunity.blogspot.com/2008/08/black-priorities-on-streets-is-very.html).

    You see - Plez is a "Democratic/Progressive SELLOUT".

    He is unwilling to make note of the people who CONTROL THE BLACK COMMUNITY today. Instead he joins the complicit set of Black folks who blame BUSH for all of their problems.

    If we were to do a zipcode by zipcode review of the MISERY INDEX - we would see that there is a correlation between the grievances spoken and the local Democratic control over these same districts.

    Barack Obama represents a NATIONALIZATION of the local policies of CONFISCATION that have FAILED thus far within the Black community.

    The powerhouse DEMOCRATICLY locked up city of Chicago is demanding that the STATE pay more than the $1.6 billion that it already pays into the city schools.

    Barack Obama is a kindred spirit of the group called ACORN. Acorn is a CAPITAL DESTRUCTION GROUP. Their policies bring forth destruction rather than PROGRESSION. Where as Obama prides himself as a "community activist" (helping ACORN) I listen to ACORNS rehetoric and can fully understand WHY no bank would dare to lend money to people that they represent.

    With Obama and with Plez there is a fundamental need to talk about RIGHTS (Social Justice) rather than to talk about PROPERTY RIGHTS and the need to put forth a FUNCTIONAL ECONOMIC SYSTEM that brings the desired financial resources to the people. Instead - as we see in Chicago - the fact that the state already pays for nearly 50% of the schools' budget IS STILL NOT ENOUGH. It is a CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATION that the state has failed to pay the same amount of money that WHITE FOLKS IN THE SUBURBS choose to pay for their schools.

    Obama and Plez represent a destruction of Black Racial DIGNITY in this regard. They mask their failed economic policies with the notion of the RIGHT to CONFISCATE ANOTHER MAN'S EARNINGS until their perverted view of SOCIAL JUSTICE is met.

    How is it that a Black man living in America, struggling within the policies that the local goverment policy has harmed him with seek to PROMOTE these same policies to a NATIONAL LEVEL?

    This is the question that all Black people need to ask before voting for Barack Obama.

    IN summary - Black folks WHERE ARE THE REPUBLICANS IN POWER WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY TO DESTROY IT?

    Either the Democratic machine RUNS YOUR COMMUNITY and should be held accountable OR the local politicians are irrelevant and you were lied to. Which one is it?

    plez... said...

    CS,

    your entire argument falls upon the YOUR assessment of "the FAILED URBAN POLICIES that so many of our Black brothers and sisters live under." unfortunately, your fatally flawed view doesn't for ONE SECOND take into account the VAST DIFFERENCE between local and national politics.

    nine democrats squabbling over the debacle in clayton county schools has ZERO to do with Barack Obama! yes, i live in the metro atlanta area and find that situation as deplorable as i hope you do (but i tend to wonder whether you'd rather see the continued destruction of those poor children's futures as a self-fulfilling prophecy of the warped brand of conservatism you tend to espouse. but i must ask, how many REPUBLICANS in clayton county ran offering an alternative?

    i have laid out the reasons of my support of Barack Obama, none which have to do with the continuation of a welfare state, nationalization of industry, nor income redistribution... your right-wing buzzwords notwithstanding, he has presented a sound economic plan which includes a tax cut for the very Black people you talk about, and an education program that would benefit the very Black people from those delapidated school systems in Clayton County, Georgia AND Chicago!

    man, you have diarrhea of the keyboard, it seems the MORE you write, the LESS you have to say... instead of worrying about my being "sellout as a Democratic/Progressive," why don't you concentrate on a stricter economy of letters... i'd really appreciate it!

    Constructive Feedback said...

    [quote]nine democrats squabbling over the debacle in clayton county schools has ZERO to do with Barack Obama! yes, i live in the metro atlanta area and find that situation as deplorable as i hope you do (but i tend to wonder whether you'd rather see the continued destruction of those poor children's futures as a self-fulfilling prophecy of the warped brand of conservatism you tend to espouse. but i must ask, how many REPUBLICANS in clayton county ran offering an alternative?[/quote]

    You see Plez - that's just it. You and other "Black Quasi-Socialist Progressive-Fundamentalist Racism-Chasers" have to NATIONALIZE your dreams....shedding a tear in the process of viewing unattainable HOPE because.....what is LOCAL TO YOU and ALREADY UNDER CONTROL is NOT WORKING.

    Plez - do you believe that I am surprised one bit that YOU ATTEMPT to disconnect "Barack Obama" from the WIDE FABRIC of the POLITICAL MACHINE that blankets Black America - AS WE SPEAK? Do you really?

    This bit of cognitive dissonance allows you all to continue as you have. Continuing the PERMANENT STRUGGLE as your model of "progression" that always seems to fall short.

    In the greatest bout of perversion that you all represent - you would have it that the ascendency of Barack (or any other Democrat for that matter) to national power will translate into BETTER TIDINGS WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY. Yet you just attempt to sell me on the 'disconnectedness' between Barack Obama and YOUR LOCAL HOPES within the Black community. Please spare me man. Stop lying to yourself in this elemental way. BARACK OBAMA IS your HOPE FOR CHANGE WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY!

    [quote]i tend to wonder whether you'd rather see the continued destruction of those poor children's futures as a self-fulfilling prophecy of the warped brand of conservatism you tend to espouse.[/quote]

    Do you mind if I call you out on this weak trick dude (I hate to bust you out on YOUR OWN BLOG).

    Let's go through the narrative.

    1) I don't live in Clayton County. This county where YOUR favored ideology was one of many options for my wife and I to choose to live in. We do not.

    2) Within Clayton County are EQUAL BLACK PEOPLE to me. They, like me - have full adult consciousness as Black people and ONE VOTE to speak this consciousness to their immediate community and to the rest of the country.

    3) You have the audacity to tell me about my NEGATIVE HOPES FOR THEIR CHILDREN. Yet you say NOTHING about THESE EQUAL BLACK PEOPLE WHO SHARE YOUR IDEOLOGICAL VIEW and their ACTUAL BEHAVIOR WHICH HAVE, IN FACT HURT THESE 54,000 BLACK CHILDREN.

    Do you see how your rhetoric doesn't match up with REALITY Plez?

    I watch "Black Quasi-Socialist Progressive-Fundamentalist Racism-Chasers" because they represent the popular political viewpoint of my people AND also the MAIN THREAT TO OUR CULTURAL CONSCIOUSNESS as a people. I notice that one thing you all do is EXIT THE BLACK COMMUNITY - quicker than quick - when the subject of POLITICS comes up.

    You are comfortable blaming evil George Bush for the ailments within the Black community economically. What you all don't seem to keep track of is the near 100% DEMOCRATIC domination of these same areas and the fact that not all areas in a given area share the same DEPRESSION that you are aggrieved with. In your PROGRESSIVE-FUNDAMENTALISM you are not able to inspect the basic assumptions that are POPULARLY ASSUMED to be the best in addressing these problems WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY. Instead for you all "IF IT AIN'T PROGRESSIVE" - don't waste your time talking to us.

    The Black community is the only one that I know of in America where an INCREASED AMOUNT OF POWER and control of more districts translates into INCREASED shifting outward of BLAME for conditions that fall short of your expectations.

    Plez - you all are not about organic growth within the Black community. As with your hero Barack Obama - you are all about INCOME REDISTRIBUTION from districts that ARE PRODUCTIVE into districts that have FAILED TO FIELD a productive economic system that can fund the people's STANDARD OF LIVING.

    Thus despite Chicago being a long time Democratic stronghold the fact that the state already pays 44% of the public school funding - the demand for EVEN MORE MONEY is called a CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATION by the Civil Rights Operatives who knows what works.

    Think about it Plez - if a previously HOSTILE school administration FAILED to provide adequate education and funding the ADMINISTRATION itself was the target of the angst of the civil rights operatives. Now that they have their own favored people in place and yet THE SYSTEM IS STILL FAILING - they save their attacks upon THEIR OWN IDEOLOGICAL SOULMATES and they EXPAND UP to the state level. Next it will be the FEDERAL LEVEL Plez.

    The LEGITIMATE cry of "Civil Rights Violations" due to real INJUSTICE in the balance of America's existence has now been perverted into ideological hijacking.

    Chicago is not being DISCRIMINATED AGAINST in this case. Chicago has FAILED to develop a system that allows it to be self-sufficient and provide the funding for the quality services that the people seek.

    You all want a CENTRAL GOVERNMENT that controls all of the MONEY. You all have no respect for one's PRIVATE PROPERTY. If there is a NEED and someone has money in their pockets - you had better be sure that their pockets will be picked to supply it EVEN IF THEY DON'T LIVE IN THAT DISTRICT.

    The question for you Plez and other people with a flawed ideology is: What do you ask of the MAIN BENEFICIARIES of your benevolence in support of THEIR OWN SALVATION?

    You weaken Black people and our cultural confidence with every passing moment in your inability to answer this question.

    plez... said...

    CS,

    somewhere within your incessant filibuster, i'm sure there is a kernel of reason or a decent question for me to answer. unfortunately, all i see are gross generalities, well worn and trite quips pulled from the republican playbook, and a flailing about with you trying to justify the money you wasted on your seemingly meaningless bachelors degree ... but if you could compose a concise cogent point after your ump-teenth dry heave of mental masturbation, honestly, i would consider a response...

    OH, BOO! HOO! i've been "busted out" on my own blog by the intellectual superiority of mr. constructive feedback... woe is me! HA HA HA... get a life, son!

    Unknown said...

    Sir, if you read your response you may notice, you may notice it was comprised mainly of personal attacks on me rather than discussion of issues. Yes, you sure did repeat a list of things I talked about, but again you say nil about Mr. Obama:

    "to be honest... the remainder of your response falls into the category of being mildly to insanely incoherent... you're about as confused as john mccain: Palestinians, welfare state, having to join a movement to access a website, Rev. Wright, and sarah palin (mcsame's veep nominee)... before i thought you drank the Kool Aid, i get the strange feeling that you have an I.V. drip of the stuff. i am not going to respond (but i'm still searching for the place where i called you a racist... i can't seem to find it! it must be on that membership-only movement website you referenced before!"

    My comment on the Obama website is absolutely relevant in that it points out the sensationalism with which he conducts his part in the campaign. Why can I not enter the website and read his posts without registering myself as a supporter?: because the Obama camp is obsessed with numbers, whether for rally attendees or website visitors, etc. I am thus unable to adequately view his website without being counted as part of the "movement".

    As for Mr. McCain's military experience and its relevance to the presidency, I emphasize that this is not the REASON I vote for McCain. It's the reason I know I can trust the man. I also happen to agree with most of his views, as I mentioned before. In electing a president, my prime concerns are leadership and character. I stand by my statement about class rank at the Naval Academy. Academic and military performance during one's training years become less important as time after graduation goes by. What matters are performance as a leader and the development of sound judgment. I point to the military arena since I am talking about Mr. McCain, but these principles apply to any profession. If you are still not convinced, let me tell you about some other fellows who did poorly (or close to it) at the military academies: General Patton, Maj. Gen. George James Longstreet, Gen. George Pickett, Fleet Adm. Frank Halsey, and many more. I could care less about either candidates grades as an undergraduate. It does not matter, especially coming out of USNA.

    On a final note, Reverend "Damn America" Wright is also relevant. You go to the guy's sermons for 20 years and refer to him as a mentor, you do support the man and that for what he stands. Period.

    Do not worry about "dismissing me", I will probably not be posting here again, since you refuse to engage in a real discussion. When I advised you to watch your tongue, I was talking about the mutual respect we ought to have when speaking to each other. Yes, you may say what you wish. You will find, however, that in doing so you will quickly reduce to number of people who care to speak with you. Have a good day sir.

    plez... said...

    matthew,

    the only question in my post was a request for reasons why Barack Obama should not be our next President; you offered none (unless you consider the rehashing of wright to be valid... i beg to differ inasmuch that it is a feeble attempt to attack Obama's patriotism which has never been called into question).

    you see, i've taken a DETAILED look at mccain and what he stands for, from his dismal military record to his failed personal journey to his fabulously incoherent legislative career. by your own admission, you have NOT done the same with Obama! you have an insatiable desire to rehash and regurgitate outdated and inaccurate facts about Obama, you have digested the Republican talking points, where i choose to state the facts. ...and to be honest, that is probably why our discussion was so disagreeable!

    i understand that presidential elections are very personal and heartfelt affairs, and most people who have the courage to post here are quite passionate in support of their favorite candidate. and that's the beauty of this country, we can disagree... and even be disagreeable about it! *smile*

    you are FREE to visit as often as you like... i don't begrudge you that. unlike many, i don't moderate the comments before they are posted.

    in light of the fact that it took THREE LONG comments for you to decide that you "probably won't be posting here again" (even though, i "DISMISSED" you after your FIRST COMMENT and you've been back twice) ... you are always more than welcome to stop in at any time and offer your wisdom. believe it or not, i LOVE to receive differing viewpoints.