Waht Do We Know About Obama's Judgement LDN Oct 2009

In a few days we will elect the most powerful man in the world – the president of the United States of America. The power vested in the presidency is immense, but it is limited. The president does not control the events he will have to face. The range of issues a president faces is vast and daunting. No president – no person, for that matter – has the experience to cover the wide range of issues he will face during his presidency. The president will rely on his advisors, polls, party and political contributors for advice. In the end, these influences plus the president’s own philosophy will shape his judgment that will form the basis for his actions. What do we know about Senator Obama’s judgment?
Tax Philosophy – The conversation with Joe the Plumber finally crystallized Senator Obama’s political view on taxes. Obama told Joe he wanted to use the tax system to “spread the wealth”. Just weeks earlier, Obama stated that he would raise the capital gains tax rate, despite the fact that such a change would generate less tax revenue, because it was “fair”. Senator Obama does not view taxes as a means to fund the government; rather they are an instrument to impose economic fairness. That means he will decide who to take taxes from and who to give them to. This is a radical economic philosophy. In fact, income redistribution (spreading the wealth) is the central tenet of socialism. What kind of judgment does that show?
Iraq – Senator Obama began his campaign based on his opposition to the war in Iraq. At the time President Bush initiated the war, Obama was merely a state senator in Illinois. He had no access to any intelligence reports. Based on these reports, however, Senator Joe Biden, Obama’s own running mate, and Hillary Clinton and many other Democrats supported the war. State Senator Obama merely went with his gut and gave a speech opposing the war. Now let's fast forward to last year and the surge. Obama was then a U.S. senator and had access to foreign intelligence reports. He knew that the choice was to admit defeat and withdraw from Iraq or support an unpopular surge and give victory one last chance. At that point, when equipped with all the facts available, he chose to accept defeat and oppose the surge. The surge has been a remarkable success, and a lasting peace is possible in Iraq. Had Obama succeeded, our troops might be home, but Islamic radicals would control Iraq and America would have suffered its most profound military and political defeat in our entire history. What kind of judgment does that show?
Reverend Wright – Barack Obama attended Reverend Wright’s church for over 20 years. How could Senator Obama sit in the pew of a pastor who preached radical black-liberation theology, a radical social-economic worldview, and not be influenced? He claims to be unaware of these radical statements and beliefs. What kind of judgment does this show?
Questionable Associates – How can a senator start his campaign, endorse the book of, and accept money from an unrepentant domestic terrorist? Of course, Obama was only a child when William Ayers bombed the Pentagon, but Senator Obama was in his thirties when he befriended the radical William Ayers. Can you imagine the media’s reaction if McCain had a similar relationship with an unrepentant abortion clinic bomber? This could be excused if there were not so many other questionable associations: ACORN, Rashid Khalidi and Tony Rezko. Who will surround him in the Oval Office? What kind of judgment does this show?
Bipartisanship – Senator Obama claims to be “post partisan”. He knows the majority of the electorate wants a less confrontational approach to solving our problems. I wonder what will change. Barack Obama is the most loyal and liberal Democrat in the senate. He voted the Democratic Party line 97% of the time. Not once did he step outside his party’s boundaries to build a bipartisan coalition to solve a meaningful problem. His talk makes for good politics, but his actions are empty. What kind of judgment does that show?
His Sincerity – There is no doubt Senator Obama may be the most gifted orator in modern history. His prepared speeches are works of art. His oratory skills and rhetoric are inspiring. However, when the teleprompter is off and he is talking to his core supporters, he derides the middle class when he states that “they cling to their guns or their religion.” What does he really believe? What kind of judgment does that show?
We are not electing the national spokesperson. If we were, given his demeanor and oratory skills I would vote for Senator Obama. No, we are voting for the president who will face unknown and seemingly impossible challenges. He will have to reach deep into his soul and make decisions that will affect all of us. While we all hope for change, how sure are you of the changes Mr. Obama has in mind?