The only person not discussing the issues here is Helen.

Since it takes X number of times for a message to be “heard” by a person, the Republican message, by the nature of it being a more complicated message to communicate, requires an advantage in dollars, since money=speech.
Add to this the fact the media by virtue of its liberalism, naturally reinforces the Democrat message, will require even more money to overcome. Republicans don’t have enough money.
Let’s hope I am wrong.

Because Republicans attack – wait just a second. Attack!?! With machetes, I assume? Did they chop off his hands? Extract his lying, vicious, monstrous, racist tongue with red hot pincers? No… they criticized his vicious, unreasoning, near-insane hatred of America. Oh, the Horror! The Horror Of It All! Daring to be critical! Those Republican monsters! Daring to voice criticism means “attack”, and it means “evil”.

I think it’s been substantiated that he was _not_ a law professor, but rather a lecturer. Even that may be a substantial accomplishment, but it’s not the same thing, if I understand correctly.

It’s not the first time I’ve brought up the issue of Obama’s failures at reform. Look, I believe the guy genuinely wants to succeed!

I’m sure he wants to succeed, and that he genuinely cares about making the world what he thinks of as a better place.

However, I don’t think we can say, at this time, that his definition of success includes any type of reform, at least political reform. He has always campaigned on reform, but he has never actually enacted it, probably because it would cost political support. He has also signed onto reforms done by others, or reforms put together and made ready for him to take ownership of (Emil Jones would do this for him frequently), but he hasn’t, that I’m aware of, ever done the hard work of actually making sure reform passes and then sticks.

Presumably as President he will attempt to enact his version of reform on the financial sector, and the health sector and such. As we saw with Clinton, that stuff is tough to get done, but perhaps with a Congress chomping at the bit to regulate without fear of veto they will get things through (probably to the detriment of all of us).

However, I will be surprised if any serious political or ethical reform occurs under Obama. McCain spent years grinding away at his ill-considered reform bill until he could get it passed over the objections of both parties; we just haven’t seen that kind of will-power with Obama.

But, perhaps like a Supreme Court candidate who shows his true colors once he gets the job, Obama will surprise us all.

If he does, we may regret even that…a President who promises much and delivers little may be less damaging than a President and Congress who join together to “just do something” about a lot of things that impact our lives…

It’s not the first time I’ve brought up the issue of Obama’s failures at reform. Look, I believe the guy genuinely wants to succeed! He cares! But all the care and concern won’t bring one iota of success.

He spent *loads* of effort on health care reform while in the Illinois Senate. His success there? A task force that generated recommendations for reform, not one of which has been enacted. He did show skill at managing coalitions and creating legislation that got the task force together, which was *not* easy. But a task force issues recommendations; that’s what they do. There is no legislative accomplishment there. I’m trying to be fair, but come on, Americans! A task force got organized, and issued recommendations! Is *that* success!?!?!

I guess I’m disappointed in “Americans” in general. You’ve got a hope and change, reform candidate, and the American public seems to not even be asking, “What’s his record? Why should I believe he will accomplish good things?”

Maybe this focus on Obama’s character will translate into Americans taking a good hard look at the guy. A good hard look is all that’s necessary. The rest will follow.

Damn, I’m sure those works are around here somewhere, let me Google them and get back to you…

It is certainly reasonable to question Barack Obama’s readiness to handle the American economy. Should I listen only to today’s talking points by the Obama campaign?

I don’t want to see a radical, collectivist leftist as President. I know where that leads. Everyone paying attention knows where it leads. The problem is: Unconvinced voters don’t know that Obama is a radical leftist collectivist.

Make them aware of that, and his ability to manage the US economy is called into question, as it should be.

You, Helen, are convinced that McCain cannot handle the economy. Here in Book’s domain, we tend to disagree.

I might also ask: Can you point to one thing, even one, in Obama’s past, where he has succeeded at something that indicates that he can handle our economy?
I’ve looked; I cannot find it.

Chicago Annenberg Challenge with William Ayers (Ayers NOT as a terrorist but as a radical leftist) : Evaluated by the national Annenberg Challenge as having no effect. $160 million spent on radicalizing youth, not one penny for core educational instruction. Result: No effect. Now THERE’S a success!

Chicago Housing Reform for the urban poor (with Tony Rezko) : Obama coordinated the money and assigned it to a group of selected developers. Result: Massive Failure. The targeted neighborhoods were extremely poor and black. The housing built for them is now condemned, boarded up, dangerous. The black poor of Obama’s Chicago are demonstrably worse off due to Obama, while Obama’s rich friends skated away with millions. Corruption and complete failure.

In the US Senate, nothing but signing on as co-sponsor to bills led by others. Leadership? None.

Where are Obama’s successes? They don’t exist. I can’t bear the thought of this fellow, with such a rich leftist collectivist history, managing our economy. Nothing could be more frightening to me.

If the American people, all those unconvinced voters out there, ever get a hint of this knowledge – which the media is preventing them from hearing – you will see a very different picture come Election Day. You talk about McCain’s fears, but you sure don’t talk about Obama’s fears, and this is where they reside.

I will grant you this: A massive economic crisis always hurts the party of the current President. But to say McCain fears talking about the economy is missing the point. Pay attention to tomorrow’s debate: I guarantee you that John McCain will not avoid the economy. This makes your point moot.

http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2008/10/nancys-swamp-continues-to-overflow.html