"... that we're the party that will guarantee every American an affordable, world- class, lifelong, top-notch education, from early childhood to high school, from college to on-the-job training..."
This, at best, Socialism, at worst a sad mockery of failed Communism. Hmmm, what's the five year plan?

"This, at best, Socialism, at worst a sad mockery of failed Communism. Hmmm, what's the five year plan?"

Folks just might be ready for 'Socialism' after 8 years of crypto-fascism.

I love how the old folks whip out the "socialism" card, followed closely by "communism" card as if this were 1950 and the Evil Hoards of Commies Were on the Verge of Infiltrating America and Taking Our Women.

I hate to break it to you, but it is now 2006.

These same 50's people happily go about their lives while hypocritically enjoying the safety provided by the 'Socialist' Police Force and 'Socialist' Fire Departments. They drive to work on their 'Socialist'-maintained local roads. Taking a shower in the morning with the 'Socialist' water washing them and the 'Socialist' sewer taking the dirty water away doesn't cause them pause.

If the idea is to end government-provided services, no thank you very much. I don't want the "Capitalist" model. I prefer to have the freedom to call the fire department when my house is on fire and expect them to show up promptly.

Under the Capitalist model, one must provide a credit card first before the fire department will even roll, or pay afterwards when the Private Police are called because one's house was broken into (no pay = no investigation). Don't worry, though - 'there will be competition for your fire-fighting and crime-solving dollars, so prices will go down and service will go up'. Just look at how well it worked with the cable companies, phone companies, media companies, airlines and privatized prisons.

I've been to Canada many times and marvel at their health-care system. Ours sucks and is broken beyond repair--that is, you pay much money and get little, if anything. Sure, we have some of the best hospitals, doctors and care, but the average person cannot afford it, so what difference does it make?

I have voted Republican. I have voted Democratic. I vote the best candidate for a particular office/year.

That being said, something puzzles me about the Republican Party. They revere the military and hold it up as a model insititution. As far as basics go I agree with that. Look out for your buddies. Protect your flank. Leave no soldier behind. I would bet that the Air Force does it's best to protect the Army.

But these ideals don't translate into core Conservative values. I'm out for myself and to hell with you. I'm not concerned about helping you, if you die on the battlefield of life it won't hurt or effect me. Your on your own buddy, etc. etc. etc.

If the military is held in such high regard, wouldn't they want to emulate core military values?

Democrats have coined a new word for themselves, Progressives, which is no more than the same old socialism they have been pandering for years.They should admit they want complete and total control over our pocketbooks,our lives,businesses and families. The ruse they are doing anything for the "Po" people is B.S. The "PO" people are managed by wealthy,educated bureacrats who want more of our money for more benefits and higher salaries for themselves.The grand plan is the same TAX plan they always have to offer. Create a problem, solve it by creating another tier of government and fund it with more tax revenue. WOW I am real excited and look forward to their slam dunk candidate in 2008, " I can't wait til 2008!" I will have another choice of a lousy Democrat or a lousy Republican both offering the same bowl of soup but with a different flavor.

How about an Obama ticket in '08? Do Americans have the guts to support a PROGRESSIVE person for the presidency? Unfortunately, I fear that the conservatives could not stand for that. What?! No more reliance on foreign oil because our cars can run more efficiently and cleanly on bio-diesel or ethanol mixes? What?! A government where FDA agents don't also draw $100K+ salaries as board members and consultants to the very pharmaceutical companies they are supposed to oversee? What is this man thinking, they would all cry in unison! Obama For President!

"How about an Obama ticket in '08? Do Americans have the guts to support a PROGRESSIVE person for the presidency?"

A progressive person supports gay rights.

How about Clinton-Obama ? CLINTION -FORD?All three recognize that Dlc is liberal!

Oh my gosh,on last Sunday the dawn finally came. Obama is the ONLY candidate for 08. I want an all woman congress, I want women to run our country for four years and see the difference I wanted Hillary but so many doubt her and all her baggage and her concurance with so much in Iraq. Then like a breath of fresh air, Obama was speaking and loud and clear I knew He is the one. Honest, intellligent, trustworthy, simbolyzing all that is good about our country that has been missing. Yes he is our only choice and he is not too young or too inexperienced. He vibrates so much higher that almost anyone in the Congress or in politics. Lets trust in the man who will turn our country back to the goodness it was built upon.

While Obama is probably the best choice for President, don't forget he wasn't born here in the United States.

Not born in the US? What year did Hawaii join the union? hmmm...last state to join...admitted on August 21, 1959. When was he born?....He was born August 4, 1961. Guess that makes him a US citizen. Aloha!

What is your take on the bloggers? Will the blogs swing enough influence to be of help? Which Ford is referred to upthread?
Hillary no longer has my confidence or my vote.

For an informed view on the issues that separate individualism from collectivism (communism, socialism, Bushism, etc.) read Frederick Haycek's Road to Serfdom. One of the conclusions is that any collectivistic form of government, whatever its goals, leads to a totalitarian form of government, loss of indiviual freedom in personal matters, if its methodology is based on central planning.

Yes, please do read Hayek. And then think about all the ways that the current Republican party is attempting to take on the role of the 'Central Planner'. They are wasting our tax dollars attempting to: 1. Plan a Democratic Nation in Iraq (and failing); 2. Plan our security using a huge Security Burocracy with extensive surveilance (and failing); 3. Plan our Economy with a tax code which favors capital above all else (its funny how much faith people put in government to end a recession with tax cuts); 4. Plan our borders with fences and huge border security forces, supplemented by privatateer groups; etc. etc. etc. This is what should make any fiscal conservative with any spine wake up in a cold sweat at night. We are now at a point where the choice we have is between a tax and spend Democrat, or a borrow and spend Republican. At least Obama's vision is hopeful, and uplifting. The entire Republican Platform currently hinges on a bunch of scared, highly indebted suburbanites looking to the government to protect them from Terrorism, pedophilia, a supposed hispanic invasion, gay marriage, flag burning, etc... Its all fear politics.

Hawaii, Barack Obama's birth place, became a United States territory on February 22, 1900.

I got lucky and was able to capture Barack Obama on video. His speach was very inspiring.Feel free to use it in any manner you see fit. The video is on my blog.
www.hillbillyreport.com
The Hillbilly

Obama will never be the President of the USA...EVER!

Yo Ames!

Thanks for making that decision for the rest of us. Goodness knows only you have the education and wisdom to determine who should be the leader of our country. I'm so relieved because now I can go back to watching television and drooling on myself.

Deacon:

I made a statement not a decision. Do you understand the difference? Mybe you are watching too much television.

Obama will never be elected President of the United States.

Hillary Clinton will never be elected either. Neither will many others. I have correctly called every Presidential election since 1976. The next Democrat elected will have to be a male from the South.

It never seizes to amaze me how many people dogmatically assert that Barack is too inexperienced to consider a presidential candidacy. If you look at many of the past great presidents, experience can hardly serve as even a remote indicator of how well (or poor) a presidential candidate can perform once in office.

Abraham Lincoln had a few years of experience as a lawyer and served ONLY ONE term as a representative from Illinois before being elected president. His expertise as a lawyer and his rhetoric skills as demonstrated in his debates with Stephen Douglas on the issue of slavery, however, propelled him to national stardom and served as a platform for his run for presidential candidacy . . . (sound familiar).

Ronald Reagan had only served a couple of terms as the Governor of California before he was elected president, and FDR served ONLY TWO years as a state senator and four years as the Governor of New York before he was elected president. Barack has served a full seven years as a state senator and will have served four years as the U.S. Senator from Illinois by 2008 (thereby questioning whether he has a lack of experience to begin with). A "lack of experience" is hardly the litmus test for the potential greatness of a presidential candidate.

Three qualities I observe to be characteristic of past great presidents are: the ability to transcend mainstream logic by approaching problems in fundamentally different ways, an undeniably strong intellect, and the ability to connect with the American people.

Before Lincoln went down in history as one of the greatest presidents of all time, he was one of the most respected and successful lawyers in Illinois. But even more impressive was the wisdom he demonstrated during his presidency in knowing that America could only take an all-or-nothing stance (contrary to the mainstream logic of his time) in regard to slavery in order to preserve the Union. Barack Obama graduated MAGNA CUM LAUDE from HARVARD LAW SCHOOL, and contrary to mainstream logic of both Democrats and Republicans two years ago, he spoke out AGAINST going to war in Iraq which, needless to say, was a gigantic political risk.

Franklin D. Roosevelt redefined the concept of liberalism and thus redefined the identity of the Democratic Party by transcending the widespread mentality of despair. Many point to FDR's New Deal policies and his economic reform policies as the source of his greatness, but the ingeniousness of his Fireside Chats is too often overlooked. Because of his connection with the American people, FDR had the presence of mind to know that it wasn't enough to just implement and execute effective economic reform policies. He knew that something more substantial and urgent was at stake, and his approach to the epidemic disease of despondency was nothing less than legendary. The Fireside chats served as the voice of hope, an "everything's gonna be ok" stroke on the back, an almost lullaby to millions of Americans, rich and poor, black and white, and mill workers and business owners, all across the country.

That night in 2004 at the Democractic National Convention, Barack Obama spoke to the hearts of millions of Americans, rich and poor, black, white, latino, and asian, and liberal and conservative, all across the country. That night, Barack connected with the American people in a way that no politician had connected in a long time. It was not just "a pretty speech" as some deem it to be. Barack demontrated his ability to connect with the American people where they're at and to put words and passion to how everyone felt.

If you read his excerpts on faith in his new book "The Audacity of Hope," you will find that he redefines the identity of Democratic party, and actually makes liberalism appealing to evangelical white Christians which is unheard of. In a highly polarized country, the idea of bipartisanship and merging the left and the right was unimaginable at best. Barack made this idea conceivable and has been proving that it can be done by leading the passing of the Transparency Act with Senator Tom Coburn (R-Ok) and with his alliance with Senator Richard Lugar (R-In) on the destruction of WMD's and other potential terrorist weapons around the world. Thus far, he has approached the stale and crippling problem of partisanship in fundamentally different and refreshing ways.

While bloggers will continue to debate over Barack's ability (or lack thereof) to run as a presidential candidate, Barack will continue to shatter freshman senator records left and right: for being the fastest senator to introduce, lead, and actually get a piece of legislation (in a relatively hostile environment I might add) passed, for being on the most senate committees (including the esteemed Senate Foreign Relations Committee which is difficult even for seasoned senators to get on), for establishing his own leadership political action committee (a move typically done after several years in office according to Wikipedia), for ranking 4th in frequency of voting with the majority of his party, and for being the most sought after politician to raise funding and public support for the 2006 midterm elections.

I have read his memoir "Dreams From My Father," listened to his podcasts, listened to his speeches on YouTube, and have read his policies and proposed legislation. I have also read countless barack bashing blogs, conservative blogs, and other blogs discounting Barack as a potential presidential candidate, so I deem myself relatively qualified for forming strong opinions. Typical of the republican propaganda, too many confuse the judiciousness, the complexity of mind, and the humbleness that Barack exudes as a form of timidity and weakness. Too many perceive his ability to actually propose solutions that everyone agrees on as waffling and "avoiding the tough decisions." That's why Barack is more than competent enough to make a presidential run . . . he transcends the mainstream logic that says it has to be either A or B.

It is his ability to connect with the American people at their core that has propelled Barack Obama to his rock-star status, but it is his acute intellect and his ability to transcend the mainstream partisanship, to unify all of America, and to potentially earn the respect of the world that will usher him into the oval office in 2008.

The Republicans blew it...BIG TIME!

Barak has been publishing Podcasts lately. In his latest podcast he outlines some of the agenda items Democrats will be pursuing, as well as bills he is involved in. The more I read about and hear him, the more I like what he is doing and saying.

My post on it here: http://actforliberty.blogspot.com/2006/11/barak-obama-podcast.html