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The World According to Obama, According to the RNC
A recent email to supporters from Robert M. "Mike" Duncan, Chairman of the Republican National Committee begins like this:
Do you think the redistribution of wealth by the federal government is one of America's best traditions? How about free child care? Free college tuition? Wage insurance? Nationalizing oil refineries? A global tax paid to the United Nations?
A lot of this is plain made up. The global tax paid to the UN is a reference to the Global Poverty Act, which Obama sponsored. It makes reducing global poverty a goal of American policy, but does not institute a global tax paid to anyone. And Obama has never said anything about nationalizing oil refineries.
As for "free college tuition," here's what the Obama website says:
Obama will make college affordable for all Americans by creating a new American Opportunity Tax Credit. This universal and fully refundable credit will ensure that the first $4,000 of a college education is completely free for most Americans, and will cover two-thirds the cost of tuition at the average public college or university and make community college tuition completely free for most students.
Not exactly what the GOP email would have you believe.
Basically, the GOP is using the most effective attacks, regardless of whether or not they are the most accurate. (Here's another example.) I know this isn't a startling revelation. But when was the last time you saw a Democrat play by the same rules? For example, considering this, a Democratic Party using the Republican playbook would call John McCain corrupt. Repeatedly.
Would it be accurate? Not exactly. The point is whether or not it would work.
Comments
And what, exactly, would be so bad about free college tuition?
Yeah, an excellent point.
Posted by: Jonathan Stein on 08/19/08 at 7:31 AM Respond
Well, if it's an e-mail to to "supporters," what's the real harm? They're all in an echo chamber anyway.
Posted by: Alice on 08/19/08 at 7:58 AM Respond
Nothing says "not republican" like free child care or free college tuition. What planet are these people from?
But I have a gripe about universities. I go back to Purdue and see lots of sports fields, new buildings and growth, growth, growth!!! And tuition 2x, 3x that of inflation.
Universities need to get back to what they do - educate. And get out of the sports business.
Posted by: kirkbrew on 08/19/08 at 9:21 AM Respond
Nothing says "socialist" like promoting the erroneous notion that the government can provide anything to the people "free".
Like the people don't pay for whatever-it-is through their labor and resultant confiscatory taxation, even if they, as individuals, have no need or desire for whatever-it-is.
Government creates no wealth. It only consumes the wealth created by individuals, and sometimes redistributes what's left over after it rakes off it's own bloated share.
Honest government, and Honest advocacy must necessarily include always making sure that people know the real costs of what's being proposed, and not selling them on the notion that they can have something Free.
TANSTAAFL.
Ever.
Under ANY Circumstances.
Somewhere, Somehow, SOMEONE has to pay for anything of value.
Posted by: TANSTAAFL on 08/19/08 at 9:57 AM Respond
The worst is here in California, where they keep trying to get IN-STATE tuition for ILLEGAL ALIENS..!!!
Stop pandering to people who are criminals..!!
obama will give our country to mexico and you lib's LOVE IT..!!!
How SAD...:-(
BIll
Posted by: Bill Nigh on 08/19/08 at 11:11 AM Respond
I'm not sure how to respond to someone that tries to paint an entire group of people with such a broad brush. Too often, the person doing the painting has developed a perspective that has a blind spot. Trying to creat an environment that encourages the people around you to get a better education is a good thing, recognizing that there are so many that miss out on such an opportunity due in large part, to a lack of income to support this opportunity, is a responsible way and a selfless way to deal with reality.
The growing problem of illegal immigrants isn't the result of anything Senator Obama has done, but an age-old problem that this country has neglected to deal with for generations.
Foreigners have long since developed an appreciation for the potential they may have if they're allowed to stay here. unfortunatly, many of us take this for granted.
If the heart of your issue is that there are too many illegal immigrants in California, then ask yourself, what has John McCain offered...... and I'd ask the same thing about what Mr. McCain is offering for education reform as well.
It's very easy to complain about something one candidate is offering, as long as you don't have to compare it to what (perhaps) your candidates offering in comparison.
Posted by: Paris on 08/19/08 at 4:44 PM Respond
Congratulations Bill N.!!!
You've finally managed to post a readable comment! No spelling errors, and grammar that doesn't indicate that you never got past the sixth grade. I guess hanging out with the 'lib' here at MoJo has been good for your English skills.
Now if only your attitude would mature...
Posted by: DaveD on 08/20/08 at 5:22 AM Respond
Simple , an educated population is harder to control. Only 20 percent of Americans are college grads in this the 21 century. That 's 2 persons in 10.The GOP likes us dumb.
Posted by: fred sims on 08/20/08 at 6:11 AM Respond
Questions the Media Needs to Ask and Senator Obama Needs to Answer
1. What precisely was the nature of Senator Obama’s relationship with convicted real estate developer Tony Resko? Why did he engage in a real estate deal with Rezko when he was under federal investigation? What “advice” did he give Obama about buying a house in Chicago?
2. Why has Obama proclaimed that he has been fighting alongside ACORN, a radical leftwing organization, his “entire career”?
3. What exactly has been Obama’s experience with ACORN?
4. What was the nature of the “training” Obama provided to ACORN activists in Chicago?
5. What exactly occurred during the “actions” that Obama organized as a community organizer? Did the “actions” involve intimidation by any of the participants Obama led?
6. Why did ACORN activists humiliate bankers into giving bad loans after Obama trained them?
7. Why did Obama seek ACORN’s endorsement in his state senate race?
8. What, if any, support did ACORN provide Obama in his 2004 Senate race?
9. Why was Obama silent on the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac reform package in 2005?
10. Why did Obama say that sub-prime lending was a “good thing”?
11. Why did Obama support $500 million a year going to ACORN-like organizations in the housing bailout this past summer?
12. Why did the Woods Fund and the Joyce Foundation direct millions to organizations such as ACORN while Obama was serving on the board of those foundations?
13. Why did Madeleine Talbot, one time fiery leader of Chicago ACORN, invite Obama to help train their organizers in the 1990s?
14. Why did Obama attend a fundraiser at George Soros’s home during his 2004 campaign?
15. Why didn’t Obama return campaign contributions from George Soros?
16. Why did Obama vote to raise taxes on people making as little as $42,000 per year?
17. Has Senator Obama or his campaign coordinated with St. Louis law enforcement authorities who are threatening criminal libel charges against critics of Obama who make statements that are found to by law enforcement officials to be “false”?
18. Are the Obama campaign’s “internet action alerts” directing supporters to overwhelm call-in radio show that are critical of Obama consistent with the fair and open campaign the Senator has pledged to run?
19. When did Senator Obama first meet domestic terrorist William Ayers? Did Obama know Ayres as a student at Columbia in the early 1980s?
Posted by: lyn on 10/12/08 at 2:03 PM Respond
Free college education. If it sounds too good to be true IT IS! Who do you think is going to pay for this? Let's just give away all our money and let the government dole it out to us because they know better than the one who earned it don't they? Can you say socialism on the path to Communism? Can I also sell you a bridge in Brooklyn?
Posted by: Mary Jones on 11/03/08 at 2:23 PM Respond
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Posted by: ksteiger on 08/19/08 at 7:26 AM Respond