Jack and Jill Politics - Latest Comments in Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

kat — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 18:49:00 -0000

Obama did the right thing in the long run. If you think Obama is going to let the GOP swiftboat him like they did to Kerry in 2004, you're in for a surprise.

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

TruthSeeker — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:10:00 -0000

anonymous 8:22,

Do you actually believe any of that or are you just mindlessly repeating talking points? Is the "public" angry with Obama? His supporters are not angry with him. Now they know he's not a naive pushover.

This is silly, Obama has a responsibility to his supporters to conduct his campaign in a way that makes him win...within the rules. He is NOT a fool, and only a fool would turn his back on 1.5+ million donors in favour of a contrived morality.

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

Anonymous — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:22:00 -0000

Obama breaks his promise to the public, plain and simple. Hysterical to watch the desperate attempts to spin it, e.g., "oh, it's SO smart", "shrewd", "those criticizing him are racists", "he has to do this because of forged national guard docu....uhhh...I mean, 527s".

So much for hope, change, unity and other platitudes. Obama is a politician, as sleazy, scummy and two-faced as they come.

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

Constructive Feedback — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:34:00 -0000

[quote]And don't forget, people vote with their dollars. A campaign contribution is an investment. You don't need a poll to test the effectiveness of this gamble. . . just keep track of the ever-expanding donor list.[/quote]

b-serious.....YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!!!

This line of reasoning is why we have Negroes complaining about 30 year old text books in the public schools THAT DEMOCRATS RUN and yet they are sending a check to Obama each month as an INVESTMENT.

As I read your statement I clearly understood the BENEFIT that the Democratic party will receive from this rather organized effort by Black folks to get Obama elected.

What I am still puzzled about is exactly how the BLACK COMMUNITY benefits?

All of you should seek to rent the documentary "Eyes On The Prize II". It details the campaign run of Carl Stokes in Cleveland. If we removed the name Stokes and the location "Cleveland" and replaced it with Obama and the USA you would have a nearly indistinguishable situation. The entire effort of the Black community was put in DOING THE UNTHINKABLE.

At the end of the day they WON but they still LOST. Cleveland today is one of America's poorest cities despite this "ceiling" being thrust through. This should be a tale to all that makes the distinction between the AMERICAN POLITICAL SYSTEM and that which you need to do in your OWN COMMUNITY in order to create wealth. Instead for to many the God-vermit is seen as the agent of wealth creation as they pursue the ever elusive "level playing field". Despite having mastered the use of the Bobcat to grade the field it seems that the practice of actually creating large and substantianable businesses to employ our people locally is a plateau that is not easily reached via a political movement.

What exactly is your community getting from all of this voter mobilization? Why can't I use the cities of Philadelphia, Newark, Detroit, Balitmore and St Louis as evidence that POLITICAL VICTORY does not always translate into economic victory nor law and order?

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

Constructive Feedback — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:22:00 -0000

[quote]As for you Constructive Feedback, I do believe I can report you for stalking and you've left enough evidence, including the invoking of a "CPL" watch to get you banned from most blogs because you're stalking me and you hijack threads.

Now I know why you have 50 million blogs with different names and no one's reading them, so you come on blogs that I frequent and stalk me.[/quote]

Sista Girl - don't sweat yourself. You are far from important in my life that I would spend time "stalking you".

I am focusing on your content, your hypocrisy and your heavy use of character assassination as standard tools in your tool box.

Please detail for me how making reference to "CPL Watch" is evidence of stalking?

Aside from that you have several blogs as well. I read these public resources and respond accordingly.

Let's be honest CPL - you don't like being confronted or confounded. As long as you are able to wage your attack and the world is as YOU say it is - all is fine in your world. As with many Black Quasi-Socialist Progressive-Fundamentalist Racism Chasers - to be QUESTIONED or challenged is a violation of YOUR rights - to hell with free speech.

My blogs are my own expression. I would much rather you point out where I am WRONG than pointing out how POPULAR I am or are not.

It seems to me that while many CBC members are POPULAR in their own districts - they have not EFFECTIVELY turned around their educational systems, the safety issues on the streets or the availability of businesses to employ the local people and provide for services. But hey - their job is to get reelected and the people who vote for them are getting that which they have demanded.

You do know that once OBAMA gets into office though - all of the Black communities are going to be positively transformed. We are all going to be so motivated to live up to our potential that other races are going to ask us to slow down so they can compete with us. Right?

(I have NEVER verbally assaulted you nor called you a name - other than a Philistine - of which you play the part. It seems that you need to improve your debating skills and not assume everything as an attack on your outer shell.

Or I could solve all of this by simply IGNORING all that you rant about)

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

D. — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:07:00 -0000

Anon 4:36,
Freedom's Watch was founded to be the conservative answer to MoveOn. They made a big splash in the beginning, but have have serious leadership problems since. Not even conservatives are jumping up and down about them anymore.

On the other hand, you have the various Soros organizations who are-most likely-holding back out of respect to Obama.

Think about it: if you have a million dollars to spend on attacking Obama, but you knew that there was someone with $25 million that would squash you the minute you jumped, what would you do?

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

Anonymous — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:36:00 -0000

If I am the Democratic nominee, I will aggressively PURSUE AN AGREEMENT with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicly financed general election."

Stop Bitchin!! this is not Kerry and GORE...There will be no swiftboating going on here!!

Anon,

You'll see things like Vets for Freedom asking when Obama's going to Iraq.

Really, I think if any 527s play a serious role this year, they'll be from the dhimmicrat side,

Sometimes D, I think you're on the GOP crackpipe. Freedom watch spent nearly 1M in Mississippi...and will spend millions more to smear Obama. This time, the dems have a candidate that will outspend and force repugs to defend states like GA, NC, IND....I hope he raises A billion and force 527 to waste money DEFENDING AND PROPING UP McCain in RED states like TEXAS..lol

The election will not be close

Oh he plans an overseas trip to Western Europe with stops in Iraq and Afghanistan. While repugs are busy smearing him stateside, imagine Obama speaking in front of 50,0000 screaming Frenchmen?

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

Anonymous — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:01:00 -0000

From the Washington Post:

"AS RECENTLY as November, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) was unequivocal about whether he would agree to take public financing for the general election if his Republican opponent pledged to do the same. "If you are nominated for president in 2008 and your major opponents agree to forgo private funding in the general election campaign, will you participate in the presidential public financing system?" the Midwest Democracy Network asked in a questionnaire. Mr. Obama's answer was clear. "Yes," he wrote. "If I am the Democratic nominee, I will aggressively pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicly financed general election."

The man makes promises he has no intention of keeping. I have no problem with Obama spending all the money he can raise, but the larger question is whether Obama is a man of his word, the answer is No. And if the question is whether Obama is an honest politician, the answer is also No.

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

Nicole — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 22:49:00 -0000

No matter what Obama does someone is going to twist it and scrutinize it harder than they would if it were another candidate. Lucky for us Obama is a master strategist. I am hoping he takes down Old Man McCain the same way he took down the Ice Princess.

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

D. — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 22:07:00 -0000

Anon,
You'll see things like Vets for Freedom asking when Obama's going to Iraq.

Really, I think if any 527s play a serious role this year, they'll be from the dhimmicrat side.

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 21:47:00 -0000

Well D

it depends p

on what is you definition of "issues"

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

Craig Hickman — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 21:47:00 -0000

Either way, this was a smart decision. And, although Republican surrogates will attack him for this ("no honor," hypocrite, etc.), I'm sure even they know that they'd do the exact same thing if they were in Obama's position.

::

That's a wrap.

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

Craig Hickman — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 21:43:00 -0000

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 21:08:00 -0000

How can he be committed to the Public financing of campaigns when he himself isnt willing to do it? Physician, Heal thyself first!

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

D. — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 20:41:00 -0000

The 527s aren't going to come as hard as you all think-or want- them to. The 501(c)s will question on issues, but that will be the extent of it.

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

B-Serious — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 20:23:00 -0000

truthseeker,

I heard speculation that Obama could reach 100 million (believe it or not) for the month of June. That's probably assuming that Obama got a substantial boost in campaign donations for his historic nomination as well as crossover donors from the Clinton camp ("to the victor goes the spoils" type of stuff)

I don't believe that number for a second. I think it's way too high, but I'm expecting a big number. . .perhaps 60 million might not be out of the ballpark. If Obama comes even close to 100 million . . . well, that would just be scary on so many levels.

Either way, this was a smart decision. And, although Republican surrogates will attack him for this ("no honor," hypocrite, etc.), I'm sure even they know that they'd do the exact same thing if they were in Obama's position.

Obama is raising huge amounts of money. That's something to celebrate, not something to be ashamed of. It's kind of like when Hillary tried to attack Obama for outspending her in every state. It sounds persuasive for a moment until you realize that he must outraise her before he can outspend her. That means more people are willing to invest in Obama's campaign than his opponent (at rates of 3 or 4:1). That's powerful stuff.

Obama just needs to keep an eye on those Clinton donors switching over to his camp. McCain will be looking for any corporate or special interest influence he can find. More money means a bigger tent, which means more opportunity for mischief.

This shouldn't be a big issue by this time next week. In fact I've heard a few moderate Republicans admit that this won't be a big campaign issue.

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

TruthSeeker — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:54:00 -0000

The only downside is most of that money will be going to the blood-sucking MSM.

The Obama website is asking donors to "Declare Independence" from the broken public financing system by making a donation.

I wonder how much cash they pulled in for May.

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

B-Serious — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:22:00 -0000

Smart politics by Obama.

The sooner Obama realizes that he can't please everyone (a typical liberal trait) the sooner he'll be on his way to a landslide victory in November.

Democrats have been clear to say that they don't want to get swift-boated this year. Well, this is the first step to ensuring that won't happen.

The Republicans know that they have absolutely NO control over two matters that will likely decide this election.

The first is the financial tsunami through record waves of new donors and campaign contributions.

The second is voter turnout. High registration amongst black and youth voters must be giving the Republicans nightmares. A 20% lead among women . . . 60%+ support from both Latino and Jewish voters. . . all bad signs for the Republican party this year. It means that hopes for a splintered Democratic party are slowly beginning to fall by the wayside.

After months of "Obama can't get xyz votes" the Democratic party is beginning to coalesce behind its noiminee (still shaky ground, but looking very positive at the moment). Add in a 20-25% gap in voter enthusiasm and Obama's got all the right ingredients for a big victory come November.

This is a trade-off. Obama gives McCain a campaign issue (public finance/trustworthiness/honor, etc.) in exchange for roughly 500 million dollars. . . money that will be well spent to defend himself against 527s whom McCain has already said he can't control (meaning, they're coming at Obama full-force).

McCain will work this issue for all that it's worth. And Obama had better watch out because McCain will be looking any and every type of corporate and/or special interest donation he can find to paint Obama as a hypocrite. Obama better be working on his surrogate game.

But, at the end of the day, people don't base their votes on public campaign financing. And McCain's best hope was to see if Obama might be gullible enough to throw away a security blanket of up to 500 million dollars just for the sake of "nobility."

Campaign finance is a great water-cooler topic, but it won't sway the election; especially not with larger issues like the War and economy to deal with.

And don't forget, people vote with their dollars. A campaign contribution is an investment. You don't need a poll to test the effectiveness of this gamble. . . just keep track of the ever-expanding donor list.

Obama will take a hit over the next news cycle. He might even take a slight dip in the polls (mostly among Independents). One round of the Sunday talk shows and we move on to the next issue by Tuesday morning.

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

The Christian Progressive Libe — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:20:00 -0000

Craig, Obama forces the CBC members to play offense, as opposed to crying "foul" all the doggone time. What's good for Obama is good for McCain.

Let them either both play by the rules or stop crying "foul" when the other party does it.

As for you Constructive Feedback, I do believe I can report you for stalking and you've left enough evidence, including the invoking of a "CPL" watch to get you banned from most blogs because you're stalking me and you hijack threads.

Now I know why you have 50 million blogs with different names and no one's reading them, so you come on blogs that I frequent and stalk me.

Even internet stalking is a crime and you continue to hand me enough evidence to get you banned from blogs if not convicted in a court of law. Keep it up...

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

icebergslim — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:19:00 -0000

O/T: Ebay selling racist Tshirts on Obama.

Here is the link to the diary on dkos, rec it and more importantly if you have an ebay account complain. There are also phone numbers to call.

Thanks.

http://www.dailykos.com/sto...

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

GoldenAh — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:01:00 -0000

To me public finance is money coming directly from the people, not funneled through gov't.

Keeping a promise, which would limit his reach, just to show some phony honor with a crippling campaign finance system is silly. Why should Obama let himself be a chump to the Repubs and their 527s? Why should he handicap himself?

I think he seriously considered it in the early days. From what I've read, money from the Internet exceeded expectations. Money is the least of his worries.

His numbers for Virginia are looking good.

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:40:00 -0000

"There's that shock of recognition at the racial dynamics again."
------

The never-ending race-baiting from Obama crowd continues. There appears to be no lower bar/threshold on the type of criticism Obama and his moonies consider to be "racist".

Obama breaks his word, is rightfully and widely criticized for doing so, and, of course, on cue, the Obama parrots squawk "racism".

Hysterical. Pitiful.

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

TruthSeeker — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:38:00 -0000

Well, we know he's definitely not dumb.

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

Plantsmantx — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:17:00 -0000

There's that shock of recognition at the racial dynamics again. Yeah, Obama is a politician, and it's beginning to look as if he's a goddamned good one, too. To hell with people who expect him to prove that he's "One Of The Good Ones" by willingly doing things to put himself at a disadvantage.

Re: Obama Opts Out of Public Financing System

Craig Hickman — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:05:00 -0000

Barack Obama is a politician. Anybody who thought otherwise was kidding.

McCain opted out of public financing (after pledging he wouldn't) before Barack did, but there was no fanfare.

I give you one guess as to why.

Barack will take this manufactured hit and keep on winning.

McCain is talking about "solemn pledges". "I can't control all those 527's."

Bullshit. He doesn't want to control them because he has NO CHANCE of winning without them.

He's a crook.

Another Nixon running or president.

Barack is a politician. If he prooves to be a crook, I'll call him one.

But this doesn't make him a crook.

John McCain is a crook.

Period.

I'll say it again: I won't be shocked if he's not on the ballot in November.