EMPTY RHETORIC?

COMMENTS for EMPTY RHETORIC?

Luke said:
I don't think that the 'hype' is without merit. This grassroots mom is comparing two candidates who are of the same level. And for the record I did read the post and their collective 'accomplishments' in a Democratically controlled congress (which is rather pathetic if you ask me). Hillary, who has barely been in congress longer than Barak, and Barak who's been in for 3 years. Their list of 'accomplishments' is small and not indicative of a host of experience at all. I don't like any of the candidates this time around so I'm not saying vote for McCain but if you looked at his record in the Senate you couldn't fit it on 50 pages; whereas Obama's fits nicely in a paragraph.

Look Obama has the rhetoric of 'lets help the poor people', yes we can (whatever that means), and hope and change and hoping for change in hope and... whatever... When his own supporters in the Senate can't name any significant accomplishment's he's had since being in the Senate you should be taking notice instead of trying to find reasons to support your belief.

The only plan (and yes I've been looking) I've been able to find is his comprehensive tax plan; wherein he will raise all significant taxes to the highest in history. A couple of economists say that with the stagflation (think the '70s) that Obama's plan for outragously high taxation of the American public will be all but a certainty if elected.

Like I said, I don't care if you vote for Obama but I'm also not sure why so many people flock to him and set up websites dedicated to proving he's the messiah, and women fainting at more than 7 different speeches, etc... It's overblown and this guy hasn't convinced me that he's anything much more than a speech giver.
February 21, 2008

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jovial_cynic said:
It's neat how two people can look at the same thing and come to different conclusions.

Opinions are great.
February 21, 2008

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Luke said:
So I have a question for you. Essentially do you think it's relevant to consider the opinions of Barak's own reverend who presides at the church Barak attends? He's also been a spiritual advisor to Barak.

Listen to some of the things his pastor has said in the recent past:
"Racism is how this country was founded and how this country is still run today"

He gave an award to Louis Farakkan whom he said "Truly epitomized greatness"

On the Sunday after Sept 11th he said the attacks were a direct consequence to our foreign policy and that the 21 Century 'white' America got a wake up call.

He constantly refers to America as the 'Great White West'.

Shouldn't this say something about Barak's character because he listens to a guy like this? If you attended some church where the pastor was a complete freak I'd have to question your brain ya' know? It just seems somewhat relevant to me. Not a game ender for a voter but something to at least consider.
February 23, 2008

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jovial_cynic said:
Luke - did you ever read Campolo's Partly Right? There's an interesting piece in the book about how believers who aren't in the white-middle-class segment view the scriptures differently, and it gives the example of how we tend to view the "war against powers and principalities" passage as a reference to disembodied spiritual warfare, whereas the lower-class and otherwise marginalized groups view that passage to mean the the spiritual forces behind the Establishment, or social forces that create that marginalization. Racism, sexism, intolerance... all tools of oppression.

Just saying.

As for his Louis Farrakhan connection, I'd need to know more context. In any event, a person's admiration for another is hardly a point of criticism. That can be twisted in every direction you want. Like King David? But he's a murderer and an adulterer! Like King Solomon? But he married pagan women and ended up worshiping pagan gods! Etc., etc. ad nauseum.
February 23, 2008

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Luke said:
That may be true, and I don't doubt it. I've read other books that outline how the poor view everything differently.

But I'm talking about truth, Barak is not lower class and should be able to discern those kinds of things. So basically he sits idly by during those retarded statements or agrees with them? Either way we could be in trouble, especially if he believes them. He certainly hasn't denounced them.
February 23, 2008

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jovial_cynic said:
... I think you missed my point. I'm not denouncing the pastor's position on racism, either. I think that his worldview is as legitimate as yours is. Or as retarded. :)
February 23, 2008

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jovial_cynic said:
Specifically, I meant that the racism-as-oppressor model is valid from the marginalized group; that doesn't require the member of the group to be poor. I wasn't suggesting that being poor had anything to do with it. That the preacher is black is the root of his paradigm, and I think it's a valid one.
February 23, 2008

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