Editor,
Benjamin Sanchez lit a fire with his Barack Obama commentary. When voting for a candidate, there are three issues important to me. The candidate: One, has a profound belief that the Constitution is the supreme law of this nation, two, displays honesty that withstands scrutiny and three, accepts our American culture.
My view of Obama on these points:
1. Obama opposes free speech and gun ownership; he wants a cop-on-the-corner program with the cops answering to him. Twice he has unleashed the threat of the FCC on the broadcast media. His campaign asked his Chicago listeners to jam the phone lines of a radio station that announced its morning show would interview an author whose book is not flattering to Obama. Obama's attorney wrote to cable networks and TV stations demanding they not carry the NRA hunter ad that showed Obama's position on gun ownership. They told the broadcasters a complaint would be made to the FCC if they did run the NRA spot. Would you be intimidated if the possible president could close your business?
Obama has been a supporter of the Chicago and similar Washington, D.C., gun control laws. The Supreme Court found the ban unconstitutional. When asked to sign a Congressional friend-of-the-court brief to the Supreme Court asking them to overturn the D.C. ban, Obama and Biden declined.
In a July 2 speech in Colorado Springs, Obama said, "We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives we've set. We've got to have a national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded." The "national security force" Obama wants will be 3 million people answerable to him. It would not be restrained by the Posse Comitatus and Insurrection acts of 1878, which limit the powers of the federal government to use the military for law enforcement unless specifically permitted by Congress or the Constitution. This safeguard would disappear if Congress gave Obama his "national security force."
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Most Americans and constitutional scholars agree the Bill of Rights protects each of us from the government, ensuring that we have the unalienable rights of free speech, gun ownership, protection against unlawful search and seizure, a speedy trial, etc. These rights are intended to protect us when we criticize government officials.
Do Obama's words and actions call into question his belief the Constitution is the supreme law of the nation and is greater than any person because it restrains the government? Has Obama - by intimidating the media and trying to remove the protections of the Second Amendment - shown a respect for our Constitution and a willingness to adhere to it?
2. He has been far from forthcoming regarding his relationship with William Ayers and others who are well-documented. Ayers and Obama were close confidants for more than 12 years. Ayers has never apologized for his actions or of those he worked with during his days as a bomber. In Ayers' Sept. 11 New York Times article, he expressed regret "that we did not do enough".
Obama often referred to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright as a "friend ... mentor" who inspired him. But Obama tossed him aside when expedient. Obama's reference to his grandmother in his book was of a wonderful caring woman, as she is presented in his TV spots. But in the Philadelphia speech, he said she made racial comments that made him feel bad and uncomfortable. Which is the truth?
In his TV spots regarding John McCain and Sarah Palin and their positions on abortion and stem cell research, Obama states they oppose stem cell research and would prohibit abortions "even in cases of rape and incest." Fact: They oppose embryonic stem cell research but support adult stem cell research. Neither has ever by word or deed said they oppose abortion "even in the case of rape or incest." Obama is lying.
We know 35 percent of wage earners do not pay income tax. How can Obama be viewed as truthful when he promises a tax cut to 90 percent of the wage earners when only 65 percent pay taxes?
Many such facts are at hand. The question is, how many do we need to know he is a liar? Why would you trust a man who is a proven liar?
3. Our American culture has many fundamental beliefs. Among those is freedom to make wise or foolish choices at your own expense. People who run up the credit card must pay for the food, entertainment and goods they enjoyed. The purpose of taxes is to pay for essential government services, accepting that some waste and foolishness will occur. Is bailing out bankers who made bad loans or those who took them your responsibility? Our culture expects that parents will feed their kids. Obama wants to expand free meals in school. Why should you pay to feed my neighbors' kids breakfast and lunch? How is that fair?
Why should the American people trust our freedom to a man who has shown his opposition to the Constitutional safeguards that protect us, a man who is proven to have as his closest advisers felons and a radical bomber whose stated goal is to overturn our government? Is a man whose own words to "Joe the plumber" explained his belief that we should take the money from the "haves" and give it to those who have less, the man we want in charge of the IRS? This may be the most important presidential election since George Washington was elected. Washington was a man of unquestioned integrity, honesty and character - a man who fought for the Constitution, not who showed disdain for it and the American people. When change is called for by a man of questionable motivations and character, we may not like the change.
Phil Howell
Daily Lobo reader
