So I started to wonder exactly why I had the perception that Obama was "pretty far left".
Hence this Top 10 signs Obama is a lefty list:
10. His incessant pandering to unions
9. His child-like love for high speed rail
8. His pushing for subsidies for solar, wind, & ethanol (i.e. uneconomic boondoggles).
7. His refusal to understand that electric cars actually burn coal in many parts of the country!
6. His firm belief that a small group of experts can competently run the economy
5. The amazing growth in the Federal budget under his watch
4. His habit of flip-flopping like a boated marlin
3. His inability to consider issues of moral hazard or unintended consequences in policymaking
2. His belief that anyone who disagrees with him is stupid or evil or both
1. His overall superior, moralistic, and condescending attitude
9 comments:
Though I certainly don't agree that items 10, 8, 6, or 3 are unique to lefties by any stretch of the imagination, I'll grant you that they are very common features of your run-of-the-mill left-wing politician.
However, I can't see how the rest of your list makes anyone more or less left-wing. It's my opinion that pretty much every recent President has exhibited numbers 1 and 2. Tons of politicians of both sides have the flip-flopping of 4. The federal budget grew a huge amount under the "conservative" GWB with the wars. Liking high speed rail doesn't make one a lefty. Maybe pushing for gov't to spend gobs on light rail does, but that's not what you wrote.
How serious are you trying to be? If you're trying to make any sort of satire or serious commentary, your post leaves much to be desired. Could you justify a cause and effect for why those particular items make someone a lefty and *not* something else as well?
The only people I know who believe #6 are Lefties. Republicans have become believers in big government and spending large amounts of money to gain re-election, but they don't believe #6 as a matter of principle.
Ethanol. Ethanal is what you get when you oxidize ethanol.
Thank you David.
I think #s 10 - 5 are very indicative that you are dealing with a lefty.
1-4 may well apply to most all politicians.
1. His overall superior, moralistic, and condescending attitude
And this is different from righties... how?
So, in other words, he's a politician, a person whose job depends on compromising, pandering, demonizing the other side and attempting to steer policy by the means at his disposal.
Of course its easy to sling mud from an ivory tower...
10- not teacher's unions
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/The-Vote/2010/0927/Why-is-Obama-taking-on-teachers-unions-right-before-Election-2010
9- HSR was pioneered by center right governments in France and Japan
8-Uh, Bush 2007 State of the Union?
7- I'd love some evidence for this
6- Same as 7
5- guess GWBush was a lefty
4- not unique to leftys
3- Bush and the Iraq war? Talk about unintended consquences
2- Who said "you're either with us or against us"? wasn't Obama
1- all politicians
This list is, to put it politely, unconvincing.
#9 isn't indicative of any political leaning, it just means that he is familiar with the "free market" "efficiencies" of air "travel."
So, most of your reasons why Obama is an uncompromising lefty boil down to attitude; he seems like a lefty.
The only actual Obama policies you can muster to support your conclusions are A) increased federal spending (which has increased at a slower absolute pace than under Bush), and B) support for transportation infrastructure and alternative energy.
So, I guess that's fine. I could argue that these things don't show Obama is a lefty, or that anyone who thinks they do is a right-wing nutcase, but I will not do so. I asked for reasons, and I got reasons. Thank you!
I just want to point out that attitude is the main consideration here. That is something you should think about.
Post a Comment