Well, since you asked:
Truth! Justice! And the American Way!
Posted on 08/16/2006 7:52:40 AM PDT by slowhand520
Sen. Obama: Iraq is a dumb war By Eric Fodor Staff Writer Published: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 4:53 PM CDT E-mail this story | Print this page
JUNCTION - Sen. Barack Obama combined sharp criticism of the Bush administration and Congress with thoughts about his own priorities at a town hall-type appearance at Gallatin County schools Monday.
During a question-and-answer session, Obama pointed to many problems he perceives with the conduct of the war in Iraq.
Sometimes war is a necessary option, he said. But Iraq is, "A dumb war. We haven't thought it through," Obama said.
Enemies in Iran and North Korea, along with terrorist groups bent on doing the United States harm, are getting stronger while the U.S. is bogged down in Iraq, he said.
He was particularly critical of using civilian contractors in Iraq who make significantly more money than front-line soldiers. The practice of using private contractors is depleting our armed forces of noncommissioned officers -- more and more noncommissioned officers are seeing the opportunity to make money by doing essentially the same job for a private contractor, Obama said.
"Unfortunately, the administration believes in private contracts for everything, especially Halliburton," Obama said.
Obama also criticized Democrats who are always opposed to war, even when force is necessary. In cases like World War II and, more recently, removing the Taliban government of Afghanistan, war can be the only option.
"There are real enemies out there and we have to face them," Obama said.
It is also important to train military personnel for the situations they are most likely to face. Too much time is spent on Cold War-era tactics and weaponry and not enough on body armor, adequate helmets, making sure rotations into Iraq aren't too long and anti-terrorist warfare, he said.
When an audience member asked about impeaching President George W. Bush, however, Obama drew the line. Bush should be held accountable for mistakes in Iraq by the Congress and the American people, he said, but his actions fall short of impeachment. The country and Washington cannot continue in a highly partisan atmosphere where no work can get done, he said.
Estate tax
Obama wants to make sure family farms and small businesses can be preserved for the next generation, but he expressed opposition of eliminating the tax on estates altogether.
Congress has passed legislation that will raise the tax deduction on estates from $3.5 million and $5 million to $7 million in 2009, which Obama believes is a sufficient deduction.
"After $7 million, the family farm is going to be OK. That's my sense," Obama said.
Getting rid of the estate tax altogether, as has been proposed by conservative groups, would wipe out $1 trillion dollars in tax money, Obama said. If that happens, the government can borrow more money from foreign nations like China and Mexico, drastically cut programs like farm subsidies, schools or locks and dams, or tax the 99.7 percent of people who will never pay an estate tax.
"I'm assuming everyone in this room will pay more taxes under that scenario," Obama said.
Obama warned audience members to watch out for politicians who peddle the idea of cutting taxes without pain. Anyone who promises to cut taxes and improve services is lying, he said. A good amount of the budget is wasted, but the vast majority goes to support valuable things like Social Security, Medicare and national defense, he said.
Education and the minimum wage
Supporting education is an important priority, Obama said.
The single most important factor in job creation is education, Obama said. A well-trained work force is one key to attracting and keeping business. And with other nations catching and passing the United States in terms of education, it is more important than ever to support education beyond high school, he said.
"A high school education doesn't cut it anymore," Obama said.
The congressional vote to cut low-interest college loans this year is counterproductive, he said.
"It doesn't make sense. This is one of the areas where we have to spend money," Obama said.
The push for excellence in the classroom should go along with a push for a higher minimum wage, Obama said.
People who work full time should be able to support a family, Obama said, and not struggle in vain to make ends meet.
The minimum wage has not been raised in 10 years and currently has less purchasing power than in 1955, he said.
Arguments that increasing the minimum wage will depress job growth don't hold water when the proposed wage increase is fairly modest. A small increase in the minimum wage won't slow the economy or create unemployment, Obama said.
This was Obama's third trip to Gallatin County and his 51st town hall-type meeting, he said.
"The first time I came I went to the Scates farm. Since it was harvest time, I volunteered. They didn't really trust me, so I didn't really do any work," Obama said.
Obama seems to enjoy the relatively free-wheeling style of town hall meetings.
"It's important to get out because after a while you start representing Washington to your constituents rather than representing your constituents to Washington," Obama said.
Well, since you asked:
Truth! Justice! And the American Way!
The Balkans were the ultimate dumb war. Where was this phony???
Some pretty good luck got him into the Senate, but it might not be there to sustain him.
Did you hear Dick Morris on H&C last night....he actually referred to "crazy Democrats".....I laughed out loud at his honesty.
Mornin' Peach...you master transcriptionist you!
You KNOW that people would be throwing Oreo cookies and holding up bottles of Aunt Jemima syrup at this guy...if he was a Black CONSERVATIVE...(and I say that as a Black Conservative) but since he is a Black Marxist leaning liberal, supporting the "conscience of the Senate", Robert KKK Byrd, Osama Obama is hailed as the Second Coming.
Lovely state representation, Illinois...Dick Turbin, Osama Obama, the uh Revrun Thacksuunn (Jr)...glad I didn't move there.
In high school?
LOL.
Good morning, Christian. You are SO right about how things would be QUITE different if Obama was a conservative.
Well, almost "no say"...he is, unfortunately, one vote out of 100 on issues that directly affect our security, our financial prosperity, our culture, our judges, our way of life. Kinda like the old saying about snowflakes...they are frail, but enough of them clumped together can stop traffic.
Nope, missed Vannity & Homely last night, but Morris doesn't surprise me. He generally goes with the popular opinion because he's a political strategerist that always wants to be on the winning side.
As much as people on FR does not like Bill O'Reilly, last week he had some guy on and asked him specifically what to do to win the war on terror. BOR then asked what is Al Gore's plan. The guy answered that Gore stated we must go after the terrorists where they are. BOR stopped him and said, do you want to go into Pakistan. The guy basically sputted and said there are other ways to go after terrorists than by invading. When pressed, the dems look and sound extremely foolish and weak.
He is black. That is all.
IMHO, we need to be very wary of this "lightweight". He's a very smooth talker. Look how he found the middle ground on war......In cases like World War II and...removing the Taliban ...war can be the only option. "There are real enemies out there and we have to face them," Obama said. But, Iraq is a "dumb" war. Walking both sides of the line...very clever.
If he continues in this vein, wouldn't be surprised to see him on the 2008 Dem ticket as VP.
God help us.
Was this Kucinich last night? He gave a list of 4 things that he would do. I can't remember any of them. He tried to filibuster BOR and O'Reilly wasn't having any of it. I have seen Kucunich 4 President bumper stickers. What are these people thinking???
Another gem of a quote from the Dumb Senator from Illinois.
Wow...ha ha ha ... This is from the "best and brightest" of the Dems, huh? How "big picture" of you, Bommy!
In my opinion, as a black conservative, the reason he gets the press he does, is that he is a reasonable sounding Black Liberal.(I know, most people would say "is there another kind?" (black liberal, that is)
I guess he's the first black senator ever, or at least in a long time. As I posted to Peach upthread, if he were a black conservative, I dare say he'd be treated way differently.
And because he is black, and a liberal, he automatically becomes part of the "protected class" that Ann Coulter talked about (i.e. you can't talk about him, or oppose him, lest you risk being branded as a racist), joining the Jersey Girls, Max Cleland, Cindy Sheehan, any leftist who uses their military service as a weapon to beat over the head of "those who never served" (wished they'd do that to REAL draft dodgers Bill Clinton and Howard Dean)...
Anyway, that's my two rambling cents.
Dumb AND stupid AND insulting. Apparently none of these idiots think of our soldiers and their families before they open their mouths. My son fought in Iraq and lost four good friends there, people like Obama aren't good enough to lick our soldiers' combat boots.
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