It's etting late in this campaign season.   It's time to talk real, substantive platform issues.   Forget about Obama's black supremacist, anti-America friends.   What is it he really plans to do?

Obama's priorities are:

• Pull our military out of Iraq while bringing in the UN to clean things up;
  
• Increase federal funding for embryonic stem cell research;
  
• Repeal the "Bush tax cuts for the rich" / increase capital gains taxes to about 28%;
  
• Nationalize healthcare, using the money raised via increased taxes to pay for it;
  
• Reduce "greenhouse gas emissions" by 80 percent by 2050;
  
• Take steps to make Social Security and Medicare solvent without re-engineering them - also using increased taxes to pay for this;
  
• Create a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants currently living in the U.S.; and
  
• Dramatically increase federal spending to "rebuild our crumbling schools" and to expand educational opportunities for "disadvantaged children," paying for it via "money raised by repealing the Bush tax cuts."

I'm really not sure how many times Obama believes he can drink from the well created by repealing the "Bush tax cuts for the rich" but I find a few salient facts somewhat disturbing.   First of all, there is no actual proof that repealing Bush's tax cuts would "help out the federal Treasury, which is running a credit card up with the bank of China and other countries."   All indications seem to be that doing this would actually reduce tax collections after the first year's windfall.   This would cause us to use that credit cvard even more.   I haven't yet heard Obama say he would continue to eliminate the marriage penalty.   One thing is pretty clear.   Obama believes anyone earning over $75,000 per year is "RICH."

There could definitely be some financial benefit, however short-term, to pulling the troops out of Iraq.   But if the UN is going to "clean things up," who exactly pays for that?   I believe the US would pay the majority.   The UN is not particularly efficient so most likely the costs would be similar to what we are paying now.   That's not to mention the fact that the UN is incapable of actually getting anything done.   To the extent that they do anything at all, we can pretty much expect a similar result as the one we got when they administered the oil for food program - rampant corruption.

You can argue until you are blue in the face about the moral ramifications of embryonic stem cell research.   That won't get you anywhere.   The fact is embryonic stem cell research has been going on at an incredible pace throughout the world, mostly on governmental dimes, and it has yet to produce anything useful.   Alternatives to this antiquated method have been achieved and new discoveries will make this a notion of the past before much longer.   But Obama wants to use money the federal government doesn't have in order to further move this political football from almost ten years ago.

Do I need to go over the "greenhouse gas emissions" thing?   How on Earth can we reduce emissions by 80%?   It may shock you but lightbulbs, hybrids, and windmills will not do it.   Automobiles and electric power are but a minor part of the perceived problem since methane is 21 times as potent as carbon dioxide and, therefore, apparently a much bigger problem.   Reducing emissions by 80% would require technology that is not even on the drawing board right now, not to mention a drastic reduction in livestock agriculture.   So in addition to outsourcing manufacturing, we'd have to outsource food production in order to make half Obama's goal.   80% in 40+ years is more than a little unrealistic.   It would be more dangerous to our economy than raising taxes.   I think I;d rather wait until 2050 and see if all the global warming talk has finally cooled down rather than spending our grandchildren's future for fools gold.   By 2050 we should finally realize that this entire thing was a hoax.   But that won't stop Obama come 2009.

It will be a long time before this country is be able to recover from the Depression caused by increasing cap gains to 28%.   Jobs will evaporate faster than a spilled bottle of spring water in the desert.   Then the real mortgage crisis can begin.   Then we'll really be in a bind.

The sum total of Obama's platform is kind of like the idealistic views of a kid stepping out of college for the first time.   We should have government pay for research which has not shown promise because Republicans don't like it - that'll teach those anti-abortionists once and for all.   Let's bring peace on Earth by just not fighting any more.   Let's stop eating meat and go "organic."   I'm going to start my new job, earning $40,000 per year, and the first thing I'm gonna do is buy a new car (of course a hybrid SUV) for no money down and a hefty monthly payment.   Then I'm going to buy a 1500 square foot condo with solar panels on the roof so I can keep my carbon footprint down.   What do you mean I don't get to keep the entire 40 grand?   I have to pay how much in taxes?   How muc is a Prius?   What's the rent on a 800 square foot efficiency apartment in an old building?   Hamburger is cheaper than salad?   Things change a bit when idealism meets reality.

We are going to profess all sorts of great things during Obama's presidency but the reality is the country is going to go into the deepest Depression it has ever seen, if the man actually follows through on his promises which seems a bit unlikely.   None of these lofty goals will ultimately be achieved.   Obama ought to have a conversation with New Jersey governor Corzine before he takes office so he can understand what the limitations of American endurance actually are.

Obama's minister must think Obama is God.   That's the only way we can understand the man saying on one hand "God Damn America" and, on the other hand, pushing for Obama to be president.   God Damn America.   Hire Obama.

Labels: 2008 presidential election