WARNING: Long post!I want to explain my reasoning behind why I think Barak Hussein Obama (henceforth, BHO) would not be good for this country. Of course, I speak as an individual, not as a representative of my church or the educational institution where I work. I have tried to watch and read as much as I can, and now that the election is nearing, I want to state some of my conclusions.
Let’s start with the positive. Cleary BHO is an energetic, good-looking, younger man with wide personal appeal. He is often articulate. He can be an inspiring speaker (when using a teleprompter). He is clearly a popular figure. He’s the first serious African-American candidate in American history, and I am genuinely excited about that. At first, he seemed to be a different kind of Af-Am candidate. He is appealing to the optimism and hope of young people. These are good things. I hold no personal animus toward BHO; in fact, between the two candidates, I’m much more irked by John McCain than BHO!
Speaking of John McCain, I need to say one more thing before I begin in earnest. One should not construe my strong criticism for BHO as strong support for a McCain presidency. I am very disappointed with the field of candidates the GOP put forward for this election. There were few strong leaders in the mix; I suspect most GOP heavyweights considered the election lost anyway, whether the candidate was Hillary or Obama, “So why,” they thought, “get a giant loss on my record? I’ll wait.” McCain, of course, does not have much time to wait. In any case, let me be clear: I’m not a huge McCain fan.
Back to BHO: there are several categories of reasons why I cannot support him.
Political IssuesThe first is perhaps obvious: he’s a Democrat. Don’t laugh. I don’t associate with the Republican Party because I flipped a coin. I have reasons for voting the way I do, and when I look at issues, I usually side with the Republicans. Being a Democrat almost always sets a person at odds with what I believe. Look at what the Democratic Party stands for. I disagree with most of it. Why would I want to vote for a Democrat, no matter how popular, good looking or well-spoken s/he is? In general, I think Democrats are bad for the country, so why should I change my mind because of this particular candidate?
Dislike of AmericaRecently, in response to a question from a 7-year old girl, BHO said he’s running for president because American is not what it used to be, not what it once was. He has criticized his country in Germany. He often compares the United States negatively to other countries, even dictatorships! His association with Ayers and Dohrn (more on this below) again shows an alignment with people who hate this nation. Comments from BHO’s wife Michelle are also very disheartening. Is my country really all that bad? Are Americans bad people? BHO seems to think so. Despite his “hopeful” rhetoric, BHO spends much more time denigrating the United States than speaking positively of our accomplishments. I like my country; I don’t want as my president someone who doesn’t like it.
Foreign SupportBHO enjoys considerable support from abroad. Why should this matter? We are not electing a “king of the world.” Should we really think that non-Americans (e.g., Europeans, Asians, Africans) have the best interests of the United States in mind? Are they thinking of our security or of our economic prosperity? It might be one small factor to consider – the president is the face of the nation abroad – but that is a minor factor. In fact, when I consider what most non-Americans want from the US, I would be more likely to choose the candidate less popular overseas. Is an endorsement from Hamas really a good thing? Should we care what the French or the Germans think about our candidates? Are the endorsements of socialists and communist party leaders a good thing?
Lack of ExperienceBHO has never run a business or been the executive officer of anything. A “community organizer” in the suburbs of Chicago is not significant experience for being the President of the United States. BHO said at the Saddleback Church Forum that he would not have nominated Justice Clarence Thomas for SCOTUS, based on his lack of experience. However, Justice Thomas had far, FAR, more experience than BHO has. As Hugh Hewitt said, “No corporation would make Obama CEO, and few states would elect him governor on his resume.” Some have criticized the McCain/Palin ticket for inexperience at the VP spot. Truth be told, Sarah Palin has more executive experience than BHO, and she’s running for VP, not President.
Not A Unifier
Despite all the rhetoric about being a unifier, BHO has never demonstrated bi-partisanship. Could a BHO supporter name ANY example of when he departed significantly from the stand of his own party? Has he sponsored ANY legislation that garnered broad bi-partisan appeal? McCain has demonstrated much more ability to cross the aisle and come together with members of the other party in order to achieve what he thinks is a greater good. BHO has never done this: never.
Judgment IssuesIt bothers me that some BHO’s inner circle consists of people I would probably not even welcome into my home.
It began with Rev. Jeremiah Wright. I understand that BHO does not subscribe to everything his pastor believes; I could say the same with reference to my pastor. However, my pastor has never uttered the kind of vitriol and anti-Americanism that I’ve heard from Wright. Nor would he use the kind of language Wright uses. The church BHO attends is not about building bridges. BHO knew the kind of church he was attending, and he continued to do so for 20 years. This demonstrates to me BHO’s inability to assess accurately the effects of his associations; BHO lacks judgment.
[As an aside, I think the whole Jeremiah Wright affair has set race relations in this country back about 30 years. What became clear is that many African Americans, as exemplified by the thousands who attend Wright’s church, are comfortable with a Wright-style of rhetoric, complete with racially charged language and sexual innuendo. As a result, many white people, who were comfortable with BHO as a candidate, believing the media-hyped persona that he was a different kind of Af-Am candidate (not a Jesse Jackson white-hater), became deeply disillusioned by the whole Wright affair. Perhaps BHO is not so different after all. In fact, maybe the supposed relational progress between blacks and whites in general is just a charade. The trust that many white people have developed with their black fellow-Americans was threatened, because now, it is clear that some African Americans can be cordial to their face, but on Sunday morning, can imbibe with approval such racially charged rhetoric. Far from being a unifier, BHO, quite unintentionally, has ended up being a divider.]
But the troubling associations do not end there. What about BHO’s associations with William Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn? This husband/wife team was part of the radical leftist organization called Weather Underground, a group which endorsed violence and declared war on the US government during the Vietnam era of the 1960’s. As far as I know, this couple has never expressed remorse about or renounced their previous commitments and actions. The connection between BHO and Ayers/Dohrn is still becoming clearer and clearer. At the very least, we know that Ayers contributed to BHO’s reelection campaign in Illinois; they live near one another in the Hyde Park area of Chicago and served on some committees together. As I am writing this, however, evidence is emerging that perhaps the relationship between these two is closer than BHO is willing to discuss publically. The charge is not that BHO believes or endorses everything Ayers/Dohrn do. The charge, from my perspective, is that BHO is content to associate with, in any sense, people who endorse such a radical, leftist agenda. Let’s reverse it: suppose John McCain had some loose associations with some former Nazis, or KKK members. Let’s say they gave him a little money for his presidential campaign and they served on a few boards together. Would it be a good defense simply to say something like, “Well, he doesn’t subscribe to those views”?
I don’t want my president anywhere near such groups, on the right or the left. I think it is safe to say that at least BHO enjoys a political friendship with Ayers/Dohrn, and perhaps more. To me, this is big a problem: either BHO lacks the ability to make accurate character judgments, or he comfortably associates with radicals who hate America.
Finally, I draw attention to BHO’s associations with real estate developer Tony Rezko. This man was convicted of fraud and bribery in 2008. He is clearly a political operative in Chicago, and he has raised money for all sorts of politicians, including Republicans, even George Bush! My complaint is not that, because Rezko raised money for BHO and was subsequently convicted of fraud/bribery, therefore BHO is guilty of shady activities. Rather, my complaint is that BHO is comfortable in his dealings with men like Rezko. The Obamas and the Rezkos bought some adjoining real estate together and, from what I have been able to gather, clearly enjoyed a cozy political/financial relationship. Again, the issue is judgment.
Economic PoliciesThe American government spends too much money. Obama wants to spend more. He has gone on record stating that he intends to raise taxes. He claims to intend to raise taxes only on the “wealthiest” Americans, but we know from other politicians (and Obama is just another politician) that this kind of promise quickly melts away. Taxes destroy the earning power of individuals, ruin incentives to be successful, and slow the economy. Our economy is too fragile right now to jeopardize it with increased taxes. He also wants to raise the estate tax, which means the government can take more from people’s estate when they die, which means their descendents get less and less of the estate. Under an Obama presidency, taxes will increase, at a variety of levels, and spending will balloon out of control. This is what led to the horrible economic conditions of the Carter years. We can’t afford Obama; he’s simply too expensive.
Foreign Policy IssuesBHO exhibits laughable naiveté, or worse, in his policy on Iraq. His ad with the mantra “We can stop a war,” complete with glazed-eyed young people, is insulting. There are huge international issues at stake here, and yes, oil is one of them, but it is not the only one. American presence in the Middle East is almost a necessity. He has only begrudgingly admitted that the surge has brought about significant security improvement. He has refused to admit that the Maliki government has reached about 12 of the 18 political benchmarks that his party demanded. He has continued to cater to the radical fringe of his party. McCain’s statement that “Obama would rather lose a war in order to win a political campaign” rings true for me. BHO does not support a strong American; rather, he wants a weak, apologetic America. I agree that our nation has made errors and mistakes in our dealings with other nations, but it is not a sign of strength and confidence to duck and run, to apologize everywhere, and to act guilty. Our country does far more good than evil.
Moral IssuesAbortion: BHO has an extremely anti-life voting record from both his time as a state senator and his brief time in the US Senate. I realize that many people accuse “pro-lifers” (or “anti-abortionists”) of single-issue voting, but the fact remains that the consistent destruction of our future is a human rights issue, and BHO fails to demonstrate any ability to rethink the radical policies of his party. Forget abortion on demand; forget partial-birth abortion; BHO has even voted to support the intentional killing of humans who have survived attempted abortions, which is essentially a form of infanticide. I cannot, in good conscience, vote for a candidate who defends these practices. The Democratic Party platform of making abortion “safe, legal, and rare” is a lie (this year they have even taken out the word “rare”). The only part they actually support is the middle one. Democrats have opposed every attempt to regulate the safety and health standards of the abortion industry as well as any attempt to limit its destructive effects, even parental notification laws. BHO shows no sign whatsoever of being a new kind of candidate on this issue.
He has pledged to sign the “Freedom of Choice Act” as one of his first acts as president. This would wipe away all state restrictions on abortion funding. He will force all taxpayers to pay for abortions. He advocates no restrictions on late-term abortions or any kind of abortions.
Homosexuality: This is a complex moral issue currently facing our body politic, but, true to the radical policies of the Democratic Party, BHO supports the complete legalization of gay marriage, equating lesbian and gay relationships with heterosexual marriage. There is room, in my opinion, for talking about various proposals for recognizing the legality of domestic partnerships, and the like, but to redefine – legally – an institution as fundamental as marriage is not something to be done lightly. I’ve not even begun to talk about the Biblical aspects here. Whenever a culture seeks to endorse and approve, let alone recognize and permit, something that Scripture clearly proscribes, that culture, at one point or another, sooner or later, will reap negative effects. I oppose the legalization of gay marriage; BHO supports it; ergo, I oppose the candidacy of BHO.
ConclusionBHO’s candidacy is certainly historic. I think Americans should be happy that an Af-Am candidate has been put forward by a major party as its nominee. But I don’t think we should vote on the basis of race, or gender; we should vote policy. No matter how much we may like BHO, his policies are not good for this country.
Many of my readers are probably thinking of John McCain’s many faults as they read my words here. I am not saying John McCain is the ideal candidate. I have several problems with him, and I would probably not have chosen him to be the candidate for the GOP. But, despite his negatives, and despite the mistakes I think John McCain will make, I still believe he will make a far, far better president than the junior senator from Illinois.