Why doesn't Obama run on his record?

[finder]

So tell me, finder, what do you think happens to a would be presidential candidate who visits the retirement communities of Florida with the following specific message (since you advocate specifics): "I will cut your social security and medicare benefits by 50% if you will vote for me"? He acts like a leader--brave and brutally honest. And then he loses Florida on Election Day.

That's a red herring. There isn't a candidate who is running on "cutting" medicare and social security by 50%. Nor is there any as far as I know that think those programs should be cut by 50%. I put "cutting" in quote because of the way liberals tend to call increases in budget that doesn't meet their expected increase amount a "cut." If their purposed budgets are only allotted a 50% increase of what they asked it's still an increase, not a cut. My point is I'd like to see certain candidate admit that fact instead of playing word games to manipulate voters.

So the problem isn't the lack of leaders who will be fearless. The problem is the innate distrust of voters who think they will be the only ones doing any sacrificing while the rich get richer. Leaders can't lead those who don't want to be led. You want to be led, but where? Answer that question specifically and someday you may find the leader of your dreams. But understand that if I don't share your American dream I'll do everything in my power to fight it, thus ensuring that we both get less than what we want, and most probably a less than perfect president.

I disagree. Had we had real leaders there would not be the distrust that is prevalent these days. It is not "innate" distrust but deserved distrust. For instance the government wastes 170 million a year just to hold onto vacant buildings. Your Tax Dollars Pay for Vacant Buildings | Video - ABC News & Turn more of the Government's empty buildings over to community or business use | UK news | guardian.co.uk That can be corrected relatively quickly if not for government red tape. The excuse often is "well that's just a drop in the bucket to our operating cost anyway" or something like that. But a real leader would jump on correcting that waste and all other government waste instead of simply placating to the voters with empty promises that fix nothing. And that is just one example of what a true leader can do. Your view basically says there are no leaders and we're only capable of electing ineffective presidents.

[finder]

Actually, the election involves two men and two competing agendas, not one. Yes, it is a referendum on Obama but it's also a job interview for a man who can't seem to find a position on anything without checking the wind direction first. Two agendas. One election.

As true as that is, it's more then that for Obama. You can't hide from the fact that this election will be either an endorsement or a rejection of his ideology and subsequent policies he has orchestrated.

[grandpa]

As true as that is, it's more then that for
Obama.
You can't hide from the fact that this election will
be either an endorsement or a rejection of his ideology
and subsequent policies he has orchestrated.

What unique "ideology" does Obama possess? His policies have been amazingly like those of Bush.
And you know what? I can't say "It's my fault for having believed
him," because I never believed in Obama. Skeptics like myself weren't part of the process, really.

Elections ask me to "Change the wielders, but not the weapon."

(Where I got that quote from:
Musharraf: another posture)

Grandpa h.

[The Decider]

That's a red herring. There isn't a candidate who is running on "cutting" medicare and social security by 50%. Nor is there any as far as I know that think those programs should be cut by 50%. I put "cutting" in quote because of the way liberals tend to call increases in budget that doesn't meet their expected increase amount a "cut." If their purposed budgets are only allotted a 50% increase of what they asked it's still an increase, not a cut. My point is I'd like to see certain candidate admit that fact instead of playing word games to manipulate voters.

The semantics are yours, finder. Whether a candidate advocates cutting Social Security by 50% or cutting funding increases by 50%, the result for Florida senior citizens--and future senior citizens--will likely be a cut in benefits. When hardcore budget cutting candidates make clear what they are willing to let Florida senior citizens go without, then they will have earned their elephant balls; and not before.

Your view basically says there are no leaders and we're only capable of electing ineffective presidents.

When was the last "effective" president elected in our country, in your opinion?

[finder]

What unique "ideology" does Obama possess? His policies have been amazingly like those of Bush.
And you know what? I can't say "It's my fault for having believed
him," because I never believed in Obama. Skeptics like myself weren't part of the process, really.

Elections ask me to "Change the wielders, but not the weapon."

(Where I got that quote from:
Musharraf: another posture)

Grandpa h.

Bush would not have fought for the government take over of the health care industry. Obama believes people who worked hard to build up a business didn't really, government did because they contracted private companies to build the roads that leads to their business. In other words "you didn't, someone else made it happen." Rove: The Obama Ad Blitz Isn't Working - WSJ.com Fact is Obama's ideology is very different. He believes government is the cure all and private industry is the enemy. Bush, as faulty as he was, still believed competition and a competitive market is what stimulates economic stability.

[finder]

The semantics are yours, finder. Whether a candidate advocates cutting Social Security by 50% or cutting funding increases by 50%, the result for Florida senior citizens--and future senior citizens--will likely be a cut in benefits. When hardcore budget cutting candidates make clear what they are willing to let Florida senior citizens go without, then they will have earned their elephant balls; and not before.

I stated fact, not semantics. Why is your immediate assumption to not getting as much increase as expected doom and gloom? Why couldn't government make up any perceived difference that needs to be made up, make it up by intelligent budgeting and cutting waste like all working Americans have to do when government arbitrarily reaches into their pockets to appease special interests?

When was the last "effective" president elected in our country, in your opinion?

Clinton and Reagan were both effective presidents. Whether they helped or hurt the country is for you to decide but they led the country in a specific direction and a true leader can arise again. Personally, I think Reagan was better for the country.

[Jack]

Obama believes people who worked hard to build up a business didn't really, government did because they contracted private companies to build the roads that leads to their business.

I didn't get that impression from listening to the whole speech, not just the excerpt that Romney and Fox picked out. What I heard Obama saying is that no business starts from scratch. Every new business relies on suppliers and customers, other people and businesses who provide the products that business needs and the demand for its products or services. In other words, no new business starts out in isolation. Even the crafter who sells hand-made quilts has to buy their supplies from another business.

[Yarn]

Obama believes people who worked hard to build up a business didn't really, government did because they contracted private companies to build the roads that leads to their business. In other words "you didn't, someone else made it happen."

He credited both hard work and public support.
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/we...r-that-edition

Rove: The Obama Ad Blitz Isn't Working - WSJ.com

Really?


ElectoralVote

[finder]

I didn't get that impression from listening to the whole speech, not just the excerpt that Romney and Fox picked out. What I heard Obama saying is that no business starts from scratch. Every new business relies on suppliers and customers, other people and businesses who provide the products that business needs and the demand for its products or services. In other words, no new business starts out in isolation. Even the crafter who sells hand-made quilts has to buy their supplies from another business.

Yes but didn't he also say something like "government made the Internet so those business could be successful"? It's not what he meant to say that reveals his true ideals, it's what he says unscripted that reveals the truth. He obviously thinks government some how generates income for industry instead of the other way around.

[Senor Hoint]

He never discounted the ingenuity or hard work of entrepreneurs. All he said was that it isn't the whole story. No business succeeds in a vacuum.

[finder]

He credited both hard work and public support.
Democalypse 2012 - Do We Look Stupid? Don't Answer That Edition - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - 07/25/12 - Video Clip | Comedy Central



Really?


ElectoralVote

Funny video and it made my point. The emphasis of his speech was how we need more government because the private sector can't be trusted and is incapable of creating wealth.

I wasn't trying to make the point that the article was making. It was just the first site with the quote of Obama trashing private enterprise on a search to make my point to Granpa H. That point being he is different then Bush.

[Yarn]

I would say he is more about golden mean than either or.