The radical Obama and Biden
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J. Michael Sharman
Published: October 6, 2008
The non-partisan National Journal scores senators each year on the totality of their economic, defense and foreign policy votes to rate how “liberal” they are.
Sen. Barack Obama has the highest score of all of the 100 senators. 1
Joe Biden is the eighth-highest scorer.
To put it in perspective, both Obama and Biden scored far higher than the only self-described Socialist in the Senate, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who had the 12th- highest score. 2
On practically every issue, Obama and Biden have political objectives that are radical and repugnant to most Americans.
Obama voted against a bill that would permit juries to consider the death penalty for gang members who murder to advance the gang’s interest. 3
Both Obama and Biden have voted against making English our official language. 4
At a campaign event in Georgia, Obama told the crowd that “instead of worrying about whether immigrants can learn English — they’ll learn English — you need to make sure your child can speak Spanish.” 5
Many people think some gun control is appropriate, but Obama believes in total gun control: He doesn’t think you should own a gun at all.
When a questionnaire from the Independent Voters of Illinois asked Obama if he would “ban the manufacture, sale and possession of handguns,” he responded “yes.”
Obama told John Lott Jr., a senior research scientist at the University of Maryland, “I don’t believe that people should be able to own guns.” 6
As to same-sex marriages, Biden said during the Oct. 2 vice presidential debate: “Look, in an Obama-Biden administration, there will be absolutely no distinction from a constitutional standpoint or a legal standpoint between a same-sex and a heterosexual couple.
“We do support making sure that committed couples in a same-sex marriage are guaranteed the same constitutional benefits as it relates to their property rights, their rights of visitation, their rights to insurance, their rights of ownership as heterosexual couples do.” 7
And Obama published a letter on his Web site earlier this year, stating: “I support the complete repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) — a position I have held since before arriving in the U.S. Senate.
“While some say we should repeal only part of the law, I believe we should get rid of that statute altogether.
“Federal law should not discriminate in any way against gay and lesbian couples, which is precisely what DOMA does. I have also called for us to repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ and I have worked to improve the Uniting American Families Act so we can afford same-sex couples the same rights and obligations as married couples in our immigration system.” 8
Sen. Obama’s repeal of DOMA would strip away the states’ ability to choose whether or not to recognize same-sex marriage ceremonies held in another state.
His repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” would take away the military’s ability to consider the impact a person’s homosexual status or activities has on their military service.
And his last suggestion would grant even a temporary immigrant in the U.S. the ability to bring in their homosexual partner under the “Family Unity Program.” 9
When he was in the Illinois State Senate, Obama voted against the “Induced Infant Liability Act” requiring medical care for babies who survive an abortion. The bill came up twice in the Judiciary Committee on which he served. CBS News reported Obama voted “present” in 2001 and “no” in 2002. 10
Why would Obama not allow abortion survivors to be given medical attention?
This is what he said during the Illinois State Senate debate in March 2001: “It would essentially bar abortions because the equal protection clause does not allow somebody to kill a child and if this was a child then this would be an anti-abortion statute.” 11
If only they knew, the vast majority of Americans would consider Obama and Biden far too radical for their tastes.
J. Michael Sharman is an independent columnist who practices law in Culpeper. His column appears Tuesdays in the Star-Exponent.
1 “Vote Ratings - Rating Their Records” The National Journal, Feb. 2, 2008 http://www.nationaljournal.com/njmagazine/nj_20080202_8.php?related=true&story1=co_20080823_9669&story2=co_20080823_5507&story3=nj_20080202_8
2 http://www.votesmart.org/issue_rating_detail.php?r_id=3952&sort=rating
3 “Obama Record May Be Gold Mine For Critics: Eight Years As State Senator Were Full Of Controversial Votes, Including Abortion And Gun Control”, CBS News,
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/17/politics/main2369157.shtml
4
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00198
5 “Obama: ‘You Need To Make Sure Your Child Can Speak Spanish’” http://election.newsmax.com/obama_spanish.html
6 Lott, John R. “Obama and Guns: Two Different Views” http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,347690,00.html
7 Transcript: The Vice-Presidential Debate, October 2, 2008, The New York Times website, http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/president/debates/transcripts/vice-presidential-debate.html
8 “Equality is a Moral Imperative” Obama Biden website, posted Feb 28th, 2008 http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/alexokrent/gGggJS
9 http://www.uscis.gov/propub/ProPubVAP.jsp?dockey=4552a87982380b8452e1f90ed4168b40
10 “Obama Record May Be Gold Mine For Critics: Eight Years As State Senator Were Full Of Controversial Votes, Including Abortion And Gun Control”, CBS News,
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/17/politics/main2369157.shtml
and Carpenter, Amanda “Obama More Pro-Choice Than NARAL” Human Events, 12/26/2006
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=18647#continueA
11 “Obama Record May Be Gold Mine For Critics: Eight Years As State Senator Were Full Of Controversial Votes, Including Abortion And Gun Control”, CBS News,
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/17/politics/main2369157.shtml
and Carpenter, Amanda “Obama More Pro-Choice Than NARAL” Human Events, 12/26/2006
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=18647#continueA
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Reader Reactions
Posted by ( OrdinaryWoman ) on October 13, 2008 at 6:25 pm
El Debibble: Once again, my facts were not in question. I was the one checking out the facts and sources remember? And from your own conversations here, I’ve proved that your real problem with Mr. Sharman is not whether or not this article that started this debate is truthful or not. Because all the facts are already proven and Sharman’s sources are good, and are not the only ones out there. History is not being rewritten here, Obama has recent friends that are questionable (and Obama himself has never denied the facts. He has only recently tried to disassociate himself with them, and that makes him appear dishonest cause he only did so after exposed; thus it appears that he only distanced himself because it could cost him his political desire to occupy the White House.
What our conversation boiled down to is some old differences of beliefs that you have with Mr. Sharman. And in those differences, both you and he have a right to your own beliefs which makes neither one of you a “liar” or not “credible”. He’s allowed to protest against a pornographer, he should be allowed to make a math error, he should be allowed to run for office, win or lose, you should know the definitions of words you use better, especially if you’re going to use them against me, (“buzzwords” and “slogans”); and none of this has anything to do with this article that you claimed was a “twist of facts and questionable sources.“ These problems above caused your own opinion of Sharman not to look credible, especially when you question his sources but won’t provide any of your own.
Doesn’t matter now, I certainly know how to do my own research. And that would lead into the answer for Quinea20, who appears to resent that I have more time to be on the internet than she does. Because of choices I’ve made in life, I do have the time. I’ve raised my kids, I don’t have to travel to do my daily job anymore. I too came from a hard-working family with 8 children that had to scrap to get every meal on the table, and thus I don’t even have a mindset to resent anything or anybody because I know hard work and good decisions and not blaming the economy or anyone else for decisions I’ve made for my life, makes me responsible for my lifes’ outcome. So once again, get over yourself and run your race well. Then you will be able to stop blaming others for your problems.
If I wanted to sit back and go to the country club everyday, I could. But I choose not to, as I like to spend my time doing more worthwhile things.
One last things El debibble, unless you’ve lived in AZ your whole life till the 2000 VA Primary, this is the first national election you could have had the chance to vote for McCain in. So you might want to explain how you could “Surprise” me that you have “voted for McCain everytime he ran”. If you vote for him on Nov. 4, that could possibly make your second vote, otherwise, you could only have voted for him as a State Senator IF you were a resident of Arizona. This would make about your 6th error, putting you right up there running neck in neck with what you believe is Sharman’s error rate.
And yes, most of the debates I get in, especially with Liberals, boils down to them just wanting to call names and make snide remarks; who won’t stay on topic or provide proof. For which I could use your own words against you in that it causes “blindness”.
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Posted by ( Quinea20 ) on October 13, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Glad to see that you all found peace and have hopefully realized that we can agree to disagree without acting crazy!!! I’ve never seen a blog go back and forth like that—AWESOME!! I guess someone is taking care of kids/work while others argue online . . .UMMM!! :O) Just kidding . . . I come from one of those average households that don’t know the luxury of it all. WE SCRAP EVERY SINGLE DAY TO SURVIVE (married w/3 kids)-WATCHED MY PARENTS DO IT TOO!THAT’S WHY WE UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE OBAMA MORE!! I COULD SAY SO MUCH MORE ABOUT ALL THE LITTLE BORDERLINE COMMENTS (FROM OW) BUT BEING THAT I DON’T KNOW THE LUXURY OF WRITING BACK & FORTH ALL DAY, SOAPS, LUNCH W/KIDS, VOLUNTEER @ SCHOOLS, SHOPPING AND WHATEVER ELSE YOU PROBABLY DO I BETTER END MY LUNCH BREAK AND GET BACK TO WORK & PREPARE FOR MY 80+ MILE COMMUTE BACK TO CULPEPER BECAUSE OF THIS WONDERFUL ECONOMY!! That’s another story though. THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OTHERS . . . BE SURE TO VOTE IN NOV!!!
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Posted by ( El Debibble ) on October 13, 2008 at 7:44 am
Ordinarywoman, as typical of people who don’t have their facts together you make the immediate assumption that anyone who disagrees with you must be the polar opposite. Surprise, I have voted for McCain everytime he ran!! I will this time. I’ve stated it in numerous places on the CSE website. I will also admit I have never voted for a Bush and I am totally disgusted with the way the latecomers have turned McCain’s campaign into a pigsty.
Your description of your “debates” prove you don’t understand debates and you willingness to back up Sharman’s questionable sources, WHEN HE ACTUALLY PROVIDES THEM, demonstrates a blindness common to certain part of society.
I am not going to any extra effort to prove to you what was said in court cuz I know it’s true ( I also know exactly what was said and who he said it to)why try to prove something to you that will never change your mind anyway. Why should I bother?
Of course you give in on the math, but what you won’t admit is tht it is anther example of how Sharman will distort facts to make a point. Why are you considering my “math” issue as proof? If you know about that then you know about the protests he led against the pornographer and what he said about the jury. That’s all been in the CSE and wold be easy for you to disprove. Wanna give it a try?
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Posted by ( OrdinaryWoman ) on October 10, 2008 at 3:47 pm
El Debibble: I have never shown any President disrepect. Not even the ones who have made mistakes or have outright, openly done wrong and were unrepentant. I think you are asking me questions that you should have asked of yourself. Are you going to be respectful to President McCain?
As typical with my debates with liberals, it boils down to stupid silly stuff, cause the major stuff they can’t prove what they say. Most resort to name calling, are unable to give sources, and unable to define words correctly. Now a math problem…, and backup phrases like “I am not the only person around here who has said this.“—- are even more pathetic. You can dig to come up with a math problem, as if the difference of 6 people would have made all the difference in the word as to whether or not he’s truthful (a mistake most likely), but you can’t remember the case in which you watched him question that poor woman on the witness stand that you saw…hum.
OK, so I give on the math percentage problem being an error of Sharmans. How does that make him the awful person you try to make him out to be? All your other opinions so far are just opinions, cause you won’t provide the proof. This is the only proof you’ve provided so far to back up what you say, yet you want to state that he “twist facts or use questionable ones.“
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Posted by ( El Debibble ) on October 10, 2008 at 2:35 pm
I think I lost a post:
2% of 100 plus 2% of 200 does not equal 4%. That is what Sharman claimed. He “stood by his numbers” when called on it. Do the math and tell me what the percentage is.
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Posted by ( El Debibble ) on October 10, 2008 at 2:31 pm
His beliefs generally casue him to twist facts or use questionable ones. He has done it so many times it is not worth even looking at them anymore. I am not the only person around here who has said this.
Get ready to refer to Obama as MR President. Be sure to be respectful.
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Posted by ( OrdinaryWoman ) on October 10, 2008 at 1:35 pm
El Debibble, the dictionary says that “buzzwords” are ‘slogans’, and “cliches” are ‘overused opinions’. Just the mere fact that you cannot even define words correctly, by calling each of these words: “fact” leaves me to doubt the essence of your dislike of Sharman. Please cite the cases in which you reference, I’ll be happy to check them out in full too, and see how his actions and words are placed in context. I’ve seen him in action and not to the extreme of your “cliches” of him.
So what are mine cliches and buzzwords? Once again I ask.
And yes, I most certainly did check his references of this article and they are supportive of what he writes.
You are a little weird with math too. If he adds the 2 percentages and adds the 2 groups together that made up the percentage who agreed with him, and they did agree with him, what’s your problem with that?
Yes, let’s talk about this church. You make yourself sound like your real problem with him is his beliefs vs. your beliefs. Unless he started a cult, an Islamic, or otherwise hate group church, what does his beliefs have to do with the facts of this article?
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Posted by ( El Debibble ) on October 10, 2008 at 6:59 am
Cliches and buzzwords are not opinions but are a fact. You used several of them. Sharman does not get elected because he does not represent the views of mainstream Culpeper. Sharman has asked a woman in court why she didn’t quit her job to stay home with her kids (while ignoring the fact that the ex-husband was meeting NONE of his obligations). He couldn’t explain how they would be fed, but he didn’t seem to care. It’s his single-mom issue. It’s in the court record so doubt it all you want. For years Sharman and Jarvis used to lead the annual “protest the pornographer” in Culpeper. They finally got a pet DA to get it into court. The jury acquitted in about fifteen minutes. Sharman complained about the jury. Wanna talk about the church Sharman helped start?
You did NOT check a lot of his references. If that’s calling you a liar then that’s what it is. If you had checked each and everyone of them you would know that several are questionable and a few are a total misuse of statistics. He once added the percentage of women and the percentage of men who agreed with him on an issue and claimed that to be the total of men and women who agreed with him. When called on it he said “I stand by my numbers”. When he is really reaching he provides NO references.
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Posted by ( OrdinaryWoman ) on October 09, 2008 at 7:54 am
1cie, I responded to your post because we have been trying to say that this election is not about race, and the very first sentence you first wrote said, “I believe that Obama’s race IS the issue.“ And now you write in contradiction that, “I simply said keep it fair and keep the race card out of it.“
I answered your question as to “why I felt the need to put out there that my husband’s best friend is black and why it has to do with the election”. And I’ll tell you again—because the white folks I’ve seen in this election has not made it about race—on the contrary, Obama and other black folks have. And if it was about race for us, how could my husband have such a close friendship and obviously be prejudice? I told you of my husband’s best friend to show you that our decisions to not back Obama for President was NOT ABOUT RACE.
If half your friends are white, (just to back up your statements like I have mine), then tell us which ones come into your home on a regular basis? Are they invited to dinner and vacations with you? Which ones call you everyday, sometimes 2 or 3 times? Or do you just have some friends that you know on a casual work or church related basis?)
I’m not trying to argue who has deeper friendships, but show you that which I’ve heard and seen is true, (and that it may be so in your own life), and that is that more black people have prejudices and have a chip on their shoulders than is justified today. And the likes and followers of Rev. Wright prove it!!
I’m 50 years old Ocie, I grew up 8 miles south of D.C. and attended public schools where sometimes I was only one of three white children in a whole class. Many of my teachers were black. I know the “reality dose” of watching people grow up “African-American”. And just like the use of that hyphenation right there, why does most of your race have to call yourselves “African-Americans”? Unless you’re Obama, you are not so! You are not the “African” that was brought for slavery into America. That is a deplorable part of our history, but that’s what it is, “history”. And if you had read a prayer Mr. Sharman wrote a year and a half ago, you’d know that he too is very sorry for what happened to your ancestors. And that prayer was prayed all over religious TV stations across America from the shores of VA where they first landed.
I know what I have had to counsel, with single Mom’s, I know what I’ve listened to in large groups in waiting rooms for assistance, and that is not stereotyping, that’s just the facts…and growing up black in America is no excuse for not taking care of your children properly.
Even though you said that you “don’t blame white people for anything that has happened in my life”, you contradict yourself in this one post, by telling me I better get a “wake up call”, and “sit and listen, and “get a dose of reality”. And you’re assumption that I think YOU are home watching soaps, etc…is again an example of your racial hate and blame.
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Posted by ( OrdinaryWoman ) on October 09, 2008 at 6:55 am
El Debibble, Isn’t “cliches” and “buzzwords” an “opinion” of yours? I’m looking for facts to back up what you say about Sharman, and you never provide them. I already acknowledged in previous posts that I’ve seen Mr. Sharman in action, in court, and I’ve never seen what you have claimed he is.
Calling me a liar, that I did not check a lot of Mr. Sharman’s references, is also an “opinion” of yours, that doesn’t make it so. Since I know I am not a liar, and I indeed did check each and everyone of the references I said, your “opinion” does not matter to me. I know why he wasn’t elected to, and if you think that not being elected means what he says is untrue, than like your opinion of me, it simply is an opinion—not fact. I know people confuse facts vs. feelings now days, but the ability to discern between the two is what makes the differences between us now.
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