I like Obama, but I do not agree with his economic stance.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know where he is going with his economic agenda? He seems to be trying to appeal to middle and low income Americans by treating everything as if it is the fault of big corporations. Tax oil companies? He knows as well as anyone else that we need to cut consumption. He won't say it.
I disagree with his health care positions, he over simplifies things. The doctors need to find ways to avoid malpractice suits? Like they aren't already doing that.
McCain has said no to mortgage bailouts. I agree.
I don't want to vote for McCain, but Obama is making it hard for me.
The folks on Wall Street seem to think that Obama's policies will not help us.
Help!

[Anonymous]

I'm worried too. I don't want our taxes raised and I don't want to see a 5% increase in the capital gains tax.

If he's not talking about cutting oil consumption, that disappoints me.

[Anonymous]

Does he mean what he says, or is this a ploy to get the blue collar vote?

[Anonymous]

15:14 poster here. It looks as though Obama is at least talking a little bit about reducing oil dependence:

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/06/14/obama_highlights_rising_energy.html#more

However, I don't like that he voted for the 2005 energy bill or for the recent farm bill. Both were votes that pandered to agribusiness in Illinois, and both were terrible bills.

[Anonymous]

He should not talk about taxing big oil companies if he knows that he can't get that through congress. He seems to be afraid of rural white lower middle income people who don't want to be told a thing about solar, hybrid, or compact car.

[Anonymous]

O.K., is he pro-NAFTA or against? Would just like a straight answer.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:O.K., is he pro-NAFTA or against? Would just like a straight answer.

He supports NAFTA with modifications.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:O.K., is he pro-NAFTA or against? Would just like a straight answer.

He supports NAFTA with modifications.

He was anti NAFTA when he was up against Hillary in Pennsylvania. In his book, he is pro NAFTA. I wish he would stop this. Just stick to an agenda.

[Anonymous]

Reality is he trash talks trade since that's the popular thing to do among many Democrats right now, particularly in the rust-belt. But since he's also a highly educated person with a realistic grasp of international politics, he must realize that backing out of NAFTA is a complete non-starter.

Besides this - what's the point really? I mean, when's the last time you saw something that said "made in Mexico"? Almost everything's made in China lately and we don't have an FTA with them.

[Anonymous]

BUMP

[Anonymous]

BUMP

[Anonymous]

Why is he doing this, it could come back to haunt him. He will have to come up with a different rust belt strategy. Send Hillary out to talk to them.

[Anonymous]

Between the two of them, Obama and Pelosi have managed to squeeze out moderate, centrist Democrats altogether. It's a mistake, I believe. Although the mood of the country has generally drifted leftward over the past 8 years, primarily in response to the war and 8 years of Bush, I think most Americans have little appetite for unrestrained new spending on conventional liberalism, especially as their own net worth drops dramatically due to the housing crisis. Obama may manage to win, and we may even have a Democratic Senate and House. But in all likelihood there will then be a shift in the next midterm election, or 4 years from now. Most Americans favor divided government and a more centrist approach.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:Between the two of them, Obama and Pelosi have managed to squeeze out moderate, centrist Democrats altogether. It's a mistake, I believe. Although the mood of the country has generally drifted leftward over the past 8 years, primarily in response to the war and 8 years of Bush, I think most Americans have little appetite for unrestrained new spending on conventional liberalism, especially as their own net worth drops dramatically due to the housing crisis. Obama may manage to win, and we may even have a Democratic Senate and House. But in all likelihood there will then be a shift in the next midterm election, or 4 years from now. Most Americans favor divided government and a more centrist approach.

What are you talking about? Some of Obama's earliest endorsers were among the most conservative members of the House and Senate. For instance, Sen. Ben Nelson in the Senate or Patrick Murphy (a Bluedog) in the House. Obama just cut a radio ad for John Barrow in Georgia. The conservative Barrow is facing a primary contest against a progressive African American, so if Obama had something against moderates and centrists, he would support Barrow's opponent or stay neutral.

I understand that Hillary supporters are disappointed, but its really sad to see this degenerate to wishing ill on Democratic leaders.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Between the two of them, Obama and Pelosi have managed to squeeze out moderate, centrist Democrats altogether. It's a mistake, I believe. Although the mood of the country has generally drifted leftward over the past 8 years, primarily in response to the war and 8 years of Bush, I think most Americans have little appetite for unrestrained new spending on conventional liberalism, especially as their own net worth drops dramatically due to the housing crisis. Obama may manage to win, and we may even have a Democratic Senate and House. But in all likelihood there will then be a shift in the next midterm election, or 4 years from now. Most Americans favor divided government and a more centrist approach.

What are you talking about? Some of Obama's earliest endorsers were among the most conservative members of the House and Senate. For instance, Sen. Ben Nelson in the Senate or Patrick Murphy (a Bluedog) in the House. Obama just cut a radio ad for John Barrow in Georgia. The conservative Barrow is facing a primary contest against a progressive African American, so if Obama had something against moderates and centrists, he would support Barrow's opponent or stay neutral.

I understand that Hillary supporters are disappointed, but its really sad to see this degenerate to wishing ill on Democratic leaders.

What are you talking about? I don't wish ill on Democratic leaders. It's true I don't think much of Pelosi. I'm not saying Obama has anything against moderates or centrists, but he is clearly not one. His agenda is conventional leftism. I'm sorry, but I don't think a far-left approach is going to play well in much of the country. Outside the Obama supporter bubble you will find that some of us are worried about paying for all the new spending he proposes, and we don't want to pay the additional taxes he is proposing. I thought Bill Clinton's more centrist approach was very successful and it appealed to me as a moderate Democrat. It doesn't feel like moderates really have a place in the national party anymore. This will be my fifth convention, three of those as a delegate, and this is the first time I have felt as though I might not be comfortable there.

For a good column on the demise of the New Democrat (though from a conservative source), see Kim Stassel's Potomac Watch column in today's WSJ:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121391937825890363.html?mod=todays_columnists