President-Elect Obama Marxist?

[JustChristian]

Christianity is about one's relationship with Christ. Either He is your personal Lord and Savior or He is not. Doing the good works of the Christian faith does not make one a Christian. However, both Socialism and Marxism are political philosophies based on certain ideas. When someone espouses and embraces those specific philosophies and ideas it is proper to identify him/her as either a Socialist, a Marxist, or both. Therefore, my question is not a loaded question. Likewise, your example of whether non-Christians working in homeless shelters (doing good things) makes them Christians or not is comparing apples to oranges with respect to the discussion of political philosophies.

I realize that you may not know excatly how many Socialist or Marxist philosophies and ideas regarding government exist, and this makes it difficult for you give a number in answer to my question. However, I said earlier that I would be willing to accept a percentage number. For example, would it be acceptable to you, for us to call Obama a Socialist or a Marxist, if he espouses and embraces greater than 50 percent of published Socialist or Marxist philosophies and ideas of government?

Are the UK and France, both allies of ours, Marxist nations? If not why not? If thery are Marxist nations what countries on Earth are not?

 

[Bible-boy]

Are the UK and France, both allies of ours, Marxist nations? If not why not? If thery are Marxist nations what countries on Earth are not?

No they are Socialist Nations and I don't want American government to be anything like theirs. My ancestors faught and died to free me from them. However, that's a topic for another thread. This thread is about President-elect Obama and his political philosophies and ideas.

 

[Bible-boy]

Here’s what the Communist Party USA thinks:

The Communist Party USA views the 2008 elections as a tremendous opportunity to defeat the policies of the right-wing Republicans and to move our country in a new progressive direction.

The record turnout in the Democratic Presidential primary races shows that millions of voters, including millions of new voters, are using this election to bring about real change. We wholeheartedly agree with them. While we do not endorse any particular candidates, we do endorse and join in the anti-Bush/anti-right wing sentiments that are driving so many people to activism. The fact that the Democratic frontrunners are an African American and a woman speaks volumes on how far the country has come. Hillary Clinton’s campaign has attracted large numbers of supporters, especially women. Other Democratic contenders presented some excellent proposals to reverse the devastation caused by the Bush administration’s policies. Barack Obama’s campaign has so far generated the most excitement, attracted the most votes, most volunteers and the most money. We think the basic reason for this is that his campaign has the clearest message of unity and progressive change, while having a real possibility for victory in November. As we see it, however, this battle is bigger than the Democrats and Republicans, even though those parties are the main electoral vehicle for most voters today. Our approach is to focus on issues and movements that are influencing candidates and parties. We will work with others to defeat the Republican nominee and to end right-wing control of the new Congress. The activism growing out of this election will help guarantee a progressive mandate no matter who is elected. It is critical to our country’s renewal and future.

What does Obama say about political activism and “organizing?” Before going into detail one must recall that Obama is/was a Chicago Community Organizer in the vein of Marxist, Saul Alinsky’s community organizing network.

One of Obama's early mentors in the Alinsky method was Mike Kruglik, who had this to say to

Ryan Lizza of The New Republic, about Obama: “He was a natural, the undisputed master of agitation, who could engage a room full of recruiting targets in a rapid-fire Socratic dialogue, nudging them to admit that they were not living up to their own standards. As with the panhandler, he could be aggressive and confrontational. With probing, sometimes personal questions, he would pinpoint the source of pain in their lives, tearing down their egos just enough before dangling a carrot of hope that they could make things better.”

The agitator's job, according to Alinsky, is first to bring folks to the "realization" that they are indeed miserable, that their misery is the fault of unresponsive governments or greedy corporations, then help them to bond together to demand what they deserve, and to make such an almighty stink that the dastardly governments and corporations will see imminent "self-interest" in granting whatever it is that will cause the harassment to cease. In these methods, euphemistically labeled "community organizing," Obama had a four-year education, which he often says was the best education he ever got anywhere.

Source: http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/01/obamas_alinsky_jujitsu.html

So you see Obama fully endorses the Marxist tool of community activism even to the extent of his own personal benefit.

The crowd enveloping Barack Obama when he accepts the Democratic nomination for president at Invesco Field at Mile High will be asked to get to work for the privilege of witnessing the historic event live. In a half-hour interview Wednesday with The Denver Post, Obama's deputy campaign manager, Steve Hildebrand, said he wants to use the ticketing process as a massive recruitment tool meant to bring in supporters from all 50 states and energize them to carry the campaign into the final 60 days of the general election. "We're going to ask those 80,000 people in that stadium to march out of there and go with very specific instructions and goals to register millions of new voters," Hildebrand said.

Source: http://www.denverpost.com/dnclogistics/ci_9976737

So Obama espouses and embraces the Socialist/Communist philosophy of organizing the masses to bring about political change. Okay, I know that every politician has to do some of this in order to get elected. However, Obama took it to a new height in the 2008 election.

 

[Bible-boy]

Communist Party USA Continued:

We think this election is a great opportunity to bring an early withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.

What is Obama’s and the Democratic Party’s stated goal regarding troop withdrawal in Iraq? That’s right you guessed it… They’re for it.

Sen. Barack Obamaof Illinois, one of the most prominent Democrats in the 2008 presidential field, proposed for the first time setting a deadline for withdrawing troops from Iraq, as part of a broader plan aimed at bolstering the freshman senator's foreign policy credentials.

Obama's legislation, offered on the Senate floor last night, would remove all combat brigades from Iraq by March 31, 2008….

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/30/AR2007013001586.html

Here again we see Obama in full agreement with a stated Communist goal.

 

[Bible-boy]

Communist Party USA Continued:

It can mean job creation and relief for those who are losing their homes or unable to pay their bills.

This election can set the stage to advance the interests of working people; of those excluded because of race, gender, sexual orientation and immigration status.

This election can begin to turn the tide: it can help bring universal health care, save the environment and start the restoration of our democratic rights. This election can strengthen democracy for all.

What’s Obama’s position on universal healthcare? That’s right he’s for it:

My plan will cover every American and cut the cost of a typical family's premium by up to $2,500 a year. It's a plan that lets the uninsured buy insurance that's similar to the kind members of Congress give themselves. And if you can't afford that, you'll get a subsidy to pay for it.

It goes further than any other proposed plan in cutting the cost of health care by investing in technology and preventive care so that children are getting regular check ups instead of having to go to the emergency room for treatable illnesses like asthma, and by breaking the stranglehold of the drug companies and the insurance industries--we are tired of them dictating our health care markets--and helping businesses and families shoulder the cost of the most expensive conditions so that an illness doesn't lead to bankruptcy. And I promise you this: I will sign a universal health care plan that covers every American by the end of my first term as president.

Source: http://www.ontheissues.org/Archive/TBA_2007_Health_Care.htm

Of course you realize that this is universal healthcare at taxpayer expense. So those who do not work and those who work, but pay on federal income taxes will be covered and their coverage will be paid for by all the rest of us who do work and pay federal income taxes.

What is Obama’s position on the man-made global warming hoax? He believes it and supports legislation such as the Cap in Trade Bill.

Global warming is real, is happening now and is the result of human activities. Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe we have a moral, environmental, economic and security imperative to tackle climate change in a serious, sustainable manner.

Reduce Carbon Emissions 80 Percent by 2050: Barack Obama and Joe Biden support implementation of a market-based cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon emissions by the amount scientists say is necessary: 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. They will start reducing emissions immediately in his administration by establishing strong annual reduction targets, and they will also implement a mandate of reducing emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.
A cap-and-trade program draws on the power of the marketplace to reduce emissions in a cost-effective and flexible manner. Under the program, an overall national cap on carbon emissions is established. The emissions allowed under the cap are divided up into individual allowances that represent the permission to emit that amount. Because the emissions cap restricts the amount of pollution allowed, allowances that give a company the ability to pollute take on financial value. Companies are free to buy and sell allowances in order to continue operating in the most profitable manner available to them. Those that are able to reduce pollution at a low cost can sell their extra allowances to companies facing high costs. Each year the number of allowances will decline to match the required annual reduction targets.

Source: http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/issues/EnvironmentFactSheet.pdf

 

[Bible-boy]

Communist Party USA Continued:
In the long run, we see the need for an independent “people’s party” -- an electoral party that will unite labor and all democratic forces. We also are working for a political system and government whose priority is to watch the backs of working families, not fill the pockets of the corporate fat cats. Our slogan, “

people before profits” and our goal of “Bill of Rights socialism” say it all. Source: http://cpusa.org/article/articleview/907/1/4/

Bill of Rights Socialism:
We Communists believe that socialism is the very best replacement for a capitalist system that has served its purpose, but no longer meets the needs and requirements of the great majority of our people.

We believe that socialism USA will be built according to the traditions, history, culture and conditions of the United States. Thus, it will be different from any other socialist society in the world. It will be uniquely American.

What will be the goals of our socialist society?
A life free of exploitation, insecurity, poverty; an end to unemployment, hunger and homelessness.

An end to racism, national oppression, anti-Semitism, all forms of discrimination, prejudice and bigotry. An end to the unequal status of women.

Renewal and extension of democracy; an end to the rule of corporate America and private ownership of the wealth of our nation.

We will see below how both Obama and the Democrat Party leadership in Congress want to Socialize/Nationalize American Industry and to use the IRS to increase the tax burden on big businesses, small businesses, and the “wealthy” in order to “spread the wealth around.” This means Obama and the Democrat Party leadership favor a redistribution of wealth by taking from those who work hard in order to give to those who do not work (and/or to those who work but currently pay no income taxes).

 

[Bible-boy]

Communist Party USA Continued:

Creation of a truly humane and rationally planned society that will stimulate the fullest flowering of the human personality, creativity and talent.

The advocates and ideologues of capitalism hold that such goals are utopian; that human beings are inherently selfish and evil. Others argue that these goals can be fully realized under capitalism.

We are confident, however, that such goals can be realized, but only through a socialist society.

The Foundations of Socialism
Political power would be in the hands of working people. Socialism starts with nationalization of the main means of production - the plants, factories, agri-business farms and everything necessary to produce what society needs. The large monopoly corporations and banks come under public ownership, that is, under the collective ownership of the entire working class and people, who have the leading role in building socialism.

Socialism also means public ownership of the energy industry and all the natural resources. It eliminates forever the power of the capitalist class to exploit and oppress the majority.

California lawmaker, Maxine Waters, who got a communist dictator to harbor a cop-murdering Black Panther fugitive and accused the CIA of selling crack cocaine in black neighborhoods, told the president of a major oil company to “guess what this liberal would be all about? This liberal would be all about socializing -- uh, uh, would be about basically taking over and the government running all of your companies.”

Source: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=65111

Sounds like Maxine Waters is already squarely planted in the Socialist/Communist camp on this issue.

But wait what are other Democrats saying?

Pennsylvania’s 11th district, Rep. Paul Kanjorski, is proposing a federal "Reasonable Profits Board." Its members would be charged with determining when oil and gas companies’ "profits are in excess."

Source: http://capoliticalnews.com/s/spip.php?breve5209

Sounds like Paul Kanjorski wants to end the control of private ownership of wealth in America. Guess who else wants to do so? That’s right… the Communist Party USA through its proposed institution of Socialism in America (see quoted material above).

Here’s Congressman Maurice Hinchey actually suggesting we “nationalize” the oil industry: Link: http://jeremysarber.com/2008/06/23/maurice-hinchey-maxine-waters-and-nationalizing-the-oil-business/

Obama has called for a cabinet level position for a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and the socializing of the Broadband Industry in America. Source: http://michellemalkin.com/2008/10/21/obamas-plan-to-socialize-the-broadband-industry/ and http://mashable.com/2008/10/21/national-cto/

 

[Bible-boy]

Communist Party USA Continued:

A socialist government draws up plans covering the entire economy. They are drawn up with maximum participation of the people, from the shop level on up. Such plans are achieved because they harmonize the interests of all, because there are no conflicts arising from exploitation of workers and no dog-eat-dog competition.
Production increases much faster than under capitalism, with a planned economy, advancement of science and technology, and the protection and preservation of our environment and natural resources.
A socialist government is based on all-around democracy, starting with economic democracy.

What’s Obama’s connection to the idea economic democracy? According to Geoffrey Dunn, Columnist for Black Star News:

Obama will approach the international economic crisis with a refreshing sensibility and a commitment to economic democracy. “People around the world,” writes longtime American activist Tom Hayden, “will look up from the treadmills of their shrunken lives to the possibilities of what life still might be. Environmental justice and global economic hope would dawn as possibilities.”

Source: http://www.blackstarnews.com/?c=135&a=5061

Obama's first public speech was at an Occidental [College] event sponsored by the Students for Economic Democracy, a group affiliated with far left radical Tom Hayden and Hayden's militant group SDS (Students for a Democratic Society.)

Source: http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/10/obama_and_dohrn_and_ayers.html

Communist Party USA Continued:

The more people participate in running their own economy, the more firmly people's power is established, the more successful a socialist America will be.

Trade unions in a socialist USA will insure a fair balance between what workers produce and what they receive. They will have decisive power to enforce safety and health provisions, prevent speedup, and guarantee good transportation, working conditions and plant facilities.

Trade Unions were a major factor in Obama’s election win. Now he owes them and they will be expecting the payoff:

Labourstart’s Eric Lee says that much will depend on whether Obama ‘will emulate Clinton's failure or Roosevelt's success’. President Clinton tried to reform health care and failed, and did close to nothing to strengthen the role of unions. President Roosevelt introduced new labour legislation, the National Labour Relations Act (NLRA). “The significance of the NLRA was that it lead to a massive growth of industrial unions. Those unions provided the foundation for the New Deal coalition that dominated American politics for nearly a half century”, Lee argues (through Stronger Unions).

Global Union UNI has been emphasising the international significance of the American election. In a statement, UNI General Secretary Philip Jennings today announces that it will ‘meet with representatives of the new Obama transition team to exchange ideas on how to build a new, more responsible globalization’.

Source: http://unionrenewal.blogspot.com/2008/11/barack-obama-and-union-movement.html

 

[Bible-boy]

Communist Party USA Continued:

Public services - schools, hospitals, utilities, transit, parks, roads - are crumbling under capitalism. And now corporations are "privatizing" government-run, publicly-owned institutions for private profit.
Under socialism public services and housing will be vastly improved and expanded. They will be broadened in their scope beyond anything dreamed of under capitalism.
The U.S. will become a vast construction site. Homes, schools, hospitals, places of recreation will be built to end shortages, replace substandard infrastructures and public facilities.

Is Obama in favor of greatly expanded public services and public housing? You guessed it… He is and he’s involved in it up to his Chicago eyeballs: According to Lee Cary a columnist at the American Thinker:

When faced with the choice of supporting his well-connected developer friends making millions in Chicago's Plan for Transformation,or his district's poorest public housing residents, the former community organizer was an expedient politician. He followed the money. When Obama aligned with Mayor Daley's plan to redesign public housing, he linked to a story that's eighty years old, and shows no signs of dying. It merits a brief review…

…In Chicago politics, pinstripe patronage refers to a political payback system where instead of rewarding voter loyalty with city jobs, significant campaign contributors receive government contracts. It's a by-product of the age of big media. Obama learned about pinstripe patronage as an attorney at Davis Miner Barnhill & Galland, as a July 21, 2008 article by Ryan Lizza in The New Yorker, entitled "Making It: How Chicago shaped Obama,"

Source: http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/09/obama_and_daleys_public_housin.html

Communist Party USA Continued:

Jobs and Education for All
Full employment will be quickly achieved as production is expanded to satisfy the needs of people. Automation at the service of the working people will lead to both reduced hours of work and higher living standards, with no layoffs. There will be no danger of over-production since production will be planned and people's incomes will increase in line with the rising output of consumer goods and services.
Poverty will be ended quickly with the recovery of the vast resources now wasted in war production, corporate profits and the extravagent [sic] lifestyles of the filthy rich.

What is Obama’s position on corporate profits and the lifestyles of the “filthy rich”? That’s right… You guessed it. He wants to take the profits from corporations via “windfall profits tax” and the wealth of the “filthy rich” through increased tax burden and redistribute it to those who do not work. Remember his comments to “Joe the plumber”? According to the New York Times:

You won't find it in his campaign ads, but

Barack Obama let slip his plans to become a modern-day Robin Hood in the White House, confiscating money from the rich to give to the poor. Conservatives yesterday ripped Obama after he was caught on video telling an Ohio plumber that he intends to take the profits of small-business owners and "spread the wealth around" to those with lesser incomes.

Source: http://www.nypost.com/seven/10152008/news/politics/obama_fires_a_robin_hood_warning_shot_133685.htm

I researched and wrote this material a month ago right after the election. However, as of early December Obama has now backed off his plan for "windfall profits tax" on big oil because the price of oil has dropped below $80.00 per barrel. The question is will he go there again if oil or some other industry begins to show big gains in profit? The root problem is that Obama embraces the Socialist/Communist philosophy that it is government's responsibility to take private profits and redistribute them as hand outs to the masses.

Communist Party USA Continued:

All education will be tuition-free.

What’s Obama’s plan for education? You guessed it… He’s promising free community college tuition for everyone as well as more dollars for other university students.

Create the American Opportunity Tax Credit: Obama and Biden will make college affordable for all Americans by creating a new American Opportunity Tax Credit. This universal and fully refundable credit will ensure that the first $4,000 of a college education is completely free for most Americans, and will cover two-thirds the cost of tuition at the average public college or university and make community college tuition completely free for most students. Recipients of the credit will be required to conduct 100 hours of community service.

Source: http://www.barackobama.com/issues/education/#higher-education

Communist Party USA Continued:

Every person will have access to unlimited medical and health care without charge. These rights will be realized as rapidly as facilities can be built and the personnel trained.

What is Obama’s position on free health care? You know it… He’s for it.

Barack Obama will make health insurance affordable and accessible to all:

The Obama-Biden plan provides affordable, accessible health care for all Americans, builds on the existing healthcare system, and uses existing providers, doctors and plans to implement the plan. The Obama plan will lower health care costs by $2,500 for a typical family by investing in health information technology, prevention and care coordination.

Source: http://www.barackobama.com/issues/healthcare/index.php

My plan will cover every American and cut the cost of a typical family's premium by up to $2,500 a year. It's a plan that lets the uninsured buy insurance that's similar to the kind members of Congress give themselves. And if you can't afford that, you'll get a subsidy to pay for it.

Source: http://www.ontheissues.org/Archive/TBA_2007_Health_Care.htm

 

[Bible-boy]

Communist Party USA Continued:

With capitalism gone, crime will also begin to disappear, for it is the vicious profit system that corrupts people and breeds crime.

To Each According to Their Work
Some ask whether guaranteeing basic necessities, free education, low-cost housing and health care will encourage people to avoid working, or doing their best. The principle of socialism is: From each according to his/her ability, to each according to his/her work.
Socialism provides incentives for working better, producing more and higher quality goods, acquiring advanced skills. It does NOT equalize wages. Wages vary according to occupation and efficiency, although everyone is guaranteed a liveable [sic.] wage.

Obama on a “livable wage”:

It's time to turn the page for all those Americans who want nothing more than to have a job that can pay the bills and raise a family. Let's finally make the minimum wage a living wage. Let's tie it to the cost of living so we don't have to wait another 10 years to see it rise. Let's put the jobless back to work in transitional jobs that can give them a paycheck and a sense of pride. Let's help our workers advance with job training and lifelong education. Let's invest in infrastructure, broadband lines, and rural communities and in inner cities. Let's give jobs to ex-offenders--because we believe in giving a second chance to people. And let's finally allow our unions to do what they do best and lift up the middle class in this country once more.

Source: Take Back America 2007 Conference Jun 19, 2007

Communist Party USA Continued:

Under capitalism, improvements in skill, organization and technology are rightly feared by the worker, since they threaten jobs. Under socialism, they offer the chance to make the job more interesting and rewarding, as well as to improve living standards.
Socialism provides moral incentives because the fruits of labor benefit all. No person robs others of the profits from their labor; when social goals are adopted by the majority, people will want to work for these goals. Work will seem less a burden, more and more a creative activity, where everyone is his/her neighbor's helper instead of rival.
It is true socialism will nationalize or socialize all large-scale production, property and real estate. But socialism does not abolish ALL privately-owned business. It does not require nationalization of those small businesses owned by people who work for themselves and do not hire others to make a profit. Personal property - private homes, automobiles, etc., - will remain just that, personal property.
In highly mechanized U.S. agriculture there will still be a place for the family farmer. But the farm family will be relieved of the pressure of agribusiness monopolies.
There will be rapid abolition of racism and national oppression. Socialism will bring complete equality for all racially and nationally oppressed. There will be no compromise with racism, for there will no longer exist a capitalist class which profits from it. Racism, national oppression, anti-Semitism, sexism, anti-immigrant discrimination and all forms of prejudice and bigotry will be banned by law, with strict measures of enforcement. Affirmative action will be expanded immediately to undo and make up for hundreds of years of the ravages of racism. Full equality will be one of the main priorities of the new society.

Does Obama want to expand Affirmative Action? He has not been real clear. However, there are some hints that he would actually expand it.

Apply affirmative action to poor white college applicants (Apr 2008). Benefited from affirmative action but overcame via merit (Dec 2007). Include class-based affirmative action with race-based (Oct 2007). Supports affirmative action in colleges and government (Jul 1998).

Source: http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Barack_Obama.htm

Barack Obama is one of the rare Democrats who often choose to explain the values behind a policy rather than the policy itself.

Source: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/04/29/on_affirmative_action_obama_intriguing_but_vague/

 

[Bible-boy]

Communist Party USA Continued:

War propaganda will be outlawed.
The only privileged sectors will be the children and seniors, who have earned the right to a healthy, happy, secure retirement.
The children will reap all the benefits of socialist child care, free nurseries and schools with the very best facilities and teachers. Children will have wonderful recreational and sports facilities. They will have the option to choose whatever career they wish, and the free education and training to achieve it.
Socialism provides the economic foundation for effective democracy for the masses of people. To carry through the socialist economic and social transformation requires political rule by the working class - a government of, by and for the working people.
Socialism USA
Socialism USA will benefit from the experiences, the mistakes and succesess of the countries who built and are building socialism. But mainly it will reflect the distinctive features of U.S. development and environment.
Unique historical advantages, like the unequalled natural resources, fertile soil and perfect weather, coupled with the contributions of generations of working people, enabled U.S. capitalism to achieve higher productive levels and living standards than capitalism in other countries. So, too, the development of socialism here will have some distinct advantages.
We have a highly developed industrial society with a highly trained and educated work force.
Free from foreign intervention, socialism will not have to divert human and economic resources to defend itself.
Socialism USA will avoid the terrible problems of extreme poverty, illiteracy, civil wars, wars of intervention and world wars.
Socialism USA will extend democracy to its fullest, taking as its starting point the democratic traditions and institutions of the American people.
Path to Socialism
We say that it may be possible in the U.S. to bring socialism through peaceful means. Perhaps through the ballot box. One thing is clear, there won't be socialism in the U.S. until the majority of the American people want it.

I like to say that when workers enter the corporate board rooms to take over and the ruling class says: O.K. you're right, we made a mess of things and now you should run it all. Well then there won't be any trouble. But if the ruling class says: Forget it! And call out the army and the police and the national guard [sic.], then that is how revolutions become violent. It starts with the ruling class. Workers and their allies have to defend themselves and to fight for what is rightfully theirs.

We believe and advocate that a socialist society in our country will guarantee all the liberties defined in the Bill of Rights but never fully realized. These include the right of people to express themselves fully and freely through organizations of their choice and competing candidates who respect and are guided by the concept of building socialism. Indeed, the freedoms in the Bill of Rights will take on far greater meaning for the great majority, who will now own the meeting halls, press, radio and TV, and will be able to exercise that freedom effectively.

That's why we call ours Bill of Rights Socialism, USA. Socialism is our vision for America's future. It is a vision we are winning more and more people to because it is logical - really a great - replacement for capitalism. And because it is the next inevitable step up the ladder of human civilization.

So it looks like the Communist Party USA favors a massive reduction and/or the elimination of U.S. military forces and the state National Guards. What is Obama’s position regarding military spending and the reduction of military forces and military technology?

Obama claims:

Obama and Biden will complete the effort to increase our ground forces by 65,000 soldiers and 27,000 Marines. They will also invest in 21st century missions like counterinsurgency by building up our special operations forces, civil affairs, information operations, foreign language training and other units and capabilities that remain in chronic short supply.

Source: http://www.barackobama.com/issues/defense/
This sounds good. However, there is one problem. According to Glen Ford columnist for The Progressive,

In a sense, the election is over, since all the “viable” candidates are members of the Military Spending Club. None of Clinton’s or Obama’s promises for urban revitalization, infrastructure repair, real health care reform, vastly increased federal aid to schools or affordable housing can be taken seriously so long as they support a bloated Pentagon.

Source: http://www.progressive.org/mp_ford011508

So here we have a major contradiction. Ford’s article makes it clear that for generations the debate over increased military spending vs. increased domestic social spending has centered on the idea that we must cut military spending in order to increase domestic social spending and vice versa. Furthermore, the historical reality bears out the fact that when the federal government increases military spending programs such as “urban revitalization, infrastructure repair, real health care reform, federal aid to schools, or affordable housing” end up with reduced budgets.

This raises serious questions with respect to Obama’s massively expensive spending promises on all fronts. He can’t pull them all off without bankrupting the nation or increasing taxes to the point that the American economy would be paralyzed. So the question remains. What’s it gonna be, butter or bullets?

 

[Bible-boy]

Fully Equip Our Troops for the Missions They Face: Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe we must get vitally needed equipment to our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines before lives are lost. We cannot repeat such failures as the delays in deployment of armored vehicles, body armor and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles that save lives on the frontlines.

Review Weapons Programs: We must rebalance our capabilities to ensure that our forces have the agility and lethality to succeed in both conventional wars and in stabilization and counter-insurgency operations. Obama and Biden have committed to a review of each major defense program in light of current needs, gaps in the field, and likely future threat scenarios in the post-9/11 world.

Source: http://www.barackobama.com/issues/defense/

What does “rebalance” mean in this context? Does it imply or involve any type of cuts in military funding? Does it mean redirecting current military funding for some other purpose? We don’t know the answers because Obama has not been clear with specifics in this regard. Obama also states:

Preserve Global Reach in the Air:

We must preserve our unparalleled airpower capabilities to deter and defeat any conventional competitors, swiftly respond to crises across the globe, and support our ground forces. We need greater investment in advanced technology ranging from the revolutionary, like Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and electronic warfare capabilities, to essential systems like the C-17 cargo and KC-X air refueling aircraft, which provide the backbone of our ability to extend global power.

Source: ibid.
Notice, Obama gives specifics regarding cargo and refueling planes. However, he is vague regarding funding for new manned combat aircraft, stealth technology, manned bombers and other manned assault aircraft. Why? Is it possible that his “rebalancing” of the U.S. military would include cuts in spending for high tech manned combat aircraft?

Maintain Power Projection at Sea: We must recapitalize our naval forces, replacing aging ships and modernizing existing platforms, while adapting them to the 21st century. Obama and Biden will add to the Maritime Pre-Positioning Force Squadrons to support operations ashore and invest in smaller, more capable ships, providing the agility to operate close to shore and the reach to rapidly deploy Marines to global crises.

Source: ibid.
What does “recapitalize” mean in this context? Note here that Obama makes no mention of the Next Generation Aircraft Carrier. This is the new aircraft carrier platform, currently under development, which is supposed to serve as the platform for the next generation of carriers for next 100 years. He talks specifically about developing “smaller” ships. However, he fails to adequately address the future of carrier based naval air power and how this massively successful naval warfare will be employed. Why? Does this mean he will “rebalance” and/or “recapitalize” our naval air power by cutting funding, or worse yet do away with the carrier platform altogether? We don’t know he has not been specific in this regard. The question remains. Why?

National Missile Defense: An Obama-Biden administration will support missile defense, but ensure that it is developed in a way that is pragmatic and cost-effective; and, most importantly, does not divert resources from other national security priorities until we are positive the technology will protect the American public.

Source: ibid.
What does Obama mean by the above statement? He will “support missile defense, but…” Does he mean that if his administration feels that it is more pragmatic and cost-effective to forgo investing in missile defense research and development in favor of spending on the C-17 cargo, KC-X air refueling aircraft, and “smaller ships” he will not authorize spending for the development of new missile defense systems? Missile defense systems have already proven their effectiveness in protecting the civilian public. One need look no further than the success of the Patriot Missile Defense System used during the 1991 Gulf War to protect Israel from Iraq’s Scud Missile attacks. Can such systems be improved? Certainly, as missile defense technology advances. However, apparently Obama would at the very least restrict funding in this area based on his administrations subjective opinion as to whether or not it would be “pragmatic and cost-effective.” It sounds like he is setting us up for a reduction in spending with respect to missile defense.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden will provide the National Guard with the equipment it needs for foreign and domestic emergencies and time to restore and refit before deploying. They will make the head of the National Guard a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to ensure concerns of our citizen soldiers reach the level they mandate. They will ensure that reservists and Guard members are treated fairly when it comes to employment, health, and education benefits.

Source: ibid.
This sounds good and we should support Obama in this effort.

Integrate Military and Civilian Efforts: An Obama-Biden administration will build up the capacity of each non-Pentagon agency to deploy personnel and area experts where they are needed, to help move soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines out of civilian roles.

Create a Civilian Assistance Corps (CAC): An Obama-Biden administration will set a goal of creating a national CAC of 25,000 personnel. This corps of civilian volunteers with special skill, sets (doctors, lawyers, engineers, city planners, agriculture specialists, police, etc.) would be organized to provide each federal agency with a pool of volunteer experts willing to deploy in times of need at home and abroad.

Source: ibid.
On the surface some of this sounds good. However, these plans would introduce an entirely new level of bureaucracy, which would have to be funded from somewhere in the federal budget. Since Obama lists these ideas under his Plan for Defense one must assume that he plans on funding these proposals through the Department of Defense budget. What would be the result of funding these proposals through the Department of Defense budget? Unless specific funding increases would be made for these proposals the net result would a decrease in actual defense spending in favor of another civilian bureaucracy.

Ensure Freedom of Space: An Obama-Biden administration will restore American leadership on space issues, seeking a worldwide ban on weapons that interfere with military and commercial satellites. He will thoroughly assess possible threats to U.S. space assets and the best options, military and diplomatic, for countering them, establishing contingency plans to ensure that U.S. forces can maintain or duplicate access to information from space assets and accelerating programs to harden U.S. satellites against attack.

Source: ibid.

So Obama would limit or do away with our military’s ability to destroy an enemy’s communications satellites. If an enemy’s leadership cannot communicate rapidly with it forces on the ground, in a distant place, his ability to wage war is drastically reduced. Obama would willingly give up America’s ability to exploit such a weakness (which can be accomplished with absolutely no threat to human lives).

 

[Bible-boy]

I will cut tens of billions of dollars in wasteful spending. I will cut investments in unproven missile defense systems. I will not weaponize space. I will slow our development of future combat systems,” stated Obama.

Source: http://www.newsmax.com/smith/barack_obama/2008/06/10/103236.html

Again, more contradiction between what Obama has said while on the campaign trail and what he has posted on his campaign website. In the above quote he declares his willingness to cut “ten of billions in wasteful spending” and then proceeded to point out specific areas of defense spending that would fall into his idea of “wasteful spending.” On one hand Obama appears to reject the Communist Party USA’s Socialist agenda for cutting American military defense funding. On the other hand, given his promised massive increased spending of domestic social issues and stated promises to cut defense spending, one hardly knows what to believe. However, since Obama toes the Communist Party USA’s line on nearly every issue of their Socialist Bill of Rights it is more likely than not that he would follow through with his promises to cut American military defense funding.

Finally, given that it has been clearly demonstrated that Obama either embraces or espouses nearly every Socialist ideal and philosophy held by the Communist Party USA it is not out of the question to refer to him as either a Socialist or a Marxist depending on how far he is willing to go in bringing these ideals and philosophies to bear upon the American system of government. Only time will tell if he is a Socialist-Democrat or a full blown Marxist. Either way American Capitalism is in for a rough ride for the foreseeable future.

 

[JustChristian]

How much military spending do we need? We already spend as much on our military as the rest of the world combined. If we can once again form alliances with other countries as allies we shouldn't have to be the policeman of the world. We simply can't afford it.

 

[Bible-boy]

How much military spending do we need? We already spend as much on our military as the rest of the world combined. If we can once again form alliances with other countries as allies we shouldn't have to be the policeman of the world. We simply can't afford it.

This is not the subject of the debate in this thread. The only question here with respect to US Military spending is whether or not Obama's stated position on US Military spending falls in line with the Socialist agenda of the Communist Party USA? It's had to tell given his flip-flopping on the issue depending on who he is/was addressing. One thing is clear he can't pull off all the promised social spending and maintain the current level of defense spending much less cover any increase in military spending for R & D.

 

[LeBuick]

Christianity is about one's relationship with Christ. Either He is your personal Lord and Savior or He is not. Doing the good works of the Christian faith does not make one a Christian. However, both Socialism and Marxism are political philosophies based on certain ideas. When someone espouses and embraces those specific philosophies and ideas it is proper to identify him/her as either a Socialist, a Marxist, or both.

I disagree, even if we espouse some ideas you have to agree we also have ideas from other forms of governments. Ex. We are a free market society that just voted in a $700 Bill bailout package. This means we are not nor will we ever be 100% any form of government.

 

[LeBuick]

Obama has said that he will allow the Bush tax cuts to expire without renewing them. Therefore, every American will be receiving a tax increase by default when Obama lets the Bush tax cuts expire.

You are choosing the wrong tax cuts he is saying he will let expire. You know that but you continue on this road.

Then add on top of that his proposed tax increase on the "wealthy" (if you make more than $300,000, no make that $250,000, no make that $200,000, no make that $150,000, no make that $42,000 he and Biden are on record all over the map on this issue).

You guys are funny, Obama has been clear since day one yet you conservatives continue to make like he isn't clear. There has never been a $300K in the equation. $250K and above will get a 3% increase. $200K to $250K will see no change. Below $200K will get a tax cut but there are brackets so it's not the same for everyone. How hard or confusing is that compared to the current tax code?

Now since no one will give a honest and straight forward answer to my honest and straight forward question, I am going to the lay out the evidence before you all. We will see whether or not it is appropriate to call Obama a Socialist or a Marxist based upon his political philosophies and ideas.

It appears you have your mind made up so why do you bother to ask? You and I both know what you see depends on where you stand. From where you stand you see his administration as socialist/marxist. You're entitled to an opinion.

 

[Bible-boy]

You are choosing the wrong tax cuts he is saying he will let expire. You know that but you continue on this road.

I have no idea what you are talking about. All I know is that I have heard the news clips where he said he would let the Bush tax cuts expire. He said it not me. See this article: http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/10/senator_obamas_four_tax_increa.html

You guys are funny, Obama has been clear since day one yet you conservatives continue to make like he isn't clear. There has never been a $300K in the equation. $250K and above will get a 3% increase. $200K to $250K will see no change. Below $200K will get a tax cut but there are brackets so it's not the same for everyone. How hard or confusing is that compared to the current tax code?

I don't know about you but I have heard the news clips and sound bites where every one of those numbers has been mentioned by Obama or Biden as the cut off point for their tax increases.

It appears you have your mind made up so why do you bother to ask? You and I both know what you see depends on where you stand. From where you stand you see his administration as socialist/marxist. You're entitled to an opinion.

Here is the greatest difference between us and our thinking. Apparently you accept the post-modern idea that truth is relative. Therefore, you are willing to say that I have a valid truth about Obama based on where I stand and you have an equally valid, but contrasting, truth about Obama based on where you stand. I am sorry but this notion violates Aristotle's Law of Non-Contradiction.

Two antithetical propositions cannot both be true at the same time and in the same sense. X cannot be non-X. A thing cannot be and not be simultaneously. And nothing that is true can be self-contradictory or inconsistent with any other truth. All logic depends on this simple principle. Rational thought and meaningful discourse demand it. To deny it is to deny all truth in one fell swoop. Source: http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/articles/lawofcon.htm

There is only one truth that equally applies to Obama no matter where any of us stands.

Finally, none of this is the topic of this thread. The only question to ask here is whether or not Obama's proposed tax policies line up with Socialist philosophies and ideas claimed by the Communist Party USA?

 

[JustChristian]

This is not the subject of the debate in this thread. The only question here with respect to US Military spending is whether or not Obama's stated position on US Military spending falls in line with the Socialist agenda of the Communist Party USA? It's had to tell given his flip-flopping on the issue depending on who he is/was addressing. One thing is clear he can't pull off all the promised social spending and maintain the current level of defense spending much less cover any increase in military spending for R & D.

Well, you're saying that Obama is a Marxist because he wants to cut military spending. I'm saying that's prudent and what a good President would do in this economic climate. It is on topic.

 

[LeBuick]

I have no idea what you are talking about. All I know is that I have heard the news clips where he said he would let the Bush tax cuts expire. He said it not me. See this article: http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/10/senator_obamas_four_tax_increa.html

Obviously a conservative site with the complexity they through in the mix, you need only go to his website. All the facts have been there all along to include a tax calculator which would show you your change.

http://taxcut.barackobama.com/

And the tax cuts he will let expire on the ones on the upper 5% and some of the corporate international cuts. Specifically the one that encourages sending jobs overseas.