Is Senator Barack Obama a true candidate of peace? Of Change?

I'm not sure what sort of shitty attempt at smearing Obama this is.. But tearing things out of context in a crap Youtube video isn't very appropriate in my eyes. Do your research before spraying poo all over the readers.

Because voting records don't lie...

http://www.zmag.org/znet/viewArticle/15558

A PRO-WAR RECORD

Then there's the matter of his actual policy and political record. If Obama is such (as many "progressives" seem to need to believe) an "antiwar" candidate, why has he offered so much substantive policy support to the criminal occupation and the broader imperial "war on [and of] terror" of which Bush says O.I.F. is a part? Here are some highlights from a summary of Obama's U.S. Senate voting record recently sent to me by the Creative Youth News Team (CYNT 2007), a progressive African American advocacy organization:

"1/26/05: Obama voted to confirm Condoleezza Rice for Secretary of State. Rice was largely responsible...for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent victims in unnecessary wars...Roll call 2"

"2/01/05: Obama was part of a unanimous consent agreement not to filibuster the nomination of lawless torturer Alberto Gonzales as chief law enforcement officer of the United States (U.S. Attorney General)."

"2/15/05: Obama voted to confirm Michael Chertoff, a proponent of water-board torture...[and a] man behind the round-up of thousands of people of Middle-Eastern descent following 9/11. By Roll call 10."

"4/21/05: Obama voted to make John 'Death Squad' Negroponte the National Intelligence Director. In Central America, John Negroponte was connected to death squads that murdered nuns and children in sizable quantities. He is suspected of instigating death squads while in Iraq, resulting in the current insurgency. Instead of calling for Negroponte's prosecution, Obama rewarded him by making him National Intelligence Director. Roll call 107

"4/21/05: Obama voted for HR 1268, war appropriations in the amount of approximately $81 billion. Much of this funding went to Blackwater USA and Halliburton and disappeared. Roll call 109 [W FOR PRO-WAR VOTE]"

"7/01/05: Obama voted for H.R. 2419, termed 'The Nuclear Bill' by environmental and peace groups. It provided billions for nuclear weapons activities, including nuclear bunker buster bombs. It contains full funding for Yucca Mountain, a threat to food and water in California, Nevada, Arizona and states across America. Roll call 172 [W]."

"9/26/05 & 9/28/05: Obama failed and refused to place a hold on the nomination of John Roberts, a supporter of permanent detention of Americans without trial, and of torture and military tribunals for Guantanamo detainees."

"10/07/05: Obama voted for HR2863, which appropriated $50 billion in new money for war. Roll call 2 [W]."

"11/15/05: Obama voted for continued war, again. Roll call 326 was the vote on the Defense Authorization Act (S1042) which kept the war and war profiteering alive, restricted the right of habeas corpus and encouraged terrorism. Pursuant to his pattern, Obama voted for this. [W]."

"12/21/05: Obama confirmed his support for war by voting for the Conference Report on the Defense Appropriations Act (HR 2863), Roll call 366, which provided more funding to Halliburton and Blackwater. [W]"

"5/2/06: Obama voted for money for more war by voting for cloture on HR 4939, the emergency funding to Halliburton, Blackwater and other war profiteers. Roll call 103 [W]."

I read this article and its terrible. Go here.. http://www.govtrack.us/congress/person.xpd?tab=bills&am...

Some factual evidence on Bills Sponsered in a more obvious and forward manner. Im not for searching through vague and inconclusive "sources" Ill search through them in a bit. and get back to you with more track record and sponsorship info on Obama.

I also think thats a completely loaded list of shit. Ill look it up though being that you carelessly cited someone else's work.

I'll tell you all I need to know:

While Obama claims to be anti-war, he has continually voted for funding the war. He admitted during the Democrat debates of last year that if he was, the troops would not return from Iraq until before 2013. Obama supports a military strike against Pakistan.

Obama claims to be a constitutionalist, yet voted for the re-authorization of the Patriot Act. While sitting on the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, he also supports the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act.

I think you have things a little backwards.. Obama? Hmmm.. Not following.. Send a link to some GOV sponsered proof of these statements and actions. Thanks

He's the most anti-war, anti-imperial major party (virtual) nominee in decades. Obama opposed the stupid and illegal war in Iraq from the beginning.
Admittedly, I've not been happy with his caution in the Senate but I'm more concerned with the future. If elected, John McCain has, rhetorically at least, placed himself to the right of George Bush on foreign policy and has openly threatened war with Iran.

And comparing Obama pledging to go after the terrorists who murdered thousands of our citizens to a great speech that JFK gave (most historians agree it is his best) to suggest Obama is a warmonger is absurd. JFK ordered the invasion of Cuba and a bloody coup and increased troop presence in Vietnam, pushing us to war there.

I respect Ron Paul's consistent opposition to the war, but even he thinks we should go after al Qaeda. Ron Paul is a valuable voice to have in Congress, but would an insane choice for President.

No nova, Obama isn't a real proponent of change. He likely won't fix a lot of the things that are wrong with the country and it isn't likely he's what we need right now.

But he is the only feasible candidate, the lesser of all evils. Which unfortunately is what our pathetic system has wrought on us.

But the real bottom line? This country is finished. Everything from now to the election is just wishful thinking. Nothing will solve the social security crisis and we have not adequately prepared for peak oil or many other environmental problems. Our reputation is tarnished and we're in nearly ten trillion dollars of debt. The DoD, the PMC's, the lobbyists and the CIA still run the country and nothing but mass violence or an entirely new congress, HoR, and supreme court would be able to relinquish control from them.

So yes, Obama's message is hyperbolic and hopeful. But he's the best there is, and it really doesn't matter anyway.

Well out of curiosity, who would you like to see run the country (Saladin) and why.

Saladin -

I respect that, and that's all I want here: a bit of intellectual honesty in what we as Americans have on our plate in these times.

It's so hard to say that our country is finished, but it's true. Obama is the lesser of two evils, but isn't that what we've had ever since there has been a two party system?

And I know that Ron Paul isn't the answer, but we have to be honest here: Obama is no MLK or JFK like everyone makes him out to be. That's all. Thanks for your responses everyone, and please continue the debate if you wish.

oh, that was a long-winded Ron Paul ad? glad i skimmed through it.

Exactly how I feel nova. There won't ever be a JFK or an FDR or an MLK again in my opinion nova. Even if they existed, they would just be slammed by "news" media.

@ baron, I liked Mike Gravel and Dennis Kuchnich. After them I liked Chris Dodd. After him I liked John Edwards. Off the campaign, I'd like Gore to run. But really, I just want to see someone who isn't afraid to speak the truth and be a real advocate for serious change.

Don't get me wrong, I like Obama. But he was not by any means my preferred choice.

This video is intended to be divisive propaganda because it attempts to change the context of Obama's speech.

massanova - you want real change - to paraphrase Michael Jackson; "take a look in the mirror" and stop attempting to deceive people to sway them to your misperceived position.

You want to see change, support the man with integrity. I like Ron Paul but for one thing - he wears that UGLY Ripusoffican badge. Sorry, can't trust it no matter how right he sounds - birds of a feather you know.

JFK and FDR were imperialists with racist foreign (and domestic) policies. They were relatively good for their times (I'd take JFK over Nixon any day), but let's not whitewash the past. Obama would be vastly superior to either of them, though, short of a depression or major war, he wouldn't be able to make the sort of massive change that Roosevelt was able to implement.

Also, Ron Paul, FDR, and JFK? Kind of all over the place, there...

Brendan_M,

I am sick and tired of folks like you who cannot get the facts straight....

Dwight D Eisenhower conceived the Bay of Pigs not JFK.

JFK however, took full responsibility for it..something Eisenhower didn't do.

One fact about Obama that many do not want to admit to is that he seems to have a big mouth....

Calling his own grandmother "A Typical White Woman"

What kind of baloney is this?

Coming to Pennsylvania and saying that when things get bad, Pennsylvanians turn to their guns and religion?

Sounds to me like Mr. Obama doesn't know his own faith?

And he says he is a Christian?

Know what?

Then I'm the prince of Wales:)

Real Christians know full well that Christ calls us to be closer to him, in good times and in bad times.

Apparently, Mr. Obama doesn't understand this.

He lost badly in Kentucky....where Lincoln was born.

He did well in Oregon where a lot of folks are not religious at all.

Sorry, but I have to wonder about this guy:(

I said ordered. I think how Kennedy handled the disaster says a lot about his character (and might suggest what he might have done in Vietnam when the quagmire became apparent), but the fact that he gave the go ahead for the operation is a major blunder he made.

PatrickEdwardMurray,

You have a lot of nerve falsely attacking me for not getting facts right and then going on a nonsensical, nonfactual, and bigoted rant.

Obama's grandmother is an example of an average white woman who was raised in the times that she was, who, by the way, Barack writes about in very loving terms. Her background was not atypical, hence she was a "typical white woman," which is not a pejorative phrase.

Sen. Obama did not go to Pennsylvania and say that "things get bad, Pennsylvanians turn to their guns and religion." At a fundraiser in California, talking about why small-town and rural voters vote against their economic interests, he pointed out the wedge issues that Republicans use like guns, religion, and scapegoating immigrants. He didn't say it well, but at least he knows how to say "nuclear."

And I don't know if you're the Prince of Wales, but reading your comments, I can believe you are as ugly on the inside as the Prince is on the outside. I don't care what religion Barack Obama is, though he is a Christian, but he clearly has superior values to you. Barack Obama would never attack someone's religion like you.

VoyagerFilms

This video is propaganda, but Barack Obama's voting record on the war and civil rights issues like the Patriot Act tell a different story than his stump speech and his rhetoric. So who's the deceiver and who's being deceived here?

You are nova. I want a link from you in fact, that shows his support of the Patriot Act. Speaking in generalities will not make anything anymore clearer. People are easily swayed by falseness and generalisms. If you aim to "enlighten" then provide some facts.

Well put lifterbaron.

Obama did not support the Patriot Act. And, to accuse him of supporting anything antithetical to achieving human and civil rights is patently ridiculous. Actually, all these bogus claims have been debunked before. Asked and answered!

Since you know this tripe is bogus propaganda, Massa, why are you using it sans any research to trash Obama?

Why aren't the Ron Paul people going after McCain, afterall that is his real competition? Or why doesn't Ron Paul flip-flop back to being an Independent? Spreading propaganda on Obama seems to be a waste of time and energy.

Yeah, you're right massanova - that's a very convincing piece of propaganda rontard trash, let's all vote for ron paul so we can have our rights to privacy under the 14th amendment taken away.

RON PAUL IS ANTI-CHOICE (pro-life)

RON PAUL DOES NOT BELIEVE IN EVOLUTION

RON PAUL DOES NOT BELIEVE IN GLOBAL WARMING

RON PAUL IS A MEMBER OF THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT

RON PAUL SUPPORTS VOUCHERS TO TAKE FUNDING AWAY FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND TO GIVE THEM TO PRIVATE, RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS

RON PAUL DOES NOT BELIEVE IN THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE

RON PAUL IS AGAINST GAY RIGHTS

WHY NOT JUST VOTE FOR HUCKABEE?

it would be equally as stupid.