Obama's Lack of Historical Knowledge Clouds His Iraq Position

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Hotels in Muenster of 11:39AM April 09, 2010

I am not a conservative or a liberal, but I will say that John McCain has made a few slips while speaking as well. But I do agree that pulling out of the war early is not the way. We need a plan and possibly a different view than the one Bush holds, but if Obama plans to immediately take us out of the war without thinking of the consequences, we're all in trouble. Does anyone really think we can just completely erase this from our history by pulling out?

Joseline of UT 11:47PM September 01, 2008

In early 2007 Baraq Obama used the then popular position that we needed to get out of Iraq immediately to secure his candidacy and subsequently victorious attainment of the Democratic Party nomination for president. Since June he has shifted his proposals numerous times toward the middle in order to try and get the independent vote. His current position is almost a mirror of that of John McCain. Obama is still a far left liberal in spite of these publically displayed positions and I have to wonder, if he successfully wins the election, will he pull out of Iraq immediately in spite of the consequences, gradually over 16 months or stay for a hundred years..... He has shifted similarly on other issues and I, can not vote for him, in the abscence of a stable position.

Baraq Obama has also been trying to find out what the popular position on a variety of issues including his recent nationwide organizational meetings to redefine the Democratic Party Platform, and then to portray those positions as his own. Again I ask, "Who is the real Baraq Obama?"

On healthcare he promises everyone insurance and no exclusions for pre-existing conditions at a lower cost to everyone. Unless he plans on not paying healthcare providers or having the government pay for the insurance I do not see how he could accomplish this. Of course if the government pays for it then the money has to come from somewhere. Taxes?

His promises to cut taxes to anyone under an income of $250,000 and make up the decreased tax revenue to the government by taxing big business and higher tax earners is also unsound. There is no way that the top 1% of wage earners can make up the decreased revenues from 99+ percent of the poulation. And if it did the likely outcome is that those entrepreneurs and businesses would raise prices for their products and services to make up the difference in their decreased take home income , which would result in inflation.

One really has to wonder if Baraq Obama has thought through the consequences of these promises. And if he has does he really intend to fullfil any of them.

Dr. John Tricou of IL 2:57PM August 19, 2008

Since it is a sad fact that most American college students don't have to take and don't take a single U.S. History course after HS, and their HS exposure is probably just PC crapola denouncing America's "genocidal, militaristic, culturally-oppressive" history. With so many core curricula nowadays and since the Seventies, US students can satisfy some stupid "Social Studies" requirement and take Wymen's Studies, Black Studies, Chicano Studies or whatever IN LIEU OF actual U.S. History. Is it any wonder we have so many historically-illiterate and therefore manipulable voters today, even among or even especially among, college graduates!

Jack Sember Lewis of VA 2:01PM August 04, 2008

WE are where we are, peeps. make your choice carefully.

I am McCain guy.

toes of CO 6:46PM July 27, 2008

I'm afraid Mr.Barone doesn't know HIS history. Truman was sitting on an atomic weapon at Potsdam, and he and Stalin were already maneuvering for the post-war world. Many people think the bomb was, in fact, dropped for Russia's benefit more than Japan's. Allies?

Bob of TN 4:07PM July 25, 2008

America's elite institutions of higher learning are no longer interested in mere "facts" that confuse the issue of who is right and wrong. See the following for proof positive of this:

http://www.popecenter.org/issues/article.html?id=2019

God help us.

Chris Phillips of WV 1:23PM July 22, 2008

When I judge Barack Obama, it will not be on your criteria Mr Barone. It doesn't seem to me that your observances are pertinent. The ones mentioned about Obama not correctly relating the meeting of Franklin Roosevelt with Hitler do not seem to me to be important enough to call Obama's intelligence or historical knowledge into question. As Obama has always said, it is how you make your decisions that is important and that it is important sometimes to change your mind from a preconceived notion. Actually Mr.Barone, have you noticed some of John McCain's gaffs?

Robert in St Louis of MO 12:20PM July 22, 2008

It never amazes me that a republican mined, indivilual can find something to chasitise a presidential candidate, especially when they are black. My question is what do racist fear? Me, a black man,and the fact that I may be just as good as they assume that they are,or that the self rightous republician aren't the christian that they profess. A Christian walks in love with all things. never compromising their integrity for worldly gains. Look at history, who should America fear, me are you.

Earl christmas of GA 9:06AM July 22, 2008

In many ways Obama exemplifies why affirmative action can be bad for people. He relates that he spent the last two years of high school in a drug induced haze practicing his cynicism. Other aspirants to admission to Ivys were studying advanced foreign language, but he didn't have to. First he went to Occidental where he says he just concentrated on enjoying himself. Elsewhere, he says he sought out Marxist profesors who seldom teach presidential history. I wonder how he got to head the law review, unless he got more serious later.

Likewise, if you have seen the thesis of Michelle, you may also have seen that it is full of errors. That's the soft bigotry of low expectations. She coplains about trouble paying off loans for a very expensive education at a fancy college that did not expect anything of her. If she were to sue Princeton for the avoidable embarassment is causes not, I would cheer.

Claire of FL 4:05AM July 22, 2008

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Michael Barone

Michael Barone

U.S. News Weekly

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Michael Barone is a senior writer for U.S.News & World Report and principal coauthor of The Almanac of American Politics. He has written for many publications—including the Economist and the New York Times.

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