Clipmarks | willhelm's 2008 Presidential Campaign Issues collection

Bob Barr (L) on Gay Marriage

Sat, 17 May 2008 04:58:54 GMT

clipped by: willhelm
clipper's remarks: O.K. I'm listening. I really believe America is on the verge of seriously considering a third party.

Clip Source: www.ajc.com

“Regardless of whether one supports or opposes same sex marriage, the decision to recognize such unions or not ought to be a power each state exercises on its own, rather than imposition of a one-size-fits-all mandate by the federal government (as would be required by a Federal Marriage Amendment which has been previously proposed and considered by the Congress).

The decision today by the Supreme Court of California properly reflects this fundamental principle of federalism on which our nation was founded.

“Indeed, the primary reason for which I authored the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996 was to ensure that each state remained free to determine for its citizens the basis on which marriage would be recognized within its borders, and not be forced to adopt a definition of marriage contrary to its views by another state.

The decision in California is an illustration of how this principle of states’ powers should work.”

Political dynamite

Sun, 04 May 2008 18:57:46 GMT

clipped by: willhelm

Clip Source: www.americanthinker.com

"Look, I got two daughters - nine years old and six years old. I am going to teach them first about values and morals, but if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby."

America remains widely unaware of Senator Obama's explosive position favoring on-demand convenience abortions for minors, or his equally explosive view of babies as a "punishment."

The idea of children being a "punishment" pours gasoline on an open flame. By personalizing this, by speaking about his own daughters - and by speaking approvingly of them possibly aborting his own future grandchildren - Senator Obama's position becomes even less defensible ... and far more explosive.

McCain Gains while Clinton and Obama fight

Sat, 03 May 2008 04:02:56 GMT

clipped by: willhelm

Clip Source: hotair.com

The latest Pew polling shows lots of interesting data on Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, and how Obama has lost ground to Hillary in both voters and in image. It also shows how John McCain has quietly worked his way towards centrists and independents while both Democrats loudly chase the Left. He polls much closer in the political spectrum to the average voter and has gained ground against both overall:

While McCain is seen as more centrist than the Democratic candidates, he does not inspire as much confidence as either of them does to handle the issue voters would most like to see the candidates address: the economy.

Yet voters have much more confidence in McCain than either Democrat to defend the country against future terrorist attacks. McCain’s advantage over Obama is particularly large. By 63% to 26%, more voters say McCain rather than Obama would do a better job of handling terrorism, which is a far greater margin than Bush ever enjoyed over John Kerry on this issue.

I wonder if McCain's name came up.

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 05:50:47 GMT

clipped by: willhelm
clipper's remarks: By the time Gibson got around to the issues, Obama looked lost and upset. It got worse when Gibson asked about capital-gains tax rates, which Obama has pledged to raise. When Gibson repeatedly pointed out that decreasing the rates actually increased the revenues, Obama simply couldn’t come up with an answer, stammering while trying to change the subject. On guns, both Hillary and Obama stumbled through tortured explanations of how they support a Constitutional right for individuals to own guns while backing gun bans like the one in DC.

The winner of this debate? John McCain. Both Democrats came out of this diminished, but Obama got destroyed in this exchange.

Clip Source: hotair.com

The last Democratic debate has finally concluded, and perhaps the last chances of ending the primaries early. Thanks to a surprisingly tenacious set of questions for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton from ABC moderaters Charles Gibson and George Stephanopolous, Barack Obama got exposed over and over again as an empty suit, while Hillary cleaned his clock. However, the big winner didn’t even take the stage tonight.

Hillary didn’t let him off the hook, either, not when it came to Crackerquiddick or on the Wright Stuff.

She also jumped at the chance to note that former Weather Underground terrorist William Ayers was more than just a “neighbor”

And what was Obama’s response? He compared Ayers to Senator Tom Coburn, who opposes abortion.

Obama not for hope and change on abortion

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 21:11:43 GMT

clipped by: willhelm
clipper's remarks: In fact he is farther Left than NARAL.

Clip Source: thepoliticalpost.wordpress.com

Sen. Barack Obama (D.-Ill.) portrays himself as a thoughtful Democrat who carefully considers both sides of controversial issues, but his radical stance on abortion puts him further left on that issue than even NARAL Pro-Choice America.

In 2002, as an Illinois legislator, Obama voted against the Induced Infant Liability Act, which would have protected babies that survived late-term abortions. That same year a similar federal law, the Born Alive Infant Protection Act, was signed by President Bush. Only 15 members of the U.S. House opposed it, and it passed the Senate unanimously on a voice vote.

While NARAL took a pass on the Born Alive Infant Protection Act, Obama reportedly remained “unfazed” during the delivery of a nurse’s testimony before the Illinois Senate committee he chaired. The nurse described having witnessed ”aborted babies’ being born alive and left to die”.

At its first reading he voted “present.” At the second he voted “no.”

An alternative to McCain/Obama/Clinton - They are all the same

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 20:47:24 GMT

clipped by: willhelm
clipper's remarks: Wayne Root - Libertarian Candidate for President.

Voting (R) or (D) is anti-American. The parties are trash.

Clip Source: www.rootforamerica.com

I stand for:
Fiscal Conservatism!

Limited Government

States' Rights

I will sign pledge to NOT raise tax rates- PERIOD!

*I support the elimination of death taxes.

*I support dramatically reduced government spending.

*I support cutting, shrinking and/or streamlining entire departments of the federal government- departments that based on the Constitution are not under federal jurisdiction.

*I support dramatically reduced government entitlement programs.

*I support dramatically reduced corporate welfare

*I support the hiring of fewer Government bureaucrats

*I support ROOTING out government waste

*I support a balanced budget

*I love the smell of vetoes in the morning

*I support a Free Market economy

*I stand for Workplace Freedom

*I support Freedom and Parental Choice in the Educational System-

I support the total elimination of the Department of Education

I support overturning McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform

*I support the rights of citizens to bear arms.

*I support Lawyer Abuse Reform

Obama called on claim - provide details for investigation

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 01:26:39 GMT

clipped by: willhelm
clipper's remarks: Further, he asks Obama to provide the "essential facts of when- the dates- the unit was deployed, to which brigade combat team, or other unit it was assigned, the name and current location of the captain, or other military personnel who shared the alleged facts with you, so that the committee staff can debrief them."

Clip Source: www.weeklystandard.com

Senator John Warner sent a letter to Barack Obama this afternoon regarding his comments during last night's debate alleging ammunition and other equipment shortages in Afghanistan. Warner refers to Obama's comments as "a disturbing framework of factual allegations."

According to Jake Tapper's report earlier today, the unnamed captain to whom Obama attributed the account was deployed to Afghanistan in the summer of 2003. Warner was, at the time, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. As such, he explains that he has "a responsibility to establish where in the military chain of command rests the 'accountability' [for the shortfalls], depending of course, on the accuracy of the facts."

Warner informs Obama that he is working with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs to determine the facts of the incident described in last nights debate, and that he intends to raise the issues next Tuesday when Secretary of the Army Pete Green and General Casey appear before the committee.

Obama's Clarity

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 19:33:07 GMT

clipped by: willhelm

Clip Source: fpffressminds.blogspot.com

Yet while Mr. Obama says he supports your Second Amendment rights, he also says he supports that gun ban. He went on to say that local governments should be able to enact any gun control laws they consider necessary to end gun violence, and that any such measures are constitutional.

What kind of gun rights does he supposedly support? What kind of “right” do you have, when the government can completely rob you of 100% of the exercise of that right, anytime they decide they have a good reason?

That’s like saying you have the right to worship as you choose, but the government has the power to ban attending church.

A right that the government can completely take away at any time is no right at all.

It’s the disturbing pattern that’s starting to emerge of Mr. Obama announcing a principle or a goal, then endorsing policies that are the exact opposite of what would promote that principle or goal. It’s political-doublespeak. It’s Orwellian. In fact, it’s Clintonian.

Obama, McCain on Earmarks

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 23:02:14 GMT

clipped by: willhelm
clipper's remarks: Somehow I just do not buy "transparency and integrity" in the context of Congress.

McCain's comment leaves little doubt.

Clip Source: obama.senate.gov

Barack Obama

Hidden, last-minute earmarks hide pork and add to wasteful federal spending. Senator Obama sponsored the Transparency and Integrity in Earmarks Act. The bill would shed light on the almost 16,000 earmarks that were included in spending bills in 2005. Under the bill, all earmarks, including the name of the requestor and a justification for the earmark, would have to be disclosed 72 hours before they could be considered by the full Senate. Senators would be prohibited from advocating for an earmark if they have a financial interest in the project or earmark recipient. And, earmark recipients would have to disclose to an Office of Public Integrity the amount that they have spent on registered lobbyists and the names of those lobbyists. Several of these provisions were included in the ethics and lobbying reform bill that passed the Senate in January 2007.

Clip Source: www.humanevents.com

McCain

I will not sign a bill with earmarks in it, any earmarks in it.

Tags: elections, president

Senate's Wiretap Vote

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:37:14 GMT

clipped by: willhelm
clipper's remarks: "The defeat of these antiwar amendments means the legislation now moves to the House in a strong position. Speaker Nancy Pelosi is in the Dodd-Obama camp, but 21 Blue Dog Democrats have sent her a letter saying they are happy with the Senate bill. She may try to pass the restrictions that failed in the Senate, and Republicans should tell her to make their day. This is a fight Senator McCain should want to have right up through Election Day, with Democrats having to explain why they want to hamstring the best weapon -- real-time surveillance -- we have against al Qaeda."

Clip Source: online.wsj.com

"We lost every single battle we had on this bill," conceded Chris Dodd, which ought to tell the Connecticut Senator something about the logic of what he was proposing. His own amendment -- to deny immunity from lawsuits to telecom companies that cooperated with the government after 9/11 -- didn't even get a third of the Senate. It lost 67-31, though notably among the 31 was possible Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama. (Hillary Clinton was absent, while John McCain voted in favor.)

It says something about his national security world view, or his callowness, that Mr. Obama would vote to punish private companies that even the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee said had "acted in good faith." Had Senator Obama prevailed, a President Obama might well have been told "no way" when he asked private Americans to help his Administration fight terrorists.

Mr. Obama also voted against the overall bill, putting him in MoveOn.org territory.

Tags: election, issues, president