In my own words - what you should be hoping for:

[Political Heretic]

I have repeatedly heard Clinton supporters (note the absence of any childish name-calling)accuse Obama of not having substance. Some mock his themes of new hope and change. Some have decided that its not desirable to act like statesmen and have an adult debate about who is best to lead the party into the future, and instead choose to accuse everyone who supports Obama of being brainwashed cult members -- implying we must all be stupid and somehow "less than" them.

Some of those things are just asinine and ridiculously shameful. But there's one I really want to address because it really just makes no sense. A Clinton supporter recently said, "There's nothing wrong with hope if you can tell me what to hope for" and went on to once again string along this idea that Obama and his supporters have no substance, just feeling.

So I thought I'd just take the time to tell you, in my own words, the specific elements of Obama's campaign platform that convinced me to support him. No cut and paste - I'm sure I'll leave important things out and what not. It's just that this talking point of the other side is so insulting and ridiculous and I'm just sick of the childishness of it all. So here they are:


--Obama's proposed "making work pay" tax credit, which if I remember right was a credit that would make an additional 10 million Americans owe nothing in income taxes.


--Obama's pledge to propose legislation that would simplify the tax code


--Obama's proposal to amend NAFTA to fix what he called "mistakes" in a speech I listened to, and his pledge to fight for a principle of FAIR trade in all of America's trade agreements.


--Obama's pledge to raise the minimum wage and index it to inflation (really needed to hear him say that and see it in writing, which it is)


--I read an plan of Obama's in a piece he wrote for some magazine that detailed his commitment to and strategy for revising and undoing the bankruptcy laws providing chapter 7 debt forgiveness for those who are forced into bankruptcy because of medical bills. And his plans to go after predatory credit lenders: both of these things are really important to me as a person who was forced into bankruptcy less than a year ago. I can't spell out the specifics right now because I said I would do this in my own words, but I can show you exactly where to find detailed specifics.


-- Things easy to remember include The "Creditor's Bill of Rights" that Obama pledges to create if president. This is also incredibly important to me.


--Obama supports the EFCA and will make it law as President. If you don't know what that is then STOP FUCKING TELLING US THAT *WE'RE* THE ONE WHO ARE "VACCUOUS" AND DONT HAVE ANY SUBSTANCE.


These have been the things that have become personal to me when thinking about the economy. And for me that is the most salient domestic issue right now. I know for a lot of people its health care, and I support that too. But I'm just being honest and saying these are the domestic specifics that won my support.

The other things that concern me a key elements of foriegn policy. These are the key things that won my support:


--Obama has said in both speeches, and in his policy documents that are freely available to everyone on his website that he supports the Millenium Development goal of cutting global poverty in half by 2015 AND to that end he vows to DOUBLE our current level of US aid (can't remember the exact amount that ends up being) to aid in accomplishing this goal.


--Obama talks regularly about a humanitarian doctrine (contrasting it with Bush's war doctrine) for international relationships, describing a commitment to "the most aggressive diplomatic effort in recent American history" (yes, I did use a quote there). This is a huge point for me.


-- Anyone heard of the National Declassification Center? Well, I have because I listen to Obama and read the policies he proposes. It is part of his commitment to ending the era of secret government. Check it out.


These are the issues that are very important to me.

These are pretty straightforward statements about exactly what Obama pledges to do as President as substantive as any candidates. I could have cut and pasted his 64-page policy document into here to prove what a bunch of LIES this who claim that his positive and visionary campaign messages of hope don't have any substance, but I know no one would read it. So I tried to just describe what specifics stuck with ME that - when combined with his character, vision, passion and ability to galvanize and motivate - make him the best person to lead America into its next chapter.

I'm very cool if others disagree and support someone else instead. But please just be honest about it. This spin that its all "cult of personality" with no issue stances is just extremely insulting and offensive to me as an individual in addition to being totally false.

[NMMNG]

1. Let me be the first to say

Thank you for the detailed, reasoned post in your own words. This is one of the first I've seen of its kind here. K&R

[Political Heretic]

2. Thanks - I wish non-bombastic, inflaming posts we get more responses. :/

[NMMNG]

3. I don't understand why nobody else has replied

It's very strange.

[Political Heretic]

4. I think because it undermines the current meme

That obama supporters can't put things in their own words or don't know why they support their candidate in any substantive way.

:shrug:

[NMMNG]

5. Just so you know

I'm one of those evil Hillary supporters. But I wanted to give credit where credit was due. Let it not be said that I, or Hillary supporters in general, are incapable of doing so. :hi:

[Political Heretic]

6. We'll be standing side by side, hand in hand in the general - one way or the other!

:grouphug:

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

7. Bookmarking So I Can Read It Tomorrow.

[Political Heretic]

8. Maybe this is just ego-centric (no really, maybe I'm making a mistake here)...

...but I feel like the near total lack of any kind of response is telling.

So many people have been saying so much about how Obama supporters have no substance, and have no idea why they support their candidate other than that he makes them "feel good." Then someone comes and says in specific terms exactly why in substantive ways and there's virtual silence...

...I bet you the same people keep saying obama supporters have no substance, though. :(

[Recursion]

9. I think the "no substance" BS finally hit critical mass...

...because in the past day about 10 of us have posted pretty solid refutations of it...