Commentary: Obama and Bush are not so far apart

News Type: Opinion — Seeded on Mon Oct 13, 2008 3:26 PM EDT

Article Source: CNN

Since Barack Obama incessantly makes the case that a John McCain administration would equate to another Bush term, it's worth looking at just how much Sen. Obama himself is in agreement with the unpopular president.

Does that mean that he, too, would be a repeat of President Bush? If one were to apply his logic, maybe so.

Here are 20 reasons why:

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3.5

{"commentId":3463303,"authorDomain":"Profchaos"}

Profchaos

6, 9 and 13 kind of stood out to me...

{"commentId":3463303,"threadId":"387393","contentId":"1993555","authorDomain":"Profchaos"}

1 vote

#1 - Mon Oct 13, 2008 3:27 PM EDT

{"commentId":3463905,"authorDomain":"osaide"}

Picaso

I am going to link to this article anytime someone calls Obama the most liberal politician in history, this is proof he can be moderate :) (not like i care anyways, but still, they do help liberals argue a case).

{"commentId":3463905,"threadId":"387393","contentId":"1993555","authorDomain":"osaide"}

2 votes

#2 - Mon Oct 13, 2008 3:56 PM EDT

{"commentId":3465005,"authorDomain":"Profchaos"}

Profchaos

I wouldn't say most liberal in history but most of his short record (pre-presidential run) is still pretty liberal. The moderation this speaks of is recent and its not all based on votes. It's a lot of what he said in books and such. We would still have to look at how he has voted to see what his future actions might be as president.

{"commentId":3465005,"threadId":"387393","contentId":"1993555","authorDomain":"Profchaos"}

2 votes

#2.1 - Mon Oct 13, 2008 4:53 PM EDT

{"commentId":3464102,"authorDomain":"AlexandraJolicoeur"}

AlexandraJolicoeur

Thanks for the seed- it is an interesting article. It should be noted, however, many of the similarities cited are rather recent, and Obama's move to the center is a consequence of his running for President. Were he to run on his senate record alone and in the same manner he ran during the primary season, his espousals would be much farther to the left.

{"commentId":3464102,"threadId":"387393","contentId":"1993555","authorDomain":"AlexandraJolicoeur"}

3 votes

#3 - Mon Oct 13, 2008 4:05 PM EDT

{"commentId":3464654,"authorDomain":"Profchaos"}

Profchaos

I thought it was stated nicely in the article about his opposition and then actual voting for policies. FISA being the best example. Campaign finance being another one... not an actual vote, just a change of opinion.

What scares me is his move to the center. All politicians do it nowadays but when in office, what will the actual policies be.

{"commentId":3464654,"threadId":"387393","contentId":"1993555","authorDomain":"Profchaos"}

4 votes

#3.1 - Mon Oct 13, 2008 4:33 PM EDT

{"commentId":3464990,"authorDomain":"mrmajek"}

MrMajek

I think that Obama will always have liberal roots, but he is rather pragmatic about how things get done and does look for the broader solutions. I think that if he gets the support from the house and senate, as he should, that he will find a responsible way to straddle left and center. The biggest indicators of what we can expect will be in his cabinet and who he calls on as advisers. On that point I have been pretty impressed that he likes to hear both sides, even both extremes, before he settles on his plan for what is best for most.

{"commentId":3464990,"threadId":"387393","contentId":"1993555","authorDomain":"mrmajek"}

1 vote

#3.2 - Mon Oct 13, 2008 4:53 PM EDT

{"commentId":3465089,"authorDomain":"Profchaos"}

Profchaos

Sadly, we can't know who will be on a cabinet until one is elected. It would be cool if presidential candidates put together a cabinet list pre-election. It wouldn't have to be binding but it would give a nice idea of what we can expect versus what they say.

On the topic of reaching across, I don't see too much of that from Obama yet. McCain has pissed of his party more than once to meet the Dems in the middle. Obama has stayed to the left mainly. This article shows some similarties to the right but I still think Obama is fairly left when it comes to actual policy making

{"commentId":3465089,"threadId":"387393","contentId":"1993555","authorDomain":"Profchaos"}

1 vote

#3.3 - Mon Oct 13, 2008 4:58 PM EDT

{"commentId":3465414,"authorDomain":"ludmila"}

Ludmila

Re: Profchaos #3.1

I'm disappointed about FISA too. I think it should be revisited, especially in the light of the recent ABC News Report on eavesdropping:

"... US intelligence personnel eavesdropped, recorded and stored the private, personal phone calls of American journalists, aid workers and soldiers serving in Iraq." More here:

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=6022108&page=1

- Ludmila

{"commentId":3465414,"threadId":"387393","contentId":"1993555","authorDomain":"ludmila"}

1 vote

#3.4 - Mon Oct 13, 2008 5:16 PM EDT

{"commentId":3468556,"authorDomain":"DARKESTDONNIE"}

DARKESTDONNIE

MrMajek,

The biggest indicators of what we can expect will be in his cabinet and who he calls on as advisers.

Do you think he will pick any of his buddies from the "New Party" days?

{"commentId":3468556,"threadId":"387393","contentId":"1993555","authorDomain":"DARKESTDONNIE"}

1 vote

#3.5 - Mon Oct 13, 2008 9:04 PM EDT

{"commentId":3464310,"authorDomain":"ludmila"}

Ludmila

Obama's tax cuts is for the middle class, whereas Bush's achievement, and McCain will continue with that, is tax cuts for the upper class.

Also McCain supports most of other Bush's failed policies, whereas Obama does not.

The only thing that actually differentiated McCain from Bush was his stance against torture, but McCain gave up even on that.

- Ludmila

{"commentId":3464310,"threadId":"387393","contentId":"1993555","authorDomain":"ludmila"}

3 votes

#4 - Mon Oct 13, 2008 4:15 PM EDT

{"commentId":3464685,"authorDomain":"Profchaos"}

Profchaos

While he hasn't voted for such cuts, Obama is pushing his biggest economic initiative yet: tax cuts for the middle class. "We've got to help the middle class," Obama said Tuesday. Perhaps unbeknownst to him, Bush has already been there, done that. In signing the 2001 Tax Cut Bill, Bush said: "Tax relief is an achievement for families struggling to enter the middle class. For hard-working lower-income families, we have cut the bottom rate of federal income tax from 15 percent to 10 percent. We doubled the per-child tax credit to $1,000, and made it refundable. ... Tax relief is an achievement for middle-class families squeezed by high energy prices and credit card debt."

So that cutting of the bottom rate from 15 to 10 percent was what exactly?

I agree there are obviously stark differences. Iraq for one. But I thought it an interesting comparison of where they can be considered similar.

{"commentId":3464685,"threadId":"387393","contentId":"1993555","authorDomain":"Profchaos"}

1 vote

#4.1 - Mon Oct 13, 2008 4:35 PM EDT

{"commentId":3465168,"authorDomain":"ludmila"}

Ludmila

Obama's economic rescue plan is brilliant!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27165502#27165502

Bush's/ McCain's tax cuts was/is to BIG business (which proved to be a failed policy), whereas Obama's plan is for tax cuts to small businesses.

- Ludmila

{"commentId":3465168,"threadId":"387393","contentId":"1993555","authorDomain":"ludmila"}

1 vote

#5 - Mon Oct 13, 2008 5:01 PM EDT

{"commentId":3465400,"authorDomain":"Profchaos"}

Profchaos

Stay on topic please. Talking similarities of Obama & Bush. There are many other threads to discuss plans for the current economic crisis.

{"commentId":3465400,"threadId":"387393","contentId":"1993555","authorDomain":"Profchaos"}

#5.1 - Mon Oct 13, 2008 5:15 PM EDT

{"commentId":3465521,"authorDomain":"ludmila"}

Ludmila

There is no similarities between Bush and Obama when it comes to tax cuts since Obama favors tax cuts to small businesses whereas Bush favors tax cuts to BIG business.

- Ludmila

{"commentId":3465521,"threadId":"387393","contentId":"1993555","authorDomain":"ludmila"}

1 vote

#5.2 - Mon Oct 13, 2008 5:22 PM EDT

{"commentId":3468803,"authorDomain":"DARKESTDONNIE"}

DARKESTDONNIE

The vast majority of small business earn more than $250,000.00 how does the tax cut work for these employers?

Do they just pay the tax (patriotic? no) out of their pockets?

Do they reduce operations (less employees) because of higher taxes?

Do they pass (Inflation) them along to their customers?

sorry OT I will comply!

{"commentId":3468803,"threadId":"387393","contentId":"1993555","authorDomain":"DARKESTDONNIE"}

1 vote

#5.3 - Mon Oct 13, 2008 9:28 PM EDT

{"commentId":3465306,"authorDomain":"brianford"}

Brian Ford

For what it's worth, many of these issues are fairly nuanced, and the *way* they support them makes a huge difference, and isn't at all the same as agreeing or having the same stance.

Supporting abstinence education in addition to comprehensive sex education can't be equated to supporting abstinence-only education, for instance, yet this article tries to do just that.

You can't just squint your eyes, mute out all of the differences, and then just average out what you still see as an agreement.

Poorly written and researched, in my opinion.

{"commentId":3465306,"threadId":"387393","contentId":"1993555","authorDomain":"brianford"}

3 votes

#6 - Mon Oct 13, 2008 5:08 PM EDT

{"commentId":3465538,"authorDomain":"Profchaos"}

Profchaos

Policy approach is the most important, I agree. There are very different ways to get to the same place. The question we have to ask ourselves is which path gets us to the proper end while stimuating the economy, creating jobs, etc. Do we want federal government intervention or do we let the state goverment's sort it out? Many quesitons to ask and that answers can decide which candidate you want.

{"commentId":3465538,"threadId":"387393","contentId":"1993555","authorDomain":"Profchaos"}

1 vote

#6.1 - Mon Oct 13, 2008 5:23 PM EDT

{"commentId":3465585,"authorDomain":"ludmila"}

Ludmila

Re: Brian Ford #6

Brian..., I very much agree with every thing you stated there.

- Ludmila

{"commentId":3465585,"threadId":"387393","contentId":"1993555","authorDomain":"ludmila"}

1 vote

#6.2 - Mon Oct 13, 2008 5:25 PM EDT

{"commentId":3465903,"authorDomain":"ludmila"}

Ludmila

Re: #6.1 Profchaos

It should not be about either federal or state governments. The best approach is to have pragmatic and responsible (that is, with accountability in place) governance on both federal and states levels.

I like Obama's pragmatism. And I also trust Obama more than McCain in terms of responsible governance.

(By the way, it's precisely with his choice of VP that McCain lost my trust in his leadership completely -- Palin was the last straw).

- Ludmila

{"commentId":3465903,"threadId":"387393","contentId":"1993555","authorDomain":"ludmila"}

1 vote

#6.3 - Mon Oct 13, 2008 5:46 PM EDT

{"commentId":3466057,"authorDomain":"Profchaos"}

Profchaos

Part of a president's approach is whether they think the federal govt should be involved in an issue. Gay marriage is one. it is something to consider in how a president will approach a situation.

{"commentId":3466057,"threadId":"387393","contentId":"1993555","authorDomain":"Profchaos"}

2 votes

#6.4 - Mon Oct 13, 2008 5:55 PM EDT

{"commentId":3466854,"authorDomain":"ludmila"}

Ludmila

While neither candidate is for gay marriage, it seems to me Obama would let states to decide, whereas McCain would rather the federal government to decide for the states.

- Ludmila

{"commentId":3466854,"threadId":"387393","contentId":"1993555","authorDomain":"ludmila"}

1 vote

#6.5 - Mon Oct 13, 2008 6:49 PM EDT

{"canLink":false,"threadId":"387393","isPrivate":false}

PROFCHAOS

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Commentary: Obama and Bush are not so far apart

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