I just checked out Obama's website and his positions. I suggest all FReepers do the same, and spend a good 30-60 minutes studying his and all the candidates, to have this info handy for dealing with discussions.
Obama's claims are absolutely hilarious--his proudest achievments are things that were "signed into law"--never mentioning they were signed into law by President George W. Bush.
His
political history in Illinois shows that Obama has proven himself to be a nearly perfect Progressive-Democrat.
While in the Illinois State Senate, Obama is named Chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee. His distinguished works include passing bill to assist children and adults who cannot afford health insurance; increasing funding for AIDS prevention and care; a law requiring police to videotape interrogations for crimes punishable by the death penalty; a law requiring insurance companies to cover routine mammograms; legislation to curb racial profiling.
Obama supports homosexual marriage, racial preferences, gun control, flag-burning, socialized medicine and the absolute right to abortion, including partial-birth abortions. He voted against requiring medical care for aborted fetuses who survive.
Obama is anti-war, voted against the reauthorization of the USA Patriot Act, against privatizing Social Security and opposes the death penalty, three strikes laws and school vouchers. He has no military service record.
Obama opposed the Defense of Marriage Act; would work to repeal it in the U.S. Senate; would not vote for any legislation that would restrict the ability of gays and lesbians to marry.
Obama opposed the Born Alive Infant Protection Act four times in Illinois. A similar bill passed the U.S. Senate 98-0. The Born Alive bill would have prohibited a baby from being born alive but left to die according to the mother's wishes.
Obama opposed this bill not once, twice, or three times, but four times.
Obama took almost $90,000 in bundled contributions from the Council for a Livable World. The council is a well-known anti-defense organization.
Obama puts rigid ideology before what's best for the people of Illinois, and presumably he would do that as President as well. He has on several occasions made public his opposition to the NAFTA trade agreement and his belief that it must be negotiated. All the while thanks to NAFTA, Illinois exports $1.3 billion in agricultural goods to Canada.
Obama refused to vote for a bill in the Illinois State Senate that would have increased penalties for drug traffickers.
Obama voted against a bill that would have delivered the death penalty to gang members who murder first responders.
Obama was the only member of the Illinois State Senate to vote against a bill that prohibited early release for sexual predators.
Obama is also protective of
civil rights for Muslims in the U.S., saying, "In the wake of 9/11, my meetings with Arab and Pakistani Americans have a more urgent quality, for the stories of detentions and FBI questioning and hard stares from neighbors have shaken their sense of security and belonging," he laments. "I will stand with them should the political winds shift in an ugly direction."
Obama is also responsible for amending Illinois state law with elements of Shari'a law.
Obama
sponsored Illinois Senate Bill 750 creating the "Halal Food Act," providing for inspections by the Department of Agriculture to ensure that all food labeled Halal is prepared according to Islamic law.