Instead of answering this comment within a disappearing diary, I am opening a new one because I think it’s a good debate and one that must be had regarding the leap of faith so many are taking in Obama’s ability. I don’t think it is deserved. So, below is a good comment by nwgates, responding to one of my "Obama lack of substance comments" found in Kos' "Party of Ideas-Part 3" front page diary.
No substance to the lack of substance accusation (2+ / 0-)
Saying Obama has no ideas is a criticism that has no substance. It is cheap and ignores facts. They are in front of your face, if you care to look.
Energy?
http://www.barackobama.com/...
Poverty?
http://www.barackobama.com/...
There are lots of others, if you wish.
I had to split this so you will have to jump to see the rest.
There are all sorts of ideas and plans, if you open your eyes. But the truth of the matter is that I believe Obama understands that he does not have to know all of the answers. What is important is the process of gathering ideas, allowing a community, a nation, to bring forth the solutions that are called for. We have to solve our problems ourselves, as a nation. We don't need a president to act as a patriarchal figure (regardless of gender) with all of the answers. We need someone to bring forth the greatness and ability of a nation, to mobilize people.
Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton; we're setting ourselves up for Jeb, folks.
by nwgates on Sat Jan 19, 2008 at 12:37:16 AM EST
I don't know who had their energy plan first, Edwards or Obama but they are very similar and both of them might have taken theirs from something Al Gore put together.
As far as the bridge to the middle class, before I saw that I did say that Obama did have ideas similar to Clinton's bridge to the 21st Century, another empty phrase. It reads like a Democratic shopping list that was put together by "old Democrats". Not a word how it will be paid for.
As you say I am sure there are many more position papers but that's something that is done adjacent to the candidate. Edwards talks from the heart, at rallies, about all these specific things while Obama talks about bringing adversarial people to the table, and with his magic only felt by gullible Democrats and the press, they will all come together, smoke some dope and walk away hand in hand. Just before Bill Clinton took office with all the promise of another Camelot, Bob Dole the then Senate Majority Leader, said to him through the press, the honeymoon is over and these disgusting Republican bastards did everything they could to make life impossible for Clinton, who also tried to reach across the aisle.
So, you have to believe this guy Obama who has never done anything to bring people together in the Senate. Wouldn’t that be a requirement for even blind faith? Maybe this new Obama worship is "deaf, dumb and blind faith." Yes, he has brought a campaign together but once he had Dreamworks' money and a press that kept on talking about that money. which they decided made him a frontrunner, putting together a team is not hard. Money talks, still.
So, the leap of faith is at this imaginary table where Democrats and Republicans will come together and forget their past wars. We know Democrats are capable of forgiving but Republicans, who have the memory of Ronald Reagan so far up their asses they can taste the dye he used to color his hair, will never give in unless Democrats beat them up by exposing their lies, their greed, their selfishness and their hate.
Obama and his supporters are delusional in his charma and only easily fooled Democrats who think they know about politics but really don't think past the parties and the rah rah of campaigns, will pray to the Obama statue.
Never during all these debates, from anyone, not even Markos, do we talk about the mechanics of bringing mercenary terrorist Republicans to the table. Paul Krugman has called Obama unrealistic and nobody is more realistic than Krugman, a columnist we all love/loved.
So, as you say there are many more policy or position papers but tell me what will happen at this table when tax reform is being discussed. Obama's political hero, Reagan has made it impossible for Republicans to give in, so what will Obama say to raising the tax on dividends from 15% back to 39.4%, as he suggested in the Nevada interview and long term capital gains from 15% to 28%. True they expire at the end of 2010 but that will be two years into an Obama administration. So, "Mr. bring them all together" plans not to bring them all together at all and unless he does, he will have no money for the bridge to the middle class. Because if you read "the bridge" you'd know that he plans to rebuild infrastructure, roads, airports and public transportation and many other programs that cost lots of money. This is why I have no faith in Obama and even less in those who blindly support him without playing out all his complete BS media driven plastic fantastic candidate lies.
So please answer this. If he is so good, why is he waiting until 2011, when that extra money will not come in until April of 2012, to have the additional funds for all his undoable plans? So, no money until 7 months before election day 2012. Plus, in 2010 the Estate Tax disappears. Imagine the loss to his agenda of 46% of the estates of the super rich just fade away. And we know Republican trust fund kids will make sure their super rich parents sick in hospitals, will have DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) orders clearly attached to their parents medical records. I think the RNC will be doing a DNR drive to make sure all the members have all the forms necessary.
I am tired of the blind faith you all have in him without playing out his ideas. Don’t you think you owe it to yourselves to work through this?