I note this is identical to Bob Barr's accomplishments as a Libertarian, unlike his accomplishments as a Republican: advocating federal prohibition of medical marijuana, sponsoring the Defense of Marriage Act (opposing same-sex marriage), and voting for the Patriot Act, as well as proposing the Pentagon oppose the practice of Wicca in the military.
There's a good article in the most recent issue of The New Republic that explains why Obama left Community Organizing. (He couldn't make anything happen.)
Maybe I'm asking too much by wanting anyone to list his accomplishments in these posts.
Gar, While I am in favor of the Do-Nothing Politicians (I think I once did a post about the Libertarians, and ended it with something like....."The Libertarians won't work hard for you. We promise."
Palin got rid of the governor's jet, and she laid of the executive chef. Unfortunately, this failed to compensate for having more earmarks that Evander Holyfield.
McCain has a decent anti-spending record.
Biden is typical.
Obama strikes me as a typical Chicago Pol. I was impressed with his early speech(es) until I heard it a dozen more times.
People don't understand that with a 9.5 trillion dollar debt, we need someone to shut the puppy down, and not provide a thing but roads, sewers, minimal police, and some national defense. And I ain't talking about the nation of Germany or South Korea or Georgia. The end.
It's sad and rather telling that the Republicans chose to use the term "community organizer" as a punchline to their scorn, since they revealed more about themselves than anything else.
Rudy Guiliani -- what a self-important prick he turned out to be.
As to Barack Obama's accomplishments as a community organizer, let's take a look (not that I suspect anyone here actually cares).
After graduating from Columbia University with a degree in Political Science, Obama worked in New York for several years, then moved to Chicago.
At age 24 he became the director of the Developing Communities Project (DCP), a church-based community organization helping poor and disadvantaged black residents on Chicago's South Side.
Have you ever seen the South Side of Chicago? My God...
The organization helped residents contend with the city government over issues like asbestos removal and investment in the community.
Ha Ha...funny stuff, Rudy.
During the 3 years he was director he grew the organization from a staff of 1 to 13, increased the budget from $70,000 to $400,000, and put together a job training program, a college preparatory tutoring program, and a tenants' rights organization.
Maybe the Republicans think this is worthy of mocking but I doubt the folks on Chicago's South Side did.
I know you're a busy person, and there's no time to read all the sloppy arguments that people link to, rather than outline.
However, if time permits, check out the latest issue of The New Republic. (Hardly a right wing Republican periodical.)
That having been said....
During the 3 years he was director he grew the organization from a staff of 1 to 13, increased the budget from $70,000 to $400,000, and put together a job training program, a college preparatory tutoring program, and a tenants' rights organization.
You've got to ask yourself, was the training program effective? Did the college prep program work? Etc.... And there are those among us who see the increase in program size (without a comparable increase in results) as a minus, not a plus.
WS - I had no doubt, even as I typed it, that you may not consider the growth of program size as the best indicator of accomplishment, given your Libertarian ways.
Fair enough.
I'll be frank - there is not much chance, given the constraints on my time and energy, of tracking down hard evidence from 20 years ago that would prove (or disprove) how effective those programs were.
Still, circumstantial evidence (growth of program size) would indicate someone somewhere responsible for funding thought he was making a positive impact.
Which reminds me, when the Barracuda made her crack that "I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a 'community organizer,' except that you have actual responsibilities," was she thinking of the $20 million in debt she left for her frozen podunk?
It is also interesting to note that the stock market tends to do better with a democratic president, but a republican house and/or senate. Opposite is also true.
This would seem to indicate that the economy does better when government growth is slowed due to opposing parties in control of our checks and balances.
Unfortunately, we've never had a Libertarian president so there can be no comparison, but you could theorize that if the size of the government actually shrunk, the stock market would do that much better.
How does Palin's $20M debt compare to Sen. O's experiment with improving education? Can you say "Annenberg"? When that news finally breaks I think we will all get to see how Sen. O manages money.
11 comments:
I note this is identical to Bob Barr's accomplishments as a Libertarian, unlike his accomplishments as a Republican: advocating federal prohibition of medical marijuana, sponsoring the Defense of Marriage Act (opposing same-sex marriage), and voting for the Patriot Act, as well as proposing the Pentagon oppose the practice of Wicca in the military.
All good Libertarian stances.
(If you can repeat yourself, surely I can too!)
Hey, We're Baptists.
We believe in Once Saved, always saved.
The idea is you'll get it right eventually.
There's a good article in the most recent issue of The New Republic that explains why Obama left Community Organizing. (He couldn't make anything happen.)
Maybe I'm asking too much by wanting anyone to list his accomplishments in these posts.
Depressing.
Not to take sides, but there is something to be said for a President that won't do anything.
I'd prefer someone that would sit on their hands for four years than another Bush.
At least they couldn't sign anything into law.
Gar,
While I am in favor of the Do-Nothing Politicians (I think I once did a post about the Libertarians, and ended it with something like....."The Libertarians won't work hard for you. We promise."
Palin got rid of the governor's jet, and she laid of the executive chef. Unfortunately, this failed to compensate for having more earmarks that Evander Holyfield.
McCain has a decent anti-spending record.
Biden is typical.
Obama strikes me as a typical Chicago Pol. I was impressed with his early speech(es) until I heard it a dozen more times.
People don't understand that with a 9.5 trillion dollar debt, we need someone to shut the puppy down, and not provide a thing but roads, sewers, minimal police, and some national defense. And I ain't talking about the nation of Germany or South Korea or Georgia. The end.
It's sad and rather telling that the Republicans chose to use the term "community organizer" as a punchline to their scorn, since they revealed more about themselves than anything else.
Rudy Guiliani -- what a self-important prick he turned out to be.
As to Barack Obama's accomplishments as a community organizer, let's take a look (not that I suspect anyone here actually cares).
After graduating from Columbia University with a degree in Political Science, Obama worked in New York for several years, then moved to Chicago.
At age 24 he became the director of the Developing Communities Project (DCP), a church-based community organization helping poor and disadvantaged black residents on Chicago's South Side.
Have you ever seen the South Side of Chicago? My God...
The organization helped residents contend with the city government over issues like asbestos removal and investment in the community.
Ha Ha...funny stuff, Rudy.
During the 3 years he was director he grew the organization from a staff of 1 to 13, increased the budget from $70,000 to $400,000, and put together a job training program, a college preparatory tutoring program, and a tenants' rights organization.
Maybe the Republicans think this is worthy of mocking but I doubt the folks on Chicago's South Side did.
Dr.
I know you're a busy person, and there's no time to read all the sloppy arguments that people link to, rather than outline.
However, if time permits, check out the latest issue of The New Republic. (Hardly a right wing Republican periodical.)
That having been said....
During the 3 years he was director he grew the organization from a staff of 1 to 13, increased the budget from $70,000 to $400,000, and put together a job training program, a college preparatory tutoring program, and a tenants' rights organization.
You've got to ask yourself, was the training program effective? Did the college prep program work? Etc....
And there are those among us who see the increase in program size (without a comparable increase in results) as a minus, not a plus.
Anyway, you are doing your party proud.
WS - I had no doubt, even as I typed it, that you may not consider the growth of program size as the best indicator of accomplishment, given your Libertarian ways.
Fair enough.
I'll be frank - there is not much chance, given the constraints on my time and energy, of tracking down hard evidence from 20 years ago that would prove (or disprove) how effective those programs were.
Still, circumstantial evidence (growth of program size) would indicate someone somewhere responsible for funding thought he was making a positive impact.
Which reminds me, when the Barracuda made her crack that "I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a 'community organizer,' except that you have actual responsibilities," was she thinking of the $20 million in debt she left for her frozen podunk?
It is also interesting to note that the stock market tends to do better with a democratic president, but a republican house and/or senate. Opposite is also true.
This would seem to indicate that the economy does better when government growth is slowed due to opposing parties in control of our checks and balances.
Unfortunately, we've never had a Libertarian president so there can be no comparison, but you could theorize that if the size of the government actually shrunk, the stock market would do that much better.
I'm all for experimentation.
How does Palin's $20M debt compare to Sen. O's experiment with improving education? Can you say "Annenberg"? When that news finally breaks I think we will all get to see how Sen. O manages money.
Right now Obama's management skills look pretty good compared to the brain trusts at Lehman Bros, Merrill Lynch, et.al.
He wasn't supposed to show a profit -- they were.
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