Tuesday, March 03, 2009

I taut I taw a Communist - I did, I did taw a Communist


There was a good piece on the American Thinker website today that looked at Obama's stated policy mandates against a detailed list from the current Communist Party USA. Amazingly the author, Randall Hoven, could only find 2 discrepancies. So when people accuse President Obama of being a communist, well, he is!

I printed the CPUSA's list here with my snarky comments in BOLD and I marked the only 2 policies Obama is at odds with in the color RED - you could've guessed it ...

Oddly, I found a few items even I agree with - I guess that makes me a PINKO!!!
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1. Immediate Relief

1.1 A moratorium on foreclosures and evictions.
This is a bad idea on so many levels that it's hard to know where to start. Clearly lenders should try to work with deliquent clients but a moratorium to prevent the "rightful" owners access to their assets is criminal.

1.2 Reset mortgages so payments are affordable.
Again lenders should try to work with troubled clients because it's in everyone's best interest to keep people in their homes and making payments, but keep the Federal government from dictating terms - it's contract law not contitutional law at issue here.

1.3 No bailouts for banks. Agreed - for the most part

1.4 Extend unemployment compensation, increase payments and eligibility.
Limits must be established - these benefits cannot be perpetual.

1.5 Increase food stamps, WIC, children's health ins., low income energy assistance.
Limits must be established - these benefits cannot be perpetual.

1.6 Assist state and local governments.
No, local governments must live within their means - instead stop all unfunded Federal mandates.

1.7 Fund "ready-to-go" infrastructure projects.
This is a meaningless category.
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2. A Peacetime, Green Jobs Economy for All

2.1 Enact massive public works. Those which make actual sense - like a nuclear energy program.

2.2 Make existing buildings energy efficient. Why not?

2.3 Construct new schools, affordable housing, mass transit and bridges.
Mass transit means choo choo trains which are so expensive and cumbersome they make no economic sense - except to control where people can go. For schools I believe the Dept of Education should be abolished and no Federal money for K-12 schools whatsoever. Affordable housing means Section 8 and other Federally subsidized housing that always turns into poverty and crime centers. Old age housing is the only thing the Federal government should be involved with.

2.4 Major clean, affordable energy dvpt project for solar, wind, and biomass. Yes, where it makes economic sense.

2.5 Program to cut greenhouse gas emissions, environmental cleanup.
This is a major con job on nearly every level. There is no definitive evidence that "greenhouse gasses" are dangerous to humanity or the planet - certainly not enough to warrant trillions of wasteful spending and energy deprivation.

2.6 Restore energy regulation and public ownership of utilities.
Regulation that makes economic sense not punitive and non scientific based restrictions on energy production and use. Keep utilities run by private enterprise for efficiency's sake.

2.7 Enact the Employee Free Choice Act.
Nothing free about Card Check. It is anti-American, anti-Liberty.

2.8 Enact HR 676, US National Health Insurance Act, single payer.
Enact Healthcare Savings Account system. The single payer will be the individual, not the Federal government. HSA's will get employers out of the healthcare management business while still funding Health Insurance premiums for their employees as a (portable) benefit.

2.9 Fund public education, pre-school through higher and technical.
No Federal funding for K-12.

2.10 No privatization of Social Security or Medicare.
These programs are lost causes in the long term.

2.11 Expand and improve SS & Medicare benefits.
These programs are lost causes in the long term.
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3. Restore Civil Rights, Bill of Rights, Separation of Powers

3.1 Restore Civil Rights Act enforcement, affirmative action.
Blah Blah Blah

3.2 Outlaw hate crimes.
Punishing peoples thoughts is unconstitutional, immoral.

3.3 Preserve Roe v Wade.
Killing babies is always the solution, right?

3.4 Immigration reform with path to citizenship, no militarization of borders.
Close the borders then reform - in that order.

3.5 No exploitative guest worker programs.
Why would we want to do something that worked for years?

3.6 No human being is illegal.
Huh?

3.7 Repeal the Patriot Act.
Libraries everywhere will be safe again.

3.8 Investigate and prosecute Bush administration violations.
BLAH BLAH BLAH

3.9 Expand voting rights.
No, require proof of citizenship and residence first.

3.10 Enact publicly financed elections. Sure.

3.11 Same-day registration.
Require proof of citizenship and residence first.

3.12 Voting rights for ex-felons.
No.

3.13 Restore Fairness Doctrine in media.
Only if it applies to ABC, CBS, NBC, NYT, PBS, NPR, LAT, WaPo, CNN, MSNBC as well as Fox News and Talk Radio
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4. Strength through Peace

4.1 Withdraw US troops from Iraq with no bases or US corporations left behind. This is just stupid.

4.2 Full care for returning veterans. Yes.

4.3 No war on Iran. Agree.

4.4 No expansion of troops in Afghanistan. Let the generals decide if you don't mind

4.5 Assistance to Iraq to rebuild Iraq. Agree.

4.6 New foreign policy of diplomacy, respect for all nations.
Walk softly, but carry a big stick.

4.7 Renew commitment to UN.
No, kick the UN out of America.

4.8 End trade policies that enrich corporations and destroy jobs.
I agree to the last sentiment. But the problem is more tax policy than trade policy.

4.9 Ratify Kyoto Treaty and other climate change agreements.
No.

4.10 Enforce nuclear non-proliferation. Agree

4.11 Work to abolish nuclear weapons.
Pie in the sky.

4.12 Cut Pentagon spending in half.
BLAH BLAH BLAH

4.13 Close down US bases around the world.
Ask the host country first.




CW

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