Obama.... Hmmmmm.

So I have learned a lot about myself this week. One: I am very fickle when it comes to my support for our presidential candidates and two: I have a lot of unresolved issues with Barack Obama.

So a week ago I was convinced that Obama was the best candidate and decided I would give him my vote. This week however I did a lot of heavy thinking on the subject and came up with a list of reservations I maintain.

1) Obama is a socialist. At first I didn't think too much of this, but the more reality sinks in the more uneasy I am about this fact. He wants to tax unequally to "spread out the wealth." That sounds like an infringement on people's rights to me. The only reason I can think that this idea could be justified is the "Robin Hood" mentality: take from the rich and give to the poor by force. In my mind this is wrong on so many levels. People should be able to give money to the poor on their own, and if they choose. I never feel good about paying taxes, nobody does. I do feel good about using my own God-given right of agency. People should give on their own terms and see the results of their actions. Giving and feeling good after wards is the best solution, it reinforces that good behavior. Paying more taxes does not have this effect, it embitters people and may even add more problems in the end. Forcing people to be charitable may appeal to the "95%" who make less than $250,000 a year and it may be popular with the majority because of that, but that doesn't make it right. Obama also supports universal health care, another socialist idea that I do not support. American health care has systemic problems that we must address, but universal health care is not the best solution.

Obama's socialist ideals do not seem to fit with the major political minds who wrote the constitution namely James Madison.

2) Obama will probably win this election because Bush was president when the economic crisis arose. Studies show that when major problems arise in a country, then the party or group in power is almost always removed. This is unfair, especially given the facts on the matter. Read the article by Orson Scott Card I posted below. No election should be won because of something so dishonest and incorrect.

3) Obama has shady affiliations. Ayres, Wright, ACORN, Franklin Raines (this one may not be true), etc. Based on Judith Harris' group socialization theory, I fear Obama may be influenced by people I don't want anywhere near the presidency.

4) This is connected to point #2, but I find it very interesting that the second biggest beneficiary of Fannie and Freddy was Barack Obama. This bleeds corruption in my mind and Obama's supposed to be the avator of incorruptable. You got to admit this is sketchy.

5) This one is stupid I'll admit that right away. Why did Obama change his first name from Barry to Barack? Maybe I don't like this because my dad's name is Barry I dunno, but what kind of person changes his name? That's your name man, I don't care if it embarrasses you, be proud.