Organizing for America | Honestly Barack Blog: My Letter to Sen. Obama & his Campaign

My Letter to Sen. Obama & his Campaign

By Marcus @ SDSU - May 23rd, 2007 at 3:11 pm EDT

Comments | Mail to a Friend | Report Objectionable Content

Dear Sen. Obama & the Campaign:

I'm a freshman at SDSU and I love Sen. Obama as a leader of this country and almost all of his ideas. His optimism is awe-inspiring and I've never been so excited by any politician.

One of his positions that I most agree with is his position on the Iraq War, and the fact that he opposed it from the start as opposed to most of the democratic candidates running for President is all the more reason for me to support him...by doing that, I feel like he isn't the typical politician and switches his position to whatever is politically convienent. This is why I've donated to the campaign and although I've only donated $10 (because I'm always broke), I hope to donate more....

HOWEVER

Lately I've been very bothered by his ambiguity on his positions. While his positions are positive, and upbeat, they are very very BROAD and almost open to interpretation. The fact that the Senator gives almost NO specifics to his policies while other candidates like John Edwards outline entire, detailed plans for moving the country forward.

Another point that bothers me is that although Sen. Obama opposed this war from the start, he has voted IDENTICAL to war-funding issues as Sen. Clinton. I almost get the feeling that he doesn't want to defund the war because it's not politcally safe to do so.

Now the Democratic Congress has passed a bill without ANY troop timetables, or required benchmarks regarding the Iraqi government, and the war can continue on being funded while our American troops are dying on the field in order to "fight them there so we won't have to fight them here."

You guys at the campaign constantly email, and mail me, asking me to donate more.

I WILL NOT donate to Sen. Obama until he either does well at the debates (his performance kind of SUCKED, to put in nicely); starts giving more policy detail; or makes a better effort to bring our troops home.

Sincerely,
Marcus Anthony Bush

PS If Sen Obama votes for the war funding bill just passed yesterday 5/22, with no timetables or benchmarks I'll lose a LOT of faith and be very discouraged from him. Thanks.

Reader Comments	Comments RSS
Comments are closed for this post.

We are the Enemy | Report to Admin

By Marlyn from San Diego, CA May 23rd 2007 at 4:34 pm EDT

I agree with you.

Barack says he is not anti-war, just anti-BAD-war. But I say all war is bad. I was hoping Barack would be a leader who saw the futility of war and campaigned against it.

But no, that hasn't happened. Candidate Mike Gravel has the right idea on foreign policy. Iran has every right to hate us because we have been meddling in their affairs for years.

SHAME on America. Fix this situation by campaigning for TRUTH and PEACE. Barack PLEASE do it, even if you think it is political suicide.

hi... | Report to Admin

By Frances May 23rd 2007 at 4:53 pm EDT

The only reason he does not have all of his policies outlined yet about issues, is because he is talking directly with American people to get a consensus of what we want: I think he will unveil them pretty shortly, he will have to before the primaries if he wants to win.

As for the troops: the dilemma is this : either pull all funding for the war (at the expense of our troops: which Republicans would love because it may give them a chance to say "The Democrats don't support our troops")

I would love to have them set benchmarks, but they can only do that if the majority will vote for a bill of that nature.

I do feel it is a little weak to back down, but maybe there is a reason for it: most bills we do not even get to see as the American public (which I think should change), and so maybe there are/were some stipulations in it that made it hard not to pass.

Re: hi... | Report to Admin

By Frances May 23rd 2007 at 4:56 pm EDT

As to the whole asking for money thing... I have read many other people's blogs on here and they say that it is normal for any campaign to continuously ask for money, but they also say that Obama's does it less than other candidates that they have been for in the past.

Creating policy is our responsibility | Report to Admin

By J. Lowe May 23rd 2007 at 5:48 pm EDT

Dear Marcus -

I found your letter on the 'view all blogs' page, if you choose to reply plz email me thru the site as this page will soon fall off the main page.

Please click on the 'issues' button, and look over on the right side, where you will see the button called 'my policy.' This is where we, as citizens, help to craft the course of our country. This is what the original founders intended, and with technology, it is once again possible. This policy is at the heart of this campaign.

Link Please click on this link and you will see the contrast between Hillary's position 10/02 and now. Check out the BarackTV page to see Barack's stance on the war in 2002.

As for the war funding bill, I have mixed emotions on that one. Although I would love for our troops to be out today, I recall the mistakes we made in Vietnam. Now the ramifications are worse. Iraq is a central point in a hotbed of conflict. Politically, it is a minefield. Every move we make has huge repercussions in a wider area. But, I do support continuing to supply the troops until we work out a solution.

Thanks for listening.

Dead on | Report to Admin

By Richard Casas May 24th 2007 at 2:27 am EDT

I think you are one of many who feel this way. I can tell you this, If Obama votes for this bill, He will lose my support completely. I am so disgusted by this war funding bill.

Please, don't vote to fund war. | Report to Admin

By Marlyn from San Diego, CA May 24th 2007 at 8:22 pm EDT

Dear Obama,

Please, don't vote to fund war.
Please, use the power of the purse to stop the American war machine.
Please, be different.

It's NOT our OIL | Report to Admin

By Marlyn from San Diego, CA May 26th 2007 at 9:47 am EDT

Dear Obama,

Please don't support military bases in Iraq.
Please don't support a long term USA presence in Iraq.

It is NOT our oil. Please bring the troops home.

Speak out against WAR as a METHOD | Report to Admin

By Marlyn from San Diego, CA Jun 6th 2007 at 9:35 pm EDT

Please Barack Obama, speak out against WAR as a METHOD to achieve anything (except in self-defense).

Thank you for voting NO on the supplemental funding bill for more war in Iraq, but I would like to hear you speak out on this issue before you vote, and not to have you lurking in the background until the last minute, playing some kind of political game with Hillary Clinton.

Obama PLEASE speak out strongly against WAR as a method to achieve any goal, even that of a "shining new democracy in the Middle East".
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, please ...

Reading is fundamental | Report to Admin

By Colin Inspired by President Obama' s proper bearings and strong visionary leadership. Dec 27th 2007 at 3:11 pm EST

Folks please read the Issues dropdown items on the Homepage of BarackObama.com

Hopefully you'll get a better understanding of his positions on these issues.

Content on blogs in My.BarackObama represents the opinions of community members and in no way should be interpreted as endorsed or approved by the campaign.