I bother writing about politics as often as I do because it’s so easy to get jaded and refuse to participate, and I think this is due to the focus on the trees over the forest when it comes to politicians and “the issues.” News coverage – and online chatter in response to or in spite of it – is about getting there first, to the point that before you can finish a thought it feels like everyone’s moved on to another subject. Because Senate votes and adviser selections are only current news for a couple of days, you’re lucky to hear about them before the next big story crashes in & drowns them out.

A political culture that glosses over where a candidate stands in the rush to nitpick how he stands there makes for boring reading. That in mind, I thought I’d get down specifics on why Barack Obama would make a terrible president… before he comes to OSU tomorrow and clogs up my parking lot and clouds my delicate judgment.

The American Conservative Union assigns Congressional ratings based on how a member votes in comparison to the ACU’s position on 25 issues each year. In 2006, Obama received an 8 out of 100 rating from the ACU, which means he voted with them 2 out of 25 times. But what, you ask, are the issues? Surely a higher ACU score is an indication of oil baron fat-cattery and Bush cronyism! Let’s see:

• On 2/14/2006 the Senate passed a motion to extend the alternative minimum tax exemption, as well as cuts on dividends and capital gains. Obama voted against.
• On 3/14/2006 the Senate defeated a rule change to require a 60-vote majority for future tax cuts. Obama voted in favor of the change.
• On 3/14/2006 the Senate shot down an amendment to increase the discretionary limit on some energy-related programs, to be offset by $7.2 billion in new taxes. Obama voted for the spending and tax increase.
• On 5/11/2006 the Senate extended Bush’s $70 billion in tax cuts through 2010, which included the reduction to the capital gains tax. Obama voted against.
• Obama voted to kill an amendment that would have prevented illegal immigrants from receiving Social Security for work done prior to receiving a Social Security Number (5/18/2006).
• Obama voted for amnesty for illegal immigrants on 5/25/2006.
• Obama voted in support of a filibuster against repealing the death tax (6/8/2006).
• Obama voted against sanctioning foreign governments and companies with more than $20 million invested in Iran’s energy sector (6/15/2006).
• Obama voted against increased fencing along our border with Mexico (7/13/2006).
• Obama voted in favor of using federal funds for embryonic stem cell research (7/18/2006).
• Obama voted against making it a federal crime to take a minor across state lines in order to avoid state abortion laws with regard to parental consent and notification (7/25/2006).

Yeah — my problem with Obama is not that he’s inexperienced, although that’s certainly true. My problem is what his slim record shows us. Barack Obama is a terrible candidate if you want lower taxes. He’s a terrible candidate if you want secured borders, or assertive opposition to Iran, or stricter abortion laws. Far from being a prudent, moderate Democrat, Barack Obama is a liberal extremist who believes your money is best spent by the Federal government – and the less of it on national defense, the better.

Obama ’08: Disaster You Can Believe In.