I understand much of America’s attraction to Barack Obama. He’s likeable, very well spoken, and he pledges to lead a very generous federal government. But would an Obama presidency be good for America?

I have thought long and hard about this upcoming presidential election. I’ve spent many hours the past few weeks studying Barack Obama’s beliefs and convictions, analyzing his own words and actions. I have come to one crystal clear conclusion: there is no way I can vote for Barack Obama. I’d like to tell you why.

HIS ECONOMIC PHILOSOPHY & HIS TAX PLAN

There is so much confusing rhetoric floating around about who will lower taxes more and whose plan is best. But all the confusion faded into clarity last week with Senator Obama’s answer to the now-famous JOE THE PLUMBER. Joe has done America a great favor—he’s brought out the real Barack Obama in his own words: “It’s not that I want to punish your success, I just want to make sure that everyone who is behind you, that they’ve got a chance for success too…. I think when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody.” That comment is so offensive in a free market society and so revealing about Senator Obama’s misunderstanding of our economic system. It screams of socialism, a system in which the government basically decides who makes too much money then takes some of that hard-earned income and gives it to others who make less—redistribution of wealth, plain and simple.

Senator Obama provided further insight into his philosophy with his scrambling the next few days to undermine what Joe the Plumber had revealed. I was appalled by the sarcasm in Obama’s voice as he stated, “How many plumbers you know making a quarter of a million dollars a year?” How can he hope to be an effective president when he mocks those trying to succeed? I don’t want a president who drips with seeming disdain at the thought of a blue collar worker climbing the ladder of success that so many of us aspire to climb. I want a president who, shown by his words and actions when things aren’t scripted, believes that anyone can make it big—blue collar, white collar, plumber, painter, computer tech, whoever.

And the whole concept that increasing taxes and tax rates on the wealthy is good for the lower and middle class, and for the economy as a whole, is simply illogical and plain wrong. The Reagan tax cuts in the 80’s and the Bush tax cuts in 2001 and 2003 greatly fueled the economy. Given our current difficult economic situation, many economists warn that raising taxes during an economic downturn would only make the situation worse.

Please carefully read these words from his website: “Obama will ask the wealthiest 2% of families to give back a portion of the tax cuts they have received over the past eight years to ensure we are restoring fairness and returning to fiscal responsibility.” That statement should send socialistic shivers down your spine. This is not what America is.

Approximately 35-40% of American workers pay no federal income tax. So, the $500/$1000 tax credit Obama promises will basically be a “free” gift from the government. But it’s not free—someone has to pay for it and I’m offended by the fact that the someone will most likely include me. Obama wants to take from the hard-working rich and give it away to those who have less. It’s so important to realize that the poor do not grow their wealth through handouts from the government—they grow their wealth more effectively when the government gets out of the way, lowers taxes across the board, and allows the economy to thrive.

In regard to his plan to raise taxes on only wealthier business owners, whether it’s a small business or a big business, where will these business owners get the money to pay for this increase? Many of those businesses are going to have to get that money by cutting jobs, raising prices, cutting wages on the middle and lower class workers. Once again, tax increases across the board are a bad idea. Lowering tax rates across the board is what motivates Americans to invest in new business, expand existing business, hire more employees (resulting in lower unemployment), buy goods. Barack Obama’s plan works against all of these things.

Obama’s list of giveaways he wants the government to provide Americans, at taxpayers’ expense, reads like a Christmas list. From doubling funding for after-school programs and federal public transportation to bailing out struggling state economies to providing universal health care, I am absolutely convinced there is no way he can pay for all of these presents in the long run with only the tax increases he’s talking about now. Eventually, this government is going to get so big it will drive our economy into the ground. And apart from the cost of these giveaways, I’m insulted by his plan because he seems to think that Americans can’t figure life out for themselves—we need big daddy government to take care of us. It’s almost as if he looks around at the problems in America and decides that individuals, with the power of our free market behind us, can’t figure out the solutions, so Uncle Sam, at our expense, has to jump in and save the day.

MY OTHER ISSUES WITH BARACK OBAMA

So many other things Senator Obama has said, done, and posted on his website lead me to believe he would be a very poor choice to lead this country:

• As gas prices soared this past summer, Obama stood firm in his stand to not support offshore drilling or drilling in the ANWR province of Alaska. One of his answers to the energy problem was to impose a windfall profits tax on oil companies. What sense does it make to try to ease the burden of the consumers of a commodity by imposing a higher tax on the very companies that are providing the commodity?
• Obama has stated opposition to both the ban on Partial Birth Abortion and to the Born Alive Infant Protection Act. He has also consistently voted against laws requiring parental notification for an abortion.
• There is a consistent theme in Barack Obama’s life that he associates with far too many people who either hold anti-American sentiments or are downright unethical. I truly believe that a person’s actions and, in large part, the people he associates with, say more about his character and beliefs than his words. From William Ayers, a proven domestic terrorist with very radical views of America and education, to ACORN, an organization that has spent decades undermining capitalism and self-reliance, to Jeremiah Wright, his pastor of 20 years who equates some of America’s actions with the actions of al Qaeda, Barack Obama has chosen to align himself with very questionable views of America.
• Obama refuses to acknowledge that our presence in Iraq has played a significant role in the safety of America and of much of the world.
• With his radical views on America’s economy, abortion, immigration, education, etc., what kind of judges would he nominate to fill the Appellate and Supreme Court positions that will undoubtedly be vacated in the next four years?

I have many other concerns about the policies and practices of Barack Obama, but space is limited here to detail them all. I do encourage you to visit my website (www.just2simpleguys.com) to read a much more detailed piece on this topic. There is an incredibly important election in a little over a week. I hope you will take the time to investigate the candidates. John McCain is not a perfect choice, but he is a good one and I am throwing my support his way. I believe deep in my heart that Barack Obama would be the wrong man to occupy the office of the leader of the free world.