Obama: Read the Commenters

Never mind about the vapid messianic tone of the Obama campaign.  Never mind about his snobby wife’s disdain for America.  When you get down to specifics this is a pretty left-wing guy, writes The Times’ Gerard Baker

He plans large increases in government spending on health and education. He wants to tax the rich more to pay for it. He is against companies using the opportunities of free markets to restructure their operations in the US. He is vehemently protectionist. He continues to insist, despite the growing evidence that this left-wing nostrum would be lunacy, that the US must pull its troops out of Iraq with the utmost dispatch.

Pretty normal comment, you’d think.  But Baker provoked a number of Obama-heads to respond.

Here’s one:

It is NOT unpatriotic to question your government or your country. It is the most patriotic thing you can do. Barack Obama is bringing my country hope, and it’s the most important thing a president can do for his country.

And this:

Coming from someone who is supposedly liberal and a campaign worker for Mr. Obama, I have not had anything to be proud about this country for until he came along.

A disabled voter:

I am a disabled mother... My fiancé is blind and he is disabled... And I haven’t been proud of my country since Bush took office!

Well, we know where she’s coming from.  And no, Obama isn’t a left-winger, retorts this writer:

Gerard Baker: He is against companies using the opportunities of free markets to restructure their operations in the US. He is vehemently protectionist.
Barack Obama: I believe in the Free Market. I believe in Capitalism. I believe in Free Trade. I am not worried about us being able to compete anywhere on earth with American workers.

Of course, Obama is still fighting for Democratic votes right now.  We’ll get a better idea of his general election agenda in the months ahead. 

But let’s face it.  An Obama adminstration is going to feature another expansion of the welfare state and more national resources under the control of the political sector.

Like I keep saying.  We won’t abandon the follies of the welfare state until it hits the buffers.