This makes me sick - How about you?

Question

Obama has been hiding his real agenda

It sounds far-fetched, but the president is the "Radical-in-Chief."
By KATHERINE KERSTEN, Star Tribune
Last update: October 23, 2010 - 4:51 PM

In the heady days of 2008, Americans warmed quickly to the prospect of Barack Obama as our 44th president. Obama promised to be just what our fractured nation needed -- a non-ideological, post-partisan consensus builder, guided by mainstream pragmatic thinking.

When the story broke about Obama's relationship with Rev. Jeremiah Wright -- his pastor for 20 years, a "black-power" radical and a fan of Fidel Castro -- we raised our eyebrows. We did the same when we heard of Obama's longtime connection to Bill Ayers, an unrepentant former Weather Underground terrorist. But Obama blew these relationships off as exaggerated or unimportant, and we trusted his assurances.

Now a new book by Stanley Kurtz -- a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and a Harvard PhD -- reveals why we should have probed the disconnect when we had a chance. Americans increasingly sense we were sold a bill of goods, and Kurtz explains why in "Radical-in-Chief: Barack Obama and the Untold Story of American Socialism." Our president isn't what he claims to be, says Kurtz. Obama's plummeting approval ratings, and the electoral tsunami about to hit Democrats, reflect voters' sense of betrayal.

In fact, Kurtz goes further, and makes an electrifying charge: Obama has purposely disguised what he believes, and is actively seeking to mislead the American people about his agenda. Obama, says Kurtz, is a socialist. He believes -- not in state ownership -- but in a savvier version of socialism that seeks to transform and undermine American capitalism through ever-expanding government control; irreversible entitlements; and a metastasizing public sector.

I know this sounds far-fetched. Even Kurtz says he didn't expect it when he began his research. But the more we learn about "community organizing" -- which Obama has called the "best education" he ever had -- the more we see that Wright and Ayers were clues to a below-the-radar radical network that has shaped both the president's worldview and the deceptive tactics he uses to disguise it.

Americans were lulled into ignoring Obama's background because they think of "community organizers" as well-intentioned do-gooders. In fact, the father of community organizing was Saul Alinsky, a far-left icon and the author of the 1971 book, "Rules for Radicals." Alinsky taught that community organizing is about accumulating the raw power necessary for the radical transformation of America's economic and social structure.

Alinsky knew that the American people are not ready for socialism. To advance radical goals, he said, activists must pose as pragmatists and work within the system. While New Left radicals were rioting at the 1968 Democratic convention, Alinskyite community organizers were working behind the scenes, infiltrating Lyndon Johnson's War on Poverty and funneling money to their far-left organizations. In dealing with "enemies" Alinsky was ruthless. He advocated the "politics of personal destruction": "Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it."

Obama began his career as a community organizer in Chicago in 1985. His teachers were Alinsky disciples, and he immersed himself in their ideas and methods. For years, Obama ran workshops on Alinsky's methodology, worked with Alinskyite organizations, and served on radical boards.

Obama got his start in politics in 1996, when Illinois state Sen. Alice Palmer hand-picked him to succeed her. Kurtz describes Palmer as a "hard Marxist," who had praised the Soviet Union in the communist People's Daily World. Ayers and his wife, Bernadine Dohrn -- another notorious Weather Underground alum -- hosted an announcement party at their home. During his campaign, Obama promised to bring the spirit of community organizing to his new position.


Katherine Kersten is a Twin Cities writer and speaker. Reach her at [e-mail].

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentary/105550623.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUvDEhiaE3miUsZ

Answer 1

yes - I think Obama's policies are horrible for America, and he was not honest about what he wanted to do.

Answer 2

What makes me sick is that this is news to ANYONE!! Obama has NOT been hiding any of this. He wrote about it.

Like all Democrats always do, he campaigned against Democrat policy.

Obama SAID Rev. Jeremiah Wright was a "black-power" radical and HIS MENTOR. Obama's ENTIRE pre-election resume was wrapped around Bill Ayers, a PROUD terrorist. We KNEW this.

Our president IS what he claims to be: an ENEMY of America. Obama says Obama is a socialist. He SAID he believes in ever-expanding government control; irreversible entitlements; and a metastasizing public sector. OBAMA SAID IT! Obama SAID his "instruction book" is Saul Alinsky's "Rules for Radicals."

How the **** is this NOW a surprise to ANYONE?

Answer 3

This sounds like pretty serious stuff. Why I'm sure anyone who came into contact with this highly sensitive information would be at risk from all these well organized nefarious types. b

Answer 4

And the liberal nuts fall out of the trees to insult you and defend their Anointed One. They conveniently ignore reality because it goes against their ideology. Obama is a socialist. Not because of what some reporter says, although this article is fact based and gives us a glimpse into the background and beliefs of our president. And not because his opponents say he is a socialist. Obama and his supporters deny he is a socialist at every turn. Some say he is and some say he isn't. Lets ignore what people say and look at what Obama has DONE. His actions speak much louder than his words.



The socialist agenda calls for the government take over and control of private business. In less than 2 years Obama has taken control of student loans, the auto industry, banks, health care and is currently trying to gain control of energy, wall street and housing. He uses government regulations, higher taxes and outright buying (bailouts) to gain control. And he has dramatically increased the size of government to exert control of these once private enterprises.



He SAYS he is not a socialist but his actions prove him to be a socialist. And the liberal response is "Don't believe what you see, believe what we tell you".

Answer 5

No. The Obama agenda does not make me ill.



I am, thank God, healthy and not sick at all.



A little known fact about Stanley Kurtz - he has not had a decent BM in years. And that would explain everything. You're welcome. No trouble at all.



Have a nice day.

Answer 6

Makes me sick too: I hate distortions of fact.



We knew about Rev. Wright long before we knew that Mr. Obama was to be the 44th President. The connection to Bill Ayers was brought up before that.



If the author can't bother to get their time line straight, I can't be bothered to waste time reading what they wrote.

Answer 7

What truly makes me sick is how much effort people like Katherine Kersten (and also the asker of this question) give to driving a knife through the heart of our nation. If people like these expended just 10% of their effort to divide this nation towards actually working together to fix all that is wrong with America, we would be an infinitely better country.



Republicans need to stop blaming Democrats for every problem in America. Democrats need to stop blaming Republicans for every problem in America.



This partisan bullshit needs to stop, or our country and its people will only continue to suffer.

Answer 8

Great read--you'll find the genesis of Barrack Obama's socialist ideology in this book.

Answer 9

We're working to block him for the next 2 years.

Meanwhile keep your powder dry.

Answer 10

Maybe mccain should have been president hopefully obama will be a one termer

Answer 11

Sorry Dude but you look like a duck and talk like a duck...................QUACK QUACK!!



No worse than any other politician

Answer 12

Key words in your question: "Far fetched"

Answer 13

Agreed. That moron and his slanderous lies against the President make me sick.

Answer 14

yes, it makes me sick



... because it's all Bull-Sh*t



:)