Barack Obama: An Agent of Change, or a Let-Down Waiting to Happen

Barack Obama ran on the premise that he is the candidate of change, breaking away from the "old" style of politics to the politics of change. He successfully beat Hilary Clinton on this premise, and because of his so-called freshness, people - black, white, Asian and other - chanted his name as if he is the one to deliver them from the economic woes of nearly eight years of George W. Bush, a president by fact functioned as a "war president".

Economics was not a strong suit of George W. Bush or of his administration. McCain is similar because he also wants to be seen as a war president because of his lack of knowledge, understanding, and concern of the economics of the nation and of its people, but is Barack Obama really THE agent of change?

Like a Rock Star thousands flocked to Barack Obama, many mainly because they did not want to see Hilary Clinton in the White House, but more pointedly, they consciously or unconsciously did not want to see Bill Clinton in the White House. Many people fabricated reasons why they did not like Hilary Clinton, all of which were fictitious because who they were really aiming at was; yes you got it right - Bill Clinton.

Now let us look at this new agent of change, this person who is going to lead America away from the combative, do nothing atmosphere that has plagued the Congress since the hard right wingers came to power. Actually the hard right began to have a strong hold with the beginning of Ronald Regan but was intensified under the regime of George W. Bush.

What is the politics of Barack Obama? In a nutshell his voting pattern was not much different than that of Hilary Clinton - No hint of agent of change there. Going on, what are Obama's voting record and his political views that are publicly known? Since items under his voting record and political views are numerous I will only give you a reference for you to lookup for yourself. Issues that are of a pressing concern nationally to me, I will show. I will only speak in length to his voting record and views concerning one particular topic.

* Reduce recidivism by providing ex-offender supports. (Feb 2008)
* Ban racial profiling & eliminate disparities in sentencing. (Feb 2008)
* Have a civil rights division enforce laws fairly and justly. (Jan 2008)
* GovWatch: No, more young black men in college than in prison. (Jan 2008)
* Lack of enforcement sets tone for more hate crimes. (Dec 2007)
* Legislated protecting police detainees during interrogation. (Nov 2007)
* Pushed Illinois bill to videotape all capital interrogations. (Oct 2007)
* No extra penalty for gang association. (Oct 2007)
* Works on ex-offender laws because it could have been him. (Aug 2007)
* Need justice that is not just us, but is everybody. (Jun 2007)
* Some heinous crimes justify the ultimate punishment. (Oct 2006)
* Videotape all capital punishment interrogations. (Oct 2006)
* Battles legislatively against the death penalty. (Jul 2004)
* Supports alternative sentencing and rehabilitation. (Jul 1998)
* Voted YES on reinstating $1.15 billion funding for the COPS Program. (Mar 2007)
* Rated 75% by the NCJA, indicating a mixed record on criminal justice. (Dec 2005)

Left out of the list of his voting record and views on several major topics pointed to by the first reference is Barack Obama's voting record and views on sex offenses and sex offenders. As a senator from Illinois Barack Obama cosponsored or had a rather negative participation in sex offender issues. Why do I say negative? Barack Obama also carries that broad brush of inclusion. He is no different, and definitely not an agent of change in how sex offender laws are made and administered:

Sex Offenders

Senator Obama cosponsored Dru's Law which creates a nationwide sex offender database and requires greater monitoring of sex offenders upon their release from prison. The bill passed the Senate in July of 2005. This legislation was incorporated into a larger bill, the Adam Walsh Child Protection Act, which Senator Obama supported and which has been signed into law.

He also cosponsored the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. This bill increases the penalties for sex crimes against children under the age of 12 and creates a national Internet site known as the National Sex Offender Public Registry. The bill would also provide grants to local law enforcement to assist in preventing and investigating sex crimes against minors.

Senator Obama is a cosponsor of the KIDS Act, which requires convicted sex offenders to provide their Internet identifiers, such as e-mail addresses and instant message addresses for inclusion into the national sex offender registry.

On face value the laws and Act's described are good, but what makes them unbalanced and thus bad is the inclusion of ALL. Barack Obama has not fought for equitable sex offender laws, and he certainly has not fought for Due Process in the Laws or for Ex Post Facto violations or the Bill of Rights as these pertain to all citizens of the United States of America. When it comes to so called sex offenses and so called sex offenders Barack Obama is no friend to Due Process in the Laws, nor is he a friend to shoring up the constitutional Ex Post Facto clauses, nor is he a friend to civil liberties, the United States Constitution, nor the Bill of Rights.

A question that can and will be asked here is; Is Barack Obama no different than the current governor of Florida, Charlie Crist, or the current Governor of Texas, Perry, or the current governors of Ohio, Illinois, and of other states where severe and extreme residence restrictions, and job restrictions have been placed upon any and everyone who must wear the label of [registered] sex offender? The answer is not difficult; his voting record shows a notable disregard for human rights, human liberties, Due Process of law, and Ex Post Facto of persons unjustly wearing that label that has the default meaning of "Child Molester", a fact of which many are not.

Overall are the views and voting records of Barack Obama far better for the people than John McCain, absolutely? We civil rights activists who are concerned over the ignoring of constitutional plain language and the rights of the citizens under that constitution, cannot be ignored, for even though his has voting record is oriented toward the people, this still does not justify his disregard for the rights and inequity in the laws of a growing number of people accused of, and convicted of a listed sex offense, even though their actual offense was not sexual in nature, or in effect.

The public does not know in general what these politicians and vigilantes are doing, but we who have a watchful eye on governments do understand the pandering and crookedness of a number of political figures, and the length they will go to, to build themselves in the eyes of the blinded public. Thousands of people can expect to continue to be hurt by extremism demonstrated by the likes of Barack Obama, and John McCain. Choose between the least worst of the two if you can.

Sources:

http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Barack_Obama.htm
http://www.hrw.org/reports/2007/us0907/