Obama - Man without a moral compass

Obama’s 12 years as a law professor. . . see excerpts below from an article by Jodi Kantor. it gives great insight into his days of teaching. He rarely, if ever took a stand on an issue. Obama believed that taking sides could cost him in the future (politically). How right he was. However, a lifelong habit of failing to take sides may prove to be an even greater liability during his run for the Presidency.

How can Obama expect the American people to support him, when he has demonstrated a lifelong penchant for failing to take a stand on important issues? Especially when his past proves that his motivation was based on political expediency? He deliberately avoided taking sides merely to preserve his own personal political future (witness Obama’s Senate voting record wherein he voted “present” so many times).

Obama’s failure to go on the record in the past gives rise to great doubt about his future as a Commander in chief and decision maker. Debate is fine. But true leaders must make decisions. They must possess the intestinal fortitude to make controversial decisions and risk being wrong. How can we put our faith and trust in a leader who has made a lifelong commitment to avoid tough decisions?

Prediction: If elected, Obama’s Presidency will be marked by a level of decision-making paralysis not seen since the Carter Administration.

Ruth Kimble
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THE LONG RUN
Teaching Law, Testing Ideas, Obama Stood Apart

By JODI KANTOR
Published: July 30, 2008
Copyright – NY Times

CHICAGO — “The young law professor stood apart in too many ways to count. At a school where economic analysis was all the rage, he taught rights, race and gender. Other faculty members dreamed of tenured positions; he turned them down. While most colleagues published by the pound, he never completed a single work of legal scholarship.” . . .
. . . “In his voting rights course, Mr. Obama taught Lani Guinier’s proposals for structuring elections differently to increase minority representation. Opponents attacked those suggestions when Ms. Guinier was nominated as assistant attorney general for civil rights in 1993, costing her the post.
“I think he thought they were good and worth trying,” said David Franklin, who now teaches law at DePaul University in Chicago.
But whether out of professorial reserve or budding political caution, Mr. Obama would not say so directly. “He surfaced all the competing points of view on Guinier’s proposals with total neutrality and equanimity,” Mr. Franklin said. “He just let the class debate the merits of them back and forth.”
While students appreciated Mr. Obama’s evenhandedness, colleagues sometimes wanted him to take a stand. When two fellow faculty members asked him to support a controversial antigang measure, allowing the Chicago police to disperse and eventually arrest loiterers who had no clear reason to gather, Mr. Obama discussed the issue with unusual thoughtfulness, they say, but gave little sign of who should prevail — the American Civil Liberties Union, which opposed the measure, or the community groups that supported it out of concern about crime.
“He just observed it with a kind of interest,” said Daniel Kahan, now a professor at Yale.
Nor could his views be gleaned from scholarship; Mr. Obama has never published any. He was too busy, but also, Mr. Epstein believes, he was unwilling to put his name to anything that could haunt him politically, as Ms. Guinier’s writings had hurt her. “He figured out, you lay low,” Mr. Epstein said.
The Chicago law faculty is full of intellectually fiery friendships that burn across ideological lines. Three times a week, professors do combat over lunch at a special round table in the university’s faculty club, and they share and defend their research in workshop discussions. Mr. Obama rarely attended, even when he was in town. . .”
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Ruth...

Submitted by yardman5508 on Wed, 07/30/2008 - 4:52pm.

While I am sure nothing I will say here will change your mind about Mr. Obama, exactly what do you see as the function of a teacher? The ultimate goal of a teacher should be to get students to THINK for themselves, not tell them what to think. Sounds to me like he was performing his function very adequately. Keep the faith.

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Function of a teacher (Obama)

Submitted by Ruth Kimble on Thu, 07/31/2008 - 9:09am.

As a teacher, fine. Obama's actions and methodology are admirable. But what we are seeing here is a pattern. A pattern that extended far beyond his teaching days. Obama exhibited he same pattern as a legistator, including his numerous "present" votes during his 142 days in the US Senate. That is what I find truly disturbing. Because it appears his actions were based on pure political expediency and blind ambition. His unwillingness to take a stand is very troubling.

Tell me again. Why should the American people put faith and trust in such a man? He is an empty suit. An unknown quantity.

Sorry, but I have absolutely no assurance that on day one as President, Obama will suddenly become a decisive leader. A decision maker is what we need in these perilous times. Not a man that will either rely on endless debate, or stick his political wind digit in the air to inform his decision (rely on public opinion).

Based on this pattern of indecisive behavior, Obama has proven to me that he is not ready to serve as our President.

Ruth Kimble

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Ruth K. - on Obama

Submitted by Main Stream on Wed, 07/30/2008 - 2:42pm.

The more I read and learn about Obama, the more I see him as a person who does not view the world in black and white, but in shades of gray.... to me, that is a more reasoned way to conduct ones life. Why did he have to choose sides, in relation to this article, for you, or anyone for that matter?

I want a President who can see BOTH SIDES in situations and on important issues. Seems very rational to me.

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I agree

Submitted by jackyldo on Thu, 07/31/2008 - 6:46am.

and how anyone can say Obama is without a Moral Compass is beyond me.
Does this person have a person 1 on 1 relationship.

While visiting the Western Wall i Jerusalem Obama placed a prayer in the wall, which was taken (and later returned) by a yeshiva student.

It's contents were printed by the Israeli Newspaper Maariv
"The note says:

Lord,

Protect my family and me. Forgive me my sins and help me guard against pride and despair.

Give me the wisdom to do what is right and just.

And make me an instrument of your will.

This is from a personal and hand written thoughts of a man with no moral compass?

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