Now, I’m not at this moment arguing the possible reasons for his position on this issue, and I realize that some people don’t consider social issues important, but do you not agree that this represents an extreme position? He now claims to want to make abortion rare but legal, yet his political positions IMO would do the opposite (the only rationale to support the idea that this would result is the naive belief that abortions would decline if poverty were alleviated and education and contraception were more available.)

On other issues, I don’t necessarily think he’s as extreme as he is on that one, yet there’s certainly an overall imbalance toward left wing positions and a pattern of allying himself with certain people with far left positions (without a balance of similar working relationships with right leaning policymakers.*) On education, for example, I find the writings of Bill Ayers to be extremely disturbing, and although he is not an advisor to Obama he is someone that Obama chose to work with on education reform and I think we’re owed an explanation of where Obama’s positions on education reform overlap with Ayers and where they’re differentiated. Given that one of Obama’s advisors is Linda Darling-Hammond, who believes that reparations should be paid to African Americans in the form of education funding (and Obama has expressed sympathy with that position, though in less politically toxic rhetoric), I find it astounding that no journalist or debate mediator found it important to ask him to expound on his views on that (Gwen Stefani had the perfect opening when Obama responded to her question about how the economic meltdown might affect spending priorities by saying that he felt education funding could not be taken off the table.) This also goes to the recent controversy over his statements regarding the SCOTUS and civil rights movement, where he revealed his belief in the need for social justice through education funding. (Here too, I’m not even arguing whether or not he’s right about that- I can sympathize with the goal of improving education for impoverished communities and particularly black communities- but his approach to this strikes me as knee jerk liberal instead of as his moderate supporters believe, an example of him looking for solutions from all sides.)

On taxes and economic policy, he repeatedly stresses a bottom up and redistributionist ideology rather than anything which would be pro-business or pro-growth. If this is his core belief system, then I don’t see how the far left wing (pro-government growth) crowd will be held in check at all with regard to federal spending.

His positions on protectionism/free trade are hard to discern because he’s obviously pandered to his base and we really don’t know where he’ll ultimately come down on trade agreements. And perhaps I am exaggerating a bit here (I do think there’s a difference of degree) but I find it disturbing that we’re about to elect someone who’s promising policies of increasing top tax brackets and implementing more protectionist policies after a crash in financial markets, when those were basically the policies of Herbert Hoover (again, acknowledging that the two situations are not precisely analogous, but the trends of policy reflect similar instincts which proved to have disastrous results in the 30s.) Here I’m getting off the track of right vs. left, but the impulses Obama shows are the ones that currently are mainly espoused by the left wing although they’ve previously been held by right wingers (getting off on a tangent here a bit, but Tony Blair has had some interesting things to say about that realignment, that conservatives are now generally the ones who are less protectionist and looking more toward global free trade.)

On defense, Obama’s had a disturbing trend of seeming to believe that his personality and anti-Bushness will magically transform our relations with our allies and our enemies alike. He’s opposed reasonable defense spending even as he claims that he wants to reinvigorate the mission in Afghanistan. He’s double talked on Israel/Palestine, Russia/Georgia, shown naivete in telecasting a resolve to cross the border into Pakistan to get bin Laden, etc, etc.

He’s claimed to be an outsider who brings reform to DC, yet his campaign has been deceitful and opaque on its donor list, and his ties to ACORN and unwillingness to denounce the recent abuses are disturbing to say the least.

In short, I believe he’s a cipher and when I try to crack the code I see much more left wing sympathies than right, and in some cases some pretty extreme left wing ones at that. Perhaps I have been a bit hyperbolic in some of my comments recently, but I’d say that’s in reaction to so many people seemingly ignoring all of the evidence that points one way on Obama in favor of belief in his claims to be more moderate and a scant amount of evidence of earning respect from some on the right.

*IOW, even if one were to accept the premise that he will work with some controversial figures because good ideas can come from these sources if one avoids the extreme positions, then why doesn’t he also work with some right wing ideologues who may also have expertise on various issues?

You are clearly stating

Since I do not see facts to back up the hyperbolic and breathless characterizations of an “extreme record”, I don’t accept the premise of your question,

Obama’s voting record is very well known.

My question to you – which to date you have refused to answer is

Interested :
out of general morbid curiosity Jason, what would you classify as extreme?
Would it be a voting record beyond a pure 100% liberal or conservative?
would it be the top 5 voting record for each wing?
Some other known-only-to-jason record?
Or does all defining where a person lands based on their voting record wind up as hysteria?

So? care to state what defines what you would or would not consider?

you have zero interest in classifying what you would begin to consider as a valid argument against your views …
I’m not surprised that you consider anybody questioning your reasoning as being baited…
you’re demanding a specific format for someone challenging your statements

Please stop telling lies about what I did or didn’t say, Interested.

But it’s a simple question – you’re demanding a specific format for someone challenging your statements. What exactly falls within your parameters – if there is any.

I have an email I should forward to you that someone sent to me regarding how to reply to comments. – or is that reply.

out of general morbid curiosity Jason, what would you classify as extreme?

If that attitude is your starting point, there really is no point in attempting to discuss it. Clearly, I am insane.

Would it be a voting record beyond a pure 100% liberal or conservative?
would it be the top 5 voting record for each wing?
Some other known-only-to-jason record?

Or does all defining where a person lands based on their voting record wind up as hysteria?

I agree with what you said earlier, by the way, that most times the concerns about extremism are overplayed. But in the current climate I think it’s more dangerous to underestimate the concern than it is to overestimate it. I can’t remember a time when any person was elected as POTUS with as extreme of a record (one side or the other) combined with a likely large majority in both houses for their own party, with leadership in those houses which is from the more extreme wing of the party, and with such a compliant press. Can you?

Since I do not see facts to back up the hyperbolic and breathless characterizations of an “extreme record”, I don’t accept the premise of your question, Christine. Time and time and time and time again, I have seen these claims of Obama’s “extremism” backed up by nothing more than selective reporting and completely wild interpretations that assume the conclusion more than prove it. I don’t buy it.

I find it remarkable that so may of Obama’s critics are incapable of expressing their dissent without constantly descending into such hyperbole and hysteria. It appears increasingly indistinguishable from BDS in form.

It’s too late now to get into a lengthy debate about it, but that’s the impression I was left with FWIW. You have your reasons, but what I’ve seen of them is wholly unconvincing as far as I’m concerned. And you don’t seem to address the degree of dissonance between his liberal voting record and his current rhetoric, other than to dismiss it on the basis of what you believe is hyperbole on our part.

I agree with what you said earlier, by the way, that most times the concerns about extremism are overplayed. But in the current climate I think it’s more dangerous to underestimate the concern than it is to overestimate it. I can’t remember a time when any person was elected as POTUS with as extreme of a record (one side or the other) combined with a likely large majority in both houses for their own party, with leadership in those houses which is from the more extreme wing of the party, and with such a compliant press. Can you?