Colin Powell Endorses Obama (Updated)
[Guest post by DRJ]
On Sunday, former Bush Secretary of State Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama for President. Powell described Obama as a “transformational figure, he is a new generation coming onto the world stage, onto the American stage.” Powell also supported Obama’s tax policies:
“Now I guess the message this week is, “We’re going to call him a socialist, Mr. Obama is now a socialist, because he dares to suggest that maybe we ought to look at the tax structure that we have.”
Taxes are always a redistribution of money. Most of the taxes that are redistributed go back to those who paid them, in roads and airports and hospitals and schools. And taxes are necessary for the common good. And there is nothing wrong with examining what our tax structure is or who should be paying more, who should be paying less. And for us to say that that makes you a socialist, I think is an unfortunate characterization that isn’t accurate.”
Powell has taken an oath to support and defend the Constitution at least twice, as a member of the military and as Secretary of State, so I’m sure he knows that the Constitution gives the government power to tax and spend solely for the “common Defence and general Welfare.” The term “general welfare” appears twice in the Constitution, first in the Preamble:
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
… and then in the first paragraph of Article I., Section 8:
“Section. 8.
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States; …”
The Federalist Paper 41 suggests the Founding Fathers viewed the general welfare as limited to certain enumerated powers — things like Powell’s “roads and airports and hospitals and schools” that are “necessary for the common good” — but over time the phrase has come to mean something very different. Now Obama, with Powell’s blessing, advocates taking tax money from one person and giving it directly to another.
Obama calls it “spreading the wealth” and he thinks it’s a good idea, but perhaps he should have spent more time in England during his world tour this summer. England has government-mandated redistribution of the earnings of one person directly to another. It doesn’t work there in practice, nor will it work in theory in America.
UPDATE: The editors of Investors Business Daily wonder if Powell endorsed Obama to ensure his prediction that the Iraq War would fail comes true:
“The only credible conclusion, especially considering Powell’s timing, calculated for maximum impact, is that this is petty payback to the Bush administration and the Republican Party for the president’s refusal to take his advice on Iraq.
An Obama administration, in fact, might make Powell’s prediction that the Iraq conflict cannot “be put down or solved by the armed forces of the United States” seem to come true. Powell might have just given himself a future in the Democratic Party, but in this instance a fine general has not served his country.”
— DRJ
I have been puzzled for a long time as to what degree people believe what they say, or do they knowingly twist words to say what they believe in a disingenuous way.
I think it’s a stretch to say taxes are always a redistribution of money, unless you argue that it is being “redistributed” from individuals to the common pot which is government. It is an entirely different thing to redistribute money from one citizen to another by force. At best that has been attributed to Robin Hood, at worst it is called theft.
While the Obama’s personally should be affected by tax increases for those earning over $250,000, there seem to always be loopholes that can be used by those able to pay the fees of a CPA or tax lawyer. But then again, who needs tax loopholes if you can get help buying a house from a felon who specializes in fraud.
MD in Philly (3d3f72) — 10/20/2008 @ 5:40 amI thought Colin Powell was a murderous liar. The Leftist narratives always get me confused. He is a murderous liar until he endorses Baracky, at which point his endorsement is proof of your racism, or something like that.
JD (f7900a) — 10/20/2008 @ 5:42 amJD- Good morning.
I think it means you get called a liar if you are working with conservatives.
Apparently. once you go to the Left, creating world peace and harmony are such important goals that whatever must be done is justifiable.
Have a good day, I need to get to work now.
MD in Philly (3d3f72) — 10/20/2008 @ 5:49 amSecretary Powell was not asked about Barky’s opposition to the surge in Iraq.
Ghost of Ted Gold (9fd170) — 10/20/2008 @ 5:50 amlol
griefer (0ce4e8) — 10/20/2008 @ 5:58 amWe better hope it works in America, since the GOP adminstration just nationalized the banking industry.
We are all socialists on this bus.
It is remarkable how many much mendacity can be fit into just 16 words.
JD (f7900a) — 10/20/2008 @ 6:01 amMs. Phillips is a bit oafish with the hyperbolic ‘welfarism’ isn’t she? ‘welfarism’ is a necessary ingredient of any Technological society …like educating the rugrats to run a Techno society. We’ve had welfare for the well-connected for sometime now. “W” Bush got his only profitable enterprise going due to eminent domain taking of property from poor people in the wrong place where his Ranger’s stadium was to be built in Texas. And the 700 Billion bailout eclipses any ‘welfare’ for po’ folks.
“Privatize Profits, Socialize Costs” is the Republican mantra…as we see JD not working while cockolding his Insurance employer.
Let’s hear JD’s usual cocksnoozling retorts!!
datadave (a50390) — 10/20/2008 @ 6:02 amnishi is a two-digit far left side of the distribution moonbat.
JD (f7900a) — 10/20/2008 @ 6:02 amas we see JD not working while cockolding his Insurance employer.
I am not at work, asshat. I am on vacation. Now, step away from the bong.
JD (f7900a) — 10/20/2008 @ 6:04 amPatterico – When you have trolls like datadave and nishit/griefer/falconer, you have hit the big-time, or the mother lode of krazy. These clowns would get along famously with David Petranos and MKDP.
JD (f7900a) — 10/20/2008 @ 6:05 amI want to be free to work harder and earn (keep) more money. Is it fair that people who don’t pay taxes get a tax rebate?
The Democrats are turning our tax system into welfare.
Amphipolis (fdbc48) — 10/20/2008 @ 6:05 amAmphipolis – To the Left, that is a feature, not a bug.
JD (f7900a) — 10/20/2008 @ 6:06 amHave to add this tidbit: Only Republicans seem to be involved in Voter Fraud…acorn was only registering accidently a few cheaters who were getting paid for registration forms handed in. Republicans actually get arrested for what they claim only Democrats are guilty of: Vote Fraud participant nailed
datadave (a50390) — 10/20/2008 @ 6:07 amYou’re on Vacation a lot, big guy. Hope you’re enjoying the downsizing.
datadave (a50390) — 10/20/2008 @ 6:08 amRedistribute wealth – from us to politicians.
William Jefferson’s freezer cash
Charlie Rangel’s rent stabilized apartments
Nancy Pelosi’s support for lower minimum wage except where it hurts her tuna industry
Harry Reid’s imaginative real estate deals
Barack Obama’s imaginative real estate deals
Chris Dodd’s sweet mortgage deals
Tim Mahoney’s mistress payoff
Socialism = Animal Farm.
Amphipolis (fdbc48) — 10/20/2008 @ 6:19 amThe ability to vote money from a rich guy’s pocket into your pocket is an illusion. Most of it will end up in a politician’s pocket.
Do you want more money? Get a better job. Work more hours. Spend responsibly. That’s the only way. Government intervention to change this formula only produces corruption and more poverty.
Amphipolis (fdbc48) — 10/20/2008 @ 6:25 amdatadave – Go get yourself banned from another site. Why is it that the trolls seem to take such a personal interest in me?
JD (f7900a) — 10/20/2008 @ 6:27 amdave, I say hang ’em high, no matter what party they cheat for and for even one fraudulent registration, like in the Jacoby story you linked. You, OTOH, have the audacity (idiody? delusion?) to call what ACORN has been caught doing “only registering accidently a few cheaters” when it’s been demonstrated that tens, if not hundreds of thousands of fake registrations have been turned in by ACORN. See the difference there?
Oh, and what’s JD’s schedule looking like for next week? You’re keeping track of that, right?
Pablo (99243e) — 10/20/2008 @ 6:28 amEver get that “Fatal Attraction” feeling, JD?
Pablo (99243e) — 10/20/2008 @ 6:29 amWhat does doucheydave care who gets into office? Isn’t he the one who doesn’t participate in paying income taxes, yet bitches about what’s wrong with this administration?
Ghost of Ted Gold (9fd170) — 10/20/2008 @ 6:34 amDouchey, you’re no better than an illegal alien!
Yes, Pablo. I do get that feeling. I had timmah posting my life history last week, and datadave caring about whether I am at work or at home working on some new renovations to the homestead.
JD (f7900a) — 10/20/2008 @ 6:36 amHere’s a little advice on how you might want to spend part of your weekend, JD.
Pablo (99243e) — 10/20/2008 @ 6:40 amACORN is the victim here. Time and time again the poor people they hire and train commit fraud. All over the country, over decades, they are ignorant people set up to take the fall convicted of cheating ACORN. How could ACORN possibly know that these people would do anything to get a few bucks registering people multiple times, just like before the last election?
It is clearly a Republican conspiracy to thwart the registration of the poor heroes who frequently turn out at over 100% on election day.
Amphipolis (fdbc48) — 10/20/2008 @ 6:44 amHaving a gun sale at Church is a brilliant idea, Pablo. I will do that right after I get done tearing down some cedar shake siding, replacing it with Hardieplank, painting, and staining.
JD (f7900a) — 10/20/2008 @ 6:46 amSo, datadave, one incident of fraudulent voter registration on the Right, which if true, he should be penalized the maximum amount under the law, is somehow equivalent to the systemic fraud by ACORN?
JD (f7900a) — 10/20/2008 @ 6:48 amJD, Vote Fraud is in the DNA of Democrats. It is also their religion.
PCD (7fe637) — 10/20/2008 @ 6:53 amDidn’t Powell’s seriousness and _maturity_ impress you? Where have the mature Republicans gone? Compare his demeanor to that of Palin or GW Bush — what an embarassment. I wish Powell had been the GOP nominee this year.
Jack (a9896a) — 10/20/2008 @ 6:59 amJack – If Powell were a Republican, or had he chosen to run, maybe he could have been the GOP nominee. Since he is/did not of the above …
JD (f7900a) — 10/20/2008 @ 7:06 amWas that before or after he stomped off in a huff and let other people take the fall for what he knew his assistant had done?
Rob Crawford (6c262f) — 10/20/2008 @ 7:07 amRob – You must never speak of Armitage. It is a given that KKKarl Rove and Chimpy McHitlerburton outed Valerie Plame, and seriously damaged our national security, in order to silence and crush domestic dissent.
JD (f7900a) — 10/20/2008 @ 7:09 amregistration isn’t the same as voting. Probably hiring impoverished door-to-door activists isn’t a good way to prevent over registration of non-voters like Micky Mouse but giving people a job in these perilous times isn’t all bad. Acorn was endorsed by McCain not too long ago btw.
Yeah, Mayor Daley *senior, probably pushed Kennedy into the White House with some organized fraud…but how long ago was that? Since then the Voter Suppression by Republcans has been a bigger issue. Registering people and throwing away their registrations has been a long time tactic of Republicans…when the voter shows up to vote he or she finds out she can’t vote as the fake registration wasn’t filed.
I’d like to see a National Holiday for once a year called Voting day allowing people more access to the polls…many people don’t vote just due to the long lines and long hours at work. Voting Day would be more important than President’s Day IMHO…but who’d support it? It’d be easy to predict that Republicans would be against it more than Democrats. And why? (Your answers would only validate my hypothesis.)
whomever, I pay a bigger proportion of income taxes than warren buffett btw. Just about everyone does.
jd, i did find timmie’s revelations very interesting and appropriately pigeoning you into a PC hole. Sorry, it was so fitting!! and my mentioning you was just a defense by offense. The usual JD-namecalling is always expected when you’re on-line.
anyway, packing my bags for another trip. Patterico does have a relatively civil blog.
Since ‘welfarism’ was in his link, I think some interest should be developed as to who will really be hurting from Wall Street’s excesses: Do we really want multitudes of Beggars on the Streets in the next couple of years?
datadave (a50390) — 10/20/2008 @ 7:13 amIs Powell going to come under fire now? Is he not a distinguished Republican? What happened? You guys, suck!
SpreadtheWealthAround2008 (a54233) — 10/20/2008 @ 7:13 amSo if someone seems serious and mature, that still doesn’t make what they say correct. Secretary Powell spoke of taxes paying for the rebuilding of infrastructure, which is definitely a good thing. Yet, he endorses Senator Obama, whose policy of taking more money from those paying the majority of the tax burden, and give it to people who pay no income tax at all. How’s that going towards the infrastructure? He may sound serious and mature, but you have to question his logic.
Ghost of Ted Gold (9fd170) — 10/20/2008 @ 7:14 amTell that to O!, who refers to Warren Buffet as someone that would be advising him on economic matters.
Ghost of Ted Gold (9fd170) — 10/20/2008 @ 7:21 amCite, please. I know that the Left likes to make this claim because McCain spoke on his immigration bill in Florida at something ACORN was amongst the sponsors of, but I have never seen where he affirmatively endorsed them. Although, it would be racist of him to not endorse them. So, perhaps he did.
Evidence?
Because Warren Buffet is not paid the same way you are.
What PC do you pigeonhole me in, and WTF does that even mean?
JD (f7900a) — 10/20/2008 @ 7:21 amThey held a mock election at my daughter’s school.
My daughter, 6 years, six months, seventeen days, eight hours and fifty minutes old, got into this conversation with a PTA mom, afterwards, explaining why she voted for McCain:
Daughter: I wanted Hillary to be President but now she can’t be so I voted for Sarah because there has never been a girl President. There have only been boy Presidents.
PTA mom: But Sarah is not running for President, she is running for Vice-President. And you know there has never been an African-American President.
My daughter does not know race. She knows only that people look different. But she sees that she is not connecting and switches arguments.
Daughter: I want to have a paper-route. (She pronounced it “root”). And Obama is going to steal all my money and give it to other people.
nk (6367bf) — 10/20/2008 @ 7:32 amOh, well, then, it’s OK.
Except that some of those fake registrations end up being voted.
If Obama wins, it won’t happen. Largely because it won’t be reported if it does. If McCain wins, we’ll hear about how it happened, even if it doesn’t.
Rob Crawford (6c262f) — 10/20/2008 @ 7:36 amIt is if you get to register and vote on the same day.
Ghost of Ted Gold (9fd170) — 10/20/2008 @ 7:49 amIf Baracky wins, the homeless will disappear, and nobody will struggle, or be poor. That is simply the way it is.
nk – My 6 year old, a few months older, would vote for Sarah as well. Some identity politics seem to be ingrained. When you couple that with the idea that her Daddy says “liar” at the TV every time one of Baracky’s attack ads comes on TV …
JD (f7900a) — 10/20/2008 @ 7:53 amPowell is a freaking liberal. The endorsement is no surprise.
It’s also no surprise that datadave and nishi/griefer/quidlips show up to squawk about the Republican administration nationalizing the banking industry but conveniently leave out the approval of history’s most unpopular Democratic-controlled do nothing Congress. Lying crapweasels as always. I’m looking at you datadate and two digit nishi.
daleyrocks (d9ec17) — 10/20/2008 @ 8:48 am38-
madmax333 (0c6cfc) — 10/20/2008 @ 8:58 amout of the mouth of babes. I have not been polled about election choices at all. I ignore all phone calls that could be pollsters and throw out all the bs literature. I don’t watch the tv ads and change the channel if the Messiah or his thugs come on. So I wonder how is Everyman reacting to the ubiquitous Obama ads? All the arrogant prick does is irritate me, but apparently many of my neighbors have partaken of the kool-aide if the plethora of bumper stickers is any indication.
Kind of funny to see cars parked next to one another with opposing viewpoints on the stickers. The Obama-Biden stuff outnumbers McCain-Palin by 10 to 1 here in Bobby Wexler’s district, at least in my neighborhood. One couple with a new born has the Fla. Pro-life license plate and McCain sticker while their next door neighbors, two fags (not that there’s anything wrong with that)are fanatical Obama worshippers and MCain/Bush loathers.
madmax – FWIW, I cannot stand it when you talk like that.
JD (f7900a) — 10/20/2008 @ 9:19 amEasy DR, your going to pop a vein. Those approval numbers were low before the democrats took control one year and 10 months ago.
It’s been gridlocked obstructionism from W. and the hapless GOP minority ever since as they played political football with crucial legislation.
The dems aren’t faultless, but hell…compared to the 10 years of GOP congressional malfeasance and blistering rubber stamp incompetence beginning with Newt in the mid 90s and then in service to possibly the worst president in the nation’s history -Hoover #2, I was calling him in 2004. I wish I hadn’t been so right– for six of those years. But let’s not talk about the president’s disapproval rating, at this point. He’s history, thankfully.
Here’s something else, I’m right about: If Obama gets into office, his accomplishments are going to make living under the constitutional abuses and arrogance and incompetence of W. these long, long eight years (you have no idea what it’s been like), almost almost worth it.
Peter (e70d1c) — 10/20/2008 @ 9:26 amYet Rep. Pelosi and Sen. Reid have managed to drive them continuously downward, to historically low levels.
I blame Bush.
JD (f7900a) — 10/20/2008 @ 9:28 amThe term “Defense” has changed quite a bit since the Constitution was written, too.
Don’t think the Founding Fathers were into “pre-emptive” wars.
snuffles (677ec2) — 10/20/2008 @ 9:28 amThe number of modern concept that the Founding Fathers were not likely into would likely be breath-taking to someone like you, sniffles.
JD (f7900a) — 10/20/2008 @ 9:35 amComment by snuffles — 10/20/2008 @ 9:28 am
At the time of the founding, the sea boundaries of nations were established by the “3-mile limit”.
Another Drew (25937f) — 10/20/2008 @ 9:56 amThis measure was used as it was the max range of cannon of the time.
If we were to index that to current technology, there are very few areas of the world where we cannot project power, or consider that they would be unable to project a threat back at us.
Therefore, pre-emptive defense is a just theory.
It’s not so hard to understand that we’ve moved our “3 mile limit” out so far that it has bankrupted our nation, JD.
Defense has increased in cost far more that social programs under the 8 year Republican rule.
I’d rather my tax dollars went to help out some struggling American family that some fat cat war profiteer.
snuffles (677ec2) — 10/20/2008 @ 10:29 amOr a soldier.
JD (f7900a) — 10/20/2008 @ 10:31 amHey, here’s a great example of the “practice” of Obama’s “Healthcare for all”.
Apogee (366e8b) — 10/20/2008 @ 10:42 amDefense has increased in cost far more that social programs under the 8 year Republican rule.
Unless you’ve got OMB data to back up that assertion, I would have to classify it as just another Left-Wing, Moon-bat Lie!
Bring on the data!
Another Drew (25937f) — 10/20/2008 @ 10:45 amYou would seriously contest that defense spending (off-budget and on) has risen more than social programs? Two wars versus one prescription drug mandate? You seriously need an OMB link to know that is true? And, I note, not a CBO link, because them libs might cook the books!
Well, then see this:
Drew, has spending on social programs risen 48% since 2001?
timb (a83d56) — 10/20/2008 @ 11:05 amAD – If the war is placed in the DOD budget, then techncally I would think that was an accurate statement. There could be a legitimate discussion as to whether or not the war is necessarily properly appropriated to the DOD.
JD (f7900a) — 10/20/2008 @ 11:10 amThe term “Defense” has changed quite a bit since the Constitution was written, too.
Don’t think the Founding Fathers were into “pre-emptive” wars.
Comment by snuffles
Another ignorant lefty. Do you know what the War of 1812 was ? Look it up sometime. Do you know what “The shores of Tripoli” in the Marine hymn refer to ? Of course not. Look up Tripoli pirates sometime and learn your country’s history.
God I hate stupid people who think they can argue from ignorance !
timb, what happened in 2001 ? Hmmm ?
More idiots.
Mike K (1ac1c7) — 10/20/2008 @ 11:16 amDon’t think the Founding Fathers were into “pre-emptive” wars.
Actually the founding fathers started the US Navy to fight the Muslim (Barbary) pirates operating in the Mediterranean.
Perfect Sense (9d1b08) — 10/20/2008 @ 11:24 amHey, Doogie Howser, the question wasn’t “why did defense spending increase”? The question “did it rise more than social programs?” Even you would know better than to argue that….
timb (a83d56) — 10/20/2008 @ 11:28 amI cannot even agree with that shithead without it being an ass.
JD (f7900a) — 10/20/2008 @ 11:33 amThe doogie comment is aimed at the good doctor, not you
timb (a83d56) — 10/20/2008 @ 11:40 amIf Obama’s tax plan is Socialist wealth redistribution that is somehow questionable under the Constitution, how is McCain’s health care proposal any different? Seems to me like a $5000 family tax credit, which will exceed total taxes for many lower income families and is subsidized by high income taxpayers, results in the same horrible Socialist redistribution Obama’s plan is accused of featuring.
Aplomb (b6fba6) — 10/20/2008 @ 12:15 pmAplomb, you’re missing the point: they don’t care how the money is spent (although they mildly object to money going to the dirty, ungrateful poor), they just don’t want to have to pay for it! Have you missed the last 8 years? Hell, the last month. Socialism is not when the government owns things; it’s when the govt taxes rich people to pay for the things it just bought! Borrow the money! it’s the Reagan/Bush way.
timb (a83d56) — 10/20/2008 @ 12:42 pmDrew, has spending on social programs risen 48% since 2001?
I don’t know, you seem to have all of the numbers. Why don’t you share them with us?
What was the total Fed Budget in FY-2001?
What percentage was DoD?
What is the total Fed Budget in FY-2008?
What percentage was DoD?
The remainder of each question would be total, non-defense spending, is it not?
What is the percentage growth from ’01 to ’08 of Non-Defense Spending?
I don’t include war spending in this in that the money for both Iraq and Afghanistan, and other struggles against AQ is spread throught the budget; ie, you’ve go money at State for AID, there is money at Agriculture for efforts in that field to assist both countries, etc. etc.
Another Drew (25937f) — 10/20/2008 @ 1:15 pm“It’s been gridlocked obstructionism from W. and the hapless GOP minority ever since as they played political football with crucial legislation.”
Peter @ 42 – What do you mean by crucial legislation? I thought the Democrats were too busy holding hearings scapegoating the Bush Administration for various offenses to actually introduce any worthwhile legislation. Meanwhile, for the first six years of Bush’s Presidency, the Democrats were officially known as the party of “No.” Calling the Republicans obstructionist after the Democrat performance from 2001-2006 is blinding hypocrisy.
Another commenter already pointed out the problem with your point on approval ratings of Congress.
Next.
daleyrocks (d9ec17) — 10/20/2008 @ 2:19 pmI’ve updated the post to include thoughts from today’s Investors Business Daily editorial.
DRJ (c953ab) — 10/20/2008 @ 7:21 pmIt is definitely no surprise that Powell has backed Barack. And it’s not surprising to read the liberal media’s resounding praise of Powell since his endorsement. The lovefest continues between the leftist illuminati Obama and the unscrupulous media.
Jeff (9f2f2a) — 10/20/2008 @ 9:00 pmJD, you have a six-year-old daughter? From the content and quality of your arguments, I figured you were still in junior high!
AngelSong20 (45027a) — 10/21/2008 @ 11:28 am