As I talk to my more liberal friends and fellow students, they mention how excited they are to vote for Barack Obama. Each time I ask them why they are voting for him, the response includes something about a need for change in D.C., how exciting he is or what great policies he has.

Every time, I try to explain that though he might be young and exciting, his policies and records absolutely do not reflect us as students or America as a whole. His record is so thin and full of so many questionable actions. How can we trust him?

With only eight years in the Illinois Senate and four years in the U.S. Senate, what has Obama achieved that voters can be proud of?

When I hear Obama talk about bringing leadership to the White House, I feel like those are empty words. In his “leadership role” in the U.S. Senate, he cannot even hold a hearing of his subcommittee on European Relations, according to the Annenberg Public Policy Center’s Factcheck.org.

Leadership is about taking tough stands, even if it hurts you politically in the future. That means explaining what your views are on controversial issues.

If you are going to talk about change, you must represent your policies correctly. Yesterday’s Wall Street Journal looked at Obama’s promise to cut taxes for 95 percent of Americans and found some interesting numbers. He has promised to cut taxes down to 18.2 percent of the Gross Domestic Product, but how can you do that when you both cut taxes and increase spending? Also, the Wall Street Journal found many of Obama’s tax cuts were actually tax credits – they aren’t the same thing. Under his policies, 44 percent of tax filers will pay no taxes. That does not sound equitable to me.

This newspaper isn’t big enough to look at the cost of each of Obama’s plans, but health care is one of the most dramatic. Last month in a 60 Minutes interview, he admitted his employer health care mandate would cost at least $150 billion. Other experts peg it much higher, especially when including an increased regulatory burden.

If Obama were elected president, how effective would he be working with the U.S. Senate? “We all know there is not enough money to do all this stuff,” Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller said.

Americans deserve to know who is the real Obama. They deserve to learn about his liberal voting record, his lack of courage and his failure to lead. John McCain and Sarah Palin are running on their records that show they are confident, courageous and effective leaders. Obama is running on platitudes because his record shows he is not fit for command.

To learn more about Obama and his record, Francisco Gonzalez, author of “Who is the Real Barack Obama?,” will speak Thursday at 7 p.m. in SLC 148. Whether you think Obama is the right choice, are still un-decided, or want to solidify your vote for McCain, you need to hear this lecture.

- Greg Wilson is a
news writer for The
Red & Black.