How Conservative Is Barack Obama?

  I rated our current POTUS on the Conscious Conservative Scale (see previous posts) to determine how conservative Barack Obama rates.  You can see the conservative principles on the right of this page.  I am including notes so that people can see how I use the scale.  I plan to rate the GOP candidates in upcoming posts.

1.  PRIVATE PROPERTY:  Obama wrote in his book Audacity of Hope, "Our Constitution places the ownership of private property at the very heart of our system of liberty..."  I think he really believes in property rights, but is ignorant to how his tax, monetary and economic policies undermine those rights.  I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt.  10 points 

2.  INCOME TAX:  President Obama has affirmed his belief in the Income Tax on many occasions.  He has advocated increasing it for certain groups.   0 points

3.  INHERITANCE:  In a statement on 12/06/10, the President said, "Republicans have asked for a more generous treatment of the estate tax than I think is warranted."
0 points

4. EMINENT DOMAIN:  Barack Obama put forth what has been called the "largest expansion of federally protected wilderness."  0 points

5.  CENTRAL BANKING:  "President Obama may talk a good populist game and even kick some corporate butt when he goes on the attack against Wall Street “fat cats.” Yet he still enjoys the company of bankers..." from the Moyers and Company episode Crony Capitalism.  0 points


6.  FREEDOM OF SPEECH, ASSEMBLY, TRAVEL:  He signed an extension of the Patriot Act and signed the National Defense Authorization Act.  Need I say more.  0 points


7.  FREE ENTERPRISE:  According to the Bloomberg News Service, "Obama's White House approved 613 federal rules during the first 33 months of his term.."  To his credit, he regulated business less than either Bush the Elder or Bush the Younger had by the same point in their term of office.
5 points


8.  LABOR RIGHTS:  Barack Obama supported the Employee Free Choice Act,which in standard Washington, D.C. fashion meant just the opposite,  He has also went on record as wanting to outlaw contract labor and raise the minimum wage.  0 points


9.  FREE MARKET HOUSING:  Obama keeps supporting policies that pervert the housing market and get in the way of a recovery (rental assistance, tax breaks, mortgage assistance).  He does at least say he wants to get rid of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  For that he gets-- 5 points


10.  EDUCATION:  As part of his Hope and Change agenda, Barack Obama said the he wants to spend federal money for "Early Childhood Education for every child in America."     0 points  


OVERALL SCORE-- 20 points  (Out of 100)


It appears that President Obama scores pretty liberal.  I don't think he would be surprised by that.