# Obama interview on "redistributing wealth": will this play? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 28, 2008, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-interview-on-redistributing-wealth-will-this-play/469884 "2008-10-28T02:08:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-interview-on-redistributing-wealth-will-this-play/469884/21 "2008-10-28T14:59:07Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > _sigh_ You know, there was a time when a Democrat could speak of “redistributing wealth” and nobody raised an eyebrow. There was also a time when “liberal” wasn’t a four-letter word. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-interview-on-redistributing-wealth-will-this-play/469884/22 "2008-10-28T15:06:02Z")
OK, after actually listening to the audio: I found that interview to a bit disturbing, but it’s so vague that it’s hard to know what specific legislative proposals he was talking about. And since he’s running for president, he won’t be in the legislative branch anyway. I also don’t think that interview lends itself to picking out sound bites, as it’s pretty esoteric stuff- very high level discussion without any specifics. It’s more a discussion about the role of the legislative vs the judicial branch than about specific policy proposal. In summary, McCain is still forked. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-interview-on-redistributing-wealth-will-this-play/469884/23 "2008-10-28T15:19:19Z")
[Ridiculousness about Redistribution: Drudge and Others by Cass Sunstein](http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archive/2008/10/27/ridiculousness-about-redistribution-drudge-and-others.aspx) > [@](#): > > In that interview, Obama was discussing efforts, in the 1960s and 1970s, to redistribute resources through the federal courts. Obama said that the Warren Court was not so terribly radical, because it “never entered into the issues of redistribution of wealth, and sort of more basic issues of political and economic justice in this society.” He complained, not that the Court refused to enter into those issues, but that “the civil-rights movement became so court-focussed,” > > In answering a caller’s question, he said that the court “is just not very good at” redistribution. Obama added, with approval, that the Constitution “is generally a charter of negative liberties.” > > Obama’s principal claim–about the institutional limits of the courts–was made by many conservatives (including Robert Bork) in the 1960s and 1970s: Courts should not attempt to guarantee “positive” rights, or interpret the Constitution to redistribute wealth. Obama is squarely rejecting the claim that was made by many liberal lawyers, professors, and judges at the time–and that is being made by some today. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-interview-on-redistributing-wealth-will-this-play/469884/24 "2008-10-28T19:46:46Z")
I guess I should slack off and let the Government feed and clothe me then. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-interview-on-redistributing-wealth-will-this-play/469884.md?page=1)