What Philosophy Does Obama Ascribe to?

The basic principles of Machiavellian theory are:
1. People are basically dishonest.
2. Most people think about their finances first and then in terms of right and wrong.
3. To get support and power, tell the people what they want to hear.
4. Being kind and honest are not the ways to earn respect.
5. Loyalty is invoked by showing and using your power.
6. There are no "rights" or "wrongs". "Right" is what works it has nothing to do with morality.
7. A good ruler uses polls and public opinion to his advantage by stating their opinions as policy.
8. People are extremely selfish.
9. A promise is not a sacred trust but a tool used to gain and retain power, nothing more.
10. Being "nice" will have you finish last.
11. The ends justify the means.

From his own accounting of the average American, we're greedy, selfish and unable to see our faults. And we overstate our global importance, accomplishments and contributions to the world.

From his own accounting, most Americans only value morals after we consider how it will affect our pocket books and the Conservatives and wealthy are the worst of these.

He used the overwhelming desire for peace as a tool to be elected. He used the overwhelming belief that wealthy do not pay their fair share to gain support and become elected. He and the DNC projected that Pres. Bush had caused all that ails the USA to the people. It was what the people wanted to hear.

He is at best dishonest and that is not kind. He flip flops on a daily basis depending on the audience that he is addressing. He even goes as far as to change his dialect when speaking to a black audience verses any other audience.

He has said," I won." And now warns us through his spokespersons not to question his authority. His administration has labeled peaceful demonstrators as possible domestic terrorist including GI's and other veterans returning from the war zones. He sees our frustration as a threat to national security.

He does not use the constitution; he abuses it to fulfill his agenda. He twists the basic language of the constitution to fit his meaning. He has proposed a Supreme Court justice be appointed who has already vowed to pass legislation from the bench.

He addresses each issue according to the audience to which he is addressing including foreign countries.

His promises to withdraw troops from Iraq, no taxes for the middle class, and open and honest bipartisan cooperation were nothing but lip service. There are many others examples.

From the beginnings of his political life, he has refrained from being "nice". He employs less that honorable tactics to acquire power including but not limited to injecting race into the competition and implying that the other candidate has used it against him.

No matter what law is broken, gaining power and retaining power is the Obama goal. His unconstitutional take over of Chrysler and GM is a prime example.

I think that while he used these tools to gain power, he is quickly failing to retain power. He certainly has not gained any on the global front. He is beginning to be questioned on the domestic issues as well.

Can he maintain the power? Will his Machiavellian tactics prove his metal or be his down fall?

In my opinion, people are lazy, uninterested and uninvolved until they feel threatened by a group or their government. These traits are specifically necessary for them to be swayed by Machiavellian principles.