anyone who still is focusing ANY of their discussion on obama on his 'muslim background' i clearly can NOT take seriously. have you been paying attnetion to anything? or just buying into the bill of goods being sold?
i say obama is the BESt choice for our country, RIGHT NOW...and will do more for foreign relations, and sure 'protection from the terrorists' than mccain would've. obama as president shows the world a clear message that we do NOT want what the past 8 years has given us, and we too want to be a part of the world at large, working with, rather than always fighting against. it's a POSITIVE. will he change the country and the world single-handedly? not by a long shot. however, he will affect change and work towards betting this country, moving in the right direction. change will not and cannot happen overnight....but even just being elected, that change is already in the making!
btw - whoever is suggesting an 18 year old will pay more taxes so some homelss person can get healthcare.......where do you get this stuff? hell, end the war and we can pund healthcare for all! seriously....take at least a quasi-realisitc view of how things will change. and it won't be the 18 year old footing the bill and not being able to afford college b/c of it. just sayin'...
Free huh? So no one pays taxes there? Or you don't pay taxes so it is free?
yeah i pay taxes towards healthcare, etc... but some people dont pay taxes so yes for them its 100% free... if i need medical treatment then yes, its free. you pay taxes also.. and if we both earned the same we'd both pay roughly the same in taxes except you'd have to find money for healthcare insurance as well as saving up for a college fund... i dont.. if i broke my leg tomorrow i'd be dealt with and my taxes wouldnt go up nor down as a result... you'd face a bill of thousands... i'm ok with my tax money paying for that... even if i didnt use it... but your tax money goes towards big bombs n cool death shit like that... enjoy
oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
btw - whoever is suggesting an 18 year old will pay more taxes so some homelss person can get healthcare.......where do you get this stuff? hell, end the war and we can pund healthcare for all! seriously....take at least a quasi-realisitc view of how things will change. and it won't be the 18 year old footing the bill and not being able to afford college b/c of it. just sayin'...
lol I guess that was me, I was taking it to the extreme.
Cause they asked "who should pay" and I meant, if those who have the money won't pay... is the 18 year old supposed to do it?.
"The joke in your language won't come out the same" (Tom Petty)
I'm no dude! Dudette!
lol I guess that was me, I was taking it to the extreme.
Cause they asked "who should pay" and I meant, if those who have the money won't pay... is the 18 year old supposed to do it?.
well if this election shows nothing else, *extreme* is not what we as a country are looking for nor desire.
so when i see the question 'what have we done?'...i think....YEA! we made a fantastic move, and are looking for positive change for our country. no, i do not think obama is the end-all, be-all...but i think he is the best man for the job at this given point in time...and i do believe he wants to follow through, and help move our country in a positive arc. time will tell. it just amazes me that the man just got elected LAST NIGHT...and people already seem to think he's not pulling his weight, are all doom and gloom, etc. today, i am unbelievably HAPPY.
what in the FUCK is this nation thinking voting for a person like Barack Obama, who has had such questionable associations with America-hating churches and comes from a Muslim background, etc. I just can't believe what a blind move we have made. This man has proven nothing concerning how he can protect us when we are attacked by terrorists again, which we will be. he has NO experience. like it or not, we are still at war, for those of you who have forgotten. I wasn't nuts about McCain either, but we at least needed someone who could get us through the war instead of someone who is just going to pull us out of it. the rest of the world has got to be laughing their asses off at us right now.
Not laughing, but I sure am smiling.
It must be terrible to live life in fear.
... and the will to show I will always be better than before.
what in the FUCK is this nation thinking voting for a person like Barack Obama, who has had such questionable associations with America-hating churches and comes from a Muslim background, etc. I just can't believe what a blind move we have made. This man has proven nothing concerning how he can protect us when we are attacked by terrorists again, which we will be. he has NO experience. like it or not, we are still at war, for those of you who have forgotten. I wasn't nuts about McCain either, but we at least needed someone who could get us through the war instead of someone who is just going to pull us out of it. the rest of the world has got to be laughing their asses off at us right now.
For the first time in a long time the world is not laughing their ass off at America. Or watching with fear.
Have you lived anywhere else? The US is alright I guess, but there's heaps of much better places to live in besides the US. Just to name a few:
- Iceland (highest human development index)
- Andorra (highest life expectancy besides being a tax haven)
- Japan (of the world's less violent and cleanest countries)
- Luxembourg (highest GDP per capita and no poverty whatsoever)
Not to mention bigger countries such as Australia, Canada the UK or pretty much every country in Western Europe.
Does goo live in fear? I think not. I think it's highly courageous to stand out.
What I haven't seen in this thread, is an answer from goo.
What are your reasons? Do you see something beyond the rest of the world?
I ask these questions to you, because I have many friends who fall into that area of society who are in the middle class who don't make enough to get perks from their jobs but still stand above a line so they are not eligible for help, such as medical assistance or financial aide for school...
Would you elaborate? please, dear goo?
I voted my heart but I have to admit when I considered a thought that this land could possibly become a mine field, I looked once, twice, and maybe 5 times...I hope and pray that Obama has good advisors...
what is happening is already written in profecy..
all insanity:
a derivitive of nature.
nature is god
god is love
love is light
no you didnt... you just stated how backward and racist america still is (if i believe your post)... but not the world... america isnt the world... far from it.
Did I ever mention that I am really, truly in love with Scotland? You dudes rock the block
really, GREAT responses guys. still not one with the balls to tell me WHY I'm wrong and give me some real reasons why it's a good thing Obama got elected.
The choice was right being that it is about unity becoming strong and respected as a nation. As divided as the USA has been in the pass unity is not only the smartest choice but the only option. The wars are not working. And when a nation falls as much as we have the only thing you have left is each other. We have to start depending and trusting ourselves and if 85% of this nation can do that. Not only will we win our strength back as a nation but we will have gain the respect for one another. And that my friend if founded right cannot be defeated. That is why it is a good thing Obama was elected.
what in the FUCK is this nation thinking voting for a person like Barack Obama, who has had such questionable associations with America-hating churches and comes from a Muslim background, etc. I just can't believe what a blind move we have made. This man has proven nothing concerning how he can protect us when we are attacked by terrorists again, which we will be.
Is that an actual threat? If not, how can you be so sure of that?
he has NO experience. like it or not, we are still at war, for those of you who have forgotten. I wasn't nuts about McCain either, but we at least needed someone who could get us through the war instead of someone who is just going to pull us out of it.
You haven't been listening to 3rd parties enough.
the rest of the world has got to be laughing their asses off at us right now.
Not so much. From what I saw until now, a lot of people are happy and relieved by your choice. When was the last time a newly elected american president was actually celebrated almost all over the world?
Anyways, congrats on your new president and your awesome post.
I have a lot of Canadian friends. They all follow USA politics as their news covers US affairs extensively. They were pretty much 100% backing Obama and couldnt figure out how McCain/Palin had such a large following/voting base.
What have you done?
Well, clearly not you, but your country has JUST cleaned up the reputation people like you have given to your country.
So be thankful.
oh, and YAY US! Many of us around the world are gonna change our minds about you now, you've done something everyone had lost hope in. so again, YAY!
Before you change your mind, should you not at least see if he can fulfill his promises, remember he is still a politician and they have been known to lie from time to time.
I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
what in the FUCK is this nation thinking voting for a person like Barack Obama, who has had such questionable associations with America-hating churches and comes from a Muslim background, etc. I just can't believe what a blind move we have made. This man has proven nothing concerning how he can protect us when we are attacked by terrorists again, which we will be. he has NO experience. like it or not, we are still at war, for those of you who have forgotten. I wasn't nuts about McCain either, but we at least needed someone who could get us through the war instead of someone who is just going to pull us out of it. the rest of the world has got to be laughing their asses off at us right now.
You, and people like you, are what is destroying this country. Our country would be so much better without the hateful ignorant uninformed backwards thinking people like you.
"When one gets in bed with government, one must expect the diseases it spreads." - Ron Paul
what in the FUCK is this nation thinking voting for a person like Barack Obama, who has had such questionable associations with America-hating churches and comes from a Muslim background, etc. I just can't believe what a blind move we have made. This man has proven nothing concerning how he can protect us when we are attacked by terrorists again, which we will be. he has NO experience. like it or not, we are still at war, for those of you who have forgotten. I wasn't nuts about McCain either, but we at least needed someone who could get us through the war instead of someone who is just going to pull us out of it. the rest of the world has got to be laughing their asses off at us right now.
-you do realize that muslim is a very peaceful religion, right? unfortunately there are radicals out there who kill in the name of that religion, when in reality, islam does not preach murder.
-the last time i checked, bush did nothing to protect americans from a terrorist attack, either. remember that morning?
-you do realize that pulling out of the war is a good thing, right? bush sent your soldiers to a country that had nothing to do with sept 11. dont get me wrong, getting saddam hussein was a good thing, but its time for your soldiers to go home to their families.
-im not american and im very happy for the united states. i would have laughed my ass off if mccain would have been voted in.
really, GREAT responses guys. still not one with the balls to tell me WHY I'm wrong and give me some real reasons why it's a good thing Obama got elected.
I don't think this is a question of balls, and I don't think it's necessarily a question of you being wrong. That having been said, I think it's fair to ask for a thoughtful account of why many people have supported Obama. It makes total sense to be puzzled why so many people have rallied around someone who has only been in national office for only two years.
Here's the hard truth even for Obama supporters, it's too early to say you are *wrong* to have doubts. The fact of the matter is we aren't going to know for a couple of years at best. what kind of president Obama will turn out to be.
Full disclosure, I am an active supporter of Obama, so I'm making this observation not because I don't believe in Obama, but because I want to try and be respectful of your question and make the case for him in a way that doesn't start out by being disrespectful.
It is true that Obama has only two years in the senate, and another few as a state senator.
Prior to that, however, he spent 12 years teaching constitutional law at the University of Chicago. He was also the first African American editor of the Harvard Law Review. Are these things equal to McCain's 26 years in national elected office? No. They are not equal... but they are significant.
They are significant because in that time Obama worked with many of the nation's major political thinkers, and he clearly earned their respect. He didn't simply come out of nowhere, he spent over a decade teaching at a graduate level in one of the best universities in the country.
This can be dissed, for sure. One can say... we don't need a college professor for president... and as I wrote before... you aren't "wrong" to have your doubts. The simple truth is sometimes the guy we want to win doesn't win and that's part of being American.
My point is just to say that Obama is not someone who has come out of nowhere. For decades he's been working with, competing with, and interacting with... networking with... the most competitive and cut throat legal minds in the country.
He has earned the respect of many influential thinkers as someone who is genuinely interested in forming constructive working relationships between intelligent people, and who wants to hear all sides.
Obama has also written two books which are really impressive if you have a chance to read them. They might answer a lot of your questions. It becomes clear from reading his books that he is a tremendously smart guy and a careful thinker.
Ok... he wrote some books... and he taught... Does that really make him qualified to be president? Well... no. Not in my opinion.
But then he did do something else... something which I think is relevant to your concerns about who can lead us during a critical period of conflict.
He beat the Clintons.
Now, I'm not saying I like or dislike the Clintons... but I think there is one thing people who love or hate them can all agree on, and that is that the Clintons play some serious hardball.
All this talk about how Obama has never stood up to the leaders of his party fails to take into account that... he stood up to the leaders of his party and defeated them.
That's no small thing. He basically went to war with the two most powerful Democrats in America, a former president, and a long serving senator from the second most populous state in the country... and he outwitted them, out maneuvered them and just flat out beat them.
It's fair to worry about a guy leading the country in a time of conflict if all he has done is write books and teach... but if he beats the other people who say they can lead the country in a time of conflict... if he beats them in a political conflict... then... he has demonstrated the sorts of skills necessary to handle a conflict.
Not only did he beat the Clintons... he beat McCain. And he didn't do it as a former president, or as a guy with 26 years in the senate... he did it as a former college professor who wrote two books.
If this guy can come off the bench from the minor leagues and knock back two back grand slam home runs off the best pitchers in baseball, I think it's fair to say maybe he's for real... and maybe he's got serious game.
Last point... you should check out footage of the speeches Obama and McCain gave at the Al Smith dinner. The Al Smith dinner is an annual dinner held in New York for the New York political elite. The president usually speaks there, but during an election cycle it's the candidates who speak. It essentially becomes a comedy roast where each candidate pokes fun at the other. They are both gave very good speeches. Very funny. McCain started joking about how he knew deep down Hillary was really routing for him (as a senator from NY she was there) and how Bill Clinton wasn't exactly going out of his way to support Obama. But Obama made what I thought was a really solid point in his routine. I'm paraphrasing but he said something like this...
"A little about me... I have never put lipstick on a pitbull, or a pig... or myself... which distinguishes me from the former mayor of New York Mayor Giuliani" (Giuliani, like Hillary, was in attendance, and was known for dressing in drag for an annual charity benefit while mayor in New York... Then Obama continued...) "Who knew a cross dressing mayor from New York who supports abortion rights would have a hard time getting the Republican nomination for president." (Laughter from the audience... then Obama looked up with a wicked grin and turned to McCain and said...) "Gee John... that sure was a tough primary fight you had."
From my perspective this was an example of getting in the opponents head... and it made a really strong point. If you are worried about who has got the stuff to lead America during a time of war... it's worth remembering that McCain... didn't exactly have a fight on his hands to win his nomination. It kind of fell in his lap because none of the other Republicans could get any traction.
He didn't have to fight to lead his party. He didn't really have to defeat anyone. He just had to wait for Giuliani, Romney and others to self destruct... while the Repbulican gate keepers worked to foul Ron Paul and Huckabee.
Obama is the guy who has been *Fighting* for two years to lead. He is the guy who has been *winning*... *beating* people... *defeating* opponents. Each time he's shown the strategic skill, and iron will to beat his rivals he's earned more respect.
He may or may not be the best man in the entire country to be president... but the choice was between him and McCain. Yes McCain used to be a fighter pilot... and yes he's been in the senate for 26 years... all true... And yes Obama used to be just a professor and a book writer and he's only been in the senate for a couple of years... all true.
But Obama organized the country... he defeated Bill and Hillary Clinton to earn his party's nomination in a long drawn out battle that required and displayed his cunning and capacity for strategic thinking. He outwitted a former President of the United States.
Then he defeated McCain who got his party's nomination not by putting up a fight, but by default.
Obama has spent the last several years fighting and winning. McCain, regardless of his past, simply hasn't demonstrated as much steel or edge in the present. If the question is which of these two men is best to lead the nation in a time of war in the here and now... then I think that helps make the case that, of the two of them, Obama is simply the right man for the job.
The fact that his election transforms race relations in this nation, and the rest of the world is just icing on the cake.
Get over it. We just gained respect back all over the world. America has spoken, very loudly. they have seen through the lies. This is a truly GREAT DAY for this nation.
I guess it was all worth it for a little respect. Did you see all the monkeys last night running around and actting like fools?
Not laughing, but I sure am smiling.
It must be terrible to live life in fear.
I admit, I have sympathy for the OP to live in his world. One of fear, doubt and ignorance. Hey OP, if someone would have told you four years ago that Virginia, a state that was the capital of slavery in this country and a mecca for slaveholders and the headquarters of the Confederacy in the Civil War, would elect a BLACK man as their president, would you have believed them? Well, this is the same logic that Obama supporters subscribe to--- belief that things can change and the eternal hope that can spring from all of us. HAIL HAIL PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA!
I don't think this is a question of balls, and I don't think it's necessarily a question of you being wrong. That having been said, I think it's fair to ask for a thoughtful account of why many people have supported Obama. It makes total sense to be puzzled why so many people have rallied around someone who has only been in national office for only two years.
Here's the hard truth even for Obama supporters, it's too early to say you are *wrong* to have doubts. The fact of the matter is we aren't going to know for a couple of years at best. what kind of president Obama will turn out to be.
Full disclosure, I am an active supporter of Obama, so I'm making this observation not because I don't believe in Obama, but because I want to try and be respectful of your question and make the case for him in a way that doesn't start out by being disrespectful.
It is true that Obama has only two years in the senate, and another few as a state senator.
Prior to that, however, he spent 12 years teaching constitutional law at the University of Chicago. He was also the first African American editor of the Harvard Law Review. Are these things equal to McCain's 26 years in national elected office? No. They are not equal... but they are significant.
They are significant because in that time Obama worked with many of the nation's major political thinkers, and he clearly earned their respect. He didn't simply come out of nowhere, he spent over a decade teaching at a graduate level in one of the best universities in the country.
This can be dissed, for sure. One can say... we don't need a college professor for president... and as I wrote before... you aren't "wrong" to have your doubts. The simple truth is sometimes the guy we want to win doesn't win and that's part of being American.
My point is just to say that Obama is not someone who has come out of nowhere. For decades he's been working with, competing with, and interacting with... networking with... the most competitive and cut throat legal minds in the country.
He has earned the respect of many influential thinkers as someone who is genuinely interested in forming constructive working relationships between intelligent people, and who wants to hear all sides.
Obama has also written two books which are really impressive if you have a chance to read them. They might answer a lot of your questions. It becomes clear from reading his books that he is a tremendously smart guy and a careful thinker.
Ok... he wrote some books... and he taught... Does that really make him qualified to be president? Well... no. Not in my opinion.
But then he did do something else... something which I think is relevant to your concerns about who can lead us during a critical period of conflict.
He beat the Clintons.
Now, I'm not saying I like or dislike the Clintons... but I think there is one thing people who love or hate them can all agree on, and that is that the Clintons play some serious hardball.
All this talk about how Obama has never stood up to the leaders of his party fails to take into account that... he stood up to the leaders of his party and defeated them.
That's no small thing. He basically went to war with the two most powerful Democrats in America, a former president, and a long serving senator from the second most populous state in the country... and he outwitted them, out maneuvered them and just flat out beat them.
It's fair to worry about a guy leading the country in a time of conflict if all he has done is write books and teach... but if he beats the other people who say they can lead the country in a time of conflict... if he beats them in a political conflict... then... he has demonstrated the sorts of skills necessary to handle a conflict.
Not only did he beat the Clintons... he beat McCain. And he didn't do it as a former president, or as a guy with 26 years in the senate... he did it as a former college professor who wrote two books.
If this guy can come off the bench from the minor leagues and knock back two back grand slam home runs off the best pitchers in baseball, I think it's fair to say maybe he's for real... and maybe he's got serious game.
Last point... you should check out footage of the speeches Obama and McCain gave at the Al Smith dinner. The Al Smith dinner is an annual dinner held in New York for the New York political elite. The president usually speaks there, but during an election cycle it's the candidates who speak. It essentially becomes a comedy roast where each candidate pokes fun at the other. They are both gave very good speeches. Very funny. McCain started joking about how he knew deep down Hillary was really routing for him (as a senator from NY she was there) and how Bill Clinton wasn't exactly going out of his way to support Obama. But Obama made what I thought was a really solid point in his routine. I'm paraphrasing but he said something like this...
"A little about me... I have never put lipstick on a pitbull, or a pig... or myself... which distinguishes me from the former mayor of New York Mayor Giuliani" (Giuliani, like Hillary, was in attendance, and was known for dressing in drag for an annual charity benefit while mayor in New York... Then Obama continued...) "Who knew a cross dressing mayor from New York who supports abortion rights would have a hard time getting the Republican nomination for president." (Laughter from the audience... then Obama looked up with a wicked grin and turned to McCain and said...) "Gee John... that sure was a tough primary fight you had."
From my perspective this was an example of getting in the opponents head... and it made a really strong point. If you are worried about who has got the stuff to lead America during a time of war... it's worth remembering that McCain... didn't exactly have a fight on his hands to win his nomination. It kind of fell in his lap because none of the other Republicans could get any traction.
He didn't have to fight to lead his party. He didn't really have to defeat anyone. He just had to wait for Giuliani, Romney and others to self destruct... while the Repbulican gate keepers worked to foul Ron Paul and Huckabee.
Obama is the guy who has been *Fighting* for two years to lead. He is the guy who has been *winning*... *beating* people... *defeating* opponents. Each time he's shown the strategic skill, and iron will to beat his rivals he's earned more respect.
He may or may not be the best man in the entire country to be president... but the choice was between him and McCain. Yes McCain used to be a fighter pilot... and yes he's been in the senate for 26 years... all true... And yes Obama used to be just a professor and a book writer and he's only been in the senate for a couple of years... all true.
But Obama organized the country... he defeated Bill and Hillary Clinton to earn his party's nomination in a long drawn out battle that required and displayed his cunning and capacity for strategic thinking. He outwitted a former President of the United States.
Then he defeated McCain who got his party's nomination not by putting up a fight, but by default.
Obama has spent the last several years fighting and winning. McCain, regardless of his past, simply hasn't demonstrated as much steel or edge in the present. If the question is which of these two men is best to lead the nation in a time of war in the here and now... then I think that helps make the case that, of the two of them, Obama is simply the right man for the job.
The fact that his election transforms race relations in this nation, and the rest of the world is just icing on the cake.
I must say...That was an excellent post.
Good Job !!
Get over it. We just gained respect back all over the world. America has spoken, very loudly. they have seen through the lies. This is a truly GREAT DAY for this nation.
we sold our country out to "make history"
totally ignoring all the warning signs about Obama and now out "chicken will come home to roost"
Your post was very well thought out, and is one of the more reasoned explainations that I've heard in support of Obama (I voted for McCain). However, I would feel a lot more comfortable knowing that everyone voted for Obama because of the reasons that you stated.
"If you love someone, set them free... if someone loves you, don't fuck up" - EV
yeah i pay taxes towards healthcare, etc... but some people dont pay taxes so yes for them its 100% free... if i need medical treatment then yes, its free. you pay taxes also.. and if we both earned the same we'd both pay roughly the same in taxes except you'd have to find money for healthcare insurance as well as saving up for a college fund... i dont.. if i broke my leg tomorrow i'd be dealt with and my taxes wouldnt go up nor down as a result... you'd face a bill of thousands... i'm ok with my tax money paying for that... even if i didnt use it... but your tax money goes towards big bombs n cool death shit like that... enjoy
Sorry bud, my taxes aren't anywhere near yours, even if we made the same. It must rain money in the UK then?
Comments
i say obama is the BESt choice for our country, RIGHT NOW...and will do more for foreign relations, and sure 'protection from the terrorists' than mccain would've. obama as president shows the world a clear message that we do NOT want what the past 8 years has given us, and we too want to be a part of the world at large, working with, rather than always fighting against. it's a POSITIVE. will he change the country and the world single-handedly? not by a long shot. however, he will affect change and work towards betting this country, moving in the right direction. change will not and cannot happen overnight....but even just being elected, that change is already in the making!
btw - whoever is suggesting an 18 year old will pay more taxes so some homelss person can get healthcare.......where do you get this stuff? hell, end the war and we can pund healthcare for all!
Let's just breathe...
I am myself like you somehow
yeah i pay taxes towards healthcare, etc... but some people dont pay taxes so yes for them its 100% free... if i need medical treatment then yes, its free. you pay taxes also.. and if we both earned the same we'd both pay roughly the same in taxes except you'd have to find money for healthcare insurance as well as saving up for a college fund... i dont.. if i broke my leg tomorrow i'd be dealt with and my taxes wouldnt go up nor down as a result... you'd face a bill of thousands... i'm ok with my tax money paying for that... even if i didnt use it... but your tax money goes towards big bombs n cool death shit like that... enjoy
Cause they asked "who should pay" and I meant, if those who have the money won't pay... is the 18 year old supposed to do it?.
I'm no dude! Dudette!
well if this election shows nothing else, *extreme* is not what we as a country are looking for nor desire.
so when i see the question 'what have we done?'...i think....YEA! we made a fantastic move, and are looking for positive change for our country. no, i do not think obama is the end-all, be-all...but i think he is the best man for the job at this given point in time...and i do believe he wants to follow through, and help move our country in a positive arc. time will tell. it just amazes me that the man just got elected LAST NIGHT...and people already seem to think he's not pulling his weight, are all doom and gloom, etc.
Let's just breathe...
I am myself like you somehow
Not laughing, but I sure am smiling.
It must be terrible to live life in fear.
Wembley 18/06/07
If there was a reason, it was you.
O2 Arena 18/09/09
Have you lived anywhere else? The US is alright I guess, but there's heaps of much better places to live in besides the US. Just to name a few:
- Iceland (highest human development index)
- Andorra (highest life expectancy besides being a tax haven)
- Japan (of the world's less violent and cleanest countries)
- Luxembourg (highest GDP per capita and no poverty whatsoever)
Not to mention bigger countries such as Australia, Canada the UK or pretty much every country in Western Europe.
What I haven't seen in this thread, is an answer from goo.
What are your reasons? Do you see something beyond the rest of the world?
I ask these questions to you, because I have many friends who fall into that area of society who are in the middle class who don't make enough to get perks from their jobs but still stand above a line so they are not eligible for help, such as medical assistance or financial aide for school...
Would you elaborate? please, dear goo?
I voted my heart but I have to admit when I considered a thought that this land could possibly become a mine field, I looked once, twice, and maybe 5 times...I hope and pray that Obama has good advisors...
what is happening is already written in profecy..
a derivitive of nature.
nature is god
god is love
love is light
Did I ever mention that I am really, truly in love with Scotland? You dudes rock the block
Estoy en desacuerdo... dudo que podamos catalogar a Argentina como "crappy". Empecemos por el vino y el bife, si?
The choice was right being that it is about unity becoming strong and respected as a nation. As divided as the USA has been in the pass unity is not only the smartest choice but the only option. The wars are not working. And when a nation falls as much as we have the only thing you have left is each other. We have to start depending and trusting ourselves and if 85% of this nation can do that. Not only will we win our strength back as a nation but we will have gain the respect for one another. And that my friend if founded right cannot be defeated. That is why it is a good thing Obama was elected.
ôjô
I did live there for a year though. Came back in May
I'm no dude! Dudette!
Anyways, congrats on your new president and your awesome post.
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
You, and people like you, are what is destroying this country. Our country would be so much better without the hateful ignorant uninformed backwards thinking people like you.
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
I'm sorry goo:
But I'm finding it really hard to take you seriously right now.
Have you by chance seen Elvis at a Burger King Recently?
-you do realize that muslim is a very peaceful religion, right? unfortunately there are radicals out there who kill in the name of that religion, when in reality, islam does not preach murder.
-the last time i checked, bush did nothing to protect americans from a terrorist attack, either. remember that morning?
-you do realize that pulling out of the war is a good thing, right? bush sent your soldiers to a country that had nothing to do with sept 11. dont get me wrong, getting saddam hussein was a good thing, but its time for your soldiers to go home to their families.
-im not american and im very happy for the united states. i would have laughed my ass off if mccain would have been voted in.
I don't think this is a question of balls, and I don't think it's necessarily a question of you being wrong. That having been said, I think it's fair to ask for a thoughtful account of why many people have supported Obama. It makes total sense to be puzzled why so many people have rallied around someone who has only been in national office for only two years.
Here's the hard truth even for Obama supporters, it's too early to say you are *wrong* to have doubts. The fact of the matter is we aren't going to know for a couple of years at best. what kind of president Obama will turn out to be.
Full disclosure, I am an active supporter of Obama, so I'm making this observation not because I don't believe in Obama, but because I want to try and be respectful of your question and make the case for him in a way that doesn't start out by being disrespectful.
It is true that Obama has only two years in the senate, and another few as a state senator.
Prior to that, however, he spent 12 years teaching constitutional law at the University of Chicago. He was also the first African American editor of the Harvard Law Review. Are these things equal to McCain's 26 years in national elected office? No. They are not equal... but they are significant.
They are significant because in that time Obama worked with many of the nation's major political thinkers, and he clearly earned their respect. He didn't simply come out of nowhere, he spent over a decade teaching at a graduate level in one of the best universities in the country.
This can be dissed, for sure. One can say... we don't need a college professor for president... and as I wrote before... you aren't "wrong" to have your doubts. The simple truth is sometimes the guy we want to win doesn't win and that's part of being American.
My point is just to say that Obama is not someone who has come out of nowhere. For decades he's been working with, competing with, and interacting with... networking with... the most competitive and cut throat legal minds in the country.
He has earned the respect of many influential thinkers as someone who is genuinely interested in forming constructive working relationships between intelligent people, and who wants to hear all sides.
Obama has also written two books which are really impressive if you have a chance to read them. They might answer a lot of your questions. It becomes clear from reading his books that he is a tremendously smart guy and a careful thinker.
Ok... he wrote some books... and he taught... Does that really make him qualified to be president? Well... no. Not in my opinion.
But then he did do something else... something which I think is relevant to your concerns about who can lead us during a critical period of conflict.
He beat the Clintons.
Now, I'm not saying I like or dislike the Clintons... but I think there is one thing people who love or hate them can all agree on, and that is that the Clintons play some serious hardball.
All this talk about how Obama has never stood up to the leaders of his party fails to take into account that... he stood up to the leaders of his party and defeated them.
That's no small thing. He basically went to war with the two most powerful Democrats in America, a former president, and a long serving senator from the second most populous state in the country... and he outwitted them, out maneuvered them and just flat out beat them.
It's fair to worry about a guy leading the country in a time of conflict if all he has done is write books and teach... but if he beats the other people who say they can lead the country in a time of conflict... if he beats them in a political conflict... then... he has demonstrated the sorts of skills necessary to handle a conflict.
Not only did he beat the Clintons... he beat McCain. And he didn't do it as a former president, or as a guy with 26 years in the senate... he did it as a former college professor who wrote two books.
If this guy can come off the bench from the minor leagues and knock back two back grand slam home runs off the best pitchers in baseball, I think it's fair to say maybe he's for real... and maybe he's got serious game.
Last point... you should check out footage of the speeches Obama and McCain gave at the Al Smith dinner. The Al Smith dinner is an annual dinner held in New York for the New York political elite. The president usually speaks there, but during an election cycle it's the candidates who speak. It essentially becomes a comedy roast where each candidate pokes fun at the other. They are both gave very good speeches. Very funny. McCain started joking about how he knew deep down Hillary was really routing for him (as a senator from NY she was there) and how Bill Clinton wasn't exactly going out of his way to support Obama. But Obama made what I thought was a really solid point in his routine. I'm paraphrasing but he said something like this...
"A little about me... I have never put lipstick on a pitbull, or a pig... or myself... which distinguishes me from the former mayor of New York Mayor Giuliani" (Giuliani, like Hillary, was in attendance, and was known for dressing in drag for an annual charity benefit while mayor in New York... Then Obama continued...) "Who knew a cross dressing mayor from New York who supports abortion rights would have a hard time getting the Republican nomination for president." (Laughter from the audience... then Obama looked up with a wicked grin and turned to McCain and said...) "Gee John... that sure was a tough primary fight you had."
From my perspective this was an example of getting in the opponents head... and it made a really strong point. If you are worried about who has got the stuff to lead America during a time of war... it's worth remembering that McCain... didn't exactly have a fight on his hands to win his nomination. It kind of fell in his lap because none of the other Republicans could get any traction.
He didn't have to fight to lead his party. He didn't really have to defeat anyone. He just had to wait for Giuliani, Romney and others to self destruct... while the Repbulican gate keepers worked to foul Ron Paul and Huckabee.
Obama is the guy who has been *Fighting* for two years to lead. He is the guy who has been *winning*... *beating* people... *defeating* opponents. Each time he's shown the strategic skill, and iron will to beat his rivals he's earned more respect.
He may or may not be the best man in the entire country to be president... but the choice was between him and McCain. Yes McCain used to be a fighter pilot... and yes he's been in the senate for 26 years... all true... And yes Obama used to be just a professor and a book writer and he's only been in the senate for a couple of years... all true.
But Obama organized the country... he defeated Bill and Hillary Clinton to earn his party's nomination in a long drawn out battle that required and displayed his cunning and capacity for strategic thinking. He outwitted a former President of the United States.
Then he defeated McCain who got his party's nomination not by putting up a fight, but by default.
Obama has spent the last several years fighting and winning. McCain, regardless of his past, simply hasn't demonstrated as much steel or edge in the present. If the question is which of these two men is best to lead the nation in a time of war in the here and now... then I think that helps make the case that, of the two of them, Obama is simply the right man for the job.
The fact that his election transforms race relations in this nation, and the rest of the world is just icing on the cake.
I guess it was all worth it for a little respect. Did you see all the monkeys last night running around and actting like fools?
lol because our politicians are a bunch of dorks.
I admit, I have sympathy for the OP to live in his world. One of fear, doubt and ignorance. Hey OP, if someone would have told you four years ago that Virginia, a state that was the capital of slavery in this country and a mecca for slaveholders and the headquarters of the Confederacy in the Civil War, would elect a BLACK man as their president, would you have believed them? Well, this is the same logic that Obama supporters subscribe to--- belief that things can change and the eternal hope that can spring from all of us. HAIL HAIL PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA!
I must say...That was an excellent post.
Good Job !!
we sold our country out to "make history"
totally ignoring all the warning signs about Obama and now out "chicken will come home to roost"
Ture enough there...but like in another thread...what about music majors? English majors? etc?
Your post was very well thought out, and is one of the more reasoned explainations that I've heard in support of Obama (I voted for McCain). However, I would feel a lot more comfortable knowing that everyone voted for Obama because of the reasons that you stated.
Monkeys???
That's hateful!!!
Racist
Sorry bud, my taxes aren't anywhere near yours, even if we made the same. It must rain money in the UK then?
Whats a "big bombs n cool death shit like that"?