new thread
In a ground-breaking victory, Barack Obama pulled ahead of John McCain in the electoral vote with a landslide victory. Although the popular vote was close, McCain lost in the key states that would have given the Presidency to either candidate.
Let's wish good luck to our new President, and hope he can lead us out of these difficult times.
I'm very pleased he won, mainly because the alternative was '100 year war' McCain. I think McCain is a decent man, but he DID say that he didn't care if the US stayed in Iraq for 100 years, and that's not a view that many could agree with. Ironically, it was more likely his other admission that he knew little about economics that actually sank him. I'm not sure if Obama does either, but I'm still pleased about the result.
That's OK. Most politicians know very little about economics. Economists know even less.
(n/t)
Alun, I'm surprised you still promote this "100 years war" theme when it has been proven time and time again to be completely false; even Obama acknowledged that.
We have bases around the world that have been in place since WWII. There is no war involved now with their being there.
Which is exactly what McCain has stated all along about Iraq.
McCain has his faults. But this is not one of them. And I would bet money that you know better.
But why let the truth stand in the way?
I think we're in for very tough, and TAXING, times ahead with all the Democrats coming into power. Many freedoms we now take for granted will most likely be a thing of the past. I shudder when I think of Pelossi(sp?). All we can do is pray for wisdom for our leaders and our country.
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Splat
You're joking, right? It's the Republicans that have curtailed freedom with the Patriot Act.
You're joking, right? It's the Republicans that have curtailed freedom with the Patriot Act.
Another case of selective amnesia.
The Patriot Act was a followup for Clinton's Echelon System, which was shown to be much more invasive and had no controls. Members of Clinton's own cabinet became uncomfortable with it when it was used with little oversight to eavesdrop daily on Americans making phone calls.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2006/01/under_clinton_ny_times_called.html
No fan of Echelon.
However, the Republicans have tampered with habeas corpus and due process rights, introduced water torture and extraordinary rendition, monitored library book borrowing, bypassed the special FISA courts to authorise phonetaps without a warrant executed by a judge. Any other human rights abuses I've missed? I would add photographed naked prisoners forced to lay on top of eachother, but no-one can prove they had orders.
He said he didn't mind if American troops spent 100 years in Iraq, or even 200. That IS the truth. I don't think he specified anything about any bases.
Does that mean it's all over barr the shouting!
Oh no!! They will rehash the particulars for another week at least.
That's really sad if they do!
an African American be elected President in my lifetime. I am 55 years old and he is the first President who will be younger than me at the time of serving in office. I am stoked. This will help fulfill the "I have a dream" speech made by Dr. Martin Luther King. We are at the dawn of a new age here in America.
Scott
In Holland the most of the people wanted that Obama won, and he did. This is great news!
Obama was def the right choice and it proves it cause Mccain got hammered badly and lost by a long shot!
This is not only historic but very important not just for the US but for the world. The effects will be felt for decades long after he would leave office. The Democrats have a massive challenge ahead of them I don't envy them in that regard but wish them luck.
It's no secret I'm a liberal Demorcat so obviouly I'm thrilled.
Republicans should at least take heart that many moderate Dems were elected so we son't be turning to socialism as the rhetoric suggested. One of many reasons the Dems won is the GOP
shifted too far to the right for many independents, as well as the economy. So if the Dems push too far to the left the pendulum will swing the other way and the GOP will be back.
Lets all hope for the best.
Kevin
I agree, --- excellently stated, my friend! I was very moved last night, watching all the excitement on TV. And I've never been prouder to be a native son from the state of Illinois, "The Land of Lincoln!"
How wonderful that America's first Black President comes from the same state as the US President most creditted with ending slavery in this country, Abraham Lincoln. Three cheers for Illinois, a thousand hurrahs for the historic blue-voting states last night, --- and a b-zillion flag-waving, jumping, shouting, partying noise-makers for Obama!!!
- Ken in SF
My wife made the same observation last nite.
The funny thing is that while both Lincoln and Obama first made their political names in Illinois, neither was born there. Lincoln was born in Kentucky, and Obama in Hawaii. But it is an interesting coincidence nonetheless.
Jim (another Illinois native)
The problem here is that his tax plan is taken right from the pages of socialism. Redistribution of income, or wealth.
He masks it by calling it tax cuts. You can't cut taxes on people who pay no taxes. He is giving money to the 44% of people who pay no taxes. By taking it from those who make more. As he called it "Spreading the wealth".
Try getting a rebate from the Ford dealer without buying a vehicle. Try getting a rebate from Wal Mart without the necessary purchase.
I hope you are right; that the moderate Dems stop this from happening. History has shown that every time a major tax increase has been effected that revenue to the treasury has dropped. Every time.
Why not go back through history and follow policies that have been proven to work?
Taxing those who provide the jobs and the investment in this country will take us down the wrong path. It has been proven time and time again.
If you think our economy has had it rough this past year, buckle up.
You're 100% right, George. 100%
Which is no incentive for those people to work. Surely some folks due to illness or disabilities truly cannot work, a lot, if not most, of those folks would love to be able to work.
Yep. I agree George. I wish it wasn't true but it really, truthfully is. It's just cold, hard facts.
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Splat
Amen. And, he carried my home state of Virginia, which is new (Technicly not my home state, since I was born in DC; but brought home from the hospital to Virginia where I lived until my late 30s).
The electoral map still resembles the boundaries of the Confederacy after all this time; but we've come a long way.
Now for the real trick... we've had a frat party in the White House the past 8 years. There are the administrative equivalents of foul stains and empty beer bottles in our house, and the neighbors have been complaining about the noise.
If he can clean up the house and mend relations with the neighbors, maybe, just maybe he'll manage to carry at least one of those "Deep South" states next time. That would be something.
Whoohoo! I think that now that Obama is elected, the American people should stand by him (most already do). Thankfully, my home state of Florida didn't screw up the election this time!
I'm a Born Again American!
A new American era has begun.
Peace please.
I wonder if this means that the era of the blond beast is over.
Also, I wonder if they will let Obama smoke in the White House.
This year, I have declined to vote for the president, letting the rest of our country vote for the president. My mom said that both McCain and Obama have issues, but each probably have pros and cons. OTOH, it is interesting to know that Obama is our first black president of the US.
Regardless
I wish Obama best of luck in the White House.
All I have to say is he better have a LOT of Secret Service around him because I think he could have the same fate as JFK. Sad but true.