The Next President?

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

Heh. I'm putting up a sign on my cube wall.

I voted for Eisenhower.

[Mahlersfifth]

Well done America!

[navneeth]

Time to remove the question mark in the title? Or is it going to continue till 2012?

[Schmeelkie]

Didn't weigh in here too much - really waited a long time to make up my mind and, taking the good with the bad, voted for Obama. Now we can see if the hope he inspired bears any fruit... just hope I wasn't taken in by a good speaker like I was with Bill Clinton... 'course, I'm in NY which wasn't in any doubt of going for Obama... did vote mostly republican for US congress and state senate/assembly. Like to balance things out. Look at it this way - if Obama veers too far to the left in the first two years and the American people are unhappy, we'll be more likely to vote more Republicans back into Congress. I'm happiest when the party that control the white house is not the same as the one that controls Congress - figure they have to compromise that way. And since my political views go back and forth depending on the issue and I pretty much end up in the middle - making the government have to compromise is always a good thing.

So, I guess, I'm cautiously optimistic this morning. Well, that's what my brain is saying. My heart is truly happy about this historic vote!

Husband, who voted Libertarian, actually teared up this morning reading the paper. Just overawed by the fact that we finally will have an African-American president. Let's see - blacks got their freedom about 150 years ago, and women got the vote a bit over 100 years ago - let's hope we don't have to wait another 50 years for a woman president. Just not Hillary or Sarah Palin, PLEASE!!!

Funny Selma...
Counted up last night - this was the 5th presidental election I voted in. I'm 3 for 5 in picking winners. Though I wasn't happy with the results of the first two wins. Again, hoping I end up happy about this one!

[piqaboo]

Almost any nation could have been 'us' if they had thrown off the shackles of oppression and allowed freedom to determine the course of their nation. Sadly, I see us voting away the freedom that has made us 'us', and I fear that the United States may soon be another has-been country whose people's appetite for the fruit of the labours of others swallowed up the promise she once had.

I disagree. While many countries could, not all. The US has size, huge natural resources, and people somewhat pre-selected for risktaking characteristics. China has the size and probably the natural resources. Siberia definitely does, if it ever thaws. The Netherlands? Not so much, tho they were quite the dominant political power for a while there, by using what they had (shipping, location).

[piqaboo]

analog, I like your iko-n.

[Shapley]

I disagree. While many countries could, not all. The US has size, huge natural resources, and people somewhat pre-selected for risktaking characteristics. China has the size and probably the natural resources. Siberia definitely does, if it ever thaws. The Netherlands? Not so much, tho they were quite the dominant political power for a while there, by using what they had (shipping, location).

I said "almost any nation", not "any nation".

Keep in mind that, at the time we became the "United States", we were a handful of colonies on the edge of the frontier. We expanded into the United States we know today through annexation, purchase, and conquest. In other words, the same way any other nation expands. Tiny Portugal used to control incredible amounts of territory, as did Spain, France, Britain, and many other nations at one time or another.

Many nations have, or have had, the same or more resources than we, but it is our free-market approach to the ownership and administration of those resources that has seperated 'us' from 'them', IMHO.

[Mahlersfifth]

I think John McCain's speech last night was gracious and likely the real McCain. Truly, Palin was a poor choice for VP and could not help McCain's chances of success with the independent voter. The time for old white men to rule is gone, I hope. I have my fingers crossed that Obama's win encourages more youth and colour in my own country to run for political office.

Speaking of old white men, what happened to "the internet is a series of tubes" senator from Alaska, Ted Stevens? Did he win his senate seat? What about Al Franken? Did he lose?

[Shapley]

Speaking of old white men, what happened to "the internet is a series of tubes" senator from Alaska, Ted Stevens? Did he win his senate seat? What about Al Franken? Did he lose?

Both are still up in the air, last I looked.

[Giant Communist Robot]

A Socialist President?! What the heck happened?! I woke up this morning and it was like I was in France, or something!

[Giant Communist Robot]

Obama wins, overcoming the stigma of being born in Hawaii.

[Giant Communist Robot]

Obama is George Bush's legacy

[shostakovich]

Where the conscious goes the subconscious must follow.
Part of me wants to post a link to Leonard Cohen's "The Future" but I am forcibly switching into optimist mode instead.

Obama speaks like an intelligent man, we will soon find out whether he's genuine.

Who frightens me is Pelosi, Ayers and their ilk. She is already crowing about the victory and you can see her eyes gleam at the thought of power. Those are the dangerous ones, the people who want power but are too weak to make it to the top.... I don't trust them with the power in the patriot act. I pray Obama discards them now that they've got him elected, for that would tell me he is a practical if sometimes ruthless man who plays fools as necessary.

A touch of ruthlessness is not surprising, he was after all abandoned by a father, a stepfather and a mother before he was ten. Let us pray he has forgiven them.

Let us also pray he is a kind person at heart, and i am optimistic there - he seems to have a decent wife and kids and he sounds compassionate.
And Bill Oreilly, with the instincts of an old schoolteacher, said he's a good man.

In a time of drastic change it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists.

Congratulations to all..

a. [pangloss icon]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODu888i14-I

I'm with you on Pelosi, and Harry Reid, too. Outside of Lieberman, they are the biggest embarrassments from 2006.
Shos

[analog]

Thank you Shos.

And Ms Boo.


a.

[dai bread]

I am highly suspicious of media hype, and Obama had column-kilometres of it. I hope it all turns out well for you, and for the rest of us, but I won't be holding my breath.

[Shapley]

To pay off my bet, I sent a donation to the Archdiocese of the Military Services.

[Mahlersfifth]

Ah well.. will Reid boot Lieberman AND Stevens out of the senate?

[Haggis@wk]

Ah well.. will Reid boot Lieberman AND Stevens out of the senate?

Not Lieberman Reid needs him now more than ever, he will generally vote with them and puts them closer to that magic "filibuster proof" majority.

As for Stevens, the honorable thing to do after being "vindicated" by re-election is to resign and let someone else take his seat. Of course, we've all come to realize that "honor" is a foreign word to most members of congress so who knows?

The Senate could force him out but he's been there so long that he probably knows where many bodies are buried.

Can he legally retain his seat and be in jail? again, who knows?

[Shapley]

Can he legally retain his seat and be in jail? again, who knows?

I believe he can. It seems to me there was some discussion on this a number of years back, when a member of Congress was convicted and showed signs of unwillingness to resign.

I know the rules vary from State to State, but does the Governor (Sarah Palin) get to appoint a Senator to fill his term if he resigns, or does Alaska call for a special election?

[Haggis@wk]

During the past two days I've notice comments from this board and others that all have a common theme. Essentially it's "I voted for him even though I don't know anything about him and hope he really doesn't do all those things he said he would do"

Well, confession time. I said the same thing in 1976 when I voted for Carter.

So, I'll try to avoid any dire predictions or schadenfreude when those unheralded dire predictions come true.