Interesting times

[svxistentialist]

I'd like to congratulate you guys on your new president elect. This will make for interesting times.

As well as congratulations to you, I am in sheer awe and respect at the commitment of the American people to democracy. The number of people who turned up to vote was true testament to your solid belief in the system. It is totally admirable and I wish we Irish were a lot less politically apathetic here in my own country.

It would be good to think Obama got the majority vote because he was the better candidate, not because of the colour of his skin, because there is no doubt he is an exceptional individual. However, there will have been a percentage racist vote in his favour, but on its own it could not have carried him to Washington.

I suppose to balance this off there will have been a white middle class vote pushing McCain, so there is some level of balance to the voting mix on the race ticket.

These were the two best candidates I have seen in my lifetime. I know I have a few friends on here who would be strong Republicans and will be feeling the hurt today. John McCain is a workhorse dynamo, but in this race he was carrying too much baggage in the shape of dissatisfaction with the current Bush regime. In retrospect Sarah Palin was a mistake too. She distracted too much media attention from the main candidate.

For all our sakes I hope that Obama's rhetoric is matched by actions and policies with a bit of vision and muscle.

Can the United States of America revitalise an ailing economy in the coming months?

In my humble opinion, yes, you can.

Joe.

[RSVX]

meh.........

[svxistentialist]

Originally Posted by RSVX

meh.........

And this bleat means???

[RSVX]

it isnt obvious?

[dcarrb]

Originally Posted by svxistentialist

Can the United States of America revitalise an ailing economy in the coming months?

In my humble opinion, yes, you can.

Joe.

I think a few citizens of the United States of America could use a touch of your optimism.

Millions of people voted for John McCain, a fine, patriotic man certainly worthy of the office of president, but his party has had a long run and the American voters decided to give the opposition a go. Years down the road it'll play out another way. My wish is that those who supported Sen. McCain would actually take to heart the words he spoke last night.

dcb

[svxistentialist]

Originally Posted by dcarrb

I think a few citizens of the United States of America could use a touch of your optimism.

Millions of people voted for John McCain, a fine, patriotic man certainly worthy of the office of president, but his party has had a long run and the American voters decided to give the opposition a go. Years down the road it'll play out another way. My wish is that those who supported Sen. McCain would actually take to heart the words he spoke last night.

dcb

Amen to that. On the numbers breakdown nearly 50% of your voters did not get their choice elected.

It is a tribute to the fine and magnanimous man that he is that he immediately pushed disappointment aside and took the patriotic stance of standing behind the new President. Sign of a true statesman.

It's partly this all-for-one attitude that feeds my hope and optimism that these current economic doldrums will be defeated.

Joe

[siceclipse]

Originally Posted by RSVX

meh.........

republican

lol

[lhopp77]

Originally Posted by svxistentialist

.

It would be good to think Obama got the majority vote because he was the better candidate, not because of the colour of his skin, because there is no doubt he is an exceptional individual. However, there will have been a percentage racist vote in his favour, but on its own it could not have carried him to Washington.

You have a strange concept or perspective of qualifications for this job. He was obviously the least qualified of all candidates on the ticket. He was great at selling himself and his ideas and the "hate Bush" syndrome was his biggest booster.

He will NEVER be able to fulfill his promises. He would not have been able to even prior to the financial crisis and that has made it even less possible. He WILL be able to hurt the economy further, though, if he fulfills his promises of increasing taxes on investments, corporations and businesses.

Lee

[dcarrb]

Originally Posted by lhopp77

He will NEVER be able to fulfill his promises.

No doubt that your and your fellow travelers intend to see to that.

dcb

[svxistentialist]

Originally Posted by lhopp77

You have a strange concept or perspective of qualifications for this job. He was obviously the least qualified of all candidates on the ticket. He was great at selling himself and his ideas and the "hate Bush" syndrome was his biggest booster.

Strange you should say that Lee. About 52% of Americans who voted agree he is the man for the job.

Plus I mentioned McCain's uphill struggle was shaking off the Bush legacy.
Plus Darren says the same thing, the electorate wanted change.

Originally Posted by lhopp77

He will NEVER be able to fulfill his promises. He would not have been able to even prior to the financial crisis and that has made it even less possible. He WILL be able to hurt the economy further, though, if he fulfills his promises of increasing taxes on investments, corporations and businesses.

Lee

You are correct here, it is a very difficult environment for him to be successful in all things. McCain would have struggled also, it's a bad financial playground these days. Whatever he does he will need the support of the people to deliver any positive change, and I hope he gets it.

From an outside perspective it appears to me you may have some fundamental changes coming as he will probably be limiting overseas military spending, which is costly, and he will not be in the pocket of the oil industry like the recent administration. That should keep some dollars at home where they are needed.

Joe

[lhopp77]

Originally Posted by svxistentialist

Strange you should say that Lee. About 52% of Americans who voted agree he is the man for the job.

........, and he will not be in the pocket of the oil industry like the recent administration. That should keep some dollars at home where they are needed.

Joe

First, I was responding to your qualification statement. Secondly, I agree that he obtained a majority, but all the time I was thinking of the 30s and Germany.

Now your last statement doesn't make sense. The way to keep American oil dollars at home is to drill more of our vast reserves. Support of drilling is a Republican position not supported by the Democrats, so we will continue to bleed dollars for overseas oil.

Lee

[lhopp77]

Originally Posted by dcarrb

No doubt that your and your fellow travelers intend to see to that.

dcb

Don't you think it is time for a little bit of "turn about is fair play" and turn the same type of vitrolic hatred on Obama that has been unleased on Bush for his entire term of office????

Lee

[Noir]

Interesting indeed Joe.

I raise my glass up to my friends as we progress into 'the final hour'.

[RojoRocket]

Originally Posted by lhopp77

Don't you think it is time for a little bit of "turn about is fair play" and turn the same type of vitrolic hatred on Obama that has been unleased on Bush for his entire term of office????

Lee

And what is it exactly that Obama has done at this point to earn the vitriol, other than beat out your candidate? Seems to me in '00 and '04 there were Major questions about election "irregularities", and GOP tactics that generated a lot of concern. You sir, appear to be a poor loser.

Glenn

[svxistentialist]

Originally Posted by lhopp77

Now your last statement doesn't make sense. The way to keep American oil dollars at home is to drill more of our vast reserves. Support of drilling is a Republican position not supported by the Democrats, so we will continue to bleed dollars for overseas oil.

Lee

Yes, I agree with that Lee. I rolled two statements into one sentence and I meant overseas military spending was the bleed that is about to be staunched.

Being in the pocket of the oil industry is one of the reasons your gas is not taxed as heavily as the rest of the world.

Perversely, as the cost of crude rises on world markets, it will bring the day closer that you will have to drill for and use your own resources. Meantime it does actually make economic sense to use external oil resources as long as they are cheap. That will conserve your own reserves.

The part that I dislike the most of the administration being too close to the oil industry would be there are no government incentives or drives to reduce consumption, because this impacts on gas sales. The USA is out of step with the rest of the world here, big time. Every other country on the planet is making moves to reduce consumption, reduce carbon emissions.

As reserves dwindle I expect we will all head down the same expensive road. Meantime, enjoy your cheap gasoline, in the not too distance future we may have to take out a mortgage to fill the tank of the SVX.