Comments | myrgthful: America has Spoken

myrgthful

America has Spoken

Nov 05, 2008 04:02

Congratulations to President-Elect Obama, and to all who supported him in this election. It would be very hard for me to not feel some sense of hope, as it oozes from the pores of so many of my friends and family. I do have to give it to Barack Obama: the man can speak. The man can inspire. And, if it were not for my concerns about his choices as a ( Read more... )

politics, election, decision 2008

Comments 8

un_crayon_rouge November 5 2008, 12:08:30 UTC

Well said!

(Except maybe for the Palin bit. I admit I may have been biased, but she did not seem like someone I personally would like to be governed by.)

myrgthful November 5 2008, 14:03:48 UTC

I said, "Perhaps". I held as much hope for her as I did for Obama when it comes to making a change to things. Probably more, since I expect she would make changes more agreeable to my outlook. As I said, I'll be watching to see what she does next.

I hold a sober and cautious optimism when it comes to Obama. We'll see if he can make good on his promises, without making a mess of things. And when it comes to campaign promises, so few politicians follow through.

jademg November 5 2008, 15:17:41 UTC

It's pretty undeniable: he CAN speak, he CAN inspire. It's pretty crazy. I, too, can't say I agree with everything he seems to stand for, I think your cautious optimism is a good route. It will be interesting to see what change he makes happen and what won't.

Cautious Optimism narcogen November 6 2008, 12:20:44 UTC

Oddly enough, as someone who in no way wanted either Bush or McCain to serve as President, I would also describe my attitude to the Obama victory as "cautious optimism".

For me it is not so much for his own views, which probably more closely mirror my own than yours, but rather because of the nature of the challenges the nation currently faces, the limited capacity that the office of the President really has in order to deal with some of these (especially global financial issues) and the general jackassery that tends to ensue when EITHER party gets near-complete control of the legislature.

As an expatriate, though-- Obama suits me to a T. He puts a friendly, intelligent, thoughtful face on America, and that is a big difference from the last eight years. Foreign nationals who first meet you only know you're American, and what "being American" means to them is largely communicated by news coverage of what the US and its leaders do.

Re: Cautious Optimism myrgthful November 7 2008, 14:54:06 UTC

I was much more warmly interested in McCain in 2000. In 2008, he just doesn't seem like the same guy. I'm definitely not impressed anymore. And a lot of people apparently feel the same way. Some mathematicians figured out (and published in Discover Magazine) that, if every voter had been given the option for a "second choice" candidate, then McCain would have roundly beaten BOTH Bush and Gore in 2000. Back then, he was a true maverick... and it somehow just seems like they told him to get back in line, and then they'd let him have a crack at the Presidency in a few years.

Obama can speak. The man moves me. I still view him with caution, because of his history of extremism vs. his claims that he will be "reaching across the aisle".

There's also the fact that, with Democrat majorities in BOTH the House and Senate, he may not really have to. Funny how this is such a mirror of the 2000 election - let us hope that Obama and the Democrats use this "mandate" more fruitfully than their Republican predecessors did ( ... )

hollyday4ever November 6 2008, 21:18:31 UTC

As a Libertarian at heart (haven't officially changed my party designation, but feel committed in spirit), I wasn't really happy with either of my choices on Election Day.

I knew I would feel the same way you do (except my "cautious optimism" would be mixed with a smattering of paranoia) no matter who won. But I'm trying to temper any unwarranted suspicions during the wait to see what actually happens. I don't like feeling uneasy & unsure.

Strange times aren't they??? :-\

myrgthful November 7 2008, 15:00:10 UTC

I have teetered on the edge of joining the Libertarian party for so long... it's just that they, by and large, are pro-Abortion and anti-Death Penalty. And I feel very strongly about those two issues. (I'm Pro-Life, and support the Death Penalty ( ... )

hollyday4ever November 13 2008, 20:04:36 UTC

- it's just that they, by and large, are pro-Abortion and anti-Death Penalty. And I feel very strongly about those two issues. (I'm Pro-Life, and support the Death Penalty)

Actually, from what I've read (and I am by no means an expert on the subject of Libertarianism), the party has no real well-defined position on abortion.

Here is the extent of the official party view that I can find on the subject:

http://www.lp.org/platform

1.4 Abortion

"Recognizing that abortion is a sensitive issue and that people can hold good-faith views on all sides, we believe that government should be kept out of the matter, leaving the question to each person for their conscientious consideration."Pro-choice Libs say the party protects the rights & freedoms of the mother. Pro-life Libs say the party protects the rights & freedoms of the fetus as a separate person. Either way, the party says it's not taking a legal stance on the matter, it just wants the govt out of it ( ... )