American Politics during the Bush Presidency

[Jackson]

I am sure we won't have to see nutjob conservatives appointed to the Supreme Court now.

Dogg,

On this point we agree.

Thanks,

Jackson

[Jackson]

I have a number of friends who are teachers at various levels -- elementary school, junior high, high school -- and they have all commented unfailingly on how Obama's candidacy has absolutely rocked the black and ethnic kids in the most positive ways. My friends have all observed the most profound change in the hopes and aspirations of these kids, along with black parents in particular telling kids they have absolutely no excuse now for not working and trying.

Yes, the ability to inspire young children has long been an important criteria for me in selecting a President.

[James Bond 007]

I guess it wasn't the classic landslide of Ronald Reagan 20+ years ago, but I guess media is calling it since Obama won most of the large states on the battleground (FL, OH, PA, etc)

Where exactly was that landslide?

I didn't see anything even close to a landslide.

Thanks,

Jackson

[El Perro]

I never lost my pride in the USA.

Amen Jackson. Neither did I. I did lose faith in the government of the past eight years.

[Jackson]

Mother Fuckin' A!

Our long national nightmare may finally be over.

Our Al Qaeda's long national nightmare may finally be over.

[Jackson]

The Word of the Day is LANDSLIDE

What a wonderful moment in time and for all it means to be an American and all it means to the rest of the world that is watching.

Where exactly was that landslide?

I didn't see anything even close to a landslide.

Thanks,

Jackson

[Jackson]

The Return of Pride

Ah, let us bask in this for awhile and hope Bush and his band of heavily armed, thieving scoundrels don't pull off some ludicrous horseshit in his remaining days.

There will be much talk about whether or not Obama will be a true "liberal" or govern more from the middle. While I hope he works to effect change in a partisan manner, let us not forget that there are some much needed changes in USA policy that may reflect that frightening "liberal bias". The USA has not had a fully committed liberal agenda in many, many decades. Clinton was much more moderate than liberal as regards policy in most cases. I hope Obama is not so bent on governing from the middle that he fails to aggressively pursue much needed change in many areas, particularly regarding foreign policy. When he announces that the USA is looking for major changes in its stance with Cuba for instance, I will begin to believe. That shouldn't be such a tough thing to do, now that it is apparent that the expat cuban population in Florida is far from a solid voting bloc.

Ah, but that's my pet peeve area. I am sure we won't have to see nutjob conservatives appointed to the Supreme Court now. There won't be any neo conservative voice in an Obama administration. He will be much more likely to put government money to work to improve infrastructure and create jobs for the middle class that is going to need them, and how. He will make sure that the deregulation loopholes on Wall Street are a thing of the past. No more old boy, I'll wipe your ass if you'll wipe mine shenanigans. As he is not a mean spirited ideologue, we can expect to see less tit for tat, juvenile posturing.

Well, thoughts for this beckoning, new morning.

I never lost my pride in the USA.

[QuakHunter]

I think the biggest difference between the truly conservative and the truly liberal (I'm talking about neither neo-cons nor communists! Is that conservatives feel that people should be self-reliant and pretty much on their own and liberals feel that the government should do things to help people to give them a chance to succeed.

I hate to say this, and I KNOW I'm going to be trashed for this, but many (not all) poor people are poor by choice. I'm talking about the United States here, not in countries where there are reasons beyond many people's direct control that keep them from succeeding.

I worked three jobs (they were all minimum wage) and paid for nearly four years of school. But I chose not to continue college (my terrible decision) and went into the workforce. First as a laborer, then as a draftsman, then as a programmer and lastly as a business man who has had to struggle to survive.

The problem with most people who rely on the governments in my opinion is that they want someone else to give them an opportunity, and not simply take it.

In my opinion, you make your own opportunity and don't whine about it. You yourself are responsible for what you do in this life. I think that ANYONE who treats someone like shit for matters of race (or religion, etc) and denies opportunity on that basis should be castigated and punished in some fashion. I think anyone who lies and cheats other people to get ahead should be punished.

The constitution didn't guarantee happiness - it guaranteed the right to pursue it. It's up to each person to sieze that right and do something with it.

A well written synopsis of what most people who call themselves Conservative feel.

I grew up in a white, upper middle class family in the Midwest. Through this entire election cycle the people who I grew up with and admired have been called evangelical christians, neo-cons and worse simply because we subscribe to a principle of self reliance so eloquently espoused by El Queso.

My dad was well off, but I paid for College myself with scholarships and part time jobs. This was because my Dad was a man whose Father was killed in 1932 as a police officer who grew up Fatherless. He quit High School to fight in Korea with the Marines, came back and finished High School, earned a scholarship to a Big Ten school and graduated after seven long years. The GI Bill and football scholarship he studied under are still available to those who want to pursue an education. Dad hated the upper crust kids he called "The Lucky Sperm Club" who had verything given to them and maybe he wanted his kid to earn his way. Dad always made sure we had straight teeth, good eyes and clean clothes, kind of like the government providing good roads, safety and parks. (I know, a stretch but work with me)

During my time in school I was more interested in beer and pussy than hard work, and I suffered. When I was done with my four years playing football I had to come back for a fifth year to graduate. I worked three jobs, studied harder and appreciated that year as much as the first four. Nobody was going to give me a fifth year for my lack of effort the first four.

There were hard working minority and less fortunate kids that came to school with the opportunities provided them and made a tremendous opportunity even better by succeeding at school. Pell Grants, ROTC Scholarships, charitable foundations have always been available to people who wanted to better their station in life. Far more of these kids came to school unprepared, with little or no appreciation for their opportunity and fucked it all away. I tend to remember the people around me that made the most of their chances. I guess I am just a PollyAnna Cocksucker, right?

Most years I make over $250, the past three I have not. I deal with it and try and find ways to improve and expand my business without reducing payroll. My family and I still have to face these people in our community. I still spend more dollars on efforts to improve my family's life, help my community and provide relief to the deserving people in need than I spend on Pussy. And trust me, that last expenditure is substantial.

I am a man who is writing posts on a board dedicated to chasing pussy, drinking beer and gaining information to do it more efficiently and maximize my experience. I believe that the label of "Evangelical Christian or Neo Con" might need to be applied elsewhere. But yet, I am the Republican "Cock Sucker" that won't be heard from for awhile.

So before all of the gloating gets completely out of hand and the name calling gets more hostile and venomous, try and remember that ideology works both ways and time will bear out who was right based on individual situations, not on the collective "good" or "bad" feelings about some overlooked, oppressed, protected class of people.

Because in the end, both sides would like to shut this great hobby down. To paraphrase a quote by the great statesman, Charlton Heston.

"They can take my Chica when they pry her off my cold, hard erection" or something like that.

He also said, "Get your hands off of me you damned, dirty ape"

Good luck.

[Jackson]

Agreed. McCain's speech was excellent but his audience was very disrespectful unlike the Obama audience. That shows the character of each group.

I must admit McCain was gracious in defeat. Funny thing though, the crowd in Chicago cheered at the mention of McCain's name while the crowd in Arizona booed at Obama's.

You've got to love this.

Not only are Obama supporters more enlightened, but they're also "better people".

ROTFLMAO.

Thanks,

Jackson

[James Bond 007]

Yes this is a beginning of a new era with a new government. The democrats have the presidency and both branches of congress. It was probably time for the pendulum to swing back to the left as it does each decade.

I'm not a big democrat or republican as I don't trust politicians in general. However I think there is a good balance of power in the US that allows for checks and balances. You can't always say that is the case in most other countries.

Whoever is in power, whatever is inevitable is that we will likely experience is increase in taxes. The government is in a lot of debt and they have to increase taxes somewhere, whether it be corporate tax, personal income tax or elsewhere. I doubt there will be an significant cutbacks in government spending as there are so many lobbyists claiming money for their constituents.

[El Queso]

Just a comment about Dems vs Repubs. It doesn't matter that one is in power over the other, because as far as who is more honest and who is less likely to use the "good ol' boy network," that makes not one whit of difference who it is.

My step-grandfather was a pilot who actually flew JFK on many of his campaign trips for the '60 election. He was also a worker in the Arkansas transportation system as a railroad engineer. He was very connected into Arkansas politics and the union scene. In fact, he used to talk to his buddies at the federal government level and watch out for us when we drove to see him and my grandmother - the state and federal police in some places have cameras and they can see by license plates who is passing where - he used to call my folks up and tell them exactly where we were as we drove to see my grandmother nearly a thousand miles away from where we lived.

He had many stories to tell of the (illegal) Democratic efforts to get Kennedy elected - voter fraud that HE KNEW OF DIRECTLY and participated in.

He has stories about pork-barrel projects that his buddies in both the State Legislature and representatives to the US legislature won by the "good ol' boy network."

He will be much more likely to put government money to work to improve infrastructure and create jobs for the middle class that is going to need them, and how.

I think the biggest difference between the truly conservative and the truly liberal (I'm talking about neither neo-cons nor communists! Is that conservatives feel that people should be self-reliant and pretty much on their own and liberals feel that the government should do things to help people to give them a chance to succeed.

Now, between that, you have people on both sides, who because they are human, will take advantage of their power and position to ensure that their "side," or their families, or their buddies, etc ad infinitum, will benefit.

I think that the government (BOTH FREAKING PARTIES are short in this regard, not just the Republicans) should make an even playing field for all of its citizens. Make simple laws that keep people from taking advantage and doing things illegally and then ENFORCE THEM, including against employees and representatives of the government who could take advantage of their power.

This idea that "the common man" has to be provided for is something I just can't understand. I am liberal to the extent that I don't like to see people suffer, but I am conservative to the point where I think that many people are too lazy and ignorant and too full of wrong ideas as to where the real problems lay to do anything themselves about their situation.

I don't think the government has any business creating jobs - it should get the hell out of the way and let the people it is supposed to work for (and not the other way around) do that. Anything the governmkent touches, by definition, is going to be innefficient and wasteful.

I hate to say this, and I KNOW I'm going to be trashed for this, but many (not all) poor people are poor by choice. I'm talking about the United States here, not in countries where there are reasons beyond many people's direct control that keep them from succeeding.

There are enough people who seek power by telling the poor that they cannot do anything without the government's help, that they choose not to do anything except ***** and complain and say "I'm not going to go work for minimum wage at McDonald's" (or wherever) "because I'm better than that."

Yes, strong words, I know. But for fuck's sake! While my parents may not have been poor (they were on the VERY low end of middle class) they never helped me with my own way. I was told that I could go to school and live at home when it came time for college and they would help me monetarily, or I could leave and figure out what to do. I did not want to live at home any more, so I went to school on my own, in another city, with only the money I had made over the summer between high school and college working construction along side illegal Mexicans.

That was a disaster, but not because I needed help. I worked three jobs (they were all minimum wage) and paid for nearly four years of school. But I chose not to continue college (my terrible decision) and went into the workforce. First as a laborer, then as a draftsman, then as a programmer and lastly as a business man who has had to struggle to survive.

I worked my ass off. I worked extra jobs when I needed something. My parents NEVER helped me once I left the house. Not with contacts (which they didn't have) not with money (of which they had very little) although they did support me and helped with advice when they thought I needed it, though as young and dumb as I was I ignored most of it.

The problem with most people who rely on the governments in my opinion is that they want someone else to give them an opportunity, and not simply take it.

In my opinion, you make your own opportunity and don't whine about it. You yourself are responsible for what you do in this life. I think that ANYONE who treats someone like shit for matters of race (or religion, etc) and denies opportunity on that basis should be castigated and punished in some fashion. I think anyone who lies and cheats other people to get ahead should be punished.

Why can't we work on that instead of the government controlling things that it has no business controlling? But not with laws that guarantee so many people of certain pursuasions so many jobs.

I don't really know what the answer is - anyone who really DOES know what the answer is, at this time in the life of the world, would truly be akin to Jesus and I think is about as mythical.

But surely handing the government control over things and making the government directly responsible for ensuring its people are happy is not the right way.

The consitution didn't guarantee happiness - it guaranteed the right to pursue it. It's up to each person to sieze that rihgt and do something with it.

[El Greco]

Ah, let us bask in this for awhile and hope Bush and his band of heavily armed, thieving scoundrels don't pull off some ludicrous horseshit in his remaining days.

I cross my fingers to be wrong this time but I will not be surprised if your friends in the Middle East attack Iran in this meantime creating a whole mess there. They had their very first ever joined air exersice with my Greeks checking their endurance and in-flight refuelling last summer.

Well what Greeks actually did was to let them over pass all the way to the west.

The administration will claim that they have nothing to do with that.

[Daddy Rulz]

IMHO, your hangover will not be pleasant! I sure hope that I'm wrong.

As a poor person I looked all over Obama's web site for where I apply for my check when they start taking the rich peoples money. Nothing in the mail, nothing in my bank account. Does that only start in January? I hope Sid isn't wrong about that!

[El Perro]

Ah, let us bask in this for awhile and hope Bush and his band of heavily armed, thieving scoundrels don't pull off some ludicrous horseshit in his remaining days.

There will be much talk about whether or not Obama will be a true "liberal" or govern more from the middle. While I hope he works to effect change in a partisan manner, let us not forget that there are some much needed changes in USA policy that may reflect that frightening "liberal bias". The USA has not had a fully committed liberal agenda in many, many decades. Clinton was much more moderate than liberal as regards policy in most cases. I hope Obama is not so bent on governing from the middle that he fails to aggressively pursue much needed change in many areas, particularly regarding foreign policy. When he announces that the USA is looking for major changes in its stance with Cuba for instance, I will begin to believe. That shouldn't be such a tough thing to do, now that it is apparent that the expat cuban population in Florida is far from a solid voting bloc.

Ah, but that's my pet peeve area. I am sure we won't have to see nutjob conservatives appointed to the Supreme Court now. There won't be any neo conservative voice in an Obama administration. He will be much more likely to put government money to work to improve infrastructure and create jobs for the middle class that is going to need them, and how. He will make sure that the deregulation loopholes on Wall Street are a thing of the past. No more old boy, I'll wipe your ass if you'll wipe mine shenanigans. As he is not a mean spirited ideologue, we can expect to see less tit for tat, juvenile posturing.

Well, thoughts for this beckoning, new morning.

[WorldTravel69]

Rock Harders said it, free beer.

Come on Sid Smile. Like the report said the Market Shines when the Demo's are in the Drivers Seat.

Although Argie beer sucks.

Now if he was a Republican you would have to pay for it.