Historical day

Id say they are more comparing him to FDR… but then maybe its just the circumstances that are similar…
Obama IS the guy I backed… do I expect miracles? nope… but I think he will do better than some here expect… but I sure agree with the POV that says if he DONT do good.. were all going to suffer… there is too much at stake here to tolerate much failure….. one guy was voted out already when it became obvious it was time for change… and if Obama cant swing things at all Im sure the blood letting will start with the next congressional election in 2 years….. his window of opportunity is very narrow… basically he has a bit over a year before his party will be called to task for results…. Im totally not worried about him messing with little things like gun issues or anything else.. ru kidding? he has WAY bigger fish to fry…. he is smart enough to know that if he works on only little problems the big problems will crucify him and us….

A new American President was sworn in today.

As long as we continue to hyphenate AMERICAN we will perpetuate the “Us vs. them” mentality in this Country. I feel we will have really accomplished something when we can finally look at people as AMERICANS. Not African-American, Native-American, Asian American, Mexican-American….You REALLY want change that everyone can believe in? Drop the Hyphen. Stop hyping the race, it has as much to do with the person as thier hair color in my book. Let’s vote on the abilities and records of those running. Why do I have to hear that this is so historic because we voted in a BLACK president? How shallow is that?

By perpetuating the myth that Obama is the second coming based on his race…we may have done a huge disservice to the “Black” or any color other than the white-anglo cause in America. If Obama fails…How long before another “Person of color” is elected as president? I think this could all backfire on the people who all worked so hard to get him elected. Yes, expectations have been set VERY high for this gentleman. Probably unfairly in my book. We need to get past that as a Country.

Drop the darned hyphen. Be an American.

Hail to the Chief! Good luck Pres. Obama! I did not vote for him, but I respect him and do believe in his heart he will do what he feels is right for this Country.

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I swear some people are more than ready to anoint this guy the best thing since sliced bread.

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That’s another thing that annoys me, maybe I take it for granted but what IS so great about sliced bread???

These days I think the the bread that is NOT sliced is the greater bread.

Oh well, just another thing that divides our country I guess.

I didn’t vote for President Obama, but he is now our President and I’ll support him until he gives me reason not to. What I found disturbing was this video of former President Bush coming out to give his farewell speech. I don’t agree with a lot of things he did during his Presidency but I feel the man still deserves the respect of the office!! Farewell booing

Ed

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I won’t get behind President Obama on issues I don’t believe in. I believe in limited/small government, low taxes, states rights, economic freedom, private property you get my drift. So I would have to chuck a lot of my principles to get behind the new president. Hell, I would have to chuck them to get behind a President McCain. Hopefully this isn’t the latest attempt to make the US a socialist country. But it sure looks that way to me. Good luck.

dd

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My thoughts exactly! If he is honest and attempts to implement all his campaign promises, I will not wish him success. Today, I find some comfort and hope in the realization that he is a politician, therefore, honesty is not necessarily relevant. To me, he is a mysterious character with no record of leadership and I find that unsettling in this day and age! He is an accomplished orator of many hopeful and intoxicating words and even more positions on issues. He and his associates remind me of the old adage “Birds of a feather, flock together.” Some folks are going to be bitterly disappointed, I can only hope I am not among them! In conclusion, I do wish him success in preventing another terrorist attack on US soil and in stimulating and maintaining a robust, capitalistic economy!!.

I think its fair to recognize the fact that we have elected a black president… this fact is significant to a LOT of people…. sure its possibly a sore point with some.. and means nothing to others Id expect that….
I worked on a team to help elect Obama and I can tell you I didnt hear anyone sitting around spouting about electing a black president just for the heck of him being black everyone thought he was the BEST choice and there was a diverse group of people.. many not dems… some were republicans sick of the direction their party had taken.. and of course a lot of independants… I think maybe only 1/3 were dems… that tells you something…

I hear questions about obama… they dont have anything to do with him being black.. that isnt an issue…..
in short he wasnt elected because he was black… he was elected because the most people felt he was the best option and in addition the “other” party was pretty much summarily kicked to the curb… again… not necesarily because they suck… but for sure because they presided over some of the greatest disasters in US history… was it their fault? it couldnt have been totally theirs…. but in the US I do think you should pay for failure… not enough of that has been done… look at the CEOs who get rewarded for destroying their compaines… too bad those CEOs dont run for reelection…. they would all be out of a job…
all that being said..
I like Obamas approach.. he is really trying to bring the parties together.. to work together.. to solve problems together… we all need to do this… of course there is going to be dissent… you can see that right HERE!… not everyone will get on board… but hopefully enough will that we can turn this around.. our problems are not and never were something that one person (even a president) can solve… not until we elect God.. but he doesnt seem to want that job (and who can blame him?)…. but if God decides to run.. I think he will run as an independant… what dyou think?

Thanks Chris for saying what I’m always thinking. The whole hyphenated American thing just rubs me the wrong way. I think there are African Americans and Mexican Americans etc. These are the immigrants that have come here from those countries. When they pass the test and take the oath of citizenship they lose the hyphen and become Americans. The color of your skin has nothing to do with earning this title. We are all descendants of someone who came from somewhere else. Welcome to America my fellow Americans.

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in short he wasnt elected because he was black… he was elected because the most people felt he was the best option

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I would argue that more first time voters voted for him because he is black than vote for him because he was a democrat.

-J.

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in short he wasnt elected because he was black… he was elected because the most people felt he was the best option

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I would argue that more first time voters voted for him because he is black than vote for him because he was a democrat.

-J.

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One could also say, many first time voters & even longtime voters, did not vote for him because he is black…. I think a fair statement.

big G

Personally, I don’t care if he is blue, orange or green. My position is that many of the electorate are totally ignorant of the issues and were mesmerized by his silver tongued oratory and the very slanted hype from the mainstream media. The fact remains that he has little, if any, demonstrated leadership experience. His voting record in the US Senate puts him as the most liberal of all the Senators and that scares the living bejesus out of me. So you think God would run as an Independent? I think that as long the left supports unfettered abortion, that opinion might be somewhat naive.

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Personally, I don’t care if he is blue, orange or green. My position is that many of the electorate are totally ignorant of the issues and were mesmerized by his silver tongued oratory and the very slanted hype from the mainstream media. The fact remains that he has little, if any, demonstrated leadership experience. His voting record in the US Senate puts him as the most liberal of all the Senators and that scares the living bejesus out of me. So you think God would run as an Independent? I think that as long the left supports unfettered abortion, that opinion might be somewhat naive.

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Amen Bro. So what if “you people” elected a black president. Ooops I mean, a half black president, oops I mean a half white president. Oh lord I get so confused. Maybe the whole time Ive been trying to be accountable for my own actions was a mistake. Now if it feels good, do it and worry about it later (which will probably be the next time a Rep. is in office).

In reality all is well, I hope him the best. I will not turn on the president of our country like alot of folks did with Bush. I’ll just make sure Im at least 100 miles away from any big city when the bombs fall…

My opinion is simple on the whole matter, If you want something to go away, than you forget about it, stay away from it, dont talk about it or ignore it. RACISM, the way the media is hyping our “black” president is just an instigator to the whole your this color theyre that color belief, that is the kindling under racism fire. If the fire is to be put out than QUIT TALKING ABOUT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blacks voted at a 95 % clip for Obama, seriously, I do not see how you cannot say they did not vote by color first. What other voting group could get away with that and not have it talked about daily by our so called 4th estate. It is all about political correctness.

Personally, I do not think socialism and big government is the answer, as they caused the problem in the first place…

When our goverment STOPS spending money they do not have, then CHANGE is on the way…

lol.. imagine.. a debate as to what Party God would run for? wouldnt be any I could think of … guess he would have his own….. my point is he wouldnt run for either of the two main ones.. but then.. Im not God.. and dont speak for him…. so anything I say is just mostly a joke… and since tongue in cheek was my intent… Im not sure I hit my mark…!
I totally agree that you cant spend more than you Make.. and since the last group did a worse job of that than any prior single administration they had to go.. now we are in quite a pickle because though I think Obama wants to balance the budget the current economic theory is that you cant shutdown spending without killing the economy totally… so instead you have to spend money you dont have to turn it around… this is not a party decision.. it was supported by all…. there is really no choice… if we werent already saddled with the cost of Iraq and Afghanistan.. none of which has been paid for.. (were just paying interest).. it would really help…

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I totally agree that you cant spend more than you Make.. and since the last group did a worse job….

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The legislative component of that last group is still in play, now with a new prez, I predict we are going to find out what out of control pending is really all about!

I read this out of a “seven reasons for healthy skepticism” article on yahoo.com today…

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3. We are broke.

The past several months have produced a rare convergence. Something that politicians of both parties find pleasurable — spending money — has overlapped with what economists and policy experts of all ideological stripes said is urgently necessary. As “Saturday Night Live’s” Church Lady used to say, “How convenient.”

One month from now, Democrats will likely have passed the massive stimulus bill and Obama will have signed it into law. The new Treasury Department will be well on its way to spending the second $350 billion chunk of the $700 billion bank bailout fund.

After this rush of activity, the ability to spend during the balance of Obama’s first term — never mind if there is a second — will be sharply constrained.

Instead, the new administration and lawmakers on Capitol Hill will awaken to another first: the prospect of the national deficit approaching $2 trillion. For most, these numbers are simply too big to ponder. But ponder this: This country has never reckoned with deficits like these.

Wait, it gets worse. Remember those entitlement programs the elderly and poor need more than ever: Social Security and Medicare? In budget terms, they are more troubled than ever.

Social Security’s surpluses “begin to decline in 2011 and then turn into rapidly growing deficits as the baby boom generation retires,” according to one recent report. “Medicare’s financial status,” the report said, “is even worse.”

Basically, the government needs more money than ever at a time when people are losing jobs, income and confidence.

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I see we are kinda getting off track. To the OP, the only reason I see this as historic or more historic than any other transfer of power is the media telling me so.

Not much different than the last 6 years or so. The media has been pounding it into my head the country is ruined. Told enough times, one starts to believe it.

I hope the media continues its celebrity showering on Obama. Please keep telling us everything is changing and everything is OK. It’s exactly what this country needs. Regardless if it’s true or not!

-J.

I think anyone who looks at pictures of all past presidents, even a kindergartner would be able to tell you that “one of these people, is not like the others” … in about 3 seconds flat. Now, is way too much being made about the fact that he is not 100% caucasian.. I do believe so. If a woman was elected, again, it would have been historical and blown way out of proportion also. JMHO.

big G

I totally agree that you cant spend more than you Make.. and since the last group did a worse job….

The legislative component of that last group is still in play, now with a new prez, I predict we are going to find out what out of control spending is really all about!

—–I agree…

What I would like to see come of this whole thing is that “the loyal opposition” will actually oppose something instead of doing less of the same thing. My analysis of bi-partisanship over the last 8 years is both sides getting together and doing what the left wants done. Because if you don’t ABC, NBC, CBS, MSNBC, CNN, The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The LA Times, The Houston Chronicle, The San Fran Cisco Chronicle, Time, Newsweek, yada, yada, yada will tear you apart as an obstructionist or racist, or in the back pocket of pick your own “BIG”. It’s now onder that there are so few conservative leaders on the right. Who would want to go in for that kind of abuse on a daily basis?

dd

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What I would like to see come of this whole thing is that “the loyal opposition” will actually oppose something instead of doing less of the same thing. My analysis of bi-partisanship over the last 8 years is both sides getting together and doing what the left wants done. Because if you don’t ABC, NBC, CBS, MSNBC, CNN, The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The LA Times, The Houston Chronicle, The San Fran Cisco Chronicle, Time, Newsweek, yada, yada, yada will tear you apart as an obstructionist or racist, or in the back pocket of pick your own “BIG”. It’s now onder that there are so few conservative leaders on the right. Who would want to go in for that kind of abuse on a daily basis?

dd

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In order to consistently accomplish a political party’s agenda, you need to control the media, the education system and have a loyal Acorn organization, and when those are in play, you will be home free! I believe all these criteria are in place and have been for some time! The elephant has been poisoned!

I see most of you missed the point of the post.

Media driven or just fact………history was made yesterday. It will also be made when the first women is elected. Same as it was made when George Washington was elected the first President.

Well I grew up in a very small town in Northern Minnesota when back then there were no black people or even half black people.And believe me no one was enviteing any over for dinner.So if I voted for the guy in my mind that is a historical event like it or not.I was leaning towards McCain untill he picked Palen then I thought if this guy drops over dead we are going to be in big trouble.She looks pretty good but she would have got eaten alive as President.Tough times require tough decisions and Washington needs a big change in order to get this country back on its feet.Will he be able to do it,I guess we will have to wait and see.Heck its only 4 years and the last 20 seemed to fly by so I figured I would take a chance.

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in short he wasnt elected because he was black… he was elected because the most people felt he was the best option

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I would argue that more first time voters voted for him because he is black than vote for him because he was a democrat.

-J.

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One could also say, many first time voters & even longtime voters, did not vote for him because he is black…. I think a fair statement.

big G

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He wasn’t elected because he is black? Could have fooled me. I watched as much of the circus on TV last night as i could stand. And not ONCE did a black celebrity, of which there were many, say anything about electing the best candidate. Over and over they commented on how GREAT the United States are “now”. Now? Listen pal, America has been great since inception and will remain great regardless of what this man the media elected does or doesn’t do.

The election of a black man is not historic. The election of a woman will not be historic. Notice those saying that are also those responsible for making headlines that sell. What will be impressive is when someone realizes affirmative action is no longer needed. But don’t hold your breath.

Obiden is now president and I will hope for the best. But I think we should save the Lifetime Achievement Award for when he actually does something other than get himself elected. (By the way the only real talent any politician has is the talent of getting themselves elected. Ever notice that?)

One more thing. The last administration was not voted out as has been said twice in this thread. He simply reached the term limit. That is an important note as I believe if said the wrong way long enough most Americans would begin to believe it. Also the President does NOT authorize money. Congress does. The people responsible for the debt is still in office and has only just begun spending the big money. There is no debate in that as all that has to be done is to wait 4-6 weeks for the next 850 BILLION stimulus to get passed. Want excitement? Read the quick facts of that one! Free ice cream anyone?

I tried to avoid anything that had to do with the circus, but I can tell ya what I am sick of hearing. All the people that are proud to be an American today. Where you not proud yesterday (or I guess two days ago)??

Speaking of the media, here is number 7 from that article (maybe I should just post the whole thing)

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7. The watchdogs are dozing.

The big media companies that once invested in serious accountability journalism are shells of their former selves. The Tribune Co. — in other words, the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune — has slashed its Washington staff by more than half. Newspaper chains such as Cox are fleeing D.C. altogether.

The end result: There are few reporters in this country doing the kind of investigative reporting that hold government officials’ feet to the fire. Think back eight years to the pre-Iraq war reporting and consider the words of Scott McClellan in his otherwise humdrum book.

“The collapse of the administration’s rationales for war, which became apparent months after our invasion, should never have come as such a surprise,” McClellan wrote. “In this case, the ‘liberal media’ didn’t live up to its reputation. If it had, the country would have been better served.”

Rigorous reporting is even more important when you have one-party rule in Washington. Democrats, like Republicans, are simply less likely to scrutinize a president of their own. The end result here: Don’t expect the Democratic Congress to investigate the Obama administration or hold a bunch of tough oversight hearings. That means the only real check on Obama is the same one it’s always been — the voters.

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I see most of you missed the point of the post.

Media driven or just fact………history was made yesterday. It will also be made when the first women is elected. Same as it was made when George Washington was elected the first President.

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Pearl Harbor made history also, I can only hope the impact of this election will be significantly less destructive!

Again, the point of the post was simply that for once you will see history made AS IT HAPPENS not after some disaster. Pearl harbor, WWII, 911, ect.

I now regret even making the post. Seems all you want to do is hash over the “whys” and “hows” of how he got elected.

Go ahead, hash out the next 4 years.

Not to shade the event, the simple fact is history is made every time we elect a new president and unless you are a racist you will not find any special significance in the cyclical reoccurrence of that event! I would be equally concerned if it were the reincarnation of Karl Marx!

You are right Brian. It is historic and it is a first. And hopefully now that it has happened to the biggest job on the planet maybe the whole “first black” business can be dropped forever. Now maybe people can judge everybody on the contents of their hearts and not the color of their skin like Dr. King dreamed over 40 years ago. I would hope so.

dd

Congrats to President Obama and his history making election. Like others have stated, I did not vote for him, but I do wish him all the best and I hope he succeeds in turning this country around. He surely has a long and daunting task ahead of him.

That being said, please don’t sully this thread by posting with spiteful intent or through pointed fingers. The Management Committee works hard to fight locking up threads and delete posts. Let’s please do our best to keep this thread from heading in that direction.