Thread: Is this Americas future?

Here is an interesting piece by Dick Morris who was an adviser and pollster for clinton during his first term! His take is similar to mine, yet he assumes that America will lay down and take it and the Republicans in office will roll over and play dead! The Republicans in office seem to lack any semblance of a spine, so Mr Morris could be right on the money! I have faith in the American people though! Maybe my faith is missplaced or maybe Obama will not take us so far afield! Only time will tell

TheHill.com

be careful what you post,I received a negative feedback because of a post stating that I would rather watch Turner Classic Movies or the Speed channel instead of the inauguration.

I probably shouldn't reply, but come on... That article is just so much opinionated black and white BS that it isn't even funny.

Every paragraph starts with 'Obama will...'
Wouldn't it be fair to wait with attacking him until he actually does one of those things? If he does them at all, that is.

One of the most annoying things about US politics is that everything is either black or white, and the public has no idea how to deal with someone who acknowledges the color 'grey'. Bush was an expert as this. Good and evil, right or wrong, and lacking any grasp on the concept 'nuance'.

So far, Obama has one day in office. And he has already signed the memos and orders that
- guantanamo bay will be closed.
- the US will no longer torture prisoners
- government agencies should comply with freedom of information acts, instead of trying to hide as much information as legally possible,

These are all things that any constitution loving Amercian should rejoice about, after Bush trampled on a lot of your (and other people's) freedoms.
But no. Obama is a big bad socialist, and the very republicans who just had 8 years of time to up the economy, trample over your constitution, and international politics in general are the heroes who should 'rescue' America... right...

So wouldn't it be prudent to judge only on what he actually does, and to understand that issues are rarely black and white?

Originally Posted by Bruno

I probably shouldn't reply, but come on... That article is just so much opinionated black and white BS that it isn't even funny.

Every paragraph starts with 'Obama will...'
Wouldn't it be fair to wait with attacking him until he actually does one of those things? If he does them at all, that is.

One of the most annoying things about US politics is that everything is either black or white, and the public has no idea how to deal with someone who acknowledges the color 'grey'. Bush was an expert as this. Good and evil, right or wrong, and lacking any grasp on the concept 'nuance'.

So far, Obama has one day in office. And he has already signed the memos and orders that
- guantanamo bay will be closed.
- the US will no longer torture prisoners
- government agencies should comply with freedom of information acts, instead of trying to hide as much information as legally possible,

These are all things that any constitution loving Amercian should rejoice about, after Bush trampled on a lot of your (and other people's) freedoms.
But no. Obama is a big bad socialist, and the very republicans who just had 8 years of time to up the economy, trample over your constitution, and international politics in general are the heroes who should 'rescue' America... right...

So wouldn't it be prudent to judge only on what he actually does, and to understand that issues are rarely black and white?

Ahem.

What he said.
One day in office. ONE DAY IN OFFICE. And Obama has already started to wash America of the taint of the last 8 years. Closing Gunatanamo bay. Ending the torture of innocent people.

I'm grateful that we have this chance to make things right.

Personally I do not like the idea of republicans roling over on anything. One of the halmarks american politics has been the debate between two political parties (sometimes as oposed to the debate between sixty-four polticial parties, there are some countries where poltics is this chaotic). Personnaly I do not like the idea of one political party being in total control, we saw that a few years ago with the republicans in control of all three branches of government and I do not like the idea of Democrats doing the same. I would advise congressional republicans to use more of a softer approach to what they want to do then they have in the past but I would advise them to still push for what they want to get done. I would not like to see congressional republicans rolling over. Perhaps a little debate on Obama shutting down Gitmo, perhaps some debate over what obama wants to do.

Originally Posted by JimR

Ending the torture of innocent people.

I know this is a tad off topic, but somehow I don't think waterboarding khalid sheikh mohammed for 30 seconds to get information he wouldn't otherwise give up is torture of an innocent person!

Who made me judge? Nobody. It just seems that way to me

Originally Posted by icedog

Why do you want so badly to see Obama fail?

Your loaded question asks for his take, which you honestly don't care to know anyway. Why?

Also, I share Mark's intent in a thread he created in November regarding his support for the new President:

I can not support many of his ideals but if his intentions are for what he believes are for the best for our country, I can support that!

To me that seems like a good enough basis from which we can have a healthy discussion on how we think the new President's actions may affect the US

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

I know this is a tad off topic, but somehow I don't think waterboarding khalid sheikh mohammed for 30 seconds to get information he wouldn't otherwise give up is torture of an innocent person!

Who made me judge? Nobody. It just seems that way to me

The problem is that it isn't jus sheikh mohammed, and it's not just 30 seconds.

The problem is that it's also people who just happen to know the 'wrong' people. People have been abducted by the CIA and transferred to guantanamo bay. They have been tortured, and held without trial or acusation.

There was a person from germany who was abducted to guantanamo, and then kicked out after a year without trial or apology, but only a warning to keep his mouth shut about what happened to him inside.
Those things are inexcusable.

Look, things like that are forbidden by the constitution. So the government either has to amend the constitution to allow torture, or make sure they don't do it.

And this quote has been thrown in my face so often that I am glad I can throw it back:

Originally Posted by Benjamin Franklin

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety

Originally Posted by Bruno

One of the most annoying things about US politics is that everything is either black or white, and the public has no idea how to deal with someone who acknowledges the color 'grey'. ?

Isn't this comment a little black and white? Live here a little before you pop off like that. Or at least stretch your memory back 8 years. Clinton was Mr. Nuance. Bush Sr. had very subtle policies.

And Obama really should spend a little more time in office than one day before unwinding the security structure that has worked since 9/11. If he lives it and thinks he wants to give the terrorists free run after studying the situation for a couple years, go for it. But doing that on day 1 isn't principle, it's politics and playing for the camera.

We'll see what he does. His appointments have been pretty good on first blush. His first day was a disgrace.

Originally Posted by freebird

be careful what you post,I received a negative feedback because of a post stating that I would rather watch Turner Classic Movies or the Speed channel instead of the inauguration.

OHHH NO! Not Negative feedback!


What's next?!?!? Death threats?


sorry, sorry, it just sounds like more fear mongering to me... I will post what I want to with in the guidelines of the forum. Negative feedback be damned.

I encourage you to do the same sir! Your rep is clear to active members! (EDIT* That is to say, it is beyond reproach.)

-Rob

Originally Posted by freebird

be careful what you post,I received a negative feedback because of a post stating that I would rather watch Turner Classic Movies or the Speed channel instead of the inauguration.

To make amends for those who felt small enough to give negative rep over an opinion. I have added rep points and given a thanks for the heads up concerning the little people. God bless their little hearts.