President Barack Obama--> Yay or Nay?

I like him because he goes to other countries without doing completely stupid and embarrassing things, and he is pretty good given the country I live in.
 
Was it a bow? Do you care? Does it matter?
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Newsman Brian Williams bows to Obama.
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sumone said:
Was it a bow? Do you care? Does it matter?
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I saw a joke that showed a box of Kentucky Fried Chicken down there he was reaching for.

I remember in the movie "Patton" celebrating with the Russians when Patton was asked to toast with the Russian general. Patton said he wasn't going to drink with any Russian sob. After hearing the translation, the Russian general basically said the same thing of Patton. Patton laughed and said he'd drink to that; one sob to another. I doubt Patton would have bowed, if that was a bow. While it may or may not matter to some people, I feel quite sure it does and does not matter to others.
 
Kings bow to each other. They don't do it to be self effacing and humble in front of their liege, but to show courtesy and respect to an equal.
 
He's doing a good job putting a pretty face on US imperialism. It's actually very shallow and obvious if you stop to think about it, but of course most US citizens don't. He's trying to say "Hi, I'm a new person, I'm different" and then end some of the selling points that activists rallied around, such as gauntamo bay. There are so many thing still going on though, to the point that it's digusting that people see him talking about ending the guantamo detention facility and see that as evidence that he's going to fix international detention facilities etc, when he's given every indication of ignoring or supporting most of what the US is responsible for. I'll welcome any small gains as being worthwhile, but they are still just that.

The truth is that the Democrats have a long and muddy history, going all the way back to Woodrow Wilson. The democrats have historically supported invasion, curtailing "civil liberties" etc etc whenever they got the chance. Our democratic congress for the last few years has been consistently expanding government spying at home. While he was campaigning Obama advocated invaded pakistan. Guess what? Bush eventually did, although I was a bit confused that he didn't just leave it to Obama since he was publically advocating it anyway.

Most people aren't even aware that we invaded pakistan, killed innocent men, women and children, and went out again, last time I checked without claiming to have gotten any "terrorists". Then shortly later we did the same thing in Syria. Ever wonder why so much of the world doesn't like us? Invading soveriegn territories and killing innocent children tends to do that. Not that anyone here cares, not like it was your best friend, your daughter, or your father. Not like it was a US citizen that was killed.

The president doesn't have that much power even really. Even the president and congress combined don't have that much power. Even if Obama was actually dedicated to changing how things work and the congress supported him, it wouldn't last for very long and he certainly wouldn't get another term. I'm sure big businesses LOVE to see people turning out en masse to vote for the opposition party and thinking it matters, while the government continues to support them in whatever way it can, and of course dish out state of the art weapons to help various willing groups who will carry out US repression by proxy.

This is a horrile country...

I've never liked any politician. It's like asking who did you like more, the liar or the thief?
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I've never liked any US politician, and there is really no world politician that I don't have serious reservations about. Even with historical leaders who think I would have been a huge supporter of if I had lived in their times, I would have had some reservations, but I like to think that they would like some supportive dissent to help think things through. There's a Chinese Cultural Revolution propaganda poster...

c07.jpg

"Thoroughly engage in revolutionary criticism."

Well, I lied. I do occassionally find a US politician I like, but I don't take them seriously. I followed Mike Gravel's campaign the same way a parent follows a child's soccer games, despite the child having no talent. At least he was sincerely trying to win the game, and it's nice to hear a senator say "the constitution is not a democratic document."

So I didn't vote. It really pisses me off when people say things like "If you didn't vote, you should at least keep to yourself." Excuse me? Like I should be ashamed for having my own beliefs? I like to get along with people, but I really have to bite my toungue here, because my reaction is not very polite. Have fun with your butcher. Your smiling, intellectual butcher for a change ( although I promise you that Bush could think things through just as much as Obama, it's mostly presentation).

Sometimes people will ask me why I didn't vote, so I tell them that I'm so rebellious there's two parties I don't like. Most people accept this, although some want to know what I don't like. So last election, I said I'd vote for whoever agreed to the following things:
1. Nuclear disarment.
2. Suspension of military aid the Colombian government and to the Israeli government.
3. Reparations to Nepal for years of support to a brutal monarchy.
4. Recalling troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. Yes, from Afghanistan too, not from Iraq so more people can be sent to Afghanistan.
5. Closing guantanamo bay and giving the land back to its rightful owner, Cuba.

This seems like a pretty easy and generous start for me, given all the things I'd like to see changed, but so far no takers... Oh wait, that's right, I'm supposed to be voting on the basis of gun control, abortion, and the Iraqi occupation (while ignoring the rest of US military policy).
 
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Awful job. He:

1) Restricted the CIA
2) Apologized to terrorists for the U.S. (terrorists hate weakness)
3) Put a tax on carbon
4) Told terrorists about our torture technique

So to me, Obama is a communist and I don't support communism.
 
ilovethewind said:
Awful job. He:

1) Restricted the CIA
2) Apologized to terrorists for the U.S. (terrorists hate weakness)
3) Put a tax on carbon
4) Told terrorists about our torture technique

So to me, Obama is a communist and I don't support communism.
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You will be extremely hard pressed to convince me that Obama is a communist. I was very apprehensive to him at first, but he has grown on me.

I'm glad we have put restrictions on the CIA.

Explain to me how we applolgized to terrorists?

Also, we NEED to put a tax on carbon. That is the only way we are going to get large corperations to cooperate with changing ways to benifit the environment. I do not agree with the notion that companies that have left over "carbon credits" can sell them to other companies to skirt away from a tax, that defeats the purpose if you ask me, and will lead to under-the-table buisness.

Why is telling terrorists about torture techniques a bad thing?
 
ilovethewind said:
Awful job. He:

1) Restricted the CIA
2) Apologized to terrorists for the U.S. (terrorists hate weakness)
3) Put a tax on carbon
4) Told terrorists about our torture technique

So to me, Obama is a communist and I don't support communism.
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1) The CIA needed it, or do you support extraordinary rendition?

2) When did he ever apologize to terrorists?

3) What is wrong with a tax on carbon?

4) First, what does how the U.S. had people tortured have to do with anything? Does it have any relevance to anything? Second, is it that hard to figure out how people are tortured in countries allied with the U.S. that still permit torture (Egypt, Syria, etc...)? Third, does it it matter how they were tortured?

And finally, do you support torture or think that it actually makes a difference?

Also, there was a ton of information floating around on what torture techniques were permitted during the Bush era, especially the infamous water-boarding.
 
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Well
As a politician, certain attributes are to be expected
I honestly don't know too much about economics and strategies on war. I just know that I hate war and wish ppl could have a talk n hug fest (not really going to happen unless the planet was filled with infj/p types)
I typically hate agression in people so that's why I preferred Obama. McCain always seemed frazzled and agressive. Palin seemed power hungry for the wrong reasons. And in the end that's what brings down politicians. They want power to be powerful---not to help.
As an infj I often fantasize about someone with a strong enough voice coming to defend the weak and defenseless. However, I don't have enough political force in my school/environment to part the waters.
politics to me kinda comes down to "who sucks less". but Obama seems easygoing and smart, and overall, I like him. I'm a bit indifferent.
 
The only thing I really agree with Obama about he has completely disappointed on.
He has continued, if not extended, the Bush war doctrine.
And he has continually made light of the issue of cannabis legalization, despite stating before his campaign in no uncertain terms, that he planned to decriminalize it.

Aside from those two issues, I was against prettymuch his entire platform.
For the record, same applied to McCain.
We live in the age of "Republicrats".

I would have loved to see Ron Paul get elected.
It's time for fiscal conservatives, moderates, and libertarians to take back the Republican party from the neoconservative trash thats been running the show for so long.
 
Good job? LAWL

During his scampaign he said he would see to that American troops immediately pulled out of Iraq, then that later changed to 6 months, then to 1 and a half year, then now minimum two years, as 2011 is the new goal. Also he is increasing the number of troops in Afgha, so it doesn't really matter either way, another lying politician, oh well, it's not like I'm suprised.

He's been spending his ass off on stimulus packages, later Americans have to pay the price.

Not that any other presidents would have made any difference
 
The thing I hate most about some americans is that they assume you are weak if you don't
a) instantly plunge into war at the slightest little pinch of another country
b) apologize


Gee he's such a wimp. What is it with americans and agression???
I'm sorry. I hate agression. Politics and the american ppl that like agressive politicians just baffle and upset me.
 
IndigoSensor said:
Also, we NEED to put a tax on carbon. That is the only way we are going to get large corperations to cooperate with changing ways to benifit the environment. I do not agree with the notion that companies that have left over "carbon credits" can sell them to other companies to skirt away from a tax, that defeats the purpose if you ask me, and will lead to under-the-table buisness.
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Less than 3% of the world's carbon emissions are generated by people. The other 97% comes from common occurrences by nature itself, volcanic eruptions, forest fires, etc.

"Carbon credits" and "carbon tax" is the most ridiculous concept ever invented, and all it does it line the pockets of greedy politicians with more gold. Global warming is a myth that everyone is obsessed with fighting.

As for Obama, I like him. At least he's trying to get things done.

People expect everything to be fixed in a couple of months, but this stuff takes time. Socialism is a good thing, and I hope that someday soon, American citizens will have the sane healthcare and welfare benefits that the rest of the world enjoy.
 
I do not support him, and there is very little he has done so far that I approve of. The sooner he's gone, the better.
 
What Quinlan said.
 
Obviously an alien vampire nazi robot that's also a zombie.

Obviously.
 
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