question to Americans about your new president

I didn't follow your election at all (at all, haven't watched a single speech, etc), so I don't know anything about him. I was wondering how do you know Obama will be any better? I mean Bush was thought of as a good choice at one point too. Or are you all so happy just in general because Bush is gone?

Just curious (and good luck, hope he IS better).

Your question indicates that you haven't paid attention to the US for the past eight years.  You admit that you haven't followed the election at all.

Why start now?

Of course it's all a bit of a guess, but...

The thing with the campaign is that it gives us a glimpse of the characters of each candidate. How they act. How they react. What they might do under pressure or under fire.

Obama came off as cool, collected and intelligent. He came off as someone who may not know the answers but would get a group of experts together to find out the answers he didn't know. Not only that, but he seems like a man who'll LISTEN to his constituents.

So.. how will he handle the War in Iraq, the Financial Meltdown? I don't know, but I trust he'll get some great minds together before January, hammer out some reasonable ideas and make it happen.

Bush was never thought of as good. It was a freak thing that he even became president. I agree with dnrothx... why pay attention now if you haven't noticed anything from the last eight years. 

But like HK said... you never know. You vote based on the information the candidates give you and hope you made the best choice. Obama stayed calm under pressure and never once gave into temper tantrums like McCain. I think he ran a pretty respectable and clean race (granted, he is a politician so of course there was some mud-flinging from his side as well--- but not like the McCain campaign). 

Only time will tell but obviously many Americans were inspired by him and liked his ideas for things to fix and how to fix them. 

I'll be polite and say get educated for the next election. Pay attention to your government, both local and non.

I personally am a little worried about the choice America has made. There is a lot I was skeptical about from both candidates, but Obama seemed to be off base on a lot of fundamental issues that were important to me. I don't think the solution is to promise lower taxes and that is a big part of what middle America expects now. We need to be aware of spending. Many Americans are over-extended in their budgeting and many live on the promise of credit. It's too easy to blame government and corporations for all our financial woes.

Aside from economy though, I think people have forgotten to include their moral compass in their vote. Much of the constitution istself is at risk in an Obama administration. I hope there is some middle ground for him in the office. I hope the troops are safe and taken care of during the time. I hope America doesn't again become a terrorist target. I also hope people don't continue to live under the assumption that government should bail them out. I hope healthcare is bettered, but not at the cost of my desicion in what is required and not at the expense of small businesses and lost jobs. ???

I feel very indifferent and nervous about the coutry's future. We didn't get this way from one man's role in office. JMO. 

It's one of the characteristics of elections that you don't really know if someone's going to be any good until they're actually doing the job.   The electorate are presented with a carefully manufactured image.   The candidates are groomed and schooled along the way and they have excellent speech-writers, campaign managers and media coaches etc.  At least a long campaign.... 21 months in this case... means everyone's had a long, hard look at them and phoneys (like liars) find it hard to keep up the pretence.

And then the 'job' can change.  18 months ago you'd have said this election was all about who could sort out the US's disastrous foreign policy. Today it's who can sort out the disastrous economic situation.   Winston Churchill was exactly the right man to lead Britain through WWII.... but he would have probably been a complete failure at any other time.

I think a lot of voters felt that Bush 'stole' the 2004 election with the Florida debacle and his popularity was lower than a snake's belly.  Some would have voted for a trained hamster if it had been the democratic candidate just to break with the past, but McCain still polled 48% of the votes.

I think Obama was wise to use his acceptance speech as he did.  I certainly got echoes of JFK's 'ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country'.   Maybe the US isn't quite ready for socialism but it's going to be an interesting 4 years....

Obama is an expert in constitutional law. I highly doubt he's going to screw up the constitution. Also, Obama never promised to lower taxes. He said he was only going to raise them for the wealthy (those making over $250k per year) and it was simply going to back to rate it was before Bush made his ridiculous tax cuts (which never should've been made... esp. when we were involved in a war). 

Al Qaeda has voiced that they wanted McCain in office because they knew he would run everything like Bush. I'd say that would make us more of a target for terrorism. 

"One man's role in office"? Congress has quite a bit of control... I'd hardly say Obama is going to have absolute control over everything. 

And vice is from Canada... but it sounds like you didn't do enough research before voting. 

Original Post by alibsam:

Also, Obama never promised to lower taxes. He said he was only going to raise them for the wealthy (those making over $250k per year) and it was simply going to back to rate it was before Bush made his ridiculous tax cuts (which never should've been made... esp. when we were involved in a war). 

You're correct in that he's planning on raising the tax on those making over $250K back to what it was under Clinton (before the Bush cut).

But Obama did promise to lower taxes on those making under $200K as well.

All these debates were already talked about in previous threads.. plenty of them debating issues and what not...

Today I'm CELEBRATING!!!

CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES, COME ON! :D

Standin' in a chow line!  Good times!

Original Post by dnrothx:

Standin' in a chow line!  Good times!

 I'm getting visions of you singing this like Jack Black in School of Rock.  It's not pretty, Wilma. 

Original Post by yachtracer1977:

Original Post by alibsam:

Also, Obama never promised to lower taxes. He said he was only going to raise them for the wealthy (those making over $250k per year) and it was simply going to back to rate it was before Bush made his ridiculous tax cuts (which never should've been made... esp. when we were involved in a war). 

You're correct in that he's planning on raising the tax on those making over $250K back to what it was under Clinton (before the Bush cut).

But Obama did promise to lower taxes on those making under $200K as well.

I've never heard him promise anything on lowering. 

I'm just glad we have a president-elect who's dignified, humble, and articulate.  What a relief.  If nothing else, he won't embarass us in front of the world the way his predecessor always has.

i agree meagan. i think Obama will make the US less of a joke to the rest of the world. i'm proud to have him representing us!!

Obama did promise lower taxes for the middle class.  His proposal would shift the tax burden from those Americans earning less than $250,000 to those making more than $250,000.  That is what the whole "Joe the Plumber" thing was about ("Joe" would have earned more than $250,000 theoretically*) and why the Republicans dubbed Obama a "Socialist".

But keep in mind the President can recommend a tax plan but it is up to Congress to enact it.

* If he had actually been a licensed plumber and if he had actually been able to buy the plumbing company that he said he wanted to buy and if he actually would earn more than $250,000 then he would have to pay a higher tax rate under Obama's proposal tha he would under McCain's.

Original Post by shill:

Much of the constitution istself is at risk in an Obama administration.

 

Which parts, and how so? 

I sincerely hope that Obama will undo the damage that has been done to our Constitution under the current administration.  I hope that his administration will obey our laws rather than ignore them as our current administration has done.  And I hope that he will restore confidence in our government and stabilize our economy.

Original Post by vicereine:

I mean Bush was thought of as a good choice at one point too.

Do a little research on the results of the 2000 and 2008 elections, and you'll see a good percentage of voters did NOT think Bush was a "good choice."  Heck, he didn't even get the majority of the popular vote in 2000 - that "choice" was an, um, interesting process.

I don't know about others, but unlike 2004, my decision this year was NOT an "ABB" (Anyone But Bush) vote. 

And as I posted in another thread:

I cannot say whether things will get better if we change; what I can say is they must change if they are to get better. (G.C. Lichtenberg)

With all due respect, Tom, if I never heard about Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher again, I will be much the happier. :)

I find it ironic that people keep complaining about how Obama will destroy the constitution.

Original Post by hkellick:

With all due respect, Tom, if I never heard about Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher again, I will be much the happier. :)

I find it ironic that people keep complaining about how Obama will destroy the constitution.

 Aren't you going to buy his book, HK?

Original Post by trhawley:

Original Post by hkellick:

With all due respect, Tom, if I never heard about Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher again, I will be much the happier. :)

I find it ironic that people keep complaining about how Obama will destroy the constitution.

 Aren't you going to buy his book, HK?

No, I don't think so. Nor would I buy his Country Album when it comes out.