I was proud to see that the fact he was black really wasn’t really an issue (at least with anyone I know, or that I heard), other than in the historical first aspect.
Foreign Policy should take a turn for the better. Little worried about Russia moving those missles into Poland though.
That being said.
I just hope he turns into more of a Clinton than a Carter. All three are coming in under similar circumstances…bad economy,
‘cause some of the Dems spending ideas scare the hell out of me…especially with the economy in the shitter as it it.
Carter was nice, people liked him but he took a sketchy economy and made it worse (17% inflation)…and other than the Egypt Isreal peace talks (which were great at the time, but unfortunately didn’t last) he was a laughing stock foreign policy wise. As a result, he was booted as quicly as possible, and his former VP tried to run, he got one of the most Historical beatdowns. Basically he left the country worse off than when he got there.
Clinton had a generally liberal preference on things (big taxes and government health care) , but when the country balked and put in the Repubs in congress.. he was smart enough to see when other ideas were better for the country (balanced budget, low capital gains taxes, free trade etc). Socially slightly liberal, but fiscally moderate. And he left with things going great (until 9/11 anyways)
If O’Bama ends up a zealot we’ll be in for a long four years. But if he’s pragmatic and moderate..he could make it a great 8.
Of course I’m of the opinion no one party should have total control..it only leads to trouble. They start thinking they have carte blance to go nuts.
When Clinton was in office and Newt ran the House, they kept each other in check. Clinton kept any crazy social agendas from getting pushed through, and Congress kept spending under control.
But once the Republicans had it all (and no Newt and others to keep them in check), they went nuts..and got booted. Just like the Democratic congress 1992-1994. When Clinton first got in office they thought they could do whatever they wanted…that lasted 2 years. If the Dems aren’t careful history can repeat itself.
The change will be good for a while, but we need to keep them honest.
Someday I’ll get my national movement “No Encumbents!” rolling.
Since congress will never put in term limits, or outlaw PAC money, you need to keep them honest. Only way to do that..vote ‘em out!
Get that rolling for a few election cycles and you’d see REAL change in DC.
Being from the DC area, I know that yes we have a change now, but for the most part it will be just a change in who’s getting the favors. The faces change but the business is the same.
I know it sounds cynical, but in my life the only good times have been when the government got the hell out of our lives…so I’m a little worried when I have to look forward to bigger government (it’s 10 times as big as it was under Clinton as it is). I can’t help but see the irony when people say with one sentence “We want more liberty” and then in the next “We can rely on the government for…”
To me Government Health Care and Retirement is just as insideous as the Patriot Act. All on the surface promise more security of one kind or the other (financial versus physical), but both result in the government in your life/ or force you to rely on the government way more than I’m comfortable with.
It’s just as easy for a government to manipulate you by threatening to take away something you rely on, as it is to threaten someone with an action.
I don’t know…we’ll see. I’ll take my usual “expect the worst…hope for the best” attitude.
The one I’m most interested to watch is my new Senator Mark Warner. I voted for him because he was an excellent Governor who worked both sides of the fense for the good of the state. But if he comes out an becomes another partisan hack, I’ll never trust another politician…and just vote to ensure gridlock..if they can’t pass anything, they can’t fuck things up.
Well that’s my last political rant.
Thank god the elections over, and decisively so no Florida or Ohio BS… and Bush is gone.
