Arguably, THE most important election in most of our lifetimes is finally upon us. With it lie the hopes and dreams of this nation and of the world, quite frankly. We've been awarded two very distinct, markedly different choices today: More of the same failed policies and failures of governance that have led us to the very brink of disaster, or a drastic change for a brighter future.
While no president can guarantee 100% unity throughout, and to be honest, I don't personally think it would be terribly healthy for democracy for 100% agreement with leadership at all times, between these two men, the only real choice for hope for any semblence of unity is Obama.
Judging by both candidate's past history, as well as their individual campaigns, there is only one who has set upon a path of unity throughout, while the other has chosen a path of bitter, ugly division and condemning rhetoric, even to the point of making the disgusting choice to claim that his opponent is somehow less an American than he.
This partisan bickering and these hateful divisions simply must come to an end, and it's clear that this will not happen under a McCain presidency. To the contrary, I would fully expect he and his VP candidate to continue their hateful rhetoric throughout their term, if they were to be elected, just as this current presidency has done.
The past few weeks have seen countless prominant republican politicians and pundits abandoning the failed politics of division that McCain and Palin represent, and choosing instead a brighter future for America, with Obama/Biden. Obama has the right temperment, the right intellect, the right judgement, and the right leadership qualities in general to truly bring about effective, positive change for this nation, and for the world.
Let us cast aside our fears of race differences, if that is what is causing some to mistrust this brilliant and gifted man. Let us embrace the future that our founders envisioned. For the hope and dreams of this nation and of the world, let us bring about REAL change for a change. Vote early, vote often, vote Obama. God be with us and grant us a future with hope through a leader with vision. Let's make history together.
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Comments: 228
I strongly second that sentiment!
And with any luck there will be many indictments in the coming months.
Seriously though, I have always felt obligated and privileged to vote and have never missed an election. This one will be historic.
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
Something tells the cynic in me that we're more likely to see many attacks on President Obama as he starts to put his plans into motion instead. I'd take anyone to task for misstepping but something tells me a lot of time will be spent...as it has been...defending Obama.
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
A landslide victory with great coattails would be even better.
No matter who wins and I do hope its Obama we can never think that government is 100% trustworthy and must keep a close eye on those we choose to lead us. I hope we can set things right with the country no matter how long it takes and criminal charges against the crime lords that have caused so many innocent deaths and destroyed our economy with greed would go a long way to restoring the public faith in our broken justice system as well as restore the faith in our constitution.
As a progressive liberal, I'm quite convinced that I'll be sorely disappointed in his mild or lack of action altogether in some areas that I feel important, but overall, I feel very strongly that he has the potential to be one of this country's greatest presidents.
I think it depends on who he chooses for his cabinet. If he assembles a bi-partisan cabinet of people like Powell, Hagel, maybe Bloomberg, etc., it's going to be awfully difficult for the wacky rabid wingnut contingent to make any viable case against his presidency.
"No matter who wins and I do hope its Obama we can never think that government is 100% trustworthy and must keep a close eye on those we choose to lead us."
I've never allowed myself to believe that even someone as hopeful and visionary as Obama will be able to right all that is so terribly wrong with our government, especially the illegal federal reserve system. It's entirely possible, in fact, that he'll simply be another extension of the same fraudulent practices, or will succumb to the same dark forces that have removed other visionary leaders in the past, who've fought against "the system."
However, I see him as the only real hope for this country at this particular moment. We all owe it to ourselves, our nation, and the collective of humankind, to bring this man to power at this moment in history. We have been placed at this point for a reason. It's time for us to embrace that and bring about this historical change for the better. God is watching.
1) You can fool most of the people all of the time
2) The American people--or an overwhelming majority--lack the intestinal fortitude to resist the paranoia-inducing propaganda that Karl Rove refined to an artform
3) Most significantly, we have still not managed to surmount the ignorance and prejudices that have afflicted so many members of the majority race in this country since its founding--i.e., we are a nation of bigots.
I did my civic duty and VOTED MCCAIN.
Who's running
Who's running "
Ask me again in another 18,000 years.
Did you chow down on any babies on the way back, then?
"You can all keep fooling yourselves that Obama will be a unifying force. "
His entire campaign has been a unifying force, in case you haven't noticed. He happens to have brought millions of new voters into the process, and has gathered millions of former republicans and independents. Trust me, exponentially more so than McBush has with his toxic, putrid campaign of hatred and division.
"Like it or not I will never go along with Socialist policies."
I surely hope to hell you're not driving on our socialist highways, using our socialist legal system, drinking our socialist water and flushing your poo down our socialist sewers, and that you have no future use for our socialist police and fire protection or military apparatus.
"And I feel sorry for all of you that will be so disappointed when Obama gets elected and he doesn't give you what you think he said he was going to give you. "
Trust me, we'll be a whole helluva lot happier being disappointed in what Obama doesn't bring us than in what McBush WOULD bring us. We've already seen more than enough of that catastrophic failure to last us all many lifetimes.
"If you honestly believe that Obama can take enough money away from those who you deem to be "rich" to give all the rest of you what you seem to think you deserve simply because you are alive, you are totally wrong.
If you honestly believe that McBushie's plan to shovel yet MORE hundreds of billions of debt dollars to the upper 1% will somehow lavish YOU in wealth, you're sorely delusional, which, of course, would explain why you would want to vote republican in the first place, wouldn't it?
"Remember Bill Clinton's promise of a tax cut for all, which ended in the largest tax increase in history?"
Boy, I really, really hate to be the one to break this to you, but it was Rancid Redink Ronnie, yes the holy saint of failed neoconomics, that brought us the greatest increase in taxes in US history. Nobody will ever top it, I'm quite sure. Btw, my taxes went down under Clinton, because I wasn't earning in the upper 1% at the time. You should be thankful if your taxes increased, and thankful if they will increase under Obama, because that means that you're earning exponentially more than 95% of all Americans.
"I am not being mean, I am being realistic. "
No, you're being clueless, which again, explains why you vote republican, I would guess.
Are you not upset about where your money is going concerning the War. Haliburton? The military ordering fiasco into the billions? The lies? The God and politics tactic? Are you aware that our unity, being looked at by the world, and THE TERRORIST'S, is being observed? Too many sons and daughters gone building another country,with its own government, with billlions in surplus, providing the electric (a humanitarian cause vs military) when people here at home cannot buy milk, keep their homes, being bought by a very suspicious group, or pay their own electric bills. If McCain handles the War Zone as he has stood by and watched the failure to respond to our own in peril due to Katrina, we are lost. I hope you stop thinking the way that you do. It is sad, it is your right, as it is mine, and I must respect it, and you mine, but I wish your energy was on the OBAMA side.
Thank God for men like Clark, who state the truth, and deal with some of the worst comments, some very hurtful, with the grace and integrity he has. Clark does not need us to defend him, but to compliment him, I would not back down for a second. Ellen B
I take it this means that Linda will turn away the fire dept when they come to save her burning home, or tell the police to go away when they come to her rescue someday.
Sad.
Obama is going to make me work harder and be more aggressive -- I will succeed DESPITE his socialist policies. So I can thank Obama for that. I just hope that we can finish the two wars we are in on our terms with a clear victory. I watched many of Obama's stump speeches and he said that it was time to set timelines and bring the troops home... but he NEVER says 'come home in victory.' And there lies the difference between Obama and McCain. McCain promised that he too would bring the troops home with honor and victory. You Obamanoids are voting for a man who doesn't mind losing.
Anybody see John Edwards?
Those are local functions. Obama is looking to take directly from one economic group of people and give to the other economic group. Police and firefighters provide the same service to ALL regardless of their economic status.
It's sad, Sheryl, that I have to explain this to you this late in the election.
Great post.
Yes, for once you are right, Don. And you really don't need to explain anything to me, thank you. I believe that people have a right to basic healthcare, as well as safety. It is one of my prime concerns in this country. I also believe that not rewarding businesses for shipping jobs overseas is a good idea, too. And, I believe that people should be able to work hard and succeed, with a level playing field where corporations are NOT given handouts. If you truly believed in that, you would not support the Republicans who provide free oil leases to Exxon and others, and jobs to incompetents because they are 'buddies', and tear apart our Constitution so that they can increase their own power.
Sad? I think you should take a long, hard look at yourself on that one.
""Like it or not I will never go along with Socialist policies.""
Oh yes you will, and you'll cry and piss and moan and kick and scream and no one will give a flying f$@k about you.
We've endured 8 years of horseshit from scumbags like you. Time to pay the piper. I hope the republican ticket gets *crushed* tonight, so you can sit up here tomorrow and tell us how the blacks and muslims took over your country.
Just so I can laugh at you like I always have. BTW - Why aren't you saying "God Bless America" now? Or does God only do that when hick rednecks that kill innocents win?
It's rhetorical. . .
This must've been the investigation that McBush/Palin launched into herself. Meanwhile, she's still being cited for allegations of ethics violations in connection with improperly charging the state $22,000 for travel expenses for her children, a fee which will undoubtedly bring about a tax evasion charge with it eventually. How "mavericky" of her.
"America is the land of opportunity -- if you work hard you can enjoy a nice life."
Right. That's it. The millions of innocent, hard working Americans who've been put out of work by failed Bush/McCain economics, or who've been forced into bankruptcy by failed Bush/McCain healthcare policies, or have suffered and literally DIED because of those same failed BushCheney/McCain/Corp healthcare policies simply weren't working hard enough. Or, maybe they weren't quite American enough. Or, perhaps, they were liberals, and therefore deserve to suffer and die.
See why your party is being shitcanned? You people are CLUELESS and COMPLETELY out of touch with reality. Good riddance, that's all I can say. Good F'ing riddance. Don't let the door slam you in the ass on the way out. We'll all miss your party's failure of governance, I'm sure.
"McCain promised that he too would bring the troops home with honor and victory"
Yet not he, nor any other delusional, wackadoodle rabid wingnut has ever ONCE defined what that means. Weird. To Johnny McBush, it means to keep our soldiers there, and keep pissing $10 billion further into debt every single month, for between 100-1000 years, according to him. Perfect. Brilliant plan. Meanwhile, he STILL can't define "victory." Go figure. Yet, you freaks support that type of idiocy. Again, and you wonder why your party is being flushed down the toilet as we speak? Wonder no more. You're all clueless beyond description.
"Anybody see John Edwards?"
Anybody seen the negative effects on democrats of Edwards' affair? Me either. Weren't you the clueless freak that predicted that it would be the end of the democratic party as we know it, and that it would collapse Obama's campaign? Whatever happened to that, I wonder? Hmmmm?
It wasn't always this way, and it wouldn't be any longer, if you freak wackadoodle moonbat wingnuts got your way. Fire protection was once a private industry in this country, and those who either paid for a company that was a bit too far away for their own protection, or who forgot to make a payment, suffered the consequences, as did their neighbors. Neocon utopia, it was. Screw consumers, create disaster, and then blame the victims.
Just in case you were STILL wondering why your party is being shitcanned today.
Thankfully, whoever gets in will probably only get one term. 4 years from now, people will really think McCain is too old. (But, hey, Palin would be ready!!!) And shortly after Obama gets in people will realize what he's really all about.
I Voted Today.
..and I voted for hope and change.
History was made today. I hope things get better for all of us.
McCain will probably be dead and Palin will need a brain transplant to be ready. Keep up your dreaming, Marilyn. Always good to dream.
I didn't bother to wait...I started thinking it 4 years ago.
"(But, hey, Palin would be ready!!!) "
Wow. Funny stuff! Well...if she's a typical RepubliCON she might be on Parole by then...but ready for what? A $400 haircut? Oh wait! That was Edwards...I meant another $150,000 wardrobe (since this one's being donated to charity). That's MUCH more reasonable and down to earth. And economical too! By donating and re-buying the GOP loses only $300,000 but...and here's where the GOP shows how good they are with managing our money...they saved for years of storage costs! BRILLIANT...ummm...Dontcha' know?
Katrina... does the phrase "Democrat led State forever and a day" ring a bell? The state of unpreparedness really set the stage nicely for a complete failure. Get a brain.
I'd like to see that one explained. Where do we 'reward' businesses for shipping jobs overseas? Just tell me of ONE company that did all their business here, then moved all the jobs overseas and received a 'reward'.
Now, if you want to talk about multinational, global companies, I can tell you that if you 'punish' them, they will completely move their operations to the cheapest place to do business. That is the world we ALL live in.
When you say 'handout', you really mean pay less of a tax than they are already paying, right? Now, if you want to increase corporate taxes (we are among the highest in the world already) then they will have to raise the prices on the goods, and the will have to cut costs and lay people off.
Why do feel so strongly that the government can fix everything with more taxes?
Bush cut the tax rate at every income level of the Clinton rates. Please, there's no need to lie.
HA HA HA!!!!! Funniest post here... except for Clark's usual blather.
Because our fuel is relatively cheap -- has been for a long time. Have you looked at the prices lately? But really, that's not the point. The point is that the 'profit' should not be your concern. It is the 'profit margin' that really matters. Anyways, I know you've heard this before, so I'll digress.
That's pure bullshit. Obviously, you are not a business person. It IS the profit that counts, as well as the profit margin and all the other crap that goes into the bottom line. And it IS my concern, thank you very much. Why should a corporation, global or not, get to reap such benefits off the backs of Americans while getting free leases utilizing resources that belong to ME and MY children and every other citizen of this country? Do I ask you to give me the resources I need for my business for FREE and then try to sell it back to you? Do I try to monopolize the energy market, promising year after year to invest in renewable energy, all the while laughing behind your back and offering lame excuses to Congressional panels?
Ah, Don. I give up on you. You are obviously one of those big-guy-wannabees who salivates over articles about how much they make and how many cars, homes and jets they own and dream your little dreams. Good for you if that makes you happy. I, for one, am happy not to have myself and my children raped anymore by these white-collar criminals.
http://nymag.com/news/business/51402/
You'll absolutely LOVE this guy - blond, handsome, 40s, ran a subprime mortgage desk - just your type. Owned five cars, including a Mercedes, a Jeep, and a Porsche. The day he was let go, he bought himself a Piper plane. Are you drooling, Don? Breathing hard?
These are the guys you idolize. I say, F*ck em' all. This is NOT the American dream of which you love to rant on about. These are criminals....pure and simple. Except the regular guy who holds up the 7-11 in your town gets prosecuted and goes to jail. THIS guy gets off and then goes to work for our government. Feel sorry for him, Don....feel very sorry for him.
This is what is wrong with your and the GOP's philosophy. It's not the American dream where you can work hard and succeed and educate your children and make society better. It's screw everyone and make as much money as possible and have as many toys as possible until it blows up and you move onto the next scam. And these are the people you are sticking up for, Don.
This is not my idea of America. Thanks, but no thanks. Unfettered greed is not the American Dream. I will choose a healthy balance of capitalism, regulation and socialism where everybody gets to prosper if they choose to do so. And no amount of silly ranting from these a*sholes will change my mind. I hope this guy loses everything and realizes just how many people he had to destroy - innocent people - to have his toys.
Based upon the fine, unifying message in his visionary, optimistic, gloriously inclusive campaign that managed to revolt all but the most thoroughly delusional hardline rightwingnuts? Honestly, what planet do you people live on and what do you breathe, to come up with this type of flat out anti-reality that you continuously spew and wallow in?
Again, this is precisely why your party is in the process of being sent to the poo pile as we speak. You people are utterly clueless. You simply refuse to exist in reality land, and instead exist in some bizarre alternate universe, where reality is not allowed. It's truly astonishing to see firsthand, I must admit.
If you had the capacity to actually be HONEST for a change, even YOU would admit that McCain ran an ugly, sleazy, hate-filled, painfully divisive campaign, from the moment he chose to defecate on America by feeding the red meat of Sarah Palin to the loony toon fringe of the party, regardless of the fact that she was abysmally unqualified for the position.
"Unfettered greed is not the American Dream. I will choose a healthy balance of capitalism, regulation and socialism where everybody gets to prosper if they choose to do so."
Here, here.
Outsourced to his grandmother's basement in some 'stan?
Moron or masochist?
;-)
but I would contend the most important election of my lifetime
so far
was 2000, when gw43 started the demented
downward spiral of this country
the guy who spells 'dimwit'
with an 'o' really has had
too much gop kook aid
This is the first time I've ever seen anything resembling a normal comment from Don, and I think he deserves to be commended for it. Humility appears to suit him well, and perhaps he will begin to embrace it after today, and will present himself in a more rational, reasonable manner than he has in the past. Perhaps, there is hope after all. And to think, some felt that Obama was incapable of creating unity.
The contest now during these final moments decides the extent of the mandate Obama gets. Querulous Obama haters, these who referred to him as a “messiah” helped made it happen. Even bemused GOP insiders swallow this proving a distance the party had drifted from a mainstream grown disillusioned, tired of the past eight years.
See http://www.realclearpolitics.com
I left the GOP of 20-some years several weeks following 9-11 while many had rushed to “Go Shopping” numbing vexations. I had canvassed for Bush Sr. 1988 and 1992, Dole 1996, pinched my nose hard voting Bush Jr. 2000, sat out 2002, pinched my nose harder voting Kerry 2004, and again sat out 2006. The past two presidential contests, the razor thin margins reflected diffidence and doubt among the uninspired ambivalent electorate.
See http://www.republicansforobama.org
Therefore, I do hope my early Obama and Democrat straight ticket vote helps crush the GOP of Angry Mob, Pitchfork and Torch, Fear and Smear, and Dumb and Dumber constituencies. Further strengthen the mandate Obama, Biden, and Democrats get while compelling the GOP down the path its humbled predecessors the Whigs took 1852 mumbling, torn by recrimination. Change “white America” that takes for granted as theirs alone with “America.”
See “Republican fears of historic Obama landslide unleash civil war for the future of the party”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/barackobama/3260074/Republican-fears-of-historic-Obama-landslide-unleash-civil-war-for-the-future-of-the-party.html
Smell the freshly brewed coffee waking America. Embrace the mandate we Americans have demanded.
Too late; Ron Paul didn't make it on the ticket.
He spoke consistently, coherently and honestly about individual liberty, sound money, free markets, and peace -- so of course his message was immediately rejected by Homo Boobus (aka, the "conservative base" of the GOP).
Sorry. Guess you missed the memo. Your boy couldn't get hired to scrub toilets right now. Most unpopular president in US history. Congrats. Your guy wins.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/presidentbush/2008/11/unpopular.html
"Democrat led congress is in SINGLE DIGITS."
Specifically because of the obstructionist republicans blocking any meaningful legislation that democrats attempted to bring forth, and an obstructionist and clueless republican president vetoing anything that managed to leak through. Watch what happens if dems get 60 votes in the senate and the white house. Historically, the greatest advances in this nation's history have occured when such alignments were in place.
Funny! You knew as well as I did that he had no more chance of having any hope of being annointed by the corporate media than Dennis Kucinich, another brilliant, liberty embracing man of passion and truth.
"his message was immediately rejected by Homo Boobus (aka, the "conservative base" of the GOP). "
It's not just the republican party at fault, of course. The corporate masters wouldn't allow us to hear from Kucinich, either.
I share your feelings on this entirely! It's been the most fascinating campaign since Kennedy as far as I'm concerned. I'll watch with hopeful anticipation the results.
Your comment starting with "At the end of today" expresses my feelings exactly! I've argued long and hard with others but I know we all want the same end result.
It's time for you to hang it up and prepare to accept whatever happens. The vote is over and now it's a matter of trying to do the best with the results, regardless who wins. Belaboring those old talking points serves no one at this time. Like me, you have made your views well known in recent weeks, and that is about all one can expect on this forum!
\\\\Obama is going to make me work harder and be more aggressive -- I will succeed DESPITE his socialist policies. So I can thank Obama for that. I just hope that we can finish the two wars we are in on our terms with a clear victory.////
That is a good attitude to have! Obviously you make over a quarter of a million a year and I congratulate you on that success. And I hope it grows even bigger for you!
And I thank you for whatever increase in contribution to this nation you might make as a result of Obama's win. That is, if he wins.
Relax on the war! First, GWB declared that won years ago and he was correct. We waxed them! What has been going on there ever since is an altogether different matter. And how could we actually loose, to whom would we surrender? That's one of the difficulties when you are at war with an idea rather than a nation. But I'm sure Obama will bring them home with honor.
Does it at all arouse your suspicion, that Barack Obama was duly annointed by the corrupt and complicit media?
Surely you're aware that these media conglomerates have entangled interests in the vitality of the Military-Industrial Complex? Do you think they're stupid? Do you think Obama would have made it past Super Tuesay if he didn't have their blessings?
Are you not aware that Obama was among the largest recipients of campaign contributions from many of the recently-bailed-out Wall St. firms, among all of the candidates from both major parties? Do you think they are stupid?
The only thing that's going to "change" in this country, should Obama pull through tonight, is which segment of the population plays the role of apologist, and which segment plays the role of outspoken opposition. Now it's the so-called "conservatives" turn to bitch and moan about the Democratic president doing all the same shit that they were okay with when Bush was in office; and the so-called "progressives" turn to remind them that things weren't much better when their party was in control. Meanwhile; we'll still have troops in over 700 bases stationed in 130 countries throughout the world; we'll still have over 100,000 troops in Iraq, "protecting our freedoms" by acting as a mass-murdering contingent for the corporatist-warfare state; we'll still have a central banking cartel siphoning the hard-earned purchasing power away from the most vulnerable among us, and redistributing it to the richest among us, via their insidious counterfeiting operation we call "the Fed"; we'll still have a government that presumes to own it's citizens and own everything they produce, reserving the right to confiscate half of everything we produce and redistribute it asccording to their own will and caprice.
Exactly what the hell is it that everyone's expecting is going to "change," again?
I can't get this image out of my mind ... Charlie Brown, naive and stubborn as all get out, racing toward the football with a full head of steam .... Lucy, barely able to hide her smirk ...
I too am calling you the bigot you have performed as and proved to be over the course of the past few years. You are a right wing mouth piece and suddenly you want sympathy?
"You know what makes me happier than anything? Thinking about all the assholes out there who feel like I did four years ago."
You get no sympathy. You get everything you and your kind have sown for 8 years.
Dont like it? Cry to someone that gives a crap about you, your bigotry and your godless whacked out background.
Good riddance to your kind.
Holy CRAP! Don??? This is the FIRST time I ever [*shudder*]...EVER agreed with you! Are you drinking or dying??
FYI, Capt. Clueless...Bush had a 91% approval rating after 9/11. Some divisiveness. Had he not chosen to embark upon a path of bitter, harsh, ugly partisan divide, he'd have likely remained marginally popular throughout his pathetic presidency, in spite of his unmatched incompetence. He just couldn't help himself from lashing out in ugly partisan rhetoric at his political opponents, however, just as the rest of the extremist rabid rightwing does, 24/7.
Let's actually hope instead, that President Obama doesn't have to endure the same divisiveness that CLINTON did for 8 years, as a vicious rightwing mob launched one partisan witch hunt after another, in a desperate and unending attempt to tear down the sitting president, in any and every way possible.
Do you have any examples? You're a windbag, Clark.
Well THAT making sense thingee you had going on didn't last long, did it?? LoL!
Short of answering the question I asked. That's ok, Windbag.
All you have to do is look at the crowds at the campaign rallies and see which candidate had the big tent. The Republicans have consistently tried to marginalize the majority with their belligerence. It lost them at least one election. If it's really country first, McCain supporters need to give Obama a chance. I suspect they will be calling for endless investigations surrounding the circumstances of his birth instead.
My apologies... you're right -- naming a sewage plant after a president really helps move the nation forward and brings people together and sends a great message to the world. You guys know best.
No he didn't. The divisiveness came from the Democrats. Please quote me outrageous statements from Bush. He was the POTUS -- and was always reserved in his comments. I heard endless insults and attacks from the Democrats for eight years. Consider this; George Bush is one man... there are about 250+ democrats in the house/senate -- and they are traditionally less reserved and more partisan (and I say that regardless of party).