Well, you know my story there; I voted for Obama and got Hillary (at best.)
Joel Send a noteboard - 03/03/2012 01:43:20 AM
So much for "hope and change." More like "same song, second verse."
people got carried away on a dream. Why else pick Obama over Hillary?
But that was the reason: Because I did not want a compromised faux-liberal who talked a good game but sold us out to Corporate America at the first and every other opportunity. If I had to do over... at least the Clintons had a responsible tax policy they fought for, even if the Contract on America had to hold their feet to the fire on spending cuts. Hillary offered publicly mandated health insurance without the guarantee of a public option; Obama offered a public option without a public mandate. He lied about that, as with so much else, and delivered the opposite, but Hillary and McCain offered unappealing certainties he opposed with at least the possibility he would keep his word. Oh, well, maybe next time, if the country lasts that long.
That said though I wouldn't underestimate what choosing a black president means. It's pretty transformational
It could have been, if he had the sense to duplicate FDRs First Hundred Days with a similar public mandate and huge Congressional majorities. Instead, he sat on his hands except to enact a series of corporate bailouts and subsidies that cut his approval ratings nearly 20% before embarking, or failing to embark, on a health care odyssey that would have exhausted Odysseus. Geez, do not even get me started on that; write a freaking bill, write three if you must (like LBJ did with Medicare.) Do NOT farm it out to incompetent Congressional hacks who lack the presidents leverage, much less cut Reid off at the legs by telling him NOT to cut Lieberman off at the legs. The public was ready to embrace whatever bill Obama offered them after the election; unfortunately, he waited six months to even address it and then did no more than make speeches urging support for at least one of the FOUR bills other people wrote.
This was Americas first real chance to embrace true socialism since at least 1964, and probably 1932. All Obama has done is reinforce the GOP narrative that government not only does not, but CANNOT work. He is a failure on a scale that would be unprecedented without Bush, and he can only run against Bush just so long. Regardless, we are marking time until he leaves office, whether it is next January or four years later, and it is time we do not have to spare.
Honorbound and honored to be Bonded to Mahtaliel Sedai
Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.
Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!
LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.
Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!

LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
Now That Romney Is Officially the Republican Presidential Nominee: Pick the President!
29/02/2012 08:29:02 PM
- 1330 Views

I agree Romney will be the candidate.
29/02/2012 08:54:52 PM
- 715 Views
I would say the math favors Romney over Obama, but it will probably be close either way.
01/03/2012 03:37:52 PM
- 764 Views
I have never understood the point of the Electoral College.
29/02/2012 11:39:11 PM
- 759 Views
You don't think like a politician then
01/03/2012 12:38:36 AM
- 813 Views

I certainly hadn't considered much of that. I'm glad you posted it. *NM*
01/03/2012 07:15:03 AM
- 338 Views
I also have not seen most of that mentioned in the popular vs. electoral debate.
01/03/2012 02:34:31 PM
- 687 Views
a bit simplistic and unrealistic
02/03/2012 11:44:02 PM
- 740 Views
When illustrating a point realism is not required and simplicity is a plus
03/03/2012 03:04:26 AM
- 760 Views
I have a couple quibbles.
03/03/2012 05:23:46 AM
- 789 Views
Oh, certainly, I'm over-generalizing but I was already getting long-winded
03/03/2012 06:52:04 AM
- 729 Views
What a bunch of waffle!
03/03/2012 10:47:19 AM
- 881 Views
Also I don't like this refrain that implies only the POTUS vote matters
03/03/2012 03:29:58 AM
- 894 Views
IMHO, parliaments choosing prime ministers is LESS democratic than the electoral college.
03/03/2012 05:57:41 AM
- 696 Views
Re: IMHO, parliaments choosing prime ministers is LESS democratic than the electoral college.
03/03/2012 07:02:30 AM
- 729 Views
*is learning*
04/03/2012 09:49:42 PM
- 728 Views
Re: *is learning*
04/03/2012 09:56:16 PM
- 752 Views
Re: *is learning*
05/03/2012 12:08:08 AM
- 779 Views
You could imitate the French.
07/03/2012 10:40:16 PM
- 717 Views

That seems... unlikely....
08/03/2012 03:03:54 PM
- 719 Views

It does, doesn't it?
08/03/2012 06:11:08 PM
- 908 Views

After I thought about it more, I realized France and the US are not so different in that respect.
08/03/2012 08:51:03 PM
- 680 Views
More similar than the other major Western democracies at least, agreed.
08/03/2012 09:32:55 PM
- 668 Views
I did not realize lack of a parliamentary majority dictated his cabinet.
09/03/2012 12:27:31 AM
- 745 Views
I don't know much about Norwegian politics, but you seem to be wrong.
03/03/2012 06:18:08 PM
- 763 Views
Do you happen to have that link, please?
03/03/2012 06:46:31 PM
- 621 Views
Sure.
03/03/2012 06:58:07 PM
- 798 Views
Guess we did not read far enough.
03/03/2012 10:38:07 PM
- 744 Views
Yeah, you have to know a few things about European politics...
03/03/2012 11:49:44 PM
- 948 Views
Hey, man, I am an AMERICAN: I do not HAVE to know ANYTHING!
04/03/2012 11:46:57 PM
- 956 Views

Re: Yeah, you have to know a few things about European politics...
05/03/2012 06:56:24 AM
- 744 Views
The thing is, regions often have national relevance far greater than their populations would suggest
05/03/2012 10:21:26 AM
- 690 Views
Re: Yeah, you have to know a few things about European politics...
08/03/2012 07:11:12 PM
- 691 Views
Many valid reasons, including those Isaac cited.
02/03/2012 02:26:37 AM
- 850 Views
Most states are ignored anyway
02/03/2012 11:56:12 PM
- 917 Views
Only because and to the extent they have already committed themselves.
03/03/2012 03:41:39 AM
- 768 Views
Why would we do something logical? Dude, you're utterly ridiculous. *NM*
05/03/2012 04:53:38 PM
- 397 Views
I'm kind of sad- does this mean Santorum won't be providing wonderful sound bites anymore?
01/03/2012 02:22:31 PM
- 690 Views
Romney or Obama, either way, America loses. *NM*
02/03/2012 01:10:26 AM
- 476 Views
Hard to dispute that either; six of one, half a dozen of the other.
02/03/2012 01:38:07 AM
- 665 Views
I'd agree hope and change was extremely unrealistic
02/03/2012 11:58:57 PM
- 665 Views
Well, you know my story there; I voted for Obama and got Hillary (at best.)
03/03/2012 01:43:20 AM
- 686 Views
Update: Despite rules requiring they be split, the MI GOP is giving Romney BOTH statewide delegates.
02/03/2012 11:10:56 PM
- 765 Views
Romney is damaged
02/03/2012 11:27:33 PM
- 675 Views
Obama is rather damaged also; it will probably come down to FL and OH, yet again.
03/03/2012 02:23:53 AM
- 796 Views
I'm hoping for Rubio as VP... then FL probably won't matter
03/03/2012 04:28:08 AM
- 658 Views
You should put that on your license plates.
03/03/2012 06:41:34 AM
- 786 Views

And what are you basing all of this on?
03/03/2012 09:54:06 PM
- 784 Views
The closeness of several states when Obama was far more popular, and UTs heavily Mormon neighbors.
03/03/2012 11:44:06 PM
- 738 Views
Wrong
04/03/2012 08:08:56 AM
- 856 Views
Higher turnout magnifies the Mormon effect.
04/03/2012 08:08:09 PM
- 900 Views
Your reasoning is flawed and if you can't see it there is no hope for you
05/03/2012 11:39:04 PM
- 811 Views
Yeah, I think we had that conversation already, several times, in fact.
07/03/2012 05:36:45 AM
- 647 Views
Do you have any knowledge of statistics at all?
07/03/2012 09:04:15 PM
- 810 Views
I hate this message board
07/03/2012 09:06:30 PM
- 587 Views
It would probably help if you deleted the stuff from two, three posts back?
07/03/2012 09:25:40 PM
- 707 Views