A moment of optimism -- please join me

[Andy Moynihan]

"Hope"?

"Cynicism"?



Cynicism is nothing but the refusal to delude oneself from reality.

Hope is nothing but the denial of reality.

Therefore cynicism is nothing but the refusal to deny reality.

 

[Nolerama]

You think this has changed just because a half-white rich guy got elected?

We'll see.

I'm hoping for the best but I won't be surprised if it ends up Business As Usual.

"Meet the new boss — same as the old boss."

Respectfully, it would be nice to cherry pick our posts, but I don't think you got the spirit of my previous post.

What I'm trying to say is that Obama, for the time being, represents a certain amount of elevated trust in US Government among some of America's disenfranchised and disaffected people due to the fact that he is of African descent. Maybe they'll be inspired to become more involved in their communities. Maybe some of them will want to make a change locally when they feel the need is necessary by running for office.

Yes, the President-elect will be due for a screw-up somewhere down the road. But I would never go as far as saying he's the same as Bush Jr on the fact that he presents himself with a great deal more intelligence, charisma, and insight to the needs of the general population of this country.

Based on how he acts in his first six months in office, my view might change.

Maybe I need to start posting in a more "point-blank."

 

[Tez3]

Ah just once, only once, could we all suspend our world weariness, our cynicism, our blase been there, done it, got the t shirt persona and just see this through the young eyes in the OP who may, just, perhaps, go out now encouraged by watching this man speak and do something amazing to make our world a better place.

 

[Marginal]

Explain, exactly please, what you mean by this statement. Specifically the part I bolded. Just what are you implying?

Goofy Fundie Christians who expect the rapture to happen any day now think Obama's election is a sign of the end of America. A few on one of their kooky forums were hoping that Obama would get killed, and that the election would then magically go to McCain.

So I don't think that Republicans are any more capable of being restrained (George Allen anyone) than the "chronically hateful" demmicrats.

 

[Gordon Nore]

Ah just once, only once, could we all suspend our world weariness, our cynicism, our blase been there, done it, got the t shirt persona and just see this through the young eyes in the OP who may, just, perhaps, go out now encouraged by watching this man speak and do something amazing to make our world a better place.

Much appreciated, Tez, but that moment I had with my kids is etched in this teacher's memory. I cannot fault anyone's cynicism, as I have felt the same in so many elections at home and in the US. I know, as others have said here, there is method and mischief behind the magic -- that's how parties get leaders, and how those leaders win public office. But I am a teacher, and I know well the power of inspiration.

 

[Tez3]

Cynicism creeps up on us doesn't it, we probably all started out when young as idealists wanting to make things better, it's what youngsters should be doing but somewhere along the line I suppose reality sets in, we get older (or old!) and only a very few keep that idealism intact.
Still, what we can do and what you are doing is passing the flame on, inspiring the next generation to do better than we have.
In all that cynicism though and all the thoughts of doom and gloom, if we actually look at the past not everything has got worse, inroads have been made, much has improved, we haven't made it all the way yet, that's the youngsters job.

 

[grydth]

BTW, is dissent still patriotic? Or is it divisive now? Should we MoveOn in the sense of letting bygones be bygones, as in the Clinton era, or should we MoveOn in the sense of spending Soros' money to try to kneecap the president at every turn?

Shouldn't be much of a challenge.

I believe principled dissent is a high form of patriotism. This is so even if you do not agree with me.

George $oro$ reminds me of a SPECTRE villain from an early James Bond flick. He and his ilk have the same capacity to twist and corrupt the Democrats as corporations did the Republicans.

The Bush - Clinton era exemplies the divisiveness and corruption above.

 

[Archangel M]

Illinois congressman Rahm Emanuel was the top House recipient in the 2008 election cycle of contributions from hedge funds, private equity firms and the larger securities/investment industry.

My optimism is fading fast.

 

[Makalakumu]

Illinois congressman Rahm Emanuel was the top House recipient in the 2008 election cycle of contributions from hedge funds, private equity firms and the larger securities/investment industry.

My optimism is fading fast.

Don't for one minute think it would have been different if McCain was President Elect. If you take the time to look at the money, you'll see that its a two way feed.

 

[jarrod]

guys, ANY politician who makes it far enough to make a serious bid for the presidency is going to have some dirt on their hands & some money in their pockets. i don't like it, but that's how it is.

even the pessimest in me believes that the next 4 years will be better than the last 8.

jf

 

[Makalakumu]

Don't for one minute think it would have been different if McCain was President Elect. If you take the time to look at the money, you'll see that its a two way feed.

With that being said, "so what, now what?"

The problem is that both sides are right. Here's an example. In Hawaii, a major issue was transportation. The proposed rail line between Kapolei and Honolulu is very expensive. On the other hand, because of the curious geography its needed. It has to happen, but its too much for people to pay for.

The answer to these issues lie in the very fabric of how we conduct ourselves.

What is money?

Everyone in this entire country needs to understand the answer to that question. The solution to the rail issue lies their. The solution to the many other problems our nation faces...including our finacial difficulties...lies there.

What is money?

It is my hope that an Obama administration addresses this.

 

[jarrod]

What is money?

this is at the heart of what i think ron paul was trying to address by supporting a return to the gold standard. 'money' is a representation of an actual commodity. what we have is currency, which is only as good as our faith in the government.

i'm far from an economist, but that's my understanding anyway.

jf

 

[Archangel M]

And Im pretty confidant that the president elect has some "dirt on his hands and money in his pockets" too, what irks me is the way the media refused to go looking for any.

 

[Archangel M]

this is at the heart of what i think ron paul was trying to address by supporting a return to the gold standard. 'money' is a representation of an actual commodity. what we have is currency, which is only as good as our faith in the government.

i'm far from an economist, but that's my understanding anyway.

jf

True but what is the real value of gold anyway? Other than a pretty, shiny metal? Or jewels or anything? Money is simply a symbol. Hell there are those Pacific Islanders that use huge stone rings for money.

 

[jarrod]

True but what is the real value of gold anyway? Other than a pretty, shiny metal? Or jewels or anything? Money is simply a symbol. Hell there are those Pacific Islanders that use huge stone rings for money.

to me personally, yes, gold is just a shiny, non-corrosive soft metal. but it's a shiny, non-corrosive soft metal that is relatively rare & has historically been valued by almost every society worldwide.

jf

 

[Archangel M]

Much like baseball cards, postage stamps and other collectables, gold is only worth something because somebody else is willing to give you something for it.

It seems to be a human trait to get distracted by...

...ohhh look shiny.

 

[zDom]

But I would never go as far as saying he's the same as Bush Jr on the fact that he presents himself with a great deal more intelligence, charisma, and insight to the needs of the general population of this country.

Or, is that how the media presents him?

As opposed to how the media and entertainment industry have consistently hammered us with the whole "Bush is Stupid" message for eight years.

(I almost feel sorry for Jon Stewart. His ratings are sure to drop: Worshiping Obama isn't nearly as funny as making fun of Bush. I'm sure he will still hang in there, somehow. After all, Rush Limbaugh managed to stay on the air after Clinton left office...)



I wouldn't worry about Obama's screwups, though. The national media will spin it in an entirely different light than they did with Bush. They will make excuses and downplay Obama's mistakes until we are all sure they are no big deal.

After all, this is the New Camelot, right?

 

[CoryKS]

America Can Take Pride In This Historic, Inspirational Disaster

So for now, let's put politics aside and celebrate this historic milestone. In his famous speech at the Lincoln Memorial 45 years ago, Dr. King said "I have a dream that one day my children will live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." Let us now take pride that Tuesday we Americans proved that neither thing matters anymore.

 

[BrandonLucas]

The way I see it, there's no point in getting mad about the situation.

Obama's President of the United States. I didn't vote for him. But what can I do now?

All we can do is deal with what mess we're in as a country. I really think it's going to take more than just one term of the Presidency to resolve the issues that we're in, so we should be patient and see where he's going to start leading us. We haven't even given him a shot yet and alot of us are already counting him out.

It took Bush and the rest of the government 8 years to get us in the mess we're in now. I don't care who you are, you cannot argue the fact that we have been dealing with politicians that mainly have their best interests at heart.

The best thing we can do right now is to pray that the best decisions are made for the country...there's little use in complaining about who the president is after the fact.

 

[Traditionalist]

Or, is that how the media presents him?

As opposed to how the media and entertainment industry have consistently hammered us with the whole "Bush is Stupid" message for eight years.

They didn't have to hammer us. Bush is Stupid. He practically put it out there on a platter.