Election Eve open thread
For discussion of the voting returns. Talk amongst yourselves!
I may come on to do a little liveblogging a bit later. Then again, I may not. Only the shadow knows for sure.
8:51: I’m baaack! Only a tiny bit high, just enough to take the edge off. I’ve decided it is a lot better to simply not watch TV, and instead to follow this thing through the comments section of various blogs.
For a while now I’ve been assuming McCain would lose although hoping he will win, so my focus is also on the Senatorial races. It would be especially good if the Republicans retain a enough Senators to filibuster when necessary, acting as a check on the salivating majority eager to get a very progressive agenda passed as soon as possible.
Then, on to 2010. Boy, it doesn’t sound all that far away, does it? Campaigns these days are like chain smoking.
9:07 The Pennsylvania Polka: A couple of stations call Pennsylvania for Obama before any returns are posted. This is puzzling, unless you think the MSM can read the voters’ minds. Rumor has it that this “calling” is based on exit polls. Could they be that dumb?
The Anchoress has an interesting take on it. She writes:
I actually listened to Rush at my desk today and seem to recall him saying that the networks would be calling PA for Obama before they even started counting the votes – presumably in order to set up a “theft” narrative if needed – and that is what’s just happened. Many people registering surprise that Pennsylvania has been instantly called Obama’s. Stephen Green asks just how many dead people voted in PA?. Others having some difficulty believing it: Ace, who remembers NBC calling Florida early in 2000 and says the calls are “exit polls bullshit.”
Is it possible, then, that Rush reads the networks’ minds?
9:15 Aha! Ace explains that the calls of Pennsylvania are based on the fact that the results from the few precincts that are in are very similar to the exit polls, and the exit polls show an Obama victory.
9:30 I’m beginning to understand what’s what. The networks are calling states early based on a combination of whatever algorithm they use to predict these things even with few returns, plus a comparison of how those returns stack up against the exit polls. This may even be valid, if people are as predictable as they often can be. The trend looks bad for McCain, but we won’t know for sure for hours. And that’s that, folks.
11:20 I’ve managed to get through the evening without turning on the TV, although I may give it a go in a little bit.
My summation—for tonight, at least: the American people have hated Bush long and hard, for a number of reasons. They are repudiating everything about him and almost everyone who is connected with him. Obama happened to be the beneficiary, almost as though sent by central casting to meet the needs of an electorate that was looking for the un-Bush. I don’t think people were ready or willing to seriously look at who this man actually is and what he’s been saying, and he’s smooth enough to cover it up quite nicely anyway.
How will he govern? Will his recent incarnation as a relative moderate hold, or will he steer hard left? Even though I’ve found plenty of evidence to indicate the latter, I’m still hoping for the former. Stranger things have happened. Obama may feel the weight of responsibility, especially as the first black President, to not squander the goodwill of the public by alienating them with too many radical policies. Or he may really undergo a sea change towards the center as he adjusts to the powerful responsibilities inherent in being President.
I’m not being naive and saying it will happen. I am saying it is a possibility, and I plan to give him the benefit of the doubt.
I think it’s pretty clear that Republicans will retain more than forty seats in the Senate. Good. Oh, and I hope Europe will now shut up about how racist this country is.
Well, this is just a filler until something happens.
I was scheduled to hand out information at my local polling site this morning. Yesterday afternoon the local GOP office called and said they were sending a fellow named Pedro to work with me. He really wanted to be involved but they were concerned because they had a hard time understanding him on the phone. I was bemused, because my Spanish essentially is exhausted after; “Dos Cervasa, por favor”.
Well, Pedro showed up. He spoke very good English, albeit with a pronounced accent.
It was slow so I started to dig for information in a conversational vein (curious as to why or how he had found this rural Virginia county).
He came from Bolivia in 1985. He has worked as a political appointee in the Bush White House since 2001. His area of expertise is in HHS and the faith based initiative is one of his areas of responsibility.
He spoke very highly of President Bush and his honesty and courage. Specifically, how he ignores polls and personal popularity to always make the decisions that he feels right for the country–and let the chips fall.
He indicated that “W” is the same courteous and compassionate person we believed him to be.
Since I am somewhat depressed today, he lifted my spirits a bit with his upbeat look to the future (even though he will be out of work in January). He said the next few years will be a time for reflection, for organization and preparation for a return to the govenrnment we cherish.
A very pleasant surprise to have Pedro in my life for a time this morning.
Thanks for the story, Old.
If I want to see blogging live I’ll turn on the radio and type into my capture buffer until it overflows and then go home and dive into a pool of my own tears.
Vodka shot downed, to coincide with closing of the polls in many of the states in the Eastern Time Zone.
Not enough. Do it again.
Me too. Vodka shot downed. However, I’m a drinker, so I don’t feel it yet. Need some more.
Standby for the ‘O’nnointing. followed by more vodka.
McCain is toast.
I feel like I did when I voted for Bob Dole’s dopey old arm-not-working ass: “I never actually thought he could win, the old dope.”
vdL: yes, sir, will do, sir.
So down. Turned off the returns. I don’t even want to hear it.
All I keep seeing in front of my eyes is the image of Michelle Obama in The White House.
(and I wonder just how long it will be before the Obamas have Mr. and Mrs. William Ayers, Reverend Wright, Franklin Raines, et al. to dinner there)
(Wonder if he’ll wait to his last night as President to pardon Reczko, or if he’ll do it before he’s even sentenced.)
3 beers….
Have another shot, Neo. All part of my nefarious plan to get you plastered, then take merciless advantage of … your mind!
Who knows what evil lurks in the heart of man? The Shadow Do!
Well, the people who are rich enough to afford a disasterous, socialist Obama administration can at least be assured that the ne’er do wells, angry minorities, users, takers and flakes know which side their pita is hummused on.
I need another drink to start regaining my equanimity….
If a liberal shows up here, I’m just going to roll over and let him/her have his/her way with me….
I’m not old enough to have alcohol… I’ll just have to die slowly like the rest of America. Kay Hagan just won…
Hey gang, a novice here, probably the only American Rebublican living in France! My question is this: HOW CAN THE NETWORKS “CALL” PA AND OH when only 2% or 3% of the vote is in??????????
Is anyone watching the actual popular vote count? So far, it is soooo close! 50,000 difference with over 22 mil. votes counted.
Also, does anyone know – are cities or rural areas more likely to get counted first? Or is it a mix?
(And yeah! I too want to know how they call states with little or no votes counted! I’m assuming they’re working off exit polls.)
It’s not over yet – and considering the astronomical odds, the media and even his own party against him at first, the media acting as press secretaries for The Obama, it is AMAZING that he may actually win. Don’t call him an old dope.
The problem is people no longer value hard work, sacrifice and contribution to country. They hate the cops but will tolerate a new “civilian security force.” They claim to hate the wealthy, yet revere Gore, Kerry, Edwards, and now Obama, they scream about Rove being corrupt, but when faced with real corruption they avert their eyes. They don’t want to be told “no” on any social issue, but they tolerate being made guilty in the “global warming” sham and willingly don hairshirts and accept forced sacrifice, like those astronomical electric bills The Obama is promising.
That’s what McCain/Palin is up against – that’s the direction we are heading in. Socialism doesn’t even begin to describe it – it will be called by a new name, but it is the same old malignant evil, but with modern technology to back it up.
I don’t drink either. But I think I will start tonight.
test 1233
Anchoress:
*“I actually listened to Rush at my desk today and seem to recall him saying that the networks would be calling PA for Obama before they even started counting the votes – presumably in order to set up a “theft” narrative if needed.”
I dont doubt it. Anything and everything to win. After all I’m sure they believe the nefarious Docktor Karl Rove is at this very minute manipulating voting machines from a secret location in the White House basement.
C’mon. You know it’s true.
Just exactly what is the fantasy Ohio and Pennsylvania envision? A protectionist govt bolstering their industries? Are there any grown ups up there voting?
How’s Jack Murtha doing?
Even the lefties on the networks are saying: “He’s really going to govern from the center.” “I don’t think he’s as liberal as he says he is.” “He’s not a real liberal, people from Ohio and Pennsylvania wouldn’t have voted for a liberal”.
Nina Totenberg: “I know that deep down he’s a pragmatist.”
F’n morons….
I make a prediction now, and you can hold me on it:
“In the first half of Obama’s term, there will be an “oh, shit” event where the Obama voters see their folly. We’ll all know it when it happens.”
`Americans just got talked into owning a Pitbull because they were accused of hating dogs. Its depressing to know every other person i run into is this much of a nieve raging dumbass.
Obama is a train wreck waiting to happen – it now mostly seems to it will be after he is elected.
It will be … interesting … when he has nothing but himself to fall back on and no way to avoid doing something. No one to blame and no one else to save him.
It will also be interesting as to what that “oh shit” moment that Gray talks of happens how people will respond. Will he do as he promised and negotiate with Iran and invade Pakistan? Will it be tax policies? Will it be energy policies?
I though McCain had a real chance at wining, though it seems that at least in Ohio (according to exit polls) republicans just not voting is what is going to cost him.
I figure in the coming months the two biggest “oh shits” will be the ones that realized what they did when they tried to “rig” the election by voting in the dem primary (because they though Obama couldn’t win) and those that didn’t vote because they didn’t figure McCain had a chance yet would have won if they had bothered.
Well, it’s been a crap day for me. I took the day off to catch up on yard work, be there for the delivery of a new washing machine, and the arrival of a heating burner technician to trouble shoot our gas burner, which has been emitting blackish exhaust on the outside of the house. Well, I tweaked my knee (it’s blown up like a balloon), the washer can’t be used yet because the hot water valve has something screwy with it and it leaks when you turn it on, and the burner needed considerably more than a tune up. All around, a very shitty day. My wife didn’t take the day off and she was quite anxious with how everything went down, especially my right knee (it’s already had three arthrocopies done to it).
I’ve been avoiding the election stuff all day. Just can’t deal with more depressing news. I’m not watching the t.v. Been listening to classical music late this evening. The wife and I watched recorded shows earlier, while I was icing my knee after the burner technician left with a sizeable check from us.
Some days it just doesn’t pay to get out of bed.
I think the American people are making a huge mistake. But if the nation can endure it and the damage is minimized, I expect this totally unqualified POTUS to not last more than the term. I just pray to God that we can dodge a bullet on the Iranian nuke thing, but I wouldn’t bet the farm on it. I think the economy will recover, but not strongly.
Does anyone understand why people think that raising taxes on employers, especially small companies and small business owners, is going to grow the economy? Is there some sort of weird alchemy at work that I’m not privy to? I mean, I’ve got a B.A. in Economics, an M.A. in Philosophy, and an M.B.A. in Finance and I just can’t see the angle on this. It makes zero sense to me.
Does anyone really think even if we do somehow keep enough Senators to do it, that the pathetic bunch we have will ever have the stones to actually *do* a filibuster?
I may not have my sheepskins from the Ivies, but to listen to people in the elite media and talking head sinecures say that this guy is going to be a centrist is beyond bizarre. These people are pure, unadulterated DUMBASSES.
Oh well, its over unless something happens in Ohio… that won’t happen…
Polls close here (Oregon) in the next half hour with fairly predictable results, although the senate race here may be mildly interesting with the vote pandering RHINO Gordon Smith trying to vie for votes with an authentic liberal Jeff Merkley. Stay tuned.
I think people are over leveraged on their mortgages, their cars, their credit cards, and their student loans. They have hit the financial wall and think a liberal might save them. Personal responsibility is out of fashion right now, and socialism doesn’t sound so bad.
Mr. Frank Says:
“Personal responsibility is out of fashion right now, and socialism doesn’t sound so bad.”
Yup… the classic, ‘hitting bottom and digging’ response.
oil taxes
income taxes
healthcare taxes
transfat banned
tobacco bans
ammunition bans
multilateral (america last) foreign policy
gun bans
expensive electricity
civilian defense corps
fairness doctrine
market regulation
real estate regulation
carbon taxes
assisted suicide
speech bans
negotiation with terrorists
Fox calling it for Obama.
Oh well, there is tiny chance Ohio will turn around tonight… but otherwise let me say this. I’ve got more reason to dislike socialists than most people here… but…
Congratulations to Obama on running a smart campaign. President Clinton got me to come around and not mind him that much (enough that I can give him credit for many things… and I couldn’t bother to vote against him). I hope you lead sensibly and if you do I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt too (and not listen to crazy charges against you from the fringe of my side). For now, I’m standing back to see what you do / not going to start off by jumping on you as the enemy.
Well, assuming that there is no reversal, this is a disaster for the USA, for the Constitution, and for the world. I anticipate at least a million deaths over the next ten years as a direct or close result of Obama’s actions in office, both in foreign policy and in economic ‘errors’, some of which will be little more that bread and circuses. Obama, Pelosi, and Reid are going to take us back to the worst mistakes of the nation-state, and he’s going to ignore Bobbitt’s market-state even as ‘market non-states’ gain more power. And it may hasten the decline of the USA, and its end as a functioning democracy.
My predictions, of course. It’s hard to say ‘let’s see what happens’ when so much is at stake. I’m almost glad that William Buckley isn’t here to see it.
And the irony is that Bobbitt is a Democrat.
Oh, and the investigations into ACORN and the various other registration scandals … unless they get indictments before January first, forget it.
Very gracious concession speach from McCain.
Very classy speech from McCain.
Man, this country lost out probably more than it knows. There goes class.
Let’s see what Obama has to say.
Very gracious concession speach from McCain.
It should be, he’s had his entire f’n lousy campaign to work on it.
John McCain Beaten by communists for 40 years….
I’m f’ed.
As a defense contractor, I’m the canary in the coal mine. At least I know when my program gets cancelled and I lose my job and my family loses it’s income that many, many liberals will be very pleased at my misfortune.
Maybe I can work on a windmill or in marketing or a barrista or some fashionable poor-paying job while my wife goes to work and my kids go into daycare.
Obama’s victory has stripped me, and my family of any sense of security, or a secure future….
Which is exactly what they wanted. I was in their crosshairs and they nailed me. Now, in spite of my good choices, I, and my family, will know Uncertainty and suffering.
Which is exactly what they want.
Merkley beating out Smith for Oregon US senate race. Merkley’s campain painted Smith as a lock-step Bush supporter while Smith played up how well he can get along with Barak Obama.
Its hard for me to tell if I lost in that race.
Obama’s plans can’t be so nuanced as to shelter those who voted for him and screw the rest of us.
So we can gloat, I guess, for what it’s worth.
I plan to make sure my friends and relations eat the oh-shit moment.
Story about a businessman, anticipating layoffs if Obama is elected. Decides the first to go will be the ones with Obama stickers on their cars. Hard to think of a logical reason there’s anything wrong with that.
They wanted it. They voted for it. They must be cool with the results. What’s the problem?
Funny thing is–tonight it’s funny–my sister-in-law copyrighted BDS. But she works with the poor, helping them get their budgets straight and trying to show them why shopping for groceries at the gas station isn’t so hot. Coordinates with agencies.
Bless her heart. But that’s in northern Michigan. Heating bills are a problem.
She’s going to have to figure out a way to blame somebody. She can’t admit she voted for a guy who wants to bankrupt the coal industry and make energy prices skyrocket. Not to her clients.
My Chinese wife, who is old enough to remember life under Mao, shakes her head at the outpouring of ‘love’ for Obama. It makes her nervous when people project so much onto such an iconic figure that Obama has become. She says it’s not healthy because people tend to take leave of their normal sense of right and wrong.
“Rose Says:
November 4th, 2008 at 9:28 pm”
Very well put comments, insightful and to the point… America will survive this, but I’m very worried now for a lot of people in places like Columbia, Israel, Iraq, Christians in Kenya, and other similar and related situations and places heavily dependent on an authentic American posture of strength and resolve in support of human rights and justice. Caroline Glick’s column today enunciates clearly what it’s all about, from women’s rights to the far reaching ramifications: http://www.carolineglick.com/e/
“She says it’s not healthy because people tend to take leave of their normal sense of right and wrong.”
You mean only just recently?
“We are and always will be the United Staes of America”
-Barak Obama
And if you had lost? Would your concession speech be as classy?
His stupid speech is just a litany of self-congratulation. It’s hollow, insipid and self-serving.
“All these people braved so much and worked so hard to elect Me!”
“It’s your victory ‘cuz you elected Me!”
“Yay, Me!”
Not hugely inspiring by any means. Standard liberal fare.
Obama may feel the weight of responsibility, especially as the first black President, to not squander the goodwill of the public by alienating them with too many radical policies. That’s what I’ve been sensing for the past month or so, that Obama has the capacity to be more than he’s shown, and I believe he will act responsibly, but I’ll wait and see. I’ve seen the opposite in McCain, whose capacity to reason has steered afar, who yearns for a much earned rest and peace. And above all this is an extraordinary milestone in the evolution of liberty, I think, as superficial as it is, that’s it’s an astonishing accomplishment that demonstrates that America is like a living, evolving organism, and that freedom and democracy can over come all the things that held back human society in the past, it’s apart of our story and a demonstration to the world. Don’t steer to far to the Right nor forsake the spirit of liberalism.
No JFK speech here. Sounds forced as if he cant find his rythym.
OK, now it’s gone down hill.
OK, he’s MLK now.
Gracious comments, Neo. My guess is he won’t be as frightening or exciting as conservatives or liberals predict. The job itself will require moderation.
And to all my conservative friends, I say cheer up. You’ve go the next four years to make fun of Biden’s hair plugs, and our European friends will have less reason to believe we are a country of provincial bigots.
Wht does it matter whether or not Europe thinks we are a country of provincial bigots? If it was never true to start with, what does it matter what they think?
Meanwhile, Mr. Putin is throwing his own victory party right now — as is Ahmadinejad & the Mullahs. No more Anti-Missile Defense System for us in Europe.
Oh, yeah — Chavez is really a happy camper. Heard on news that he said he had already made “overtures” to meet iwth Obama.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch — when we get attacked again (G-d Forbid…but I’m just being “PRAGMATIC”) — it will never be Obama’s fault. Never, ever, ever. It will all be – all together now:
George Bush’s fault!
Everything that goes wrong will be as a result of the Democrats “inheriting” one huge debacle of a country. (As if they were all away on vacation for the last 8 yrs.!)
Someone emailed me a Tom Friedman column yesterday — he blames EVERYTHING on George Bush. Including a poisoned environment (“another debt…one to Mother Nature”! If anyone is a masochist, you can find it at link below. (It’s so absurd that it’s on the edge of amusing. Only in the NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/opinion/02friedman.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin
Speaking of the NY Times, here’s something to pick up your spirits. At least provide a smile of amusement. WSJ Op-Ed today writes of NY Times article & the writers’ “Gee Whiz” moment when they discoverd……those guys at GITMO REALLY ARE DANGEROUS!!!!!!!!
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122575933265095405.html
Kungfu says:
” our European friends will have less reason to believe we are a country of provincial bigots.”
Gee, that’s a good reason to vote this guy into the Presidency!
“Don’t steer to far to the Right nor forsake the spirit of liberalism.”
Don’t rationalize acquiescence to lies, fraud and hypocracy in the pursuit of a politics of envy and vendetta; It’s the slippery slope and predecessor to the tragic history of left-wing authoritarian ambition and incompetence; Ala Cuba under Castro, etc…..
csimon Says:
“Gee, that’s a good reason to vote this guy into the Presidency!”
Just let it go tonight. Lefties can’t be classy if they try. They’re just going to be sore winners and/or blow their own horn. Don’t let them get to you…
It’s entirely a progressive sweep.
Personal considerations aside:
Obama is my President. I’ll serve him as I have served Reagan, Bush, Clinton, and Bush.
I’m not a fifth columnist: I trust the American people and their representatives.
I said McCain would win. I was wrong.
I’m optimistic about the future. I detested the Republican Party which moved its policies left and tried to pander to “moderate” voters who are actually willing to be convinced of the wisdom of conservative ideas and principles. I respect John McCain yet never loved the idea of him in the White House and leading the Republican Party. Senator McCain has never made his peace with the concept of profit. He is suspicious of it.
I gleefully look to the future: Alaska boots, and Louisiana competence.
“I gleefully look to the future: Alaska boots, and Louisiana competence.”
I hear you. Palin/Jindal 2012
Whatever else happens, I have enjoyed ‘meeting’ you, neo, ymarksar, richard aubrey, artfldgr. And God help us all.
I gleefully look to the future: Alaska boots, and Louisiana competence.
Eeeesh… That has the ring of “Northern charm and Southern efficiency”–JFKs opinion of DC. I don’t think so.
We are in the wilderness. There aren’t any easy answers for the republicans, but there is an “oh, shit” moment coming for the Obama Nation.
Whatever else happens, I have enjoyed ‘meeting’ you, neo, ymarksar, richard aubrey, artfldgr. And God help us all.
May God grant Obama, and our new representatives govern well. God grant that Americans prosper and America thrives in the world.
If we don’t, we’ll vote them out.
This is America. I trust America even if I don’t trust parties or indivdual politicians.
We’ve been party to a bloodless transition of power. In this world, that is a rare thing. A huge, huge victory of the party I am ideologically opposed to. God grant they govern well.
Now as the loyal, patriotic opposition that we are, let’s hold them to it.
Hello Neo. I haven’t posted here in a long while, but I haven’t forgotten to read you. Anyway, I’ve been saying something over several blogs that I feel fits here too:
I agree with Jim Geraghty:
“I have many, many disagreements with Barack Obama. But tonight I congratulate him on his victory. I have seen a few critics say, “he won’t be my president,” but that is nonsense. He will be my president, and I will wish him well, particularly as he takes on the duty of protecting the American people in a dangerous world.”
And Geraghty’s right. Whether we voted for him or not, he’s now our President. And there are big, big problems in the world – finishing up in Iraq and Afghanistan, dealing with a resurgent Russian nationalism, dealing with instability along the border of Pakistan, dealing with North Korea’s and Iran’s off-again, on-again nuclear ambitions, etc. And I haven’t even gotten to domestic issues. I don’t agree with his party’s policies, or their stances on the above named issues, but it’s still my country. To that end, I wish him well, because wishing him well is wishing the country well. He needs to do good on those issues, because the consequences of doing poorly will haunt the US for decades after he’s out of office.
As Gray said: He’s my President. Despite my vote. It’s now time to think about America, not party. Principles remain the same regardless of who’s in office, and the principle of the US being economically and militarily strong still stands. So I hope he does well. He needs to. Doing poorly does all of us bad, and it’s miniscule consolation to say “Well, it was a Democrat that screwed up” if Korea, Iran, and Russia get adventurous, if Pakistan goes radical, if Iraq and Afghanistan fails… and again, I’m not even talking domestically.
He needs to do well. To that end, I do sincerely wish him well. His successes or failures will be all of ours.
Take heart, my friends. The American Idea and way of life are not extinguishable. The Remnant endures.
Im not so bad either Rose.
Nick:
Maybe you’ll learn from our example, but somehow I doubt it. You are right-wing nut jobs after all.
That didn’t take long, did it?
[The comment by Nick to which Gringo is referring has been removed.]
When God told us we were in for interesting times at the dawn of the new millennium, he wasn’t kidding.
One irony about Nick’s comment at the end of his posting is that Neo and many of the posters here, myself included, used to consider themselves on the left.We learned that liberal/leftist dogma didn’t stand up to the reality of the real world.
As Gray said: He’s my President. Despite my vote. It’s now time to think about America, not party. Principles remain the same regardless of who’s in office, and the principle of the US being economically and militarily strong still stands. So I hope he does well. He needs to.
It’s a paraphrase, but it’s a good paraphrase.
It’s not about my preferences. I serve and I work not in spite or because of who’s in office. As do we all. It’s a huge progessive win. Don’t f it up.
You are right-wing nut jobs after all.
Somehow when Obama sends for a Waco II that the fake humanitarians will be all that concerned about dying women and children when they get in the way of their political power.
They showed their true character on Afghanistan and Iraq: they will not change simply because it is now Americans being the targets of exploitation.
We don’t succeed or fail based on who is in office or the color of our skin or our creed or our national origin.
This is America.
Now is our chance to prove that.
“The Man” can neither help me nor hurt me.
Gray, you think you can convince Democrats of that? It ain’t folks here that you need to convince, after all.
Rose, great stories from you and beverly. The cycle will turn once again. Human history is nothing if not an engine that just goes round and round.
Gray, you think you can convince Democrats of that?
Of course not. I’m saying it doesn’t matter whether we can convince them or not.
I’m saying that if our ideas are right, and they are, that we’ll thrive, our families will thrive, by any means.
What good is the “rugged individualism” our country is founded upon without the word “rugged”?
I despaired for about 10 minutes (see above) then I got over it. I’m not a leftist. I’m not looking to the government to help me.
Well done America! A black President, the (temporary) demise of the dreadful Republican Party.
The difference between me and you is that I’ll succeed regardless, or in spite of, of the party in power.
Besides, gloating never fed a child.
[ED NOTE: The post to which Gray is referring has been deleted.]
Well done America! A black President
Furthermore, that’s f’ed up: why does it matter what color a president is? Racist.
On foreign opinions of us: Check out Davids Medienkritik for some predictions:
http://medienkritik.typepad.com/blog/
My father, 82, World War II generation, said yesterday, “I feel I’ve lost my country.”
He has.
The initial instinct of the Left after winning an election is not to think about feeding the poor and hungry. No, it is what Ayers said. Their immediate priorities will be getting rid of people like us.
We are screwed. Not permanently, I hope. Kumbiyah level from my liberal relatives is at the thermonuclear level, and will probably not have much to talk about with them for a long time.
I hope. Kumbiyah level from my liberal relatives is at the thermonuclear level, and will probably not have much to talk about with them for a long time.
If you can take it gracefully, you’ll show what you’re made of.
Seeing two screens now; too drunk; going to bed now. We’re gracious. they won. show what we are made of
Is showing what we are made of bringing a rose to a gun fight?
Obama won his two most important elections prior to this one by unsealing divorce papers, which is illegal.
He’ll bring Chicago machine politics to DC.
it was a pleasure meeting you too rose.
lets hope for the best, expect the worst, and do our best…
i am hoping for a lottery win and then maybe move to my wifes country.
right now… i am holding my breath on the potential for questioning the win given voter fraud, foreign money, etc.
technically they couldnt really do anything till after an election… so stay tuned, it still may get bumpy.
The results will not be questioned more than half heartedly. A majority seems to have spoken.
Let’s see how the market does over the next couple days. I am hopeful I will be surprised in a good way.
Regardless, I have to pay my own rent, buy my own gas. Off to work.
The worst: US SC gets more liberal, gay-marriage is discovered to be a US Constitutional right.
Iran gets a bomb. Someplace is nuked.
The best: Obama has trouble raising taxes, but finds it easy to spend in areas the Reps agree to spend on — lots more spending.
Remember Blazing Saddles? Well, let’s all welcome the new President who’s a N* (bong!)
wha?
He says he’s near…
I do hope Obama is as good as the sherrif was.
A triumph of hare-brained enthusiasm over prudence and common sense is always a pyrrhic victory. Dems could not have invented worse timing for return to power: even the most humble efforts to “change” in direction they prefer will be doomed by economic situation. Voters gave them enough rope to hang themselves, but not enough to ruin the country (absence of filibuster-proof majority).
Upon waking to the results this morning – I hereby nominate 2008 as the Year of the Fool.
Government spending:
Get ready for higher taxes, bigger deficits, larger National Debt.
Redistributing wealth is all well and good until people realize it means equal misery for all.
Energy:
Offshore drilling gets shelved again, ANWAR remains the pristine pile of mud it’s always been, no new coal fired plants (cause the owners will get bankrupted by Nobama), no new nuclear power plants (as Nobama will never be satisfied the waste can be stored safely) – result is gonna be much higher energy costs for the forseeable future for decades to come.
In addition, the US will become even more dependent for oil on nations that don’t like us, and I suspect gas prices will eventually hit $5 to $6 a gallon within a few years.
Economy:
As energy prices start to rise again, expect 1 or 2 of the big 3 automakers to go belly up. I’m not a Ford guy, but I suspect Ford will be the last US automaker left standing within 10 years without some sort of Chrysler type bailout for the other 2.
Ripple effect of higher energy pricing throughout the economy – if you thought the sub-prime meltdown was bad, just wait.
Inflation gets bad. Really bad. The US dollar tanks in value but it doesn’t help exports or manufacturing.
International:
US pulls out of Iraq leaving a power vacuum that Iran fills (Iran being one of the oil producing nations that don’t like us very much). This creates a perpetual problem that can never be fixed as the window of opportunity closes.
US loses in Afghanistan. Leaves in humiliation and defeat as Iran and the Taliban count their winnings.
US backs down from a resurgent Russia/Reconstituting USSR.
UN has greater say and influence in internal US affairs, public/social policies, military agreements, and courts/law. UN policies will generally be agreed to by Nobama.
The US military gets neutered as Nobama looks for money for his social welfare programs. When he eventually does consider the military option in a crises, he’s shocked at what little is left of it and this leads to the US having to back down from confrontations.
Expect China to become more beligerant regarding Taiwan. Expect the US to be able to do little about it. Expect Japan and South Korea to go their own way and stop relying upon the US as a reliable ally.
What is left of the US military gets sucked into UN nation building schemes.
Personal Freedom/Liberty:
Anyone who thought Bush was Hitler was delusional. Given how the Chosen One conducted himself during the campaign, it will be interesting to see how much free speech is curtailed that disagrees with the chosen narrative of Nobama and the MSM.
Open question:
Is there a Reagan in the wings waiting to step in, much as Reagan did after the disastrous Carter years? If so, I don’t see them.
Scottie:
“Upon waking to the results this morning – I hereby nominate 2008 as the Year of the Fool.”
One of whom already stopped by to say hello. His post is directly above yours.
I heard Nancy Pelosi on the radio say the same kind of things; that we will now see the return of civilized discourse and fiscal responsibility.
Of course those comments I filed in the same folder that contains the rhetoric of “ending the culture of corruption” during the mid-term elections.
I guess its easy for Pelosi to imagine the return of civilized discourse with a democrat president, a democrat congress, an in-the-tank press, a likely to be passed “fairness doctrine” and a “civilian security force” that doesnt have a legitimate reason to exist. After-all, Cuba has the same government enforced civilized political discourse.
A right wing conspiracy theory? I hope so, but I doubt any liberal would have thought so if the situation was reversed. Remember, Bush was going to turn this country into a crypto-fascist Christian Theocracy, one of the many sordid hysterical assertions that turned out to be as factual as the many unfounded accusations of presidential corruption, abuse of power, and the still-to-be-identified theft of peoples constitutional rights.
As for the fiscal responsibility, we know thats a non-starter at the get-go.
The Euros will never stop calling America racist because it’s always more fun for them to engage in name calling than put their own house in order. Any bets on when France will select a prime minister of African descent? 23rd century?
Those who rejoce now will be profoundly embarassed two years since now. Their hopes are so overreaching and unrealistic, that there is not a slim chance to be fulfilled. Gods of Copybook Headings will extract their revenge, no matter what; whom these damn fools will be blame for that?
Sergey,
Get with the program please. Everything that goes wrong from now on will be blamed on Bush for years to come.
Unfortunately, with such a willing whore of a media, such charges will stick with the gullable even if not based on facts.
I really thought McCain would pull out a victory. Damn it!
Boopie:
You have no comprehension of “class”, do you?
Interesting that in the vaunted age of information and instant communication, people of the early 21st Century were so readily taken in by a hoax.
Woops, so much for the improvement of doscourse.
Neo, leave “Boopie” up there so that we can all see what this new era of civilized discourse looks like!!!
We appear to need an age verification system for posting.
[ED NOTE: The comments to which Paul Gordon is referring have been removed.]
OK, there’s a time for mourning and a time for recovery and a time for action.
Still in the mourning phase, not yet ready for the recovery phase – but already contemplating where we go from here.
Given that Nobama and a democrat controlled congress is gonna vastly increase government oversight/regulation/spending over as many aspects of our lives and businesses as possible for the next 2 years, anybody have any suggestions how to make the most of this pile of rancid lemons?
My own offering is to look into short term investment in anything to do with alternative energy that has a government subsidy, and anything to do with making existing equipment, buildings, and infrastructure more energy efficient.
Nothing wrong with that anyway – it’s just that I think there will be more of an emphasis placed on such approaches in the near future as a panacea for what’s coming.
The reason I say government subsidized is because by the time the tax rates go up – government will be the only one left with any money!
Not sure about energy producing companies themselves, as there have previously been comments on the part of certain members of congress about nationalizing the oil companies.
If that happens, expect them to be run as efficiently as the now mostly nationalized airline industry.
I fully expect energy costs to rise dramatically and people will go into panic mode trying to mitigate these rising costs somehow.
Other than that – maybe find a safe mattress in which to stash whatever money we have left? Not entirely sure I trust the rapidly nationalizing banking industry. that much.
Think of it this way: Knowing what we all know now about 1976 – 1980, what would you have invested in given the economics of that time frame if you had cash in 1975?
(no points for Microsoft of Apple btw – that’s too much of an easy gimme)
My mother, 81, lifelong Democratic voter, continued that tradition and voted for Barack Obama.
Hmm, “Boopie” seems to be fixated on penises.
Is this an expression of promiscuity or latent homosexuality?
Who really cares? They’re coming off as an idiot.
The program is simple. The Achilles’ heel of conservatives is that they allowed liberals to won monopoly in education. The period of socialization in humans is fairly short – from 8 to 16 years for most. That is when the basic norms, values and general concepts how the world works are transfered from one generation to another. Only a tiny fraction of general population are capable to make serious adjustments later, because, as was so well studied here, mind is a difficult thing to change. The remedy follows from this observation: conservatives must preempt liberal indoctrination in colleges, schools and universities by insisting parents choice in all forms, from charter schools to homeschooling, and do it at all levels – municipal, state, federal – seeking school vouchers and other changes in legislature. Without this consistent, focused efforts everyting else will be doomed.
Sergey: good point about education. The PC multi cultis have rewritten the history books used in primary and secondary schools. In the universities, they dominate the faculty.
On The Daily Show last week, William Kristol said that Obama would be moderate and would disappoint extreme liberals. He said that McCain would be the more radical choice.
Personally, I do hope Obama is moderate. I prefer moderation to pursuit of any ideology, liberal or conservative.
Then again, William Kristol is wrong about everything.
Now that he’s won, I’m going to get my biggest worry about him off my chest. Prepare for long-winded preach 🙂
The day before election, the Ace of Spades website posted a picture of two Iraqi women, with purple-stained fingers showing they had voted in an election. It was a “Get Out The Vote” message, noting that whatever hardships or inconveniences YOU may experience by voting, “These women literally risked their lives to vote”.
My first reaction to that was “And THE ONE can hardly wait to sell them out”.
One of my biggest worries about Obama is that his rhetoric on Iraq, and rumored comments about Israel, show an almost casual willingness to sell out allies when convenient.
A commenter on another blog asked “Who appointed us to be their guardians? Why is it America’s job to make sure they are safe?”
I feel that the answer is that we’d rather not have the entire world as a nuclear-armed camp, based on the idea that the more countries that have these things, the greater the likelihood that some will eventually be used.
Our alliances with these countries, to protect them, are not out of the goodness of our heart, but for what we see as our own best interests. Sell one out, and you can bet the others will sure take notice.
It seemed that commenter was advocating, “To hell with them, let them take care of themselves!”
Well, the problem there is that they might do exactly that, and we may not be too thrilled with the results.
If countries under threat (Taiwan, maybe South Korea, even Japan) feel reason to believe that our word is no longer any good, they’ll almost certainly feel the need for self-sufficiency in nuclear arms as the only real deterrent to someone like China. And note, those countries mentioned ALL have the necessary economic, industrial and technical wherewithal to go nuclear. All they need do is make the decision.
Others, in the Middle East will want them to deter Iran. How about Saudi Arabia and Egypt? Maybe Libya decides that abandoning their efforts was a mistake. THOSE countries may lack the technology, but they can certainly afford to finance it.
It could just go on and on.
THAT, I feel, would be a very likely result of us deciding to just disengage ourselves with these countries.
We’ve tried successfully, and for a long time, to convince others that they did not need them, because WE would provide the protection of a nuclear umbrella.
When they decide that we cannot be relied on, the whole thing unravels.
If that commenter gets his wish, and they take care of themselves, it could get real interesting for us as well.
Seeing that we also reside on the same planet, I think it almost impossible that we would remain unaffected.
So, standing up for our allies is not merely a nice thing to do; it makes the hardest kind of common sense.
Simply put, we protect others in order to protect ourselves. Abandoning them, selling them out, would be an unbelievably short-sighted (as in STUPID) thing to do, and would hurt us more in the long run. No one would trust an agreement with us; and why should they, given such a record? Instead of being worth anything, our word would only be noise.
And that would be tragic, because WE set its’ value, by our actions.
William Kristol – yet another example of what is wrong with the Republican party…he should be booted out for the RINO that he is.
Education – agree with others on that count. Unfortunately, the left is full of *academics* who willingly spend their lives in the safe haven of the educational system and don’t really have to produce much more than propaganda. Those on the right generally are more satisfied going out and actually accomplishing something.
How to fix that problem is anybody’s guess, though I would start with 3 fundamental targets: reading, math, and history – with history being of greater importance than is currently the case.
After all, one reason there were so many useful idiots this past election was outright ignorance on the part of many in the electorate.
Now, where are you going to find enough right leaning academics to fill this particular niche in a long term strategy?
Paul Gordon,
Agreed.
We must remember what happened to the stature of the US in the international community after our allies in South Vietnam were abandoned.
If I remember correctly, the South Vietnamese were actually in a pretty good position immediately after the US withdrawel.
However, when the North Vietnamese attacked – the democrat controlled congress did not provide the previously promised aid and air support and the South Vietnamese were overrun and defeated while the democrats in this country washed their hands of the whole matter and broke promises without a conscience.
Had the promised aid been delivered, the killing fields may never have materialized, and a friendly South Vietnam may have still been an ally of the US in the region.
I believe there is a strong possibility that the entire scenario may repeat itself in Iraq now.
The big difference of course being that South Vietnam was not sitting in the middle of the worlds oil supply.
I personally do not see Obama neither as moderate nor as hard-left extremist. He is unscrupulous opportunist and demagogue with overblown ego seeking every possibility to aggrandize himself. So everything will depends who will manipulate this marionette. My bet, this will be Chicago political machine which created him at first place.
“William Kristol said that Obama would be moderate and would disappoint extreme liberals.” True, but insane. W.K., it seems, believes that this is humanly possible NOT to disappoint them – which is complete bullshit. For any POTUS even to try this would be a suicide; even in much more leftist country, as Chile, it was a suicide – remember Salvador Allende?
The big difference of course being that South Vietnam was not sitting in the middle of the worlds oil supply.
Exactlly, that cenario not can happend again!!
He is unscrupulous opportunist and demagogue with overblown ego seeking every possibility to aggrandize himself.
I think many have self-deluded themselves into believing this, a self-inflicted propaganda, but we’ll see, give the guys a chance.
All I want to know is if he will reach up and put the crown on his own head. (A reference to Napoleon, for those of you that don’t read history.)
[Comment deleted: why, hello old troll stevie! Don’t you have anything better to do than to create sock puppets?]
He already reached and put on the mantle of Savior of the Planet. If he belives in it, he is insane. If he does not, he is the most arrogant liar in memory. I inclined to think the latter.
[“stevie” again. Comment deleted.
“If Obama is smart he’ll stop signing over the checks…”
If he would stop, he will be impeached, and rightly so, because this will ensue genocide, like cutting funds to NV ensued genocide in Camboja.
[NOTE from neo-neocon: You are responding to an old troll who is adopting a new identity.]
Just now Israel can save America’s ass by striking Iran, with heavy risk for its own population. I would strongly recommend Israel to do it before 20 January.
harry mchilterburtonstein,
Should The Annointed One indeed abandon our ally Israel – and I’m not certain at all that that will not happen – I fully expect Hezbollah to step up their activities. After all, it’s not like Israel can count on anyone else as an ally.
Hezbollah’s aim, of course, is the complete annihilation of Israel as a nation, and Hezbollah is funded by the Iranians (who I have already noted don’t like us).
Of course this means in Hezbollah’s world that every Israeli man, woman, and child is exterminated – but hey, it’s a small price to pay for people like you to feel vindicated and finally have your “Palestinian State”, even if it’s built on the blood and bones of dead Israelis.
The only difference between that possible outcome and now is that Hezbollah is generally limited logistically to killing only a few Israelis at a time via rocket attacks into civilian areas.
But hey,*your* side gets to win.
[NOTE from neo-neocon: You are responding to a troll.]
I also doubt if the most close Obama leutenants, Rahm Emanuel and David Axelrod, would approve any anti-Israeli move. Without support of Jewish lobby Dems are cooked.
I’ve worked for the past 10 years on a Missile Defense system Obama said he would cancel.
The only thing that saved my job last year was the Republicans on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Those republicans are now gone.
I was going to build an addition on to my house this year because my toddler has to sleep with me and my wife in the bedroom. No way can I build that addition now.
I’m looking at being out of work the end of this fiscal year.
I explained to my wife that we are now part of that new generation that again lives in a too-small house with kids that don’t have their own bedrooms, that saves and that won’t have the luxuries that the previous generation had.
I’m getting really down again: I was looking forward to building that addition, and now in good conscience, I have to save that money to live on when I am likely out of work.
I feel like I am letting my family down….
How could I have known in 1986 that being an electrical engineer working in defense would be a bad field? I am dumbfounded.
Actually, Harry has a point. If America(whatever administration) would stop butting in and forcing Israel to quit, they(and we) would have less enemies to worry about. Maybe it’s time to actually “support” our ally.
Gray: you cannot possibly blame yourself. I am so sorry to hear your job is in jeopardy. And it’s part of the larger picture of gutting defense that I am worried is the plan of Obama and the Democrats.
Stock-market reaction to election results is strongly negative, both in USA and Europe, – an ominous sign for Obama’s presidency. Biden’s prophecy that new administration will be tested also seems to fulfil: today Medvedev anounced deployment of mobile middle-range rocket complexes “Iskander” in Russian enclave Kaliningradskaya oblast in Eastern Europe as a “counterbalance” to USA missle defence base in Poland.
Gray: you cannot possibly blame yourself. I am so sorry to hear your job is in jeopardy. And it’s part of the larger picture of gutting defense that I am worried is the plan of Obama and the Democrats.
Thank you very, very much. As breadwinner and dad, it’s up to me to give them a nice lifestyle; and they are so wonderful that the deserve it, so it’s tough to say: “Guess what, I can’t do that stuff now ‘cuz of the stupid field of defense engineering I chose to work in.”
I just talked to my wife, ‘cuz I was feeling down and scared. She is on a conservative political thread on some kind of internet site for ‘stay at home moms’. She told me many, many of the moms have husbands who are in the military or work in defense and are in the same boat as we are–looking at layoffs and cancelled programs.
She told me all the husbands feel the same as I do and are putting off expenses and hanging on to savings. She completely agrees with me that we shouldn’t spend our savings on building the addition, that she likes having little guy sleep in the room and that as he gets older, we can always have a day-bed in the living room for him until we have more certainty.
She’s in it with me and we are starting what I call “our new austerity plan” and she’s on board with that too.
I always thought that if you were willing to work hard, get a degree in science and engineering, serve in the military and work to defend your country that you could build a decent and secure life for a family.
Not so much….
today Medvedev anounced deployment of mobile middle-range rocket complexes “Iskander” in Russian enclave Kaliningradskaya oblast in Eastern Europe as a “counterbalance” to USA missle defence base in Poland.
I work in the missile defense field and, insanely, this makes it much more likely that our missile defense program will be cancelled by Obama and Congress and I’ll be out of a job.
Regarding the engineering fields – I too work in the engineering field. I still have a job fortunately but have heard today about at least 2 decent sized engineering firms in my area that are laying off employees now.
Here’s the scary thing about layoffs in the engineering field.
Before something can be built – it has to have completed engineered drawings.
Before you have completed engineered drawings – you have to have an engineering firm create the drawings for you.
Before an engineering firm works on a project – there has to be someone with money financing the endeavor.
By the time the poor schmuck who typically works as a union laborer on a construction site realizes he has no job – the engineering firm has already been screwed and the guy who finances the projects has either gone bankrupt or is sitting on his cash waiting for more favourable conditions in which to spend his money – or has simply had it confiscated via taxation by the government.
So, in the end by taxing the wealthy you will end up with millions of white collar and blue collar workers who are unemployed.
THAT is a difficult problem to un-screw.
neoneocon,
Yeah, I know he was trolling but I just wasn’t in the mood today to let it go. It was just too stupid.
Really gotta work on that self control thing….lol.
Hey, what did I say? I missed it.
Its pretty bad though when the troll harry gets more feed-back than the real harry.
Not enough folate in my diet I’ll bet.
Sergey.
It appears that 77% of Jews voted for O.
Either they are as dumb as box of rocks, or they do not care that O will abandon Israel.
So it does not matter to O about abandoning Israel. American Jews will stick with him, primarily because he’s not a Christian Evangelist.
Gray: I sure wish I had something to say beside been there myself. It isn’t over yet, is it? Start networking, stay networking. You may even have to move. I moved 4 times in 3 years. As a single dad with three pre teens at the time, it was tough. I stared at the water flowing under the bridge once, I’ll admit. But we made it. You’ll make it. You’ll see.
I firmly believe there are people who voted for Obama because they believed him, or in him. I also believe ther are many people who voted for Obama out of fear.
I remember the night Carville flapped his jaws about riots in the streets if Obama was not elected. Someone should have duct taped his mouth. I’m surprised Matlin didn’t leave him over such a crazy statement. I guarantee that was worth better than a million votes from older retirees.
Once again, can you imagine had a similar statement been made by a republican?
You may even have to move. I moved 4 times in 3 years. As a single dad with three pre teens at the time, it was tough.
I’ve got the golden handcuffs–I live on 5 acres in New mexico in the house my dad built I grew up in and my step kid sees her dad in a nearby town every week.
I’ll do anything to stay here; work any job. Unfortunately, every good job in NM is defense related with the national labs or Air Force.
If I left, I could never have the property and quality of life I have here. I’d rather struggle here than move. I was laid off 3 times under Clinton when defense programs got cancelled. I’m dreading it again….
Richard, 75% of every ethnic group are dumb as a box of rocks. Critical capacity begins only in the last quintile of IQ curve, and is fully developed only in the last decile. As for Jews, as a group they are not more dumb than anybody else, but far more idealistic and liberal. Most belong to Kumbaya school of foreign policy. Even in Israel, every day attacked by terrorists, liberal establishment is naive enough to believe in possibility of peace with Arabs in blissful denial of all empirical evidence. But still they would never forgive Obama’s betrayal, and he knows this.
See
http://www.newenglishreview.org/custpage.cfm/frm/27650/sec_id/27650
“oil taxes”
Oil taxes??? The Republican vice presidential candidate was Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska, and you’re worried that Obama will raise oil taxes?
LOL!!!
“The Alaska oil industry calculates that its annual payments to the state doubled in a single year to $10.2 billion.”
Obama Derangement Syndrome strikes again.