Change For The better

[Barklessdog]

Here's a sneak peek at the our new currency

http://www.blip.tv/file/520347

[uwe]

Why not just introduce the Euro and get it done with?

"Piping Persia for Peace" - I loved that!

[Barklessdog]

Without getting into politics both sides are just as bad, but the worst the Clinton coin would feature is a blow job on one side and a cigar on the other.

It's as funny as the Al Gore Penguin YouTube clip

Surprising the Democrats have the most money from lobby groups including health companies last I saw. So is REALLY for the people here?

Actually I like McCain, he has always been more of a level headed person and has more moderate views. I would not be upset if McCain were president.


I care more about the person than the party, although I lean more Democratic.

[uwe]

It would be kind of artificial to avoid discussing the candidates here given how the election will dominate the media and people's thoughts over the next months. So under the benign, but watchful glance of Herr Westheimer we can perhaps have a sensible discussion in this thread and others if people stick to some rules:

- Don't insult people with political views other than your own. Growing up should have brought you the realization that political views are just one part of a person's set of beliefs and that someone can be a decent guy and still hold views that are not your own.

- Don't start libelling the candidates. You can disagree with Frau Clinton's politics, but don't go Ted Nugent over her and insult her as a "cunt" or worse. Same goes for Republican candidates. 

I like McCain, he is the most credible Rep candidate for me in a long, long time. You can't argue with the patriotism of a guy who did time as a POW in Hanoi and if the same guy steps up and says "we should not be torturing people for whatever reason because I've been through it and know what it's like" then that epitomizes credibility to me. As regards his views on Iraq, I think it was ill-advised idiocy that you went there, but now that you did, you're stuck and just can't hastily pull out and leave a void. So, no, I don't think he would be a bad President. A bit old perhaps, you do wonder about his health, but there are healthy old men and unhealthy young men. Something in me tells me that he would do his best because that is just the type of guy he is. In an old-fashioned, but honorable way he would "serve the country".

As a European, I really know too little about the other Republican candidates to form an opinion.

But I've never hidden that my leanings are Democrat. Between Hillary and Obama I'm kind of torn. I think she is a smart and strong woman though she obviously does not suffer fools gladly. She's (to me) not really likeable (more respectable) though I cannot put my finger on what keeps me from doing so, but you can be a good President and not be likeable (you should be respectable). I don't mind how she is an urban woman, East Coast and establishment and I think she handled Bill's more than momentary lapse of good taste with Fräulein Levinsky very gracefully.

Obama is of course Prince Charming and I don't mean that in a bad way. You kind of feel the world would have proven to be a better place than we all thought if he won, right? He has zero foreign affairs experience, but his upbringing and ethnicity at least brought him into contact with other parts of the world.  He would probably learn quickly and surround himself with good advisors.

I guess my dream team would be Hillary the first term and Obama her Vice with him moving in on the second term. But Hillary is probably too career-minded for that. And a certain Californian governor (with lots of blue-blooded Democrat relatives and a heavy accent) as the Secretary of Environment (if that is the correct title?)?

Uwe

PS: Democrats and health companies close allies? I'm not surprised. Bringing health insurance to all Americans would be a billion buck business for health companies. That doesn't tarnish the aim, it's just an economic fact.

[Barklessdog]

I don't mind how she is an urban woman, East Coast

Actually She grew up in Chicago (Park Ridge) and moved to the East Coast after her Hubby moved out of the Oval Office. Shes a midwesterner, a Cubs fan.

I like Obama too, but I just dont think he will get elected, I don't know but I just get behind (no jokes) her, although ANY woman can't do any worse screwing up the world as much as men have since the dawn of time.

I think if it were McCain, Hillary or Obama, the country will be taking a step in a better direction. It's going to be a tough choice for me as I always liked McCain.

If Obama wins the Democratic nomination I would not be surprised to see an assassination attempt on him. I know a lot of people that would never tolerate a black man as president. I had a neighbor where I used to live make extreme racial comments to the effect. Things have not really changed here in the Deep South with the hanging tree incident, where black students were not allowed by white students to congregate under the tree at school, race divided proms etc.

I don't believe our country would except an African American president. Fanatical factions, would attempt something, I have to believe.

[uwe]

The race thing ... no getting around it if you discuss Obama I guess. I would just hope that your Secret Service guys are better than they used to be!

I would hope that times have changed in the US? Of course, racial stereotypes linger (and not just in the US), but not everyone who has them will pull a gun on a black man becoming President. I would think that the faces of Colin Powell and Condoleeza Rice have gone a long way in making even people with a race bias think twice and at least give the benefit of doubt. Being black doesn't make you lazy (Ms Rice certainly isn't) nor does it automatically make you a better Mideast foreign affairs politician (as Ms Rice again shows), is that so hard to grasp?

Of course that doesn't mean that some frothing nutcase would not want to go after Obama because of the color of his skin. That is where I hope the improved Secret Service guys come in.

An assassination of Obama would be a national catastrophy, but unless you are stark raving mad racist you should be able to see that Obama is not Malcolm X. I put my hopes in that. As regards racial issues, the US today may well not be where Martin Luther King would have liked it to be had he lived on, but what happened in Dallas, the Ambassador Hotel in LA, a balcony in Memphis and the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem are demons of your past I believe. I think you could be ready for a black President and Obama whose good looks fail to match any "menacing black" stereotypes could be it.

Uwe

[Dave W]

If you can appreciate some gentle political humor, try the fake blogs at http://www.newsgroper.com/

[PhilT]

In the interests of balance, we should of course have equally in depth analysis of candidates in the British, German and Dutch general elections, as those come around.  Will it be Gordon "Fuggin' Tony left me in the shit" Broon, or Dave "I was Lord Snooty's fag at Eton" Cameron in 2010? I'm sure you're all agog.

[uwe]

Not quite compareable as I read in a Newsweek article just a few weeks ago:

"US elections must rank as the most undemocratic ones: Only Americans get to vote, but the effect is subsequently felt by the whole world!"



But of course your Queen is still important too. 

[TBird1958]

Queens are good!...............

[rockinrayduke]

After listening to the candidates of both parties so far I have not been swayed to either side as of yet. Having said that I like McCain and I like Obama. I'd vote for Obama if he got the nod.

Queens are good!............... Wink

Some of my favorite people are Queens! 

[SKATE RAT]

SMASH THE STATE!!!!

[the mojo hobo]

... I cannot put my finger on what keeps me from doing so, but you can be a good President and not be likeable (you should be respectable). I don't mind how she is an urban woman, East Coast and establishment and I think she handled Bill's more than momentary lapse of good taste with Fräulein Levinsky very gracefully.

I think she is very intellegent, calculating, maybe even cunning, and even while she was First Lady had plans on returning to The White House.

[the mojo hobo]

I don't believe our country would except an African American president. Fanatical factions, would attempt something, I have to believe.

I do think America could accept an African American president, more easily a respected and accomplished person like Colin Powell for instance. Obama is just a bit young and inexperienced. But then, so is a lot of the electorate.

[Dave W]

My candidate has declared himself in the race: http://harpers.org/archive/2008/02/hbc-90002291

Granted, he wrote this article for Harper's in 1879, but I still support his candidacy.