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Post by bertrus2 on Jan 20, 2009 21:37:30 GMT
A blackish fellow has been elected president of the United States. This is enormously significant but there is no more to come.
The problems of the economy cannot be solved. On foreign policy, he is a prisoner of the entire thrust of American policy over the decades. Hello and goodbye, Obama.
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lala
New Member
Arrgh!! Urrgh!! No!!
Posts: 27,277
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Post by lala on Jan 20, 2009 21:38:39 GMT
Cheer up, Bert. You MIGHT get laid one day, hopefully before PK does.
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Post by newyorker on Jan 20, 2009 21:44:38 GMT
Cheer up, Bert. You MIGHT get laid one day, hopefully before PK does. I'm on lala's side? Woah!  |
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Post by bertrus2 on Jan 20, 2009 21:44:56 GMT
Cheer up, Bert. You MIGHT get laid one day, hopefully before PK does. Is that an offer? Send me a photo of your wife and I'll think about giving her a place in the queue. |
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Post by cobblers on Jan 20, 2009 21:46:33 GMT
Beginning to feel just how 'out there' your tinpot theories and aspirations are Bertrus?
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Post by Libby on Jan 20, 2009 21:48:32 GMT
But it's not even been 24 hours for the new President yet?!  |
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Post by Brittles on Jan 20, 2009 22:21:50 GMT
I thoroughly enjoyed watching the inauguration and thought Obama's speech was seismic I and my family were entralled all the way.
He's started off on the right foot but as Bertrus said I hope he doesn't fall into line and become a prisoner of the entrenched and failed foreign policy position of the Foggy Bottom failures.
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Scooby Do
New Member
Where's my pic?
Posts: 21,324
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Post by Scooby Do on Jan 20, 2009 22:24:29 GMT
"I thoroughly enjoyed watching the inauguration and thought Obama's speech was seismic I and my family were entralled all the way"
Thats dedication in spades.
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Post by Brittles on Jan 20, 2009 22:28:34 GMT
Well its 8 years since we liked an American president Scoobs and it may not last long .............  |
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Scooby Do
New Member
Where's my pic?
Posts: 21,324
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Post by Scooby Do on Jan 20, 2009 22:30:14 GMT
True, I don't think he'll last ong either.
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Post by reverend on Jan 20, 2009 22:33:08 GMT
as long as hes got the balls to take the serious decisions like George did he should be ok!
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Scooby Do
New Member
Where's my pic?
Posts: 21,324
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Post by Scooby Do on Jan 20, 2009 22:36:57 GMT
as long as hes got the balls to take the serious decisions like George did he should be ok! Having balls could be his downfall. |
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vonnie
New Member
Im the woman your mother warned you about!! ;-)
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Post by vonnie on Jan 20, 2009 22:37:30 GMT
Ya know i didnt really follow the election etc, but for some reason him being sworn in today made me get goosebumps! To see the millions of ppl in America there to see/hear or just be in the crowd, shows to me America is far more a country that cares about itself and what they stand for, moreso than us British!
Trying to explain to my 11yr old daughter as to why there was that many ppl there wasnt as easy as i thought it wud be, but i tried lol.
I do hope this president does as he promises ( for a change) but at last its good to see America Unite no matter creed or religion! may this be the start of a new future for them all!!
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Post by reverend on Jan 20, 2009 22:39:11 GMT
poor buggers going to be the anticlimax of the century, hes had way too great an expectation put on his shoulders!
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Post by Marshall on Jan 20, 2009 22:48:03 GMT
To his credit, he's been downplaying the high expecations everyone is putting on him.
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Post by bertrus2 on Jan 20, 2009 23:43:03 GMT
American presidents get elected by fitting in with very narrow expectations. There are the checks and balances that prevent them from being too adventurous within the terms that Congress allows them. Obama is finished. There's not much he can do. Did you notice his voice is moving up from baritone to soprano.
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Post by Marshall on Jan 20, 2009 23:53:44 GMT
Obama was elected with high expectations though, so that doesn't mesh with your theory.
For better or worse, Americans have always been more or less optimistic about the future. The other thing that has to be considered is the political capital Obama has been given by the people, not only by the huge electoral win in the election but by his 80% approval rating for the transition period. That will give him some leverage with congress. I can easily see him facing more obstructions within his own party than with the GOP.
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Post by justmyopinion on Jan 21, 2009 7:03:34 GMT
There bis tremendous hope and expectation in the crowd at the Inauguration: not all of those hopes will, or indeed can, be met. The decisions that will need to be taken over the next few years will disadvantage many people in that crowd, their hopes will be dashed. Others will prosper and their hopes will be met, perhaps exceeded.
No one person can solve these problems, it took some of the cleverest people in the world to create them in the first place. Much will depend on the people around him (Bush perhaps endorsed rather than took serious decisions which were recommended by advisors - his indecisiveness on 9/11 will be an image that endures) and I wish him well. The first 100 days will be interesting but its the next 100 days that will be important.
Good luck President, please remember that the US is not an island in a shrinking world.
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Post by bertrus2 on Jan 21, 2009 15:29:09 GMT
Buried in the laughable 19th century rhetoric of the the inauguration speech, amid inane boasting about American leadership and bold huffing and puffing about insoluble economic problems, the essential point shines through. Nothing that Obama does or fails to do will equal the enormous achievement of being somewhat black and in the White House. This is the kick in the teeth which racists everwhere, in the UK included, were asking for.
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Post by Tissue on Jan 21, 2009 15:32:55 GMT
and I though it was Halonen's presidency that was finnished!!
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