I bit my tongue

[Boomboy007]

This "cult of personality" thing is really scary. Every time I hear the gushing, I look back at Mao, Hitler, and some of my other favorite public speakers. These guys had terrible ideas, but couched them in such amazing speeches that people were simply swept away. We like to think that we, as "modern" people, are smarter than they were. Unfortunately, we really are not. In fact, if you simply look at the writings of the "learned" people now versus, oh, maybe the late 1700's , you see that plainly.

Would I trust a small group of people now to write some kind of document that would set a governing framework to run a nation for more than two hundred years? Sadly, we can not even trust our current batch of lawmakers to put the very real issue of the future of our country (where even their children live) before their own interest in the next election cycle. That is why I am in favor of two term limits for all federally elected positions. I also think that, if you are a sitting member of the government, you may not run for an office other than re-election to the seat you now occupy. Want to run for president? Great! After you finish the job that we are paying and trusting you to do now, then campaign away. How many "yes" or "no" votes did Obama cast over the past two years?

In consideration of Sheldon's comments, I have to pose on question: Is the good of the nation, and the people which reside therein, the foremost concern of the man (or woman) in the oval office. The last two people of which I can say that are Reagan and Carter. Here you have two men that were polar opposites as far as governing philosophy was concerned. They also both made some big mistakes while in office. Those mistakes caused Carter to lose re-election, and caused Reagan to nearly be impeached. However, at the end of the day, whether those particular decisions were right or wrong, I believe that both of those men really cared about America and her people. I really, in my heart, do not believe that of GHW Bush, Bill Clinton, and especially GW Bush. Don't think about wheter they were right or wrong, just think about whether they cried at night thinking about poor and hungry children in this country, or worried about whether the old were being cared for. Not simply if those elderly people percieved they were being cared for so that they would receive their vote.

I believe now that Obama's ideas are wrong for our country. However, I am waiting to decide whether he is doing what he feels is right for the people, or whether he is exercising his power for vanity or control. Because of statements that he has made like "I won, I will trump you on that." and his urging for cogressional leaders to stop listening to Limbaugh, I will remind everyone that, in the words of that patriot Clinton (who stole it from T. Jefferson) "dissent is patriotic." I am beginning to lean.

[toreskha]

GW was not wrong any more than his predecessor, and many chose not to listen to him but they listened to the liberal press instead. Granted he was not as eloquent at Regan but BO only has his charisma, WO the TelePrompTer his ability to speak off the cuff is as poor as GW's but he did say one thing I agreed with, "If in 3 years there is no improvement then guess it will be one term" N one more gripe they claim BO has a 132 IQ yeah sure...

That seems like an underestimation of Obama. Teleprompters or not, speaking persuasively and convincingly requires intelligence and poise. I don't buy the "aw shucks" routine from GWB - he's a terrible public speaker, but in person he's charming in a sort of edgy, sarcastic sort of way. Bush's uncertain and awkward way of speaking stems from the fact that he never completely bought into the neoliberalcon ideas that he was shilling - mostly it was fed to him by Cheney and his staff. It always felt like listening to someone justify something that they didn't believe in, but was just saying because they didn't know what else to do.

It would be a mistake to downplay Obama's intelligence and magnetic appeal, as those are his most formidable weapons, and we ignore them at our peril. If your attacker has a grenade launcher, don't brush it off as CS gas or a BB gun.

[Boomboy007]

That seems like an underestimation of Obama.

It is "misunderestimation". I learned it by listening to the (until very recently) most powerful political leader in the free world. Someone that smart would have to pronounce their native language correctly. Right?

If any of you disagree with me, I will drop a nucular bomb on you!

[HK4U]

This "cult of personality" thing is really scary. Every time I hear the gushing, I look back at Mao, Hitler, and some of my other favorite public speakers. These guys had terrible ideas, but couched them in such amazing speeches that people were simply swept away. We like to think that we, as "modern" people, are smarter than they were. Unfortunately, we really are not. In fact, if you simply look at the writings of the "learned" people now versus, oh, maybe the late 1700's , you see that plainly.

Would I trust a small group of people now to write some kind of document that would set a governing framework to run a nation for more than two hundred years? Sadly, we can not even trust our current batch of lawmakers to put the very real issue of the future of our country (where even their children live) before their own interest in the next election cycle. That is why I am in favor of two term limits for all federally elected positions. I also think that, if you are a sitting member of the government, you may not run for an office other than re-election to the seat you now occupy. Want to run for president? Great! After you finish the job that we are paying and trusting you to do now, then campaign away. How many "yes" or "no" votes did Obama cast over the past two years?

In consideration of Sheldon's comments, I have to pose on question: Is the good of the nation, and the people which reside therein, the foremost concern of the man (or woman) in the oval office. The last two people of which I can say that are Reagan and Carter. Here you have two men that were polar opposites as far as governing philosophy was concerned. They also both made some big mistakes while in office. Those mistakes caused Carter to lose re-election, and caused Reagan to nearly be impeached. However, at the end of the day, whether those particular decisions were right or wrong, I believe that both of those men really cared about America and her people. I really, in my heart, do not believe that of GHW Bush, Bill Clinton, and especially GW Bush. Don't think about wheter they were right or wrong, just think about whether they cried at night thinking about poor and hungry children in this country, or worried about whether the old were being cared for. Not simply if those elderly people percieved they were being cared for so that they would receive their vote.

I believe now that Obama's ideas are wrong for our country. However, I am waiting to decide whether he is doing what he feels is right for the people, or whether he is exercising his power for vanity or control. Because of statements that he has made like "I won, I will trump you on that." and his urging for cogressional leaders to stop listening to Limbaugh, I will remind everyone that, in the words of that patriot Clinton (who stole it from T. Jefferson) "dissent is patriotic." I am beginning to lean.

Most of the elitist think that they have the answer. They believe they are enlightened and are better able to make decisions for the sheeple. Whether their deeds are done because of personal greed or some warped sense of "Divine" guidance the out come is still the same and will mean a loss of freedoms for us. This type of thinking is nothing new. Read the book Proofs of a Conspiracy by John Robison 1798.

[.45_4me]

I hear this kind of garbage all the time, it makes me ill! How on Earth have Americans gotten to be so dumb?