Any optimism on the US political front?

[csintexas]

I like both Obama and McCain.

I am independent and these where my two picks early on but I am not sure at this point if either man can lead us out of this mess. We need to make some fairly big changes in this society and so far they have both been sugar coating our current situation pretty heavily.

Looking at a national senate debate (for Texas) last night neither candidate seems to have the will to cut spending or raise taxes.

[Ed Ziomek]

Chris... yes, much optimism, but maybe not in what you are looking for.

I see Americans and the whole world watching this real close.

Four very different personalities, 2 on each side.

One to continue, roughly stay the course.

The other to change things, as best as we can.

So the American people are going to step up out of their shaky finances, and lost jobs, and ruined pension plans, and dwindled 401ks, and rising food prices, and the massive chaos of the wars, and vote one way or the other.

And that is the way it should be.

But the wild card is the electoral college, who the rest of the world doesn't realize, really elects the President. How will they vote on a 50-50 or 51-49 split, should that happen?

People on the East Coast are optimistic the best will happen, whoever wins. (PS, don't believe the polls, it might be close!)

[csintexas]

It could be close but a little bird has been hinting lately of a great victory.





I really don't know what it is like somewhere else.

Here things are actually fairly normal. A big Alcoa aluminum plant closed in a small town 40 miles from here. This isn't uncommon, we have been exporting these types of jobs for decades now.

It is time America wakes up. We have been taking a nap for the past 30 years or so because life was pretty good.

First we need to realize that there is no great division among us. No one likes high tax, we all love this country, very few of us are "socialist", we all want the same thing -for America to be successful.

This is a minor market correction. The policy of free trade tends toward balance of the world economy. Capital flows out of rich countries and into poor countries where much greater efficiency can be achieved. This results with our standard of living decreasing and other countries like China and India increasing.

Oil volatility needs to be addressed. This is a resource that we depend on greatly and which is about half way to being used up. Conservation will be very important.

There are enormous inefficiency's in our current government and society in general. We need to use some of that rationality John mentioned to look at how we are spending our money. We waste to much by not doing this.

Higher education is good but we really need to focus on k-12. We are doing a poor job here.

We also need to make sure that America remains a place where anyone can succeed on their own merit. This makes us competitive. In order to achieve that we need a fairly level starting position. This is what I call grow up economics.

[djswan]

I like both Obama and McCain. Colin Powell is in the same boat and undecided until now.

It's the economy stupid, It's the war stupid. No, it's the stupid people stupid. Obama gets more stupid people at his rallies than McCain, and thus I will vote for Obama on the hopes he has the best chance for converting stupid people to something other than stupid. I feel mildly optimistic about this and apparently share this view with Colin Powell.

[csintexas]

I agree, Powell was the final nail in the coffin.

Obama does need to address this socialism charge in the next two weeks but that is a fairly trivial issue for swing voters.

Unfortunately when McCain was called on to show his leadership he failed. This is not the McCain of eight years ago. I believe that he would have been a great president rather than Bush. But now it is time to move on.

Now we need to concentrate on runaway government spending and mandates. It was right that this deficit spending bubble bursted. Spending hundreds of billions or even trillions to try and prevent it is foolish. It was correct for the government to to take steps to restore confidence in the financial market but we need to do as little as possible. Obama is correct that we need a moratorium on foreclosures. But here I would say that any owner that can no longer afford the home they are in should be converted to a renter until a new buyer can be found.

Ultimately it is individuals responsibility to decide what they can afford and what they should risk. Much of this housing bubble was caused by highly risky speculation by individuals and not only big business greed.

I think most people would agree that we have been living well beyond our means. This has resulted in a ten trillion dollar deficit and a 70 trillion dollar deficit in future entitlements. I don't believe any rational person believes that we can solve these two problems without serious belt tightening.

[djswan]

I was really hoping for the McCain of eight years ago. Ron Paul lost me at Genesis, when I found out what he thought. Hillary is worse than Bill.

Obama by default, and mildly optimistic he can control the warped sicko lefties like Pelosi and Reed.

[djswan]

[csintexas]

I don't know much about Reed. I hope Pelosi's term expires soon. (talk about someone who doesn't have a clue)

[djswan]

You're right,

My apologies to Reed. I hope the mistake doesn't weaken my independant undecided rhetoric, and now only leaning Obama. I had some time to ponder Powell's endorsement. Now I find it weak of character that it was so late. That's saved for people like me, not the Former Sec. of State, four star general Colin Powell.

Democratec congress followed Bush's lead on throwing money at a money problem. What would the Dems do in near complete control?

Any specifics from Obama or McCain on where the money goes? or alternatives to throwing money? Dow is up, gas down, and the banks are floating on another bubble of money. I guess people are feeling more optimistic. Another $300,000,000,000 should make 'em feel great.

It's not nailed yet.

[csintexas]

I wasn't saying Reed is good, just that I really don't know anything about him.

I think it was good timing on Powell's part to wait till the last two weeks. I believe this strategy is primarily responsible for the surge that Obama is now receiving.

It was the republicans who would not jump on board with the "bail out" until another 140 billion was added to it. The democrats tried to pass it pretty close to Bush's original proposal but failed to get enough republican support.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Revolution
There is a myth that the government has been controlled by democrats for most of the last 18 years. Regan began an era of republican ideology and dominance which moved the entire country to the right.

Under the republicans the country increased it's deficit by 5 trillion dollars. We have done nothing to address the 70 trillion dollars of unfunded medicare, medicaid and social security entitlements which we have know about for a long time. We have done very little to address our 60 billion dollar per month trade deficit. (except to devaluate the dollar)

I don't believe it is physically possible for any side to do worse than what has been done for the past eight years.

I think we need to stop talking and start removing incumbents. If we are going to have a democrat president maybe we need to make sure that we have a republican congress because politicians have all shown that they can't be trusted and the ones that are up there now are clearly incompetent.

[Antisthenes]

the election is being stolen already.

the early elections are switching obama votes to mccain on the machines.

[csintexas]

I don't believe that this is true.

[Antisthenes]

there is lots of evidence to support this ongoing theft as there was for the last 2 stolen elections also.

it goes to show if you are rich and powerful you will do anything to keep it.

[Ed Ziomek]

Folks, it is my honest opinion that although we have two very different philosophies in this election, both candidates will eventually do well in their Presidency.

But the election process is extremely poor in my opinion.

Meaning... one candidate could possibly win 3-5% more of the popular vote, only to lose the electoral vote. That is horrific to me.

Yesterday, Wednesday, one poll say DEAD EVEN, 44-43, with the electoral votes the deciding factor, and 7% undecided.

Let's be the first to admit the sad truth to the world... The American popular vote does NOT elect the President of the United States!

It's the Stupid Process, World!

[csintexas]

Yes, our political system is a relic of the past. Just one more of the many things in America which need reform.

I agree, both men seem to be good people. In the end it is up to us to make this country as good as it can be and not one person or one political party.

Our problem is that we have been on cruise control for too long.