So, what next for Americans

[Don Corleone]

Last night, I posted a sincere pledge to do my part to improve the lot of the country in the coming years and support our new president and congress in making some improvements to our national well-being.

I'm curious if some of our more civic minded Democrats (not the partisan ones, please) could offer some suggestions on ways in which I, a some-what repentant member of the vast right wing conspiracy can contribute to the cause in the coming months and years. In other words, not in the name of the Democratic party, but in the name of the country and good governance for all citizens, what would you have us do? I welcome all suggestions, and I am willing to keep an open mind about most things, but I cannot say I can write you a blank check and blindly support things I am philosophically opposed to, like Card-Check.

So, suggest away. Bring us in under your big tent.

[Strike For The South]

I will not abandon my ideals but I am willing to compromise. I give Obama my full support he has a clean slate as POTUS and we should treat him as such.

[Uesugi Kenshin]

I agree with Strike. As an Obama supporter I am still nervous to see what he will do. We should give him some time to get his administration together, listen to the man and see how he turns out. I think one thing everyone can do is speak out against the intolerance coming from some groups and try to work together to create solutions to our countries many problems. I think it's too early for me to really say any concrete ways you can help move our country forward, but I think fighting intolerance and partisanship through conversation with those close to you can be a good first step.

Just as a note I am not, nor do I plan to ever be registered as a member of a political party. This election I voted for at least two parties, but by now I've voted for at least three and generally don't pay attention to party lines so I'm definitely not just saying that to get Republicans to work with the near filibuster proof Democratic majorities. Such majorities would actually worry me a lot.

[Idaho]

The best thing you and your country can do is lead the way on a grown up attitude to drug use. The world's prisons are overflowing and criminal gangs have never been richer. Sort it out!

[Strike For The South]

The best thing you and your country can do is lead the way on a grown up attitude to drug use. The world's prisons are overflowing and criminal gangs have never been richer. Sort it out!

agreed it should all be legal

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Now that election season is over, I am hesitant to praise or criticize Obama until he actually does something as President of the United States. Only then we shall see what direction America will take, and whether it will be the same direction that America should take.

EDIT: This post was taken the wrong way. Yes, I do know what both candidates had planned. But McCain is done, and nothing is going to change that, so we might as well see what Obama is going to do - not talk about or promise, but do.

[CountArach]

agreed it should all be legal

Yeah... errr... good luck with getting that through...

Don, I would say that looking at things from the long-term perspective is the best thing that can be done for your country. For example, if you get a tax increase this year, accept that it is going towards the greater good of your community in the form of infrastructure. Things that can build your economy in a more Interventionist state.

[Devastatin Dave]

Last night, I posted a sincere pledge to do my part to improve the lot of the country in the coming years and support our new president and congress in making some improvements to our national well-being.

I'm curious if some of our more civic minded Democrats (not the partisan ones, please) could offer some suggestions on ways in which I, a some-what repentant member of the vast right wing conspiracy can contribute to the cause in the coming months and years. In other words, not in the name of the Democratic party, but in the name of the country and good governance for all citizens, what would you have us do? I welcome all suggestions, and I am willing to keep an open mind about most things, but I cannot say I can write you a blank check and blindly support things I am philosophically opposed to, like Card-Check.

So, suggest away. Bring us in under your big tent.

You wanna help BHO? Work hard so he can tax your success. You don't want to be selfish. Remember, successful people will continue to do what made them successful and the unsuccessful will keep doing what's made them unsuccessful. When BHO sends out that welfare check (which will probably never happen) he's calling his "middle class tax cut" some of that money will be spent intelligently and with common sense, but I'm sure most of it will be wasted on those that don't have a clue as to how to spend thier own money. I'm going to use my check and buy stock in Kools and colt 45, I'll make a killing. Of course, that profit will be taken from BHO. Damn, what a vicious cycle.

[Devastatin Dave]

Yeah... errr... good luck with getting that through...

Don, I would say that looking at things from the long-term perspective is the best thing that can be done for your country. For example, if you get a tax increase this year, accept that it is going towards the greater good of your community in the form of infrastructure. Things that can build your economy in a more Interventionist state.

HAHAHAHA!!! Good one, oh, wait, you're being serious....

[CountArach]

You wanna help BHO? Work hard so he can tax your success. You don't want to be selfish. Remember, successful people will continue to do what made them successful and the unsuccessful will keep doing what's made them unsuccessful. When BHO sends out that welfare check (which will probably never happen) he's calling his "middle class tax cut" some of that money will be spent intelligently and with common sense, but I'm sure most of it will be wasted on those that don't have a clue as to how to spend thier own money. I'm going to use my check and buy stock in Kools and colt 45, I'll make a killing. Of course, that profit will be taken from BHO. Damn, what a vicious cycle.

HAHAHAHA!!! Good one, oh, wait, you're being serious....

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

For example, if you get a tax increase this year, accept that it is going towards the greater good of your community in the form of infrastructure. Things that can build your economy in a more Interventionist state.

But it isn't, necessarily.

[Devastatin Dave]

But it isn't, necessarily.

Sure it is, God knows the government is the best group of trusted individuals to spend your own money....

[Koga No Goshi]

Last night, I posted a sincere pledge to do my part to improve the lot of the country in the coming years and support our new president and congress in making some improvements to our national well-being.

I'm curious if some of our more civic minded Democrats (not the partisan ones, please) could offer some suggestions on ways in which I, a some-what repentant member of the vast right wing conspiracy can contribute to the cause in the coming months and years. In other words, not in the name of the Democratic party, but in the name of the country and good governance for all citizens, what would you have us do? I welcome all suggestions, and I am willing to keep an open mind about most things, but I cannot say I can write you a blank check and blindly support things I am philosophically opposed to, like Card-Check.

So, suggest away. Bring us in under your big tent.

Very simply, Don, I think the best single thing all of us, including yourself, could do, is ask what is best for the big picture and the next generation. Thinking of what's best for me, what's best for my tax outlook this april, what's best for my assets, what's best for my tax cut, or (in the case of companies) what's best for this quarter's profit, with no regard given to the greater picture, and only focusing on maximizing short-term immediate advantage regardless of the cost in the long-term, is precisely the thinking that, universally (individual, corporate, government) brought us to the point we are at right now. With a 10 trillion dollar debt and enormous deficit, with the oil companies posting enormous profits, and Wall Street collapsing on its own greed and opportunism and getting paid off for it-- after CEO's already walked away with their golden parachutes shortly before the crash, and many walking away from foreclosures on their homes.

Always being cynical, and thinking well, government is always corrupt, wasteful and incompetent, so my only interest is making it weak enough to throttle to death, with minimal taxes, and no safety net for others, and pawning off the debt of the costs of today on the generations of tomorrow is very uncivic, but it has been the law of the land and the complete norm for years now. Maybe a generation, even-- more than just a matter of a couple years or a couple of administrations.

Part of doing what's best for say, your daughters, and their daughters, and everyone else's kids, may on occasion mean doing what's not 100% best for you, economically or financially, in the immediate short term. You of course know this as a parent as you sacrifice for your children everyday I am sure. But what we as Americans lack is the greater sense that it's counterproductive to invest in education for your kids, individually, today, while selling away their entire generation's future tomorrow to Exxon and China and private interests so that we can all keep our SUV's, daily morning lattes and tax refunds which we use for an annual trip to Hawaii, or whatever the case may be.

I think, in the long-run, no matter how profitable in the short-term, pandering to greed never helps us as a country. Did, for example, the heavy lobbying efforts to fight and prevent fuel efficiency standard increases on our automobile industries help them, in the long-run? GM may get out of cars. All have had big layoffs. And none are truly competitive with Japan and other cutting edge fuel dependance-reducing platforms. It helped some quarterly profitability reports for a number of years but, in the end result, it sabotaged and doomed American automaking to its present fate. The same sort of equation is true for almost everything when greed in the present is catered to as good for its own sake.

[Xiahou]

Don, I would say that looking at things from the long-term perspective is the best thing that can be done for your country. For example, if you get a tax increase this year, accept that it is going towards the greater good of your community in the form of infrastructure. Things that can build your economy in a more Interventionist state.

Yes, it will go to infrastructure.... oh and into my pocket. That should make you feel better Don. If your taxes go up, some of it will be going straight into my wallet.

[Hooahguy]

Yeah... errr... good luck with getting that through...

Don, I would say that looking at things from the long-term perspective is the best thing that can be done for your country. For example, if you get a tax increase this year, accept that it is going towards the greater good of your community in the form of infrastructure. Things that can build your economy in a more Interventionist state.

isnt that communism?

[Koga No Goshi]

isnt that communism?

Yeah. Police are communist. Having a military is communist. Having a government at all is communist. Schools are communist. Foreign aid to Israel that we all have to pay for in taxes is communist.

By the standard you are using, anyhow.

[Hooahguy]

Foreign aid to Israel is not communism b/c its not for the common good of this country by your standards.

[Hosakawa Tito]

agreed it should all be legal decriminalized

Fixed.

[Ice]

Fixed.

It really depends on the drug.

For example cannabis should be outright legalized and regulated like alcohol.

For harder drugs such as cocaine and such, I'd say yes decriminalization is the best option.

[El Diablo]

Excuse my ignorance as I am not an American, nor have I paid that much attention to the election.

But this kind of disturbed me...

Now that election season is over, I am hesitant to praise or criticize Obama until he actually does something as President of the United States. Only then we shall see what direction America will take, and whether it will be the same direction that America should take.

Should you not know WHAT the new POTUS has planned? How can you chose one candidate over another unless you know what they have planned? Their stance on Iraq and the world ecomonic crisis for example? Otherwise any election must surely must turn into a popularity contest with out any substance?

Obviously politicans lie, or at the least stretch the truth so that maybe what EMFM meant. Does he withhold 100% support till he sees how many promises BHO will keep.

[CountArach]

isnt that communism?

Errr... speaking about a community is Communist now?

[Koga No Goshi]

Foreign aid to Israel is not communism b/c its not for the common good of this country by your standards.

Where did I make the distinction of "this country?"

If we talk about what's good for the whole community... the whole community might be democracy, or western culture, or first world nations, or insert your grouping really.

Calling money being spent on something YOU DON'T LIKE "Communist" is ridiculous, it gets into the realm of completely meaningless because then everything can be called Communist if taxmoney pays for it and not everyone wants it. Israel is most certainly SUBSIDIZED by the United States. If Israel were a single mom instead of a country in the Middle East would the same arguments be used to justify sending tax money to her?

Think not.

[Hooahguy]

i personally was talking about obamas planned policy of wealth distribution but ok....

[Koga No Goshi]

i personally was talking about obamas planned policy of wealth distribution but ok....

So... explain why his plan is "communist" but forcing taxmoney into private no-bid paramilitary contracts is not "communist." Both are wealth redistribution.

As I said, this argument is really dumb.

[Spino]

But this kind of disturbed me...

Should you not know WHAT the new POTUS has planned? How can you chose one candidate over another unless you know what they have planned? Their stance on Iraq and the world ecomonic crisis for example? Otherwise any election must surely must turn into a popularity contest with out any substance?

Welcome to the post-war generation American landscape! Please enjoy our fine assortment of melamine tainted candies made in China. We hope you enjoy your stay!

[CountArach]

i personally was talking about obamas planned policy of wealth distribution but ok....

Communism - Placing the entire means of production in the working class to create a classless society.
Wealth Redistribution - Taking from some people to give to others.

They are not the same thing.

[Koga No Goshi]

Otherwise any election must surely must turn into a popularity contest with out any substance?

Getting upset about this after three presidential campaigns of "he's a guy you could have a beer with" and "WOW she's so down to earth I could just have lunch with her" is a bit late, you know.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Should you not know WHAT the new POTUS has planned?

I do. That is what I based my position on in the election campaign. With his victory, I am inclined to withdraw my moral support for the other candidate and see what Obama does. Why don't we see what legislation actually goes through before we judge the Obama Presidency?

I am making the distinction between "campaign" and "Presidency" in this case. Nothing more. We should wait until he does something as President before praising him as Obamamessiah - and we should wait until he does something before we begin detracting him.

The point I am trying to make is the old adage, that actions speak louder than words.

[Hooahguy]

taking money from people who are wealthy and giving it to those who arent as successful is a major part of communism.
the government isnt forcibly taking money from anyone to give to the poor.

[Koga No Goshi]

I do. That is what I based my position on in the election campaign. With his victory, I am inclined to withdraw my support for the other candidate and give Obama a chance.

I'm seriously not trying to be rude here, but I find this a really bizarre statement coming from someone who isn't American. Do you have a house here and live here part of the year or something? This statement just seems really odd from someone who isn't a citizen and doesn't vote here.