President Obama

[Hopalong]

Sorry I haven't posted...so much happening. I owe several of you personal thanks for your great wisdom and support on another thread. Can't stop for it now, alas, but just wanted to express my real joy on the selection of Barack Obama as our next president.

There wil be time for new disappointments and frustrations with politics and governance in the future, as is always so, but for now, I am just happy. And deeply moved.

We have overcome...so much.

(Good practice.)

love to all,
Hops

[gjazz]

You bet.  Still overcoming the celebratory champagne! 

[Gaining Strength]

Great Joy in Mudville!!!

[debkor]

Hops,

Same feeling...I'm deeply moved and very happy with Obama as Our President.

My daughter waited on line for 3 hours and as a first time voter had no clue how long it would take.  She had flip flops on and would not leave the line even though people told her to go and get her boots and they would hold her spot.  She stood her ground and froze her Pigs off.

My son 13 I let stay up to 1:30 in the morning.  Usually I never would allow this but....he is part of History...was very excited.  He also did a vote in school...it was 79% Obama.  High School was even higher...

My d was pretty excited and didn't mind the wait...she was....impressed with the people on line.  There was a spark in people. An electric excitement.
The friendlessness of people.  One girl was with her Ipod listening to music and two stepping away...another reading a book...and people just very helpfull, shaking her hand on first time voter and when she went back to work they had (Me) lol...bring them McDonald's..lots of chatter and excitement there...

Here's to changes!  And healing..And yes hops...We have overcome ...so much!

Love
Deb

 

[Gaining Strength]

I read a couple of internet forums and on one of them there was a
discussion last night about the election.  One of the last posts was the
following from someone in the Netherlands.  It is just amazing to me and
thought it would interesting for those of you here. (Boy do I miss the heyday of this place.  I came here first last night looking for people to communicate with but noone was here.  I was so disappointed.  I wanted to be with my friends last night but noone was home.)
 
"Not just America is celebrating: the entire world has gone bonkers. It
was night here when the voting started, but the streets of the
Netherlands were anything but silent. And when Obama finally won... oh
man, my throat is still sore from cheering and I feel lightheaded by
staying up all night. But I don't care; nobody does. Online friends from
Paris have called me to ask if things were as wild over here as there,
and I could hear (illegal  ) fireworks in the background. London is
partying, Germany is going nuts. It's over! The Bush nightmare is over!
 
I used to admire america, but the last eight years, they were seen as
nothing but bunch of pathetic bullies. It was like seeting Santa take
off his costume and smoke a sigarette, telling kids to scram. Now that
Obama has been elected, maybe the old days can come back and the USA can
be the lands of dreams again. Santa lives!"

[mudpuppy]

Great Joy in Mudville!!!

My joy doesn't come from politics; either the winning or the losing side.
If he governs like Clinton and gravitates toward the center we'll muddle through.
If he veers sharply left we'll have a bit of a disaster like the 70's and the pendulum will swing back and again we'll be OK.
I didn't cheer when Reagan was elected nor swoon when Clinton was.
Anyone who cheers til they're hoarse because some hack politician of any party or persuasion got elected is looking for a messiah not a president. And I have yet to see the search for a messiah among men have a happy ending.

mud in joyous mudville

[Ami]

YES  Mud!  People looking for  messiahs in men are scary.        Ami

[sKePTiKal]

I'm pretty cynical about the political process, myself... the more things "change", the more they stay the same. But, that out of the way....

anything that blows the embers of hope into a flame - even if it flickers - is probably a very good thing.

These have been bleak times socially, culturally & economically. We need a national attitude adjustment...

[Overcomer]

I knew Obama would win.  People are so NOT satisfied with the Bush Admin that they were going to push through change.  I think McCain is too old and I do not think Sarah Palin was ready.....but i voted for McCain because I have heard some bad stuff about Obama.  But I am not upset that he won.  I think if it unites the US, the economy bounces back, the war is ended etc. then it will all be cool.........but I do not want us to become a Socialist country.......I DO think you should try to save babies from botched abortions..........I do NOT think you should allow partial birth abortions.................and I don't want to support a bunch of illegals and lazy people.....

So we will see.......I think it will be fine......hopefully...

[Dawning]

I voted for Barack Obama - and am deeply happy that he is now the president-elect - because he seems to show tolerance and listen.  How many of us on this board can surely appreciate this.  He seems to listen to all points of view, even ones that he might not agree on.  We'll see, but it is up to US to make sure we are HEARD...he needs our support, whether we voted for him or not.  Personally, I just got fed-up with reactionary politics and the world has suffered so much because of this.  All of us need to practice tolerance for differing beliefs.  N's seem to have a way of thinking that their point of view is the only right point of view - I am hoping and chanting/praying that Obama turns out to be as tolerant as he seems.  And, because of his global outlook, all of us may now have a chance of being heard - maturely.

Dawning.

[Gaining Strength]

To see the emotion of joy expressed with such extreme fervor around the world is something beyond comprehension.  To see the people moved almost to tears: Colin Powell, Condi Rice, a little school boy in Atlanta, and on and on. 

[gratitude28]

Amen mud!!! You always have a wonderfully eloquent manner of nailing a situation.

[sea storm]

I am glad that there is a black President.  It signifies change but not as much change as one would think. Probably more like a grand but  fairly empty gesture. I hope Obama can hang onto some of his vision throught the rigourous process of initiating him into the system he will be working in. He is just one person in a monolithic system.  Whether he can single handedly change that system is not likely.  There are so many forces combining to destroy the  fabric of a sane and ethical society.

I thought " Boy, I hope people are still vigilent for the abuses that are happening as we speak. "

Sea storm

[ann3]

I am glad that the color barrier has been broken, but I worry about Obama's lack of experience.  He has not even served a full term as a Senator.  To me, this is like a freshman who hasn't finished his freshman year and it's not that he wants to skip to his junior or senior year, but he wants to be made dean.  I wish Obama would have finished at least one term in the Senate before he ran for President because then I'd feel that he has more experience.  I just hope it works out well.  I really hesitated to post this because I'm sure I'll get some flak.

[Ami]

You know what is kind of scary about this election. People are afraid to speak up as they have not been in past elections. Do you agree ,Ann?       Ami