I've kept my mouth shut, but can't take it anymore

[Geo]

I threw this out there-

Just curious. What is it about this president elect that makes you and many others want to watch him so carefully? I hear this a lot from folks who did not vote for Obama but I do not recall ever hearing anything like this from folks whose preferred candidate did not win in any previous election. Even if they were watching and listening carefully I never heard so many declare there was a need to like I do these days...

Thx to the few who responded so far.

So this was a loaded question. I already had an opinion as to why so many want to watch him so carefully. So here it is.

I believe the fearmongering of the McCain campaign worked. I believe we have a whole bunch of folks in this country who are afraid of the socialist, the communist, the liberal, the terrorist, the celebrity, the "messiah", the one, "that one".

I don't believe folks are afraid of opposing viewpoints on issues. I don't believe folks are afraid of a tax rate reset for the rich to Clinton levels. I don't believe folks are afraid of a president elect because they didn't vote for him.

I blame the negative ads.

 

[Geo]

You mean "that one."

Yep, this is exactly what I mean. I was just trying to be subtle, for lack of a better word...

 

[Allifunn]

All of you confuse me...do any of you really KNOW what you want???? (just a POST election question)

 

[Geo]

All of you confuse me...do any of you really KNOW what you want???? (just a POST election question)

I want to be able to eat steaks and crabcakes and drink Blue Moon and not get fat or be hungover...

 

[Allifunn]

I want to be able to eat steaks and crabcakes and drink Blue Moon and not get fat or be hungover...

That I can relate to.... (but it is going to happen anyway....:roll

 

[traderx]

Did you vote for Bush over Gore? If so, then you have proven willing and able to move experience down the priority list in favor of other attributes. Same point applies if you forgive Palin as a VP pick...

In the last quarter century, what has any other president done moreso than Obama before they were elected to "reach across the aisle"?

Have you ever scrutinized the pick of a Chief of Staff until now?

You mentioned Guantanamo, oil drilling and stem cell research. But I am having a hard time believing that you feel as strongly as you do about Obama based on his stance on these issues. I'm just not buying it- just being honest.

Gordo pointed this out for me already but I still feel the need to clarify what I thought was obvious in my previous posts in this thread-

I never suggested you replace your existing news/information sources. I encouraged you to broaden and balance things. Don't listen to NPR as opposed to Rush Limbaugh or watch CNN as opposed to O'Reilly. Listen to NPR and watch CNN in addition to Rush and O'Reilly...

CCK, I don't find it odd that folks like yourself are watching everything Obama does because they didn't vote for him, because they don't trust him, because they don't know how he will lead and because he is untested on a national level of governing. I find it odd that I never heard folks feeling this way about a president elect until now- until this one...

Geo, you don't remember all the folks promising to leave the US if Bush were elected in 2000? Do you remember the couple of celebrities who called him stupid and an idiot?

Here is an article by a journalist who shadowed Bush for years in Texas and talks about his ascendancy to the national stage - and oh yeah, how he once said publicly how stupid Bush is.

http://www.poynter.org/content/content_print.asp?id=5156&custom=

And there was plenty of talk about Bill Clinton's lack of experience on the international stage. Here is a story in the NY Times.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE3DD1331F936A35752C1A964958260

Again, the reason there is so much attention given to Obama is that we have a wartime transition. Consider the challenges thrown the way of past new Presidents. Kennedy was tested by the Soviets as they brought nuclear missiles into Cuba. Carter experienced kidnapping of Americans by Iran. Clinton was in office several months when the terrorists bombed the World Trade Center. And Bush was in office just several months when 9/11 reared its ugly head. Today there was an article in which Bin Laden promised another attack much larger than 9/11. Iran probably is very close to having nuclear weapons and already has an arsenal of Shahab missiles. Iran has stated that Israel should not exist. North Korea, who knows? There are a lot of issues for a President elect who has virtually no national security experience. Listen, I have no doubt that he will surround himself with smart, experienced people such as, I hope, Colin Powell but the truth is that sneaky world leaders focus the world through the prism of other world leaders especially the US.

 

[Camp Creek Kid]

I threw this out there-


Thx to the few who responded so far.

So this was a loaded question. I already had an opinion as to why so many want to watch him so carefully. So here it is.

I believe the fearmongering of the McCain campaign worked. I believe we have a whole bunch of folks in this country who are afraid of the socialist, the communist, the liberal, the terrorist, the celebrity, the "messiah", the one, "that one".

I don't believe folks are afraid of opposing viewpoints on issues. I don't believe folks are afraid of a tax rate reset for the rich to Clinton levels. I don't believe folks are afraid of a president elect because they didn't vote for him.

I blame the negative ads.

Uh no. It is because he is inexperienced and we do not know who he is. The same scrutiny would be given by the Democrats had Sarah Palin or Bobby Jindal been elected president during this election because they too have limited experience, the difference being they do have executive experience. Every other president since I have been born, from Nixon to George W. Bush has been either a governor or a nationally known political figure before being elected president. That may be good or that may be bad, but at least you know what you are getting into.

I am afraid of how Obama will "rule" on all of the issues from taxes to the war in Iraq to redistribution of wealth because I have no idea what to expect of him and how far left he will go. Added to that is the fact that he will have a lot of help from Congress.

You are casting non-supporters of Obama as weak-minded believers of what you call fearmongering propaganda. Sorry to disappoint, but most of us are free thinking and passionate about our beliefs in the Constitution and what is best for the country.

 

[LuciferSam]

Uh no. It is because he is inexperienced and we do not know who he is. The same scrutiny would be given by the Democrats had Sarah Palin or Bobby Jindal been elected president during this election because they too have limited experience, the difference being they do have executive experience. Every other president since I have been born, from Nixon to George W. Bush has been either a governor or a nationally known political figure before being elected president. That may be good or that may be bad, but at least you know what you are getting into.

I am afraid of how Obama will "rule" on all of the issues from taxes to the war in Iraq to redistribution of wealth because I have no idea what to expect to him and how far left he will go. Added to that is the fact that he will have a lot of help from Congress.

I think progress has been made because you started out with the assertion that Obama is showing signs of being a dictator, and now you're just concened about his experience and policies. Sounds more reasonable to me.

 

[Bob]

Geo, this is the first Presidential transition during a war in a long time so this time around, it really is different. It is well accepted that Obama is thin in the national security arena hence the salvos from the ever-opportunistic Russians and Iranians. Obama's response to the reporter's question about Iran was disconcerting.

The Iranians understand and respect strength and resolve. I know many on this board disagree but it is how I see the world. Remember when the Iranians grabbed the hostages when Jimmy Carter was President? They viewed JC as weak and it turns out they were correct. When Reagan campaigned for President in 1980, in response to questions concerning the Americans held hostage in Iran, he would simply say that every option is on the table. Within a few minutes of Reagan being sworn in, Iran released the hostages. Obama will learn and will build a good national security team. The lesson he has to learn IMHO is that diplomacy works best when it is not your primary option.

you would admit, at that point, iran had much to lose and little to gain in holding the hostages any longer. diplomacy has been completely lacking the last two terms.

 

[traderx]

you would admit, at that point, iran had much to lose and little to gain in holding the hostages any longer. diplomacy has been completely lacking the last two terms.

What I think is that the Iranians thought that Reagan may have sent in a missile or two into Tehran. It is not reality but perception sometimes drives the world.

Diplomacy without every other option left on the table is meaningless and useless. Look how long we have been involved in diplomacy with Iran over its nukes. Iran is playing games but the UN is so serious about diplomacy. Don't misunderstand me: I am not for war. I favor bringing our troops home as soon as possible and I don't mean Iraq and Afghanistan. I mean from the Arabian penisular, Germany, Japan, etc. I want to play defense from now on. A mean brand of defense but defense nonetheless. I would raise the bar for good behavior by the bad boys of the world. Iran, you send in a few nuclear tipped Shahabs into Tel Aviv, here, in painful detail, is what we will do. Your ball.