[US] What do you guys think of Obama?

[moonsh0t]

Since a lot of you guys are from the UK/Europe.. was just wondering what people outside of the States think of our newish President.

Has he changed your view on America at all since we don't have good ol' country boy Bush in charge anymore?

[1984]

He talks the talk and seems to be walking the walk. But it will take a good few years to know if he will continue to walk that walk. Or if indeed it really is his walk for I often fear his public walk is very different to his private one.

Only time will tell. Thumbs up so far. beeep beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep

[General Lighting]

I don't think he's a bad guy and he's less worse than Dubya - but he's not Superman
and too many people are trying to hold some of his positive stuff back - plus some things like the war are inevitable no matter who is in power due to the US and UK's current level of resource consumption.

I just hope him and his family manage to survive his term(s) in office and don't come to any harm..

12 years ago in England we had Tony Blair come to power with the same happy positive ethos - today he is viewed as being one of the henchmen of the war but to be fair it wasn't all his fault - the normal people were forcing the country to war anyway by demanding cheap(er) fuel when oil was running out..

I don't think his election has really changed my mind about the USA as I already knew it was full of good as well as stupid people but divided straight down the middle (I'm amazed there hasn't been full on civil war yet TBH)

I think its cool though a Texan has actually taken the trouble to ask us what we think of the USA rather than just shouting their views or trying to preach random stuff at us which is what has happened previously so maybe the US is changing for the better..

[joshd96320]

it appears to have a more formal, flexible, fresh image towards international relations but im not convinced this bears any relation to the actual nature of American involvement in international politics - just an image.

[moonsh0t]

I don't think his election has really changed my mind about the USA as I already knew it was full of good as well as stupid people but divided straight down the middle (I'm amazed there hasn't been full on civil war yet TBH)

I think its cool though a Texan has actually taken the trouble to ask us what we think of the USA rather than just shouting their views or trying to preach random stuff at us which is what has happened previously so maybe the US is changing for the better..


Haha well there has been a civil war, but that was in the 1850's so I'm assuming you mean more recently. And yea, a lot Texans would come here being redneck jerkoffs just to get a rise out of people. I like to consider myself a bit more educated than them though :)

Obama's approval ranking recently plummeted in light of his national health care agenda. It will be interesting to see how he handles this delicate situation. And yea, I am worried that some Conservative wing nut will attempt an assassination... maybe I'm just being paranoid though.

[ellie]

Obama's approval ranking recently plummeted in light of his national health care agenda.

what do you think of his national health care agenda? if you dont mind me asking

[olboy]

Well, the main thing is... you managed to get rid of that feking Republican Bush

About time for another Democrat and Barack IMO was your best. He seems to have his head screwed on IMO

Good luck to him. Lets just hope the pressure, stress and everything else doesn't make him meltdown

[MisterDuck]

Ideologically he is fairly sound.

Whether his changes will be allowed to materialise is a different matter.

He also backtracked on his quick closure of Guantamino (it is still closing though) and releasing torture information for the courts.

[joshd96320]

Ideologically he is fairly sound.

Whether his changes will be allowed to materialise is a different matter.

He also backtracked on his quick closure of Guantamino (it is still closing though) and releasing torture information for the courts.

could there also be a link between second and third paragraph, ie. he was unable to materialise his plans on guantanamo

[MisterDuck]

could there also be a link between second and third paragraph, ie. he was unable to materialise his plans on guantanamo

of course. american politics is full of people who aren't officially in power pulling the strings, whether it's murdoch or rumsvelt, casey or the CIA.

[joshd96320]

yea, was just wondering if thats what you meant : )

[DaftFader]

of course. american politics is full of people who aren't officially in power pulling the strings, whether it's murdoch or rumsvelt, casey or the CIA.
^^ this

[MisterDuck]

also to point out, it's beginning to dominate certain aspects of politics in this country too.

we need to fight for our democracy.

[DaftFader]

also to point out, it's beginning to dominate certain aspects of politics in this country too.

we need to fight for our democracy.
i don't think it was ever a democrosy ... it's just a facia to cover up something more sinister

[joshd96320]

democracy is kinda like communism but the flaws are less spoken of: communism.. marxism.. i dont think it can ever fully be realised, there will always be somebody with more than somebody else. I think democracy has a similar flaw.. it can never truly be realised, only poorly emulated.

[DaftFader]

democracy is kinda like communism but the flaws are less spoken of: communism.. marxism.. i dont think it can ever fully be realised, there will always be somebody with more than somebody else. I think democracy has a similar flaw.. it can never truly be realised, only poorly emulated.
this is shown by democratic sociatys forcing democrasy on other contrys ... it goes against the whole ideology of democrasy in the first place

[MisterDuck]

step one is complete

now how do we get everybody else to think?

how many ears must one man have, before he can hear people cry?

[joshd96320]

step one is complete

now how do we get everybody else to think?

how many ears must one man have, before he can hear people cry?

perhaps its coincidence that you quote bob dylan perhaps it isnt, and perhaps the answer is through music!

but can it ever be achieved... can we make everybody else think.. can we make what we percieve as a perfect society... we are not perfect, so are we able to make something perfect? we have never done anything perfect before..

[MisterDuck]

perhaps its coincidence that you quote bob dylan perhaps it isnt, and perhaps the answer is through music!

I posted the exact same thing as you when I was 16, I'll link you up:
http://www.partyvibe.com/forums/politics-media-current-events/25732-social-political-whatever-change.html#post134672

Glo's response is still apt, we need music to inspire us and motivate us, but it is part of a much bigger picture of "change". You need a lot more than music, music in itself cannot change much, it can just inspire people to take the actions that will change things.

but can it ever be achieved... can we make everybody else think.. can we make what we percieve as a perfect society... we are not perfect, so are we able to make something perfect? we have never done anything perfect before..

Of course we can. Of course, the definition of "perfect" will be ever-changing. However if you look at how far we've come in the past 100 years, from slavery to equality, from lynch-mobs to rehabilitation, from a rich-led healthcare system to an NHS, exclusive education to free education... to mention a few. Of course, we have new problems, and whilst most things progress, some things regress, but only for a few years - in the overall picture we are always progressing.

We have to have optimism. It's what makes us fight for a better world, and what makes us die happy people.

[Tank Girl]

We have to have optimism. It's what makes us fight for a better world
well said

[Tank Girl]

I also like his dancing raaa

[joshd96320]

I posted the exact same thing as you when I was 16, I'll link you up:
http://www.partyvibe.com/forums/politics-media-current-events/25732-social-political-whatever-change.html#post134672

Glo's response is still apt, we need music to inspire us and motivate us, but it is part of a much bigger picture of "change". You need a lot more than music, music in itself cannot change much, it can just inspire people to take the actions that will change things.


Of course we can. Of course, the definition of "perfect" will be ever-changing. However if you look at how far we've come in the past 100 years, from slavery to equality, from lynch-mobs to rehabilitation, from a rich-led healthcare system to an NHS, exclusive education to free education... to mention a few. Of course, we have new problems, and whilst most things progress, some things regress, but only for a few years - in the overall picture we are always progressing.

We have to have optimism. It's what makes us fight for a better world, and what makes us die happy people.

inspiring! pints are on me if we ever meet :bounce_g:


Are we meant to make things better for the future? Are we meant to help others or are we meant to be not just selfish but the full opposite of selfless? Or perhaps we were, can we evolve to make ourselves a tool rather than a weapon to the world?

[MisterDuck]

inspiring! pints are on me if we ever meet :bounce_g:


Are we meant to make things better for the future? Are we meant to help others or are we meant to be not just selfish but the full opposite of selfless? Or perhaps we were, can we evolve to make ourselves a tool rather than a weapon to the world?

I'm not a big believer in human nature - I think nurture shapes who we are and what we choose to do. I'm not sure we're "meant" to do anything, I believe we each choose our own purpose in life. And I think that most people are not intentionally selfish, they are just ignorant to the reality of some of their actions. Does the person filling up at Shell really know what they are doing to the people of the Niger Delta? Does the person buying Nescafe really understand their inhumane policies and actions across Asia? Of course, I'm not saying there isn't anyone who knows exactly what they're doing and are more than happy to continue, such as many of the heads of big businesses, politicians, media moguls. However I'm a big believer that the average human, if allowed to see the true extent of some of the horrific abuses of their fellow human, will stop it happening.

What people fighting for these causes do is empower the people. We inform them what's happening and try and open their eyes, and then it's up to them what they choose to do or not to about it.

Sometimes peoples immediate attitude can dent your hope somewhat. But it took movements such as the Chartists and Suffragettes hundreds of years from when the initial call for change was made. Of course, we all remember Emily Davison and Henry Hunt, but the people who started the whisperings, and the rolling stones at the very start, are long forgotten - but they played their part. They were long gone before they saw any change in the system, even any change in the attitudes of most. But I guess the optimism that they had played their part and things would someday change made them die happy.

I'd say we'll meet at a party someday. Hopefully next summer, I'm travelling for a bit but should be around for some filthy raves! You buy the cider I'll buy the lager!

[joshd96320]

is it instinct to care and look out for others? or just the close ones? or just ourselves?

yes sir raaa, though i am sure we will be in no fit state to discuss these things :wink: :weee: