Usa....usa

[m2c1Iw]

Wow, a historical turning point as the commentators are saying.

Who would of thought.

There is no doubt it's not only the American citizens looking forward to positive change.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Yup. Now that it's over I'm looking forward to turning on the TV or radio not being bombarded by even more political bombast than we get when our own pack of parasites is up for election.

That's a change I'm really looking forward to.

[dazzler]

Great day!

[m2c1Iw]

when our own pack of parasites is up for election.

That is known as a hysterical turning point

[joe greiner]

Although it's a welcome relief, some of us will suffer withdrawal symptoms from the sudden reduction in BS. And just when we'd refined it to a high art! Almost perfect, and almost total. But wait! The reduction might not be so immediate. Aaaaaaah.

Cheers,
Joe

[Big Shed]

Although it's a welcome relief, some of us will suffer withdrawal symptoms from the sudden reduction in BS. And just when we'd refined it to a high art! Almost perfect, and almost total. But wait! The reduction might not be so immediate. Aaaaaaah.

Cheers,
Joe

Hi Joe, a question about your political system if I may.

What is the logic/reasoning behind such a long change over period? So Obama gets elected on the 4th of November, but he doesn't get sworn in until Jan 20.

So for about 2 1/2 months you have the old president that basically can't do anything because he is on the way out, and a new president who can't do anything because he isn't "in" yet.

[Honorary Bloke]

Hi Joe, a question about your political system if I may.

What is the logic/reasoning behind such a long change over period? So Obama gets elected on the 4th of November, but he doesn't get sworn in until Jan 20.

So for about 2 1/2 months you have the old president that basically can't do anything because he is on the way out, and a new president who can't do anything because he isn't "in" yet.

Not to steal Joe's thunder, but the long transition period used to be even longer. It is a throw back to the time when it took days and weeks to tally the ballots, then to convene the Electoral College to confirm the election, then for everyone to travel to the east coast by stagecoach and later slow trains for the inauguration, and so on. It used to take a very long time to sort it. No reason now to take much more than, say, 30 days, but tradition dies hard over here.

OTOH, it does take time, under our system, to get the transition going. The incumbent must vacate the White House. Cabinet picks have to be sorted. Some Congressional offices have to be vacated and many of them will be relocated based on the new pecking order. We are hard upon the holiday season, so that slows everything down. The President-elect must be briefed on domestic and foreign affairs as they currently stand so there will be no surprises.

Not to mention the elaborate planning needed for the Inaugural Ball.

[Waldo]

Yup. Now that it's over I'm looking forward to turning on the TV or radio not being bombarded by even more political bombast than we get when our own pack of parasites is up for election.

That's a change I'm really looking forward to.

Exactly my sentiments. Nothing more needs to be said.

[underfoot]

politics aside,

it seems that obama assumed his audience were reasonably intelligent,
palin on the otherhand....... well she'd be more fun than obama to take pig shootin out at collarenabri
yeee ha

[wheelinround]

politics aside,

it seems that obama assumed his audience were reasonably intelligent,
palin on the otherhand....... well she'd be more fun than obama to take pig shootin out at collarenabri
yeee ha

You sure about that underfoot isn't that part of shooting sport in the South still

Like Skew I was over it after 2 days of waffle years ago.

Is that what we will have to put up with here in Australia 4 years of BS to elect them then further 4 years of BS while they are in there plus the 4 years of BS for the next election


Murdoch must be rubbing his hands together all his media will be deep in US $$$$$$ trouble is Australia get nothing out of it.

[jerryc]

There could be some change in America's attitude to the rest of the world because this guy has at least lived outside of Fortress America for a few years. While politically he had to backtrack fast, his comment about guns and religion was spot on.
Personally I think America has acted like a brat teeenager throughout the 20th century, acting as a know all, swaggering bully with an ego out of control ( and that's the nice part). Perhaps now it might exhibit signs that it is growing up..

Before screams of rage from Americophiles overwhelm my point, I should say that history shows many instances of countries that were not good at handling power responsibly. It's just that in my long life I have had to live through that century of America's rise.

Jerry

[Sebastiaan56]

Personally I think America has acted like a brat teeenager throughout the 20th century, acting as a know all, swaggering bully with an ego out of control ( and that's the nice part). Perhaps now it might exhibit signs that it is growing up..

Before screams of rage from Americophiles overwhelm my point, I should say that history shows many instances of countries that were not good at handling power responsibly. It's just that in my long life I have had to live through that century of America's rise.

Jerry

Well said Jerry! A lot of the comentary was related to the expurgation of USA's "Original Sin" - Slavery. I think like the apology that there is a long, long way to go but there has been a start. If Obama survives (there must be thousands of right wingers plotting and polishing guns right now) he has a bit of a job ahead of him.

As for the bully strutting the world stage giving black eyes wherever it felt like it, China is growing quickly and must be the next to assume the mantle of world leadership. Unlike USA it has 3500 years of civilisation to draw upon, but then, that didnt stop Mao did it? When i did history I learned that those who dont study history are doomed to repeat it. Im not sure that humans have the smarts to learn from history.

[jerryc]

Sebastian,

You touch on what is my greatest fear about the president elect and that is assassination. Four American presidents have been assassinated. It was only forty five years ago that negroes were lynched for even looking wrongly at a white woman. If Obama were to be assassinated I think there could be an outbreak of race war in the USA.

Every country has an embedded element of culture. Louis Hartz' "fragment theory" maintained that newly settled countries contained fragments of the original culture of the parent country at the time of settlement. I go further and say that the original country maintains a core of it's culture. China has always held to a view of harmony in all things and Mao's outbreak quickly died . China is not perfect but it is not so imperialistic as America.
America has always fought on the pattern of the Indian Wars. Create a fort into which you retreat each night (Green Zone) and come out during the day to pacify the natives. Everyone who disgrees with you must be punished. Cuba, Vietnam, North Korea and Iran have all defeated America in some way however much McCain might like to re write history and each has been punished if it was in America's power to do so. Chief Joseph and the Nez Pierce indians wanted to retreat to Canada because they objected to being pushed off their reservation. He fought a long running fight with the army through the depths of an American winter, never leaving behind women and children. He and his tribe were mercilessly hounded to death. It took the entire American army to achieve this aim when all the indian wanted was to leave in peace.
China's culture is different. It is by nature a trading nation. Most of it's strife has been internal or on it's borders. It has had a history of war lords controlling areas but in general the Empire (that is China itself) is what matters most.

It is that unity of purpose as much as the vast number of people that will make the dragon such a force to be reckoned with.
There is a great deal of Chinese money propping up the USA at present. But for how long?
We live in interesting times.

Jerry

[masoth]

Well said, Jerry.

[joe greiner]

Steal away, Bob. Very well said.

Aside from the White House occupants, other folks will be moving in and out of the capital city area, need to find homes, etc. We don't have a shadow government as in some parliamentary systems, ready to take over after the elections.

The mud-slinging is more theatrical than real. The candidates themselves usually have great respect for each other, although the party faithful get completely wired. By applying our "freedom of speech" to every level of inanity, the amount of BS has practically achieved critical mass. The internet has fomented this, giving credence to bloggers, who don't have the benefit of any editorial "adult supervision." In past times, campaign staffs had Truth Squads; we may need to re-establish this institution.

Since as far back as the 1950s, a popular poem was
The election is over, so
Let peace come to pass.
I'll hug your elephant
If you'll kiss my ass.
The last sentence is now available on T-shirts and bumper stickers.
(The Republican party symbol is the elephant; the Democrats use the donkey.)

Here's an Aussie version: http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=52227

Jerry, I think the brat teenager was only the last half of the 20th century. In WW2, America (with all our faults) was regarded as the Arsenal of Democracy. I'm pretty much fed up with the 21st so far. I guess you know the Chinese curse, "May you live in interesting times."

America's melting pot is still an experiment. The latest cultural transformation took two generations, most of my lifetime. IMHO, the human race is God's Science Fair Project.

Joe the Laboratory Rat