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Are People Naive to Think Obama is Ok?
Posted by acousticguitarist • 1/21/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: obama
I'm finding this Obama stuff very interesting.
Obama is part of a Political party, there are advisors and others who write policies.
So my question is NOT anti Obama, but don't you think it's a little naive to think that he can solve all the American (and Global) problems? In truth he's just part of a giant machine and he does not necessarily have any power at all.
There's a lot of flag waving going on and I can't quite understand the fuss. Or is it because the George guy was so controversial, that people are celebrating his absence?
Like many people, I wish him well in his new position.
User Comments
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I think that the previous administration seemed to have such a disastrous effect on the whole world that any change is being seen as a good thing...!
However, Obama is now going to have so much on his plate that there's no way he can 'fix' everything. But at least he's getting people to start thinking of new ways to fix the problems, as the old ways were obviously not working.
You're right to point out that a lot of decisions will really be made (or influenced) by his advisors, but that's the case with every leader - the important thing is who they pick to advise them and to what extent they listen to that advice.
If only Gordon Brown would take note...-
nicely said
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I agree! His motives and priorities are great! However, people need to be realistic - it's one man, be realistic!
He can build the foundation for such changes and probably complete a few of them in his time of presidency, I believe that!
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Cheers
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Obama cant do any worse and Im certain he'll be able to do at least a few things to make the US in a better position. The democrats do have majority, so that definitely helps his chances. I'm sure we'll find out soon enough.
But, I don't agree that this thread is even on this forum. BC has a political forum, use it.-
Thanks for the reminder, I've never used that forum and noticed that others were Obamaring here
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Yep, sorry if that sounded harsh, I re-read it and it did a little.
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Of course they are naive to expect any real change, if Obama represented any real sort of change he wouldn't have been allowed to become President.
All we have now is a change of faction within the ruling elite, their goals are exactly the same they just go about them in a less obviously brutal way.-
I disagree entirely.
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That's your prerogative.
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That's a depressing thought - the idea that anyone wanting real change wouldn't become president. I really hope that's not the case, because if it is, then what's the point in trying to change anything?!
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yes, he is okay, but no he is not the messiah. What he brings is a different tone and that tone can facilitate a different attitude that allows for change. It is up to the American public to support change, and they started by electing an African American. -
I really do wish him well, but I think he is being set up as some sort of new savior for America.
He's almost being portrayed as the new Jesus Christ, and I really hope he can live up to the people's expectations.
The problem is the people love a winner, but they'll turn on him as soon as things start going wrong, which they always do. That's when we'll see how good he really is.
At least he'll be a better frontman than Bush. -
He is a true leader, an eloquent speaker and great for American image. That is really important, Bush showed a great example of what happens when the leader isn't respectable. Obama's strength is that he is inspiring - it's not that he can do everything himself, but he will have a great power in inspiring and encouraging other Americans do their part. He is not just one man, he's the leader of a bloody big bunch of people. You can all help him make all those dreams come true - sooner or later. It took King a bit of time, but he inspired long after he was gone.
He's just the start of a ripple effect, just one man, but he will be joined by many. -
I dont understand why people have to make everything into extremes. To me, hes simply a good man, and I know he'll do what a good guy does. Thats it. If its faux, then so be it, but I believe he is a good person.
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Believe me, Obama is just a face America has used to give expression to its urge to see things changed. And Obama happens to be heard because he is inspiring and echoing the mood and sentiment of Americans. Its also true that a great part of the euphoria is an expression of relief for having seen the back of Bush.
History is replete with 'era' s. Miracles do not happen but course corrections always happen. I'm sure the initial euphoria must have been of equal if not greater intensity for many past guys. And then something happens, there are tough posturings and positions taken, there are divides,the euphoria gives way to earthly feelings and then, time again for change.
As long as most Americans feel and their collective power makes it happen, Obama will certainly be able to make impact. Make no mistake, opinions and expectations apart, people want perceptible outcomes. That expectation would be hard for any one to live by and Obama can't be an exception. -
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what has his middle name got to do with it?!
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@gfg you are a moron. I honestly depise people like you. those who have nothing relevant to say but can't find it in themselves to shut up.
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I think a lot of people just want Bush out of the way. Some might have even have voted for me if I'd put up..But that's not really related to Obama, I wish him well he's inherited a massive task. -
I don't really get the hysteria, people acting as though he had a magic wand and superpowers. He's not an absolute dicatator that can force the rest of the government/country to bend to his benevolent will. He's just a guy who's president for a few years and who gets to fight with Congress, the Justice Department, the states, and big business to get some things done. I wish him luck and I'm interested to see what happens, but I'm not swooning over his election.-
Agreed - I can't understand the hype either. Obviously all Americans need to work together to affect change. And as the whole economy is built on an unsustainable never ending growth model adjustments will have to be made. None of the changes will be made overnight and as you point out the President alone is not the government.
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An interesting NYT/CBS poll last week showed not only a lot of support for Obama, but also a lot of patience. They know he's not superman.
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I hope so. I'd hate for him to make a misstep here and there and get absolutely lambasted for it. I just fear that people's expectations have grown so out of whack that they'll bound to be disappointed.
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He has about 3-6 months before people decide whether or not he can meet their expectations.
*I'm not saying 3-6 months is fair, etc. Just sharing that is about how much time the public start making decisions once assumes the office of President. Ironically, Bush did not have 3-6 months in his first term, which was probably do to the long and drawn out chad counting debacle.
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we shall see what we shall see.
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//In truth he's just part of a giant machine and he does not necessarily have any power at all//
A leader's role can be compared to that of a rudder in a giant ship. -
Does anyone have a unique perspective on this topic? Everything I've read I've heard a million times before... over and over and over. Do the admins on here have the ability to move a post like this to the correct section?
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Gosh, I'm sorry if we're not original or entertaining enough for you.
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I hope that he is able to encourage changes to happen. Some things really need to be changed because they no longer work/outdated. Other areas need to be refined. And yet other areas need to be removed completely and new added.
He will need to have people that agree with what he is doing around him, but also be able to disagree and show him sound reasons why. He will also need the 'we the people's' cooperation, because change can happen... but it can happen a lot quicker if most everyone is in agreement.
I have seen so much sighing and crying over this new President, that I worry about people being terribly disappointed because he can't make things happen for them fast enough.
I am not a believer in expectations being too high. We all should have high expectations rather then just accepting or ignoring what isn't working.
I am excited to see the People of United States finally becoming excited about something again. We have been in mourning for a long time. -
Please don't get my post move, I love it
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It all boils down to this: HOW MUCH WORSE CAN HE DO THAN BUSH DID?
Period. -
Of course we're naive. He's a politician like any other. But nevertheless, after the damage done over the last 8 years, I would give him a chance. So far so good. But it's too soon to tell how much change he really can effect.
I do think that the damage done will realistically take decades to undo. -
"HONEST+POLITICIAN=OXYMORON" -
It is almost like he is a cult figure. He has promised to change the world by saving America. Cult leaders tell you what to think and how to live your life. Many of his words are along those lines with promises that life will improve if we just give him control over our lives.
I wish him well but I hope he fails in his drive to change free enterprise, to force doctors to perform abortions, to force all employees to have to hire homosexuals even if it is against their religious practices and the other plans to limit the freedoms of Americans. I hope he fails in his plan to form a national security force as powerful as the military. But I hope he succeeds in protecting the United States from another attack.
Presidents are elected to inspire the people and keep them safe from oppression. I fear Mr. Obama is going to depress us to keep us in control.-
LOL. maybe he can bring back square wheels too........
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Time will tell. I wish him all the best. :-) He seems very likable! -
I think that his experience as a community organizer will pay off. He has been able to get people to ask just as JFK asked in his time..."Ask what you can do for your country, not what your country can do for you". For the first time in a long time people want to help in whatever way they can.
America is pulling up her sleeves.
We can not afford to be afraid, this President inherited the biggest mess of all time. Why would anyone expect him to handle 8 years of a foolish mess of affairs overnight? Even if any of the people who criticize him were in power they could not wave a magic wand and fix things.
If you are not part of the solution, you ARE the problem. -
I may be the only person in America who feels sorry for Obama. The US people have some sort of messiah complex with the man and think that he can fix everything in the country. Which is ridiculous because the president has very little power in comparison to congress and the supreme court. The government was founded on checks and balance. He can only do so much and they are always extenuating circumstances to consider not all of which are public knowledge. So he has an uphill battle to climb because everyone expects so much of him that he's almost doomed to failure.
The simple fact is the government is set up in such a way to protect the status-quo in the country, so invoking changing is actually harder. And its not up to one man alone. The government is run by the consent of the governed; it's up to all of us everyday to enact change. If we want something changed we have to fight for it, and remember not everybody is going to want the same changes. The biggest problem in America right now is that no one wants to take personal responsibility for anything. Everything is somebody else's fault. You make bad grades on a test, the teacher didn't teach you properly. You fail to pay your rent, your landlord is a tyrant who doesn't care about you. People talk about the state of the country being so awful, you voted in the politicians who made it that way. Bush wasn't alone with anything he did. He had to have congress behind him and all those people were elected by the people.
As for Obama coming into the biggest mess of all time, really? Cause i can name messes bigger than this one. I think Abraham Lincoln and the civil war take it. What about FDR and the great depression? Or George Washington, he had the hardest job of any president in US history. Everyone talks about the state of country being so awful but the unemployment rate is 7.2 compared to the 24.9 it was during the Great depression. We have things FDIC insurance and welfare now that didn't exist back then. The vast majority of Americans don't have it that bad; They have roofs over their heads and food to eat. I'm sorry they might not be able to buy the 52 inch plasma tv they wanted but in comparison to third world countries we have it good. So i'm tired of hearing about the country is going to hell in a handbasket.-
I agree!
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[applauds]
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woohoo! Well said !
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The system is damaged too much for one man to do it all and I do think expectations are way to high for one person to shoulder. I do think that Obama may do some good but after he leaves office
there is still going to be major problems that were not fixed or repaired. It may also be that they are unrepairable after the damage that was caused before Obama came into power.
I will remain practical and realistic that somethings may improve but not all things. -
That is incredibly naive and I don't know any thinking person who thinks that way. Hope for change - just having hope, is different from the pragmatic thought. Most people waving flags are nothing if not pragmatic but hope is the word of the day. You can be idealistic, there is nothing wrong with that, but idealism, at least in my generation, doesn't trump reason.
This is kind of a funny paragraph but take it as it is. From a post by Reihan Salam a "new conservative" well known to people who read the publications he has written for.
"Churlish right-wingers will likely keep complaining about the “cult of Obama.” I won’t indulge in that easy cynicism. I will note, however, that as I stumbled home, tired and scotch-afflicted for the first time in my life, I talked to one of my best friends about her meeting with a literary agent, and she said roughly the following:"
As I often do in weighty moments, I prayed to God — but I kept seeing an image of Barack Obama. I kept saying to myself, “No, God, not Obama,” and I concentrated on images of Christ on the cross. But I kept seeing Obama smiling, until I finally decided that I would just give up and pray to Obama.
The post was a bit longer, but not much, and it seemed that those not off the liberal persuasion didn't get the post was supposed to be funny. The person saying those things was liberal but was making fun of the Obama God comparisons as Liberals do.
Conservatives sometimes in their own stew they sit unable to see the forest for the trees. We hope but we know the truth of politics is that is is still politics.
The whole debacle yesterday had more to do with our history and a lot of relief than anything else.
Of course no one believe itm but hope we must and laugh, we must laugh. -
Since I am Middle Eastern and live in the Middle East, I am a bit out of place here.However, I am waiting to see what Obama's foreign policies will be like.Although I know that in the end of the day, it's not his final decision.
Other than that, ofcourse I would like to see American people-as well as all human beings-live a good life.If Obama will help do that, then that's great for you guys.-
I'm curious what the response is in the Middle East
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Its very diverse.
Uneducated people are very happy.They think he's a Muslim.LOL.
Arabs of African origin are also happy.
Some are very cynical.Cause they think that a smart US president is more dangerous than a stupid US president.
Some are just happy that Bush is gone and dont care who takes his place.
Some are a bit optimistic.They have hope that things will change, but they know that things here will not be fixed anytime soon. -
thankyou, it's nice to get different perspectives.
The mood in Australia is very much, glad to see Bushie gone
is the 4th choice a normal middle eastern way of viewing everything? -
Yes cause to them, Bush started the war on Iraq.So theyre happy to see him gone.
But im telling you, most people are happy for Obama cause his middle name is Hussein. They dont read , they dont watch the news, and they dont even speak English.They just know that the new American president has "Hussein" as his last name and thats enough for them! -
@arnous great view
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@Arnous81, well, clearly ignorant people in America and the Middle East have one thing in common: they think Obama's a Muslim and that his middle name is important!
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Overall, I think barely anybody thinks that Obama is perfect, or the Messiah, or capable of turning the U.S. into a utopia, or solving all of our problems.
Nonetheless, American conservatives, never friends of the truth, are clearly having some real success in pushing the myth of "liberals-think-Obama's-the-Messiah" to the world. Hell, if they could sell the Iraq war, or Bush-as-friend-of-the-common-man, I guess they can sell anything.-
oh, I've read stuff where people say he's the Messiah. Others have said that he is the anti-Christ.
Someone asked me yesterday (seriously) if I thought he was the reincarnation of Abraham Lincoln. I will not repeat my response, they didn't like it. That is what prompted this post. -
But there are lunatics who call every famous person the messiah.
By the way, I'd like to take this moment to promote my new blog: AcousticGuitarPanda is the Messiah acousticguitaristhepandamessiah.blogspot.com -
But I haven't had my fur fluffed up
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:-)
check your shout, you'll love it
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So, ultimately, Panda, much as I hate to say it, I think that you're being naive in thinking that Americans are being naive about America.
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This was not just about Americans, see above
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I think the change Obama represents is set in the past amongest the people who fought for racial equality,It took those people many years and many battles to finally get justification and equallity.
Maybe for the present it will be a rough ride for Obama.
For the long term future it gives us hope that things we once thought were impossiable in the past can come true......-
I think the racial equality thing is a very important point, for me that is probably a very big milestone in Americas history
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Obama is very ok -
If you are looking to Obama and the US Government to solve any problems, I don't see it happening. Oh the media will say good things are starting to happen because they are in the tank for Obama. But what about all the programs that the Government runs now that is a complete mess. Social Security, The banking industry, The F.D.A The C.D.C. The I.R.S. The Government is the worst at implementing solutions because there is no incentive or accountability. I would be glad to be wrong but I see the current batch of politicians (both sides) to be out for themselves and not working for the people. -
Some people say the election of obama (Black house) just to closed world eye's.. Ye la... Bush just make world like Hell!!!!!
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Well, he is a leader, and we don't know how to behave with a real leader, because we haven't had one in such a long time.
He is acknowledging everybody, especially the younger generations. Before, nobody did that. After all those are the generations of the future leaders.
Is very healthy to have a president who doesn't compromise his integrity and is not afraid to confront the status quo.
Is very healthy to have a president who is not afraid of the truth.
It is important to have a good role model as the president. We learn from the actions not the talks. There will be plenty to learn.
He is instutionalizing team work, another excellent example coming from the president-
"Is very healthy to have a president who doesn't compromise his integrity and is not afraid to confront the status quo.
Is very healthy to have a president who is not afraid of the truth.
It is important to have a good role model as the president. We learn from the actions not the talks. There will be plenty to learn."
But how do you know? He's only had to hold onto his integrity and face the truth for two days.
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I think he tried to bring all those naive people down to earth in his inauguration address with all his talk of hard work. All that talk of hope and change was a bit tempered. Also, some people might have been shocked to learn that his middle name really is Hussein, and that it wasn't some kind of made-up Republican thing. I voted straight ticket Democrat until 2006. Since I live in Chicago, this of course means that I voted for Rod Blagojevich and Todd Stroger. My bad.
Anyway, I never got swept up in Obama's wave, and I really didn't understand it. No leg tingles and girly crushes for me. As a single lady, all I could think regarding his campaign was that I've come across plenty of smooth-talkers, and I'm not snowed by any of it. He was so vague, with no record of accomplishments to back up all the things he said he was going to do. When it came down to that, it was all hope and change. Well, hope is what you have when there's nothing left. And change how? George W. Bush ran as the charismatic change candidate back in 2000. Gosh, I wonder how that worked out (snark). This new bailout proposal now -- it makes me angry. What does throwing our money at billionaire banks accomplish? Didn't they waste enough of it already?
I didn't vote for Obama, but I'm glad he won, because people would not have been as excited and hopeful about any other politician. (Yeah, I called him what he is.) I don't think anyone else has so many peoples' hopes and dreams pinned to him. Clearly, to many people, he represents something that is greater than himself. Maybe we need someone to inspire us because reality is too harsh right now. Our country is in bad shape because of human greed and bad legislation. I want Obama to succeed, because he has to. I sincerely hope he turns out to be one of our best presidents ever. -
I think the emotional reaction is to the fact that people once again feel like someone is leading the country who is on our side. Obviously, no rational person expects one man to be the answer or anyone to have an instantaneous cure for all the ills of this country, but it's been such a very long time since anyone could even pretend that someone was trying. I also think that many Americans are aware of the possibility for change rooted in this emotional reaction. Our problems, after all, don't all (or perhaps even primarily) come from the government--they come from greed, selfishness, hostility, willful blindness, etc....and the way that many Americans, particularly young Americans, are reacting to Obama gives rise to some hope that he may inspire some of us--maybe enough of us--to rise up out of ourselves and start showing some humanity and goodwill. -
i think people are just tired of the Bush things, and they are looking for something new, and coincidentally Obama is an African-American which is a first in the history of America, that makes the impact stronger to the world. -
i'm back... did you miss me
also i think the difference between obama and the rest of the machine is that obama has the last word regardless of how educated on a particular subject he is.
though i am sure he can make a well educated decision... one thing i am not happy about is the removal of troops from the middle east, you watch.. next there will be gorilla warfare
and before everyone starts to attack me about this, let me make it clear that we were not suposed to be there in the first place but now that we are in we can't abandon those who we have displaced in the mean time, just because it wasn't right to enter does not mean that we should remove ourselves
if you want to know what i am talking about, look into the history of PNG and timor with regards to australia. that's just 2 examples of what i am talking about. -
I think he is seen as a symbol of Hope. Hope for something better than the last 8 years. At this point any change will be seen as a better change. -
Everyone knows the only one who can solve all American and Global problems is Paris Hilton? XD
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