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© (c) AFP 2012.OBAMA RE-ELECTED, SAYS BEST IS YET TO COME
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nostromo
stand by for a Republican win - even if they lose, they will drag this through the supreme court to ensure they get the verdict that suits them....
globalwatcher
GOTV!!
Stay on line to cast your vote. The election officials have to allow you to vote as long as you stay on line. That's a federal election law. Stay on line, do not leave, do not give up. Please cast your vote!
SushiSake3
Anyone got an update on Obama's winning margin in swing states?
some14some
Loss of $6bil, will have same President and same Policies and same bad economy.
Tatanka
Nostromo:
Spoken like a true fear-mongering liberal. Since the last SCOTUS decision on a Presidential election two more ultra liberal justices have been added to the court, so the likelihood of any court decision going the Republican way is slim to none.
Triumvere
And now for the moment of truth...
...lets hope that the moment doesn't last too long...
globalwatcher
TatankaNov. 07, 2012 - 07:36AM JST
Nostromo:
Spoken like a true fear-mongering liberal.
I feel very good. Obama is doing just fine. Obama has more probability to be re-elected.
YuriOtani
At least these foul commercials will be off of the TV at last! It is enough to drive any sane person batty. However no matter who wins there is going to be upset people. Lets pray it is over soon!
globalwatcher
SushiSake3Nov. 07, 2012 - 07:34AM JST
SushiSake, he is still leading by 2 points about one hr. ago in my county in my state (swing) where everyone is paying attention to. Almost 70% voters already casted their votes.
It was very funny GOP sent Paul Ryan to a non battle county (red) two days ago. GOP probably already know my state will go to Obama.
JDB829
Romney takes Indiana and Kentucky. Obama gets Vermount.
JDB829
Vermont.
Mirai Hayashi
Obama wins Vermont (no surprise there)
Herve Nmn L'Eisa
In a fundamental sense, it really doesn’t matter whether Romney or Obama is elected. They both share the same overall philosophy on such important issues as economics, civil liberties, the drug war, the regulated economy, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, education grants, bailouts, subsidies, the Federal Reserve, monetary policy, the overseas military empire, a vast military-industrial complex, foreign aid, sanctions, embargoes, assassination, torture, indefinite detention without trial, and kangaroo military tribunals.
In a word, Romney and Obama are both statists. They believe in statism and they embrace it enthusiastically. They were born and raised as statists. It’s who they are. Nothing is going to change that.
smithinjapan
nostromo: "stand by for a Republican win - even if they lose, they will drag this through the supreme court to ensure they get the verdict that suits them...."
Whatever the case, the GOP is utterly screwed after this election. They have proven more than ever that simply depending on the white, conservative, Christian men denomination to win is only guaranteeing the party loses. Some 90% or more of African Americans are voting Dem, and more than two-thirds of Hispanics, not to mention women. And yet if they try to appeal to anything BUT the aforementioned then they'll be chased out of their seats by the Tea Party. This is the last election we'll see the GOP as they are now. If they are stupid enough, after the anger, blame, and what not die down when this election is done, to keep the same ways it's another win for the Dems in 2016.
Mirai Hayashi
Vermont Senate seat goes to Bernie Sanders
yasukuni
How on earth can an older white Mormon who is continually being lampooned and maliciously smeared by the media continually, be even close in the votes against the guy backed by the media? (and the Obama internet army with their glazed eyes and hunched shoulders.)
Herve Nmn L'Eisa
The only question is who gets to wear the captain's hat as the Titanic sinks. It's the economy, stupid, as Bill Clinton once said. Last month alone, the first full month of Fiscal Year 2013, the US government accumulated nearly $200 billion in new debt-- 20% of the way to a fresh trillion in just 31 days.
Not to mention, the numbers will only continue to get worse. 10,000 people each day begin receiving mandatory entitlements. Fewer people remain behind to pay into the system. The debt keeps rising, and interest payments will continue rising.
Curiously, a series of polls taken by ABC News/Washington Post and NBC News/Wall Street Journal show that while 80% of Americans are concerned about the debt, roughly the same amount (78%) oppose cutbacks to mandatory entitlements like Medicare.
Bottom line, the US government is legally bound to spend more money on mandatory entitlements and interest than it can raise in tax revenue. It won't make a difference how high they raise taxes, or even if they cut everything else that remains in government as we know it.
This is not a political problem, it's a mathematical one. Facts are facts, no matter how uncomfortable they may be. Today's election is merely a choice of who is going to captain the sinking Titanic.
yasukuni
"on the white, conservative, Christian men denomination to win is only guaranteeing the party loses. Some 90% or more of African Americans are voting Dem, and more than two-thirds of Hispanics, not to mention women. "
just more divisiveness. Blacks, women, gays.. whites - why not just talk about America.
Mirai Hayashi
Barack Obama leads in Florida 54.7%-44.7% with <1% reporting which really means nothing...yet
Lizz
ABC TV is reporting their ABC/Washington Post analysis of early voting is projecting a 7 point advantage for Obama (this is early/absentee voting, not voting results from today). They noted Obama had an 18 point advantage in 2008 and said that Obama actually lost the election day vote.
If accurate, that is 11-point swing from last year. Now we need a solid Romney margin from today’s voters to put him over the top. :)
Mirai Hayashi
Poor logic...2008 and 2012 are very different elections with very different dynamics.
Ohio and NC polls just closed...Obama still ahead in FL
Dennis Bauer
$6 billion? wow, the american people could have used that.
Mirai Hayashi
The Romney camp sees that Obama will be up in Ohio by 5 points...not good for news for Romney
Wolfpack
Yes, Obama's ideological soul mate Bernie 'Madoff' Sanders wins again.
Mirai Hayashi
S. Carolina goes to Romney...oh no!!! Shocker!!...not!
Wolfpack
West Virginia for Romney - would have been a shocker 12 years ago but not these days.
globalwatcher
Agree, Mirai.
Ohio and NC polls just closed...Obama still ahead in FL
Wow, Obama still ahead in FL-that would be a big upset for Romney. Remember, OHIO, OHIO, OHIO. All Obama needs to do is to carry Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa to get a magic number of 271.
Lizz
The counties that are still voting in FL are 80% GOP. If the order is in the same way as 2000 and 2004, Obama has to have a monstrous lead in the earlier returns to win Florida.
Mirai Hayashi
Florida: Obama up 3% with 37% of the vote in, per CNN.
Mirai Hayashi
Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) declared winner over Rep. Connie Mack (R-FL) in Florida...FL turning blue!!
Mirai Hayashi
Obama winner in DE, MA, CT, IL, RI....no surprise...NC is interesting though
Mirai Hayashi
Maine goes to Obama too...according to CNN
Mirai Hayashi
Maine goes to Obama too...according to CNN
Mirai Hayashi
WOW...Obama wins South Carolina!! That's unexpected!
Tatanka
No surprise Bernie Sanders won in Vermont.
Mirai Hayashi
Ohio secretary of state says Obama 57%, Romney 41%, but "a lot more regions to come in"
Mirai Hayashi
NJ goes to Obama ----duh!
Mirai Hayashi
Sorry...this is wrong...
Mirai Hayashi
CHRIS MUUUUUURPHY with a giant ELBOW from the sky! McMahon out for the 3 count
Mirai Hayashi
Obama...giagnormous lead in OH...58% to 41% 20% reporting
Obama....huge lead in FL 51% to 48% with over 50% reporting
globalwatcher
Mirai, it is very critical for Obama to carry Ohio. OHIO, OHIO, OHIO
Mirai Hayashi
ELIZABETH WARREN FTW!!! Scott Brown is GONE! weeeeeee!
globalwatcher
Mirai HayashiNov. 07, 2012 - 11:03AM JST
Mirai, official?
Mirai Hayashi
NEW YORK RESULTS: Obama projected winner ...ok
Mirai Hayashi
Obama gets Michigan too ...yay!
FL is tightening up...meh
Mirai Hayashi
Several news outlets are calling it now including NBC
Mirai Hayashi
Obama gets New Mexico...meh..but we'll take it
Moderator
Please stop bombarding this thread with state-by-state updates.
lucabrasi
It'll be interesting to see what tricks the GOP turn to in an attempt to avoid obvious defeat. I'm already reading reports (yahoo.co.uk) of electronic voting machines selecting Romney despite voters' choosing Obama. How low can these people go?
SushiSake3
Conservatives' hopes and dreams fading by the hour.......
Tatanka
I don't believe Obama is going to win until I hear Chris Matthews said he has tingling in his leg...
globalwatcher
If Florida goes to Obama, the election is over. There is no way Romney can win without Florida. Hope Obama takes it.
Mirai Hayashi
Karl Rove still thinks Romney has a chance...republican reality is amazing ain't it
yabits
The margins in key districts, like Miami-Dade, are swinging by wider margins for President Obama than what he won in 2008.
SushiSake3
Good times. If you're a Global Liberal. :-)
yabits
Answer: Nearly every time, as long as history keeps moving forward.
Mirai Hayashi
Tweet from Al Gore: "I am confident in saying that President Obama is going to carry the state of Florida tonight."
Herve Nmn L'Eisa
The fact is, it doesn't matter one bit which suit wins. Here it is mathematically:
1) When the US federal government spends money, expenses are officially categorized in three different ways.
Discretionary spending includes nearly everything we think of related to government-- the US military, Air Force One, the Department of Homeland Security, TSA agents who sexually assault passengers, etc.
Mandatory spending includes entitlements like Medicare, Social Security, VA benefits, etc. which are REQUIRED by law to be paid.
The final category is interest on the debt. It is non-negotiable.
Mandatory spending and debt interest go out the door automatically. It's like having your mortgage payment auto-drafted from your bank account-- Congress doesn't even see the money, it's automatically deducted.
2) With the rise of baby boomer entitlements and steady increase in overall debt levels, mandatory spending and interest payments have exploded in recent years. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office predicted in 2010 that the US government's TOTAL revenue would be exceeded by mandatory spending and interest expense within 15-years.
That's a scary thought. Except it happened the very next year.
3) In Fiscal Year 2011, the federal government collected $2.303 trillion in tax revenue. Interest on the debt that year totaled $454.4 billion, and mandatory spending totaled $2,025 billion. In sum, mandatory spending plus debt interest totaled $2.479 trillion... exceeding total revenue by $176.4 billion.
For Fiscal Year 2012 which just ended 37 days ago, that shortfall increased 43% to $251.8 billion.
In other words, they could cut the entirety of the Federal Government's discretionary budget-- no more military, SEC, FBI, EPA, TSA, DHS, IRS, etc.-- and they would still be in the hole by a quarter of a trillion dollars.
4) Raising taxes won't help. Since the end of World War II, tax receipts in the US have averaged 17.7% of GDP in a very tight range. The low has been 14.4% of GDP, and the high has been 20.6% of GDP.
During that period, however, tax rates have been all over the board. Individual rates have ranged from 10% to 91%. Corporate rates from 15% to 53%. Gift taxes, estate taxes, etc. have all varied. And yet, total tax revenue has stayed nearly constant at 17.7% of GDP.
It doesn't matter how much they increase tax rates-- they won't collect any more money.
5) GDP growth prospects are tepid at best. Facing so many headwinds like quickening inflation, an enormous debt load, and debilitating regulatory burdens, the US economy is barely keeping pace with population growth.
6) The only thing registering any meaningful growth in the US is the national debt. It took over 200 years for the US government to accumulate its first trillion dollars in debt. It took just 286 days to accumulate the most recent trillion (from $15 trillion to $16 trillion).
Who inherits the helm for the next term will take the blame when it all comes crashing down like in Greece. It's a mathematical certainty.
smithinjapan
lubracasi: "It'll be interesting to see what tricks the GOP turn to in an attempt to avoid obvious defeat. I'm already reading reports (yahoo.co.uk) of electronic voting machines selecting Romney despite voters' choosing Obama. How low can these people go?"
To be fair, there were reports of the same thing happening in favor of Obama in a couple of cases. There's a YouTube video of someone pushing the touch screen button to vote for Obama but it registering Romney. When he hits cancel and pushes Obama again, once again it goes to Romney. He finally has to touch somewhere else on the screen to select Obama (ie. the settings are faulty). Critics of the video (ie. Republicans) accused the person in question of 'human error' despite that clearly not being the case.
Regardless, the Republicans will do ANYTHING for this kind of slip-up, even if it results in only a few more accidental votes for their candidate. Close down the polls early, rely on faulty machines, etc. They never learn.
Yabits: "Answer: Nearly every time, as long as history keeps moving forward."
More like they'll continue to be on the wrong side of history so long as history continues to NOT move forward (which is to say, whenever they are in office).
Tatanka
@Herve Nmn L'Eisa:
Liberals don't want to hear the reality, they just want their free stuff. Obamaphones, medical care, food stamps, college tuition, and it goes on and on....
Herve Nmn L'Eisa
There will be recounts in every closey-contested state, and the results of the recounts and subsequent litigation will determine the final outcome.
SushiSake3
Tatanka - "Liberals don't want to hear the reality, they just want their free stuff. Obamaphones, medical care, food stamps, college tuition, and it goes on and on...."
.....Necessary support for the underpriviledged, government support for green tech and employment packages, security for SS and MediCare, investment in infrastructure, education and healthcare....you know...all those things that conservatives detest.
yabits
That's as much of a pipe dream as are your other postings.
bass4funk
If he wins, then fine, it shows that the country wants FREE stuff and that the country will be on its way out to what was once a great country.
YuriOtani
Fox has called it, President Obama reelected.
yabits
As former McCain campaign manager, Steve Schmidt, put it: 2008 represents the last election in the United States that will be determined by white males.
America is "browning" and the current Republican Party has little to offer them in the way of a vision.
Really glad to see how much the Tea Party hurt the Republican Party. Newly elected Democratic senators in Missouri and Indiana say, "thank you!"
hoserfella
Bass4 funk - commence whining..
SushiSake3
bye bye Romney.
Nice effort.
Better luck next time.
:-)
SushiSake3
We have a Done Deal.
hoserfella
Obama wins 2nd term. NOW he'll hit em with the liberal policy!
lucabrasi
A quote from Bill O'Reilly on Fox:
Classy, Bill. Looks like the racists are showing their true colours now there's no need to pretend to be decent human beings.
nath
Bill O'reilly is a fool anyways, Though I don;t like Obama, I really hate the attitudes and voices of people like O'reilly Hannity and Limbaugh who make all Republicans look likes asses.
frontandcentre
I'm not sure it would make much difference to the course of U.S. policy whoever won - the country is in decline regardless of what politicians do - but I'm quite pleased that Obama's won because he's a more likeable person than Romney.
I'm also pleased because the Republican attack commercials were disgraceful, and because the Tea Party should now be rightfully consigned to the dustbin of history - sorry, make that the 'trash can' of history.
Four more years of common sense. Not what I call a liberal administration, but probably better than what Romney could offer the World.
FnC
lostrune2
With Ohio lost and Obama leading in Florida 50-49 with mainly Democratic city districts left to report, it's practically impossible for Romney to win.
Interestingly, Romney is leading the overall popular vote by a few hundred thousand votes.
Molenir
A Great Day for the world, a Tragedy for America, as an idiot suckers the US into 4 more years of incompetency and stupidity.
Molenir
Yep, because a balanced budget should never, ever even be thought of.
GW
Sayonara romney, let the door hit you on the way out!
Thankfully there are still plenty of yanks who are able to reason, analyze things so guys like Romney dont get in, good day for the yanks, the repubs are simply way too far out in right field to have had a chance!
SushiSake3
Looking forward to 2016 I am looking forward - very much - to seeing Rick Santorum become the GOP nominee for president. ;-)
bass4funk
Mirai, no need to be an >>>> you are not a child, grow up. I already said, I was never for Obama, I will always believe that he is a Socialist and as a person in the top 5% business creator, Obama is the worst thing for America, but if the American people want to be like Western Europe and embrace the entitlement culture, that is their right and I will always love my country and support the people, even if I think it was a totally unbelievable decision, now that it's all over (thank god) let's move on and see what lies ahead. Let's hope Obama will work with Repubs and is smart enough like Clinton was to come down the middle, if not, the Repubs control the House and there will be more gridlock and NO one wants that. But congrats to all you liberals you got what you want. I just worry about the nation and the debt and all the woes that are hurting our great nation. Being serious and sincere about this. Let's see what happens now with this President.
whiskeysour
I LOVE OBAMA
Obama Obama Obama Obama Obama Obama Obama
Yeahhhhhh !!!!!!!!!
Romney should have released his tax returns and his 5 weird looking sons.
Good Luck to your new house and car elevator garage !!!!!!!
globalwatcher
We are jumping around and celebrating for Obama now. I wish you guys JT Obama team were here to join us. I am actually in tears of joy. All of us worked very hard for this too long.
WilliB
Oh boy. 4 more years of lunacy.
Now he pull out out all the stops, as he promised to Putin.
cornbread1
I am a common folk, and so is Obama...one of the reasons why I voted for him, again. Many politicians the world over are 2nd or 3rd generation, so they have grown up with a silver spoon in their mouth, meaning they can't possibly comprehend the trials and tribulations of a common folk. Obama, you da man!
whiskeysour
I Love America !!!!!!! YEAHHHHHHHH USA USA USA USA
Obama, I Love You !!!!!!
4 more year 4 more years 4 more years 4 more years I voted for you. Take care of america. Bring America back from the brink of chaos.
globalwatcher
WilliBNov. 07, 2012 - 01:45PM JST
You do not have to come here. Please stay where you are. Win-win for both of us.
lostrune2
Is this American democracy to be believed?
kdt3272
Congratulations president Obama!!
You have 4 more years to clean up the MESS the Republican Bush Administration left us with!
How soon we all forget who caused all these problems!
WilliB
Lubracasi:
That is pretty rich coming from the Democrat corner who has played the race left, right, center, above and below table for 4 years now.
Triumvere
So, conservatives, where now for the Republican party?
globalwatcher
whiskeysourNov. 07, 2012 - 01:47PM JST
wiskysour, we will make sure we will pass the American Veteran's Job bill with Obama. Obama works very hard for veterans as you know.
Betraythetrust!
Nothing big will change. America will still have the largest % of population in prison of any nation, the widest gap between rich and poor and worlds largest military spending. The real power is held by the unelected.
yabits
And there is the difference between the two sides: The Democratic/liberal side is heavily composed of people at the lower rungs of society who are looking UP to build a better future for all Americans. Our opponents spend most of their time and effort looking DOWN at others.
smithinjapan
"Romney’s aides had predicted that a late Romney wave would sweep Obama from office after a single term haunted by a sluggish recovery from the worst economic crisis since the 1930s Great Depression and high unemployment."
Oops! :)
CONGRATS OBAMA!!! and congratulations to the USA for a wise choice.
Resurfaced
I'm very happy with this turnout and the fact that Romney didn't take office. That's the way the dice rolls MFs.
Blacklabel
more people voted for Romney than Obama. Hopefully that will tell him (Obama) something and he will shape up now. I doubt it but could happen.
YuriOtani
Hate to be a spoiled sport but the Republicans tightened their grip on the house of representatives. In short nothing will change, gridlock.
nath
So looks like Obama won? More of the same? sorry decline of a once great nation continues.
wontond
@ blacklabel...I wouldn't be so sure of that. Wait until all the votes are counted. Romney's lead on the popular vote is slimming.
globalwatcher
zichiNov. 07, 2012 - 01:55PM JST
Karl Rove Crossroad America is a SuperPac money making machine, and they had to keep doing that for inflow cash (donation) from voters.
bass4funk
I still think the Republicans are in somewhat of a good standing. They will never give up on their principles and like Yuri said, if Obama doesn't come down the middle, there will be gridlock for sure. So it's not that Obama is off Scott Free sailing in the wind.
frontandcentre
Molenir,
Why do you think what's good for the rest of the World is bad for America? Sorry to tell you this, but America is not on another planet (somewhat unfortunately from the point of view of CO2 output...) but actually it's important that you have a productive relationship with the world. The world needs America to keep consuming and America needs the world to keep lending it money (something which was going on long before Obama first came to office, as you should well know.)
bass4funk - if you think Obama is a socialist, you clearly don't understand the term. In Europe, his views would make him a social conservative, at best.
FnC
Onniyama
Congrats to Obama. Sorry rich people. No new tax breaks for you! Let's hope Obama can keep a lid on this Israel-Iran situation. Next, Trudeau for PM in Canada!!!
Molenir
Heh, you say that as you look down on those intelligent enough to disagree with you. The Dem side is not about building a better future, its about taking from those who build, and giving it to those who don't. Your boy even admitted it. Still, I congratulate you. Your boy successfully suckered America into another 4 more years of incompetent leadership. You won, we lost.
nath
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!
Stranger_in_a_Strange_Land
This is a day I have long been waiting for. Big congratulations to Obama and team.
There's a big smile on my face as I imagine all the Republicans who predicted victory eating their words.
Pretentious Republican Tool
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Shhhhhhh
Come on don't make so much noise. Be a little quiter
I WANT TO HEAR THE FAT LADY SING !!!
She is not quite as elequent as she was 4 years ago
But it is the same tune.
OBAMA WINS!!!
Obama wins!
I knew the polling wasn't skewed like those whining republicans were saying.
Those conservatives will say anything.
Well, except the truth, when they don't like it.
globalwatcher
frontandcentreNov. 07, 2012 - 02:26PM JST
Because the conservative cannot see anything beyond the fense and they are often very close minded. They are not willing to reach out like liberals. True educated liberals are pretty comfortable who we are and I am liberal.
Here is a famous quote by JFK on liberal.
If by a "Liberal" they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people — their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties — someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a "Liberal," then I'm proud to say I'm a "Liberal."
He will never understand that. He is a prisoner in his own belief. My attempt has already failed.
SushiSake3
TAKE HOME LESSONS FOR CONSERVATIVES:
1/ Ha ha ha!
2/ LOL!
3/ ROFL!!
4/ If you want to win an election, stop picking losers to represent you.
SushiSake3
Congratulations President Obama!
Only the second Democratic party president since the war to win 2 terms.
Good times! :-)
wontond
The GOP has moved so far to the right that the middle isn't what it used to be. The Republicans need to remember their core values, get rid of the crazies that call themselves the Tea Party and work with the President to move the country ahead.
Blacklabel
Yeah seems like Obama might actually get the popular vote too by the end.
SushiSake3
"So, conservatives, where now for the Republican party?"
The trash heap of history where they so rightfully belong. :-)
shanabelle
A good result, well at least we got the lesser of two evils. Who will the GOP go for next....EASTWOOD 2016?
nath
According to FOX NEWS and CNN, popular vote 47% to 47%, Dems win presidency, win Senate and Republicans gain 2 seats out of 435 seats in the house.
In other words, hope wins over hate again
Moderator
Readers, in the interest of maintaining a mature level of discussion, we ask both sides to refrain from making inflammatory remarks.
Jimizo
Let's just hope the GOP can return to sanity and the conservatives can direct their anger to a practical target - their own party. Idiotic tea baggers and nutcase evangelicals ( good to see Akin routed ) will continue to drag them down unless they shape up quickly.
wontond
Classy concession speech from Romney.
Tatanka
Just out of curiosity what is the popular vote count?
SuperLib
Sweetness.
Republicans can either double-down on the conservative credentials or they can move towards the center. Demographics should give them the answer. They needed to lose this one to change.
"The central conservative truth is that it is culture, not politics, that determines the success of a society. The central liberal truth is that politics can change a culture and save it from itself." -- Daniel Patrick Moynihan
wontond
Tatanka...Obama is up by a couple hundred thousand.
sailwind
I'm not happy with the result obviously. Though the American people have spoken and decided President Obama is worthy of 4 more years. I wish him well as embarks on his second term and I truly do hope that his second term will be much more successful than what was his first four years in Governing our country.
Respectfully,
Sailwind
Elbuda Mexicano
Thank god/s for a democracy! My vote for OBAMA actually counted!! Omedetougozaimasu Mr.Barrak Hussein Obama!! 4 more years!!!!!!! Yeah baby!!
Tatanka
Hey Matthew Simon:
O'Reilly, Hannity and that bunch do this for a living, caring less who wins or loses and making millions while you sit here typing out silly messages self-absorbed in your own ether.
Tomorrow or the next day when the euphoria wears off, unemployment will still be high, our national debt will continue to grow, and there will be continued gridlock in the Beltway.
Jimizo
Let's just hope this can return the GOP to sanity. Time to make themselves electable again, but I wouldn't hold my breath....
Probie
It was obvious Obama was going to win.
Black people voting for Obama= 99.9%
Black people voting for Romney= 0.1%
Another 4 years of Obama doing NOTHING.
globalwatcher
sailwindNov. 07, 2012 - 03:10PM JST
What a strong man you are to say this, sailwind. You are truly American!!!
Tiger_In_The_Hermitage
Obama won! Yeppy, another 4 years of great speeches, inflation, high unemployment, large government and last but not least, a step towards socialism.
globalwatcher
I'm about to go speak to the crowd here in Chicago, but I wanted to thank you first.
I want you to know that this wasn't fate, and it wasn't an accident. You made this happen.
You organized yourselves block by block. You took ownership of this campaign five and ten dollars at a time. And when it wasn't easy, you pressed forward.
I will spend the rest of my presidency honoring your support, and doing what I can to finish what we started.
But I want you to take real pride, as I do, in how we got the chance in the first place.
Today is the clearest proof yet that, against the odds, ordinary Americans can overcome powerful interests.
There's a lot more work to do.
But for right now: Thank you.
Barack
Madverts
Voter bias is showing.
Congratulations America for keeping the fundies out of power. You had the rest of us almost worried.
frontandcentre
If the Republicans want to get the presidency next time, they'd better aim for policies that appeal to all Americans, rather than just to small-minded, bible-thumping conservative America and big business. The sort of people who can't tell the difference between a socialist and someone who disagrees with the nuts in the Tea Party.
FnC
hoserfella
I said this 4 years ago and I'll say it again; with the demographics in the US changing so much, is it possible they have seen their last white male as Prez for some time? In 2016 the Democratic nominee will be the wildly popular and experienced Hillary Clinton.
I think we are in the early stages of a real cultural change in the US that will get her up to speed with other 1st world countries.
Thomas Anderson
Obama won't change anything but at least he's better than the other guy.
megosaa
Guess Clint Eastwood will keep staring at an empty chair from now on.. lol
lucabrasi
@Sailwind
Spoken like a true gent. Wish the Tea Party mob could show the same spirit.
Larry Woodworth
149 comments between Romney giving his concession speech and Obama leaving the stage after his acceptance speech. Just goes to prove the adage that religion and politics discussions turn ugly fast.
Congratulations to Obama for winning re-election. Your work is cut out for you because you've got basically the same situation in the House and Senate as you had in the first term. Your second term will be measured by how well you are able to break this stalemate that Congress has maneuvered itself into. I hope you are able to succeed because another four years like the last four will irreparably harm the country.
Herve Nmn L'Eisa
As I've been saying all along, it doesn't matter who is at the helm at this point. The ship has a huge tear from bow to stern and is taking on water faster than can possibly be bailed or pumped out. It's all in the math. Celebrate for the moment, but icy waters lay dead ahead for Lady Liberty.
hoserfella
Larry - you might want to thank the right wing nutjobs in the Republican party who have absolutely refused to work with Obama and have done everything in their power to sink his Presidency for 4 years.
frontandcentre
BTW, Romney's defeat is bad karma coming back to him for his remarks in London. Despite his doubts, the Olympics were a triumph.
FnC
lucabrasi
People are getting this expression all wrong. "Legitimate rape" was used to refer to "actual" rape, as in a genuine act of aggression, rather than a situation in which the "victim" was actually a willing partner.
It doesn't mean "legitimate" as in "justified" or "reasonable".
Just a matter of semantics, by the way, I'm not trying to defend the idiot Senator who made the original comment.
Molenir
lol, best is yet to come? Anything would be better then his last 4 years. So thats not exactly a high hurdle to hit.
Mirai Hayashi
Except...he no longer has re-election to worry about. Now he can do some serious republican a$$ kicking!!
WilliB
"Dollar falls on Obama win"..... Bloomberg.
Nuff said.
Herve Nmn L'Eisa
Mirai, he still has to watch his steps and remain within the law or face impeachment. Re-election a king does not make.
Yubaru
And who was responsible for the past 4 years? Since the "brink" occurred on Obama's watch does it mean now we get to watch the country get pushed over the edge?
I sincerely hope not.
I lost a ton of respect for Obama this election with his negative campaign. He should be ashamed of himself really. Sure he won, it doesnt mean he's a better man, nor worse for that matter but I wouldn't hire either of these to babysit my dog.
Jimizo
The postmortem has begun and there are still some who believe the Republicans lost because they were not conservative enough - that is surely borderline insanity.
Tamarama
Sanity prevails. Now he should get on with the business of reforming taxation laws so that the likes of Mitt Romney don't get away with paying a meagre 14% tax on their 20 mill annual income.....
lostrune2
Some election notes:
Obama won by winning 7 of 9 battleground states and the women votes (which make up 53% of the electorate, more than men). For the first time ever, 10% of the voters are Hispanic (vs 13% blacks), mostly voting Obama. And now leads the overall popular vote 50% vs. 49%.
Republicans gained 1 governor mansion, raising it to 30 vs 20 for Democrats. Maine and Maryland approved same-sex marriage, with Minnesota still tied. Colorado and Washington legalized marijuana, while Oregon didn't. Among those who voted: 47% think taxes should be raised for those earning $250k+, 35% don't............... revenge of the 47%?
Hardly any change in the Senate and House make-up. But many moderate Congressmen on both sides lost, meaning Congress would be even more polarized. But while it'll be even more polarized, the Tea Party wave that swept 2010 Congress had much less influence this time around, with several of its candidates even being given the boot.
smithinjapan
Larry: "149 comments between Romney giving his concession speech and Obama leaving the stage after his acceptance speech. Just goes to prove the adage that religion and politics discussions turn ugly fast."
If you're referring to this thread and the number of comments, keep in mind that it's been up since this morning, with only the title and some of the comments changing. If you don't believe me take a look at the first comment -- where a poster predicts a Romney win. Since victory was declared there haven't been that many added. My last comment (20 or so comments before) was JUST after Obama officially won.
Yubaru: "And who was responsible for the past 4 years? Since the "brink" occurred on Obama's watch does it mean now we get to watch the country get pushed over the edge?"
In terms of the economy, one of the biggest factors in the election, the bring was passed under GWB and continued its downward spiral under Obama. If Congress continues its policy of saying no simply for the sake of opposing Democratic reforms, then that will continue as well.
Herve Nmn L'Eisa
Another important result from the election is that Colorado and Washington have both voted to legalize recreational use of marijuana! Let's see where it leads.
smithinjapan
bass4Funk: "They will never give up on their principles..."
That's why the GOP will never win out of honesty and integrity, but only out of ensuring NOTHING goes forward that is proposed by the Democrats, and subsequently suggesting the Democrats are incapable of making change (when it's clearly them stopping it). When the GOP was formed and attempted to win based only on appealing to conservative, Christian white men it flew, but obviously it does NOT fly any more. If the GOP does not 'give up their principals' as such, they're toast, as was proven in this election.
smithinjapan
Jimizo: "The postmortem has begun and there are still some who believe the Republicans lost because they were not conservative enough - that is surely borderline insanity."
No kidding, eh? Is making their party 'more conservative' going to win over the number of Hispanics they plan to screw over as a result? will it get them more of the African American, women, and gay votes? Nope. They'll further alienate themselves and lose even more votes next time. I mean, look at super-conservatives like the guy who says pregnancy by rape is god's will -- how far did that get him?
If they don't change the party they're only going to blame everything under the sun but the actual causes for this loss, and they'll lose again next time as well. They now have four years to change, shape up, and find candidates actually qualified for and worthy of the job, but mark my words -- they will not learn from this.
Vast Right-Wing Conspirator
To President Obama;
Congratulations on your re-election. Best of luck in the next four years. You're the President, let's try to get together for the good of the USA. Enjoy your victory, the people have spoken. We can return to politics tomorrow.
Regards;
VRWC
YongYang
Common decency won the day. Well done America. Sort out your voting system BEFORE 2016. Well done Mr President.
SquidBert
It now also looks like Obama will have a 'clear' majority of the popular vote as well.
Currently 50% Obama, 48.4% for Romney
YongYang
Here come the train! President Obama with over 300 College votes.
AND CHOO CHOO!
smithinjapan
Yubaru: "I lost a ton of respect for Obama this election with his negative campaign."
I hear what you're saying there, and I lost some respect for him as well, but I've kept that largely in check because he was just playing the GOP's own game -- and it showed when they whined and complained about the Dems slinging the same kind of mud they thought they specialized in. Gingerich (when running for the GOP ticket) realized you can't run a positive campaign as well when everyone else is trying to bury you with lies and gross exaggerations, and soon after declaring he would not run a negative campaign jumped down into the mud with the best of them.
If people saw through the negative stuff, shunned it, and voted only for the positive then we could eliminate this garbage, but it'll never happen.
bass4funk
@horse
I highly doubt it. He'll do just fine to sink the country all by himself. Obama and his radical policies is really the problem here. Like I said, why would the conservatives bow down to this radical president work with him over policies they don't believe in, the House gained some seats, now they are in a better position to steer this man in a more stream-lined position, if the Dems want to get anything done, either they meet down the middle or compromise or you'll see and hear the word "gridlock" become a household name.
bruinfan
Contrary to popular belief, Obama isn't going to cut military (spending). He isn't going to punish the parasites of Goldman Sachs and other financial institutes, and he isn't going to abolish the Patriot Act. But Romney would have done none of these either.
Tokyoz
The politics of optimism, courage and shared purpose gutted the cynicism, fear and hatred of the Right. What a great day for America! Congratulations, President Obama!
Laguna
It is hard not to see this as anything other than an overwhelming victory for the Democratic Party. Despite its disadvantage in races in play in the Senate, the Dems have managed to pick up at least two seats (when caucusing independents are included) and the house did not budge an inch to the right. If anything, considering the liberal characters of those elected, the people have spoken for what Obama has called for.
The real work begins from now. Obama has set the stage masterfully; let us hope that he plays it equally well. Republicans will want to solve the "fiscal cliff" before their slim advantage in the lame-duck Congress slips even further; let them beat themselves up. If they choose to go over the cliff, let them: See how they'll vote in January, once the Bush cuts expire, on tax decreases for the middle class.
Tax and entitlement reform are important and must be dealt with, but only in combination with a balance of revenue enhancement. Obama now has time on his side; I hope he uses it wisely.
gcbel
@Laguna - Excellent post!
WilliB
"The best is yet to come".... LOL, no doubt, from his perspective. Now it is full bore doubling up on tax, spend, and nationalize. He promised that to Putin that already, when he forgot to turn off the mike, remember?
JDB829
FORWARD ! And, . . . to borrow a phrase from Sushi, . . GOOD TIMES !
cramp
Obama's got nothing to lose now and has 4 yrs to actually do some real good. Hope he starts early, starts now.
Vast Right-Wing Conspirator
@cracaphat
I Don't know what you mean, my friend. I see the invective on both sides. Plus, if you don't like the comments, you are more than able to not read them.
I'm a hard core right wing supporter myself, and as I said, congratulations to the President. IMHO, the time for fighting the election is over. It's finished. Time now to work on the future.
Hayden Wellstone
What's the word...?
Oh yeah, MANDATE!!!
Life is good. Congratulations Mr. President.
And a hearty thank you to the people of the United States who voted to keep a serial flip flopper and draft dodger as far away from the guy who claims to know how to create jobs, then says that govt. can't create jobs. Thank you from a guy who planned to build the Navy bigger than the Sec. of the Navy wants. Oh yeah and in building these billion dollar ships, he's going to lower the national debt, WHILE lowering taxes but not cutting into needed social services. I would LOVE for him to explain THAT little bit or magic. Any...thank you America for making the right choice. May the older supreme court retire and be replaced by liberal judges, totally giving the court a new look.
Hee Hee! MANDATE baby, MANDATE!
Laguna
I live by Grandpa's remark from Lost Boys, "Read the TV guide, don't need a TV!" The closest I like to come to TV news is in print.
While not wanting to wallow in the woes of those way-fallen, a bit of schadenfreude is not uncalled-for. I understand from print that there is a channel called "Fox." From what I have read, it is odious. Being TV, their reaction to this election is now public record. I enjoyed reading about it - undoubtedly much more than I would have watching it.
http://www.salon.com/2012/11/07/fox_news_dark_night_of_the_soul/
yasukuni
"“best campaign team and volunteers in the history of politics.”
That's definitely true. And it needs to be said that the volunteers weren't just people manning phones, but journalists in all medias, and those who campaigned through the internet.
(That's not an attack - it's an observation, and my opinion that Republicans underestimate the value of getting their people involved in the internet).
I'd say commenting favorably for your side and negatively for the other on news sites, blogs, youtube etc, is probably just as or more effective as calling people up on phones.
Especially with young people -and they are the ones who decide the election.
So, congratulation to the internet warriors here! I'm not American, but am pro-US, and also realize that a strong US is good for everyone, so Congratulations to Obama and family, and let's hope America gets back.
PS, nobody does election campaigns like Americans. If we could bottle that passion and use it as an energy source we wouldn't need nuclear power plants!
herefornow
Proves how smart the U.S. voters really are. After four years of complete negativity and unwillingness to work in a bi-partisan way by the Republicans, Obama got voted back in with virtually the same percentage of total votes he got in 2008. Al the FOX News crap and billions in PAC ads couldn't buy them the election. Way to go.
Molenir
A victory, no question. Though consider that Republicans didn't lose any ground in the House. A strange dichotomy in a night then otherwise was all Dem. When you factor in, as you say, the partisan nature of the House, its and the Dem hopes, to flip it, prior to the election, this is actually somewhat remarkable, and a bit confusing.
With 49.9 percent of Americans opposing him, a Mandate it is not. Indeed, you could say that America gave Obama 4 more years, while putting in placed Republicans to block the stupidity he'd no doubt foist on us, like another Obamacare.
Laguna
Perhaps a good place to look at how this will go is at Rick Perry, Texas Gov, who does not plan to have Texas participate in ACA expansion, a stance that has not pleased the Texas Hospital Association and its 500 member hospitals. The Texas Legislature is under intense pressure to override Perry's move.< http://shearlingsplowed.blogspot.jp/2012/07/texas-legislature-likely-to-overrule.html>
So perhaps you are correct: the slate level legislature may keep insanity from spreading, at least in this case.
Laguna
A very good point, Molenir. The US is not radical in either direction, and, despite GOP rhetoric, Obama is not a radical president by any means whatsoever.
A specific example quite germane: Obama offered Boehner a very favorable ratio of tax increases to spending cuts - something in the ratio of 1:10 - but Boehner was not able to gather his caucus to support it. He will get another chance, though perhaps on slightly less-favorable grounds. The message sent by the electorate is that he ought to take it.
SushiSake3
Global - "We are jumping around and celebrating for Obama now. I wish you guys JT Obama team were here to join us. I am actually in tears of joy. All of us worked very hard for this too long."
Global, good job, mate. I really appreciate your effort to bring sanity back to America and to the world.
You helped proved that millions of individuals working for a common goal can bring momentous change.
A great day and job (very) well done. :-)
SushiSake3
U..S. conservative hate, ignorance and failure lost - and lost bigtime - today.
That's got to be a good thing. :-)
Open Minded
Moderation and continuity in progress: I believe this is a very good day for US and the world. Congratulations Obama!
kazetsukai
SAD... is the word.
SAD that in every country, election or not, they only see what they want to see and act on what they want to act on. That goes for both political parties in the USA. I am guessing it is not much different here in Japan.
I am also guessing that most participants here, are motivated what they want to see. As some has indicated, LIFE is basically economics. From peace to war, it all depends on how one views his/her standard of living and how and when he/she is getting more than the other person without having to work for it. Those in power are working for it and those without power are working to give away that power for a guarantee of getting the minimum those in power are willing to give.
The problem is, we are now fully connected internationally and no one country / nation can ignore the rest. Obama wants to distribute American wealth (taxpayer's money) to the rest of the world in the hope that it will make things better while US economy deteriorates steadily due to autocratic sanctions and controls, which includes Obamcare . The problem is all the other nations just want to take and not share. The problem is, the wealth is not going to those who can use it and can make a difference. It is going to those who have power and want to keep it for themselves. When too much wealth leaves USA, it weakens the nation.
If this keeps up, our host country will have no support. Hope that the US Congress keep it strong and continue to support Japan. From all indications of actions past, Mr. Obama is NOT interested in giving Japan such support. Action speaks louder than rhetoric.
Serrano
"BEST IS YET TO COME"
I certainly hope so, it sure hasn't come yet. Or has it, lol.
"Ruinous budget cuts"
More ruinous is the ballooning deficit.
Serrano
With 90% of precincts reporting, Obama has 50% of the popular vote. So, half the country didn't support his re-election. He had best reflect on that and start doing what's right for America.
Serrano
But I have no confidence he will do so.
honey
Very exciting Election! A little sad to watch all the Bible punchers cry.Perhaps they shouldn't have under estimated the power of Women,Their party is over!,literally.Cheers Obama!
Fadamor
If you look at the electoral votes (the only ones that counted in the election), it looks like a landslide victory at 303 to 206, but if you look at the popular vote the margin was much closer:
(97% of the votes in) Barack Obama: 59.5 Million votes Mitt Romney: 56.9 Million votesPeople defend the Electoral College but because of it only NINE states were actively campaigned in. This was because the other states either didn't have enough electoral votes to statistically matter, or were so entrenched in one party or the other that campaigning there by the opposing party was considered a waste of money. We need to get to a point where EVERYONE'S vote counts, not just the ones belonging to the controlling party in a particular state. ABOLISH THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE.
gcbel
I feel your pain, but honestly, if Romney had won you wouldn't have claimed he had a mandate? Oh please, I think we all know the answer to that. When Bush won the electoral college but lost the popular vote in 2000 did you claim Bush didn't have mandate? Bush certainly did.
Seriously though, a 'mandate' is what you can get passed. It's clear that compromise is in the cards for both sides NOT continued GOP obstructionism.
Serrano
It will be interesting to see when every last vote is counted, if Obama actually got more popular votes than Romney.
The U.S. is going to have to get rid of that Electoral College fiasco that, although did save America from a President Al Gore, if Romney either winds up with a majority or had gotten another 1 and a half percent of the popular votes, would have once again thwarted the will of the people.
Open Minded
Serrano: most presidential elections saw a winner in the 50-53% of the popular votes. Nothing new and you must accept it. This is why there is the Senate and House to balance the political power. Besides the horrible waste of money for the presidential election and the uncontrolled founding (bribing IMHO) the US democratic system is very good.
SushiSake3
Amazing.
Average global temperatures trending skyward. America has hottest summer in recorded history, (ditto for Japan and other countries), 75% of U.S. was in severe drought conditions, corn/wheat crops down 40%, then east coast gets bammed by strongest and biggest storm in US history - thanks largely to the ocean surface being warmer than at any time in recorded history.
Romney and his Neanderthal party continue to deny climate change.
Obama has already invested $500 billion in green tech companies.
Result: some investments turn sour, GOP slams him while Chinese solar manufacturers continue to leap ahead in solar technology.
If I could vote in America, all that alone would have got my vote for Obama.
TheQuestion
President was re-elected, Democrats keep the Senate, Republicans keep the House.
And so the gridlock and partisan bickering continues. It's almost like all your split ticket votes didn't even matter.
Someone pick up that phone because I CALLED IT. Even when nobody I like gets elected, even when nothing changes and the world around me stays locked on the path favoring statists, large special interest groups, and useless partisans it always brings a warm feeling to my soul when I am, consistently, right about everything.
I was right about the Federal level elections, I was right about my state elections, and I was right about all the ballot proposals in my state. Sometimes it's hard being this smart and it's nice to take solace in the fact that while the rest of the world goes down the tubes I only seem to get better. It's a hard lot in life.
gcbel
Obama should certainly reflect on how to best serve the interests of ALL Americans. And by the same token Obama has 50% and Obama (not Romney) is America's choice as President for the next 4 years the GOP had best reflect on that and start doing what's right for America.
zurcronium
Molenir, Clinton left bush with a surplus budget. Bush and the republicans destroyed that quickly. Of course none of you right wingers said anything at that point. But now of course a balanced budget is soooo important to you, because that is what you are being told to think by your media masters.
Oh, and before Clinton, Carter had a surplus budget. Who destroyed that, Reagan. Same formula as bush, tax cuts for the rich.
Anyway, can feel sorry for the tin foil hat crowd today. Serrano does seem to be MIA. This is a glorious day for the USA and for the world. At least four more years of intelligent leadership as opposed to the failure only, war monger bush years (or potential Romney years). And nearly universal healthcare will kick in now for real for Americans thanks to Obama and they will love it.
Elbuda Mexicano
We can look at a glass half full, or half empty,right?? I want to look at America and day, sure many people did vote for Romney, ok, but now we need to pull together and back up PRESIDENT OBAMA 4 more years to clean up what needs to be cleaned up in the USA asap!!!
Simon Foston
Try not to be too disappointed if he has.
No, what 'saved' America from President Al Gore was Ralph Nader and Gore's own dumb decision to leave it up to conservative Supreme Court Justices as to who had won the 2000 election rather than the House of Representatives. Anyway, I'm sure you were quite happy with that Electoral College result.
TheQuestion
I know I'm having fun with my premium increases. Oh, and the fact that my insurance isn't considered insurance under the health care act is simply wonderful, now I have to buy into the plan my employer offers that has lower prescription drug savings and a yearly premium that is triple what I used to pay. My old plan paid exclusively for developmental drugs, emergency medical care, and specialists leaving me on the hook for routine stuff, no other plan on the market gets even close. Oh yes, I'm having so much fun having to change doctors and the cold sweats that my new FDA approved meds give me are absolutely delightful.
Fadamor
Not that it matters much, but now the percentage opposing him is only 48.8%
RomeoRII
I won't pretend that I like the results. But, I will say this...
Americans have spoken and I congratulate Obama for getting re-elected. I hope more than anything that I am wrong about him and that he will make positive changes that will help the country as a whole. I would love nothing more than to eat my words and be wrong because this country needs help and real change. Unfortunately, nothing happened in the past 4 years to prove me wrong when I voted against him this week. But, I can still hope for the change that was promised then, right?
RR
zurcronium
The crocodile tears here from the wind up crowd are truly moving.
IF you all want positive change to occur, which you say but most do not believe, then stop saying no to everything. Obama bend over backwards to accommodate the republicans in the budget negotiations for example, but no response from the house. The house just passed endless anti-choice bills that Obama never signed.
You all want change, they stop blocking it. Obama may try once more to compromise, I hope he does not, but it seems to be in his character to try. The upcoming bush tax cuts for the rich program ends in a few weeks. Here is the perfect chance for the republicans to do the right thing and agree to increase taxes on the rich back to Clinton levels (when the economy was booming). Will this happen, no. The republicans will block this as usual and tax increases will fall on all families when it should just be placed only on the upper 10 percent or so.
bass4funk
Since he hasn't done anything these last 4 years, except rack up massive debt, we'll see if the man can curb his insatiable appetite for outlandish spending amd borrowing or will he go that same route as before, he'd better learn to compromise if he wants to avoid potential gridlocks. Ball is in his court.
Fadamor
Given the economic train wreck that Bush handed over to Obama almost four years ago, I'm not surprised it's taken this long to stop the slide. Things seem to be starting to turn around economically, so Obama has four years to define whether this really is a turn-around, or is just a brief upturn before resuming the slide. The country is going to have to face a combination of increased taxes and reduced services in order to get the budget back into the black. This is how Clinton handed over a budget surplus to Bush back in 2000 (and which Bush promptly turned back into a budget deficit by reducing taxes and handing out refund checks to all taxpayers.)
The Republicans have staked their political lives on a "No Taxes" pledge that is great for a soundbite, but does absolutley nothing for the health of the nation. Their plan was to slash government spending by closing a bunch of government bureaus and/or programs. There was no comment on how that would flood the rolls of the unemployed with former government employees. It became politically expedient for the Republicans to criticize the President for not improving the unemployment rate, while fully knowing that their own plan for the government would make the unemployment rate worse.
Simon Foston
A better position? Really? The Republicans didn't gain the White House or the Senate, it actually remains to be seen whether they've improved their position in the House and it doesn't look as if they'll be able to claim that Romney at least won the popular vote like Al Gore in 2000. It's not even as if Obama should have been so hard to beat. The Republicans managed to hold on to what they have already, and nothing more.
Unlike in Japan where people will insist on continually re-electing those useless LDP cretins, come the mid-term elections American voters might get tired of a bunch of idealogues stopping anything from getting done because they won't compromise on their principles. If they do, there's an easy way to break the deadlock - vote for the same party that already controls the White House and the Senate.
bass4funk
@RR
I totally agree, if he Can do that and try at least to be halfway decent like Clinton, he might have a bit of a chance.
T-Mack
Contgradulation's to the Obama Administration, and all his follower's...Let's hope for a better way life in the next four year's!
TheQuestion
Bull, neither party has the political will or wisdom to do something that sensible. I've seen government offices close, reorganize, and combine before (happens all the time in a state that has no money like mine). You could get rid of an entire department and they just get shuffled into other departments as people retire or get fired.
I'd love to see the department of Education, the FDA, the EPA, and a slew of other useless departments get the chopping block but that's not going to happen since large corporate entities benefit from their continued existence and draconian standards. To start a business of any measurable size you need tens of thousands of dollars just to get the right permits to allow you to operate before you even think about leasing a building or buying inventory. Yet we wonder why job creation is so slow.
Photoman333
Regarding the squabbling about the Black and Hispanic vote, the issue is really not too complex. After Romney's concession speach, two intelligent Republican observers made some astute observations. They were Steve Schmidt (who took over running John McCain's already failed campaign) and Michael Steele (the former RNC chairman). They both said that the Republican Party is doomed if they don't get beyond being the party of white people, and start addressing the concerns of all Americans. This was obvious if you looked at the people at the campaign headquarters gatherings of Romney and Obama. No people of color at Romney's.
Sadly, the Republican Party this morning is sounding like they don't get it. They're saying that there was nothing wrong with their message, but Romney didn't deliver it well. Clueless. (I'm not a fan of Romney but I really want a 2-party system in my country.)
As a Vietnam vet, the most satisfying outcome for me was that the Koch brothers' attempt to buy this election was stopped. And I would say that if the direction was the opposite (i.e. if the Koch brothers were Democrats).
malfupete
well, at least with his job secured for 4 more years he may be more willing to be daring and get things done, even if its unpopular since he doesn't have to worry about a re-election.
JTDanMan
Yesterday, I posted the following:
Breakdown:
Obama won. Florida broke for Obama, so he ends with 29 more than I though he would. Obama seems on target to get the 50.5% of the popular vote.
Conclusion:
Its good to base your opinion on data driven analysis. My thanks to Nate Silver at 538, the conservatives over at ElectionProjection.com and The Votemaster over at Electoral-Vote.com.
Speaking of the Votemaster, here is his wrap-up:
Takeaways
Here are some of our takeways, in no particular order.
It's not just the economy, stupid. It's the whole package.
Abandoning large constitutencies, like women, Latinos, and young voters is not a winning formula.
The partisan identification in 2008 was not a freak accident. There are more Democrats than Republicans.
The candidate matters: on paper Rick Perry and Mitt Romney were great, but the real men weren't. Nominating a sneering plutocrat who likes firing people and writes off half the country is not a wise move.
If you can't release your tax returns because they are full of poison, don't run for President.
There aren't enough billionaires to buy the election.
Don't talk about gay marriage unless you are supporting it.
And above all, don't talk about rape except maybe if you are proposing to castrate rapists.
JTDanMan
Oh, yeah, one final word:
WOOOOOOO HOOOOO! 4 MORE YEARS! 4 MORE YEARS! 4 MORE YEARS! 4 MORE YEARS! 4 MORE YEARS!
Ocgoodtimes
"...the best is yet to come..." That's true because you can't do much worse than what Obama's done over his first term. It's pathetic that Romney couldn't muster up the votes to defeat a VERY defeat-able Obama. I was at a conference where Charlie Cook (cookpolitical.com) was a speaker. He said that Romney would lose, based on the electoral "head-start" that most any Democrat candidate has, but mainly because of the tactical error he made over the summer. In the swing states, Obama's campaign launched a massive negative ad campaign over a three month period where, using Cook's word, Obama "took a baseball bat and beat the crap out of Romney's character". They focused on Bain Capital, layoffs, how much money he made, etc., etc. Romney's response was to stay on message. Well, attack ads do work. So imagine a picture where Obama is beating Romney repeatedly with a bat, and Romney's response is "...we need to create a bright economic future for our children, ..blah, blah..."
Had Romney changed his tact and focused his money on blunting those attacks--essentially putting more of a Teflon coating around his character--he said that 1) the Obama ads' effects would have been deeply lessened, and 2) he would gain more of a connection to the voters. After the first debate, Romney got a popularity bounce everywhere, BUT his lift in the swing states was far less because of the damage Obama had already inflicted. According to Cook, had Romney effectively countered the Obama attack campaign, he thinks Romney would be way ahead going into the election.
So sadly, we have 4 more years of a social revolutionist. He'll continue to galvanize Obamacare and other policies that threaten the fabric of the US economy, and business owners like myself are going to hang onto our cash and NOT invest. Hopefully, by 2016, we won't have transformed into too much of a welfare state and we'll have a chance to elect a leader who is pro-small-business, who understands job creation, and knows that the way to build wealth is to preserve an economy that rewards hard work and ingenuity.
lucabrasi
Typical Republican. Screw everybody else if I'm not happy. I've got money to invest and help turn the economy around, but to hell with that when there's a president in the White House who displeases me.
That's why America's dying. Selfishness. I'm so happy to be a European.
TheQuestion
When you don't know how expensive it's going to be to hire someone and you don't know what the laws will be in the next few years why would you ever invest in anything? I've been rearranging my accounts for years to insulate them against market fluctuations and the result has been I've considerably restricted the areas that I invest in.
A while ago I used to make myself available through my credit union to help provide startup money. Now the only business I put any money in is my brothers junkyard.
I'm so sorry.
lucabrasi
Bitter, any? Morally, America fell already under George W. She's a better, fairer, more caring nation under Obama.
As people become more informed and less willing to be told what to do by their "betters", then Liberalism and social equality are going to spread throughout the world, even in places like Saudi Arabia, Burma and the USA. Get used to it. This is the future.
lucabrasi
A sense of duty? Responsibility? Patriotism? Concern for one's fellow man?
Not in the Republicans' vocabulary, I fear. At least not in the sense that normal folk understand.
YuriOtani
Unlike most of the world the USA is different. While President Obama won reelection, the Republicans still control the House of Representatives in Congress. To pass any laws it has to pass them as well as the Democrat controlled Senate. Second problem if America was divided before it is more divided today. In the Red state I live in all of the members of the house, both senators are Republican plus Governor. Add to that he did not win a single county in the state.
So to get anything done President Obama must secure the help from 14 to 28 members of the Republican party in the House and majority of members on committees.
Myself I thought Romney lost when those Republicans said "If a women gets pregnant after being raped she should consider it a present from God".
So the beat goes on and the election changed nothing. It put the Republicans in their place but there is no clear cut victory.
TigermothII
Admittedly yes. I love my country, and while I do not deny that those on the left love it any less, I think we have radically different ideals about the stewardship of its ideals. While I might even admit that America stumbled under W (we might disagree strongly on the real reasons why to some degree) I would counter that under Obama she is being kicked into submission. It comes down to being a practical realist. Every great nation state in history had its wealthy class, and it's poor and the strata in between. The truth is that wealth creates wealth while the world of the doomed is paved with good intentions. While the idea should be lessen class disparity and create opportunity for all, the idea should never be to cripple the wealthy to provide for the poor. It's a simple matter of not shooting one's self in the foot. Yes, Republicans have always had a bit of an issue in alleviating that class dichotomy, but only a fool would truly believe that by stripping one class to provide for another you can create a stable and healthy economy. Liberals, and the current President are approaching this with a Samaria sword rather than pruning shears. There have historically been experiments in the 'group ownership' mentality which have ended poorly. We are a democracy based upon individual right (not entitlement) and commerce - these experiments were not. While it sounds hokey and corny, moving in these directions is truly 'un-American' and yes, that makes me a tad bitter.
globalwatcher
Herve Nmn L'EisaNov. 07, 2012 - 05:51PM JST
It has been legalized here for medical use. The conservative was just trying to kill it, but a majority of voters said "No" to that. We do not have any problems at all. Get it streight.
JTDanMan
Obama won. Democrats won big in the Senate. And gained probably 5-7 in the House.
We Kicked Ass. We know it. And we're thrilled about it.
Meanwhile, the Republicans are either in shock and denial, or are waxing philosophical. About this. About that.
Well, I am here all your musings are irrelevant. You lost. You lost b/c your party went out of its way to lose.
And I'm lovin' It.
TigermothII
That could be representative of a lot of things - such as serving one's country in the military (at which liberals typically cringe). The idea put forward by liberals is that conservatives do not feel any empathy towards their fellow man, which simply is not true. They just don't feel that taxing the crap out of and regulating the hard-working and positive economy producing side of our society is the correct path of concern. While you see it as crass Conservative nonsense - wouldn't it be a 'sense of duty, responsibility and concern for one's fellow man' to actually take responsibility for your own well-being and that of your children? Liberals amusingly act as if every person on public assistance or social security or whatever is a well and true case of need that 'evil Republicans' don't care about. That we should open our borders to all-comers, because they need work here in the good ole USA. That somehow those working two jobs to live and send their kids to school shouldn't mind that some jackass who fathered three kids but won't take care of them, or some jerk getting SS for a 'disability' which 'keeps them from working (often untrue)' gets a part of their paycheck. Where's there sense of duty and responsibility? Why is their self-preservation and your desires for their well-being out-trump mine? Where does one draw the line? Responsibility is a two way street. The left has now let unwillingness become inability.
JTDanMan
luca
You've fallen for a straw man: the predicate of the opposing argument is false. Investment is not being held back by the Obama administration. To the extent that investment is not what it could be, the crappy economy is to blame. And the crappy economy is Bush's fault more proximately, and ultimately, the fault of the free-market fundamentalism so popular in the Republican party going on since Reagan.
The main error the Obama adminstration made was not pump-priming the economy further. That is, the bail out was not big enough.
Sue Jones
Obama owes Bill Clinton big time for his support in campaigning. 2016 Hillary will be time to collect
gelendestrasse
We'll see but for the middle class I rather doubt it....
Bill Clinton was effective as a president because he moved toward the middle of the road and worked both sides of the aisle. Now that the Republicans have lost, althogh by a narrower margin, perhaps both parties will realize that obstruction is not a policy. The first test of this will be the expiration of the tax cuts for the middle class in January. If these expire most economists predict a recession in the US. The Republicans have been holding out for entitlement cuts only. The Democrats want higher taxes only. Obama scrapped the bipartisan panel's recommendations for both earlier in the year. Will that be brought back to the table? That would show leadership and have a chance for bipartisanship.
Stay tuned. We've only got 7 weeks before we find out.
TigermothII
No, one Republican really said that and the leftist media went to town as always. While the abortion issue gets great press and gets the looneys riled up, I think there are a good many Republicans who like myself are not religious nut, nor are they necessarily staunch anti-abortionists. Both sides seem to be well and truly mis-represented on this issue by the extremes - with the left thinking all on the right are bible banging anti-abortionists, and the right thinking that the left wants to make abortions as easy as getting one's teeth cleaned. I don't think either is the case. I should think that hopefully most would agree that it shouldn't be used simply as a form of birth control for the irresponsible.
It was interesting, if not quite sad, to see the leftist media grab onto the buzz phrases to vilify Romney; Big Bird (which funnily enough came back to bite them in the arse), 'binders full of women', etc. Only the truly gullible fell for these - but then the problem is that much of the American public is truly gullible.
TigermothII
JTDanMan - it's refreshing to see your grace and humility in celebrating your party's victory; precisely why we're such a united nation. I sincerely hope that four years down the road you are taunting the right on how great the President has done, and what a remarkable recovery the economy has made, and that your taunts are true. Or who knows, someday we might meet up in a bread line or a gulag. Time will tell.
yabits
Well, that's false because Obama's predecessor proved he could do FAR worse over eight years. More than any other individual, it was HE who made Barack Obama's first term possible.
In other words, he used actual examples to reveal the true character of the former CEO of Bain Capital. It was actually Barack Obama who put the words "Ten-thousand bucks?" "I'm not concerned about the very poor" "I like firing people" "Corporations are people, my friend" "My wife drives a couple of Cadillacs" and all that stuff about the 47% -- in Romney's mouth. Sheer diabolical genius.
Tell Cook to pass along whatever it is he's smoking.
I can only hope my competitors are as short-sighted and stupid as to adopt that position. I'm a business owner myself and will continue to invest in improvements to our product and services. Customers on four continents have done business with my company, and we're looking to expand sales of this 100% American business to South America. You see, we have a product and process that saves customers a ton of time and money, and I wouldn't want to waste any of it on those who are too foolish to "invest" a dime to save a dollar. Among fellow entrepreneurs I roundtable with, I know of absolutely none who is talking about holding onto their cash, or has allowed the election to affect their business decisions in any discernible way. It's not even a matter that comes up in discussions other than, "Can you believe some people are making their fundamental business decisions by who is going to be in the White House next year?"
JTDanMan
Yeah. I am sittin' here gloatin'. As all good Dems are today. Not just 'cause we wooped some serious conservative ^ss yesterday. Not just 'cause the Republicans have stopped whining and moved on to philosophical denial. Here's why:
We won all those so-called battle ground state, like WI, and PA. Our bottom in the electoral college with all the hard blue, and WI and PA is, now get this:
262 Electoral Votes. That 262. Meaning only 8, and the Presidency is ours.
As for the real battle ground-states: We won NH. Again. Virginia. Again. We won CO. Again. We won Nevada. Again. We won OH, Again. This is the new normal.
The bottom for the electoral college for Dems is 262. With either of the following two, we Dems win in 2016. NH, CO, NV. With any of OH, VI, or FL, we win.
And now North Carolina is on the map for Dems.
That is why we Dems are pleased as punch. We didn't just win today. Unless the Republicans tack hard away from the Right, we'll win again. And again. And Again.
And we all know, that the Republicans ain't gonna go to the center. They're gonna go harder to the right. And they're gonna lose, again and again. Until they bow to the new browner, gayer, more liberal, and more female America.
TigermothII
Guys - just promise me one thing. If we're all around still arguing on this forum for the next four year - stop blaming Bush. I know, we all get it. But with eight years to play with, the President should be able to come up with something of his own to counter the Bush years and have us moving in the positive. I know you think it's justified, but it's getting old. If in 2014 the economy is still in the stinker and getting worse - and I hope that it won't be! - saying it's Bush's fault just doesn't hold anymore. I think that's reasonable. Wait for it.....
yabits
I came from a solid, blue-collar, working-class town -- mainly liberal and pro-union -- that was noted for being the town that sent more men to get injured and die in Vietnam than any other town of its size. My brother and I both served, along with a sister. Our son serves now. I know of no liberal who "typically cringes" at the thought of serving one's country. We'd like to see more vehicles for service than just the military, however.
As a business owner, I consider myself on the "producing" side. My society has every interest in helping, through social institutions, helping everyone to become productive by realizing and applying their native gifts and abilities. I got a great head start in life because of a government program in the 1950s that recruited high-level engineers to become math and science teachers at my high school. Somebody was being "stripped" of their tax dollars to fund that effort, and it paid itself back many times over, I would dare say.
As my income increases, I have no problems paying a higher marginal rate -- as long as it's applied across the board -- to fund those kinds of social investments.
nigelboy
Watching the election coverage on MSNBC and Fox News on a split screen was pure entertainment.
While MSNBC was quick to "predict" and color the state with "Blue", they were very slow with the "Red." Fox news, vice versa.
While Karl Rove tried desparately to come up with reasons to dispute the "Blue" status of Ohio by MSNBC, MSNBC panel were simultaneously ridiculing Rove's argument as if they were watching Fox News Coverage live.
Got to agree with Fadamor about the Electoral College. It's simply amazing that a Presidential candidate really doesn't have to "campaign" in the top two states the holds the most electoral votes and yet the public is mass fed by the media about the population dynamics of certain Counties of states like Ohio, Virginia, and Florida.
Madverts
Bush deserves all the flak he gets, for the decisions he made that were recorded indelibly by history.
But I agree to a certain extent - it is the GOP themselves that deserve more blame than Curious George.
Let's see if they are prepared to take the US and the rest or the world by default to the fiscal cliff again, or whether they have finally learned their lesson...
Frankly I were Obama I'd give Romney a job to help smooth the divide. Apart from the hair and the all-American good looks, Mitt was never presidential material - but he's far from a fool and has valuable business experience - and he could also return to being a moderate without having to cosy up to the extreme conservative right as he did to become their candidate. What a shame the two-party system negates the exact kind of common sense that is needed to reach across the ailes..
Fadamor
Romney nailed his own coffin shut when Hurricane Sandy hit New Jersey and people compared his past speeches declaring government agencies like FEMA to be inefficient, wasteful and better-off being run by the individual states to what he says now.
After the Joplin, MO tornado last year that devastated that city, he had this to say:
So when Sandy hit and pointed out exactly WHY government agencies like FEMA need to be around, his campaign spokeswoman flip-flopped like a pro:
The public - from earthquake-prone California, to the volcanic Washington state, to "Tornado Alley" in the midwest, to the hurricane-prone Gulf states and states along the southern coast of the Atlantic, did not miss the flip-flop and Romney's trustworthiness dropped.
Romney claimed to be concerned about the Federal government racking up larger debts, apparently hoping nobody would make the connection that all he really was trying to do was pass those debts off on the individual states. I guess it looks better on your resume as President if you can force the states to raise their taxes to pay for all these new burdens rather than having the Federal government raise taxes to cover it. Instead of Harry Truman's "The buck stops here" motto, Romney's motto apparently is "The buck took the interstate through here and stopped at the State Capitols".
Ranger_Miffy2
What a relief!
TigermothII
Let's just hope you're right. I have my doubts, but that's my issue I suppose. It's good to have decent and intelligent discourse - thanks Yabits. And in truth, I think we all hate violence and war as the ultimate disgrace of humanity. We just sometimes disagree as to when it becomes a necessity.
Fadamor
On a different tack, the picture that accompanies this article reminded me of a somewhat "eew" moment last night. When Obama's daughters came on stage, one of the TV commentators (on NBC, I believe) started talking about how much they've blossomed into beautiful women and had the production crew throw up a still from 4 years ago to prove his point. His praise of their beauty was starting to encroach on inappropriateness before he suddenly stopped. (probably got the word in his earpiece to "Knock it off!")
sfjp330
Fadamor Nov. 08, 2012 - 03:56AM JST Romney nailed his own coffin shut when Hurricane Sandy hit New Jersey and people compared his past speeches declaring government agencies like FEMA to be inefficient, wasteful and better-off being run by the individual states to what he says now.
The Hurricane Sandy really had very little to do with the decision by the voters. Most had already decided to support Obama way before the hurricane. Problem for Romny was his lack of care for middle class jobs agenda that was compounded by his 47 percent gaffe. Romney didn't make a clear case that he would improve the lives of those who are struggling, and he gave them reason to believe he didn't care that they are struggling.
The one policy that served as a major exception is fossil fuel extraction, a job-creating issue that Romney flogged as hard as he could. But it wasn't enough, partly because Obama got so far to the right on the issue himself.
sfjp330
nigelboy Nov. 08, 2012 - 03:33AM JST Got to agree with Fadamor about the Electoral College. It's simply amazing that a Presidential candidate really doesn't have to "campaign" in the top two states the holds the most electoral votes and yet the public is mass fed by the media about the population dynamics of certain Counties of states like Ohio, Virginia, and Florida.
Especially tiny Florida with overated 29 electoral votes. Somehow, small states like Florida should not have this much influence on the outcome of U.S. election. Problem is that there are many that are retired there and they don't want drastic changes in administration and the candidates has to pamper and cater to these old folks votes, regardless of what is best for the country. Financially, most of these retired people are already comfortable and they don't give a dam to the rest of the country.
Wolfpack
As many have commented here, I think that with the rapid racial change in the American population over the past 25 years, their is little chance that a small government conservative will again become president any time in the near future. For various reasons, non-whites are more apt to believe in collectivism and most whites still believe in individualism and the old Protestant work ethic. It's strange but the share of Whites voting for the Democrat - Obama - has shrunk way down to just 39% of the total white population. It's been frequently remarked that the Republican party is the party of whites. The Democrat party itself is on path over the next two to three decades of becoming overwhelmingly non-white. That's not a healthy thing for a Democracy but culturally it will be unavoidable.
I see this election as the most important in the last 150 years. American has clearly changed course towards the European-Socialist model. As a conservative (not a Republican) this election has been liberating for me. With the defeat of America's Founding principles, I no longer feel like I have anything to defend anymore. The racial and cultural writing is on the wall. America has failed to assimilate immigrants and inform them of the countries most basic governing principles and traditions. It's a real tragedy for America and for the world. But it is what it is. Nothing left to do know but sit by and watch the debt balloon ever higher as the baby boomers retire. The Social Security "trust fund" is scheduled to be depleted the year before I reach retirement age. I'm screwed but it's going to be much much worse for those generations that follow mine.
The most interesting thing to watch over the coming decades will be how Liberals/Socialist battle among themselves over how to redistribute American's declining wealth.
plasticmonkey
Wow...
With simplistic and racist views like that, it's no wonder the GOP is going the way of the dinosaur.
Mirai Hayashi
@sfjp330
You've got it all wrong. First of Florida is by no means a "small" or "tiny" state. It's the 4th largest state (by population) in the union. That's why they have so many electoral votes, and that's why they were considered so important. They were also the tie breaking state in 2000 and 2004.
Secondly, its not that the candidates don't have to campaign in any of the bigger states like CA, NY, and TX; they did campaign there but not as much, because early polls showed that those polls have pretty much made up their minds as to who they wanted for president months ago. You can't make up a 25-40 point deficit without fundamentally changing your political position (which Romney was trying to do in the end) FL, OH especially are the flip floppers and they change with the wind, so the candidates HAD to spend more time and money to win those states than any other state. Romney wouldn't have won CA if he had spent 100% of his campaign there and billion dollars running campaign ads 24/7. California is packed with liberal democrats, because it has a huge Latino, LGBT, Asian, and African-American population relative to other states. To be honest, until the GOP become more minority tolerant and less homophobic and anti-women's rights, I don't see them ever winning CA ever again. The dynamics have changes since the Reagan-era and the GOP failed to realize that, hence they lost the election.
What's really silly is that throughout the whole campaign, the GOP throughout Reagan's name like he was some kind of Greek god, and Romney (along with the other GOP candidates) said that they were just like Reagan. But the reality is, they were NOTHING like Reagan. They made Reagan look like a centrist democrat. Had Romney ran on they same exact positions that Reagan ran on in 1980 and 1984, he might have had better chance.
Finally to your last point on Florida having influence on this election....simply put, they didn't -at ALL. Florida has yet to decide if they are blue or red and the rest of America has moved on without them. It goes to show that the there is something fundamentally wrong with Florida and their voting system. If I were Gov. Rick Scott, I would TOTALLY be embarrassed over the VERY poor calls he made to try to suppress voters. By 2016, I guarantee you, there will be some serious election reform in Florida, especially when 29 electoral votes are on the line. If it were up to me, I would lessen their value by lowering their electoral vote to 19, an splitting the remaining 10 among other smaller states, if they don't get their act straight.
yasukuni
Wolfpack, you will no doubt get a minus score, but you just wrote the most sensible thing I've read on the net today.
Dennis Bauer
@zichi i agree all that energy into whining, stop pointing fingers at each other, no change comes from blaming each other!
toguro
At least Romney soundly won the first presidential debate between himself and Obama. No one can ever take that away from him. LOL
sailwind
Wolfpack,
My sentiments exactly. I personally think overall that America with this election has done what she has been doing for the last twenty years or so on dealing with overpromised entitlements and the borrowing and debt spending train wreck to finance them that is going to happen.
America is just not willing to really confront it at all, no matter if the President had a D or R by his name. America just kicked that debt can down the road again by this election. As you stated its going to be much much worse for the generations that follow us and that is truly the real shame. I'm a proud American but in leaving our future generations this appalling debt that they will have to pay back is not something I am proud of in the least.
I pray that President Obama in his second term deals with this debt crises since he doesn't have to face re-election but I honestly have no faith that he will. I honestly hate to be a downer on the next 4 years, but I see another rough 4 years and even tougher times after that if we stay on the path we've been on.
Wolfpack
sailwind,
It is certainly a downer for conservatives because they can see the path the country is on is unsustainable. For decades, compromise between the political parties was over how much more government spending their should be not whether or not the government should be spending money or a particular program or not. This meant that conservatives always compromised more than liberals. Given the demographic changes, America will become like the California of today. Huge debt, one party rule, and no answers for the financial obligations they have been made. Taxes will always go up just as Gov. Brown got yesterday. As a result, reform is constantly delayed while waiting for the next "tech boom" or other bubble to bail them out. Naturally, every boom leads to a bust and the problems just come back bigger and badder than ever.
I thought that with the choice of Ryan that Romney was indicating to America that he was really serious about the imperative for entitlement reform and economic growth. We know for sure that Obama has no real intention to reform entitlements or reduce the deficit. His only idea for reducing the debt is to raise taxes on the wealthy. OK great, so that will cover a few months of government deficit spending - now what? He's got nothing. It's a downer...
Zenpun
If Obama keep bailing out the broken industries such as banks, Auto and Solar manufacturers, the worst is yet to come for the US. Reality is government can not borrow and employ the people forever. In theory, he is a winner however Republicans control the senate and house of reps therefore they can block the budget. Another meaning is Obama can not pass the budget without congress approval.
Politically he is successful for persuading people for vote for him. However he is fiscally irresponsible and he will never be able to half the amount of national debt. Sweet promised will bring the painful consequence of reality.
TheQuestion
There is nothing patriotic about throwing money away. Frivolous spending and the overuse of debt financing is what got us into this jam and the the small business owners got burned. The value of their properties fell, customers lost their jobs, and many of those that didn't go out of business had to reach ransack their retirement accounts to stay afloat. They learned the hard way that when the going gets tough Washington will use your hard earned cash to bailout their campaign contributors.
They're not getting burned a second time. A lot of businesses are reforming into S-corps to avoid liability and several in my area have held off opening a third front because it would put them over the 50 employee mark. Even with the tax credit health insurance is a pretty substantial expenditure. Right now if a business is doing well they'd prefer to stay in the black instead of risk getting destroyed if they try to expand.
Serrano
"BEST IS YET TO COME"
I'd just like to see Obama get the unemployment rate back to what it was when his predecessor was in office.
Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. Of course liberals would say this about voting in Bush twice, ha ha!
Mike Critchley
So glad Obama is back in.
As my friend wrote, "Thank god -- We can all put our Burkas back in the closet for another 4 years."
Definitely a win for human rights, the environment, the middle class and the economy. (I mean the economy for, you know, the ones who aren't already stupidly wealthy).
sfjp330
Obama's victory was built solidly on support from Latinos and other minorities. Republicans are now left looking at California as a warning of how a narrow game plan must be broadened to appeal to a changing electorate. The problem of Republican party that must win over Hispanics, Asians, women and young people as Obama did so dramatically. The Republican party made a decision, and they were very well aware of it, that they can try to win this election without the minority vote, to push that white vote as best they can and failed miserably.
HonestDictator
Ah finally this is over. Glad I voted and glad it came to where I wanted it to be as far as the presidential election YAY :D Bye~bye Romney for the republican rich! Now I'll have some more time to worry about what jokers are going to show up for 2016.
globalwatcher
yasukuniNov. 07, 2012 - 09:21AM JST
Blacks, Women, Gays, Hispanics, Asians, Sick and Disabled, Yong and Old, Single or Married, we are all AMERICA!!
kchoze
Serrano
The unemployment rate was 7,8% in January 2009 when Obama took office. It was 7,8% in September 2012. So there you go, it happened. http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000
Of course, one can hardly blame Obama for the unemployment increase the first few months of his presidency, when he hadn't had the time to pass any law or to have them take effect.
If you look at unemployment change between the January of every year, from January 2008 to January 2009 under Bush, unemployment increased by 2,8 points. From January 2009 to January 2010, it increased by 1,9 points, most of it in the first 6 months before Obama's policies had much effect. From January 2010 to January 2011, it fell by 0,6 point, then it fell by 0,8 points from January 2011 to January 2012. It has fallen by another 0,4 point since then.
In other words, if you want to attribute economic performance to the president, Obama took an economy that was in freefall, stopped the bleeding and started it growing again, albeit at a relatively slow pace (which is normal following major financial crises).
Serrano
kchoze - The average unemployment rate for Bush's two terms was 5.3%, 9.3% for Obama.
bruinfan
@The Question
Are you saying this is a problem for smaller companies/partnerships and individual businesses? Large corporations are sitting on huge amounts of cash and other wealth, so be specific.
Serrano
Heh, I notice my 7:18am post has 6 thumbs-down, but no rebuttals to the truth of my post.
Serrano
Heh, I notice my 8:51pm post has a thumbs-down, but no rebuttal.
Serrano
Heh, make that two thumbs-down and no rebuttals.
Serrano
The fact remains that the unemployment rate during the George W. Bush years was 5.3%, and 9.3% during Obama's first term.
kchoze
Serrano, though technically "true" your statement says nothing about your claims that Obama is bad for the economy. Presidents cannot be held responsible for the economy they received from their predecessor. Bush inherited a relatively healthy economy from Clinton, and ended up giving a freefalling economy to Obama. Obama took that economy and stabilized it relatively quickly.
A president's handling of an economy cannot be estimated by the average of the economy's status, but in how he made it better or worse. It's the differential that matters, not the average.
All the thumb downs you got was because of people who realized how irrelevant your statement was. You were caught in a false statement, then tried to spin it by using a metric that was evidently inappropriate. I guess most didn't bother to reply because they know you won't listen. People who make such evidently false statements and act proud of them are unlikely to listen to people when they correct them, but likely to cling even harder, like a drowning man to a board of wood floating on the ocean.
I don't even know why I bother. If you're not willing to admit your mistake in your eventual reply, don't bother waiting for another comment from me. I won't write one, it's not worth it.
skipbeat
Obama winning was written on the wall due to the direction of the country.
1) The MSM is liberal.
2) The country have shifted from being conservative to liberal beliefs
3) Minorities groups lean to the left.
Wolfpack
@zichi:
Hey, we learned from those "losers" on the other side of the fence during the Bush administration. Remember all the comments from your side calling Bush a 'monkey' and 'Hitler'? I do. You reap what you sow.
Wolfpack
kchozd:
No, the economy was not healthy. Bush inherited a relatively mild recession and the Tech Bubble that built up during the Clinton years was soon to hit the economy. By the time Obama took office, the worst of the crisis was over and the economy was rebounding. The recession ended a mere six months after Obama was sworn in - bet you didn't know that! I know, it still feels like their is a recession now, but technically, it ended three and a half years ago.
Serrano
kchoze - What mistake did I make that I'm s'pose to admit to? So, after 4 years the unemployment rate finally got back down to the level it was at the end of Bush's second term, which was the midst of the financial crisis, and the worst rate during Bush's eight years, before it started going back up? Sheesh, talk about "technically true"...
pointofview
The rich will still get richer under Obama. America made its biggest mistake by not voting for Gary Johnson. Obama and Romney are supreme manipulators.
MrDarryl
"Heh, I notice my 7:18am post has 6 thumbs-down, but no rebuttals to the truth of my post."
Hey Serrano...if you want the POTUS to do something and then he does it. It's not wise to go to another idea and try to make the same point. You said you would like him to get the unemployment number to where it was when Bush was in office (which he did). Someone gave you that fact. Then you say the average is what you want. That is probably why you keep getting the thumbs down. You moved the goalpost (a common GOP tactic often used by cheaters as well). If he gets it down to the same average, that would be AMAZING. But I think that if he does, you will bring up another goal that you really wanted him to meet. (I would have loved competing against you in sports. It would have given me great joy I'm sure ;-) )
BTW, I'm glad he is still our president.
Serrano
Hey Darryl, go check what the worst unemployment rate was during the 8 George W. Bush years, and the best unemployment rate during the almost 4 Obama years.
Serrano
"Definitely a win for... the economy"
Obama's track record doesn't support that statement.
gcbel
The full quote
I believe we can keep the promise of our founders, the idea that if you're willing to work hard, it doesn't matter who you are or where you come from or what you look like or where you love. It doesn't matter whether you're black or white or Hispanic or Asian or Native American or young or old or rich or poor, able, disabled, gay or straight, you can make it here in America if you're willing to try.
Do tell... no wonder the American people passed on the GOP.
http://www.salon.com/2012/08/29/race_baiting_at_the_rnc/
http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/world/obama-victory-speech-full-transcript-complete-text-election-2012-speech-transcribed#ixzz2Bovcvbut
martyman
Kind of a useless article to be discussing, the peoples vote does not count toward the election of the president. The Electorial college votes are the ones that chooses our presidents. The members of the electorial college do not have to voice the peoples choice by voting Republican, democrat, etc.,they have the power to vote anyway they want. It is directly reflected in this years election that they did this as it happened the same way when Bush was elected.
Wolfpack
gcbel:
Yes, I will tell...
So you give me a link to Salon - a left wing propaganda site? Why, to make the point that only those other people are evil - right? OK - here is a link to a right wing propaganda site saying just the opposite:
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2012/10/so-obama-is-a-lying-race-baiting-demagogue-does-anyone-care.php
And lets not forget Obama's relationship with his racist mentor and his equally racist Attorney General Eric Holder - the race coward and enabler of the Black Panthers -a well known hate group. Obama supports black racism by standing by and tacitly supporting those racists standing in front of election polling places threatening to kill white babies. This is one kind of voter suppression he supports.
So, who are the race baiters? To the extent that there are idiot Republicans that are wrong in their views on race - and yes there are; let's not pretend that Obama is a saint when he has manipulated race his entire career to his benefit. He is the first Affirmative Action president and his inept performance in office is proof that he has been in over his head from the start. There are many much more qualified black men and women that Obama - it's a shame that he was allowed to manipulate race to leap over these qualified people.
yabits
It appears that some conservatives can't tell the difference between "race-baiting," and "racist-baiting." That's why they've become the Wile E. Coyote of American politics. And this proud Democrat, who happens to be non-non-White, has doubled his investments in Acme.
gcbel
Well you tried to anyway. And... fail.
Tsk, tsk. Such hysteria. It's more sad than funny that you have to be that desperate and try so hard and yet no one's buying it, well, maybe the "idiot republicans" you mentioned.
Let's see. Does anyone want to second W's above assertion?
Keep shaking those lil fists. Beep-beep!
Wolfpack
Is there much difference? Go after someone because of their race is racist. Democrat's and Obama in particular seek to antagonize racial tensions to motivate their base and gain power. It's cynical but admittedly - it is effective. Hate all you want, but again - but Obama will reap the racial antagonism that he has sown.
Oh yeah - I'm seeing a bit of a Al Sharpton going after those evil rich Duke lacross players. It's easy to hate people that are different isn't it! I think America is long past seeing people primary as members of a certain racial group. This is how Democrats insist on seeing the world and is manifested in racist policies like affirmative action. I am hopeful that this anachronism will be ended by the Supreme Court this year. Don't all have their own minds? Shouldn't all people be able to think independently and not be forced to be what everyone else expects them to be based on their race?
Wolfpack
I wouldn't expect Liberals to see reality. After all, they live in the fantasy world that President Obama's high unemployment, rigid Leftist ideology, and huge deficit spending are good things. Look at it this way, by the time Obama leaves office, the American national debt is expected to be twice what it was when he took office - a little over $10 trillion will become a bit more than $20 trillion. One president will have equaled the the economic ineptitude of everyone that came before him.
He played the race card and ran a nasty, cynical re-election campaign calling his opponent a murderer and a felon - not to mention a racist because Romney supports sensible voter verification policies that even a large number of Democrats support. However, he and Eric Holder basically called Romney a racist over it. Face it, Liberals are exceedingly intolerant of white men. I can't imagine the self loathing that a white male Democrat must feel about themselves - it's amazing that they all don't just kill themselves over what horrible people they are.
yabits
And here is the "reality" that most of us see:
"I can't imagine the self loathing that a white male Democrat must feel about themselves - it's amazing that they all don't just kill themselves over what horrible people they are."
I can imagine the feelings that most young adults would have reading such a statement, and whether to regard the source of such a comment as a viable alternative to working together to achieve a common goal. (It's why young people of all backgrounds voted far more heavily for President Obama.)
We see ya; wouldn't want to be ya.
Serrano
"President Obama's high unemployment"
Come now, that's left over from Bush, Team Obama is still workin' on bringing it down. Why, already they had it down to about the same level it was when the president took office, doncha know!
"In 2016 the Democratic nominee will be the wildly popular and experienced Hillary Clinton"
And the Republican nominee will be the wildly popular and experienced Sarah Palin! This is gonna be great!
MrDarryl
Okay Serrano... Obama - September 2012 - 7.8% Bush - January 2009 - 7.8%
Looks like they are the same.
In January 2001 the unemployment rate was 4.3%. I would find merit in your argument if Obama started at 4.3%, but when you move your 'I wish it was the same' argument to the 'I wish the average was the same' argument you are not going to get many positive reactions. It's not a fair comparison considering the starting points of both POTUS'.
It seems like this happens a lot in the critique of Obama.
megosaa
note to all: you don't need to be a president to "get things done". you don't need to be aggressive to be a leader. obama is the better leader for the americans.
Lao Tzu
Serrano
"obama is the better leader for the americans"
Nearly half of American voters disagree.
Molenir
I suspect, that 4 years from now, we will look back on the Obama regime, and say, in the past 8 years, not one thing that Obama has done, has been better for the country, then his stepping aside for his predecessor, and if his predecessor, wanted to immediately make the US better, simply revoking all Obamas executive orders, and rescinding just about every law passed under Obama, would be a very good start. As sad as it is, its true. When just about every single decision Obama has made, has not benefited the US.
Wolfpack
yabits:
Like when you supported President Bush - right? Please tell me about all of the support that you gave Bush while he was president. Or perhaps we could just go back and read some of your posts.
There are common goals but liberals and conservatives will never agree upon a common means to reach these goals. When Obama's tired old policies fail just as they are currently failing in places like California, Greece, and Cuba then maybe there will be a chance to turn the country back towards a more sane direction. Today's young people are determined to learn the hard way.
Anyone believing that "the best is yet to come", under this president is seriously delusional. We have seen his best when he had complete control of government and as a result he racked up more debt than any president since the last world war. Meanwhile the unemployment rate is actually worse then when he took office.
LH10
agree with u wolfpack
MrDarryl
I'm sure the people who think Obama is a failure are the same people who thought he wouldn't get re-elected. There are many things the GOP and their supporters have been saying since W was in office that have proven to be false. I guess we can just add the latest predictions they have to the "bunk" column. The GOP talks the talk, but they sure ass heck don't walk the walk. Many conservative ideals have been espoused for generations, but it was progress that put them on the back burner. Many of their ideas are great in theory, but we (the USA) are not there yet. Let's get to a place where we have a solid foundation for equality and fairness, then we can get to the business of having a true laissez faire society.
Wolfpack
Fairness is for the government to treat everyone the same no matter what the circumstances. Obammunism (or redistribution) is by definition unfair because it allows politics to decided who is more deserving for the nations wealth. This is where favoritism comes into play. For example, Affirmative Action allows for institutionalized racism - not fair. America was founded on the basis that everyone is innately equal and should be free to pursue their right to life, liberty, and happiness to the best of each persons ability. What isn't equal is each persons ability. I can't dunk a basketball or make 50% of my 3 point shots, therefore I do not have the same ability as others. That isn't an issue of fairness that the government should be concerned about. This same analogy applies to all other issues involving "fairness".
Obama's view of government will fail because it goes against the Founders worldview that takes human nature into consideration with respect to the organization of government.