A Disconnect

As in that movie of some years ago, the name of which escapes me, "we are mad as hell and we are not going to put up with it any more". That's the change now afoot. Insiders beware.

Can Obama follow through on his promises?

Well that depends on whether you are talking about his promises to the voters or his promises to those who have funded his campaign, the pay to play politics he learned in Chicago. I'd be he can follow through on the promises to the special interests behind him, but he can't do everything he's promised in his campaign. Not enough revenue in the current taxes, too much debt to be inherited, not enough consensus or support for a specific plan, no way to get out of Iraq safely as fast as he has promised.

Obama isn't change - he's more of the same old same old politics without the experience to follow through.

I agree that Obama will be unable to accomplish all his goals once he is elected. First, he has to deal with the state of the economy and how to get it moving in a positive direction. Then he can begin to tackle getting out of Iraq, trying to get a reasonable tax program through congress that will not do more harm to the poor and middle class, start to rein in wasteful spending by congress and start the process of providing more health care to the poor, and shoring up the entitlement programs already established. He will not be able to do all of this in one term and he will disappoint many people but if he continues to speak positively to the American people and is honest about what he can get done, that will be a big improvement. The main thing he will need to do is earn the confidence of the American people that he is working hard every day to help them and he is aware of how they live each day. Being in the bubble of the White House is very isolating and it is easy to lose touch with reality in that environment. A major problem will be listening to a wide range of views and keeping an open mind on how to solve major problems. Giving one of his stirring speeches a couple times a year will bring encouragement because at least he can speak intelligently and does not condescend to the average Joe or Jane. And, he can pronounce NUCLEAR correctly.

Will never vote Obama. Can't trust him , wife or friends.

This article is missing the main issue. In order for changes in our country to be made, people have to want change. What Obama provides is just that...hope. I do not believe that Americans truly think that Obama can come in and change our political landscape in his first term, but what he can do is change the mindset so that hopefully future presidents can build upon.

Well I guess its ok if he hires corrupt politicians to help him if its in all of our best interests. Take another sip of the Kool-aid Evan thomas. The reason he can't change Washington isn't because the public won't let him hire the thugs that are necessary to work his way past years of corruption. It is because he has no idea of what to change or how to change it. There are good people in Washington and there are good people in business if he wanted to sit down and talk with someone who knows a little bit about overcomming corruption he should meet with Warren Buffet. Warren in addition to being a cut throat capitalist has always somehow managed to avoid corruption and has been called in on more than one occasion to rescue companies that have strayed to the dark side. Of course I think my candidate John McCain would benefit from a lunch with the oracle of Omaha also but as Warren leans a little to the left politically I think Obama would have an easier time getting a lunch date.

Obamas only experience is with politico's he has never held a significant job outside of politics and that is why he constantly falls into the trap of political connections that have a lot of baggage. He comes from the Chicago Political Machine and if he thinks he is going to impose that kind of heavy handed control on Washington he is sadly mistaken. Washington is controlled by people who for the most part want to do whats right for their constituents. In liberal terms doing whats right means getting the biggest slice of the pie thats why we see the huge earmarks for Hillary and for Obama they felt getting the most money for their states was the best they could do for their people. On the other side you have McCain who took no earmarks for Arizonans because he felt it was in their interest to lower government expenses as much as possible (not to mention create a conservative image from an otherwise left leaning candidate) Yes there is corruption but no more so than in any other government and probably less than most.

Obama is a decent man but he has shown some serious lack of judgement in the past few months. Bad judgement leads to bad government. No matter how hard he calls for change if he doesn't provide something better we will end up in chaos. So far what we have seen is that he reaches out to the established democrat power structure and has so far failed to introduce any meaningful change in the way day to day business is run.

McCain 08

America has ALREADY voted for change! They were going show Bush in 2006! And we sure got CHANGE!

Before Democrats controlled Congress:

1) Consumer confidence stood at a 2 1/2 year high.

2) Regular unleaded gasoline was $2.19 a gallon.

3) Unemployment rate was 4.5%.

Since voting in a Democratic Congress in 2006 we have seen:

1) Consumer confidence plummet.

2) The cost of regular gasoline soar to over $4.00 a gallon.

3) Unemployment is up to 5% (a 10% increase).

4) American households have seen $2.3 trillion in equity value evaporate (stock and mutual fund losses).

5) Americans have seen their home equity drop by $1.2 trillion dollars; 1% of American homes are now in foreclosure.

6) Oil was 63 dollars a barrel the day before the newest congress convened. It closed last Friday at 126 dollars a barrel. That is doubled for those with fuzzy math.

7) Economic Growth for the 4th quarter of 2006 in GDP was 3.5 percent.

8)1st Quarter 2008 0.6 percent.


Remember it's Congress that makes laws, not the President. The President has to work with what is handed to the Administration.


realism4u2

Obama is from Chicago, the same place that gave us Al Capone and the Daly's. He is a US senator, where behaviors like broker, finagle, deal and compromise are mandatory. He isn't from small good ol' boy places like Arkansas or Georgia, where Clinton and Carter where governors.

Chicago politics are rough and tumble - only NY City or Louisiana politics are tougher. Obama is pragmatic, a realist, and a survivor. He knows exactly how Washington works - it's all about the deal you can make, the clout you can promise, and the losses you can threaten.

If anyone can broker some changes, it is a man who has survived Chicago politics, a man who has survived the Clinton onslaught, and a man who worked in the senate.

He gets it, both what the American public needs to hear, in order to get elected, and how Washington works in order to get something done.

He is the best (and perhaps the worst) of both worlds - an idealist who lives in the gutter. a cynic who understands hope.

There's no disconnect.

Don't underestimate him.

The writer says, "There is a disconnect here, and I don't see what's going to change it. "

What can change it is clear: It would be people who, unlike this writer, are possessed of professional ethics & integrity, and can do their job of reporting without spinning in favor of the candidate of their own political persuasion. It would be journalists that don't accept "low expectations" in politicians as the norm, and will hold ANY politician accountable, not just those of the "other" party.

This country is greatly harmed by 'journalists' that wink at honesty, integrity, and ethics because it fits their own politics. This writer needs to go have a long, thoughtful look in a mirror... and figure out just who he is.

Barack Obama is a DOER and will deliver on his promises, as best he is able. He does have the UNIQUE ability to bring alot of people afrom ALL walks of life together, and all parties as well, so that is a major part of what enables him to create change. As the comment made by someone called "schlang"; I'm just one of millions of non-AA people, who believe in this gifted and intelligent PERSON. He will be our next President. Please work on your prejudices and racism and ask wherein your heart such hatred comes from. We have a great opportunity here to overcome much discrimination in this country and in this world.

I believe that any politician isgoing to need all the firepower that they can get in order to help fix this mess our country is in.

I also think that he HAS already CHANGED politics.

He has changed the entire financing model for politicians at the national level.

It's certainly more CHANGE than anyone else has managed in 50 years.