Barack Obama won The first black president in history. It's time for change - we will get change.

On a slightly different note, McCain's speech wasn't as bitter as I expected it to be - well done McCain!

Historic really! I'm surprised you thought McCain's speech would be bitter. Its no secret I haven't been a McCain fan, but watching him this election, he has been gracious throughout.

It will take a few years for the impact of what the U.S. voters have done yesterday to take effect, but I can see why the world is cheering. I'd be surprised if this isn't the end of U.S. hegemony in many aspects. Bush kicked it off by nationalizing many of our greatest financial institutions, and that type of policy is exactly what Mr. Obama stands behind. Smaller military, socialized medicine, wealth redistribution. Maybe not in one term, but I bet you he can bring our great nation to the level of mediocrity embraced by much of Europe in two terms.

Assuring Mr. Obama a second term, the exit polls indicate Mr. Obama got "Virtually every black vote". Just over 10% of the voting public. Couple that with everyone looking for a handout from the government, and you have a very difficult majority to overcome. The remainder of the population would have to vote in staggering proportion against him.

I expect institutionalized torture will be ending in late January. We'll probably return to paying down the debt, and sound foreign policy. A fantastic result last night.

Oh, and we're getting a president who speaks English!

cbwm, predicting again? Or, is that just the bitterness coming out. If your current prediction's accuracy can be judged by the accuracy of your previous predictions, then we're going to be doing better than I thought in 4 years.

Obama has a lot to work on and amazing hurdles to overcome, but I think there's a high probability that he's idealist enough and practical enough that many things will show good progress by the end of his first term.

GO OBAMA!

I'm happy with the outcome yesterday. Obama gave a very good speech. Personally I think claiming Obama won because black people want a black president is willful ignorance. Obama didn't win by a handful of votes as Bush had in 2000 and 2004, and minorities have always tended to vote democratic haven't they? I think there is something larger and far less trivial going on here and claiming otherwise just boils down to bitterness. I think McCain has done a lot of good, but I don't think he is the right man for the job right now.

One thing I'm not too happy about is Prop 8 passing (Those of you who live in California will know what I'm talking about) But overall I'm optimistic about the direction we're moving in.

Originally Posted by NullPointer

Personally I think claiming Obama won because black people want a black president is willful ignorance. Obama didn't win by a handful of votes as Bush had in 2000 and 2004, and minorities have always tended to vote democratic haven't they?

Not so. Obama's popular vote margin was slightly larger than Bush 2004 and smaller than GHW Bush.Bush in 2004 got 10% of the black vote or 1% more of the popular vote McCain got litereally 0% of the black vote making the difference 1% of the popular vote overall, but possibly significantly more in certain swing states. That only accounts for Dubya's black vote and I'd bet you he was the least popular Republican candidate amongst Blacks. By the way, I'm not saying thats the only reason he won, but black people definitely wanted a black president. The right female canddate(Not Hillary, but possibly Condi) would be almost unbeatable if she could consolidate along gender lines. Seems less likely than the black vote outcome we saw in this election though.

Originally Posted by NullPointer

I think there is something larger and far less trivial going on here and claiming otherwise just boils down to bitterness.

I agree. Read my earlier post and you'll see what it is.

Originally Posted by NullPointer

One thing I'm not too happy about is Prop 8 passing (Those of you who live in California will know what I'm talking about)

I hadnt realized it passed, but I think it sets the right tone. Civil unions yes, marriage no. This one will be much harder to rule unconstitutional. Lets hope it gets challenged before any more justices retire and get replaced by justices who Obama litmus tests for their stance on social justice.

Edit: By the way, regarding conslidating on gender lines, she wouldnt have to get a100% conslidation like Barack did. Blacks make up 10% of the voting populous, women make up 50%.Their just less likely to make the candidates breasts an overriding reason to vote for her.

It is still to early to tell, most polls have Obama ahead by only a slight margin.

lol. Dude... click your heels together three times and repeat "Theres no place like home... theres no place like home... theres no place like home". Then wake up and smell the reality. Thankfully, Germany, Sweeden and Norway are great places to live and will happily accept us as U.S. citizens .

He has his own private time zone - he suffers for permanent jet lag.
Tomorrow, he'll read the news

welcome obama and good bye to call centers in asia

Originally Posted by cbwm

lol. Dude... click your heels together three times and repeat "Theres no place like home... theres no place like home... theres no place like home". Then wake up and smell the reality. Thankfully, Germany, Sweeden and Norway are great places to live and will happily accept us as U.S. citizens .

I don't want to live in your country thanks. I am perfectlly happy us citizen.

I had not read my daily news when I said that so I was unaweare that obama stole the election.

Originally Posted by jv17

welcome obama and good bye to call centers in asia

Lol. Those are the "New Jobs" he is going to create? Thats almost as laughable as the Republican line that deporting illegal Latin Americans will make all those desirable strawberry picking jobs available once again.

New jobs != the hemorrhaging of current jobs. For lack of a better word, "duh!"

Those poor, poor billion dollar conglomerates will be loosing the tax credit GWB gave them for shipping American jobs overseas.

Originally Posted by Learning Newbie

New jobs != the hemorrhaging of current jobs. For lack of a better word, "duh!"

Those poor, poor billion dollar conglomerates will be loosing the tax credit GWB gave them for shipping American jobs overseas.

I hate to be the one to hand you the smelling salts, but those jobs will go overseas with, or without any alleged tax credits. Believe me when I say that Obama's honeymoon on the world scene will be VERY short lived if he goes isolationist and starts "renegotiating" free trade agreements as he has said he will. On the other hand, he will be hated by the Unions who helped to elect him if he doesn't.

In either event, globalization is here to stay. Period. Don't expect WASP kids to take up picking strawberries as a high school summer job over working at McDonalds. Don't expect the thousands upon thousands of Indian programmers in this country to fold up and head back to Banglor(And those were all white collar jobs).