DF-21 Forums

[Taton]

We seem to have acquired a new President. The election didn't turn out how I would like, but let's hope for America to have a bright future.

To all my non-American Bretheren: Celebrate or go into mourning as you feel lead.

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"A fight should be clean and elegant, without waste"
-Asuka Langley Sohryu, Evangelion

[Tom Manning]

I was sort of waiting for Mattias to show up and congratulate us.

I can't wait to start supporting 6 people with each of my paychecks.

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Tom Manning
For all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you, Stand, Men of the West!
Aragorn: Return of the King

[klasodeth]

While most people will focus on the Presidency, my primary concern is the results of the Congressional elections. It is never good when one party is in control. This usually kills the spirit of compromise and allows bad ideas to flourish. Balance is always better when it comes to Congress.

I will be amused to see how the international community handles this over time. Like many Americans, the international community expects dramatic changes that simply will not happen. The changes that do happen will not always be well received. After all, we elected a president, not a messiah. The United States will still be run by politicians--many of the same politicians who helped get the country into the state it's currently in. I suspect that the next four years will be business as usual.

[Burning Gundam]

[Darth Oosha]

[Marley]

You've no idea how much this result means outside of America. Seriously - to continue along the same protectionist economic and foreign policy would have been an utter disaster for the rest of the world not to mention America itself. I think it's fantastic that we have someone on the world stage now preaching a message of hope and optimism about the future that has been lacking from world politics since 9/11 and the subsequent fallout.

On a personal level I really feel like "the futures here, lets get on with it".

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*ZaP*

[klasodeth]

[Marley]

I'm not assuming that big changes are already in progress, I understand political process and I'm realistic about the pace of any changes. Big change has been explicitly promised and I am sure once the wheels of the American political machine start turning again change will come. I'm not expecting immediate dramatic shifts in policy (or even to agree with much of it) but the new leader brings a vastly different attitude and is genuinely wise in the ways of the world in a way his incumbent never was. With Bush there was no chance of America taking the lead on Global issues in a way that the world could genuinely get behind. With Obama there is. That's why I'm excited.

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*ZaP*

[Magic_Al]

The worldwide enthusiasm for Obama is not based on specifics of his plans but the fact that America voted for the candidate who appears to be the most unlike, not only Bush, but any past American president. This reaction demonstrates that frustration with American leadership has not destroyed underlying positive feelings for America. There's a tremendous reservoir of goodwill that any new president can choose to use or abuse.

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----- MagicAl`s DARK FORCES Niche -----
http://wayback.archive.org/web/*/http://homepage.mac.com/anewmanagn/magic_al/

Armed only with a blaster pistol and an intimate knowledge of
Imperial methods, MagicAl prepares to go to lunch....

[klasodeth]

I must say it is refreshing to see a discussion of politics that has not turned into a flamewar. It's hard to find places where topics such as this can be discussed without coming to virtual blows.

[sheepandshepherd]

Agreed, I'm pretty satisfied with the election results. Although I'm not a liberal or a democrat and don't agree with some of Obama's values, he is definitely what the nation needs right now - someone who would cut away the rotten pieces of America's apple instead of just letting it rot or just throwing the whole thing to the dogs.

As klasodeth said, the changes aren't going to happen overnight. Congress is who's really in control of America's future. But the enthusiasm that Obama's promise of change is bringing us might just be enough to unify Americans and keep them from fighting each other over divided politics. And as always, an optimistic nation will be much better at handling the crises that are building up around the world.

Just out of curiosity, what do you guys think about these current economic problems? I mean, obviously it's not just the US, the entire world is being affected by this . . . a lot of people think we're heading towards another Great Depression. Do you agree? What should be done about it?

[Burning Gundam]

I figure either we're already there or dangerously close to it. I can't tell you how many people have come in my workplace recently (even those with hardcore degrees too, one in medical science) looking for work. And plenty of businesses nearby have gone bankrupt as well.

I may not have the best job in the world, but with todays situation with the economy I'm fortunate to even have a job as it is. And I have this dark feeling of losing my job at any time because of it.

I hope things get better soon, but I'm more trying to understand how things got like this in the first place. I understand that the situation isn't going to get any better anytime really soon, but I try to look at things optomistically despite it. I also heard a rumor that another emergency economic stimulus package is being proposed to help boost the economy during the coming holiday season. Personally, I think if it didn't work at all the first time, it sure as heck isn't going to work this time.

As far as the rest of the world is concerned, since the US is a primary powerhouse for the world-wide economy, I think I could say metaphorically it's like a wildfire spreading across the economy. Evrything is being affected to a certain degree, some countries more than others. But in short, yes, I agree we are headed in that direction and it will be a scary yet interesting point in my life to see what comes out of it.

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I don't think outside the box... I customize it.

[Fish]

Around here (Central/Mediterranean Europe) one can notice an increasing amount of concern; media and people are talking more and more about a possible economic crisis, and many suggest it is going to be long an inevitable.

However, there were no radical cuts yet - some banks have raised the credit interest rates and lowered the offer of loans and mortgages, but there was no impact on the employment itself yet, though some industries, primarily those that anyway had problems with profitability, announced one or two upcoming waves of lay-offs. (But many analysts suggest also that the industry will use the crisis as an alibi to fire more people than it actually needs to.) Some ministers suggest a stimulus package, a strategy similar to the one in USA, but due to many different, and often contrasting sides in European economy, it might take a lot of time and nerves to negotiate the amounts, distribution, sources, further strategy, a plan B, etc. It is not yet a red alert situation, but many are preparing for one - and thus perhaps adding to the amount of investor and venture capitalist paranoia.

So the local stock market is undergoing a yo-yo effect, mostly reflecting the good or bad news from the rest of Europe and USA.

[sheepandshepherd]

Ehh . . . I know there are many causes, but I can't help but be especially angry with those filthy-rich CEOs and their "golden parachutes" -- they pull millions of dollars out of the company into private accounts and then retire, saving them from any serious depression-related problems. Whether or not the economic problems were serious before, golden parachute strategies like this are definitely hitting companies and lower-on-the-totem-pole working class citizens pretty hard.

[CarlosG]

Carlin always said that there should be a law where the golden parachutes were made of real gold and the CEOs were pushed out of an airplane with their chutes.