1. Or you could insert something that says, "This is how I'm taking what you said, but if..."

2. Oddly enough, I agree. I cannot begin to understand why those people do not find fault. However, isn't it better to take the initiative and debate, instead of arguing? It's all well and good, and easy - to point fingers at the other person. Frankly, bluntly, those people that bashed Bush - they've got the same kind elsewhere. So I agree, the bash Bush buss was stupid, and largely immature (and illogical, stupid, pointless, etc.); however, lets not start the same thing with Obama.

3. Personally, I had issues with things Bush did, but I respected the man. I didn't bash him consistantly, but neither did refrain from criticizing him.

I agree; my favorite quote is one largely attributed to Voltaire and is an epitome of his attitude. It says, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." I'll stand for your right to say what you want; stupid remarks and all, but please, please use at least a little bit of wisdom. lol

The same goes for Obama. This is not a bash Obama fest. We are merely pointing out what we believe he is doing wrong but it's a bit frustrating to have people find excuses for these things rather than admit it is wrong or at least point as to why it's not.

The bow for example. Many here claimed it was no big deal, Aisians do it all the time. However Asians do it to "each other" and in many cases those in higher positions do it first. But if it was not a big deal then why did his administartion claim he was not bowing but siply trying to reach down to someone, apparently, much shorter than him? See what I mean? Then there is the promise to keep lobbyist out of his administartion, where is the outdry from those who follow him? then there is the promiss to cut pork spending and he signs the bill breaking this promis. The excuse? It was last years business. Come on, how can that possibly be an excuse?

If those who follow Obama can at least accept he has done many things wrong and broken many promises, then maybe there would be room for working together. But when you have an administartion putting out reports that Conservatives could turn terrorist while at the same time prohibiting the use of words like terrorist to describe those who use terrorist acts to harm us, one has to wonder just how much does this administration want to unite this country. Since when do you insult people as a means to unite with them?

It's one thing to give someone a chance to prove themselves, it's another to see mistake after mistake after mistake and be expected to say nothing about it.

I agree, comments without substance are worthless.

I would have to say they may have made the case simply because everyone, or damn near everyone, was making such a fuss about it. (Explainations never hurt, though people will believe what they want to believe, along with the help of the media.) Again, that's just a guess on my part. (Not a defense )

Lobbyists are a sticky issue; most don't realize there are more than just the corporate lobbyists, there are those who actually go to DC with our interests in mind. They're more than likely overshadowed and outfunded by the corporate ones, but they're there none-the-less.

I've always felt that Obama promised more than he should have. I would've been more inclined toward him if he had merely said something along the lines of, "Guys, I can make only one promise - that I will work for you and work for you every second I have." That, at least, shows some sort of awareness and understanding on his part of the magnitude of promises and to me shows a maturity. He therein keeps his credibility and integrity to an extent.

How can it be? Easily, very easily. People will believe what they want, despite whatever points are against it. We (humans) are an extremely illogical, and f**ked up people. I'm probably late to the party on realizing that; it's kind of depressing seeing irrational thinking, etc.

I've no clue how that report got out about the domestic terrorism; still though, why should it be PC? In all seriousness, I question how much control the national government has on state government. There certainly doesn't seem to be a monopoly on stupidity, lol.

Good point!

Hmm, would you mind clarifying that? I'm intrigued by it and would like to know more of your opinion and what not on it.

One man's mistake is another man's progress, just as one man's earmark is another's economic stimulus.

Pardon my language, but diversity of opinions really can be a bitch, heh.

---

As someone who wishes to enter into politics, it's unfortunate, but really the reality now days that a candidate ends up - not necessarily do they have to - breaking promises.It's all about the deal making, and a candidate may in one day trade favors to get the highest prioritized thing passed. Blegh, I hate the game, but yet I love the rolling up your sleeves and making change/progress, etc. 

~Alderic

China, for all its faults, is no where near socialist. At least not in the sense the US is heading. There are no government health system, there are no entitlement programs. I'm sure there is graft and corruption, and it might be near the amount that is in the US. If a criminal is caught, he/she can expect harsh punishment for their actions. True you can't vote, but the government is not in your face with their hand out either. Religion could be a problem, due to lack of facilities, I'm not too sure about persecution, but I didn't see any (plenty of Buddhist monks roaming around though). The cities are modern, (with all the problems of modern cities) kids wearing jeans, fast food, neon, and malls. Looks like many places you'd find here. On the surface it's as far from communist as it can be (and I am a die-hard anti-communist whose been to a few nations with this system of government). If I had to compare it, I would say it resembles 1940' or 50"s USA but without elected officials. They have a budget surplus and don;t spend more than they earn. Even home buyers save up for a home or car and pay cash. Maybe on a few issues we should listen.

Ha...hahahahah! Of course you wouldn't see it? Why would the government want you to see that? They're going to make sure you get to see all the pretty lights and tourist attractoins. Try being a Falun Gong; you're either dead, missing parts, etc. Or Christian for that matter.

Since we're on the topic of persecution and suppresio in China -- Try being Taiwanese, or Tibetan, or from East Turkestan, Uyghuristan, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, to an extent Manchuria, even Hong Kong. They're all areas that have people that have tried to establish their own country after oppression. In the case of Tibet, well...I'm not going there. The whole deal pisses me off.

~Alderic

Politifact is being very generous towards obama... for example, obama said "90% of guns recovered in mexico originate in the US".

Politifact says this is "half true", it claims that 1/3 of the guns recovered in mexico are suspected to be of USA origin, which are then submitted to the american tabaco and firearms beureo, which verifies that 90% of those are indeed from the US and 10% were mistakingly identified as of US origin.

1/3 * 0.9 = 30%. so in reality 30% originate in the US.

I don't see how tripling a figure is "half true", its simply NOT true.

Also a lot of the so called "stalled" and "compromises" should be broken compromises... my favorite is baraks promise to go line by line and eliminate earmarks, which he claims to have done in the stimulus bills.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/promise/512/go-line-line-over-earmarks-make-sure-money-being-s/

The most porky bills of us history...

Eliminate earmarks means eliminate them, not make them insignificant in amount compared to your other excessive spending (also there were WAYYYYYY more than a "few" earmarks in that porkulus bill, and veteran comp or powerplant construction are both not really earmarks.)

That is very generous of them, I would consider a 9000 earmark bill which he does not go line by line over (as he promised) a broken promise.

PS. what last administration? democrats took over congress in 2006, the difference is that now they have a clear majority with ability to pass laws even if a few democrats dissent, and they have a democrat president who would not veto their crap. but no, its bush's fault that obama and his administration are about to pass an even more porked bill than the last.

It gets even better - only 17% of crimes committed with weapons in Mexico can be confirmed to have involved weapons manufactured in the US.  So nearly half of that 30% (of weapons from the US) are weapons being used to defend people from the 83% of Mexican weapons used in crimes which don't originate in the US.  It doesn't take a college degree to understand that in a poor country like Mexico, inexpensive non-US weapons, which are readily available (legally & otherwise) will represent an overwhelming majority of the weapons in the country.  Why buy an AR-15 when you can have 3 or 4 AK-47's for the same price?

Moral of the story - It's a rare politician who cares about the truth.

As I said (and you chose to ignore), China is far from perfect. I'm aware of Tibet, and would like them to be independent. I'd also like to see Taiwan be recognized as an independent country. I think I have a little more insight on the matter, than your assumed "tourist's insight" reference would infer. Sure I've been there. Got met and married my wife there in fact and experience their bureaucracy first hand. My wife lived there 48 of her 49 years, She went through the Cultural Revolution and work on an "educated youth" farm. Now perhaps you can give your expert opinion on the subject after you provide your qualifiers? Or should I take your lead and assume?

I do not want to say anything about the domestic political issues as there seems to be a clear divide. However, on the economy I think Obama is spot on. He wants huge Governmental spending as that is the only known remedy for a recession on a sxcale as grand as this. Unlike, 1929, the USA is off the Gold Standard and the US $ remains the global currency of trade. This being the case the instability in the US financial markets and institutions have a global impact. Secondly, I think many are not giving enough credit to Obama for identifying the problem-lack of regulation-and his crusade for a world finacial reorganisation. His attack on Tax hacvens may not be of very graet significance to US citizens, but every corrupt third world politician has billions stached away in tax havens and in Swiss accounts. I think Obam is reight in going ater tax havens. His attemt to put main street America back in the game by giving tax breaks and college tution grants is extremely creditable. I think some must set aside their partisan points of view and see Obama in the light of what he says and achieves.

mmm, so half of those "weapons used in a crime" are used by the victim to protect himself? well we DEFINITELY don't want THAT. [/sarcasm]

but thats ok, as long as an authoratative sounding source like politifact (they even have FACT in their title!) says its only "half truth" for him to say that 90% of them come from the us, who are we to argue?

Keep in mind he is doing exactly that which Bush was criticized for. People do not want massive spending of money we do not have. This is not the only remedy. Sometimes you have to fall and hurt yourself a bit to get up stronger next time, cushioning every fall will only lead to  making thesame mistakes again.

What credit? We all knew what the problem was and the Gov't was the one who caused it. As you weretold before that you ignored or missed it was massive regulation that screwed things up, not lack of it. Fannie May and Freddie Mack were the catalyst for all this and they were Gov't controlled. Can't get more regulated than that.

This I don't mind. People should be able to do what they want with their moneybut they should also pay their taxes and not hide their money to avoid it although I can perfectly understand why. I guessI am a bit divided on this issue.

You can't spend and give tax breaks at the same time. That is something Democrats decried for 8 years. now it's OK for Obama to do it? What will he do, take more taxes from the rich? This is ludicris, you can't not take money from one group and take much more from another. And here I thought we were suppose to be a fair Nation.

Bah, humbug.  There is no evidence to support this statement, none.

Yeah, maybe he should start with his own cabinet.

When he turns the country into a third world nation, that $10 to $13 will come in handy. He is generous with our money, I'll give him that. He takes a barrel full and gives us back a cup and we shall all be so grateful that he knows how to spend it better than we can. The people that give nothing, yet receive something really love this path we are heading. Can't wait for all those college students get out of school, find a good job, and start paying 45-50% of their earnings (Federal, State, and local taxes) to keep the un-motivated happy, healthy, and in school. I'm tired of it, but I won't have to put up with it much more. I just hope they remember back to the days of "free money" for everyone was their battle cry, because the invoice will be coming shortly. (BTW I got my degree without any grants (and it turn studied harder than most that had their parents or the government paying their way, or saw it as party time), had to do a scary thing first... w-o-r-k).

My "points" aren't partisan, the Republicans made a mess too, triple of the same is not progress. You can love the man, as it appears you do, and still not like his policies.

It was done during the seventies recession, and things were a lot worse IMO. Jobs were scarce with double digit unemployment, New 30 year-fixed mortgages were 15% or higher. People were lucky if they could find a house with a low mortgage that they could assume. Most financial institutions won't allow that today after that little loophole was brought to light then. So let's see, today 8% unemployment and 4.5% mortgage rates, might be bad, but it's not that bad.

And for the folks that say how terrible it is out there, I lost my job in early Feb., Don't feel bad I planned for a rainy day. My bills were paid on time, and my standard of living barely changed. It's called personal responsibility. Didn't need or want a bailout and I'm not near wealthy, even by Obama standards. Oh, I started a new job tis past week. It even pays more than the last one did. I did consider not taking it, as it was nice putting around the house as so many do for a "career". But, someone has got to help fill the multitude of outstretched hands, and doing nothing for too long just isn't my style.