Do we need change?
 

Submitted without comment. -Joe

Beware of Charismatic Men Who Preach 'Change'
To The Editor, Times-Dispatch:

Each year I get to celebrate Independence Day twice. On June 30 I
celebrate my independence day and on July 4 I celebrate America's. This year is special, because it marks the 40th anniversary of my independence.

On June 30, 1968, I escaped communist Cuba and a few months later I was in the United States to stay. That I happened to arrive in Richmond on Thanksgiving Day is just part of the story, but I digress.
I've thought a lot about the anniversary this year. The election-year
rhetoric has made me think a lot about Cuba and what transpired there.

In the late 1950s, most Cubans thought Cuba needed a change, and they were right. So when a young leader came along, every Cuban was at least
receptive. When the young leader spoke eloquently and passionately and denounced the old system, the press fell in love with him. They never questioned who his friends were or what he really believed in. When he said he would help the farmers and the poor and bring free medical care and education to all, everyone followed. When he said he would bring justice and equality to all, everyone said "Praise the Lord." And when the young leader said, "I will be for change and I'll bring you change," everyone yelled, "Viva Fidel!"

But nobody asked about the change, so by the time the executioner's guns went silent the people's guns had been taken away. By the time everyone was equal, they were equally poor, hungry, and oppressed. By the time everyone received their free education it was worth nothing. By the time the press noticed, it was too late, because they were now working for him. By the time the change was finally implemented Cuba had been knocked down a couple of notches to Third-World status. By the time the change was over more than a million people had taken to boats, rafts, and inner tubes. You can call those who made it ashore anywhere else in the world the most fortunate Cubans. And now I'm back to the beginning of my story.

Luckily, we would never fall in America for a young leader who promised
change without asking, what change? How will you carry it out? What will it cost America? Would we?

Manuel Alvarez Jr.
Sandy Hook, VA

That is about as comforting as Ted Kennedy in charge of monitoring alcohol abuse in DC.

Bush dismantled the system of checks and balances, thanks! I've submitted my list to the Obama campaign for PATRIOT Act spying.:D

i'd much rather the status quo :rolleyes:

You missed out on a fantastic opportunity to type McSame and 'Bush Lied People Died'

You're kidding right? Tell me you're kidding.

OK, sure: I'm kidding.
(Hey if you'll believe Obamamania, you'll believe the above line.)

Yes we do , and here is where it is going to start.

Obama Would Order Review Of Bush's Executive Orders
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/30/obama-would-order-review_n_115782.html

So Obama is now the new Castro?

Its so hard to keep track of all the smears these days.

And you're Manuel Alvarez Jr. right?

When will you people grow up?

it's much easier to call candidates names or give them trite labels so that we don't really have to think about it. Kinda like the NASCAR approach to politics. We don't want a road course where we have to think - can't we just go 'round and 'round and throw yellow flags around to ruffle things up?

Let's see, so '07 USA now is equivalent to 50's Cuba.

And PPOT is equivalent to 30's Germany.

And if the socialist Obama is elected we be constantly attacked by terrorists. No wait, we'll negotiate with terrorists. No wait, we'll give into terrorists.

As far as I can tell, we have two candidates who are surprisingly similar except that Obama has more charisma. Beyond that, they both are the same old song and dance. Because America doesn't want change...unless it entails going back to Leave it to Beaver and "the gold old days."

Well, that is unless you were on the wrong side of the good old days...

When you give Obama the keys to the magic kingdom you are in essence giving them to the Daleys of Chicago, Tedy Kennedy or his proxy, and Nancy Reid....If the Dems get a large majority in the House and Senate...the Dems will be able to push every Liberal proposal right on through with an Obaba signature rubber stamped. The American business landscape will start to resemble Californias in very short order...one of being anti-business or put another way ANTI-PROFIT MOTIVE.

Morgan Stanley has allready said there are plenty of investment opportunities in the rest of the world so they are not worried about making a profit. The wealthy also will go off shore...Bill Gates has $5,000,000,000 in Muni bonds which are double tax free...just 175M a year non taxable income forever...the rest is in his charitable foundation...so what does he care?

Wow, I really thought you guys were sharp enough to get the point of this. I guess I have to spell it out for you slowly. Obama wants to call for "change" but there is very little substance in his platform other than a lot of general statements. No one seems to care what he really means or what he wants to change (not to mention his previous voting record). There are so many rabid "anyone but a Republican"s out there but they may find out that they are jumping from the frying pan into the fire. The letter by Mr. Alvarez (no Dottore I am no him nor did I say I was and there was nothing immature about the letter written to make a point) makes the point that we may not like the kind of changes that Obama has in mind.
Nostatic: look at Obama's voting record. He makes Teddy K and Hillary look like moderate to conservatives. No way you can say they are "surprisingly similar". Also, I didn't call him a name. The news media has used Obamamania to make the point that people are swooning to the charisma of the man rather than the platform (which brings us back to the letter I originally posted).
If you are happy with Obama then fine, vote for him. I just hope that the majority of America asks "just what does this dude stand for?" before they pull the lever in November.
Shesh.

Please reconcile your statement:

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So what is it. Shesh? Joe? Manuel?

Whatever...

You post some seriously inane letter from some Bay of Pigs wannabe, and then try to draw some parallel between Castro and Obama?

Sorry, but I'm not sharp enough to "get the point of this".

You may have to help me.

Your leaps of logic escape me.

Go on, give it your best shot.

Moi

Dottore, you are just priceless

Obama is a Demagog. He uses the same tricks in his oratory that Hitler used.

And of course the same can't be said about the right..."anyone but a democrat, especially Osambama..."

There are a lot of details here - doubt very many have bothered to read them. And that goes for the left and the right.

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/

I agree with some of what he says, disagree with other parts, and wonder how he's going to pay for this. I come to pretty much the same conclusion when I read McCain's (less detailed) stances. For me the thing that tips the scales is that I think Obama can work the system and get some consensus here and there. Perhaps more importantly, he seems to be able to inspire people - McCain is a snooze. This country is capable of great things, but not with an apathetic population.

Do we need change? The world is changing. We either become active in our course or we sit back and let it pass us by. You bet we need change. The only question imho is which direction and how we proceed.

And here we have the $65 question!

Now Todd, put that bong down for just a moment, and the answer will come to you.