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.

Dear Nostatus...Obama's bitter and clinging statement did it for me....it is an elietists stance..one of being more enlightened than the people of PA. Well if we can only enlighten them a little we can make them see reason. and they will give up their guns and religion.

Also on June 27 Hitllary introduced her big campaign donors to Obama. One of them was Jamie Dimon of Morgan Stanley. His reponse on the Charlie Rose interivew on July 1st was "The Democrats are CRAZY and if they get their way will ruin the country." with their change....

As of late Obama has met with Warren Buffet, John Corzine (govenator NJ and Goldman Sachs CEO), and Paul Volcker...Obama's campaigns comment was he listened and was assessing..in other words it went in one ear and out the other....

The problem with Obama is that his world view is that of South Chicago and helping out the poor people at the expense of the Middle Class.. your DIME Nostatus.....the rich and corps will go off shore...end of story...

The Liberals want to kill the goose that lays the Golden Egg. not realizing that without the goose there will be no golden eggs to pay for their programs. Tak e alook around at the business environment in CA...and that of pre Thatcher GB....those are the models to be looking at wirht the coming of an Obama admin. Even if he wants to moderate, a Dem Congress will run through everything it can and Obama will NOT BE ABLE TO STOP THEM...rememeber Grey Davis..

Better to Snooze than lose...and what you will lose is the entrepreneurial spirit in America. Why make that extra 10K if it is going to be taxed away? Why not just sit at home and coast...

If one can not get ahead by trying harder sooner or later everyone will stop trying...that is what happens in Socialist countries...

Once that happens the phenon that America represents will be DEAD!

The ball will have to be picked up by some othe nation?

Wayne here is going to be hit hard with Obama...

DD74 doesn't realize it but his name is on the list to.

Rich Liberal Dems think well their are alot of Rich Dems and they won't let anything that hurts them get passed...yeah right....that is exactly what the German Industrialists thought about Hitler, they thought they could control him.

Some of UUUUUU Liberal fko's better take a long look at history and compare and contrast what Obama types really accomplish.

Spot On!

This is exactly what I see with the relationship between Dem's and Obama. They see a man who can deliver their message. They see a man who is reasonable ... who can be controlled by well meaning liberals. What could possibly go wrong? ...all we need is 'hope.':rolleyes:

With Obama, my BS meter has never been so pegged. Sure, McCain has his share of scare-factor, but Obama . . .he is an absolute train-wreck waiting to happen.

Early on I was raising an eyebrow over his US hating racist preacher/mentor, his terrorist ties, and his disdain for the flag, but was absolutely Stunned by his debate responce of raising capitol gains based on "fairness." --such an uneducated (but arrogant) man has NO BUSINESS as POTUS.

As was said earlier, The pathetic Dem congress will not keep the Obamantion in balance. --Obama will be an absolute train-wreck.

You guys are wasting your breath.

I have a friend that is a rabid anti-bush guy. Doesn't care what happens as long as a Dem wins. He and his wife have a nice life, make $350k+, nice house, cars, etc... If Obama wins, they are going to be totally fuched, but he doesn't care because he will feel better with a dem in the Whitehouse. That's how deeply his feelings run. When I push him on the issue, he just says that we need change, but doesn't really say what that means.

When you tell people that there has been more spending on social services under Bush than under any other President, they don't care. They perceive that Bush is evil and they just can't get around that feeling. Warrantless wiretaps, blood for oil, Cheney and Haliburton, Bush lied - people died, Gitmo, water boarding, whatever.... All of these things, whether real or just perceived offend them so badly that there is no reasoning.

Obama is a lightweight - to use a phrase from bush v. gore - no gravitas. He's wet behind the ears (and those are some big ears). He has no experience doing anything on an executive level, but he's handsome, a good orator, black, not a republican and most importantly not bush. It doesn't matter that he has no accomplishments, he's different and liberal and that's all that my friend really cares about.

Joe, of course you are right. IMO, So many Lib's have had it so easy, for so long, that they believe this country has plenty of elasticity for a wet behind the ears socialists experiments.

Funny, the same Lib's seem to believe CO2 will stop the earth from spinning, and/or that the country can't survive with GW in the whitehouse.

And after the fine dining I directed you to in Malibu...:rolleyes:

As for "Do we need change?" Evidentially yes. That's why there is an Obama scenario in your future, like it or not. Particularly if McCain wins.

Obama is too light of a weight to be able to stop the seriousily minded Liberal Demorats in congress. Especially if they have a large majority...Let Nancy etal loose and see what ya all get.

That is the way I've seen it for months. If Hillary had the nomination, and then won, the would push her agenda. Obama will get rolled by Nancy and Harry.

look what the libs have done to California

Guess it is true that you can't learn from someone else's mistakes

Here's your chance to expound on the greatness of your communist heroes.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1217510811.jpg

Admitting you have a problem is the first step on the road to recovery. Your best post yet!

There is no date on the letter.
It is an old chain letter, he was talking about Reagan.

Joe Man - you are so right. This is the same exact situation here in New York City. The Bush hatred is so extreme - they have blinders on.

Obama will do a lot of damage in his first and only term.

there are 2 kinds of voters in this country. ones who look at the last 8 years and like what they see. they are for:

corporate socialism at the expense of the middle class

weaker allied relationships around the world

over-stretched military

borrowing beyond our means to keep our economy afloat, our children and their children will pay it back, no worries

the weakest economy seen since the Great Depression

continued dependence on non-renewable energy sources

etc.

and those that want more for America.

And what they they will get is:

more government mandated wealth transfer at the expense of the middle class..

the realization that many allies around the world are unable or unwilling to help out with anything. (Umm - how many German troops helping out in Afghanistan??)

a military seconded guessed and controlled by those that like it and respect it the least.

more borrowing to pay public sector employees not to mention increased un-funded long term liabilities.

an economy that will falter under more taxes.

more money being wasted on stupid wind farms, ethanol and the like and nothing getting done with real technologies like nuclear.

etc.

And those that have a clue..:rolleyes:

:eek: What a well supported other side. Bravo.

I'd like a side of Hope and Change with that....

Yer gonna have to explain this one against Obama's plans, I have no idea what you mean. BTW, do you know where tax breaks for the wealthy go? Overseas investment more and more. The wealthy aren't banking on the U.S. to make them money anymore, so their tax breaks won't be growing our economy.


Obama asked for more troops, Angela will give them to him. and probably a bj as well.



Why are you talking about the Bush Admin here, or don't you know your history. First 3 years of Iraq...Military completely overridden by the Admin with disastrous results. Afghanistan going well? And McCain will override the Military as well.




examples? Democrats don't borrow for programs. they tax. Republicans live beyond their means and borrow from the Communist Chinese making our children pay them back.



if our economy were faltering any more, we'd be in a depression. you may want to take a look at Obama's actual tax plans at his website. he will tax the wealthy (see above) and the middle class will get breaks. he will also tax the hell out of speculators, that's probably the best thing he could probably do. people who make money off of raising prices on the Middle Class should be shot.


You callin' that T. Boones guy stupid? and it's not yer money, it's? his that will pay for the farms. I guess if Republicans could set-up a speculation scheme on pricing the wind, you'd be aaaaaaalllllllllll for wind farms though, wouldn't ya. Obama is for nuclear.