So what will actually change under Obama to make the world a better place?

[MadameCastafiore]

Honestly I would like to know what you expect him to be able to do?

[MadameCastafiore]

Anyone or are you all whooping it round the kitchen still and crying into your muesli?

[pramspotter]

Well he is inheriting a hell of a lot of big problems created by the neocons. I like Obama, and voted for him but I think that in order to fix this mess he is going to have to make some very unpopular decisions.

[pramspotter]

Just to add, that I did vote for Obama even though I am not personally that far to the left. But I would rather have voted for Gilligan and the Skipper than vote for McCain and Palin.

[Elffriend]

Who knows what will actually change? That is always the issue with politics and politicians. We will just have to wait and see.

I can still be happy about this result though. I feel happier about the democrat stances and happier with Obama as a president than McCain (Or Dubya). I also believe this marks an importent point along the path of history whatever the outcome.

I'm not an idealist but it makes a change to cry at the news because I'm happy so please give it 5 minutes before we all start raining on the parade eh?

[mayorquimby]

....um ........ change and ....taking a new america forward with.....i don't know .. love and stuff? he'll probably give all americas wealth to like the 3rd world and america won't even think of war or oil ever again..... did i mention change? oh but he has a nice smile and it's history being made in front of your eyes with all the change and stuff.

[guyFAwkesreQuiem]

well I'd say something has already changed wouldn't you - a non-white President has secured over 1/2 the popular vote in a country where until less than 50yrs the majority of blacks where still not allowed to vote - never mind vote for a Black president.

[CatIsSleepy]

well
the US has an intelligent, liberal president
am still reeling at that to be honest
you want him to do stuff as well? sheesh!

[angelene]

Well for starters Roe vs Wade is safe for a few years and that makes me very pleased.

[fembear]

MayorQ you forgot to mention hope and the future and cute likkle puppy dogs

[Threadworrm]

I felt savage at the part of his speech that went something like 'All you Parliaments and Assebmblies and people huddled around your radios in poor countries, don't worry because here comes a new dawn of American leadership.'

American leadership? Fuck the fuck off. Don't want American leadership, thanks. Look where it got us.

Quite like the description of Obama as a dog who likes to chase cars and one day catches up with a car, and wonders what the hell to do next.

[MadameCastafiore]

Seems like all America has done is voted for the best of a bad lot doesn't it?

[Elffriend]

Quick! There's been some good news for a change!

You know the drill ladies!

[MadameCastafiore]

No I honestly started it expecting all those crying into their cereal to come and tell me what he is going to do - so far not a lot really?

[Threadworrm]

It's good to have a place for cynicism today. The coverage this morning became crazily adulatory of Obama, McCain, the people of America, even George Bush.

[AuraofDora]

dittany, they, the USA, are already launching attacks on pakistan, obama just said he would do more of them wtf
he has said he will continue to be friend to israel
foreign policy looks the same then

its symbolic due to his mix-race but nothing more really, sadly

would have been more scared if mccain/palin had made it though!

its very easy to be in opposition, when he is president he will have to play up play up play the game really....

[JumpingJackFlasher]

Message deleted

[MadameCastafiore]

Oh really you guys must read his acceptance speech - it will make you cry - the world is going to be a better and safer place!

WTF

[cestlavie]

I seem to recall that he made one comment about going after high value Al-Quaeda targets on Pakistani soil if the Pakistani government didn't do so - a remark made in response to being baited about being soft on terrorism due to his policy on Iran and subsequently retracted.

More accurately, in terms of his policy towards Pakistan he co-sponsored a bill with Biden approving $15 billion of aid to the country for building "schools, roads and clinics" as part of a socio-economic approach (rather than military) to the region. Most recently he has looked to engage both Pakistan and India in peace talks on the disputed territory of Kashmir.

Most interestingly, despite Pakistan being typically pro-Republican and Indian pro-Democrat, the leading Pakistan dailies have come out in cautious welcome of Obama and specifically how they believe his policy will affect the region in that he is "conscious of the absolute necessity of socio-economic uplift in the entire region" rather that "the military actions" [of Bush and McCain].

If we're going to pick holes in his policy, let's try to be fair about it...

[goblinvalley]

I'm with you too - can't watch the news, i can't stand all the fawning.

I hope that he does do a good job, but that is yet to be seen

[Elffriend]

Madame - I am presuming that the whole 'point in African-American history' thing is neither here nor there to you (Which is what has made many feel emotional this morning). Fair enough.

I am interested though - if you were hoping for a Mcain victory - do you think that would make any difference going forward? Or do you believe that the answer will come from elsewhere (financial markets?)? Or do you believe we are all just doomed?

Don't get me wrong, I am no misty-eyed optimist (I'm really not!)but even I am reflecting that it is a sad inditement that we beleive one person cannot change the world for good but we know all too well one can change the wolrd for ill.

What would you say would be a way forward - and where do we start?

[Elffriend]

'Scuse crap typing.

[donnie]

the fact that a black man has been voted into has made the world a better place. If you cannot see that you are blind. Can you not see how significant this is? America is the most powerful country on the planet - work it out for yourself.

The fact that a war mongering ,imperialist oil baron has been put out to pasture has made the world a better place.

[NotSoRampantRabbit]

So far none of the cynics have put forward any concrete policies that support their contention that Obama is about to bomb Pakistan and continue screwing the world over.

This article outlines some of his policy intentions with regard to the environment, economy, foreign relations. Maybe worth a read?

[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/02/elections-obama-mccain-yorker-democrats]]