I voted

by on November 4, 2008 at 9:27 am in Political Science | Permalink

First time, ever.

Addendum: By the way, it took me less than 3 minutes (I was surprised) and I got a free coffee at Starbucks. Not bad on instrumental or expressive grounds.

58 comments submit to reddit

An amused liberal November 5, 2008 at 3:00 pm

Then why bring it up? I’ve had countless white people breathlessly explain that this is a major reason they’re voting for him. I’m not originally American and I can’t understand why 1.)America is so focused on everyone else’s racial preferences and 2.)why they think electing a black guy is going to erase past racism. Bizarre.
Because it does matter, on a symbolic level, just like Jackie Robinson playing pro baseball mattered. It’s not going to erase past racism but it does break new ground and opens up new possibilities.

First, they need to reach the milestone of not openly hating anyone not of their tribe – Americans of all stripes, other Europeans, members of their former colonies, etc. They have a long way to go before they consider electing anyone dissimilar. First, they have to be able to have tea with them. Baby steps.
I agree! It’s hypocritical, but they still criticize us for our history of racism. Overcoming the racism in our society is not only the right thing to do, but for once the rest of the world can’t lecture us on the matter.

If nothing else I’d like to be able to enjoy international travel without having to constantly underline the history of colonialism to europeans who feel the need to tell me about politics even though I’m actually more informed than they are and make it clear up front that I’m not a republican.

Oh well, by all means then let’s stop doing anything at all. Russia is my country of origin and I’m very well aware that Russia used to blame capitalism for everything that went wrong in Russia (which was everything). Perhaps we should quit capitalism too (oh crap – too late. That’s a done deal).

It is the pure arrogance of the United States to think that all other countries are following its lead. Other countries and other people in other countries are self interested and act on their own. They can always find an excuse to justify their behaviour. Don’t be a sucker and assume that if only the U.S. behaved primly, the rest of the world will follow like cattle.
I don’t think that. American exceptionalism is dangerously stupid. But we are a large part of an interconnected system, and like it or not what we do affects others in one way or another.

Don’t get me wrong, I think Bush has done more hang the socialist albatross around America’s neck than anyone since Hoover. But electing a Marxist president to rule with a socialist congress is not going to make this better
Things are going to get bad in the relatively near future. We face a lot of problems which would have been much better handled by taking the initiative a long time ago. We didn’t do so, and as a result we’ll likely be forced to choose an FDR or a Hitler. I want us to choose an FDR, and that’s a major reason why I voted for Obama.

I don’t view social democracy as being equivalent to socialism or marxism. When it comes to big government spending, I think that by FAR the lowest hanging fruit is the defense budget.

I can’t believe more libertarians (I think you’re more that type of liberal, no?) wouldn’t want to split the two branches of government to create gridlock. Personally, I can’t stand Obama (I don’t like any politicians, really), but if the congress were expected to go to the Republicans, I would have voted for him. I can’t understand why people think that both branches in the hands of one party is better than both branches in the hands of the other
I’m from Alaska. I’ve seen firsthand how corrupt and out of control Republicans can get throughout my whole life(yes, I’m well aware of how bad Democrats can be too). We need to repudiate the Reagan era, and the Republican Party would never support this.

Methinks November 5, 2008 at 5:36 pm

It’s not going to erase past racism but it does break new ground and opens up new possibilities.

I think that’s an overstatement. Condi Rice’s and Colin Powell’s appointments were also historic, groundbreaking and open new possibilities. In fact, both are more accomplished than Obama. Yet, the left couldn’t throw enough racist venom at them.

I agree! It’s hypocritical, but they still criticize us for our history of racism. Overcoming the racism in our society is not only the right thing to do, but for once the rest of the world can’t lecture us on the matter.

Liberal, that’s so naive. They will absolutely lecture you on everything and everything. Why are you so eager to be their lapdog? I lived in Western Europe before I immigrated here. Trust me, U.S. society – even the most racist among you – is far more compassionate, caring and accepting than the average European. Yet, even with much more brutal histories of their own, they still lecture. You can’t give into their intimidation. It is the way they make themselves believe they are superior and the U.S. has surged ahead of them so much that they suffer a massive inferiority complex. They’re just trying to level you.

But we are a large part of an interconnected system, and like it or not what we do affects others in one way or another.

Of course. But not by as much and as directly as you think. America’s very success makes it an incredibly convenient scapegoat. The rest of the world wants America to bend to its will so that they can feel better about their own miserable lives (and if you’ve ever lived in a socialist country or the middle east, you’d know just how trapped and stagnant they feel).

and as a result we’ll likely be forced to choose an FDR or a Hitler.

Hyperbole much?

I don’t view social democracy as being equivalent to socialism or marxism.

You can view it any way you want but it is what it is. Socialism is socialism not matter what you call it (btw,democracy is the stated goal of the communist manifesto). A rose is a rose. If you don’t think so, you’ll need to explain the difference.

We need to repudiate the Reagan era, and the Republican Party would never support this.

Why? I think we need to repudiate the FDR era.

amused literal November 5, 2008 at 7:40 pm

Blowback. Like in Madrid, you mean? That darn Spanish Empire.

An amused liberal November 5, 2008 at 7:59 pm

Guess who came to dinner and brought that phrase into the national attention.
For me it was Chalmers Johnson.

One hint, he wasn’t a black man.
This implies that I’m stupid and/or you’re a racist. Just quit while you’re ahead.

So, are we talking about Bosnia or Somalia?
Our overthrow of the ICU-led government certainly hasn’t helped with regard to piracy.

I don’t think in these black-and-white terms. I don’t idolize Clinton so you’re wasting your time.

Phil November 5, 2008 at 11:36 pm

But here’s an article by Jeffrey Sachs which, to me, lays out the problems we face rather brilliantly. I hope you’ll approach it with an open mind:
http://www.thebigmoney.com/print/594?page=0%2C0

Jeffrey Sachs has never produced anything but predictable statist, redistributionist pablum before and this is no different. If that is “brilliant” to you, then don’t ever pursue numismatic endeavors-you’ll end up with a drawer full of counterfeits.

Pick up a copy of “The Road to Serfdom” by Hayek, you need to read real brilliance and disinfect your mind.

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tom May 13, 2009 at 2:43 am

why are you going to starbucks to vote?

machile May 13, 2009 at 2:47 am

all the things has been a past time

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