This guy delves into a number of areas from the economy to foreign policy and comes to the conclusion that… Have to read the article to find out.
Picture, if you will, an America apparently like our own. A country like ours bogged down in war on two fronts and suffering from the greatest economic slump since the Great Depression of the 1930s. An America indistinguishable from ours in every respect except that when you turn on the nightly news you see the face of President John Sidney McCain …
OK, Rod Serling as host of “The Twilight Zone” probably would have said it better. But seriously — where would we be in the summer of 2009, if in last November’s election John McCain rather than Barack Obama had been elected president of the United States?
“No difference!” would be the answer of those alienated populists and leftists for whom Republicans and Democrats are merely different tentacles of the same Bilderberger or Trilateral Commission octopus. Certainly from the perspectives of socialists or libertarians — or fascists or Islamic theocrats — the consensus shared by America’s two parties seems much greater than their differences. But from the vantage point of mainstream American politics, the differences between the Obama administration and a hypothetical McCain administration would have been real and can be vividly illustrated by counterfactual history.
After reading his conclusions, what do you think our world would be like today, June 16, 2009?
#114 Perhaps…we’ll never know…I suspect he would be more accomondating to industry given its sad shape…
But perhaps you got him nailed.
He should have went against the bailouts, against the earmarks…then, perhaps, he would have won…everyone was and still is against the bailouts…
#84 – Mr. Fusion,
The difference between Obama and McCain? I don’t care. Obama won and I support OUR President.
Why? Because I am an American who believes in this country.
That’s kind of an uncharacteristic response from you. Was that really you or someone pretending? Or, was this sarcasm?
If W had actually been elected, would you have supported him too?
#93 – Patrick,
Oh, America is based on idiocy.
Humanity is based on idiocy. As Vonnegut observed (in Galapagos, I believe), humans have exactly the wrong sized brains. If we had larger brains (meaning we were smarter, not necessarily simply larger brains), we would be smart enough not to get into all the trouble we get into. If we had smaller brains, we wouldn’t be able to get into such trouble.
Maybe it’s a good thing that humanity is breeding stupider.
Maybe it’s our only hope for the survival of the species.
Maybe the biosphere would be better off if we didn’t survive. (Nah … no maybe about this one.)
#113 – JimR,
I always use names as well as numbers. The reason the numbers shift is that some posts get flagged as spam and then get approved by the editors. They then get appropriately sorted by the time of the actual post, changing the numbers of all posts below.
Let’s see, we had a progressive loonbat running against a progressive republican. We’d be a little more free under McCain but things overall would be just about as bad. There was no real choice. Progressivism is the true evil and has nothing to do with party. Modern conservatism is much better but not the answer either – still some major flaws. The answer is probably something like Libertarian, but with a foreign policy that recognizes it’s to OK to nuke someone who earns it.
#120 – soundwash,
There is a difference. They are bought by different people. As I vote, I always try to vote for the person who was bought by more of the people with whom I agree. Then I hope they stay bought. Then I wash my hands.
When we get politicians who are not bought, the mainstream corporate media doesn’t like them because … oh yeah … the mainstream media is corporate america too. So, they call such candidates unelectable. We the idiots ™ dutifully believe our mainstream media and proceed to make them correct about the candidates electability.
This is why neither Dennis Kucinich nor Ron Paul got very far. If they do what it takes to really further their careers, they will cease to be the true liberal and true conservative that thinking people on one side or the other liked.
So, we don’t get any true liberals. And, we don’t get any true conservatives. And, we don’t get anyone who isn’t bought by large corporations.
Within those parameters, Obama just may be the best president we have had in a very long time. Let’s give him at least a little bit of a chance to see if he can make some headway in cleaning up the mess that 28 years of Voodoo Reaganomics caused. (Yes, Clinton was economically just more of the same, a bit fewer tax cuts, but plenty of deregulation for everyone.)
#120 – soundwash,
There is a difference. They are bought by different people. As I vote, I always try to vote for the person who was bought by more of the people with whom I agree. Then I hope they stay bought. Then I wash my hands.
When we get politicians who are not bought, the mainstream corporate media doesn’t like them because … oh yeah … the mainstream media is corporate america too. So, they call such candidates unelectable. We the idiots ™ dutifully believe our mainstream media and proceed to make them correct about the candidates electability.
This is why neither Dennis Kucinich nor Ron Paul got very far. If they do what it takes to really further their careers, they will cease to be the true liberal and true conservative that thinking people on one side or the other liked.
So, we don’t get any true liberals. And, we don’t get any true conservatives. And, we don’t get anyone who isn’t bought by large corporations.
Within those parameters, Obama just may be the best president we have had in a very long time. Let’s give him at least a little bit of a chance to see if he can make some headway in cleaning up the mess that 28 years of Voodoo Reaganomics* caused. (Yes, Clinton was economically just more of the same, a bit fewer tax cuts, but plenty of deregulation for everyone.)
* http://tinyurl.com/kt46pm
Without humanity there is no need for a biosphere (or planet or even universe for that matter.)
#118 Hugh Ripper
Burma Shave was a shaving cream that used “humorous jingles” in advertising along the roadsides and radio in the US from the 20′s to the 60′s. The Eisner Museum of Ads and Design has an online exhibition.
The reference is to McCain’s age and his incredibly media-savvy campaign.
#112,
Second, it wasn’t the government that stole the first election, it was the Supreme Court.
Third, it was Republican operatives and party members that thwarted efforts by citizens to vote.
I am sorry you are too ignorant of recent history to differentiate the facts.
I’m very up to date on recent events. For instance, I distinctly recall you saying that if the government does something and nobody goes to jail, then obviously it is legal. You know, stuff like violations of the 10th Amendment.
Are you retracting that statement? Are you saying it is possible the government is getting away with things it shouldn’t be?
Fusion, Bush won the 2004 election with 50.7% of the popular vote. This was the first election since his father’s in 1988 that was won by more than just a plurality.
So again, you show yourself to be nothing more than a partisan idiot.
#122, Scott,
If W had actually been elected, would you have supported him too?
Yes.
Consistent with this were Bushes poll numbers. Early September 2001 saw his approval in the mid to low 40s. Then late September saw those same polls at 90%. After 9/11 people rallied around the OFFICE of the President even though a sizable number still felt Bush had not won the office. People were supporting the office Bush occupied.
After that, his numbers started a slow decline as he purposely drove people away. Yet, if I ever met him I would still call him Mister President and wipe my feet before entering his house.
#112, Liberty Loser,
For instance, I distinctly recall you saying that if the government does something and nobody goes to jail, then obviously it is legal. You know, stuff like violations of the 10th Amendment.
Obviously you have me confused with one of Alphie’s, or even your rants. I wouldn’t make a comment like that.
The easy way to tell it wasn’t me and must be you inventing something (or Alphie’s clear mind) is the logic behind the comment. Ask yourself, what is the penalty under law for violating the Xth Amendment?
#133, Let me refresh your memory.
Who said the following?
“None of you can explain how the government can do any of this yet it is accepted law that the government not only may, but does.”
http://tinyurl.com/pfge24 at entry 109.
Answer? You.
So, by your own argument, if the government “chose” Bush over Gore, then obviously it was “right.” You have no right to gripe about it.
Let me give you some advice — Every one of your arguments fail the logic test because you don’t think with your brain. You think with your emotions. You cannot be irrational when trying to convince someone you are right (unless you have a bigger club). You must be concise and rational* or you will continue to do nothing but get mad at the world because it isn’t fair.
*Beware. It’s a trap to think rationally. You will end up seeing the errors of your ways.
The media would be highlighting McCain’s wrong predictions instead of covering for Obama’s.
Good lesson to keep in mind when Obama talks about bending the cost curve for health care. For unemployment, his stimulus package did the reverse of what he predicted.
http://tinyurl.com/stimujobs
One of Omama’s cornerstones for HC reform to pay doctors and the like less for the work done. All this will do is drive professionals out of that field and create shortages.