Obama and "NEW POLITICS"

Hey everyone.

Watching Obama talking the last few weeks, he has mentioned "new politics"
having a new way of doing things, not having to throw adverts on tv having a go at each other, just taking care of ones own issues.

Certainly the way its done over here in the UK.
very dignified and very much "tea and scones" instead of "cloak and dagger" if you like

Anyone think obama means this, and will try and make sure things change, or is it all just "vote for me" talk

Excuse my scottishness please.

[edit on 2/9/2008 by shauny]

It's complete nonsense. Politics in America hasn't changed because regardless of the candidate, the media and our culture hasn't changed nor will it.

Obama represents nothing different than any other politician, the Status Quo. Pure and simple.

Shoot, his "ideas" really aren't that original either. He's a stooge in my opinion and will eliminated or marginalized severely if he obtains office, although that seems doubtful to me despite McCain's retched choice in VP's.

Here in America you can buy any car you want, as long as it's black, so to speak.









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[edit on 3-9-2008 by SkepticOverlord]

Originally posted by KrazyJethro
It's complete nonsense. Politics in America hasn't changed because regardless of the candidate, the media and our culture hasn't changed nor will it.

call me old fashioned, but thats a real shame.

maybe in my heart of hearts i just want a new world, a fresh start, new ideas, new ways of doing things.

For me, Obama ticks all the right boxes

i know im not from the US and im from the UK, but it is important for the world that Obama gets in. 4 more years of McCain (Bush) could really see us head in a direction where there is no way back. thats if we already aint at that stage.

just the opinions of a 35 year old man with a young family who looks at the world and asks "why" do we have to do things the way we are.

[edit on 2/9/2008 by shauny]

Originally posted by shauny
Anyone think obama means this, and will try and make sure things change, or is it all just "vote for me" talk

I absolutely think he means it.

Having said that, I expect the "change" to happen, not the moment he takes office, but incrementally, over time. I said this in this post.

Change is a process. A transformation. Something that we go through. It begins with steps toward a goal. Trying to arrive at the goal without taking the steps is a SURE path to failure.

I think Barack Obama’s campaign of change is the beginning of that process. We have to start somewhere. Pardon my use of a simile (or metaphor – I don’t know the difference). But the journey this country has been on is like a ship whose Captain has completely lost his compass. We have to change the direction of the ship and we need someone whose compass is intact and on hand. We need to turn this boat around and CHANGE direction.

But that’s not going to happen with one quick jerk of the helm. It’s going to be a process. It’s going to take lots of steps. But it begins with the first step. And that is to get a Captain whose desire it is to turn the ship around in the first place. I don’t want to hand the helm over to someone who is just going to take over and keep on heading for the dark caves and dangerous waters ahead.

His campaign is positive. That's why I think so many people are excited about him. While he does go after John McCain's weaknesses, he doesn't make things up, sling mud or have nasty, negative ads.

Yes, I believe him. I don't think he's anything special, like some sort of perfect being. He's a human being and a politician. And he's good at it. But from studying his history, I think he's a good person and has a genuine desire (and the brains) to make big changes in our country and our relations with the rest of the world.

IMO Obama is a classic liberal, in the tradition of Franklin D. Roosevelt, though that in itself is enough to shake up the status quo. Many people still believe a number of Roosevelt's reforms, like social security, are leading the country down the "twisted path to communism". It will be a miracle if Obama is able to implement national health care, though that fact is probably amusing to a European.

But I think the change he is advocating goes beyond social programs. He wants a fundamental change in the way business is done in Washington, in the way government serves the people and in bipartisan cooperation.

I agree with Benevolent Heretic that he isn't aiming for a miraculous transformation, but rather the beginning of incremental changes which will eventually lead us in that direction.

Obama is just a politician, with no doubt shortcomings the public isn't familiar with yet, but he offers the hope of change in the future, something that is really able to move Americans.

Originally posted by shauny
call me old fashioned, but thats a real shame.

maybe in my heart of hearts i just want a new world, a fresh start, new ideas, new ways of doing things.

For me, Obama ticks all the right boxes.

It is in appearance only but I agree a real departure from the norm would be very good.

To be quite honest with you, people seem to think a few erroneous things:

1) Bush is worse than he really is, totally discounting the Congress (which is a huge discount).

2) That Bill Clinton, Bush Sr, or Reagan were that much better.

3) That things have suddenly become a crazy police state with abuse of government and American hegemony. This has been a systematic weakening of a country that was born in the fires of treason, rebellion, and terrorism.

i know im not from the US and im from the UK, but it is important for the world that Obama gets in. 4 more years of McCain (Bush) could really see us head in a direction where there is no way back. thats if we already aint at that stage.

The fact that you think Obama and McCain are really all that much different is odd to me, because it relays the ideas put forth by the media, not actual policy proposals (which almost never come to pass anyway).

To me, McCain is a known evil, and one I won't vote for. Obama is an unknown evil regardless of the package or the media's portrayal.

We live in a country where most people couldn't name ONE of the articles of the Bill or Rights, let alone describe what the Constitution is, how it works, or what it's intention really is.

just the opinions of a 35 year old man with a young family who looks at the world and asks "why" do we have to do things the way we are.

I'm about where you are. I'm a 31 year old with a young family. 7 year old boy, 5 year old boy, and 3 year old girl.

I feel your pain in my bones and mine as well, let alone that of my kids future struggle. The only answer is learning what is not known and speaking what people must hear even though they just don't want to.

Obama is not interested in change, and I'd be interested in anything other than a hope that it'll happen.

If he was, he might mention the Constitution more often and how much of the government flaunts it. In addition, I have serious doubts that he will drastically go against the ACTUAL operation of Democrats (meaning rather than what they say), because he would be distancing himself from a majority in Congress with no need for a super majority.

Legislation is the key, specifically removing legislation, and the President really has little pull in that department.

In the departments he does control, I don't see a lot of change. I predict similar operations overseas and maintained military operations. Money is important to limiting the economic damage we've taken, and the military certainly does the trick.

I'd be interested to see exactly what change he offers that's really all that original or thought provoking.

Change means RIPPING the status quo apart with your bare hands. Otherwise the American people and Washington are playing lip service to change because we are too comfortable to really stomach the kind we really need.

His platform seems to be a traditional Democratic Party one. Traditional in the post Carter sense.

The Democratic Party has changed dramatically in my life. JFK held views on the economy and government nearly identical to Reagan. I think that is why they held so much of the same appeal to swing voters. Democrats in the 60's were very Conservative. One thing that has held true is that the Unions have stuck with them.

Obama's plans, or what we know of them seem to be pretty much identical to Hillary Clinton's with slightly differing nuances.

To believe he is different than all other Politicians, one would have to believe he is oblivious too the venom being spun by radical pro Democrats. In find it difficult to swallow that any Candidate on either side is not fully aware of, or has an operative who is probably in control of the smears that get passed back and forth. Both sides have their puppets to do the dirty work while they keep their hands clean. They may condemn when cornered but behind closed doors???

Running on a platform of change is likely the most used platform in normal politics as usual. They all promise change as the biggest reason to vote for them. I'm afraid this just shows the he has advisor's who know that it often works and it is claim he is comfortable using.

reply to post by shauny


Shauny,

I'm thinking that you are asking specifically asking about the campaign so I will respond along those lines.

One thing that is undeniable is that Obama is running a different type of campaign than we have seen in the past. Saying it's different does not mean that is is completely original, nor does imply that there has not been any "more of the same" campaign tactics.

The Obama campaign relies on projection of a positive message coupled with mostly subtle challenges and condemnations of those in the opposition. He is not his campaign, his campaign is an extension of him and he is banking on