What do you expect of an Obama Administration?

[SidneyCarton]

Ok, I've asked about the campaign, so hoping against hope that we win this year, what do you want to see in the next four? Health care reform, a return to regulation, withdrawal from Iraq? What interests you?

In the interests of full disclosure, my bar is probably set pretty low. I expect a return to rule of law, including the repeal of the current FISA mess, a withdrawal from Iraq, and the reintroduction of regulation on the economy. The last point is crucial, but due to it's somewhat obscure nature, (the effects are obvious the causes not as much) I fear that it will be difficult to manage.

Anyhoo, what to y'all think?

:hide: :popcorn: :hide:

[SidneyCarton]

1. Appearantly not much...

Meaningless, self-serving kick.

[tridim]

2. I expect sanity and creativity.

[SidneyCarton]

4. That would be a refreshing change...

Any particular policies you expect implemented?

[redcatcherb412]

3. Well

Probably just expecting higher taxes to pay for all the promises. On either side, none of it will come free for either party.

[SidneyCarton]

5. That is possible.

The thing about campaign promises is that many of them are nothing more than promises. That said, who ever gets elected this year inherits one helluva mess. There will be a high price for the cleanup of W's 8-year frat party binge.

[Brigid]

7. This is one of the reasons I am voting for Obama.

McBush seems to look at the presidency as a reward for all his years of public service. It isn't -- it's a job. Think about the 20-hour days the next president will have to put in to clean up Bush's mess. A broken-down old man just won't be up to it.

I expect competence from the Obama administration. I expect him to be able to mend fences with our allies and start to regain the international respect we once had. I expect carefully thought out policies on issues like health care, Social Security, educatiion, and global warming.

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. Which kind of expect? Where we expect the bar to be or where things will actully be?

[SidneyCarton]

9. Where you expect the bar to be.

We both know that there is no way to actually know what will actually happen. A lot can happen between now and January 20. For all we know the economy will totally collapse, Bush will bomb Iran and Texas may secede from the union again before then (Good riddance) (with apologies to the Texans on the board.)

[Avalux]

8. Restoration.

I don't care if his administration doesn't have great accomplishments. I just want him to undo all of the unconstitutional laws and executive orders Bushco put in place - a lot of what you mention.

If we gain a greater majority in Congress, it will be that much easier.

[SidneyCarton]

12. Indeed.

If Obama does nothing else but overturn the last 8 years of ruinous legislation and administration, he will have done well.

[DailyGrind51]

10. No taxes in seven years!

Under Obama's tax plan, if my present income level does not improve, when I reach age 65, I will have to pay no federal income tax!:-)

[SidneyCarton]

13. Well, lets hope things work out for you!

[DailyGrind51]

24. You are fond of "Tale of Two Cities", no doubt, Monsieur Carton?

[SidneyCarton]

25. I read it freshman year in high school...

For some reason Sydney (I found out later I misspelled the name) appealed to me.

[DailyGrind51]

37. You were probably prescient in your misspelling.

Today, "Sydney" is used more often as the feminine form of the name, as in the Sydney Bristo character in "Alias".

"Tale of Two Cities", especially the trial scenes, can teach a lot about the power of destructive ideology over truth. :-)

[SidneyCarton]

38. Amen to that.

[cliffordu]

11. Ponies. I expect Ponies.

[SidneyCarton]

14. Shetland, or Lippinzaner?

[cliffordu]

17. I'm not particular.....

[Posteritatis]

47. Bionic. (nt)

[La Lioness Priyanka]

23. i expect miniponies.

[SidneyCarton]

27. Easier to house in NYC I suppose?

[La Lioness Priyanka]

29. yes, will fit in better with my cat, beagle and tiny apartment.

[SidneyCarton]

32. Me thinks you will need more space...

Although that is likely very expensive. The average cost of a 2br here in my part of CA is $1200 a month, I cringe to think what it must cost there.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

34. we may that for a one bedroom in brooklyn :)

[SidneyCarton]

36. Holy mother of chaos!!!!!

I have heard that living in NYC is an experience, I didn't realize it included getting your soul sucked out through your wallet to pay the rent!!!

[La Lioness Priyanka]

39. it has its benefits

i am always shocked when i run into a republican, for instance. its such a rare occurence. :)

[Political Heretic]

70. Fuck that. I expect rainbow-shitting unicorns

[Egnever]

15. Sanity

and an effort to bring about a more open government.

[SidneyCarton]

18. Sanity in Washington...

damn, you set the bar high.

:sarcasm:

[Egnever]

26. Yea

one can "hope" though.

[Forkboy]

16. Not much, to be honest.

I don't say that to slam Obama, I just don't expect much from any politician. I suspect things will be a little saner under Obama, which alone is reason enough to vote for him.

But from what I've seen in life the real changes come from below, not from above.

[SidneyCarton]

19. Fair enough,

your position is probably wise, he himself has noted that without continued particpation by the grass roots, real change is impossible.

[bunnies]

20. I expect not to have smoke blown up my ass.

8 years of that is enough.

[SidneyCarton]

21. One can only hope.

Because a smoky ass is really irritating.

[bunnies]

31. You can say that again! lol. nt

[azmouse]

22. Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows...

Whatever we get, it'll be better than the last 7 yrs under junior and better than a McBush administration.

[SidneyCarton]

28. No kidding.

Maybe I should do a thread asking people what they expect of a McCain Admin?

[La Lioness Priyanka]

30. amen.

[emilyg]

33. Not much

I'm tired of being disappointed by politicians.

[SidneyCarton]

35. Fair enough.

I consider that a valid response. Do you think things will get better or worse?

[emilyg]

41. We're so down - we have to go up.

:shrug:

[SidneyCarton]

43. From your lips to (insert deity of choice)'s ears.

Here's hoping.

[VWolf]

40. Transparency - for a change nt

[SidneyCarton]

42. How so?

[depakid]

44. Another Clinton administration

FISA won't be repealed, some financial re-regulation will take places where it's most emphatically necessary (the Fed has already started the ball rolling with that), drawdown of troops- but bases remain in Iraq (gotta have access to that oil) and removal of some of the ideologues and fundies at the federal agencies.

[SidneyCarton]

45. Ok...

Who will be guest-starring as Monica?

[GihrenZabi]

46. Who knows

I've thought about this...and I don't think we can expect much of substance. We'll eventually get out of Iraq, but that was gonna happen anyway. It'll just happen a little bit sooner. The question, then, is whether or not Americans care about the chaos that will ensue in Iraq and whether the Republicans will be able to ring the "See, we surrendered, and look what happened!" bell.

On the economy, I don't think much will change because the problems with our economy have nothing to do with Presidential policy. Even if we hadn't been spending all this money in Iraq, there's absolutely nothing to suggest that the economy would be much better than it is today. High oil prices are killing us, and there are absolutely no plans being laid to get us off oil. Production is low, and there are absolutely no plans for a system of high tariffs and government incentives to get production going here at home.

We're locked into an information and service economy, which is terrible for us as others can and will be able to do it just as well or better than we can.

[SidneyCarton]

48. I don't think you're wrong on this Ghiren.

The country is in a mess, and much of it is economic in nature. It will take decades to fix, if anyone actually has the balls to try. So who knows is as good an answer as any.

[GihrenZabi]

Always admit that you know you don't know. lol

[slackmaster]

49. Harsher punishment for parole violators

And world peace.

[SidneyCarton]

50. Yes, I'd like Sandra Bullock for President too...

Mrs. Carton would have to stop my drooling during the State of the Union.

[AZBlue]

55. I really liked that movie.

I'll admit it.

[SidneyCarton]

51. Kick for the night shift

Anyone else have ideas?

:kick:

[mmonk]

52. To not be as bad as McCain. Other than that,

I have no expectations.

[JoFerret]

53. Peace, prosperity and

a chicken in every pot.

Oh plus universal health insurance, repeal of NCLB, progressive taxation, gay rights, the end of capital punishment and free abortion on demand.

[Zhade]

54. I'd settle for NO MORE LIES from my president!

Not that the squatter in the White House is mine anyway...

[DFW]

56. I set the bar low, as well, but I have my wish-list of feasibles:

Appoint liberal to progressive Supreme Court Justices, as Stevens will surely retire,
and possibly two or three others, whereas the Bush-Reagan Gang of Four will most likely
be around the whole time.

Send to Congress a common-sense budget
Use our military only when it serves the interests of the nation
Work with the Congress on health care, preventing election fraud, and laws
that restore constitutional mandates of separation of church and state and privacy laws.
An executive order abolishing the death penalty would be a nice bonus, too.

Oh, and institute a return to common sense foreign policy while you're at it, maybe?

[Skip Intro]

57. I would like honesty and a gov truly of by and for the people. What do I expect?

Business as usual with a slight tic to the left. But with a new logo.

[SidneyCarton]

60. So, more torture, Guantanamo and endless dicking around in the Mid East then?

[Skip Intro]

62. yeah, that's exactly what I said...

:eyes:

[SidneyCarton]

66. You expect more of the same, right?

In case you didn't notice, that is the government we have now, more of the same means more of this.

[candice]

58. Very little qualifications, but a good reader of teleprompter...

...and he has even some Kennedy speechwriters who have been recycled.

Expect lots of lectures and hope that influentials from Chicago are not anywhere near Washington. Keep the change.

[SidneyCarton]

61. What qualifications are necessary to be President then?

[NYC_SKP]

59. Stop the bleeding.

Literally and figuratively.

If we can at least stop going downhill and backwards, I'll be happy.

:hi:

[rockymountaindem]

67. Yep

Any actual gains will just be icing on the cake.

[jody]

63. I expect Obama to veto every bill that infringes upon RKBA as defined by SCOTUS in Heller. n/t

[nam78_two]

64. Some real action on environmental issues

It will be a big step forward for the US to accept instead of distort the science on climate change and then start some real work on capping emissions, finding alternate sources of energy, regulating factory farms/CAFOs, fix some of the gutting of environmental regulations and the EPA that has occurred in the last 8 years and a whole helluva lot on that front :).

[AtomicKitten]

65. I would embrace the idea of Gore taking the job of VP to focus on the environment.

That would be truly moving forward as a nation.

[Starry Messenger]

68. Frankly...

I'm just looking forward to hearing complete sentences coming from that podium again. I'm sick of President Magic Wand.

MPK

[Alexander]

69. I will have a better idea of what to expect when he chooses a VP.

Right now, his administration could be anything, from Clinton II to Huey Long.

[sourmilk]

71. panem et circenses...

just kidding. If he kept JUST ONE of the promises he has made so far, he'd STILL be light years-ahead of the past eight years of the BFEE.

Hopefully a return to the rule of law would be one, since it encompasses so many of the WH policies that, because of eight friggin' years of incompetence, have to be FIXED...