Wednesday, November 05, 2008

U.S.A., New S.A.



Well, I can hardly let this momentous occasion pass without thought and comment.

Back in the early part of the year, I must say I was supporting Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama for the Democratic choice. I felt Obama lacked drive in all the speeches I saw. But since he defeated her and became the blue candidate, he seems to have come alive.

And of course, for me the idea of another four years of US Republicanism was unthinkable.

It's odd to think that, had the world been voting, rather than US citizens, there would never have been even a seed of doubt about who would win. For us, George Bush has ruined America, making it a land of ridicule. We wonder who would not only vote for someone like Bush in the first place, but furthermore why they would then vote him in again. He is, we mostly believe, a complete idiot with no redeeming qualities.

But his second term was surely his undoing. Not content with having taken the nation -- and the world -- into unjustified war, he has now seen his country fall into financial ruin. His reward: bye-bye Republican leadership.

And for whom does the USA vote? As George Costanza would put it: the opposite. Not an old, unintelligible, white fool, but a young, articulate and intelligent black man. I couldn't be happier about the prospects for America's future right now.

For the past six and a half years, the wife and I have been waiting to return to the United States but have been loath to give money to a Bush regime. (I apologize to my American friends for not helping their economy, of course.) Now, finally, we can return. Not right now, and not until after the inauguration in January -- but it's there, on the horizon, as a place we can now visit again.

FTW: "fuck the world" or "for the win"? Well, Bush fucked the world, and now Obama's for the win.

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9 Comments:

Blogger Ben said...

Wish I could share the enthusiasm, but it honestly makes me kind of nervous that the rest of the world is reacting like we just elected Jesus Christ himself. We'll see what the Democrats do with the next couple of years, I guess.

I hope you enjoy my country, though.

05 November, 2008 09:25  
Blogger Cynnie said...

I cant stop crying .!
I'm SO happy and SO hopeful !

I come from the racist divided southern united states.
I never ever thought this would ever be possible ..
I still remember getting taken into the police station for a "talking to " because I was in the company of a black man ..this was only the 70's ..and look how far we've come !

I want this for my country ..
He is the future..he is the Bright FUTURE

05 November, 2008 10:56  
Blogger * (asterisk) said...

Ben: I love the United States; I just didn't like the administration of the past eight years. I came in 2000 and 2002, and I may well be back in '09. I don't think we think you've elected JC, but I do think you've (well, clearly not "you", but the USA) elected the right man out of those running. And I wouldn't envy his job right now; it's gonna be tough righting all Bush's wrongs.

McCain should never have been a candidate, surely. I mean, he's a million years old and likely to drop dead within his first term. The Republican party needs a serious face lift, I think.

Cynnie: That story about your "talking to" is just insane. Man... These are the things I just can't understand about the US. But then, I've been sheltered in only having visited NYC, which is really not like the US at all, I'm told. So glad you're so happy, pet. Well done!

05 November, 2008 11:04  
Blogger Milla said...

Oh, I left a message, clicked on 'publish your comment', and an error message appeared about 'duplicating' the page. Mah.

Anyway, to cut a long comment short:
I AM HAPPY about last night's outcome!!

05 November, 2008 13:24  
Blogger furiousBall said...

this is excellent. i do hope that republicans don't start the sore loser campaigns like they did after clinton ran bush out of office. all the "don't blame me I voted for Bush" bumper stickers... whenever i saw them, i was always struck with the thought "blame you for what? this great economy? the respect of other nations that we are enjoying? this peace?"

05 November, 2008 14:32  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

my state ans even my county went democratic for the first time in many, many years. i am less scared of neighbors, and that's kind of nice!

05 November, 2008 17:14  
Blogger punxxi said...

But his second term was surely his undoing. Not content with having taken the nation -- and the world -- into unjustified war, he has now seen his country fall into financial ruin. His reward: bye-bye Republican leadership.
Sorry, but it really has nothing to do with whomever is president...my dh has a degree in economics and can explain all of this very well, but suffice it to say it has to do with the congress meddling in and lying about what they made freddie and fannie do, they actually blackmailed lending institutions into giving loans to people that had no business buying the houses that they did, and a lot to do with stupid people that chose to ignore the fact that their payments would go up signifigantly when their interest rates rose, as usual the middle class has to pay for the rest.

05 November, 2008 19:04  
Blogger Avid Andy said...

Economic Prediction... 2 - 3 years of hard times, recession maybe...then starts to turn around. Obama is reelected and the economy is good until close to the end of his term when it takes a down turn. That's what has happened for the last few times anyway. Some stupid bubble always seems to pop up. Internet in the late nineties...housing now. People are greedy and that's not going to change.

As for Freddie and Fannie..

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0DE7DB153EF933A0575AC0A96F958260&sec=&spon=&&scp=1&sq=fannie%20mae%20eases%20credit&st=cse

http://www.hulu.com/watch/38041/saturday-night-live-washington-approves-the-bailout#s-p3-sa-i1

06 November, 2008 01:25  
Blogger Adam Frazier said...

Good post, Asterisk. One of my favorite moments last night during the election was when they showed the reaction around the world as Obama won - It feels good, I can't tell you how good it feels to have a president we can respect, and furthermore - regaining some pride in my nationality.

06 November, 2008 04:56  

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