Who here feels not much will change after 01/20/2009 ?

[blues90]

I read all sorts of stuff and hear many different opinions on radio and blogs .

This is not about Hillary or Obama specific . Greg Palast feels the elections are rigged as always .

I am at the point based on what I hear lately that most issues won't change much if at all .

I don't see how we will get out of Iraq or how all the issues will change anytime soon .

I don't intend to be a downer here , I am just curious how others feel .

Please lets not make this a Hillary / Obama thing . This is not what I am asking . I know all about that issue .

[Hydra]

1. Here!

Not seeing real change coming. Business as usual- us getting screwed and the 1%ers living it up.

[Lorien]

77. Sadly I have to agree. And with no candidate taking climate change seriously

the only change I see for us in the future is the sort that none of us would wish on our worst enemies. :cry:

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. I don't hope for much change. Either the new Prez won't try or will be unable to do anything

[bobbolink]

3. I see no indication of any real change at all.

From one corporate master to another.

But, one dare not articulate this on DU.

charges of "freeper", etc., are all that follow.

So, we keep silent, and wait for the realization to hit... those who are still alive can say "I told you so."

:cry:

[TahitiNut]

8. What bobbolink said.

:hi:

Same ol' same ol' ... campaign non-promise promises leading to post-election non-denial denials.

[bobbolink]

85. "campaign non-promise promises leading to post-election non-denial denials."

What a way with words you have!

Unfortunately, that is exactly what will happen, but all the people who are excited people now will conveniently forget this dynamic once it begins.

:( x(

And, so we go 'round and 'round.

No wonder I'm increasingly dizzy. :hi:

[Individualist]

11. Ditto

[Donnachaidh]

22. exactly - NONE of the candidates have any reason to upset the applecart

After all, THEY are not the ones who will be really suffering. But we will get flowery speeches, and the media will still be pumping out the *what a wonderful country we live in* message because none of the MSM will be scraping together change to pay for food or fuel. We'll have politicians play-acting at bringing a new version of the New Deal back - but this time the robber barons will be in on it and it will be a toothless piece of paper wrought to historically canonize the presidential writer as the Saint that saved the nation.

While the true heart of the nation, The Middle Class and the poor, get swept out of camera view, and out of the sight of the shiny city limits - to live on the scraps they can find.

And that crowd of newly unsee-able untouchables will include MANY of those people who were foolish enough to buy into the bullshit. It will be a bitter lesson for all who went for the bright shiny penny, and came away with a swollen empty hand.

:rant:

[bobbolink]

86. Yet, listen to the outcry as poor people get wise to the game, and give up playing.

Then we are blamed.

:crazy:

[Journeyman]

71. "Power is more easily grabbed than relinquished. . ."

I first commented on this fear back in early 2004 and have repeated my concerns often through the years. Nothing's happened so far to ease my fear.

From an early 2006 post (http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=2672964#2672983 ) . . .


Whoever takes over, my hope is they will want to dismantle the illegal structure BushCo's erected.

Power is more easily grabbed than relinquished.

As recipients of a political reality altered beyond anything the wildest thinkers could have imagined just a few short years ago, it will take a remarkable will for anyone to revoke it, let alone strive to revert it to what it was before. Certainly, I see I quick return to some aspects of "normality," but the allure of unbridled power will remain and, despite readily accomplished cosmetic improvements, power's seduction will be a Siren song of indeterminate appeal.

Yet another reason for us all -- Democrats and Republicans -- to choose wisely in the coming elections.

[Solly Mack]

79. Yep

:(

[bobbolink]

84. Long time, no see. Sad we have to meet and agree in such a mess.

:( x(

Are you still in Germany? How goes it?

[idovoodoo]

4. I believe things will change quite a bit

they will get a lot worse.

[stevedeshazer]

5. Things will get worse

The "man" will stop propping up the economy.

When the fingers come out of the hole in the dike, it's depression time in Amerika.

No offense to dikes. I have neighbors and friends who are so inclined.

[Richardo]

6. It took 8 years of non-stop fuckupitude to screw this country as bad as it is..

It's going to be a long time until we get back to pre-Bush levels in anything.

So if you think the call is going to go out on January 21st for the troops to come home, Patriot Act repeal, reinstatement of FISA, a rational energy policy and cheaper gasoline, you'd better reset your expectations.

[blues90]

7. My expectations are at a world record low

Each election I saw less and less , especially since 2000 . Each election brought more of the same or worse, it's worse so I'll stand on that .

No , I have no illusions here about changing anything anytime soon if ever .

I feel what we have as choice are corporate owned candidates who all have links to deals and obligation to lobby money .

[sandnsea]

9. It will take A LOT of work

No matter who is elected anywhere, we have to take whatever organization we build in the election and use it to keep pressure on politicians and correct the disinformation in the media. They'll never change if we don't make them.

[blues90]

14. Isn't this is what many people have been doing ?

We have been writing and calling and protesting and emailing since 2000 .

People like Cindy Sheehan went far out there and look what happened .

If the people who are elected won't listen then we are told we need to vote them out , well this is what we did in 2006 and here we are now .

It's endless and it's becoming timeless .

We have been warned for decades where we were headed and we certainly found the warning to be true .

[sandnsea]

16. And we've made progress

What we haven't done is gone to the people who oppose us and get them on board. We keep preaching to the choir.

[NikolaC]

35. The Problem Is

that the pressure has been on for 8 years, no results, just frustrating head banging. That is why I have little faith that things will change.

[sandnsea]

47. 70% oppose the war

And many now see the light on Republican economic policy. That is a direct result of activists "banging their head" and screaming at anybody who would listen. Change is coming. The only question at this point is the degree of change we're going to demand.

[ThomWV]

10. There will be an instant change in the world's perception of the US and that will be a lot

The minute the next President is sworn in, no matter who it is, the world will feel immediate relief. It will be reflected in everything you see.

[blues90]

31. I don't see how that will happen

The ME , especially Iraq is pissed at what we have done , they will never forget no matter who flys over there with flowers in their hands .

We have screwed with the entire worlds economy and they are pissed .

We look worse than a perverted child rapist and child murderer who got a get out of jail free card pinned to their chest .

I would be on a mission if I were attacked like we have attacked .

what have we done here , try to secure airplanes as if anyone would be foolish enough to use planes again . To me this is nothing more than a test just to see how far people will allow themselves to be pushed and proded and the people have proven they will take whatever is dished out and then some .

We have been systematically scaled down to wishin and a hopen fools .

Look what many did with the duck and cover deal , built bomb shelters or sat under a desk while the teacher put an arm across her eyes and pulled the protective drapes closed , and we bought this .

If an alien landed and bit someone in the ass we would be told it was an old dog even if no one could match up the bite marks to anything that ever existed on earth . But we will buy into all the other crap without question .

It reminds me of the alligator attacks where they go out and shoot the first gator and say , we got it , all is clear , go back in the water . Forget the other 100 gators in the same canal , this is the one .

You can look just about anywhere and find someway someone has been screwed over without ever knowing it let alone questioning it , we just want to be told all is well and safe . Your blanket will protect you from the boogy man sitting at the foot of your bed .

Look both ways before crossing the street but pay no attention to the missing man hole cover .

One wonders why super heros needed to be portrayed like superman , well someone has to save us don't they .

[Historic NY]

12. There will be change the * useless idiot son of an a$$hole..........

will be gone. That change you can see immediately.

Dear Lord please excuse my crassness and impatience.....but I a sick to death of that useless son of a bitch and what he has done. Amen.

[uppityperson]

13. I'm hoping for the damage to just be slowed down some.

There is going to be a whole lot to get done, and it will be fought all the way. My hope is that the damage will be slowed down a little, like a brakeless bike going down a steep hill and then having the hill become less steep.

[Riley133]

15. What Bobbolink said, too. nt

[bobbolink]

94. .

:hi: :pals:

[susankh4]

17. Change Schmange

That's all I have to say.

[BeHereNow]

18. Is this a trick question?

You KNOW what I think.
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
Just as in 2006 when people were popping champaign
bottles over the dems; well that didn't work out quite
like they expected, did it? All that celebration for what?
Granting immunity to the telecom criminals?

But hey, they gave the serf a minimum wage increase-
too bad the cost of living will go higher than the increase
proportionately.

AS IF shit will change.
Not in our lifetimes, unless you count
worse getting worse.
That's the only change I see coming.

Now how about a walk in Griffith Park to forget
all about it? All our letters, email campaigns
and phone calls haven't even made a dent, so
why not spend some time surrounded by the
beauty of nature?

BHN

[misanthrope]

19. Not much will change...

...as there is just only so much the POTUS can do. The current system and those who maneuver it are far too entrenched.

I do believe the only possible shift to be international attitudes toward the U.S. if Obama is elected. Other than that, we'll stay on our present course in a lot of regards.

[eridani]

20. That will depend on whether the new additions to the Dem base--

--decide to do anything with their power. In otherwords, it's up to us to make something happen.

[NikolaC]

40. It's Kinda Difficult

When you think about how many grassroots Dems are trying to run in their primaries only to be outspent by the establishment and Blue Dog Dems. Some have already dropped out due to lack of financing. Then you have other Dems who are progressive and corporate candidates are running for their seats. It would be great to have true Dems in charge again, but the system is such that mainly those who depend on corporate money can afford to run so it winds up being more of the same in Congress and the Senate. Like I said earlier, deep down there is still some hope sparking inside of me that has not died that the right thing will be done. It is a small hope though because my faith that justice will be done is gone.

[eridani]

55. Two words

Donna Edwards. If we keep doing that, we can eventually get a more progressive government.

[bobbolink]

87. I see the same scenery you are looking at, and I find I just don't much care.

AND... I now know this is how poor people have been seeing it and feeling for quite some time now.

I can't get "liberals" to bother to write and call about poverty issues, but... you're probably right, that even if they did, it would be ignored.

"By the people, for the people....."

HOGWASH!

:( :cry: x(

[Speck Tater]

21. The collapse of the American Empire is already well under way.

Nothing meaningful can really be done to prevent economic meltdown at this point. Couple that with peak oil and global climate destabilization and the next few decades will see America become a third-world nation, or possibly worse.

[Warren Stupidity]

23. Actually assuming that the Democratic candidate wins

I expect there will be substantial changes. Of course the incoming president will have to deal with an economic disaster at home, the continuing military disaster in Iraq, and the looming twinned crises of peak oil and catastrophic climate change: i.e. the crap the bush cabal left behind. It isn't going to be easy and I will probably not like a lot of the details on how either Clinton or Obama choose to proceed, but things will change.

More importantly here is what won't happen: we won't expand the idiotic war in Iraq to Iran, we won't fuck with Venezuela, there won't be another fascist asshole appointed to the supreme court, federal agencies will not be sabotaging scientific studies over religious objections, wreckers and disrupters will not be in charge of environmental and social service agencies and programs, and most importantly it will not be just plain old embarrassing every time our president speaks in public.

[teamster633]

32. "What won't happen" is reason enough to be hopeful.

No matter how bad things are, Little Boots has proven over and over again that they could be even worse.

[BlooInBloo]

24. I don't think anyrhing will ever change ever again...

... And if it does, all changes will be for the worse.

Forever.

[fed-up]

25. me, but then I am clinically depressed, so it must "all be in my head" ,,,,nt

[madokie]

26. as the glass is always half full with me I think things will get much better

I don't expect miracles or anything like that but I do sense a feeling of relieve in the people and with some new leadership such as we surely will be getting, read, Hillary or Barak and not john or the huckster. I remember when it looked like Clinton was going to be our next president things started looking up immediately so hang in there Blues90 things are going to get better. I promise;-)

[BlooInBloo]

48. If the glass is always half-full, how is it *better*? *Better* would be *fuller*.

[madokie]

49. I figure half full is better than half empty

it was only being used as a figure of speech, an optimist sees the glass as half full remember ;-)

[bobbolink]

90. I figure reality is better than fantasy.

[hunter]

64. The half full glass has been dropped.

The floor is hard.

The next President isn't going to be able to do much about that.

What's most important is how we cope with that. Will those who have the resources to survive simply abandon those who don't, or will we all work together and do everything we can to make sure the least powerful among us don't get tossed out of the lifeboats...

[madokie]

72. I'm hoping for the latter

we definitely will be needing some miracle workers. I'm just hoping we make it through these next 10 or so months, if we make that we'll be well on our way to improving things. I remember as soon as it was apparent that Bill was going to be our next president back in '94 things started looking up almost immediately so I do have hope and most of all I have confidence in my fellow Americans standing with people like myself working toward making this a better place for all. I really wasn't much of a pessimist ever

[blues90]

73. The glass half full thing is just for me worn out

That glass is now nothing more than a target sitting on a fence post .

Nothing personal and there is nothing wrong with having hope if you don't mind being let down .

Clinton took some time before anything really happened and the US was not in two wars or was it as screwed up as it as now .

What I see is that bush has lowered the bar so damn low that anyone would look better so people are willing to accept who ever is presented to them . As if we really have any choice .

The entire point of voting is to have a voice and a choice not a media and corporate apple bobbing contest .

Politics is all about who you know and where the money comes from , there are many people out there who would be a better choice than what we have got now .

The issues are picked based upon what is fed to the candidates from all sorts of sources it's not as if any of these hopefuls thought this up on their own or lose sleep over it . They know exactly what to talk about as we all do and it goes nowhere .

To promise healthcare and jobs or anything else to the people is a joke on the people . It all has to come from the people or it simply won't happen . Government only creates jobs for the government never the people .

I have not heard one candidate say what their first priority will be or how they intend to change it , there must be 100 first priorities all of equal importance where do you begin .

Corporations set the ground rules and then every small business does the same game on the people , 40 hour work week meant overtime and healthcare , well give them 35 hours and both are ruled out , take away the sick days and pay them less per hour . It's all screwed up to the point of no return .

[madokie]

80. My bad for having hope I guess, sorry

as long as I have breath I will have hope, as for me with one comes the other. A give up or defeatest attitude is getting us nowhere fast so I won't subscribe to it but hey its a free country. Actually my use of the phrase of 'glass half full' was to show my optimism and not necessarily a subject of discussion

[blues90]

82. You don't owe me or anyone an apology for having hope

I really try but my hope has been reduced to a burned out cinder , there are people here from both sides of this subject . I ahve said there is nothing wrong with hope at all . I just don't have it and my intent is not to try to destroy your's .

[bobbolink]

93. .

"If there are amazing graces on this earth, I believe that they are these good children sent to us by God and not yet soiled by the knowledge that their nation does not love them."
-Jonathan Kozol

[bobbolink]

92. "corporate apple-bobbing contest" That's good!

Really, the image of that is exactly what we have.

If it weren't so damned pathetic, it would be funny.

:( x(

[bobbolink]

91. It made a nice sound as it shattered, though.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

27. I feel that way

We need an FDR this time around.

I fear that we're going to get a Tony Blair.

[clyrc]

81. That sums it up perfectly

I'm so afraid you are right.

[bluesmail]

28. I do, and I didn't even have to think about it.

They'll call off the General Election. They'll either call martial law due to Election/Voter fraud (machines) HA! they'll use that what's gotten them in trouble to their advantage, and/or they'll preemptively invade a country, which will lead to civil unrest, and/or and/or and/or...

[varelse]

29. If you mean "immediately after" the new President is sworn in

I don't see alot changing for the better. I feel that there are huge changes coming up for us that aren't positive, and that the changing of the guard in this election can't stop or even ameliorate. My fear is that these trends will be laid at the feet of the new administration and the new Democratic majority in the Senate. Then we might get another manufactured right-wing "backlash" and 2 or more terms of a right-wing controlled government after that.

[housewolf]

30. It'll be pretty much the same around here...

No matter who gets elected or what they do, some folks here will be disappointed, others won't, and we'll just keep on fighting about it...

[NikolaC]

33. Sadly I Do

While I would like to believe, deep down, that things will change once we have a firm majority and a Dem prez I don't think so. The rhetoric, impeachment being off the table, telecom immunity, etc. and the way that the Democrats have handled it so far leave me with the feeling that they will still be too beholden to corporations to do much for the people. I really hope that they prove me wrong.

[BeHereNow]

36. Nothing wrong with hope- hold on to it as long as you can-

Just don't hold your breath at the same time.
I learned that one back in 2006.
I was skeptical at best back then- siad as much
on the board- that I would wait and see in regards
to what the dem majority win would mean...
really glad I didn't hold my breath back then.

This after years of DUing-
I can't count the times over the years that
we became SO excited about this or that scandal being the
thing that would stop the wheel from crushing us all.
Nothing, nada EVER came from ANY of it.

I no longer "hope" about any of it.
Not Waxman, not Kucinich, Dorgan, Boxer or
any of the so called good guys.
The monster is so much bigger than them, so how do you suppose
it dwarfs the rest of us?
BHN

[CrispyQ]

69. I feel the same.

How many times did I hope that this would be the scandal that would stop them. And then nothing. And then again & again & again. I'll vote dem in November but not with any hope that things will change. I don't know how we will beat the monster. Maybe when more people have nothing to lose there will be enough of us to overcome it.

I have never been so hopeless.

[nadinbrzezinski]

34. Yo.... change, you are kidding me right?

[blues90]

37. I don't expect any good change

I just want to know I am not the only one who is not fooled by the hype . I would never know where I live , here everyone wants to be a star .

[pleah]

38. Ding! Your fries are done!

Nope! No change here. Move along folks, nothing to see here.:eyes:

[superkia]

39. If the American people continue to ignore what the government...

is doing, we will continue n our way. We have a slim chance that Obama could rally enough people to actually get involved so we can make change but I doubt the system will allow him to get to the white house. We the people actually physically run the country and the corrupt and elite don't do a damn thing, if things get bad enough and Americans stand together, we CAN make change. What would the corporations do if everyone didn't go to work for a week or two? The country would come to a halt. Oh wait, I forgot that the government has already thought of that and allowed millions of illegal aliens in the country to take our place if we did that. They would also instantly give them amnesty if they worked in place of us and start bringing thousands more from other countries.

Oh well, it is too late, we slept too long and have completely fucked up our childrens future. They should just throw us in the FEMA camps, go with martial law, keep bush in power and move on instead of having us suffer through this shit until that day eventually comes. I guess its easier for them this way instead of having to do all the training for our replacement workforce.

Sounds a little dark but the information thats already out there and all of the crimes they have already committed have to mean something? :rant:

[cliffordu]

41. It's about economies of scale and momentum.....

Train wrecks take a loooong time to come to rest

I don't know if anything CAN be changed in the next 4 years...Sure, the troops might come home, but what can be done for this over 9 trillion dollar debt? what will we do about the dollar in the short term?

I want to see a Democrat in the White House and dominate in the House and Senate.....but I don't have a lot of faith that the partisan bullshit and the CYA business as usual will help us out of this dark age.

I'd like to think the coming financial crash won't take the Democrats, and their gains with it....but I have my doubts...If we hold power past the next four years, I'd be amazed.

[LWolf]

42. I am one more on that list. n/t

[Oldenuff]

43. I would agree with the statement

I hold little hope that anything of any consequence will change.It's not about representing the countries best interests anymore.It's about getting their snouts in the money trough.

[Old Codger]

44. yup

Politics as usual no matter who lies there way in. (just a little cynical)

[cureautismnow]

45. The whole wide world will cheer when Bunnypants leaves office.

That will be the greatest POSITIVE CHANGE in our country since 12/12/00. Break out the hats and hooters! :party:

[Booster]

46. Count me in "sigh".

[defendandprotect]

50. Considering Global Warming and the lame reactions to it . . . .

I'm not confident about the future of humanity and the planet at all.

As for the state of government, I think there are some signs that the NOISE the 2000 steal made,
the questions about 9/11 and 2004 are waking up Americans. The more Americans familiar with the
internet the better off we all are.

I think there are also signs that capitalism is destroying itself ---
and we could help that along by keeping our dollars out of corporate hands.

I'm also sure that there will be another attempt at a 2008 election steal ---
and remember that this has been going on since the mid-1960's when the computers were
first introduced.

However, I think the more people who come out to vote the harder it is for them to control the steal.

Nonetheless, there will be heavy GOP propaganda ahead of us and surrounding the election and
another attempt to steal 2008. Full time attacks on Democratic candidates and, if elected, a Democratic president --- as they did with Clinton before he even got into the WH.

However, the GOP has to have someone in the WH ... Repug or Dem ... who is committed to their agenda and who will keep their crimes covered up.

Let me add that you will NOT get single payer health care and that they will probably try to set up some system to compete with Medicare to destroy it ---

And that the war in Iraq will probably settle down a bit --- maybe be a bit more humane ---
but that our occupation will continue on.

I think there will be serious repercussions from the bankrupting of the Treasury ---
and that it will also begin to impact upon corporations and their products/sales.

[El Pinko]

51. Yes and no. Psychology is important.

If Obama wins, I think the mood of the country will immediately improve, especially if he begins withdrawing troops from Iraq in good time.

The structural economic problems will still be there, but if he takes strong, decisive action, withdrawal from Iraq and improved cofnfidence among consumers and the foreign investors who keep our economy afloat will go a long way to putting us back on the road to stability.

[devilgrrl]

52. I don't think anything will change either.

I've never been so un-enthused about an election ever. :-(

[blues90]

53. I have another thing to toss in the fire .

I have to ask , we remember when Clinton was hammered for maybe possibly inhaling a joint in college .

Now we have bush with his admitted drug and drink issues but since he found god he was lst off , the issue died .

Now Obama admits coke use .

Have we as a population just accepted this now as the norm , it's ok ?

It was a big issue and continues to be in sports and in the publics as well as the legal eye's . You can't get a crap job with a positive test or a back ground of drug use .

[Zhade]

57. Leave a beneficial plant like mj out of that question, please.

We don't need more negativity about something that helps so many (like myself, so I don't go blind).

No more Drug Warrior bullshit would be a GREAT change for the future.

[nadinbrzezinski]

58. Fer different reasons than yours I agree with you

we should stop that travesty called the war on drugs.

By the way Coke also has beneficial effects... not cocaine, coke)

[blues90]

65. MJ is fine with me .

I was referencing how it seems now that all this crap was brough up about MJ to take Clinton down before his first election and now it does not matter even with their insane war on drugs the only ones who suffer are the people yet a president gets a pass .

Hemp and MJ should have never become illegal in the first place .

[readmoreoften]

54. No change.

Just some lipstick on the pig.

[Zhade]

56. Oh, it'll change. It'll get WORSE.

But that's because this country has done a lot of shady, evil deeds for decades - even after Clinton loses the nomination (which will be awesome), the battle is only beginning for (assumedly) prez-elect Obama (who I also don't support).

[countryjake]

59. Depends how long before safety nets collapse...after that disaster, change is inevitable...

but it won't be an easy one and it won't be the kind any of our politicians are likely to agree with. The delusions they push for Empire should be a hard learn for so many newly-motivated to participate in our "democracy" and those with slim futures ain't gonna take such a letdown too kindly.

Down here living in the underbelly of the system, things are roiling. Hungry, cold, sick people see that we're gonna be a hell of a lot hungrier and colder and sicker before any changes happen. And once those ranks swell, batten down the hatches and fight like hell, cause we ain't got a thing to lose.

[lutefisk]

60. At least the next President won't act like a belligerent drunk

Maybe McCain will a little, if he's (s)elected, but that's one thing that will change. Other than that, we're pretty much screwed. As others have said, once Junior is out of there, they'll stop propping up the economy.

[burrowowl]

61. With 2 DLCers, I am not

'hopeful'. Hopefully, a more progressive democratic congress will be elected.

[OneBlueSky]

62. I've been saying that for months . . .

none of the three remaining candidates is going to make any really substantive changes in how things are done in DC because they're all part of the problem . . .

THE central issue facing America is corporate control of the government, and that's not even being discussed . . . all other issues -- the war, healthcare, environmental destruction, job outsourcing, the energy crisis, election fraud, infrastructure, contamination of the food supply, etc. -- flow directly from this reality . . . government today serves not "we, the people," but the corporations and their singular interest: profits . . .

what is needed is a president who will stand up to the corporations, re-regulate them severely, and kick their asses out of Congress and the White House . . . both Democrats, however, are corporatists who are relying on corporate contributions to fund their campaigns, and neither is about to bite the hands that get them elected . . . the revolving door between government and corporations will remain, and any notions that "real change" is going to happen is ever so much kefluffle . . .

[blues90]

67. Absolutely ,

People get all caught up in elections as if it really means anything that will actually help them . They are not going to allow that , if they did we would have seen it by now . All we have seen it things fall apart .

DC is a bubble , a protected inner world of power and control sucking the people dry .

I don't think a congressman was intended to be a life long career but for many this is what it has become . Same with the senate , people never leave and pride themselves on a lifetime in office .

I look outside and the planet does not care about time and days or years or mans little foolish existence thinking he actually has some sort of control by reading the weather and predicting things . All man has managed to do is screw things up for all other creatures with their progress , man I hate that word , progress . Why not call it what it really is , a means to an end through greed , brought to you by GE bringing better things to life .

[glowing]

63. Its rigged... no change, different face.

[Jack 4 Ohio]

66. I dont nt

[lame54]

68. Bush has pushed the parameters of presidential power...

And the new president will fit very comfortably in his chair and make no effort to correct the balance

[sampsonblk]

70. Plenty will change, but not what we want.

America will be nicer and play fairer. But we are not pulling out of Iraq right away. The gov't will still be reading our emails. The 4th Amendment will still be in the graveyard. We will still have massive overspending on the military.

[B Calm]

74. I think we'll see change!

eom

[Initech]

75. I'm getting more and more pessimistic about the future of this country.

Honestly of all the candidates that were originally running there weren't any of them I would willfully cast a vote for. Now that we've narrowed them down to the obvious, like the Oscar Awards, it's getting less and less like we're actually going to make some progress toward digging ourselves out of the Bush nightmare. I'm still not sure that our votes are going to count in 2008.

[MrSlayer]

76. The people that would make real change have never had a chance.

Nor will they ever have a chance. Things may change marginally if Obama gets in there but nothing major will change. We live in a sham country.

[leftofthedial]

78. nothing of substance

a few important but minor things may improve.

best we can hope for is that things get worse more slowly.

[kath]

83. Sadly, I agree. Govt. of the corporation, by the corporation and for the corporation will continue

as ordered.

[katty]

88. present!

[Elidor]

89. One important thing will change

The most incompetent and evil administration in history will no longer be scheming up new ways to destroy the constitution. The biggest change will be the absence of the Daily Outrage.

I'm looking forward to it, though as always, I reserve the right to bitch.

[NaturalHigh]

95. I've felt that all along and said it to many of my friends.

[earth mom]

96. Nothing is gonna change in '09. Been saying that since Edwards was pushed out.

Hillary and Obama are kissing a$$ right now to get the votes, but they won't change a thing in 2009 and McCain will only be slightly worse.

I'm sure that many of us around here will be saying "Told You So". But we won't find any satisfaction in it, because in the end we ALL lose. :(

[blues90]

97. The amount of money spent on these campaigns alone is

an abomination . It's complete insanity .

I think about how acceptable this has become and yet these very same candidates talk about campaign reform . They talk about all the issues that really need money and yet they have the nerve to spend hundreds of millions just to get in office .

It's so obvious that it's obscene . Not one of them with all their fund raising ability thought to take their talent to New Orleans or the Miss Gulf and raise funds on their time off , no this was left to the people . Even the people will donate to a campaign yet not to a good cause . somehow people think they will be saved by a new president .

With the money spent SCHIP could have been funded .

I am being idealistic , I know , some how this just does not seem right to me .

[earth mom]

98. Exactly. And just think about what all that money that was spent on the illegal war in Iraq

could have done for the people of this country. Health care for everyone perhaps?

I'm idealistic too, that's why I get so angry because it does NOT have to be this way. It should not be this way.

Why are we accepting this crap from our elected officials when we should be behaving like the French?!

I've never loved the French more than now, especially when I compare how apathetic far too many people in this country are compared to them.

The founding fathers are rolling over in their graves no doubt!

[Generator]

99. Well of course not

Especially with Hillary. Sorry. Obama-I don't have much faith in him either. McCain is a fucking nightmare.

But really in the end, more important than the damn presidential election which has been shoved down our throat for years now-is you know the other "representives." In THEORY, if you have elected representatives doing their job-then a crazy ass incompetent president or vice president or attorney general doesn't like ruin your country and kill thousands, imprison innocents and torture people. But apparently we don't have those kind of representives. So no hope from me.

At least Kucinich kept his seat-I would trade a hundred Hillary's and Obamas for a few more of HIM.

[zalinda]

100. I agree, nothing will change for 90% of this country n/t

[Ilsa]

101. Very little will change for too many of us. nt