Election Day!

[Chaos]

Fun fact: the actual Socialist candidate for President said that Obama wasn't socialist. Obama does not advocate nationalizing the banks, he merely advocates regulating the markets. There is a very, very large difference.

Considering I am part of those 95% who would get a tax cut under Obama's plan, I am extremely supportive of Obama. I am also extremely supportive of reform for No Child Left Behind, which desperately needs it.

It's important to know that Obama also only mandates health care for children. It is not universal health care.

And one cannot deny from a purely economic standpoint that getting out of Iraq will decrease spending multiple billions of dollars. Whether that is good politically for Iraq is something that I go back and forth on.

So, as with any president, there will be good points and there will be bad points with Obama. McCain would have made a pretty good president, but one of the things with Obama is that he seems to be very intelligent--in my opinion, at least. I think he will pick advisors who are not afraid to tell him that he is wrong. He just appears more open-minded, in my opinion.

Regardless, everyone can agree that it is a historic moment that the country has elected an African-American to the highest office in the land. (And it really isn't the end of the world)

[CthulhuKefka]

Fun fact: the actual Socialist candidate for President said that Obama wasn't socialist. Obama does not advocate nationalizing the banks, he merely advocates regulating the markets. There is a very, very large difference.

Considering I am part of those 95% who would get a tax cut under Obama's plan, I am extremely supportive of Obama. I am also extremely supportive of reform for No Child Left Behind, which desperately needs it.

It's important to know that Obama also only mandates health care for children. It is not universal health care.

And one cannot deny from a purely economic standpoint that getting out of Iraq will decrease spending multiple billions of dollars. Whether that is good politically for Iraq is something that I go back and forth on.

So, as with any president, there will be good points and there will be bad points with Obama. McCain would have made a pretty good president, but one of the things with Obama is that he seems to be very intelligent--in my opinion, at least. I think he will pick advisors who are not afraid to tell him that he is wrong. He just appears more open-minded, in my opinion.

Regardless, everyone can agree that it is a historic moment that the country has elected an African-American to the highest office in the land. (And it really isn't the end of the world)

Well said Chaos. /clap

I think right now we need to put aside our political differences  and acknowledge the great strides this country has taken with electing its first African-American president.

[MrPaperCamel]

It is definitely a historic day. And thank you for setting facts straight Chaos. While gut reactions do point to me being upset, I do think we will see some good things. The No Child Left Behind thing needs a revamp if anything ever did.

[Chaos]

I'm just hoping (very vainly) that Obama will somehow win my state of Montana. It's 50-47 for McCain right now, though, so I don't think it can be for Obama now. However, the very fact that it is one of the four states that haven't been called yet is a huge deal for Montana, being a traditional red state.

And hey, Obama visited Montana five times. That's commendable for a state like this, tied for the least electoral votes.

[The Jade Knight]

And one cannot deny from a purely economic standpoint that getting out of Iraq will decrease spending multiple billions of dollars. Whether that is good politically for Iraq is something that I go back and forth on.

You'd think, but in practice this isn't true—the defense budget does not depend on where the military is deployed.

[Mellington the loony Gold Misting]

I WISH we really had gone socialist...I wanted to emigrate to a few socialist nations (because yes, I AM a silly fluffy idealist...and I come from the Detroit area where I can essentially see the richest of the rich and the poorest of the poor in the course of the same day - I live near rich people and I drive ten miles to work in a service industry job dealing with obscenely ignorant people who have no bank accounts or credit and probably haven't bathed in a week - so virtually ANYTHING would be an improvement).

[CthulhuKefka]

And one cannot deny from a purely economic standpoint that getting out of Iraq will decrease spending multiple billions of dollars. Whether that is good politically for Iraq is something that I go back and forth on.

You'd think, but in practice this isn't true—the defense budget does not depend on where the military is deployed.

The defense budget might not, but the cost to the average taxpayer on where they are sure does.

http://www.nationalpriorities.org/costofwar_home

[Chaos]

And one cannot deny from a purely economic standpoint that getting out of Iraq will decrease spending multiple billions of dollars. Whether that is good politically for Iraq is something that I go back and forth on.

You'd think, but in practice this isn't true—the defense budget does not depend on where the military is deployed.

Quite right. The defense budget is always one of the most expensive things in the national budget (if not the largest thing, period).

[Sigyn]

Skar, you are totally my favorite Republican.  I won't tell you who I voted for.

[Eerongal]

not to sound racist or anything (i don't mean it in that way at all), but i have a feeling that obama is going to have the highest chance of being assassinated of any president we've had in a long time, because, of course, the fact that he is african-american.

That being said, I didn't really care who won, obama or mccain, no matter who would have won, it would have been better than the current. IMO both candidates were quite intelligent and well spoken, but I think Obama will have more benefits to the common man than Mccain overall, but for the most part life will pretty well remain the same under either.

[GreenMonsta]

And one cannot deny from a purely economic standpoint that getting out of Iraq will decrease spending multiple billions of dollars. Whether that is good politically for Iraq is something that I go back and forth on.

Alright Chaos I do applaud your statement. Most of it at least. Let us all not delude our selves and think that Obama is going to be able to get us out of Iraq or Afghanistan (by the way a lot more dangerous right now) any faster than McCain. I understand that he may strive for it more, but in reality we cant be pulling out entirely or too quickly. That would be a huge mistake.

[Chaos]

Oh, no, of course not. I believe 18 months is the plan thus far, which is quite a long time. It will not be instantaneous by any means. Also, if violence increases in Iraq, then troops could stay there even longer under Obama's plan. It is not a complete, immediate withdrawal. There's still a long road ahead on that.

From what I remember (don't quote me on this; I'm not entirely certain), a couple of months ago the Bush administration set this "time horizon" thing which basically created a time to withdraw, as long as violence would increase. So really, Obama doesn't represent much change on that matter.

[GreenMonsta]

You may be right with the Bush admin setting the timeline. realize that they could have set the timeline knowing that Bush would be out of office by then and it would be up to someone else to make it happen. Also I do not agree with the 18 month withdrawal. I mean honestly do you think that in that amount of time we can finish enough of what we need to so that the area is somewhat stable? It would be foolhardy to leave before the area has some stabilization. Also my National Guard unit is scheduled to deploy into Afghanistan at the end of next year so I don't know about the 18 month plan. I do know that orders can change but we only got the orders a couple of months ago and as of right now they still stand.

[Chaos]

Like I said, I go back and forth on whether staying in Iraq is good for the political situation there.

I'm sorry to hear that you are going to Afghanistan, man. That wouldn't be changed under Obama; in fact, he just calls to focus more on Afghanistan instead of Iraq.

[GreenMonsta]

Didn't say if for that reason but thanks. I only stated it to solidify my standpoint on the US not being able to leave the middle east all too quickly. Iraq is relatively calm (relatively) for now and who knows what it will be like when we start to pull out. I'm not saying I want us there in force forever but I am saying we really are in no position to even think about pulling out yet.

Any way I'm sure If you asked someone like Skar he would tell you something about it. I haven't been there yet so I don't know. But in reality that's what soldiers are there for even if they don't believe in the struggle. not saying that I don't but some don't.