The letter is strange considering that a majority of HFs supported Obama’s candidacy.
I think this note is great, and I actually think it will have an effect on Obama and make him think. This is what is great about Obama - he will actually think about an issue and respond to well formed arguments. Eight years of rule-by-slogan has been horrific for us all. It is true that many people confuse “Hedge Funds” and “Hedge Fund Managers.” Hedge Fund Managers are thought to be rich people who may or may not be willing to make sacrifices for the common good. But Hedge Funds are organizations legally constrained by fiduciary responsibilities, and the federal government has no place insisting that they take a bad deal.
bchadwick Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I think this note is great, and I actually think > it will have an effect on Obama and make him > think. This is what is great about Obama - he > will actually think about an issue and respond to > well formed arguments. I’m not saying you’re wrong - but you have no basis for your argument. WHat makes you say that? Some of his supporters have this faith in him that borders on religious fervor. Obama was a push button liberal in congress, and is now pushing us towards socialism. I’m not necessarily disagreeing with his congressional voting record or his policies as president. I just don’t see the fair and balanced thinker that Obamites do. I see a guy who universally leans toward leftist, anti-business policies. I think he will act on his instincts, which are, “Blame the rich, blame business.”
I’ll be the politically incorrect @sshole who tells it like it is here. Obama is the feel-good President. He’s a black guy who doesn’t scare white people so people feel good about liking him and are willing to overlook his shortcomings. I bet it was the same way in the 1930s when they had a gimp in the White House and people felt good about supporting a cripple that they re-elected him 3 times.
“He’s a black guy who doesn’t scare white people so people feel good about liking him and are willing to overlook his shortcomings.” Obama is 50 percent white.
marcus phoenix Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > “He’s a black guy who doesn’t scare white people > so people feel good about liking him and are > willing to overlook his shortcomings.” > > Obama is 50 percent white. Yeah, I’m sure 97% of americans see his half-white side, because the US populace is renowned for its appreciation of subtleties. For fvck’s sake, Obama himself joked about this when he said the 50% white doesn’t really matter when he tries to hail a cab in Manhattan.
joemontana said: “I’m not saying you’re wrong - but you have no basis for your argument. WHat makes you say that?” I am saying what my impression is, and I haven’t spent the last year documenting all the facts that support that impression, but I disagree that I have “no basis” for making that argument. The fact that we have a president who can speak in coherent sentences, whose opinion can change in response to facts (he’s reconsidering tribunals for Guantanamo, which is a big surprise, but I’m sure the rules for Guantanamo trials are not going to be the same as they were under Bush, and if they are, I feel confident that he has thought about the constitutional implications of it). If it were important enough for me to prove it to others, then I could go out and document the basis for my opinion, but it’s been my job in the past to figure out who is actually thinking and who is just parroting an ideology, and I can usually tell these things pretty well. You’re free to doubt whether I can; not much I can do about that - but I think if you worked with me on a day-to-day basis, you wouldn’t. (BTW, no animosity intended in this post… just clarifying stuff) JTLD said: “I’ll be the politically incorrect @sshole who tells it like it is here. Obama is the feel-good President.” Wasn’t Bush the “feel-good” president. We’ve got a fiscal surplus, so here, have some money. We’re going to fight a war, but don’t worry, your tax cuts are safe - in fact, here’s another refund. Let’s borrow some more money from the Chinese, and while we’re at it, let’s make sure that not just the government borrows more, but everyone can borrow more. Lousy incentives in the mortgage system? Hey, don’t mess with success! We’ve been attacked by terrorists, go out and shop. You want sacrifice? Well, look, no way in H@ll are we letting gays get married. The economy’s in trouble? Well, it’s like driving a dune buggy, really - you really want to let it drive itself…
That wasn’t what I was referring to by “feel-good” in Obama’s case. I was referring to white people feeling good about supporting a black guy, not people enjoying a false sense of prosperity.
Ah, ok, I see what you’re getting at. I agree that having Obama as President helps (many) whites feel a bit less guilty about the legacy of slavery. However, I think that it also represents real progress. I wasn’t sure I would see a black President in my lifetime; so it’s a bit exciting to think that it has already happened.
Well, my bold prediction is that you are going to see a string of Presidents and/or VPs of color or gender for the next several elections. The Republicans are almost guaranteed to front a black or hispanic candidate in 2012, and it’s probably going to be a minority free-for-all in 2016 if this feel-good culture still persists then.
Bobby Jindal possibly
Bobby Jindal possibly
OMG, Bobby Jindal… what a formula for disaster for the Republicans.
marcus phoenix Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > “He’s a black guy who doesn’t scare white people > so people feel good about liking him and are > willing to overlook his shortcomings.” > > Obama is 50 percent white. You just proved his point.
Obama is coherent, the guy has to use a teleprompter at every speech. What does he know about economics, he was a street organizer? Like most politicians, they have no idea what they are talking about when it comes to the economy.
bchadwick Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I think this note is great, and I actually think > it will have an effect on Obama and make him > think. This is what is great about Obama - he > will actually think about an issue and respond to > well formed arguments. Eight years of > rule-by-slogan has been horrific for us all. Agreed. It is “take a free shot at those finance a-holes” year but he didn’t need to slam the hedgies around so hard. Anyhow he clearly thinks and learns unlike that slogan-spitting dufus, presidents are not finance/economic geniuses, I have faith he will figure things out.
Faith and Hope and Change, sounds like his slogan.