On this day, let us all be proud of America

Hi All. Long time, no post.I went third-party Libertarian this time around but am thrilled for Obama.I am truly happy for Obama, for his family, and for African Americans, as this means much to them. I saw the emotions and pride boiling over as I stood in the University cafeteria and watched the Oath and Address on TV, along with hundreds of others. I saw the pride on the faces of African Americans who were in attendance and I could not help but be moved by the tears I saw flow during the speech. It truly was an historic and moving moment.With that being said, I have some mixed emotions. Obama is inheriting one hell of a mess and my fear is that the expectations are set way too high. Failure to deliver may result in a psychological crash among voters and this may lead to further disenchantment with the system. The agenda laid out during the campaign is quite formidable. We are on a slippery slope and Obama will truly be tested, quickly. I truly wish him the best and if he delivers on only half of his fiscal and foreign policy goals, our Nation will truly prosper.Also, I don't know why some are ragging on Buzzsaw for his positions. I also remember a lot of high profile celebs stating they would leave the country if Bush was elected back in 94. Politics can be an emotional topic and people sometimes speak in the heat of the moment, when instead, they should take a deep breath and put things in perspective. Often, I don't understand Buzz's reasoning and he certainly holds a world view that I am odds with, but he never came across to me as a hateful or mean spirited individual. He has convictions and I don't think they stem from bigotry, prejudice, or malice, but rather true moral conviction. I don't agree with all his convictions and views, but he certainly should be able to discuss them without being insulted. Our nation has always supported a diversity of opinion. We live in a pluralistic society -- conservative, liberal, far left, far right, and everything in between. As long as you play by the rules, there's always room at the table for everyone. That's what makes us free and not a dictatorship. Edited by Grizz, : No reason given.

It would be hard to statistically show that African Americans chose race in the election, as historically, roughly 94% of African Americans vote Democrat to begin with.Now, if Alan Keyes were running on the GOP ticket against Joe Biden and 94% of blacks voted for Keyes, I would say it would be fair to say they did so because he was black.Did Obama's presence on the DNC ticket result in greater African American turnout? Although I have no numbers to go by, I would say , of course. There is nothing wrong with that. Many minotirties are disenchanted with the politcial system and it is natural that they would feel more connected to the process.Politics is image. People turn out to vote and select candidates for all kinds of reasons. During debates and public appearances, the strategists and planners always know the candidates should not where certain color ties because opinion dynamic polls have shown appearance has a lot to do with perception. Some thought Mitt Romney was too 'slick' looking and distrusted him for this reason.People are free to vote for a candidate for any reason they wish.It took more than the African American vote to elect Obama. Analysts are stating that without the support of white women, the election would have likely went in favor of McCain. McCain knew this and it was part of the reason he chose Palin as a running mate.Arguing about who voted for whom and why is meanignless and now a moot point. This is something of interest only to the statisicians who are gearing up for 2012.