Barack Obama Elected President Of USA

[lannarebirth]

yay! i am very proud of my country for the first time in a long while.

Let's hope that we all can truly say that in four years from now....(I have my fingers crossed....... and my 401K statement at my side)

If you are still contributing to your 401K you probably will be out of luck. It looks like they'll be taxed and the investment option will only be Government Bonds. These plans pretty take all the hope out of investing in 401k's for retirement. I understand the reason though. It put 80 Billion dollars additional in the governments tax coffers for other programs. So much for 401k allowing people the try to increase their retirment funds. I am holding out hope that existing 401K investments will be granfathered.

It's funny you mention that.

I don't care one way or the other really, but I've been thinking the upshot of the government procurement of so many banking interests might be the pushing of "US Savings Bonds". Might be a good way to provide liquidity after the Bond top.

[Sarge]

off topic, but what's etymology of "malado"? which language is originated from? to me sounds pretty similar to malato which means sick, ill. Also, "bi-racial" sounds like the pc version of half caste or mixed race; are these terms deemed to be offensive now.

btw, I concur with the rest of your post, about Obama being a worldly, suave politician, more than GWB ever was, but that not saying much anyway

The term is mulatto .... little mule I think ... hence why it is offensive to most

You can google for the exact etymology

bi-racial --- 2 races

multi-racial --- multiple races

half-caste --- are there any countries that still acknowledge a caste system? India for a start, not terribly far from PAD's picket lines

what ... no offensive remarks aimed at me this time?

I've asked because I thought you know what you were talking about. Mulato is not deemed to be offensive in Castellano. I don't need to google and nor a full explanation on bi-racialism, btw you left out mixed race fwiw, half caste is still used here in Blighty

so take that as an insult if you want, nah I think you kinda cute AmeriKano and yeah today is an important day, although US election is a matter for Americans, we all have a stake in it. It matters a lot who is the next American President. Still, I'd have preferred Arnie & Palin in the WH, more entertaining than Obama & Biden for sure. The sickly, wishy-washy liberal media in Europe would have had a field day - wails of despair would have been heard all the way to DC ... again all said in a jest notice the smiley

Edited November 5, 2008 by Sarge

[Carib]

I do understand the sentiment of Americans who now claim to be proud of America again. I congratulate them. I belong to the `rest of the world` where the election and the outcome are seen as a breath of fresh air, and maybe of a chance to do things a bit different now.

I don't understand that " skin" is an issue. Now he is not really black, or is black depending, on what side of the fence you are...

It is ridiculous for any country that would liked to be looked upon as free and tolerant, that this is even an issue.

Where does he come from, is he really American?? , whatever that maybe. If he is from Kenya will it mean that...??

Some 200 something years ago , almost everybody was " imported" , so I don't really see the problem.

His name, his name sounds so strange....it looks like ...bah blah blah

How childish does all the above all sound, is this the way a president is elected, with these criteria?

Come on , grow up. Get over it, he is elected and that needs to be respected, nothing else.

A country needs a manager, with good insight in how things are done. With counterbalance to the ones who in whatever way try to run the show, either governmental agencies or others.

Managing things, and try to stay above the powers who don't want changes, because they are scared to lose things/money/power/whatever.

Also I did read that Americans now hope they will be better looked upon when abroad, I do hope that it will happen, but it will not happen just because there is another president, who happens to be black, with a strange name and who may not really be American.... (sigh).

I congratulate Obama, but at the same time I pity him and his family, their life`s will not be the same anymore, guards/security/bombproof cars will be a part of it now, and why?? Because of Muslims? Because of terrorists? No, as some of you have already stipulated, the biggest danger to him will come from within America I am really sad to say.

From the ones who are not capable of respecting the democratic system of which America is proud.

I wish him good luck, he will not have an easy task .

[skiman1]

I was on Qatar air on a flight to Dubai this morning when I turned on CNN and saw it. I literally broke down in tears for not less than 10 min. I am so happy, proud, and filled with hope and promise. And yes not only proud of Obama, but more so proud of my countrymen of all races, religions, genders, and ages, that stood up against fear and bigotry and stood up for what is right and good.

It's not the answer to all our problems by any means, but it's a damm good start and a long time coming. May the Gods Bless Obama and everyone who supported him.

I agree - check this out, I am not from the US but I think you "hit one out of the park" Today well done !!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbUtL_0vAJk

[animatic]

i cant believe you are such a dumb nation voting for a man( i dont give a toss what colour he is)with no policy but i am going to change things......only in the USA

i voted for obama to stop the downward spiral the bush administration put us on. reversing direction to head back up is another thing. i think most americans are realistic and they know that obama can't change everything on his own. but this is a great start.

I think it was smart to NOT get pinned down absolutly on too many major issues,

before finding out the deeper hidden level of facts incumbents usually

use to hammer their opponents. He did state policy basics, and enough of them,

I never wanted more.

I can tell he is smart, thoughtful and calmly deliberative.

He kept calm during a political dustbowl, and VERY nice trait during an international crisis,

so I think he can think about what policies are best as those decisions need to be made,

and not be hamstrung to too many dogmatic ' Campaign Promises", that too often get broken.

[AlKing]

I am from the UK - I live here in Thailand and work in the Middle East.

I really think Today that you American voters have stepped forward in a huge way and I salute you - well done. Americans reputations abroad have not been good recently, but you really have stepped up again and shown how Democracy can and should work. I am very impressed by every one of you Today. Be proud.

Where I work people are amazed that you have elected Obama - there are no such freedoms here. I hope your vision and bravery in the face of tough economic times bears fruit - I also hope the UK looks at your example and votes out the present clowns in power.

As usual - you are leading the way again after some years in the shadows, well done and congratulations.

Don't be overjoyed yet. Wait till you British get a PM with a Bangladeshie father and Essex mother. Then start the celebration.

I really miss those Essex bimbos.

[jdinasia]

I do understand the sentiment of Americans who now claim to be proud of America again. I congratulate them. I belong to the `rest of the world` where the election and the outcome are seen as a breath of fresh air, and maybe of a chance to do things a bit different now.

I don't understand that " skin" is an issue. Now he is not really black, or is black depending, on what side of the fence you are...

It is ridiculous for any country that would liked to be looked upon as free and tolerant, that this is even an issue.

Not many traditionally 'white' countries have had a black Head of State. (are there ANY other than South Africa, and can we count them?)

Granted, the UK and their puppies can't have one ... but have they had a black PM? Has France? has any country in Europe? (I honestly don't know but I don't think so!) What about the USA's liberal neighbors to the North? ....

What country is your rest of the world Carib?

[luangtom]

Just a question to the International Community on ThaiVisa....If B. Obama is Black, why are my Asian-American children called "mixed-race" on all census documents? It is even how they are classified on their birth-certificates in the US.

[animatic]

An awful day in history.

for the the world's conservative people.

W OBAMA

Who have the last 30 years made a mockery of the very WORD conservative.

Let alone conserve, conservator, and conservation.

They have been due a come'upance, and this day has arrived.

[Sarge]

I've been waiting 8 long years to put away my "I LUV Canada" t-shirts and proudly shout to the world again:

I AM AN AMERICAN AND I AM PROUD OF MY COUNTRY!!!

CHEERS ALL!!! Yes, I VOTED!!!

can you expand on that? it could be an interesting topic of conversation I mean the t-shirt

Edited November 5, 2008 by Sarge

[skiman1]

I am from the UK - I live here in Thailand and work in the Middle East.

I really think Today that you American voters have stepped forward in a huge way and I salute you - well done. Americans reputations abroad have not been good recently, but you really have stepped up again and shown how Democracy can and should work. I am very impressed by every one of you Today. Be proud.

Where I work people are amazed that you have elected Obama - there are no such freedoms here. I hope your vision and bravery in the face of tough economic times bears fruit - I also hope the UK looks at your example and votes out the present clowns in power.

As usual - you are leading the way again after some years in the shadows, well done and congratulations.

Don't be overjoyed yet. Wait till you British get a PM with a Bangladeshie father and Essex mother. Then start the celebration.

I really miss those Essex bimbos.

Thanks for your well thought out educated response, why would you assume a person from Bangladeshi background would do a worse job than Gordon Brown? Or perhaps you are happy with the current UK Government and are just an uneducated racist?

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

amazing how many racist people there are on TV. Some just can't stand the thought of a black man being in charge.

He's got a tough job ahead and good luck to him.

[AlKing]

Just a question to the International Community on ThaiVisa....If B. Obama is Black, why are my Asian-American children called "mixed-race" on all census documents? It is even how they are classified on their birth-certificates in the US.

I am sure Tiger Wood would also be Black, and not Asian-American.

[animatic]

yay! i am very proud of my country for the first time in a long while.

Let's hope that we all can truly say that in four years from now....(I have my fingers crossed....... and my 401K statement at my side)

If you are still contributing to your 401K you probably will be out of luck. It looks like they'll be taxed and the investment option will only be Government Bonds. These plans pretty take all the hope out of investing in 401k's for retirement. I understand the reason though. It put 80 Billion dollars additional in the governments tax coffers for other programs. So much for 401k allowing people the try to increase their retirment funds. I am holding out hope that existing 401K investments will be granfathered.

I think this was more right wing scare tactic than hard Dem program.

They are not into robbing long term savers of their nest eggs retoractively.

Bus Bush sure screwed the pooch Big Time budget wise and

the DEMS GET LEFT HOLDING THE RECOVERY BARF BAG.

[Spee]

Well, the American people have what they apparently want, a fraudulent sham candidate who has become the real world "Manchurian Candidate" and will soon be inaugurated as next president.

- His personal history for the first 18 years of his life is clear as mud.

- His personal associations as an adult and elected representative are at best dubious ans questionable, and at worst anti-American in every sense of the meaning.

- His voting record as a state and US senator indicates that he is a cold, ruthless, amoral, heartless socialist.

- His campaign was an active criminal conspirator in voter registration fraud and acceptance of millions of dollars from non-US citizens.

- He has made it clear that he wants to see the constitution rewritten. He will do this by flooding the courts with ultra-liberal, hyper-activist judges, who will be rubber-stamped through the Senate confirmations and then let loose upon society to write and rewrite laws as they see fit, rather than passing judgment based upon the law as is their true responsibility.

- He has made it clear that he wants to tax the shit out of the most productive sectors of American society and give the money to least productive sectors. (trickle-up poverty as coined by Mr. Savage)

Now we not only have the Manchurian Candidate as President-elect, we also have large Democrat majorities in the House and Senate, led by incompetent boobs Pelosi and Reid. God only knows the amount of havoc they will wreak before they voted out of power.

The only good thing about having a change in administration will be that Bush is going. His fiscal policies over the past 3 years, and his collusion with Congress on the pork-laden bailout bill are a complete disgrace and an expensive sham placed upon the tax-paying public. He and the Congress have conspired to socialize yet more and more of the American economy. Now Obama and the Congress will try to finish the job and God help us all as they destroy an economy in crisis, but a still highly productive economy by anyone's measure.

I am so happy that I am getting ready to go back overseas, so that I will be better able to shelter my hard-earned money from the thieves in Congress and the socialist "redistribution" so badly desired by the Manchurian Candidate.

Here's a question for the Obama-maniacs:

When it comes time for swearing in, will Obama give his full name per tradition (e.g., John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Ronald Wilson Reagan, Barack Hussein Obama) or will he just use two names "Barack Obama?"

Just as Obama gave the finger to McCain under guise of passing along congratulations for a hard fought battle ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN72OQXQzLM...feature=related ), I am doing the same to you Barry. A black cloud has formed over America (no pun intended) and all the conditions are now right for the perfect storm to complete the socialization of America and destruction of the Constitution as we know it.

[AlKing]

I've been waiting 8 long years to put away my "I LUV Canada" t-shirts and proudly shout to the world again:

I AM AN AMERICAN AND I AM PROUD OF MY COUNTRY!!!

CHEERS ALL!!! Yes, I VOTED!!!

Both being Chinese living in Thailand, Sonthi said the same think when Thaksin won the election

I AM A THAI AND I AM PROUD OF MY COUNTRY!!!

And what happens now?

[koheesti]

Not many traditionally 'white' countries have had a black Head of State. (are there ANY other than South Africa, and can we count them?)

Granted, the UK and their puppies can't have one ... but have they had a black PM? Has France? has any country in Europe? (I honestly don't know but I don't think so!) What about the USA's liberal neighbors to the North? ....

What country is your rest of the world Carib?

I must be honest. I also find Obama's election very exciting. In addition to all the benefits such as the World loving Americans again(?), Global Warming coming to a halt (it even snowed in England in anticipation of his victory!), and that poor woman in Atlanta not needing to buy gas or pay her mortgage anymore now that Obama is President (check it on YouTube) - - the one other equally important benefit of the American voters choosing Obama is it gives us Americans yet another reason to be the most arrogant people walking the planet. Sure, we have the largest and bestest military, the biggest and richest economy, we're still the only people to have walked on the moon, and our basketball skills are unrivalled as Beijing showed...but NOW, we are the only major world power, G9 country, or NATO member with a black guy (by the American definition) running the show. How wonderful we Americans are, and racially blind! Whenever will the rest of you guys join the 21st century? Hello!? Japan? Germany? France? UK? Italy, Spain (that Mr. Bean look-a-like doesn't count), South Korea? China? Australia ('bout time for an aborigine me thinks), Oh, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Poland, Sweden (c'mon, be noble), Finland, Norway, India, Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Israel, etc.. Hmmm. How many non-African countries have black guys running things? You guys are sooooo backward. The world is moving ahead, try to keep up, OK?

[Tony121]

Here's a question for you Spee <deleted> does it matter if his middle name is Hussein ? are you just another person that think all muslim's are evil ? do you know how common the name Hussein is for muslims or are you just a retard ?

[koheesti]

Just a question to the International Community on ThaiVisa....If B. Obama is Black, why are my Asian-American children called "mixed-race" on all census documents? It is even how they are classified on their birth-certificates in the US.

I am sure Tiger Wood would also be Black, and not Asian-American.

I think he's 50% Thai, 25% American Indian and 25% African American

[khunjamespittman]

yay! i am very proud of my country for the first time in a long while.

Let's hope that we all can truly say that in four years from now....(I have my fingers crossed....... and my 401K statement at my side)

If you are still contributing to your 401K you probably will be out of luck. It looks like they'll be taxed and the investment option will only be Government Bonds. These plans pretty take all the hope out of investing in 401k's for retirement. I understand the reason though. It put 80 Billion dollars additional in the governments tax coffers for other programs. So much for 401k allowing people the try to increase their retirment funds. I am holding out hope that existing 401K investments will be granfathered.

Certainly you have a right to manage your money anyway you please. Your response doesn't address the point I was making. 401K's were invented as a tax deferred savings to allow people to complement Social Security and to encourage saving as a way to increase the retirement funds. The changes being proposed would do the opposite. For example, take young people just entering the labor market who would rather invest a part of their retirement saving in equities so that they could maximize the earnings on their retirement savings. If you fall into this younger category you have a right to have your fingers crossed. There is a great likelihood (certainty) that your 401K earnings will be dramatically lower that if we continued with the existing laws regarding investments for 401K's.

As I said, it's your money. You're welcome to put all your savings in Govenment bonds if you wish, the vast majority of investors should not be punished (especially the younger worker who have many years to grow their nest egg) just because you choose that option.

It's funny you mention that.

I don't care one way or the other really, but I've been thinking the upshot of the government procurement of so many banking interests might be the pushing of "US Savings Bonds". Might be a good way to provide liquidity after the Bond top.

[jackspratt]

Here's a question for you Spee <deleted> does it matter if his middle name is Hussein ? are you just another person that think all muslim's are evil ? do you know how common the name Hussein is for muslims or are you just a retard ?

Spee has form on this issue.

You need to look at http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Bali-Bombers....html&st=75 , where Spee takes an obsessive interest in Obama's bloodlines.

However, when shown to be completely wrong, and queried about his motives, the elusive Spee (as is typical with right wing conservatives) chose to go absent, and ignore the question.

[lannarebirth]

yay! i am very proud of my country for the first time in a long while.

Let's hope that we all can truly say that in four years from now....(I have my fingers crossed....... and my 401K statement at my side)

If you are still contributing to your 401K you probably will be out of luck. It looks like they'll be taxed and the investment option will only be Government Bonds. These plans pretty take all the hope out of investing in 401k's for retirement. I understand the reason though. It put 80 Billion dollars additional in the governments tax coffers for other programs. So much for 401k allowing people the try to increase their retirment funds. I am holding out hope that existing 401K investments will be granfathered.

Certainly you have a right to manage your money anyway you please. Your response doesn't address the point I was making. 401K's were invented as a tax deferred savings to allow people to complement Social Security and to encourage saving as a way to increase the retirement funds. The changes being proposed would do the opposite. For example, take young people just entering the labor market who would rather invest a part of their retirement saving in equities so that they could maximize the earnings on their retirement savings. If you fall into this younger category you have a right to have your fingers crossed. There is a great likelihood (certainty) that your 401K earnings will be dramatically lower that if we continued with the existing laws regarding investments for 401K's.

As I said, it's your money. You're welcome to put all your savings in Govenment bonds if you wish, the vast majority of investors should not be punished (especially the younger worker who have many years to grow their nest egg) just because you choose that option.

It's funny you mention that.

I don't care one way or the other really, but I've been thinking the upshot of the government procurement of so many banking interests might be the pushing of "US Savings Bonds". Might be a good way to provide liquidity after the Bond top.

Well, my answer is, I don't think the government should involve itself in retirement schemes, public or otherwise. I also don't think the average person should invest in the stock market, but hey, it's their money.

Edited November 5, 2008 by lannarebirth

[ariesram74]

Hmmm... always fascinating reading comments - it's even more frightening on Youtube. Politics aside this is an historic day for America.

[jdinasia]

Not many traditionally 'white' countries have had a black Head of State. (are there ANY other than South Africa, and can we count them?)

Granted, the UK and their puppies can't have one ... but have they had a black PM? Has France? has any country in Europe? (I honestly don't know but I don't think so!) What about the USA's liberal neighbors to the North? ....

What country is your rest of the world Carib?

I must be honest. I also find Obama's election very exciting. In addition to all the benefits such as the World loving Americans again(?), Global Warming coming to a halt (it even snowed in England in anticipation of his victory!), and that poor woman in Atlanta not needing to buy gas or pay her mortgage anymore now that Obama is President (check it on YouTube) - - the one other equally important benefit of the American voters choosing Obama is it gives us Americans yet another reason to be the most arrogant people walking the planet. Sure, we have the largest and bestest military, the biggest and richest economy, we're still the only people to have walked on the moon, and our basketball skills are unrivalled as Beijing showed...but NOW, we are the only major world power, G9 country, or NATO member with a black guy (by the American definition) running the show. How wonderful we Americans are, and racially blind! Whenever will the rest of you guys join the 21st century? Hello!? Japan? Germany? France? UK? Italy, Spain (that Mr. Bean look-a-like doesn't count), South Korea? China? Australia ('bout time for an aborigine me thinks), Oh, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Poland, Sweden (c'mon, be noble), Finland, Norway, India, Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Israel, etc.. Hmmm. How many non-African countries have black guys running things? You guys are sooooo backward. The world is moving ahead, try to keep up, OK?

I think there may be some in the Caribbean ..... but then we are talking about minor island nations .. (no I am not taking a shot at the UK

[khunjamespittman]

yay! i am very proud of my country for the first time in a long while.

Let's hope that we all can truly say that in four years from now....(I have my fingers crossed....... and my 401K statement at my side)

If you are still contributing to your 401K you probably will be out of luck. It looks like they'll be taxed and the investment option will only be Government Bonds. These plans pretty take all the hope out of investing in 401k's for retirement. I understand the reason though. It put 80 Billion dollars additional in the governments tax coffers for other programs. So much for 401k allowing people the try to increase their retirment funds. I am holding out hope that existing 401K investments will be granfathered.

Certainly you have a right to manage your money anyway you please. Your response doesn't address the point I was making. 401K's were invented as a tax deferred savings to allow people to complement Social Security and to encourage saving as a way to increase the retirement funds. The changes being proposed would do the opposite. For example, take young people just entering the labor market who would rather invest a part of their retirement saving in equities so that they could maximize the earnings on their retirement savings. If you fall into this younger category you have a right to have your fingers crossed. There is a great likelihood (certainty) that your 401K earnings will be dramatically lower that if we continued with the existing laws regarding investments for 401K's.

As I said, it's your money. You're welcome to put all your savings in Govenment bonds if you wish, the vast majority of investors should not be punished (especially the younger worker who have many years to grow their nest egg) just because you choose that option.

It's funny you mention that.

I don't care one way or the other really, but I've been thinking the upshot of the government procurement of so many banking interests might be the pushing of "US Savings Bonds". Might be a good way to provide liquidity after the Bond top.

Well, my answer is, I don't think the government should involve itself in retirement schemes, public or otherwise. I alos don't think the average person should invest in the stock market, but hey, it's their money.

It is extremely difficult to understand that position. Do you have money in any bank? Where would any country be financially if no one had savings. That, after all, is the money that banks loan out to companies and individuals to buy food, to buy cars, to buy houses to build businesses. Without this commerce no country could exist. I really don't think you could possibly believe that you can be fully self-sustaining.

[zl1vette]

Pandora's Box has been opened. After almost two years of this American Idol candidate, whose previous experience of being a state senator and 140 days in the U.S. Senate leaves him woefully short, I am yet to hear what he is going to do. Tourism to Thailand is going to drop. The Dow Jones is already down 177 points as I write this, having gained yesterday on hopes of a McCain victory.

But here is what we can look forward to in America:

Obama is on record as saying “if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can; it’s just that it will bankrupt them because they’re going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that’s being emitted.” Man made Global Warming is a HOAX. The majority of electricity generated in the United States comes from burning coal. Guess what will happen to everyone's electric bill.

The Bush tax cuts expire in 2010. Obama has pledged over ONE TRILLION DOLLARS in new Federal spending. Obama is on record as saying that he wants to "spread the wealth around". This means that in 2010, our federal income taxes will INCREASE 20-87%. Here's a comparison:

Taxes under Clinton 1999 Taxes under Bush 2008

Single making 30K - tax $8,400 Single making 30K - tax $4,500

Single making 50K - tax $14,000 Single making 50K - tax $12,500

Single making 75K - tax $23,250 Single making 75K - tax $18,750

Married making 60K - tax $16,800 Married making 60K- tax $9,000

Married making 75K - tax $21,000 Married making 75K - tax $18,750

Married making 125K - tax $38,750 Married making 125K - tax $31,250

Who gets hurt the most? The single taxpayer under $30,000/married under $60,000 will see an 87% INCREASE. Bill Clinton ran on the lie of a middle class tax cut, and then enacted the largest tax INCREASE in U.S. history. Obama and the liberals are not going to keep the current tax plan in place. Too bad, because EVERY time taxes have been cut, the actual dollar amount to the U.S. Treasury has gone up. In some states, federal income, social security, medicare, and state taxes are going to consume over 60% of every dollar made. That is before any state sales tax kicks in on purchases, along with gasoline tax, energy tax increases, etc.

Corporate taxes in America are the second highest in the world, and Obama wants to increase them as if they don't pay enough. Exxon Mobil pays more in income taxes ($27.9 billion) annually as the entire bottom 50% of individual taxpayers ($27.4 billion), which is 65,000,000 people. People characterize Exxon’s profits in terms of nearly $1,500 in profit per second. Exxon also paid $4,100 a second in taxes. In 1Q 2008, Exxon paid $29.3 BILLION in all taxes combined with a net profit of $10.9 BILLION. Almost 75% of every dollar of revenue goes to taxes, but it's too low.

Business needs to make a profit to stay in business and any increase will only result in higher prices for the consumer, and more companies relocating off shore. Jimmy Carter tried this idiotic crap with his "windfall profits tax" on the oil companies and only succeeded in increased prices and gas rationing/gas lines that stretched for blocks.

These are not opinions, these are hard economic FACTS. The harder we get hit here in America with Obama's Marxist plans, the fewer travelers are going to "spread the wealth around" in LOS.

[Johpa]

If you are still contributing to your 401K you probably will be out of luck. It looks like they'll be taxed and the investment option will only be Government Bonds.

I do believe that the 401K plans, a retirement account system set up by corporate America that gave short term advantages to the corporation as opposed to funding a more traditional pension plan which only gave advantages when looting the pension plan at a later date, have always been taxed, a deferred tax for sure, but not tax exempt.

As the better of the two choices, I am pleased, not over joyed mind you, just pleased it was Obama the winner and not McCain, but I am still upset at the Democratic Party that they created rules to push Kucinich off the debate podiums once his numbers began to increase and polls showed him gaining strength after the earliest debates.

Fair warning, it was a young and charismatic John Kennedy who came into office with lofty ideals and who brought in a younger generation of advisers, the "best and the brightest" who then went forward and mucked up the world quite a bit. Until Obama, especially as a Harvard law school grad, comes out and asks for a legal reconsideration of 14th amendment protection to corporations (personhood) then nothing will change.

[lannarebirth]

yay! i am very proud of my country for the first time in a long while.

Let's hope that we all can truly say that in four years from now....(I have my fingers crossed....... and my 401K statement at my side)

If you are still contributing to your 401K you probably will be out of luck. It looks like they'll be taxed and the investment option will only be Government Bonds. These plans pretty take all the hope out of investing in 401k's for retirement. I understand the reason though. It put 80 Billion dollars additional in the governments tax coffers for other programs. So much for 401k allowing people the try to increase their retirment funds. I am holding out hope that existing 401K investments will be granfathered.

Certainly you have a right to manage your money anyway you please. Your response doesn't address the point I was making. 401K's were invented as a tax deferred savings to allow people to complement Social Security and to encourage saving as a way to increase the retirement funds. The changes being proposed would do the opposite. For example, take young people just entering the labor market who would rather invest a part of their retirement saving in equities so that they could maximize the earnings on their retirement savings. If you fall into this younger category you have a right to have your fingers crossed. There is a great likelihood (certainty) that your 401K earnings will be dramatically lower that if we continued with the existing laws regarding investments for 401K's.

As I said, it's your money. You're welcome to put all your savings in Govenment bonds if you wish, the vast majority of investors should not be punished (especially the younger worker who have many years to grow their nest egg) just because you choose that option.

It's funny you mention that.

I don't care one way or the other really, but I've been thinking the upshot of the government procurement of so many banking interests might be the pushing of "US Savings Bonds". Might be a good way to provide liquidity after the Bond top.

Well, my answer is, I don't think the government should involve itself in retirement schemes, public or otherwise. I alos don't think the average person should invest in the stock market, but hey, it's their money.

It is extremely difficult to understand that position. Do you have money in any bank? Where would any country be financially if no one had savings. That, after all, is the money that banks loan out to companies and individuals to buy food, to buy cars, to buy houses to build businesses. Without this commerce no country could exist. I really don't think you could possibly believe that you can be fully self-sustaining.

I'll PM you an answer, as I don't think this a thread that should be derailed by OT issues.

Edited November 5, 2008 by lannarebirth

[Swanky]

I say good for Obama. Most Aussies supported him wish him all the best as the new pres. Hip, Hip Hooray and all that.

Edited November 5, 2008 by Swanky

[AlKing]

Just a question to the International Community on ThaiVisa....If B. Obama is Black, why are my Asian-American children called "mixed-race" on all census documents? It is even how they are classified on their birth-certificates in the US.

I am sure Tiger Wood would also be Black, and not Asian-American.

I think he's 50% Thai, 25% American Indian and 25% African American

On 1/4 black? I find it amazing that he has not lose his shade. The whiter (darker) shade of pale.