I think he's obnoxious, but along with Calacanis, right more often than he is wrong...
In looking at the Democratic platform, there are a few things I agree with, but on the economic side, other than being ok with him raising my effective tax rate to 40pct, there isn’t a lot of his economic policy that I do agree with him on. So why did I vote for him ?
Its simple. Having an elected black President will do more to energize this country than any economic or social policy ever could. In a single day of voting, our amazing country once again reinvigorated the dream that any child in this country, no matter what circumstances they are born into, can grow up to be anything they want, including President of the United States.
That dream, staying viable, being reinvigorated, will do more for this country than any economic policy or any legislation that could ever be passed...
As any successful CEO will tell you, leadership, vision and motivation has far more impact on results than any tax cut or increase. While I prefer lower taxes, I can tell you that no entrepreneur or CEO worth a damn in this country gives up or works less because of a change in tax policy. In this country you work harder to achieve your dreams and goals.
And I'll take an even more pessimistic route than Walt...
Sunshine and lollipops don't mean dick.
It doesn't mater how good you feel, how hard you try, or how many wonderful plans you have - if you're wrong, you fail.
I suppose that's just a more blunt way of saying what Walt said. :)
But it isn't about being right or wrong, it's about having the will to try. I fail all of the time, but when I feel good, I try again, and eventually something sticks. That's the real angle here. I mean, having a black president is like suggesting pigs can fly (lipstick or not), and if you can see that, aren't you more inclined to believe there are greater opportunities?
I'm not so enamoured by the 'black' thing.
Mostly because my entire life I've had friends of all races. I was under the impression that were were past the 'color of my skin' thing a long time ago. It's about time y'all caught up. :)
Of all the things about Obama being elected, the least amazing to me is that he's black.
Being black isn't going to make his economic policy any less sucky.
There's a difference between effort and results. I want results.
That dream, staying viable, being reinvigorated, will do more for this country than any economic policy or any legislation that could ever be passed...
That's just emotional nonsense. This suggests that the excitement of someone else's success can sustain someone for longer, or at least as long, as if it were their own success. Since when has that been at the core of American value?
The fact remains that in order to be president in this day and age you still have to be good-looking, wealthy, well-educated, and of superficial good health. No one else will get there without attention to economic policy and/or legislation.
I'm thinking we will be riding the wave of excitement for the historic nature of this election for about a week or two. From then on it will be about outcome. After all, hasn't it been the MO of our culture to build someone up and then try really hard to knock them down?
My hope continues to be that this additional noise about the significance of this election ends quickly. I hope that sooner rather than later everyone quiets down and gives Obama room to prepare for and subsequently do his job. Only then will he have a chance at being successful.
Funny you should mention that, Gonch, about thinking we were passed it. I saw my barber today down in Ashland, and we were talking about the race issue. As she put it:
"I don't think you could possibly understand the words and senseless hate that has come out of people sitting in this chair. Just when you think we're passed it, you remember how far we have to go."
Honestly, I never thought much about it before last night either, because I'm a product of desegregation. But I've also got countless stories I've mostly forgot about from my college days that showed we weren't there yet.
I don't think it's emotional nonsense at all, Carrie. Cuban is one of a great many modern dotcom success stories that has said something similar. I'm not suggesting you take everything they say as gospel (as I've said, Cuban and Calacanis make a lot of noise), but given their track records I'm inclined to listen now and then.
"Sunshine and lollipops" matter. It has been true in every environment that I've worked and lived in. You can't take a monolithic view of it.
Of course emotion matters. It is the fuel that many (too many in my opinion) feed from.
But idealism alone doesn't move anything forward. To suggest it takes a front seat over action doesn't even make sense.
I am not going to be successful because Obama is president. I am only going to be successful because of the opportunity he creates for me through his presidency.
"leadership, vision and motivation has far more impact on results than any tax cut or increase"
Go back and listen to Obama's victory address. He took care to let all Americans know that this is just a first step toward change. He acknowledged the difficulty of the challenges before us all and asked for us to work together to effect the changes we must make to succeed as individuals as well as part of a society that should be leading all the world by example.
Obama recognizes he did not become President-elect on his own and surrounds himself with talented people who sometimes stumble, but continue on through his leadership and vision.
This is far more than Sunshine and Lollipops and this election is history in the making. Only time will show what direction we go from here and the ultimate result. Make no mistake, however, that it is up to us to make it happen. The President is an executive position. His job is to lead, inspire, teach, guide, motivate and see that the path taken is the one that provides opportunity, security and the rights promised in our Constitution.
We can look ahead with gloom and doom or we can take another road and actively, collectively each do our part to acheive a greater reality. The choice is yours.
"We can look ahead with gloom and doom or we can take another road and actively, collectively each do our part to acheive a greater reality."
And we can't do this without the President...or regardless of who is President?
Suddenly we have this ability with Obama in office, but we never had it before?
Pfft.
Gonch's comment above:
Another thing that bugs me is how the 'historic' nature of this seems to be so manufactured.
Can you really be self-aware of something major happening? I don't think so. True historic moments are only realized when looking back.
That's why they're historic.
From Gonch's blog (22-Aug):
http://www.lordgonchar.com/2008/08/22/history-in-the-making-across-the-street/
His comment from said blog:
Hey! I’d be considering it even if it were Obama. A VP announcement will be all over the news. History in the making, man.
So, I suppose its only historical when its something you agree with?
LOL!
Yeah, I suppose if you want to consider my teasing reply to Jeff's nudge-nudge comment in simple black and white terms, then sure - call me a hypocrite.
I think it's obvious that I'm being playful & sarcastic, but maybe that doesn't come across in type.
"I suppose if you live in a vacuum and never leave the house?"
That's really all you got on me - that I've been able to afford more freedom in life.
Coming from the guy who seems to wrestle with working for the man vs what he wants out of life all the time. I'm not going to apologize for winning that same battle in my life.
Either way, I'm not sure what it has to do with my point - I don't see why suddenly any of that is true and it wasn't before? Is this part of that "he inspires people" thing?
Maybe it goes back to my self-motivation then? Because I don't need Barack Obama to tell me I can...or that we can. I knew that already.
I meant "you" in the global generic sense, not you personally. But hey, since you feel that way... ;) I'd love to have your "job."
My point, apparently not well communicated, was that your suggestion that you don't need a president completely ignores all the factors that shape the culture.
You don't need a figurehead or leader to inspire you because you consider yourself self-sufficient and free and whatever. That's coo. You are not everyone else. What's good for the Gonch isn't always good for the gander.
This goes back to my superiority complex thing, doesn't it?
The world needs more Gonch. :)
I dunno, I guess we can talk about it until we're blue in the face and nothing changes.
At the very least it's going to be an interesting ride. I'm looking forward to similar conversations in a year, two years, four years.
I love how so many of those in the blog world seem to take comments and observations meant to be rhetorical as words questioning their personal abilities, beliefs and choices. Gonch, not picking on you, I think you may have simply mis-understood my feeble attempt to get some people off their butt.
The point of my comment was simply that we all have choices in life and indeed what surrounds us, be it a new President, economic challenges or whatever, are nothing more than influences on what choices we have to make.
Further to do nothing, other than pontificate, will accomplish just that; nothing. Just thoughts of a somewhat over the hill '60's activist.
btw Gonch, keep up the good work. You are a master of the playful and sarcastic and always get a good discussion going. Keep pushing those buttons.