Barack Obama Sworn In As 44th President of the US

Just before noon today, Eastern time, Barack Obama was sworn in before the US Capitol building as the 44th President of the United States (Whitehouse.gov has already been updated to reflect the new President), and offered an inaugural address which outlined some of the challenges that the country currently faces, both within the country's borders and abroad. Obama's election has been called "a civil rights triumph," and his candidacy has inspired perhaps the most visible political involvement of young voters of any candidate since John Kennedy. Here's your chance to discuss the newest occupant of the White House and what you'd like to see happen over the course of his presidency.

Comments

Will anything really change?

[PFAK]

I myself, don't think so. He seems just as religious and heavy handed as all your other presidents.

Re:Will anything really change?

[apathy maybe]

How about you just stop electing people? Why do you need a fucking "big brother" to look after you anyway? I am an adult. I am responsible for my self. I don't need a government telling me I should wear a seat belt, not take drugs etc.

How about (if you want a government at all), you have a look at demarchy (see also Demarchy; random selection of decision makers)? Or heck, with present technology, everyone could vote on everything! Of course, you would have to introduce a quorum, maybe at least 60% of people have to actually vote for anything to pass. Then if people don't care, well, who needs more laws anyway?

Basically, this man, he won't change anything.

At the end of the day, you still have rich people who screw over poor people. Poor people who screw over poor people. Politicians who screw over everyone (and bend over backwards for donations from rich people and corporations).

Basically, for all you people who think that this new fellow is going to be "different", tell me in four years time whether you still have to go to fucking work nearly every day of the week (for the vast majority who do). Heck, I would guess at least half of the things he promised aren't even possible without the Congress, and they aren't different, even if you think this man is.

Big deal. You got a "black" fellow as president. When you are you going to abolish the outdated presidential system? That would be real change worth having.

Oh YES!!!

[sherms]

Finally someone with a fricken brain!!!

Re:Oh YES!!!

[Mr. Firewall]

Finally someone with a fricken brain!!!

And like every liberal -- a shiny new one, 'coz it's NEVER BEEN USED!

Re:Well, I for one

[Anonymous Coward]

African American is no longer politically correct.
The modern term in "nigger"

Re:Time

[ObsessiveMathsFreak]

He becomes president the moment he's given the codes to the bomb and they start working. Not before, not after.

Re:Optionally

[tmosley]

Sweet, so lets keep "compromising" until we have one branch of government and a nice fuhrer we can all get behind. Great idea. Just wonderful.

I do not think it means what you think it means.

[decoy256]

You have no clue what "General Welfare" means, do you? It doesn't mean "Do whatever the hell you want", which is how it is currently interpreted.

If it did mean "Do whatever the hell you want", then why have 17 follow-up paragraphs detailing exactly what congress can do? Why even give the illusion of states' rights if "General Welfare" means what you say it means?

Idiots like you are what ruin this nation. Go fuck up some other country.

Hail to the new chief.. same as the old chief.

[k1e0x]

Anyone else get a kick out of the Obama Zealots out there? All this flowing worship over him.. kinda sickening and scary.

I fell like saying.. "Psst! He's a politician.. he is either lying, doesn't actually mean it, or he's incapable of doing it. Get over it."

I feel people are going to be seriously let down when Obama..

Doesn't fix the economy.
Doesn't end the war on terror.
Doesn't abolish the Department of Homeland Security. ..and doesn't hold the neo-con's responsible at all.

The problem is deeper than just one man or one office.. it's the problem man has always had with governments and I'm pretty sure people won't see it this time until it's too late.

Re:Where do we turn in our guns?

[Real1tyCzech]

Torture is not outlawed.

The Geneva Convention is an agreement between nations. The terrorists are not *bound* to *any* nation, and thus the convention does not apply to them as they have no part in the agreement.

The war of aggression was duly allowed by congress. In reference to Iraq, Saddam himself had used such weapons in the past and made no pretense of *not* currently having them, going so far as to disallow any way to possibly prove he did not.

The media did more politicizing than anyone in office did. Stop watching the news.

The constitution does not apply to citizens of other nations, or non-nationalized individuals. it helps to have context, doesn't it?

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[nurb432]

How ironic, the first ad i see is 'free government money'.

Re:Time

[FatherOfONe]

WWII played a large part in it. Like it or not, it helped do a lot of very good things. Obviously the first was to remove a lunatic out of power who wanted to kill America. The second was that it helped to continue to transform America in to a manufacturing powerhouse. It also brought women in to the workforce.

Now the real question is this:
Does forming more social programs and raising taxes help or hurt an economy?

If you like Obama, you lean toward socialism, and probably don't mind higher taxes and more social programs. If you want lower taxes, less government, and less social programs then you are a conservative and you probably hate Obama.

What exactly caused Fanny and Freddy to fail again?
Oh yeah...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs