BleepingComputer.com: President Elect Barack Obama

As we all now know, Barack Obama has been elected the 44th president of the United States.

Reactions? Thoughts? Concerns?

All new presidents face challenges; Obama will inherit a plate that's terribly full. Of all the problems we face, which should be among Obama's top priorities in his first 100 days?




Hopefully we can have a constructive and positive discussion of the election and the new administration.

Although I didn't support Obama as a candidate, as my president, he gets my full support. I think that no matter who was elected, they are going to be facing challenges of an unprecedented magnitude (As someone I know said, "How would you like the inbox from hell?")

I hope that one of the first tasks is dealing with employment and infrastructure. Conveniently enough, employment issues can be mitigated by creating jobs that deal with infrastructure. I realize the economy is a hugely important issue, but it is not something that is going to be taken care of in a few months, or probably even a few years. Definitely a top priority though, if not the most important priority.

There is one small upside to this global economic downturn though that may ease security issues. All of those (non-friendly) countries that were raking in huge sums of money from oil sales, and thumping their chests, have fallen strangely silent in the past few months. We have not heard much from Hugo Chavez or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Hard to talk big when their economies are scrambling to save their economies and collective asses. I would bet Russia is feeling the same pressure. So on that note, I would hope a great deal of attention gets paid to alternative fuels, and alternative fuel technologies.

[quote name='groovicus' post='998955' date='Nov 6 2008, 09:48 PM']We have not heard much from Hugo Chavez or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.[/quote]

Well, except for Ahmadinejad's public congratulations to Obama.

I did not suppport Obama either, but I wish him well. Only time will tell if this new president will be good for the country or not.

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Groove

I have to say that the reaction in Australia and I think all over the World is that America Spoke out in a very loud Voice and elected a President they thought could do the Job in front of him.

I know it is certainly going to be a long hard road for not only him and his Team, but for the whole of America, but he is young and keen. As he said, it is time for change.

Well my Opinion on it would be that if I was American I probably would have voted for Obama, Now he has been elected he has big expectations on his shoulders to fulfill what he has said he would try to do for the American People.

Technically although Stock Markets and Economies are quite unpredictable this can't be confirmed but under Democrats America has done better Economically whether this will come true this time is another matter, if it does he may be able to help the US through this predicament and stabilise the Economy - Could Obama Be Good News For Shares?

Will he be able to bring down that Massive National Debt of the US which is currently stands at roughly 80% of US GDP ($10 Trillion Debt compared to $13 Trillion GDP), As the BBC Business Editor mentions in his blog Here he has a lot of things to think about trying to keep spending up to help the Economy while not straining the already massive National Debt quite something to consider if you ask me.

He has a big uphill task but if he gets it started and gets elected for a second term he might pull it off with a bit of Luck, Obama's Possible Team In Administration, Obama's Top Economic Contenders

Yes, historically the markets have done better under the democrats. But in this specific case, the two days following the election the markets took the biggest dive ever, losing 10% in two days. A bit of a recovery today...

Also take a close look at the Bush chart in the link above Could Obama Be Good News For Shares?. Note in the US all bills dealing with finances are controlled by congress, not the president. The dems took over the congress in 2006....... Fingers crossed.

I do not envy Obama in the least; he will be confronted by an immense array of problems that, because ignored for twenty years, have now become critical. As he himself said, fixing these will not be done quickly.

And if the partisan politics that has grown in the last decade cannot be overcome in Congress and elsewhere, and people will not consider their country above their party or personal advancement and monetary gain, his job will be almost impossible. And time is running out on many fronts.

[quote]Yes, historically the markets have done better under the democrats. But in this specific case, the two days following the election the markets took the biggest dive ever, losing 10% in two days.[/quote]

Of course, the markets have been extremely volatile for several weeks now, and consecutive days of losses are not uncommon, and I think hardly prophetic. And I would be remiss if I didn't point out that the market lost 23% in a single day in 1987. And of course, the markets are not 'under the Democrats' just yet.

I do feel Obama should seriously help our country develop and utilize alternative fuel/energy sources. I think that is a key issue. I just hope he is allowed to do so. The oil industry (I feel) is the main reason our country is in such trouble. Americans should support alternatives also by using them as they are available and affordable. We all need to make definitive life changes in order to make any sort of progress.

As difficult as the road will be, I think Obama was our best chance at getting us moving in the right direction again.

I am relatively optimistic. Right now, Obama has an opportunity to move our country toward less partisan politics as well as repair our relations with the rest of the world. However, key word here is "opportunity." We've watched both Democratic and Republican governments squander such opportunities in the past.

I think that one of the worst things that can happen to a political party is winning a majority. "Ah, we are in charge now, we have a mandate, lets pull those back-burner projects we've always wanted to pass into the spotlight." They end up losing focus on key issues, failing to reach across the isle, and ultimately loosing their hold on Congress.

If the Democrats want to be successful they will break away this pattern; they will follow Obama's lead and try to look for honest compromise and inclusion rather than "ideological victory."

If we are going to tackle the problems we face, this is the first step.


[quote name='"groovicus"']I hope that one of the first tasks is dealing with employment and infrastructure. Conveniently enough, employment issues can be mitigated by creating jobs that deal with infrastructure. I realize the economy is a hugely important issue, but it is not something that is going to be taken care of in a few months, or probably even a few years. Definitely a top priority though, if not the most important priority.[/quote]

I agree with you here. This is an example of government spending that can be used to stimulate the economy, as it was during the Great Depression. But beyond short-term economic stimulus there are lasting benefits as well; to this day people still use and enjoy the facilities constructed under the Public Works act of 1928.

If I can be Honest?

Obama made the first step by trying to break down the DC Gap by meeting with McCain?

That was the step of a true Leader.

Just a simple step, whilst being President-Elect that shows what a President he could be.

I am just an Aussie, but I can see that, can you?

From this avid Obama supporter....

I don't expect him to please everyone all of the time. Even me. In some areas he'll come up more Centrist than this very liberal Dem would like, but that's okay. I don't expect him to get done everything that needs to be done. Our problems are too great and too many. I just ask that he tries. And when something doesn't/can't work out the way he thought, just tell us and explain why. (Which I think he will.) We can handle the truth. All he has to do is ask, and we will help anyway we can. The main thing is we need a President who won't leave us out. We, the People, have been forgotten about for too many years.

Also, don't put too much stock in the 100 Days thing. All the challenges we face today won't be "fixed" in a 100 days or even in a first term. Maybe not even in a second term. But with the right leadership, which I think Obama will provide, we'll be well on our way again.

[quote name='Abacus 7' post='1011031' date='Nov 18 2008, 04:46 AM']If I can be Honest?

Obama made the first step by trying to break down the DC Gap by meeting with McCain?

That was the step of a true Leader.

Just a simple step, whilst being President-Elect that shows what a President he could be.

I am just an Aussie, but I can see that, can you?

[/quote]

I'm sure we can all see that, Abacus 7, but, did you notice that the first two people Obama appointed to his Staff are highly partisan?

They'll be no doubt that Obama will be different than Bush, but we'll have to wait at least a year or two, and probably longer, to be certain that the differences are good for the US.

I'm reserving my opinion at this time and will just watch what he actually does. I'm not going to assume that very much he said and promised during his campaign is what he intends to do.

He is a politician, remember, and one of the pre-requisites to being a politician appears to be to say one thing and do another.

[quote name='JohnWho' post='1011192' date='Nov 19 2008, 01:40 AM']He is a politician, remember, and one of the pre-requisites to being a politician appears to be to say one thing and do another.[/quote]
With Respect,That is being Negative, and pre-judging.
Obama, is the first ray of Sunshine,and Hope,The American People have had, in Years.
It will take many years, for Obama to undo the previous damage done,that has brought your Great Nation,to it's knees.
Everyone should get behind Obama with Optimism,as it will take a team effort, to restore America to it's former Glory.