forward!

I'm singing. "Oh Happy Day, oh happy day. Oh Happy Day, oh happy day...."

My faith in the American people has been restored. I think the whole world is smiling today. If you heard a strange noise, it was Europe sighing relief. They felt that with a Romney Presidency, war was inevitable. That doesn't mean that we won't have war, but if it occurs, it will be unavoidable. Blessed are the Peacemakers.

11/7/2012

You forget...

Republicans Control House

Democrats Control Senate

Four more years of "GRIDLOCK ! " These idiots on both sides'

will never get together and there's nothing Pres. Obama can do

to change their mind ....

Cheers..Joe...

Joe, you like being a pessimist. It is what gives you joy, so go for it.

Gridlock? Maybe not. They don't have the objective now of making Obama a one-term president. Maybe they'll do some work.

11/7/2012

Ann..

I guess your in a sarcastic mood ! I'm telling it how

it is, it's been that way for four years....Politicians

are like jackasses that's what I think of them !

Cheers...Joe....

No sarcasm, Joe.Just a straightforward observation that you get your kicks out of spreading bad news.

Cheers.

Al Stevens wrote:

Gridlock? Maybe not. They don't have the objective now of making Obama a one-term president. Maybe they'll do some work.

I am hoping. At least The losing side found out they couldn't buy us with their lies.

Abe F. March wrote:

I'm singing. "Oh Happy Day, oh happy day. Oh Happy Day, oh happy day...."

My faith in the American people has been restored. I think the whole world is smiling today. If you heard a strange noise, it was Europe sighing relief. They felt that with a Romney Presidency, war was inevitable. That doesn't mean that we won't have war, but if it occurs, it will be unavoidable. Blessed are the Peacemakers.

Thank you, Abe I agree.

Joe,

Where is my picture?

11/7/2012

Ann...

Don't be so smug !!! I just say it as it is, just

like you who has big opinions and a big mouth !!!

Cheers..Joe...

11//2012

Alice...

I voted for Obama too !

not Romney !

Cheers..Joe...

The people in Congress were voted in by you and me. If we don't like their performance, they can be voted out. We can also go to Washington. We can go to their local offices. We can organize local people to demand they get some work done. We can start letter writing and phone calling campaigns. We are not helpless; they work for us and represent us - now is the time to make that clear.

Agree, DK. We must let them know that we pay their salary. They are supposed to work FOR us. When they don't do that, they should get their termination notice.

The best thing for the nation would be for the old days of broadcasting to apply when FOX and affiliates would not be allowed on the air and Rush Limbaugh would not have a career. I was a a radio broadcaster at that time; one could actually believe what went over the airwaves. Today, half the news is geared to the directions of the political party at the top of the CEO chain of command; and you don't know what to believe from the other half.

There's something to that old adage about sending positive thoughts into the universe so they connect with a few more and explode. The constant negativity from FOX and affiliates and Rush Limbaugh and the rest of the hate-mongers on the airwaves creates negative explosions and divides good, honest people who really want the best for their families and have more in common than differences. These people who encourage hate and negativity and make their living from it - a good living at that - appeal to the basest and ugliest depths of human nature. Even the churches participate; every minister doesn't have the "calling from God" for sure.

Now is the time to put into the universe lots of positive energy. The job that our politicians must do is the hope of this nation's future - and they need our encouragement, prayers, intelligence and guidance to make our lives and those of our children better. We need to let them know we are here with our ideas, our advice and our service. Look how we campaigned and knocked on doors and made phone calls to get them elected. Certainly, we can provide them with info they need to govern.

Nearly $2 billion was spent on this negative campaign that went on forever. It will take double the positive to clean up what was wrought. The ill will it spread among friends and family and acquaintances needs to be healed. Remember, it was the $2 billion that created the ill will, not the people. People were just swept into the tide of negatives and couldn't reach a shore. All those claiming their religious faith as a guide can reach for that strength, the better part of us, to love their neighbor, to treat others as they wish to be treated, and recognize our obligation to those in need. Blood runs red through all our veins, the very life force common to all. We are one human race.

11/7/2012

I was talking to my sister-in-law today and she told me her

girlfriend in NJ told her she dis-owned her own daughter because

she didn't vote for Obama, I told her she's goddam nuts ! SHe's

a Communist Liberal who onyl sees one thing, as I've said before

this whole stupid Pres. campaign is almost like the civil war, turning

brother against brother, sister against sister, friends against friends,

this is totally idiotic ! .......

Cheers..Joe...

I'm waiting for the day when labels will be recognized for what they are. The labeling buzz words that seem to affect many are "Socialist and Communist". Easy to call someone a Socialist or a Communist. Most often the person who is saying that has no idea what the words mean. As we discussed before, Socialism comes in many forms. We have socialism in America and it is a good thing. If we want to continue to call America a Christian Nation, then Social Services are part of that. As for Communism, we're not talking about a form of Government, but a process - a method of doing things. We have numerous forms of Communism in our country. A Union is just one form. Churches are another form where a gathering together constitutes a form of Communism.

Friends of Florida visiting relatives in my village called them Socialists and Communists. If that is what they are, then I would be proud to be called one. Helping neighbor, providing a means to help the needy is one of the most Christ-like acts I can think of. Thinking of only oneself, using and even stepping others for gain/profit is one form of Capitalism. Capitalism is good, but also has a downside. We see that in Corporations and we saw it in this Presidential election where the Candidate(s) became rich on the backs of and to the detriment of others. Free Enterprise is not the freedom to cheat, lie and destroy the lives of others. Control is required simply because one cannot place faith in human frailty. Greed is one of the culprits.

Now that Obama has a second Term as President and knows he cannot be re-elected, he can make the tough decisions that need to be made. Of course to get things done, he needs the backing of Congress to implement them. He doesn't have to be the "nice guy". What is good for all the Citizens, not the privileged is what the President is elected to do.

Just my opinion for whatever it's worth.

I think those particular labels go back to the days of McCarthy and his witch hunts. Those hearings were the first incidences of televised hearings - the first use of the medium to promote fear in the general public as a means of control.

In my personal experience, I have not seen a connection between fundamentalist Christianity and a promotion of social services. What I did see was a split in the mainstream churches between ""old-time religion" and its insistence on the Bible as being the sole guide for living and the "new Christianity," the progressive Churches, which emphasized social responsibility and a recognition of Biblical symbolism and metaphor over a literal approach. That newer, more liberal form of Christianity was in fact, one of the major forces behind the growth of political liberalism - at least in the local community where I grew up and lived for roughly half my life at this point. Much of that change was due to an influx of educated Northeasterners after several chemical plants were established along the waterways there, and they brought their executives with them. But it was, I believe, a reflection of the growing change in the Christian church at large, during the 50's and 60's.

Part of today's problem goes back to the mid-to-late 70's,when the children of those more progressive Christians started leaving the church as they grew in their respect for diversity, which included the acceptance of other religions. As the progressive denominations and congregations grew smaller, the fundamentalists grew stronger, but the concepts that have led to progressive change in our government and lifestyles owe much to the social movements within the church itself.

The older form of the religion focuses on fear - a fear of Hell and God's wrath as a means of control, in order to keep congregations in line - and giving their tithes to the institution. The newer forms have more to do with God's love and acceptance from theologies that worked to bring the religion into the modern world by re-looking at the original message of Jesus rather than the rigidity and dogma of that institution.

In a way, it is the essence of Obama's slogan - Forward - which is the title of this thread.

The election results are a strong sign that this country is moving in that forward direction, and whether from within a religion or outside it, another step away from fear and control toward acceptance of diversity and a community of socially responsible individuals working together.

Ann, in my view, you are on target with your comments. Change is the one thing we can count on if we want to progress. Unfortunately as humans, we resist change. We feel comfortable in our own/old way of doing things. That is not to say that old methods are bad. I cherish many of the things that existed when I was young. Many of those things don't exist today. We didn't have PC's or the Internet. It is a new way of living and working. It is not right for everyone, however there is good that can be found if one seeks it. Holding on to the good things of the past is great, however trying to live in the past is a worthless pursuit.
I am beginning to enjoy my life more as I recognize that I am in control. I choose where I want to live and what I choose to believe. It is my life. I can't live the life of someone else nor should I try to conform to what someone else thinks my way of life should be. I have a mind and unless I use it, it will cease to function. I am still capable of expressing my thoughts and won't allow anyone to muzzle me.
Many on this forum expressed their views about the Candidates in this election. Some were more verbal than others and that was their choice. I believe that our opinions influenced the outcome. We voiced our opinions and then acted on them by voting. After Thanksgiving, I shall be returning home. Thanksgiving this year can be a real celebration. We have much to be thankful for. We know that the future will be what we make it. That is especially true in our private lives.

It is important that Americans face and embrace change. Obama won the election--both by the electoral and the popular vote.

We were looking for a leader, not a preacher. Thank Heavens we got a leader:)


Get religion out of politics.

Alice, I agree. I think the best way to start is to announce that political statements, verbal or written, will mean that the church will be taxed.

Abe,

I bore long with folks on Facebook, but when they continued to whine I blocked them and unfriended them.

Enough is enough!

No one in the political pundits ever talks about taxing religion - are they afraid of eternal damnation?

Who has the courage to present that as a viable way to increase revenues? My belief is that no organization or person is tax exempt. Every business must include the payment of taxes in their business plan.

What about tax deductions for donations? I think that should stand. Even though donations are used for tax escape, it would endanger a lot of organizations if donors no longer got deductions.

I do not wish to "gloat." However, there is a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other; sometimes the devil wins.

It was the constant lying and changing tunes and demeaning of the Office of the President and the President himself that just ground into me. What made it worse was that some of the filthiest comments came from professed "Christians and Patriots." It became a reversal - you could bet if the comment started with the word "Christian" or "Patriot" it would be mean-spirited and judgmental and often use language that should not be posted.

The "Patriots" posted every message with a replica of the U.S. flag and called our president every ugly name in the books, saying mean things about his beautiful wife and his family in general. That's not a "Patriot," that's an enemy of the state and an excess of freedom of speech.

The "Christians" are really a group of people brainwashed by their religious dogma to believe that white men rule the U.S. and their unique religion has a right to be legislated for everyone. Anyone that is not of their religion has no faith - I was told that "Satan was spiritual" when I mentioned that people have "spiritual beliefs" since I didn't label them "Christian." Well, "Christianity" will not be legislated in the next four years. Instead, a truly Christian approach to governance that is inclusive and cares for all people, all God's children, will be in force. As one person said on facebook, "we prayed and God answered."

People of color also call themselves "Christian" but I have to say that I didn't read or hear the venom and judgmental babal from anyone but the "white" Christians who had the gaul to say that the blacks would riot if President Obama was not elected. Well it was Dear Donald Trump who called for revolution in his tweets (that he deleted) subsequent to the election. He proves that money has nothing to do with class.

If I am afraid of anyone, it is the old white men who are now in the minority and many of whom still saying unbelievable things on facebook. People that once posted to this forum have called me gutter things that should never result since I never maligned any person but only posted facts (similar to E.Don Harpe) where lies prevailed. I often posted the sources of the facts. The response was to call me names beneath the gutter and describe my activities in that same gutter - totally outside of the fb conversation. It was disgusting and should have been removed from facebook.

Those old white men also have female supporters who are also afraid the world will end because a "Muslim" has been re-elected. The Rush Limbaughs and Becks and FOX commentators should be ashamed of what they stirred up among the vulnerable in this country from whose hate they derive their incomes, the less educated in particular.

The United States of America is the largest economy and a great world leader. It became great for its ideals and the innovation and strength of an economy built by imigrants. Diversity is still its strength; the fact that "white" is no longer the majority skin color is the least of our worries. Hating change will not stop it. If people cannot live in a diverse nation, then they need to find an island somewhere uninhabited. Few nations today have retained their original culture only. Our original culture was Native American. Look what we did to them! It is often stressful, but it is a global world where the convenience of travel has integrated nations without the consent of their people who prefer no change.

Artificial divisions of color and race and religion and differing beliefs are what create the chaos in the world. Tribes holding onto their nostalgia and power don't want change. Change represents diminished power. So it is in the U.S. also. Our power in the world may change over time unless we stop fighting among ourselves and learn to stand together.