Go for it, David F -

As one originally poorly schooled, owing to have to help save the farm during the Great Depression, was one of the lucky ones to survive WW2, and given the chance in my later retirement from my own family farm, to sit for and gain a Post-Grad in Political Science.

After Australian Politics under David Black, was fortunate to have an American tutor as well as teaching American politics, taught us in decisionmaking, from where we learnt how important it is to always have strong historical insight to steer one's foresight.

Furthermore because the historical insight must be tempered more with Scientific Reasoning rather than with faith, such could account for most of the blunders even during our modern history.

Bit long-winded, mate, but was hoping you might agree.

Cheers, BB, Buntine, WA

david f,
I like your ideas, you are a progressive person! I wish Obama will support the International Criminal Court but I do not expect it with Hillary Clinton as foreign minister. Our expectations from Obama are very high and the situation is USA is not very good! I am prepared to be disappointed but how much?
I agree with you david f
Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide

Just a quick comment - have only skimmed the article and the comments section. Surely some of the excitement that surrounds Obama must be due to the contrast between him (or any competent candidate for that matter) and George Bush. At last an american president who speaks in complete and intelligent sentences! Perhaps much of the world would not be so excited about him if say, he was following Clinton, Bush Senior or any other American president bar Warren Harding or Richard Nixon.

However, the fact he is not only mixed race, but the son of a muslim man makes the power of his story yet more compelling. His election has undoubtedly improved the way millions of people regard the US, it people and its system of government. This kind of symbolic power has been tagged as 'soft power' and may be of increasing relevance in a smaller and more connected world. If a child in Indonesia feels a symbolic connection to the US president (and there they were at his old school barely able to contain themselves with joy) does this mean militant fundamentalism will be less attractive? Perhaps wishful thinking...of course there are other forces at work... but suddenly the US and its president are that little bit more difficult to portray as evil, and as 'other.'

PS be kind this is my first post

Dear Bushbred,

I see nothing in your post to disagree with. Apparently you are even older than I am.

I don’t know why faith is accepted as a virtue. It really is only a virtue for those who would want you to accept whatever nonsense they spread. Doubt and questioning are much more worthwhile.

Dear Antonios Symeonakis,

I am unhappy with Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. During her campaign for the presidential nomination she talked about obliterating Iran. That means murdering about 70,000,000.

The word, progressive, has many meanings. I think it is better to discuss ideas than to label a person even though the label denotes approval.

Dear chandralekha,

Welcome to the list. We should always be kind. I think Richard Nixon was quite an intelligent man. IMO the wrongs he committed were not nearly as bad as those of Bush 2.

Welcome chandralekha, may you enjoy the many challenges you will encounter on OLO - not all are kind.

Davidf

I hadn't thought of comparing Bush Jnr to Nixon, and I concur. Bush caused far more misery, presided over a completely corrupt, arrogant and indifferent government and set the scene for financial collapse. Nixon looks relatively benign compared to the Bush legacy.

As for Obama, so many high expectations that no mere mortal can live up to, however he remains the best hope I have seen in politics in any nation for decades.