Tip of the Iceberg

1 - Can we keep US (or any) politics away from Planet Lotus please? Might as well go to YouTube and do a search for "clowns".

2 - @1 - David, Yancy has no filtering mechanism. And to ask Tim to self-censor on his blog is just plain rude.

So, in answer to your question, absolutely not.

3 - Troll

4 - @2 - seconded. Tim and I don't agree politically, but I suspect we vehemently agree on the blogger's right to express themselves.

That said...
"If you hunger, as I do, for a leader of whom our nation can be truly proud,"...
Then I guess we need to wait another 4-8 years. I've voted for Bush the past two elections only because Gore and Kerry were so completely unfit (in my view of course). I would have been very happy to have a third option, like Alan Keys, Ross Perot, Ron Paul, former Wendy's CEO Dave Thomas (RIP)... I can't muster pride or excitement about a Jr. Senator with little track record and not much else than a great speech writer to woo the masses.

Peace out...

5 - Tim tagged the post accurately and simply. If "Disgruntled" doesn't want to read about politics, s/he should simply not click on links tagged "politics." *rolls eyes*

To the point - great post, Tim. Obama == Inspirational.

6 - Thanks all (including "Disgruntled"), for speaking your various minds about this. I myself was wondering why it showed up as being partially Lotus-related... until I noticed that "office" is one of the keywords PL looks for.

A community - any community - is nothing more than a collection of individuals. Each blog is a tiny glimpse into one individual's personality. I have been consciously keeping the political posts to a minimum - not because others want me to, but because I currently want this blog to be primarily technical. But I will speak my mind regarding that about which I am passionate. Those who make the decision, as Rob mentioned, to read any given post may disagree - may even be offended - and that is their right every bit as much as it is my right to write.

7 - I am an overweight middle-aged ex-Republican white guy that will be voting for Obama ... but likely not for the reasons most of you think. Not because of inspirational oratory. Not because of political promises that happen to match some of my current ideas.

My main motivation to vote for Obama is because I hope he is the least compromised in his principals. (He's already disappointed me in voting for legal immunity for the telcos that collaborated with the questionable government warrantless probes.)

It it my belief that our political system has evolved to the point that no matter what his/her original motivations to run, all politicians must compromise their principals in order to get elected to high office.

Yes, I admit I'm quite cynical. Cynical and deeply ashamed of how the USA has treated the rest of the world in the recent past. We preemptively invaded a country that presented no clear and present danger to us knowing it would cost the lives of many innocent civilians. (Now we know it has directly and indirectly caused tens of thousands casualties.)

In the name of security our personal freedoms have been systematically reduced. The policy of extraordinary rendition which started during the Clinton administration has been greatly expanded by the current administration.

In the preamble of the United States Declaration of Independence is says, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal ...". It doesn't say just citizens of the USA but ALL MEN. Meanwhile our government continues to hold many men in Guantánamo Cuba with no right to any legal resource. I think it's well know that some of them do not deserve to be there.

I think we're getting the government we deserve.

I'm ashamed of myself for not being more effective in working for a better world. I don't listen to any of what the candidates say ... they are spinning everything. They don't even talk about many of the real issues and the reality is that the president can do little to change things. I think who we elect to our legislative branch is more important and can have more influence if they would do their job (which I believe they are not).

So, yes, I'll be voting for Obama but I'm not hopeful that it will make any difference at all, in the long run.

Peace,

Rob:-]

8 - Neither of the two clowns running in this year's high school popularity contest will get my vote. It's too bad the media had to kick Ron Paul out; He would have had my vote. Now, there's NO ONE even worth getting excited about. Looks like America is settling for mediocrity; again.

But that's just my opinion; apparently I can't speak for anything because I'm not a registered Dem and the constitution doesn't apply to me.