tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post8957623208733229880..comments2024-02-25T05:03:48.092-07:00Comments on Eudaemonia: How Do You Decide?Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00665632105920753931noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-91857357319902467312008-09-15T23:40:00.000-06:002008-09-15T23:40:00.000-06:00Usman, I am so glad you commented. As you know, re...Usman, I am so glad you commented. As you know, relations between the US and Pakistan have been delicate. I believe that Barack Obama believes that if the US has an opportunity to target Osama Bin Laden inside the border of Pakistan, that a cross-border attack would not be made as a threat to Pakistani sovereignty, but as a means to finally seek justice for the 9/11 attacks. I am no foreign policy expert, so I may not have described his view accurately. I do believe that Obama is very aware that relations with the rest of the world have deteriorated throughout the duration of the Bush administration and it is a priority to him to restore and improve our standing with the rest of the world. I have listened to him speak on foreign policy several times (there are some good YouTube videos) and I think he has a far more sophisticated grasp of foreign policy than the Republicans give him credit for.<BR/><BR/>Vesper, I am not very knowledgeable at all, but I appreciate you saying so ;)<BR/><BR/>Steve, Obama is the first politician I have ever been enthusiastic about in my lifetime. The more I learn about him and the more I watch him, the more impressed and confident in his abilities and judgment I am. I'm even further optimistic whenever I hear one of his advisers speak. He has surrounded himself with world class experts. I'm afraid my pessimism lies with the inability of many Americans to recognize him for who and what he is. I also have a nagging fear that race will play a much larger role on election day than the polls would indicate. <BR/><BR/>Lana, Well -- no candidate will ever totally represent my views either. One who did would be entirely unelectable :)Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00665632105920753931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-36958879491716494112008-09-15T21:15:00.000-06:002008-09-15T21:15:00.000-06:00I appreciate what you've said. I'm just hold a muc...I appreciate what you've said. I'm just hold a much more radical viewpoint than the average person. Of course no one agrees with ALL of my opinions. Unfortunately neither of these candidates (or any of the other populist paraders,) really agree with any of them...Lana Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06975996208260144558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-24385494685456567072008-09-15T09:10:00.000-06:002008-09-15T09:10:00.000-06:00Oliver Wendell Holmes reportedly described Frankli...Oliver Wendell Holmes reportedly described Franklin D. Roosevelt as having a second-rate intellect, but a first-rate temperament. From all I've seen of Obama, he appears to be first-rate in both. While McCain has courage, fortitiude, and some independence, I don't see him as having the kind of personality to be an effective president. His seeming preference for military solutions over negotiations and his support for Bush's ineffective Iran and Cuba policies bear that out.<BR/><BR/>I'm pretty pessimistic in general, but I believe Obama could be in the same league as the FDR.steve on the slow trainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18257811143869341854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-48895369933495950602008-09-15T05:30:00.000-06:002008-09-15T05:30:00.000-06:00Lisa, I'm extremely impressed by your posts on pol...Lisa, I'm extremely impressed by your posts on politics. Your seriousness, your eloquence, your knowledge makes them a very interesting read even for someone like me who, although she realises the extreme importance of the moment not just for the US but for the whole world, cannot be interested in politics.<BR/><BR/>I would vote for Obama.Vesperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12417602625059442986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-20935117020280417872008-09-14T23:27:00.000-06:002008-09-14T23:27:00.000-06:00The American elections have truly become a multina...The American elections have truly become a multinational election.<BR/>If I were American, I would vote for Obama. <BR/>Since I am not, my consideration is based on the foreign policy of the candidates. With US forces attacking Pakistan on a near daily basis, I have my fingers crossed that Obama shall change this policy. <BR/>Life, Liberty and The pursuit of happiness, is not only an American dream; it's a universal one.<BR/>In a global world, the USA is no longer an island of isolation. I hope Obama realises that.<BR/>I dont expect that from the republicans.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-78170846139845477112008-09-14T21:26:00.000-06:002008-09-14T21:26:00.000-06:00Ello, Actually, you and Da Man were the reason I w...Ello, Actually, you and Da Man were the reason I wanted to sit down and try to at least sketch out some kind of decision making resources. I would like to think that all voters take an objective, balanced approach to choosing a candidate, but I know that's not the case. These are difficult, complicated issues and I don't pretend to understand them all, but I can make the effort.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00665632105920753931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-52770578542826178672008-09-14T21:22:00.000-06:002008-09-14T21:22:00.000-06:00Charles, Hey! You were up late last night too!Kris...Charles, Hey! You were up late last night too!<BR/><BR/>Kristen, These aren't really all that fabulous, but they're someplace to start. What I'm finding least helpful: the evening news. Last night I found a great article from NYT Magazine from August 24th that provides a detailed explanation of Obama's view on the economy. I've only read about half of it, but I'll probably provide a link to it later because it's very informative. There's lots of decent information out there, but you really have to mine for it.<BR/><BR/>Stephen, Ha! I can hardly stand watching the process!<BR/><BR/>Leigh, I think you're getting a very tiny sampling of what a few of us think and just about everyone who has commented is I think, either Independent with pretty moderate to liberal leanings, or Democrat. There might be one Republican...maybe. Right now the race is pretty even between Obama and McCain, if you can believe the polls, so there is a pretty big group of people out there who, I have to assume would probably completely disagree with everything I think.<BR/><BR/>Debra, Oh wow. I need to add something to reflect how the candidates feel on erosion of civil liberties in the name of security AND position on the treatment of detainees at Guantanamo and in secret prisons outside the country. Also, where they stand on human rights.<BR/><BR/>Lana, There were two categories where I didn't agree with any of the statements either. But I look at it this way -- the two nominees were elected by their respective parties (and I wasn't part of the primary process since I'm not a registered Democrat or Republican). I doubt any candidate that held all of my views would be electable at all, so I've got to choose the one I think will be the best for America and who represents most closely my positions. <BR/><BR/>Steve, During the primaries and up through the DNC, I saw a spirit of optimism and I saw people coming together in a way that I've never seen in my lifetime, with the possible exception of a week or two following 9/11. I think we're capable of doing incredible things and I think Obama can fill a leadership role that has been lacking for a very long time and can help to restore some of the respect and trust this country used to have with the rest of the world.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00665632105920753931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-44125854710207545242008-09-14T21:21:00.000-06:002008-09-14T21:21:00.000-06:00Lisa, Thank you for this. You know how important t...Lisa, Thank you for this. You know how important this means to me too! I am sending Da Man over to check all this out. I can only hope more Americans are doing the same.Ello - Ellen Ohhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18311917335471167591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-14587327609882693562008-09-14T18:38:00.000-06:002008-09-14T18:38:00.000-06:00When I left America, I quit voting, even by absent...When I left America, I quit voting, even by absentee ballot. (At the time, I thought it was an honest sacrifice. Then Bush/Gore revealed those absentee ballots are mostly thrown out anyway)<BR/><BR/>For what it's worth, I believe Obama presents a real chance to change course. And that letting Palin anywhere near the Presidency would be an accelerating spiral my home country's descent into nightmare...Steve Malleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17561234111786788616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-88202658598980160772008-09-14T15:36:00.000-06:002008-09-14T15:36:00.000-06:0024 Obama/14 McCain, for what it's worth.24 Obama/14 McCain, for what it's worth.Lana Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06975996208260144558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-61006641238652927372008-09-14T15:09:00.000-06:002008-09-14T15:09:00.000-06:00I'm not even halfway through the website &...I'm not even halfway through the website & already I find very few options that I agree with at all. A lot of reading for nothing, unfortunately. Still working on it, though. Clearly my TRUE choice is neither Obama nor McCain, but this quiz is only designed to pick one of those, of course. There's just no solid libertarian/anarchic candidate on the ballot, unfortunately. <:(Lana Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06975996208260144558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-90403214906688657352008-09-14T12:38:00.000-06:002008-09-14T12:38:00.000-06:00Well, once again Blogger ate my comment...... it's...Well, once again Blogger ate my comment......<BR/> it's not surprising to me that MyElectionChoices determines that I am an Obama supporter. I have many questions about McCain, his choice of running mate as a comment on his judgment being one. One heartbeat away from the presidency is too close for me. The erosion of our freedoms greatly concerns me. The Constitution did not cease to exist on September 11.debrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17676300309029588465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-6059927835482550442008-09-14T10:26:00.000-06:002008-09-14T10:26:00.000-06:00We read a lot about your election over here in the...We read a lot about your election over here in the UK. It's interesting to hear what ordinay (in the best sense of the work) people think. An American friend of mine said he'd be nervous about Obama as he's not that expereinced, but that was before McCain chose his candidate for vice president. As for who I'd like to see elected? I don't know. It's your party.Leigh Russellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15080517449825380527noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-66098621319283976362008-09-14T07:42:00.000-06:002008-09-14T07:42:00.000-06:00Terrific post, Lisa. Ever consider running for of...Terrific post, Lisa. Ever consider running for office?Stephen Parrishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16883165490847664389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-69693282436159411042008-09-14T05:24:00.000-06:002008-09-14T05:24:00.000-06:00Wow, Lisa. Educating America one blogger at a time...Wow, Lisa. Educating America one blogger at a time? You should have been a reporter--investigative journalist, if you well. Thanks for all the great links, I'll be coming back here a lot before election day to click links and read comments.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-57324232068449659902008-09-14T00:40:00.000-06:002008-09-14T00:40:00.000-06:00I want to have a look at those questions but it'll...I want to have a look at those questions but it'll have to be tomorrow. Too tired tonight.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.com