I question, I am demonized...

President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize.

I voted for Obama. I am a Democrat, VERY liberal on social issues, and somewhat conservative on economic ones. I believe that gay couples should be allowed to marry, and it's a sin that they can't. I believe that Medical care isn't something that should be based on your income. I believe that it's an amazing thing that we finally have an African-American President.

I believe that the right-wing extremists are mostly scared at the loss of power for their main base, that being old, white men. I think they are grabbing at any sort of garbage they can throw at Obama (For the last freakin' time, Nazis are NOT Socialists. In fact, you can't really find anything MORE opposite a Socialist than a Fascist), and the undercurrent of racism in their claims is truly an awful thing for this country. Fear is driving the Republican party to the extremes of the right (real, live Nazis!).

I also believe there are lots of people in this country who believe very differently from me, and they have their own personal reasons to do so, just as I do with my beliefs. They have that right, same as I do.

That being said....

How can a President who's been in power 2 weeks get nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, let alone win it? I have no doubt that Obama's policies and desires are to repair our relations around the world, as well as the damage done by our former leadership on an international level. However, it's not the "Congrats, You're Not George W. Bush" Prize, and, frankly, the Obama administration hasn't really accomplished anything other than rhetoric on the issues.

Sure, part of the Nobel doctrine is to encourage work for peace, not just reward it. As the committee said, the Award "was meant to build momentum behind Obama's initiatives to reduce nuclear arms, ease tensions with the Muslim world and stress diplomacy and cooperation rather than unilateralism." Great, but other than a speech in Cairo, and getting elected over a recurrence of the Bush policies (and I still have my doubts that McCain would've blindly followed Bush)...Where's the beef?

There's more than a hint here that the Nobel committee just REALLY disliked Bush, and was REALLY happy Obama was elected. Much like the tenor of the election, which continues among the people who cannot fathom, and get more than a little strident with, the idea that I think this move is more than a little premature, they maybe should've played Living Colour's Cult of Personality while making the announcement. Lets say we flash forward 5 years, after a successful Obama Presidency, in which he succeeds with the stated goals, and yes, please, Nobel Prize.

Does it do any harm?

Here's the really tricky point. No, it's no skin off my nose that Obama has the medallion. The cash will certainly go to worthwhile organizations. That being said, get ready for another round of right-wing freaking out over this, and then a round of left-wing freaking out over the right-wing freaking out. Ultimate result? The battle lines are deeper, and even less co-operation is possible. Anybody who thinks this will further his domestic agenda is smoking some high-grade stuff. Internationally? They love him already.

I love my President. I'm with him on his way of handling himself, and the country. Obama is already, rightly, an important President, simply because of the color of his skin (sad but true), but his most fervent supporters (the ones who elected a messiah, not a man) will not rest until he's a GREAT President. The Nobel committee seems to be following that path. I see so many people with so much personal stakes in his greatness, I fear what will happen if he's not great, or, Like Jimmy Carter, a much greater Ex-President than President. You cannot declare a great President, they have to earn it.

I think he can earn it, why don't we let him?

I try to stay out of politics...

Rant mode on....

The whole process annoys me, and I find the most vocal members of either end of the political spectrum to be annoying, false, and ego-driven. O'Riley, Olbermann, Beck...These idiots don't give a damn what they say, if they contradict themselves in the same breath, or if it even makes any damn sense, as long as it attacks "those people.

Then I read this:

Is Obama Punking Us?

I'm sorry to say it, but Obama is a one term President. The main reason for this? His own supporters.

Our major problem, for every one of us, is the idea that's perpetuated in this country that we are all infallible. Our personal beliefs ought to be shared by everyone, and we get furious if they aren't. For God's sake, we get pissed off that anyone with any sort of pulpit for his views might speak something we don't agree with. Nobody wants to admit it, but our general attitude in this country, FROM ALL OF US, the left or the right, is that views in opposition to our own are best not heard.

The guy we vote for is nigh-on a saint, walking on water, and the other guy is two steps lower than Satan. Bush? A Nazi! Obama? A Commie! The parties are no longer about differing methods in order to provide the best for all citizens of this country.

If you think anybody starts a political party in order to screw a portion of the populace, you're on crack.

When your methods differ, but your goal is the same, compromise is possible, co-operation is possible. When your party exists simply to tear down the other party as far as possible, you have...the clusterfuck we have right now. The Republicans have no plan, so they just attack, attack, attack, and when Pelosi got the majority, it was all about payback. None of these people care one little bit about you or me or our lives, they just want to grab as much power for themselves as possible.

I voted for Obama mainly because he talked of ending this bickering. The unfortunate result of his win, however, was encouraging Pelosi and her crew on her quest to ram anything and everything she can down the Republican's throats.

The American public is also ridiculous. The woman in the article, "I got punked." Oh my God! He couldn't change the course of the nation in 8 months! What a liar! It's, yet again, the American attitude of "I want what I want RIGHT NOW! I don't have to compromise, I'm an American!!!"

Then, there was a laughable attitude among Obama supporters that somehow his election was going to change the entire system of government in this country. Someone I know actually said to me before the election, "Obama's talking about changing the whole way the Government operates." I didn't know if I should pity him, or laugh in his face.

Washington operates as it does, and it always will. No one will ever get elected and make sweeping changes to the system. You vote for people who share your values about what that system ought to be used for. All of the Obama supporters who perpetuated the "messiah" vibe around him are the reason his poll numbers are slipping. These people, who looked upon him as a miracle man, able to do anything, are now looking at a Health Care package that is the result of compromise over a difficult issue.

Y'know, the left used to attack Bush and his cronies as seeing the world too simplisticly. Everything was "black and white," and they never grasped the complications of these issues. Of course, when Obama takes office, those same people expect everything to happen RIGHT NOW. Iraq? We ought to be out last week, doesn't matter what kind of chaos that might leave in our wake. Chaos we caused, by the way.

Or, that allowing auto manufacturers to fail left and right might not be exactly the best course of action to restore financial confidence. Oh, I know most of you don't have friends or family who work for Ford or one of the other car makers, but...*pssst!* They do employ a lot of people.

It's a major financial turnaround we're going for here, and, lady, I don't care if you felt "punked" or not, it's not going to happen overnight.

So, y'know what? The guy's trying to do his best up there. Why don't you grow up, and stop whining like a 2 year old when you don't get things your way.

Did the average IQ drop suddenly?

How long are we going to indulge this fantasy of the extreme right?

I mean, seriously....Obama won, and you're scared to death, I get it. Grow the hell up.

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