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Guy Fawkes Day — 25 Comments

  1. We all knew it was going to happen, so why stay up? I went to bed at half twelve, when the score was 13-3 to McCain.

  2. Shane – With you all the way… 😉

    TheChrisD – I admire your dedication. I switched off the TV at eleven. Now we will have the endless analysis of what the world is going to be like for the next four years?

  3. I love politics.

    I voted in a Student Union election once.

    I’m glad Dick Spring won this time.

    Any more wine over there?

  4. They made me produce a picture I.D. to vote yesterday. It’s odd how a pemit to operate a motor vehicle has become “identity papers.” Talk about doing things under the table.
    Still, it’s a glorious day.

  5. Well we’re fucked!
    This country has just elected an avowed socialist to its highest office. Couple that with Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid and we have thrown out any hope of retaining what little freedoms we have left.
    Welcome to the nanny state! They know better than we. Redistribution of wealth. All hail the mighty leader of our centralized government. He shall reign on high. Don’t worry people we’re from the government. We’re here to help.

    Oh dear GOD, I thought the reign of the clintonistas was bad……well we haven’t seen nothin’ yet!!!
    As I said before we are all fucked!!!

  6. G’night, Grandad and don’t worry about about being sheepish, I already took care of that in my usual way. Now if Obama can manage to get to the White House in January without being assassinated in the process then we’ll see what the lad can do.

    Wait…I just realized that this is the first time in my life that the president (elect) of my country is younger than I am. Just what the hell does that mean?!??

  7. Cliche’s or not. Good result all round. One of the advantages of being a day ahead, I could watch it all unfold yesterday afternoon!

  8. @Brianf,

    Good lord man, calm yourself. Give the guy a year in office before you have a heart attack. You’ll stay healthier that way. Now go get that fully automatic M-16 you have stashed in the closet, throw in a banana clip and go rev up some rocks or something (not people…rocks!). If you don’t have one, I’ll send you mine…it’s great therapy you know. Then take 3 deep breaths and guzzle a half a bottle scotch. If that don’t set you to rights nothing will.

  9. BrianF? redistribution of wealth??? hmm…seems to me this is exactly what was happening under the GOP…except it was redistributed to the wealthy. What is wrong with going back to tax codes of the 1990’s? The wealthy would pay only 3% more than they are today. I dont find that particularly horrendous.

  10. The idea of a socialist society is very alluring. In today’s world of freedom and fairness, the notion of everyone being completely equal, even if this means taking from the rich and giving to the poor, seems just; however, the defect in true socialism is obvious. It is dependent on a type of human nature that is hard to come by. For it to work, very little greed and jealousy can exist and people must have a general feeling of charity and a willingness to work their hardest for the good of everyone. These are obviously not common traits. Socialism could also work if those who have the greatest abilities and those who work the hardest are satisfied with rewards equivalent to those with lesser abilities and those who don’t work hard at all. This is also very unlikely. Socialism undoubtedly leads to free riding and slacking.

  11. Somebody the Americans might call a socialist would be regarded as a rabid right-winger in Europe.

    Isn’t it amazing how they took perfectly respectable concepts like “socialist” and “liberal” and turned them into insults? What’s the opposite of liberal?

  12. To All:
    I may not have voted for him, but now that he is our President I hope that he can accomplish half of what he promised and if so then our country will be a better place for “all” no matter what side of the pond you hail from. Nothing wrong with caring for one another. Now if we can somehow get over partisanship, back-biting, greed, anger, pride, laziness, prejudice, etc.,,,,, no wait I must be in heaven or is it Connemara????

  13. Indeed. Another party that believes in not taxing the rich.

    What’s wrong with the wealthy contributing according to their means?

  14. Well, I have to say some of the comments on here don’t surprise me in the least. I might be Irish, but I grew up in South Africa and what people here call “socialism” and “liberal” I find to be extremely exaggerated in the way only extreme conservatives could.

    One way or the other, what was going on could not keep going on and change is as good as a holiday. It certainly beats what we had for the past eight years. So all ye Yanks, get positive and have hope for your country. 🙂 Thanks for the press Grandad. I did stay up and now I’m regretting it – with two demanding youngsters in the house! Thank God it’s over is my motto. Now let’s move on…

  15. Bock,

    Not a thing and about time too. If I remember correctly, it was anyone with an annual income of $250,000 and above that would fall under this new idea (a far cry from current “tax breaks”). Considering that the average annual income for 2007 in the U.S. is (sound of rummaging through my virtual paperwork for the right spreadsheet…ah, here it is) came to less than $62,000 I don’t think that most Americans have to worry about higher income taxes.

    And as an (unusually well traveled) American I can truthfully state that your average American wouldn’t know a socialist if they stepped up and slapped them upside the head.

  16. I love you, Grandad. Your posts always make me smile.

    Brianf reminded me – most people who claim BO (heeheehee) is a socialist wouldn’t know the meaning of it if it bit them in the bum. Alas, too many people in America get their political opinions from bumper stickers and 30 second TV ads. It makes me very, very sad deep down inside.

    But that’s not the point. The point is that I <3 Grandad. Also, I’ve been drinking champagne ever since the election results came in, so I’m a weeeee bit tipsy.

    I would like to see B.O. (heeheehee) put in a nice bullet-proof bubble for the next four (or eight!) years.

  17. Listening to the acceptance speech, I’ve just realised why the Republicans think Obama is so evil.

    Let us look after not only ourselves, but each other, he says.

    Democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.

    Goddamn! If that’s not dangerous Commie talk I don’t know what is.

  18. Brianf…can I ask you something please?

    Firstly…I am one of the awful Canadian “socialist”. I have government health care, that I combine with my benefits from work. Not only do I have healthcare, but the unlucky folk that I work with…(homeless..addicts, etc.) well, they have healthcare too! They get to go to hospital or to a clinic and never be turned away. They get the same services I do.

    I pick my own doc…I wait no longer that 3 days for an appointment, and yet I can see a doc whenever I want if I go to the clinic. I have access to top notch care….never have been refused a procedure or a test. I get letters reminding me of yearly tests for mammograms..etc. you get the pic.

    I was sick for 6 months…very ill…near death. I was in hospital all that time….and it cost not one thin dime. Part of my work benefits allowed me to be paid 75% of my gross pay…tax free.

    The main point I want to make is this. I love my country. I love that our elections dont take 2 years. I love that smutty campaign tv ads arent the norm here. Contenders dont call each other horrible names.

    Oh…and we have guns..lots of em. We have more guns per capita than any other nation. The difference…they are registered. We know..(to the best of our ability anway) where they are and who has them. Our guns must be locked in steel cabinets…with ammo locked somewhere else. We cannot and do not want to carry guns on our person..in our purses..or leave them laying about where a child might find it.

    We have far less gun crime than the states…and yes..we have banned all those rambo type uzzies or whatever they are. As a country of people who are hunters….what in the name of heaven would we want with those.

    If that is some of what socialism is..I will take it.

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