We need to be hopeful and trust Obama.

[Colobo]

Think about this: the guy changed how political campaigning done in this country and defeated the old politics of fear and division of the GOP. The guy has proven already he's about reform. Is he appointing people that you think are not progressive enough? Well, let's wait. How can't I give the man the benefit of the doubt and let him work? We don't know exactly what his agenda is going to be, but I have the feeling he'll bring progressive changes to America in such a gradual manner that America will be changed from within without noticing it.

[daninthemoon]

1. the waiting is the hardest part. January is a long ways away.

[Ian David]

2. Thanks, Britney. n/t

[ulysses]

3. surely I'm not to believe

that my voicing an opinion (or nine) on the web keeps Barack Obama from working, am I?

Trust? Shit, this is politics.

[MNDemNY]

7. Get in line, Boy.

[ulysses]

24. not so good at that any more.

[MNDemNY]

25. Good. "Dissent is not un-american"

[last1standing]

4. Yes we do, but we must also make our voices heard when we disagree.

President-Elect Obama has no desire to be a dictator that I've heard of. He is not like bush* or his cronies who joyfully subvert the will of the people, so make it known when you disagree with him. Hopefully, if enough people feel the same way, he will listen and make an informed decision based on his beliefs while reflecting ours as well.

This is a representational democracy, so let's not just put someone in office and expect them to represent us in a vacuum. Make your opinions known and let our representative take it from there.

[MNDemNY]

5. Hope: The dregs of Pandora's box.

Thanks, but I will chose another tack.

[Shiver]

10. There's something wrong with hope?

[MNDemNY]

11. Good question.

Do you know the story of Pandora's box? It seems to ask that same question.

[Posteritatis]

17. It gets in the way of all that fun cynicism (nt)

[mahina]

6. I strongly second that emotion.

Not to silence criticism, but to keep the network intact and support the work.

Remember when * was starting this war, and we all marched all over the world, but there was no network intact to communicate, to organize? The only people who made anything happen were Not In Our Name, forged from the old communists. Because they were the only network that was still together. We organize on campaigns or on issues, and when the campaign is won or lost, or the issue is over, we go home.

Don't go home! Stay and help.

Anyway, K and R, baby.

[cali]

8. He won an election. He hardly defeated the old politics of fear and division

I respect and admire Obama, but what you're suggesting sounds too passive for me. I intend on giving him a chance for sure and I hope he will shift the center to the left. We'll see.

[MNDemNY]

9. Indeed.

[Blarch]

12. No thanks.

Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.

Trust in politics ? ... not a chance. They work for us.

[cali]

18. That's rather a simplistic and ultimately meaningless statement

dissent is of value depending upon what you're dissenting from. Support of values and policies one believes in is just as valuable.

[MNDemNY]

22. Depends what one "believes" in, now doesn't it?

[cali]

26. sure. just as it depends on what you're dissenting from.

[MNDemNY]

27. Is this where that "eye of the beholder" shit comes in?

[cali]

31. whatever. it seems pretty clear to me.

mostly I was trying to point out that stock jingoism is just mindless. prattle about patriotism doesn't do much for me.

[LittleApple81]

13. The most important thing is that McCain/Palin are not the team at the top. Obama is no leftist, he

is a politician. He does not feel tied to any particular group so if anybody or any group wants certain goals to be achieved then vigilance, discussion, and fighting for what that group thinks is correct will be called for.

[mtnsnake]

14. Absolutely. Anytime anyone starts wondering or can't play the waiting game

just go back and listen to his Keynote Address and that will be enough to remind you of what this man is all about.

[MNDemNY]

15. I'll just watch his actions, his past "addresses" are now moot.

[mtnsnake]

20. I'm just talking in the meantime...before he can even get to work

and produce.

[MNDemNY]

23. He's already hard at work.

I "hope".

[mtnsnake]

29. Yes

I meant officially, as when he's in office. I shouldn't even have to clarify that.

[MNDemNY]

30. I still think his actions are the barometer.

[jonnyblitz]

21. actions speak louder than words.

any BULLSHIT politician can read a pretty speech written by his handlers from a teleprompter.

[mtnsnake]

32. Well, I guess we'll all just have to wait then, won't we

His inauguration is still a couple months away.

[EFerrari]

16. Well, he raised a lot more money from just ordinary people

but he also raised a lot from Wall Street. And every candidate runs on change in some way.

He hasn't proven anything yet. And some of his appointments are very problematic.

I'm as happy as anyone that he won and he's very attractive in a lot of ways. But it's not my job to trust politicians or to hope. Hope is what people do when they have no influence.

I do hope that we can enjoy our win. And I know that after these horrible eight years, there are a lot of eyes on our government.

That seems like a good thing to me.

[MNDemNY]

19. Here-Here !

[Kind of Blue]

28. Hey, Katzenkavalier. I agree with you.

At this point hope is all I'm working with until we see Obama in action. So far, I like it. I'm going to give him a wide trust margin because I do not believe that Gore or Kerry or any other Democrat would have plunged us into this reality altering mess. So I will not lump Obama in the group with all politicians until he proves himself to be like the rest.

[IndyOp]

33. Responsibility. Thinking. Participating. Speaking Out. < These we need more of.

Waiting quietly and hoping and trusting are all fine, so long as you are doing all of the above, too.

[eridani]

34. We need to be hopeful and LOBBY THE HELL out of Obama

Every well-heeled interest group is doing that--why not us little people?

[Two Americas]

35. what are you saying?

What are you asking us to do?

How are we, or could we be interfering with his ability to work?

What does it mean to give a politician "the benefit of the doubt?"

How do we "wait?" Wait before we do what, exactly?

How would "bringing progressive changes to America in such a gradual manner that America will be changed from within without noticing it" happen? why would that be a desirable thing?

[Lilith Velkor]

36. Fuck that shit - speak up if you disagree with Obama, he'll listen

He told me so on Election Night.

[BeyondGeography]

37. And some folks need to admit they never wanted to see him succeed in the first place

and stop masking their contempt with "concern."