Oh honestly -

[kyburg]

It's Over. Come tell people what you think.

Congress.org - one of the places everyone can go when nobody knows your name.

Question: How do you feel about the election of Barak Obama as President?

Thrilled: 25.8%
Happy: 7.7%
Dissapointed, but I'll be fine: 21.1%
Terrified: 45.5%

They also ask why - and you can see the first 10 responses. Take a gander at the ones I could see when I responded:

1. Do not trust the people elected. Tue, 11/11/08 11:54 AM

2. Not only does Obama make history by becoming the first major party's African American presidential nominee, he also becomes the first African American president. I had lost faith in the people of this country that is not the one I grew up in and not the one my ancestors fought for in every war since the American Revolution - they have somewhat restored that faith but I am very concerned that the Republicans electoral shenanigans have not been dealt with and we will not get the turnout in 4 years that we got this year Tue, 11/11/08 11:54 AM

3. I think that we may finally move in a new direction, one that will be more beneficial to the people and less beneficial to the Corporate Executives that get it all now. Tue, 11/11/08 11:54 AM

4. He and the Democratic congress will lead us down the flowery lane to socialism Tue, 11/11/08 11:54 AM

5. The theme which Michelle Obama set in her convention speech and which Pres.-elect Obama affirmed in his acceptance speech on election eve placed America on the correct path of individual liberties, personal responsibility, hard work and a government which supports these values rather than rewarding Corruption and Incompetence. Tue, 11/11/08 11:54 AM

6. It's not good to have to many Democrats in office. I'm worried about Obama and how much influance his undisireable friends have on him. I cannot honor a President that doesn't honor my Country's flag or anthem. I think he is bad for this Country. Tue, 11/11/08 11:54 AM

7. His ties to radical grooups and inddividuals has me very concerned, also, his socialist leanings. Tue, 11/11/08 11:54 AM

8. Someone who is intelligent, speaks in complete sentences .. and wants to speak to the country as a whole, not just members of his own party. Refreshing! Tue, 11/11/08 11:54 AM

9. I do not believe that Obama has the best interest of this country at heart. I believe that even though he may not be a practicing muslum, he has close ties that may put our country at risk. His associations with the thugs in Chicago, as well as with known admitted terrorists, is very scary to me. His promises to the poor and middle class of helping them pay their bills etc and of tax increases in this time of economic trouble is very disconcerting. Tue, 11/11/08 11:54 AM

10. Really have no choice. Tue, 11/11/08 11:54 AM

--

*facepalms*

Guys, get over there and put your two cents in. There are a lot of scared (and stupid) people over there who really need them right now. Yeah, Bush's legacy - keeping people scared and stupid for over eight years.

And yes - they still matter. This is something on par with national security, in my honest opinion. Scared people do really strange things - and not often very well considered. Just tuck that away someplace.

Comments

[drlaurac.livejournal.com]

I have multiple feelings about it, so none of those check-boxes would work for me. I am both hopeful and nervous. He has my full support, but at this point, I have misgivings about anyone running for this job.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

You know, if that's all I had been the last few years, "happy" would be just fine to describe it.

Really really.

[washuotaku.livejournal.com]

I'm in that 45.5%, LOL.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Fear nothing but fear itself - and hang in there. How many elections have you got under your belt?

My first one was Carter - need to get an idea of your POV. Did you get to vote for Bush I or no?

[washuotaku.livejournal.com]

First Presidential election I voted for was Clinton/Dole.

[dame-of-dames.livejournal.com]

Done.

[foogod.livejournal.com]

http://xkcd.com/386/

(Sure, I'll throw in my vote, but don't expect me to waste a lot of time trying to argue the point on an internet web site. I think we all know, deep down, how much good that's likely to accomplish.)

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

http://xkcd.com/77/

Argue no. Provide balance and wa - yes. Some people are in desperate need of it.

[foogod.livejournal.com]

To be honest, I haven't met a single person in my life who I believe would be influenced in any way on this subject by reading an anonymous comment on a web page survey.

The people with opinions have already made up their minds. Dissenting opinions only strengthen conviction. People who haven't made up their minds by this time simply aren't going to. "Balance" isn't going to change anything for anybody. (And the ones that are the real danger are the ones who are far beyond reasoning on any level anyway.)

The only thing that will help at this point is human contact, and time. Hopefully we have enough of those to go around, but neither of those can be gotten from a web form.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

These are not the people you know - hell, you may *never* meet anyone who would be influenced by something like this.

But they do exist - oh brother, ignore this at your peril.

At the very least, it tells you where the lies are - and what they are.