Obama's Acceptance Speech (full text)

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

America is going to pay a price. There is no way to avoid it. Greed and fear have fed our economy for decades. We have tried to keep our wealth rather than work with the world. To this end we tried to force our will on the world with might and keep our economy disconnected from the world. Well things change. And now we have an economy that is overwhelmed with the military industrial complex and the world has caught up with our abilities but without our greed. With the deregulations of the Reagan era fueling the system our corporations are fleeing the bloated American shores. Why pay an American an incredibly high salary when someone in India can do the job better and cheaper?

The upshot is we no longer can lead through ideas or economic might. Instead all we have left is our military might. And that is evident to the world. We are the bully with nothing else to offer other than a stick.

The economy of the world is going to force a balance. Our wages and salaries are going to equalize to the levels found throughout the world. Free trade is going to see to that. The mistake was made over 50 years ago when we decided to protect our economic advantages over the rest of the world rather than contribute to the betterment of the world. Greed turns back on itself in time. So to does feeding the military. It is a beast that can only consume. It consumes our resources which could be better spent improving our social condition. Building our infrastructure. Building our future.

You need to read some more on recent History. Perhaps go back as far as 1973. Thats's when Afghanastan's royal family started killing each other off. Which lead to the U.S.S.R invading in 1079 and killing everyone. The U.N., as usual, did nothing and forbade even sanctions aginst the U.S.S.R. We did what we could to help the people of Afghanastan. We snuck people in and trained them to fight the Soviets better. What pissed them off at us came later. Saddam invaded Kuwait. The U.N. put a military force at first to maybe get him to back down and later to kick his ass in the First Gulf War. During that war, Saudia Arabia agreed to allow U.S. troops to build two bases on thier land for easy launch points. They also wanted the protection as Saddam was threatning to invade them next. Bin Laden and his cronies went ballistic. That was too close to thier holy city of Mecca. Just by being on the Arbian Pennisula. He threw such fits and cause so much havoc in Saudi Arabia that they kicked him out of the country, siezed his property/funds and revoked his citenzenship. This is also why the Taliban hated us so much. "Crusador armys" near Mecca. pfft. I admit it, Mecca didn't need fear us. It's near oil fields and thats what we were protecting.

Don't distort history to fit your world view. Afghanastan was not our "proxy war". It was a fucked up mess that the people of Afghanastan asked our help with. We were happy to do it. We could be "the good guys" and we could poke our enemy in the eye without them being able to prove we were holding the stick.

[Head Wreck]

the Islamic fundamentalists started building up around the time of the iraq invasion of kuwait yes, but what spawned their hatred of us?

broken promises

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

Well, Afghanastan is another mess the Brits started if you go back any farther.

[TitsMcGee]

You know, Michelle and I are only here tonight because we were given a chance at an education. And I will not settle for an America where some kids don't have that chance.

I'll invest in early childhood education. I'll recruit an army of new teachers, and pay them higher salaries, and give them more support. And in exchange, I'll ask for higher standards and more accountability.

Alrighty then...I know a good number of people who qualify for Pell Grant but refuse to get off their asses and get their GED and go to college. Everyone has the chance to get an education with the amount of scholarships and student loans out there, but you can't force on on someone if they just don't care. There are people in this country who would rather just live off the work of others, which is why I think there should be a limit on how long a person can recieve welfare for.

As for higher standards, the majority of the school year is already spent preping kids for standarized test instead of actually teaching somesthing. If the school gets low marks on the test, there goes a shitload of government funding. So tell me Mr. Obama how do you plan on fixing that issues eh.

[Guest Megalicious]

Alrighty then...I know a good number of people who qualify for Pell Grant but refuse to get off their asses and get their GED and go to college. Everyone has the chance to get an education with the amount of scholarships and student loans out there, but you can't force on on someone if they just don't care. There are people in this country who would rather just live off the work of others, which is why I think there should be a limit on how long a person can recieve welfare for.

Exactly, see my post in the thought of the D. Convention. Well said. I couldn't agree with you more.

[SaGa]

You need to read some more on recent History. Perhaps go back as far as 1973. Thats's when Afghanastan's royal family started killing each other off. Which lead to the U.S.S.R invading in 1079 and killing everyone. The U.N., as usual, did nothing and forbade even sanctions aginst the U.S.S.R. We did what we could to help the people of Afghanastan. We snuck people in and trained them to fight the Soviets better. What pissed them off at us came later. Saddam invaded Kuwait. The U.N. put a military force at first to maybe get him to back down and later to kick his ass in the First Gulf War. During that war, Saudia Arabia agreed to allow U.S. troops to build two bases on thier land for easy launch points. They also wanted the protection as Saddam was threatning to invade them next. Bin Laden and his cronies went ballistic. That was too close to thier holy city of Mecca. Just by being on the Arbian Pennisula. He threw such fits and cause so much havoc in Saudi Arabia that they kicked him out of the country, siezed his property/funds and revoked his citenzenship. This is also why the Taliban hated us so much. "Crusador armys" near Mecca. pfft. I admit it, Mecca didn't need fear us. It's near oil fields and thats what we were protecting.

Don't distort history to fit your world view. Afghanastan was not our "proxy war". It was a fucked up mess that the people of Afghanastan asked our help with. We were happy to do it. We could be "the good guys" and we could poke our enemy in the eye without them being able to prove we were holding the stick.

did you quote the wrong quote botton there

[creatureofthenyte]

I don't like Barack Obama. If you Do, that's ok.

I think it's great that we live in a country, where people can have opposing points of view and or opinions.

I think Obama went for the "wow" effect with that speech.

Obama dazzled us with a great speech, but that's all it is; words.

I think Obama was trying to distract us with a great speech, so we won't be focused on his lack of experience.

I wish Obama and the rest of the Democrats would just leave the GWB tagline OUT of their speeches; its gotten really old, and I'm sick of hearing it. Blaming GWB , is not going to solve our country's problems.

Democrats need to come up with more to say, then "its all George Bush's fault".

I am a registered Independant voter by the way.

Obama talks about change, but doesn't talk about how intends to make that change happen.

Yes, Bill Clinton did some great stuff while he was in office.

But, Barack Obama is No Bill Clinton.

Bill Clinton has Experience.

Bill Clinton can articulate thoughts without needing a teleprompter.

John McCain, I'm sorry, but at the present time, I think he comes off as a major wuss.

McCain needs to show some fire and charisma.

[TitsMcGee]

Yes, Bill Clinton did some great stuff while he was in office.

But, Barack Obama is No Bill Clinton.

Bill Clinton has Experience.

Bill Clinton can articulate thoughts without needing a teleprompter.

Bill Clinton also stood by while between 800,000 and 1,000,000 people in Rwanda were being slaughtered just because of their ethnic group...

[Az_]

You need to read some more on recent History. Perhaps go back as far as 1973. Thats's when Afghanastan's royal family started killing each other off. Which lead to the U.S.S.R invading in 1079 and killing everyone. The U.N., as usual, did nothing and forbade even sanctions aginst the U.S.S.R. We did what we could to help the people of Afghanastan. We snuck people in and trained them to fight the Soviets better. What pissed them off at us came later. Saddam invaded Kuwait. The U.N. put a military force at first to maybe get him to back down and later to kick his ass in the First Gulf War. During that war, Saudia Arabia agreed to allow U.S. troops to build two bases on thier land for easy launch points. They also wanted the protection as Saddam was threatning to invade them next. Bin Laden and his cronies went ballistic. That was too close to thier holy city of Mecca. Just by being on the Arbian Pennisula. He threw such fits and cause so much havoc in Saudi Arabia that they kicked him out of the country, siezed his property/funds and revoked his citenzenship. This is also why the Taliban hated us so much. "Crusador armys" near Mecca. pfft. I admit it, Mecca didn't need fear us. It's near oil fields and thats what we were protecting.

Don't distort history to fit your world view. Afghanastan was not our "proxy war". It was a fucked up mess that the people of Afghanastan asked our help with. We were happy to do it. We could be "the good guys" and we could poke our enemy in the eye without them being able to prove we were holding the stick.

Oh we always make sure we have justification to fight a war when it suits our purposes. And of course the UN stood mute. The Security Council was nearly designed to guarantee the UN could not accomplish anything. It simply could not act as long as one of the veto capable nations was involved in the conflict.

All that mattered to those involved in the Afghan war was strategic locations and putting it to the USSR. And of course the fanatics involved were on our side at first. We were throwing them money and training hand over fist. But then we decided we had no more need for them and wanted to do different things with the nations they fought for.

It is not because of our freedoms that we are hated. It is because of our meddling in other nations affairs that we garner the hatred we do.

As to Saddam.. he only attacked Kuwait after he sought our blessing to do so. Kuwait was slant drilling into Iraq and everyone knew it. Saddam had warned them numerous times that he would attack them if they did not cease stealing Iraq's oil. He even sent envoys to the US to clear it. After all we were the one's that placed Saddam on his throne. We were his best buddies. We sent an ambassador to Iraq and told him the day before the attack that it was none of our affair and that he should deal with it as he saw fit. We, or that is to say George Bush, green lit the attack on Kuwait.

Of course as soon as he did so we went off on him. You see the NeoCons that had gained access to the WH with Reagan had been itching for a fight with anyone. They wanted to show the world the might of the US. They even drafted legislation and put it before congress asking to beef up our armed forces so that we could show the world who was in charge now. Congress laughed it out of the house and thought it was done.

But with Iraq the NeoCons found a way to showcase US Military might. And thats exactly what the first Gulf War was. A literal show case of the US armed forces. They hoped that the victory in Iraq would spur on Congress and the people to support a larger war. One to spread their fanatical beliefs about what they were going to bring the world.

When George Bush Sr pulled up short and refused to march into Baghdad it infuriated the NeoCons. He realized that their plans did not make sense. That they could not just roll into Baghdad and be declared heroes of the world. So the NeoCons were cast into disarray and as a result the support for Bush's second term faltered. And thats when Bill Clinton showed up.

Clinton infuriated the NeoCons as well as the rest of the GOP because he took advantage of the failing that appeared in the GOP's latest triumphs. And he made good on it. Under Clinton the economy rallied. The peace dividend was finally being realized. The Reagan revolution was being undone. So they went after him with everything they had or could make up. No president ever has undergone the smear campaign the scale of which Bill Clinton underwent.

And while the smear campaign did not remove him from office it certainly weakened the Dems enough that after Bill they lost the WH to Bush Jr. Only this time the Bush did not come with the experience his father had. So the NeoCons running his administration were able to convince him to go for the war they had always wanted. The one which would bring glory to America by assailing all those who did not sign on with their views.

Iraq was contained. Our methods of dealing with Saddam were working. They never attacked us here in the US. They were not sponsors of terror. They were simply the target of choice of the NeoCons running the game. Their favorite tinpot dictator with targets of opportunity.

So yeah... its time this corrupt and disgraced party were removed from power. The Republicans failed years ago. Nixon was the death knell of the party. They only managed to hang on for these past decades by wooing the religious right. The NeoCons orchestrated that move. Ralph Reed brought them the fundamentalist vote wrapped up in a bow. And the GOP sucked them dry. And now the religious are starting to realize they were played. And as they leave the party the party is going to slip back to the defunct group they are.

I don't know about you but I have had enough of this manipulation. The GOP is dying. I say let it die. Crusty old geezers like McSame are the best they can muster. They have no ideas only destruction. I will stick with the party that has some hope for the future.

[cptdeath]

take that sub-space

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

Oh we always make sure we have justification to fight a war when it suits our purposes. And of course the UN stood mute. The Security Council was nearly designed to guarantee the UN could not accomplish anything. It simply could not act as long as one of the veto capable nations was involved in the conflict.

All that mattered to those involved in the Afghan war was strategic locations and putting it to the USSR. And of course the fanatics involved were on our side at first. We were throwing them money and training hand over fist. But then we decided we had no more need for them and wanted to do different things with the nations they fought for.

It is not because of our freedoms that we are hated. It is because of our meddling in other nations affairs that we garner the hatred we do.

As to Saddam.. he only attacked Kuwait after he sought our blessing to do so. Kuwait was slant drilling into Iraq and everyone knew it. Saddam had warned them numerous times that he would attack them if they did not cease stealing Iraq's oil. He even sent envoys to the US to clear it. After all we were the one's that placed Saddam on his throne. We were his best buddies. We sent an ambassador to Iraq and told him the day before the attack that it was none of our affair and that he should deal with it as he saw fit. We, or that is to say George Bush, green lit the attack on Kuwait.

Of course as soon as he did so we went off on him. You see the NeoCons that had gained access to the WH with Reagan had been itching for a fight with anyone. They wanted to show the world the might of the US. They even drafted legislation and put it before congress asking to beef up our armed forces so that we could show the world who was in charge now. Congress laughed it out of the house and thought it was done.

But with Iraq the NeoCons found a way to showcase US Military might. And thats exactly what the first Gulf War was. A literal show case of the US armed forces. They hoped that the victory in Iraq would spur on Congress and the people to support a larger war. One to spread their fanatical beliefs about what they were going to bring the world.

When George Bush Sr pulled up short and refused to march into Baghdad it infuriated the NeoCons. He realized that their plans did not make sense. That they could not just roll into Baghdad and be declared heroes of the world. So the NeoCons were cast into disarray and as a result the support for Bush's second term faltered. And thats when Bill Clinton showed up.

Clinton infuriated the NeoCons as well as the rest of the GOP because he took advantage of the failing that appeared in the GOP's latest triumphs. And he made good on it. Under Clinton the economy rallied. The peace dividend was finally being realized. The Reagan revolution was being undone. So they went after him with everything they had or could make up. No president ever has undergone the smear campaign the scale of which Bill Clinton underwent.

And while the smear campaign did not remove him from office it certainly weakened the Dems enough that after Bill they lost the WH to Bush Jr. Only this time the Bush did not come with the experience his father had. So the NeoCons running his administration were able to convince him to go for the war they had always wanted. The one which would bring glory to America by assailing all those who did not sign on with their views.

Iraq was contained. Our methods of dealing with Saddam were working. They never attacked us here in the US. They were not sponsors of terror. They were simply the target of choice of the NeoCons running the game. Their favorite tinpot dictator with targets of opportunity.

So yeah... its time this corrupt and disgraced party were removed from power. The Republicans failed years ago. Nixon was the death knell of the party. They only managed to hang on for these past decades by wooing the religious right. The NeoCons orchestrated that move. Ralph Reed brought them the fundamentalist vote wrapped up in a bow. And the GOP sucked them dry. And now the religious are starting to realize they were played. And as they leave the party the party is going to slip back to the defunct group they are.

I don't know about you but I have had enough of this manipulation. The GOP is dying. I say let it die. Crusty old geezers like McSame are the best they can muster. They have no ideas only destruction. I will stick with the party that has some hope for the future.

Wow. Whats a distortion of history.

They even drafted legislation and put it before congress asking to beef up our armed forces so that we could show the world who was in charge now. Congress laughed it out of the house and thought it was done.

That line right there shows me how little you know. During Reagan's 8 years, our military grew to it's largest size and had our largest ever budget.

You do know that during Clinton's time in office... there were more attacks against US interests than any other time in modern history?

Here's something else for you... there were over 8000 deaths of US soldiers when Clinton was president. There wasn't even a declared war during his 8 years. That means more soldiers died under Clinton during peace than has died in the both gulf wars.

but hey, life was fucking dandy and perfect then.

[Az_]

Wow. Whats a distortion of history.

That line right there shows me how little you know. During Reagan's 8 years, our military grew to it's largest size and had our largest ever budget.

You do know that during Clinton's time in office... there were more attacks against US interests than any other time in modern history?

Here's something else for you... there were over 8000 deaths of US soldiers when Clinton was president. There wasn't even a declared war during his 8 years. That means more soldiers died under Clinton during peace than has died in the both gulf wars.

but hey, life was fucking dandy and perfect then.

I did not say anything about Reagan and the Military. I said that during George Bush Sr administration the NeoCons tried to get the congress to massively increase the military. Far more than even Reagan did.

And a quick Fact Check shows you are referencing misleading data concerning the Clinton years.

Its a simple but unfortunate fact that people die even during peacetime defending our nation. And the rate of deaths during Clinton's presidency were within the average. In fact during Clinton's admin the numbers were decreasing and hit a record low.

[Guest GodfallenPromos]

you know....not to threadjack....but I will give Bill Clinton one thing.....no-one had such amazing lies!!!

Bill Clinton could look you straight in the face, give you those "innocent eyes" and tell you completely stupid shyt like "I'm gonna make shoes out of frogs, then I'm gonna fly my 20 wheeled VW bus to the moon to get some cheese." and then bite his lip.

and you know what would happen...the American ppl would be like "well good for him...I didn't know they had VW buses with 20 wheels and frog-skin shoes...hey hunny...did you know that the moon really IS made of cheese?"

I mean...I can completely see Bill Clinton telling the story of Paul Bunyin or Pecos Bill from a first person view...and the American public buying it!!..

[Goth Brooks]

Here's something else for you... there were over 8000 deaths of US soldiers when Clinton was president. There wasn't even a declared war during his 8 years. That means more soldiers died under Clinton during peace than has died in the both gulf wars.

http://urbanlegends.about.com/b/2008/01/26...ton-vs-bush.htm

Using the actual figures from the Congressional Research Service report cited above, the total military deaths under each of the two administrations are as follows:

Bill Clinton (1993 - 2000) ............. 7,500 deaths

George W. Bush (2001 - 2006) .... 8,792 deaths

Of the 7,500 fatalities that occurred on Clinton's watch, only 76 were attributable to hostile action (as compared to 2,596 under Bush); the rest were the result of accidents, homicide, illness, self-inflicted injuries, or unknown causes.

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL32492.pdf

[Fin]

when Clinton was president...hey, life was fucking dandy and perfect then.

It sure as f*ck was better than it is now, friend.

[SaGa]

you know....not to threadjack....but I will give Bill Clinton one thing.....no-one had such amazing lies!!!

Bill Clinton could look you straight in the face, give you those "innocent eyes" and tell you completely stupid shyt like "I'm gonna make shoes out of frogs, then I'm gonna fly my 20 wheeled VW bus to the moon to get some cheese." and then bite his lip.

and you know what would happen...the American ppl would be like "well good for him...I didn't know they had VW buses with 20 wheels and frog-skin shoes...hey hunny...did you know that the moon really IS made of cheese?"

I mean...I can completely see Bill Clinton telling the story of Paul Bunyin or Pecos Bill from a first person view...and the American public buying it!!..

i swear i watched a comedian a few nights ago that noted on that. and that bush always looks like hes looking into the sun.

[Guest GodfallenPromos]

"the rest were the result of accidents, homicide, illness, self-inflicted injuries, or unknown causes."

so wait...your gonna tell me that over 7,400 military deaths in 8 years were because of a rather abnormally high amount of "ohhhs", "ahhhs", "opps", and "damns"??

don't you find that number to be a LOT higher then what it should be during peace time??

I

[Guest GodfallenPromos]

i swear i watched a comedian a few nights ago that noted on that. and that bush always looks like hes looking into the sun.

most likely....Frank Caliendo....

[Az_]

"the rest were the result of accidents, homicide, illness, self-inflicted injuries, or unknown causes."

so wait...your gonna tell me that over 7,400 military deaths in 8 years were because of a rather abnormally high amount of "ohhhs", "ahhhs", "opps", and "damns"??

don't you find that number to be a LOT higher then what it should be during peace time??

I

No... that was lower than normal. Here are the numbers going back to the 1980s. Military deaths http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/CASU...Death_Rates.pdf

On edit: Link fixed.

[Goth Brooks]

"the rest were the result of accidents, homicide, illness, self-inflicted injuries, or unknown causes."

so wait...your gonna tell me that over 7,400 military deaths in 8 years were because of a rather abnormally high amount of "ohhhs", "ahhhs", "opps", and "damns"??

don't you find that number to be a LOT higher then what it should be during peace time??

I

No, I don't.

Try reading the report.

[Fin]

don't you find that number to be a LOT higher then what it should be during peace time??

All death tolls are higher than they should be.

They sure as f*ck are way higher than they should be during times of war based on coercive nonsense & the desire to make sure oil barrels stay under $100 in price (oh BT-f*ckin-W George, "Mission Accomplished.")

[Guest GodfallenPromos]

No, I don't.

Try reading the report.

did you just basically say that you don't find 7000+ military deaths in an era of "peace" unusually high??

awesome...good job.

I don't have to read the report to find that number abnormally high.

And after reading the report, I find it rather suspect.

[Az_]

did you just basically say that you don't find 7000+ military deaths in an era of "peace" unusually high??

awesome...good job.

I don't have to read the report to find that number abnormally high.

And after reading the report, I find it rather suspect.

Read this. http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/CASU...Death_Rates.pdf

7000 deaths over 8 years in the military is a low number. Sorry if it seems high. But working with things that go boom does tend to be a dangerous job. And they don't give you daily reports of how many people die from oops. So you don't hear about it. But it happens.

[SaGa]

most likely....Frank Caliendo....

hmm yah, *forgive me, bad memory with names*

[Guest GodfallenPromos]

Read this. http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/CASU...Death_Rates.pdf

7000 deaths over 8 years in the military is a low number. Sorry if it seems high. But working with things that go boom does tend to be a dangerous job. And they don't give you daily reports of how many people die from oops. So you don't hear about it. But it happens.

seems like maybe better precautions, and training, could have been taken.

It doesn't just "Seem" high....that is high.....no "war", and we're still looking at 7000 deaths...and now we can say that it's a "relatively" low number??

while I'm not going to argue....I will say that I find those reports to seem somewhat exagerated, or fuddled with...IMO