I am among those who are asking if Obama is going to follow through with his promise of change. The liberal illuminati have made obama into a hero and i think we are all a little curious if he is capable of following through. But unlike some i am willing to give him a shot. So many people are all ready saying he has proved himself a liar, give him a change. Let's get back to this in 10 months or so.

it's ReagAn

If you're going to worship, spell the name right!!

Dave,

I've been following your writing for some time now and, in the beginning, I thought you, of all people, could/would see the president-select for what he was/is. Alas, you too, drank the Kool-Aid and now that he's in, I'd venture a guess that he's no longer calling you in response to ANYTHING you've written about him as he used to do. And guess what? He won't. Because he doesn't have to - anymore. He sold you and all other progressives a huge bill of goods and you, like all the others, bought the whole kit and kaboodle - hook, line and sinker. Now, all any of you can do is sit back, relax and make excuses for why, like the MSM, you were not more vigilant, more probing and less needy of his kind of "Change."

Go back to the Dave Sirota I used to know and love. We'll all be better for it.

Thanks for posting! I always enjoy exchanges with you. Unfortunately, I am somewhat ill today, with access to the computer, so I am doing an unusual amount of Salon posting, and other such foolishness.

As I said several weeks ago, my favorite president was George H.W. Bush. I've given up any hope of conservative roll backs in the mode of Reagen or Goldwater. We're stuck with a lot of programs that eat up a lot of GDP, and that isn't going to change. My hope is to see it not get worse. You also know that I am against abortion on demand, and don't believe there is a constitutional right to it, so that's about 90 of my politics.

I like Sarah Palin, in terms of policy, because I think she would be an effective standard bearer for most of what I believe, and want from government. Frankly, it isn't much. I am as skeptical of these wizard of oz bailout plans as I am of 100+ plus page expositions on simple passages of the Bill of Rights, explaining how they mean something counter-intuitive. I guess I'm a simpleton. I like simple beatitudes, simple rights. Or, to quote an atheist, Friedrich Nietzsche, he who would be deep should strive for simplicity. That's my politics, too.

I like Sarah as a person because I think she is down to earth, and very much unlike the professional class of politicians. I don't know any "patricians" whose teenage daughters keep their unexpected babies or sons who volunteer to join the army in the final throes of an unpopular but potentially still winable war. You could say that's the kids, not Sarah, but I think it's all related. Politically, you could get the same basket of policies from one of her boring competitors, but I enjoy the personal aspect of it.

I kind of assumed the Democrats were going to restore budget sanity, as part of their general "restoration" effort (respect abroad, etc.). But then I see we are going to borrow more than a trillion dollars, while the Germans, after foregoing any stimulus, agreed to borrow a measley 1% of GDP to appease their fiesta loving Euro partners. We need more of that over here. So yes, I'm pushing for it from my little corner of the world.

I'm sorry I can't give you anything more on Palin. That's all there is, for me. I think she is more than competent to be a strong, center-right political figure in the mode of Angela Merkel of Germany (also a non-professional leader). And that would be just fine with me. Plus, of course, I really think she has exceptional personal qualities.

Let's say he put the Rev. Wright in charge of the Office of Racial Affairs, Dennis Kucinich as head of the Fed, Chomsky at Education and Nader at Commerce. We progressives would swoon with bliss. Most everybody else, here and abroad, would be shocked and horrified. "Ideologues!" they'd shout. "Commies! Radicals!" Starting now, government would be paralyzed, and the world media would be in a permanent state of frenzy.

We're pimped, more often than not, by presidential candidates, and maybe B.O. is of that same stuff; maybe that's what he means by "change," what everybody else calls "bait and switch," but I hope not. If he wants and needs to get something very big done, he wants and needs smart, experienced people. He's made it plenty clear (maybe this is the only thing he shares with W): he's the decider, not his staff. We don't have to be crazy about them, only about the quality of their work, and this might be a crew that can DELIVER!

This attempt to reduce Obama's popularity to Hollywood stardom, and his online supporters to automatons, is neither original, nor convincing. I suspect that Obama's legions will think for themselves, and act. With him or against him. We're not dittoheads. We're going to wait to see what happens.

The right wing is already blaming Obama for everything that's wrong with the country. Should the left also turn on him, before the inauguration?

Let's hope Obama is not a second FDR since the latter's policies not only worsened the Depression but also prolonged it. And who else would Obama appoint to cabinet positions but Clintonites? Those who served under Carter are either deceased or elderly. I'm grateful that Obama and his advisors are staying loyal to those who are doing excellent work such as Gates. That lack of change gives me hope! Finally, would not berate deregulation and NAFTA too heartily. They are not the real culprits behind the economic turndown. Instead, look to the CRA, Fannie, Freddie, and HUD and their champion, Barney Frank.