Yes, finally!

[M.R. Ogle]

One year after the election, the campaign signs are gone and the junk mail has all but stopped, but the sense of history still lingers even as the mundane issues of governance plod their way across the headlines. I'd be lying if I said not much has changed – plenty has – but the revolution nearly everyone expected didn't happen.

A year after Barack Obama won the election, no Republicans are being rounded up and herded into camps. No one has come for our guns. Wall Street is still chugging along. No one has "surrendered" to the terrorists. The American flag is still honoured and respected, and veterans are not being publicly despised, as some told me would happen if "that one" got elected. Obama-as-antichrist has stubbornly refused to turn into the abusive dictator the right has feared.

Nor has the left been thrilled with the saviour-like figure they made him out to be. Two wars still rage, unemployment rises and (so far) no healthcare reform has been enacted. Gay and lesbian military personnel still (for the moment) have to serve their nation in the closet. Wall Street is still relatively unfettered and unregulated, and the banking bailout has left a bitter taste in everyone's mouth. While re-regulation of a dozen different industries is being considered, things just haven't changed that much since George Bush left office.

Neither the antichrist nor the saviour, Obama has back-pedalled on campaign pledges, been stymied by Congress, had his appointees and aides stonewalled or forced to resign and has not made any appreciable progress in the Middle East, Asia, Africa or South America. Climate change legislation is stalled, and the glaciers are melting. The financial outlook for the nation is still dreary and uncertain.

So what did we get for our hard work, our sacrifice, our enthusiastic support?

We got competent governance and sane policy, cleanly delivered. We got an administration that treats the citizenry as adults to be considered, not obstacles to be overcome. We saw our standing on the world stage restored. We got an adept politician in a difficult situation using his intelligence and his persuasiveness to calm fears and inspire hope, when the conventional wisdom was all doom and gloom. We got an economy that would likely be much, much worse under the opposition candidate. We saw science restored to its proper role, we saw the glimmer of sane drug control policy and we saw, finally, a man in power who was willing to tackle the issues before us, not try to dodge them.

Competent government and intelligent policy? I'd give up a whole squad of saviours for that. And throw in an antichrist or two.

[M.R. Ogle]

Oh, that was from the BBC....

[Mike Casey]

Mike, did you notice that the recession started november 08... right when Obama was being elected. The Illuminati is behind all this you know it!!!!

[M.R. Ogle]

.... Stay tuned, next on FOX, monkey-boy shaves and eats his own foot!

LOL!!!

[stoneyberk]

The Recession actually started in November 2007, And was predicted as far back as 2005,,

I don't think it really matters who's president here guys... It's not like what they say goes in this world fellas..

If you ask me Mr Bush played a big roll in this economic downfall where all facing today.. But then again..

WHO ASKED ME!!

[Mike Casey]

I dont think bush played that much of a role. The primary reason (atleast in our area) are the citizens. Too many people here purchased homes they could not afford with loans that made no sence what so ever. If you make $15 an hour, you can not afford a 700k home period. I dont care what your lender told you. That is why we are in the situation we are in today. That along with the media.

Heck yesterday California just added a 10% increase on everyones state tax. They call it a loan to California. supposidly we get it back on our tax returns but if any of you have ever lived here, you will know that you DONT ever get a tax refund from the state. Oh yea, no interest is included either...

[ezlovin]

More taxes and Nancy Pelosi, CA citizens are soooooo lucky The easy bank loans are a product of everyones favorite prez....Slick Willy

[Mike Casey]

Alan, I have NO idea why the hell people come to california. I also have no idea why people think its such a great place. IT SUCKS! If you like 1.5hr commutes to work, high taxes, speaking spanish (dont even attempt to go to a wallmart here) , overcrowded schools that only speak spanish and over priced homes, then this is the place for you, but honestly I dont know anyone that loves that stuff.

I am stuck here because of my job. My wife and I work at the same company and unfortunatly we are extremely over paid...

[stoneyberk]

I dont think bush played that much of a role. The primary reason (atleast in our area) are the citizens. Too many people here purchased homes they could not afford with loans that made no sence what so ever. If you make $15 an hour, you can not afford a 700k home period. I dont care what your lender told you. That is why we are in the situation we are in today. That along with the media.

Heck yesterday California just added a 10% increase on everyones state tax. They call it a loan to California. supposidly we get it back on our tax returns but if any of you have ever lived here, you will know that you DONT ever get a tax refund from the state. Oh yea, no interest is included either...

I'm not really much of the political type, so I'm sure there are many factors that led to this recession i don't know or really care about guys.. Mike i don't know how anybody could even live on $15.00 an hour let alone purchase a 700K home... Yes do the math here... I guess I'm old fashioned, i was raised to just save the money and purchase thing in life as needed.. I would never allow myself to go into dept for anything at all.. I'm a firm believer in investing money, then just pull out enough as needed to purchase things..

Tell me something Mike, C Just what kind of condition is a 700k house in these days in Cali? My aunt and uncle live in San Diego and there home market value is well over 1 1/2 million $ and a close friend of our lives in Chino and there home is valued well over a million $ as well.. Now for the state tax... That sucks big time... WOW 10% increase.. Ours is 3.4% and the sales tax is 7%


Let's all sing along now!

Ah bail a check for you, ah bail a check for me, obama man, yes obama man can!!

[Mike Casey]

700k gives you a modest livable home in the 2500 sq ft range in Orange county. Now that was 2yrs ago. Those same homes are now in the 400k range. Our home was purchased for 475k went up to 800k and is now worth 340k. I would be extremely suprised if your friends homes are still worth that. Their are very few homes in those ranges anymore. Especially in chino!

Sales tax here averages 10% and I get hit over 35% in income tax including federal. We claim zero dependents and we end up PAYING about 4k extra in april.

[M.R. Ogle]

Well, my wife and I came to a stark realization in 2004... there was NO WAY that little townhome we were living in in Anaheim Hills (again, Orange County, CA) was worth a half million bucks... but that's what they kept telling us.

I'm sorry, you'd have to be WILLFULLY not paying attention to the "No money down, 110% financing" commercials on all the time to see that this couldn't last... it was just silly, a total con-game... and "The OC' was in the epicenter of it.

That being said, our two kids were about to enter the public school system, where they had to learn gang-slang Spanish just to get along, the company I was working for was just about to be sold to a Taiwan conglomerate, and we were stuck... we couldn't afford a bigger place, though we were going to eventually need one...

So we said SCREW THIS... and we cashed out.
Moved back to the MidWest, bought a brand new bigger house and a couple small businesses.

[c103110]

For me: No state income tax; no personal property tax; 9% sales tax; real estate taxes for 2000 sq ft, 4BR, 3BA with 4 Car Garage on 1/2 acre is $810 per year. Also, gas, food, utilities and insurance are cheap.

RED STATES RULE!

[Mike Casey]

what state are you in? I wanna move their too. Oh, property tax? We have to save $700 per month in a savings account to pay that nice little bill.

Mike, you did the right thing at the exact right time. I also think you were lucky with the company being taken over. Thats all I need... a small push to make the move. I know it sounds wierd, but if i lost my job tomorrow, I would be your neighbor next week.

Our biggest problem in this state IS the schools. My daughter is in accelerated classes where she is part of a small group of about 30 children. Because she is in this program, she does not go to the closest school like she is supposed to. She goes to the worst school in the district and they just seperate the kids. The only time she interacts with the "scum" is during lunch and gym and thats too much as it is.

Before anyone picks on me for calling kids scum, you would too if you saw these animals. They are 8th graders that will swear and yell at parents picking up kids. We even had one time when a group of kids yelled "What the F*** are you looking at Bi*** to my daughter when my wife and her were leaving an open house at the school and saw the kids tampering with our truck.

[M.R. Ogle]

I'm betting Nevada...

[c103110]

Sorry Mike. We're presently full. That said, the youths around here know better to get within 2 feet of another person's vehicle, mail box, house or other property. If you make a threatening move around here: you can get shot. The Police and justice systems support the victims and support the Second Amendment.