The streets of DC were full of honking cars. I’m glad to see the back of this administration, but…we just don’t really know what to expect from the new. Whatever it is, our work is cut out for us. It always is.
I’ve been busy with getting ready to launch a number of new projects, as well as doing a fair amount of strategic planning work. Colleagues are working to bring out new platforms for the ideas of freedom in Urdu and Hindi (which has taken some of my time today) and other colleagues are working on more videos on the financial crisis (expect videos on YouTube in English, Portuguese, Arabic, and a few other languages in the next few days). I just got the link to the Bulgarian version of my essay on “Twenty Myths About Markets“: “20 ???? ?? ????????.” (It was prepared by the Institute for Market Economics, a first-rate think tank in Sophia, and was abridged somewhat.)
Dear Tom,
let´s be enthusiastic for a moment. America get´s a new fresh voice and face which spreads so much hope and confidence. And this is so important for the whole world.
Yours,
Klaus Füßmann, Theodor-Heuss-Academy, Germany
Dear Klaus,
You are right, of course. This will have some very positive impact around the world. I fear, though, that *both* parties are likely to be taken over by the worst protectionists among them, the populist labor union left of the Democratic Party and the nativist right of the Republican party. We really do have our work cut out for us if we are to preserve a relatively open world for trade and travel.
The ugliness of the votes to ban gay marriage at the state level were also a bit depressing. I had thought that California might have a higher percentage of people who do not favor second class citizenship for some. But it seems that many of the fervent Obama voters, whose numbers in the vote increased over previous elections, helped to tip the scales against marriage equality.
In any case, we do have our work cut out for us.
Tom
I do not understand the necessite of the hyperbole or sensationalism of America. It is worse even than in the UK..
Before the French elections, an American colleague told to me that the French were more concerned and interested in the American Presidential election than the French Presidential – because the American one affected the French more !
I have listened to M Obama saying how he was going to change the world. Not just America. But the world. I have losed count of how many of times an American politician has said of “the world” in place of “the United States”. I despaired to myself when I read black Americans saying that it was god who was making them a black President.
And then I read this in the Telegraph newspaper: “Oh my God, oh my God,” said Cassandra Mason, a local teacher who was fighting back tears, “I never thought I’d see a black president in my life. Just think what this means to children all over the world.” There are certainly some children in the 19 arrondissement (borough) of Paris whose lives will not have more meaning. Or perhaps in Chile, Peru, Boliva, Côte d’Ivoire, Morocco – or in the NAFTA countries where Obama might end free trade.
In France the people support and like the United States. We have a metro station and a street named after President Roosevelt. You have a powerful presence. You have a good economie. We all speak your language. But the exaggerations for everything that includes politics and religion are really too much and even grotesque.
For all the proclamations of liberte, the black voters in America have had the contentment to take away the rights of the gay people. Their desired freedom includes the freedom to oppress others.
I am happy that America can be more popular abroad with a new President. But the hot blood everywhere is really too much.
Look at the bright side, Tom. The Bush administration has brought us economic debacle, international strife, and enormous nationalizations of private industry — all the while alleging to be promoting free markets.
Barack Obama’s advisors are no worse than Bush’s and probably better, he seems to be more rational than W., and whatever he does, he won’t be discrediting free markets. And he might even do an OK job (fingers crossed here).
And you’re right, regardless, our work continues.
nice statement there by Charles N. Steele & nice new website tom!
-jessica
Just after posting, I received an email from a libertarian friend in Brazil; he recounted a perspective that’s a bit different from that of M. de Villiers that I thought readers would find interesting. I repeat it here with his permission:
“I don’t know who you voted for (or if you voted), but I want to congratulate you for the great democracy celebration represented by the American elections. I enjoyed watching both Obama’s speech as well as McCain’s words of acceptance of his defeat. Both men were generous and honored the system they represent.
Although I don’t share many economic points of view with Obama, I find his election very important. To give you an idea, my mother’s maid, a smart person that I like a lot, was all smiles today. She is black. In her words Obama’s victory “showed we can do it, too. Everybody should have the same chance, including the black race”. She said this was the general feeling she felt on the streets of Rio. I told her that race is an old concept we shouldn’t care or use anymore. But you cannot imagine (neither could I) the symbolic impact, here, of what happened yesterday.
So here goes my vows that he does a great government.
Cheers to you all.”
And yes, cheers to you all.
I am very happy about the election of Barack Obama. What a great result! Very good for the standing of the US abroad (my fear, however, is that Tom is right and the car companies and other decrepit sectors will try to get money from the increased majority in congress…..).
Regarding the gay marriage ban:
82% of Republicans voted for the ban. 64% of Democrats voted against the ban.
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 6 — Any notion that Tuesday’s election represented a liberal juggernaut must overcome a detail from the voting booths of California: The same voters who turned out strongest for Barack Obama also drove a stake through the heart of same-sex marriage.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/06/AR2008110603880.html
Blaming Blacks for the Prop. 8 “Success”. Very very stupid thing to do. Some people were reminded of a KKK rally.
One should also not forget that black voters were aggressively targeted by (white) right wing churches to turn out.
http://westernstandard.blogs.com/shotgun/2008/11/mormons-being-b.html
(I)UPDATE2: It appears that some gay activists are, in fact, blaming blacks as well as Mormons (NB: According to Fact Check, a commenter, the Mormon church funded the “Yes on 8” campaign more than any other group). From Rod 2.0:
A number of Rod 2.0 and Jasmyne Cannick readers report being subjected to taunts, threats and racist abuse at last night’s marriage equality rally in Los Angeles.
Geoffrey, a student at UCLA and regular Rod 2.0 reader, joined the massive protest outside the Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Westwood. Geoffrey was called the n-word at least twice.
It was like being at a klan rally except the klansmen were wearing Abercrombie polos and Birkenstocks. YOU NIGGER, one man shouted at men. If your people want to call me a FAGGOT, I will call you a nigger. Someone else said same thing to me on the next block near the temple…me and my friend were walking, he is also gay but Korean, and a young WeHo clone said after last night the niggers better not come to West Hollywood if they knew what was BEST for them.
Los Angeles resident and Rod 2.0 reader A. Ronald says he and his boyfriend, who are both black, were carrying NO ON PROP 8 signs and still subjected to racial abuse.
Three older men accosted my friend and shouted, “Black people did this, I hope you people are happy!” A young lesbian couple with mohawks and Obama buttons joined the shouting and said there were “very disappointed with black people” and “how could we” after the Obama victory. This was stupid for them to single us out because we were carrying those blue NO ON PROP 8 signs! I pointed that out and the one of the older men said it didn’t matter because “most black people hated gays” and he was “wrong” to think we had compassion. That was the most insulting thing I had ever heard. I guess he never thought we were gay. (/I)