Vote Obama (or die)
Taking a cue from Lessig, and also post-talking with my parents, go vote Obama. Please! 
I went to extra lengths this year to get a backup ballot and fax in to make sure my vote is counted (in California nonetheless) since I’m in Beijing xinxai. Thanks to my dad for helping with this as well! My dad just called and confirmed this. I proceeded to make sure that he (my #midwest #barometer) knows just how important it is that he and my mom vote Obama, since they live in Missouri!
It is super important for more than just local politics, but for global politics, peace, and more importantly, the global economy, for as many as possible to vote for Obama.
I am not a believer in magic, but more of the sorts that the president is a temporary dictatorship. Regardless, vote like Chomsky would say, for the lesser of the two evils.
Oh, the “(or die)” part above is a joke. I will tell you kind readers though that I did dangle the changing of holiday travel from Beijing to Missouri over my parents if they don’t vote Obama 
Yeah! Extreme times require extreme measures
I am sorry you feel that way. As for me, I see Obama’s goals as counter to that of a healthy local or global economy. Increasing taxes does not create new money, it just gives government more power and control over our lives. There is a reason people fight for freedom, and I am not going to hand it over to the government because they claim to have my best interests at heart.
I’m glad you exercised your right to vote; many would not have bothered. Blessings and hope for a happy future for us bot.
Comment by Jeffrey W. — November 4, 2008 @ 1:22 pm
To put it another way: every time Obama talks about only raising taxes for people making $250k or more per year, I think “And where do you think the salaries for the people making under $250k per year come from?”.
Not that I liked McCain any better. I voted third-party. They won’t win, but voting for them will at least help them continue to get enough money to keep the “two” parties on their toes.
Comment by Anonymous — November 4, 2008 @ 2:37 pm
“And where do you think the salaries for the people making under $250k per year come from?”
Poor grasp of economics warning!
Comment by Robert — November 4, 2008 @ 5:01 pm
Obama isn’t going to raise taxes on everyone, just the wealthiest Americans. And much of that isn’t so much a tax increase as repealing the economically disastrous Bush tax cuts. You remember, those tax cuts that McCain used to fight against and denounce? McCain didn’t start supporting them until he started planning his 2008 presidential run.
The Republicans like to call repealing tax cuts for the wealthy and giving tax cuts to the poor and middle class “socialism” because Obama foolishly described it as “spreading the wealth.” But it’s really more “shifting the burden.” We have stuff we have to pay for and someone has to pay for it. We can’t just keep maxing out the national credit card.
But more importantly, we’ve seen two things… Tax cuts do not provide long-term, lasting stimulus of the economy. The prime driver of the economy is consumer spending. Tax cuts for the rich will create investment in the way that they’ll need to pur their surplus income somewhere, such as the stock market or financing corporate bonds. But tax cuts for the middle class results in new refrigerators, new cars, more spending at restaurants, etc. And the wealthier people who sell the cars, own the restaurants, etc., are the ones who benefit. And if they pay a slightly larger percent of their increased profits to generate that, they still end up with more after-tax dollars in their pockets at the end of the year… and everyone benefits.
If you reap the most benefit from the infrastructure and services that our taxes pay for, then it’s only fair you pay for more of it than the people who reap less. That’s what a graduated tax (which we’ve had for decades) is.
It’s not socialism and it’s not going to hurt the economy. After 8 years of getting robbed, the fact that you’re still willing to buy the Republican “trickle down” theory is astounding.
Comment by Greg — November 4, 2008 @ 5:22 pm
Obama : président des USA! La crise financière n’existe plus ?
Depuis les primaires où Hilari Clinton la plus soutenu au niveau populaire, a été exclu. Cette élection américaine est devenue un simulacre d’élection démocratique et elle n’a rien à envier à l’élection de Bush en 2000.
Obama est clairement l’homme des puissances de l’argent. Sa mission est d’être le Loperello, le sous-fifre, de l’oligarchie financière internationale. Ses sponsors sont bien connus, ce sont les plus grands spéculateurs américains, Georges Soros, Felix Rohatyn, ou encore le profiteur de crise, Warren Buffet. Est-ce que l’homme du changement « we can change », osera s’opposer à ses propres parrains ?
En tout cas, l’effondrement du système financier est plus que jamais là.
Ne croyez pas une seul seconde que l’homme des média, Barack Obama souhaite sortir le monde de la crise, ces parrains ne l’ont pas installé pour ça. Seul, une vaste mobilisation citoyenne à travers le monde autour d’un vrai nouveau bretton woods nous donnera un espoir pour une nouvelle donne.
Dans cette condition je vous propose le dernier tract de Solidarité et Progrès pour peser sur le sommet du G20 le 15 octobre 2008 à Washington.
L’indispensable RUPTURE avec L’EMPIRE FINANCIER
Par Jacques Cheminade le 3 novembre 2008
Tract pour peser sur le sommet international G20 du 15 novembre 08 à Washington
« Pourvu que nous nous ressaisissions, la grande crise mondiale peut être l’occasion de construire un monde meilleur. Elle peut aussi être ce qui va nous entraîner vers l’abîme.
Nous sommes face à une échéance décisive : la grande réunion monétaire et financière des vingt principaux pays du monde, le 15 novembre. Le défi est ainsi lancé aux responsables politiques, mais nous savons tous qu’ils ne sont pas à la hauteur.
Nous devons donc, nous autres citoyens, monter sur la scène de l’histoire. »
Les vérités qu’il faut dire
Un Nouveau Bretton Woods
« L’avantage des crises est qu’elles changent les règles du jeu. Il dépend de nous que ce ne soit pas pour le pire, mais pour le meilleur. »
Lire l’intégralité du tract : http://solidariteetprogres.org/IMG/pdf/TRACT_2008_11_03_NBW_1_.pdf
David C.
david.cabas.over-blog.fr
Comment by David C. — November 4, 2008 @ 9:53 pm
That’s an eye-catching title
I’ve been following your blog for a while, because of your interest in Open Source, and specifically Inkscape. But your title caught my eye enough to comment.
Without wanting to sound like some sort of extreme weirdo (which I like to believe I’m not…), I think it’s significant that while you jokingly warn “or die”, Obama consciously supports death. He has a policy to get rid of living, but helpless humans, for no reason but that they’re unwanted.
I won’t say the “A” word, since it creates knee-jerk reactions, but here in New Zealand (where I live), we have about 18,000 helpless human beings killed every year because doctors pressure their mothers to have them “eliminated” before they’re born.
I know as soon as you make the connection, you’ll class me as extremist or fundamentalist (I’m neither), but ask yourself: would you let Obama slit your grandmother’s throat because she was unwanted? Would you let Obama cut your helpess baby into pieces, because it was unseen? He would do both of those things, in cold blood.
Some references, in case they help:
Press coverage of Obama’s position on human life: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13103.html
Number of cold-blooded murders of unwanted babies last year here in New Zealand: http://www.stats.govt.nz/products-and-services/hot-off-the-press/abortion-statistics/abortions-year-ended-dec07-hotp.htm?page=para002Master
Comment by Bryan Hoyt — November 5, 2008 @ 1:52 am
BTW, don’t want to sound like a pain in the backside. Great blog, and thanks for the thoughtful insights.
Comment by Bryan Hoyt — November 5, 2008 @ 1:53 am
Man, I totally posted this off the cuff and I’m intrigued by what some of you guys think from reading my blog! David, sorry I don’t speak french. Bryan, I don’t agree with you. But, I’m glad you shared your opinion regardless. Greg, right on as usual.
Comment by jon — November 5, 2008 @ 3:42 am
“Without wanting to sound like some sort of extreme weirdo”
You may not want to sound like it, but you would seem to be one.
Comment by Robert — November 5, 2008 @ 10:21 am
Jon, no worries, thanks.
Robert, I’m curious. I don’t mind if you think I’m a weirdo — you’re welcome to think so. I know that people with non-mainstream opinions & values often seem like weirdos.
But again, I’m curious. What is it that makes my opinions & values weird? Are they just too unusual/extreme to be worthwhile?
Maybe it’s just me being dense, but I honestly don’t understand how eliminating people before they’re born can be a good thing. Unless you believe in some magic transformation that happens which cause a person to come alive **zap** as soon as they’re birthed. Maybe one of you can help me understand this magic. Or can you help me understand why it’s ok to cheat the helpless out of a fulfilled life?
Eugenics, anyone?
Comment by Bryan Hoyt — November 5, 2008 @ 4:42 pm