Change

It is so much of the same old thing.Just a another day in Washington, DC

That was worth reading, thank you Fromz. I have no idea what change he will bring if elected.

Honestly what change can he make? Should he make changes that are "popular" with the voters or interest groups that he certainly owes to?

We always talk about how we want change, but we are rarely specific as to what those changes should be.

We'll already get a new "voice" to represent us in international affairs. So that's already a given.

I know we all want out of Iraq, but can we seriously just pack up and leave as quickly as many democrats suggest? Or are they just pandering to their voters?

I think the number one issue is health care, I don't see how we can continue with a system that gets more expensive every year. When the costs to insure a family of four is over $1,000.00 a month many families will not be able to afford this and it's unrealistic to expect that employers will be able to cover all the costs anymore.

However, universal health care is a highly controversial issue and health care providers of all kinds probably will fight it vigorously. Their lobbyists are armed with big bucks and that's why things remain the same too often.

Living in Michigan I would also like to see the cost of government decrease tremendously as well. I can't believe how expensive it is to live here and do business here. Recently our governor has given tax credits to the movie industry to get them to shoot more movies here. Guess what it is working, so why not extend this thinking to every industry in the state? That would require vision.

So when it comes to social issues I'm firmly democratic when it comes to business development historically I would have been considered a Republican because I do believe in free trade. So I'm not sure that any candidate would make me happy!

Very good article. Thanks.

We may get a chance to hear BO give us his ideas and how he expects to execute them.

Shootout, June 12, NY City

John McCain has just challenged him to a one-on-one shootout, no moderators, no prepared questions. Just the two of them and an audience selected by a qualified nonpartisan group.

Will BO have the brass to put smooth talk against experience, ideas, and plans?

First, full disclosure - I am an Obama supporter.

The WSJ article seems to make the same tired argument I hear about candidates constantly, whether Democrat or Republican. "Candidate X has this in his background, therefore, he will forever and always think and do things exactly the same as he has done in the past. Therefore, do not vote for him."

That one gets me, but so do the hindsighters who gleefully point out failure ex post facto, They lament that the politician did not have enough experience to "know this would happen." Come on, which among us has the infallible crystal ball? As much as I don't agree with the war in Iraq, I don't for a second believe Bush knew it would turn out this way, or that he should have known.

I have no idea what change may come, but I am certain it will be the result of multiple economic, political, and environmental forces, and the political, moral, and philosophical reactions to those forces. I don't want to elect someone who "knows it all," I want to elect someone who can consider most of it and look for creative, never before thought of solutions. And who can course correct as needed, humbly, without fear that he or she will be called a flip-flopper.

This is not a world of certainty, and the greatest strength I believe a leader can bring is the ability to understand just how uncertain it will be, and yet will continue even in the face of that daunting news to try and do the right thing for that moment in time.

Fromz

The obvious "change" is the person in and the people around the white house.