Brooks has one of his thoughtful pieces for Inauguration Day.

As a guy who's fundamentally a conservative but understood what happened to his party during the Bush/DeLay era and might have voted for Obama, Brooks should be interesting to watch through the next year or two. It's becoming clear that he honestly wants Obama to do well, but retains the skepticism that you'd expect (and want, IMO) a conservative to have about the big government moves that are on the way.

The premise that really changing the tone has to precede huge changes and painful choices seems sound to me. Whether Obama even gets to try some of those things like entitlement reform probably depends on how little political blood is on the floor after he's done taking on the current problems, and how successful he is in all that.

dajafi wrote:There's really nothing the media can't suck all the life and joy from, and this inauguration--something that many of us should really be happy about--is no exception. Let's just get it over with already and start cleaning up the mess.

Here, here. I'm sure I'm not the only one, but I want to puke every time a celebrity is going off about the inauguration, bragging about where his seat is....

I could go on forever. I really can't wait until next week when this whole thing dies down and Barry, hopefully, gets to the business at hand. I was really holding out hope that this wouldn't be a celebrity carnival, but I guess that's not what America wants.

I'm looking forward to the actual part where he's sworn in and makes a speech, but otherwise, I could do without the hubbub.

dajafi wrote:There's really nothing the media can't suck all the life and joy from, and this inauguration--something that many of us should really be happy about--is no exception. Let's just get it over with already and start cleaning up the mess.

exactly my sentiments. i'm almost getting tired of hearing about Obama already even though I am absolutely thrilled he's taking office today.

dajafi wrote:There's really nothing the media can't suck all the life and joy from, and this inauguration--something that many of us should really be happy about--is no exception. Let's just get it over with already and start cleaning up the mess.

It's like the pre-game ceremony for the MLB All-Star Game.

Damn. Should have got jerseyh to hold up a sign saying Hello Wiz! I'll never see him on the telly now.

place your bets.....more people: Phillies Parade or Obama Inauguration?

Inaugeration, easy. I've been to DC. I've seen those big ol' wide streets. Jeez, you could probably fit all of ireland in them.

na-na;na-na
na-na;na-na
hey-hey-hey
goodbye

What's Mr. Potter doing at the Inauguration?

even though i basically think our society is fucked, this is a really cool moment to watch

barack H obama


yeah, like everyone there doesn't already know what it stands for.

It stands for what an amazing country we live in.

"Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with approval of their own conscience."
- C.S. Lewis

Some people may think of the religious right and it's effect on the last 8 years, others may think of paternalistic socialism and its possible effect on the next 4 or 8 years, but I just think of the increasingly unchecked powers of the executive branch.

I'm not watching, but does Cheney look like the Big Lebowski? Please tell me he does...

Bakestar wrote:I'm not watching, but does Cheney look like the Big Lebowski? Please tell me he does...

FTN wrote:

Bakestar wrote:I'm not watching, but does Cheney look like the Big Lebowski? Please tell me he does...

He's apparently in a wheelchair due to a back injury. The resemblance is striking enough sans wheelchair.

Bush/Cheney final meeting:

hes nervous