Japan remains sceptical towards Obama.

by Paschen | January 22, 2009 at 10:07 am

743 views | 44 Recommendations | 24 comments

By, Uwe Paschen.

While the United States welcomes it first President of a visible Minority, with pomp and excessive parties. Viewed as wasteful and inappropriate, considering the times we live in and the ongoing issues around the globe such as Afghanistan, Iraq and the Israel-o-Palestinian conflict as well as the Mortgage crisis and financial melt down the US have caused. This is leaving Japan perplexed and even shocked.

Japan is culturally and philosophically a society that thinks acts and lives as one entity and where individualism and egocentrism are not welcome. The Family and the Family Shrine are still at the centre of the waste majority of Japanese. Respecting the elders and doing what needs to be done for the Good of the whole of Japan is still today prevalent.

Japan has remained culturally closer to Korea and China then it will ever be to Europe and even less to North America. Almost a decade ago, Japan had a Politician that fitted the credentials of Obama, his name was, Hiromu Nonaka. A bright young Man from a Minority Cast that was considered Unclean until 1865 when Japan did abolish the cast system.

However, it is still known who is from what cast by their names and the Town they family comes from since some towns in Western Japan where burakumin towns, meaning that those where populated by the lower cast. This affects every thing, Work, Marriage and social rank. Even though it does no longer exist as a system and great efforts had been made in 1960th to reform Japan and make it a liberal and just society. The Japanese culture holds on tightly to old values of the Samurais.

Today the Prime Minister Taro Aso being him self of one of Japans oldest and most powerful families can not understand how a people would put into the highest office a Man that is to young, and from a minority group to rule over a majority. Aso was also the one that opposed Hiromu Nonaka to succeed Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori as he resigned a decade ago. Aso’s reservations even though not official nor openly proclaimed where largely supported in Japan back then and still are today. Nonaka never tried to hide the fact that he descended from the Outcast.

This may explain in part why the Japanese where not to warm on Obama being the new President, yet the wasteful party in a time of turmoil gave them proof that this man was to young and not meant to rule over a nation. Even less a nation that has so much power in this world.

The Bush era has pushed Japan closer to China and Asia again since China was a great allied for most of the last 1500 year in Japans history. Of course Political correctness and Diplomacy will prevail since Japan's Politics does master this to perfection. Why it is at times very difficult to know what is really thought and meant.

This latest act and the speeches given by Obama recently have pushed Japan even further away from the USA. Japan did take every single word apart of every speech and turned them upside down analyzing them to the finest detail, leaving Japanese only with more distrust and worries towards the US. If Obama would have been 20 years older and proved him self greatly in his career, maybe then Japan would accept him and respect him. However even 20 years older he should not have partied as he did nor be so wasteful and irresponsible in his example to be followed in hard times.

Japan did have a great respect for other US Politicians such as Colin Powel and would have liked to see them rather then Obama in the driving chair. Obama mania does only exist in the West as some did point out in Tokyo’s Radio Station. Even though the Town of Obama here in Japan is celebrating and this maybe more due to the common name the the Politics. And Saitama did produce a large number of Mask as it does for all Important political figures, hopping to sale many of the Obama masks.

http://club.japantimes.co.jp/special/obama/

http://www.asahi.com/home.html

http://www.salon.com/wires/ap/world/2009/01/20/D95QVFVG0_as_japan_outcasts/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obama,_Fukui

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-obama-worldjan21,0,19898.story

https://club.japantimes.co.jp/pm/ad/jt/index_e.html?adid=10035

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Roy C

at 19:00 on January 22nd, 2009

Where do you get these statistics?

The majority maybe in California will speak Spanish, but that is not true and will not be true in the rest of the US.

2050 majority black? Black people are becoming a smaller and smaller percentage of the US as Latin Americans, Asians, Middle Easterneers, and Eastern Europeans come in large numbers.

Paschen

at 01:36 on January 23rd, 2009

Thank you Zichi, I read those today as well as other papers in the same direction and that is Politics, since those are all official press releases and not what is thought. As you may want to read to French Papers and Chinese as well as Korea press as to what is Politics versus what is thought. Even Sarkozy does speak a different tone today as he did behind the scenes. Why it is good to listen to Radio and read some local papers as well to get the real picture. If you do read the Post objectively you find that I did say "skeptical" rather then "against."

SOLARLIFE

at 14:42 on January 22nd, 2009

"While the United States welcomes it first President of a visible Minority". The reality 2020 the majority in the US speaks Spanish, 2050 the Majority in the US are Black people. So it's just a early start to majority. May be japanese see more the old US not existing anymore.

Paschen

at 16:32 on January 22nd, 2009

Maybe he will be better, I do not have a glass bool to predict the future. I do like the fact that he is closing All CIA over sea prisons. Lets see what he will do with the Israel-o-Palestinian conflict and how he deals with Iran since Iran and the EU just signed and gas agreement.

Citj (not verified)

at 14:36 on January 22nd, 2009

Paschen I disagree with many parts of your post and it contains much of your own personal opinion and therefore this post should be tagged opinion which you are quick to tell others when its needed.

I live in Japan too and I have no experience of what you state about the relationship between Japan and America. There have been no major news articles in the papers or on the TV which I read and watch daily. My spend all my day working with Japanese people and no-one has expressed anything like that. No-one has stated the cost of the inauguration was wasted. Much of the cost is spent on the necessary security of the people who want to see their president. The cost is about the same as when Bush became president. The cost was $170 million which is less than $1 per person? Nearly $50 million has come from donations. What of the cost of last summers Olympics.

Are we to cancel all national and international events because of the finanical crisis.

There is no evidence and you provide none that the Japanese would have prefered Colin Powel to Obama? Try telling that to the people of the Japanese city 'Obama City' who spent much money to celebrate Obama's inauguration.

You are not providing any evidence or reference for these opinions and because you live in Japan NP members just assume you must be telling some kind of truth which you are not.

Yes there is discrimination here and even Koreans who want to enter politics will need to change their name to a Japanese one.

The American Japanese relationship is deeply messed and America is Japan's largest trading partner. The relationship remains very strong and will continue for many many years into the future.

From my daily life experience since the inauguration of Obama there is a feeling of new hope both for America and Japan and many are feeling more happy about the future.

Your first two links have no real meaning and the third is about discrimination here in Japan. You provided no reference for you opinions about the American Japanese relationship.

Please add the Opinion tag!

Citj (not verified)

at 16:31 on January 22nd, 2009

Paschen although your post contains many of your own opinions you didn't feel the need to tag your post with opinion. I hope you remember that, the next time you ask someone to add the Opinion tag?

Citj (not verified)

at 19:09 on January 22nd, 2009

Paschen some interesting reads
Japan eager to establish stronger ties with US President Obama

Tokyo - The Japanese government plans to set up a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Taro Aso and US President Barack Obama at an early date before the financial summit scheduled in April, Japanese media reports said Wednesday. After the president's inauguration ceremony, Japan's Aso administration was hoping to strengthen the Japan-US alliance and seek cooperation in resolving the global financial crisis as well as assistance in fight against terrorism in Afghanistan. "Japan and the United States are allies sharing universal values and strategic interests," Aso said in his statement issued Wednesday. "I am confident that Japan and the United States, which are in the position of leading the world, can create a better future, by putting together our expertise, will, passion and strategy," the premier said. Meanwhile, the nation's main opposition Democratic Party of Japan was also planning to send a delegation to meet with the US Vice President Joseph Biden in February or March upon request from Washington, according to The Asahi Shimbun newspaper. The party, which aims to win the next general election, hoped that Obama's leadership would influence Japan's public into seeking change in the nation's leadership. "The current politics has not been able to provide any effective solution to the problems," the party President Ichiro Ozawa said. "We very much believe that (Obama's presidency) would lead Japanese people to realize we also need change, reform and old style of politics." Concerns spread, however, that Obama with limited experiences in the central government lacks personal contact in Japan's politics and business sector, Japan's daily The Yomiuri Shimbun said in the morning edition. Japan has expressed concerns as to whether Washington would continue to cooperate in pressuring North Korea to resolve abduction cases of Japanese citizens.

Eyes of Japanese focused on Obama

U.S. President Barack Obama's request for U.S. citizens' support in facing a "new era of responsibility" is attracting attention around Japan. A 30-year-old man who recently lost his job at a staffing agency watched the new U.S. president make his inaugural speech on TV early Wednesday at an apartment in Chiba. He is renting the apartment using welfare benefits. "President Obama's facial expressions and gestures were full of energy," the man said. "I felt his determination for change." "He made me realize the importance of acting rather than waiting, especially at a difficult time," the man said, adding he was encouraged by Obama in his search for a new job. A 73-year-old man who manages a company that produces parts for car-assembly equipment in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, said, "I felt a sense of the critical nature of the times from his speech when he said that every U.S. citizen has to face up to today's difficult situation." The man also said he hoped Obama would implement effective economic policies. "If the U.S. economy recovers, it'll affect the Japanese economy and improve the environment of companies like ours," he added. After reading the extra edition put out by The Yomiuri Shimbun for the inauguration, a 50-year-old man from Yokohama who works at an affiliate of a U.S. bank said: "Anxiety is spreading at our workplace because many colleagues have been fired or sent to subsidiaries recently. I hope the new [U.S.] president's top priority will be implementing measures to resolve the financial crisis." "[Obama's] inauguration ceremony reminded me of John F. Kennedy's inauguration," said a 58-year-old company employee from Saitama. "I feel like something's going to change." A 24-year-old student who goes to Tokyo University of Science's graduate school in Noda, Chiba Prefecture, said he was looking for a job with automakers and electrical appliance manufacturers. "Every time I see TV news reports about companies cutting production and laying off workers, I'm reminded that our country is facing tough times," he said. "I hope President Obama will implement economic policies with a long-term vision."

'Rejected lover' Japan needs to become more independent of U.S.

"The era of Japan's special role in U.S. foreign policy under the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty is over," says Naoki Tanaka, president of the Center for International Public Policy Studies. Thanks to the U.S. alliance, Japan became the world's second-biggest economic power following World War II; but its excessive reliance on the U.S. has meant that Japan has been unable to convert its economic strength into political clout and diplomatic power. As the end of the U.S.-centric world begins, Japan's standing in the international community will continue to drop if it continues to rely on its ties with the U.S. Japan needs to adopt a path that will allow it not only to maintain its alliance with the U.S., but also enable it to take a more proactive and diverse diplomatic strategy toward Asia and through international organizations. It is indispensable for Japan to work out a strategy of getting involved in a possible world order dominated by the U.S. and China while securing its national interests.

djermano

at 18:34 on January 24th, 2009

I agree with the fact Japanese Poltics needs to change. In fact why should Japan be slightly skeptical or full of optimism about Obama? Japan in my opinion should be wanting their country returned to them, meaning no more US military bases stationed in Japan. Why doesn't Japan take upon the ideals of Nonviolence? I am rather saddened that Japan does not seek some sort of recovery from the terrorist act committed by the US in dropping 2 atomic bombs on Japan targeting innocent people. They should be insisting that such an act was an act of terrorism, and that the US violated the Geneva Convention war crimes laws. Japan needs to reclaim its exoneration and remove the American umbrella that has cast a shadow on Japanese society and dignity. Granted war is full of atrocities but the years have gone by long enough and the time should be that Japan steps out of the guilt chamber America has kept over Japan for all these years. It's time for Japan to stand up for its rights as a nation, and to have the US at least apologize for the atomic intrusion into the world.

Japan should be more than skeptical. The world needs more countries to stand up for their culture and heritage because it is what makes them unique. We should not become a world blur controlled by American technological plasticism and debt. I stand up for Japan as a Dignified Nation, the only nation to be a victim to the most horrific war crimes in history. Whatever the Germans did toward executing Jews during the holocaust holds no comparison to the treachery commited by the US when it dropped Atomic Arsenals on innocent civilians in Japan. I call it the Asian Holocaust. We should be asking Obama to unclench his fist; in order to grab the hand of humanity and pull people out of the wreckage since the war crimes committed by Truman. I declare as an American it is our responsibility to do so.

Steps to USA-Japan and all countries understanding the Financial Crisis, and Fixing it......

http://my.nowpublic.com/world/mic-hijacked-wall-street-not-bernie-madoff....

Rev.

Marisa Olivia

at 10:21 on January 22nd, 2009

Super interesting piece.

Amy Judd

at 13:46 on January 22nd, 2009

interesting - not much is said about this...

Citj (not verified)

at 15:15 on January 22nd, 2009

In my opinion, because the American Japanese relationship is strong it will be less of a priority for President Obama but Japan wasn't a priority for Bush too. I think the same can be stated about Europe.

I think Obama's foreign priorities will be the Middle East and Africa.

Japan is closer to America than either Korea or China. Japan still has difficult relationships with many SE Asian countries.

Paschen

at 15:32 on January 22nd, 2009

Yes, Obama city did rejoice and this because it caries the same name. Yet Japan true out the press and over all the election period did never support Obama, Mc Cain yes, Powel was respected always and Clinton favoured over Obama, but never Obama at any time nor by any one other then the town of Obama it self and saying other wise is wishful thinking.

The Japanese, US relations seem as strong as the present Government it self, Sliding down rapidly. America was Japans Largest targeting marked. Where are you? Even NHK is not warm to Obama nor the Radios are. Indifferent or sceptical are most. Diplomatic and polite are the Japanese about it in public and towards foreigners and that has always been the case.

patgarcia

at 08:22 on January 24th, 2009

How interesting!

djermano

at 05:12 on January 25th, 2009

I go along with the saying 2 heads are better than one. America likes to think it thrives on individualism....but really it thrives on the gun... It has crippled America and has erased any semblance of a culture. A culture of Individuals that worship the gun, is a society doomed to failure. It has no faith or rational toward others, because it only is concerned with itself. It is a contest to who is the craziest wildest maniac serial killer. It is one crime scene after another. Anyone who thinks that is freedom, and is good news for society, certainly has no idea what they are talking about. Simply said the idea to not ram beliefs and values down everyone's throat is also an idea......an empty idea, an idea that wants to erase the concept of peoples cultural identity. Better to have an identity, than to be a melting pot of gun worshippers.

Rev.

tlreed

at 18:19 on January 30th, 2009

I would agree with Citj (not verified) that your story is a bit overreaching. It would have been a more powerful piece if you had not been so one-sided. I am sure that there are many on both sides. My two cents would be that support for Obama in Japan is much more vocal and exuberant than that of his detractors, as can be seen in many countries around the world. These are truly exciting times and feelings run deep for this "young" man from a minority group that seemingly came out of nowhere and stole the show. It is true that the average age of Japan's population is getting older by the day, but among those who are "young" (age 46 or younger) I am sure that they would heartily embrace a candidate like Obama in Japan. Perhaps the next Prime Minister will be a "young" man from Okinawa, or even dare I say a "young" woman.

Saltydog

at 23:26 on February 23rd, 2009

Dear NowPublic and those that have "reported" and commented,

I've waded through this stuff, mostly opinion I'd wager, and feel that "the positive" is losing a little ground to "simple contradiction," (or worse).

Calm down, everybody: It's a new era of promise. For those who wish to be negative--they will probably find more negativity to deal with.

For those who seek the good about life: They should find that.

Do you want to hear all sides? Maybe try considering more sides: Most people want (to do/live in/support/etc.) the common good.

This is no "rose-colored-glasses" philosophy: Meet "the questionable" with "understanding," and in this open forum, let us seek our fellows' better common ground.

Citj (not verified)

at 16:27 on January 22nd, 2009

Paschen the majority of Japanese would not know who Colin Powel is? During the election campaign McCain was rarely mentioned by the Japanese media, Obama was mentioned but not as much as Hilary Clinton. Obama won the foreign vote in Japan.

I have full and open discussions covering many topics with many Diet members and other politicians and all expressed joy that Obama became president. They, the politicians believe Obama will be better for the Japanese American relationship. America remains Japan's largest trading partner. Japan has very liittle in common with China or Korea and the majority of the Japanese youth prefer the American culture.

Hawaii is still the biggest vacation place for the Japanese.

Paschen please point me to a single news article which backs up your opinions in your post?

Citj (not verified)

at 19:12 on January 22nd, 2009

Paschen, agreed!

René

at 08:29 on January 24th, 2009

zichi? unbelievable. Hiding?

H2O Junkie (not verified)

at 03:51 on January 25th, 2009

Japan is culturally and philosophically a society that thinks acts and lives as one entity and where individualism and egocentrism are not welcome.

This sentence says it all. America thrives on individualism and Japan loathes it. Just because it is their way doesn't mean it HAS to be others way. To each their own. It might be right for Japan but it doesn't make it right for America. Maybe the world would be a better place if folks stopped forcing their beliefs and values on others. (US included) All most people in the world want is the freedom to choose their own destiny. Yet there are so many organizations out there trying to ram their beliefs and values down everyone's throat at gunpoint it has created a society of intolerance and hate. And I don't subscribe to the belief that it is all the US's fault. It takes two to tango and the world is tangoing right along with the rest of them.

Paschen

at 05:05 on January 25th, 2009

Interesting comment H2O Junkie Not verified. I do actually agree with you for the larger part and think that what is good for one may not necessarily be good for the other and to each its own. That being said, The US does still have Military bases in Japan and Japanese have been protesting against does on a fairly regular basis, this however to no avail. The Difference with the US and other countries is that it does act not only in its own interest, yet more often than not against the will and wishes of the majority of this Global community, See Iraq or Israel as examples. Blocking the U.N. on a rather persistent basis with their Veto right wish the US has been using more often then the other 4 Veto members combined ever used their veto rights. Japan will still be supportive of the US and do business with them as well, yet all would like the bullying to stop and the madness of Iraq, Afghanistan and Israel as well as Sudan and other major problems and conflicts that are in part due to US vetoing the UN same would go for Russia and China as well as GB, however to a lesser extend. No one is actually forcing any thing on to the US, so far it has rather been the other way around. The US have much to be proud of as well as much to be ashamed off, has most nations do. There is always room for improvement and should e fail to improve then we risk to regress. We do not shows our birth place, or race, Family, gender, or religion we are born into it, what matters though is what we make out of it and who we shows to become.

simsan (not verified)

at 05:38 on January 28th, 2009

What nonsense.

I lived in Japan for 8 years. I also work for a Japanese media outlet. One of the biggest.

The majority of Japanese are very enthusiastic about Obama and our coverage has, like that of our rivals, been pretty much glowing.

There are a few who might have a problem with him simply because he is black, though those people would normally not be bothered about that if it was in a different country (if he was running for PM of Japan on the other hand...). There are also a few hardliners on N. Korea who want nothing to do with any negotiations w/Pyongyang and think Obama will be soft on them, but Bush was softening his stance there too so hardly a major reason to hate the new guy. Then there are those close to the US military presence in Japan. They may well be anti-Obama, but they are a very small part of the population.

So it's a but mystifying where you get your views from I'm afraid.

Replace 'Japan' w/'Israel' and you might be a bit closer. Pretty sure they prfer bush there...

Shota Kikuoka (not verified)

at 13:44 on February 1st, 2009

I disagree with what your article. While I was reading this article, I wanted to say this is not true.

I'm Japanese and now I'm studying in US. Three of four people in Japan supported Obama when I left Japan on August, 2008. It's true.

How can you say that Japanese does not feel comfortable when Obama became a president.

Actually, Taro Aso didn't support Hiromu Nonaka because he is from buraku.

However, we don't tell people by the fact whether they are from buraku or not. Our society is modarate much more than you think.

djermano

at 19:27 on February 2nd, 2009

The world should remain skeptical of Obama:

Here is a recent email letter I wrote to an American in the USA reflecting the times we are living in...

Hello Jay, thanks for your email....And comments... I have had 2nd thoughts on revealing my monopole magnet on video or youtube....because people can look at it and literally steal my idea. They may have more money and connections than I to make the claim it is theirs. And besides that why should I reveal a discovery, when our country is under control by murderers. It is happening.....I will get a chinese patent first...before I give it to those lying murdering fucks. Jay the 911 on the WTC was an inside job... There is no doubt in my mind... And I am not just talking about the WTC...incase you have forgotten Bldg 7? It was demolished as well. It was Rudy Guiliani's OEM Headquarters, bunker.. OEM: Office of Emergency Management.. It was the offices to the Secret Service, the FBI, and the SEC...Security Exchange Commission....which had the archives to evidence on insider trader Wall Street scams steming from Enron to Worldcom to Harken Energy.... They did not have an investigation for nearly two years after the attack...meaning they were sitting on it and delaying it.....while also getting rid of the steel and evidence selling it to China so they could build their Olympic Stadium the birds nest. in time for the 2008 Olympics. When they did finally come around to do the 911 Commission Report....they mentioned nothing about the OEM in Bldg 7 collapsing.. Why is that? How could they forget to mention that bit of information? It was the freaking headquarters for for crying out loud.... Larry Silverstein had the building pulled....8 hours after the WTC collapsed... Get this.... Hero Mayor Guiliani was not even in his terror proof bunker the entire day. This building was made to serve as a base of operations.....but Guiliani was running around trying to setup an alternative base? What the hell....the SOB knew........and he was directing the sequence of events. Some fucking brave hero? A guy who knows before hand what is going on...hardly is a sign of bravery....He knew...because he was orchestrating it. Notice how none of the Firefighters and many police radios were not working. They didn;t buy them new radio's because if they did, they could pickup the relay signals Rudy was giving to have the N. Tower imploded. Those f'ers brought down the S. Tower first....even though that was hit by the 2nd plane. Why would the S. Tower fall first? The N. Tower was burning before the 2nd plane came on the scene. They brought down the S. Tower first because that is where all the Gold and money was stashed below it..... it took about 30 minutes for the major dust to settle for Guiliani to see that tunnel exits were not blocked, to put into operation the bank heist. When he saw the exits open he gave the go ahead for the N. Tower to come tumbling down. This added more of a disaster, and people focused on the N. Tower now, so they could get the money out from below the S. Tower. When they were finished, they then demolished the OEM bldg. 7 headquarters which was ultimately their staging area which they had to destroy all traces, and evidence. Next to the WTC is bldg. 4, 5, 6, which stood in front of bldg 7,.....yet those bldgs. did not collapse. How is it that bldg 7 collapses when it was further away, and was not in the falling debris path like 4,5,and 6? These fuckers did plan the attack no doubt in my mind. Jay. SIlverstien and the New York State Port Authority and the City of New York...knew the WTC was packed full of asbestos... They used asbestos for construction material in those days before they knew it was a major cancer causing problem... They estimated it would cost more to literally take it out of the building via rennovation,,, than the building is worth in trying to sell....So they came up with the phoney war on terror... Silverstein leased the building put terror proof insurance on it, bought through GW Bush's Marvin Bush's Insurance Company. Also the WTC had its security contract with another phoney Bush operation through Securecom which also had the security contract with the airport near the Pentagon.....where to this day they can not prove flight 77 hit the pentagon. Those planes have two big engines on both sides which would have 2 sizable holes in the structural damage on the outside of the Pentagon. Yet there is only one small hole about five feet in diameter, the same size as a missle, probably fired from a parked tractor trailer rig at the airport. The light poles could have easily had pre charges set to make the lightpoles fall to cooraborate the wing theory hitting the poles. Coincidence that the very area hit was just finishing up renovation project on the Pentagon? Bullshit.....it gave them the chance to plant aircraft landing wheels inside to support the story that flight 77 hit the pentagon. They do everything they can to obstruct investigations proving in my mind they are the ones who committed the attack....not Saddam, not binLadin.... Chirst Jay....I remember them saying on TV it was binLadin who did before the WTC S. Tower collapsed. How the hell would they know such information so quickly? Impossible. Jay as you know I left the USA right after 911 happened...because I know these fuckers to well....that they saw the opportunity to kill Americans to blame foreign terrorists for their profits.....and now the failed economy...... Which I will tell you Jay will not get any better. Even with Obama's stimulus it will not do much because it puts the US in its heaviest mountain of debt in US history...With the 700 billion bank bailout.....the fucking CEO bonus's, now Obama's 819 Billion stimulus, the war debt which is 2 trillion and counting, leaves a whopping 4 trillion and tracking....because Obama refuses to end the war in Iraq, and wants to esculate operations in Afghanistan. He is a fraud and lying fuck like the rest of them. The Republicans made him....and don't believe the sideshow McCain was orchestrating on the people. They told Obama we will make you the first black President. You will be famous and mark US history...but the deal is he makes no waves about 911 and ending the war on terror. So far Uncle Tom Obama has kept his que..by reappointing Gates as Defense Secretary and re-nigging on his Campaign rhetoric. He paraded around the country saying how he didn't vote for the War, and how he was going to end it....but what does he do? He plays the bi-partisan bullshit game....which can't work.....because Bush didn't work. Everyone knows this. The mainstream media won't talk about it. Even Bill Clinton is in on this fiasco. How is he? He has close ties to Citigruop the fuckers who helped the scamming for Enron. He was friends to Sandy I Weills the top CEO of CItigroup who convinced Bill Clinton to repeal the Glass-Steagall Act,....which deregulated the banking industry responsibilities..This created the Enron loophole...which forced fuel prices through the roof. I think the people in the US are wising up to the fact that really this financial meltdown really stems from 911, and MIC.. Military Industrial Complex. When they trade it helps the guys running the Big Corporations to make more profits for their war machine. So private big banks and the public are staying out of the Stock Market. President Eisenhower warned us of the MIC, as JFK did as well.....and apparantly the Rethugs in office now did not want to listen....it surely is making the Republicans a regional party....if not a defunct-defacto one. We want to end the MIC control on the world...because they only want to kill innocent people....and make us live in fear to them....Don't count me in as fearing them. How can it mean poverty to them by staying out of the Stock Market? They loss so much money from Enron, Worldcom, and there is an extensive list of failures to include mom and pops KMart. Add Bernie Madoff, and a host of other ponzi-scheme operators....tells people to stay literally away from the Stock Market. Madoff was one of the SEC guys....and there is no trust. People are better off going to Vegas to win the slot the machines...while knowing the odds still are against them, because money inflow favors the owners of the Houses of Gamblers, is better odds than Wall Street has to offer. Yeah Jay.. I have had 2nd thoughts on revealing my ideas to the American Government, and I am currently pursuing citizenship of China. None of the bullshit by the US side will convince me they have any integrity in the business world...or the security of Americans. They have killed the very idea America is a light to the world. In fact I never want anyone to call me an American, or remind me of the hell hole I came from. http://my.nowpublic.com/world/obama-approves-order-kill-innocent-people-iraq-vet-testifies... Good luck on your energy creation.....you are going to need it.