Any Takers - Obama 3rd Term?


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Any Takers - Obama 3rd Term?
 
I put this in the humor section because I can't imagine such a tragedy in reality, but like all good humor, there is a twinge of truth.
 
Obama just put out a feeler balloon.
 

 
When people say things like this, and repeat it like Obama just did, it is not the end of a conversation, but the beginning.
 
Here's what's supposed to happen next. Someone steps up in public to address Obama's complaint that he cannot run again because that's the law. This person says, "We can do something about that. Let's change the law." 
 
The crowd cheers.
 
Thus a movement starts.
 
Any takers?
 
Anyone want to step up?
 
:smile:
 
Michael

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I will support totally an indefinite third term at the big house...

1) beautiful views f2c2.jpg

Secure

GUANTANAMO.jpg

environmentally sensitive

e668.jpg

Plenty of bike paths...

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"If I ran, I could win. But I can't" ...

He was speaking to a meeting of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The AU is a toothless monster that makes a lot of noise about democracy and corruption and extremism, but grows quiet whenever democratic gains are pushed aside by leaders who will not give up power. The immediate context was the crisis in Burundi, where -- despite the constitutional two-term limit and a civil accord -- the ruling president was returned to office in an election that was in no way free and fair, after having installed new jurists who bowed to his will for power. The audience understood the allusions ...

More lines from the lame-duck:

"Africa's democratic progress is also at risk when leaders refuse to step aside when their terms end,"

"No one should be president for life,"

"And, I'll be honest with you, I'm looking forward to life after being president. I won't have such a big security detail all the time, it means I can take a walk, it means I can spend time with my family.

“When a leader tries to change the rules in the middle of the game just to stay in office, it risks instability and strife as we’ve seen in Burundi”

“Sometimes you’ll hear a leader say, well, I’m the only person who can hold this nation together. If that’s true, then that leader has truly failed to build their nation”


As for a new push to repeal the 22nd Amendment, the topic seems to rise in debate like a bloated corpse from an East River burial. Who can forget the pre-diagnosis Reagan coming out in support of repeal?

President Reagan Says He Will Fight to Repeal 22nd Amendment

TOM BROKAW, reporting:

President Reagan is making one thing clear in his last two days in office. As former President Reagan, he will remain active speaking out on issues that concern him. In a White House interview, Reagan told me that among other things, he will push for a repeal of the 22nd Amendment that limits a President to just two terms.

President REAGAN: This is the only office that is elected by all the people. I think that is an infringement on the democratic rights of the people. And now that I’m out of office, so that they can’t accuse me of wanting to do it for myself, I’m going to see if I can’t mobilize the people to demand the repeal of that Amendment. It is an invasion of their democratic rights to vote for whoever they want to vote for and for however long.

BROKAW: So we will see a lot of Ronald Reagan speaking around the country?

REAGAN: Yeah

.

I wish we had term limits in Canada. Our Senate, a wholly undemocratic body body of appointed members, holds a number of numpties and hacks and corrupt sleazebags (contributing to a scandal that will bore/sicken Americans ...). The only limit on a sitting Senator is age. They can 'serve' until age 75.

Our Prime Minister Stephen Harper is seeking a fourth term, after eleven years in power.

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William,

Of course there is a legitimate reason for Obama saying what he did and meaning it in the way you presented. And, had he not been so duplicitous over the years in his public pronouncements, I would not have read a secondary meaning into his words.

If you want proof of my "duplicitous" evaluation of Obama's public pronouncements, the Internet is full of videos and articles that show lists of Obama saying one thing one time in public and the exact opposite in public another time. One contradiction after another. It's quite a show when lined up like they do. If you have never seen this, I will be happy to dig one of these suckers up. :smile:

Outside of that, I think it is safe to say that if Obama could find a viable way to get a third term, he surely would take it. The hunger is evident in the way he talked. (Also, the prospect of handing over the White House to Donald Trump is giving Obama heartburn. He even talked about Trump in Ethiopia, leading one to wonder just how interested Ethiopians are in USA Republican primaries. :smile: See here and here.)

Rhetoric-wise, putting out a little fishy in Africa to see if it can start swimming to the USA and become a big fishy along the way is so aligned with Obama's normal modus operandi as he has practiced it over the years, I can't help but see it for what it is.

Could I be wrong? Maybe. But I see it too clearly to believe I am.

I'll give you this. If I am right, I also believe Obama is aware that this is a long shot, a real long shot. Still, I can see him thinking, who knows?...

:)

Michael

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I think it is safe to say that if Obama could find a viable way to get a third term, he surely would take it

I disagree -- not that Obama might have a secret, unspoken desire to have another term (I can't see into his heart of hearts) -- but with the idea that he might find a "viable way" to be elected to a third term ... repealing an element of the Constitution is not easy at the best of times, and every effort in that direction has led to failure to launch. Then there is the matter of achieving the nomination. And the matter of revulsion. Considering his abysmal job approval ratings. Considering the tastes of the American people. Considering the legal and social obstacles.

So, nope.

But though I find the notion extremely implausible and impractical, it is of course in the realm of possibility. Strange political things happen in the USA. I guess we will simply agree to disagree regarding the President's wishes and hopes for the impractical and implausible series of events.

-- Brant, there is no reason to even have a faint knowledge of the dreary porridge of Canadian politics. For Canadians to be aware of USA politics is just a function of a necessity. Trudeau once likened the relationship to a mouse sleeping beside an elephant. The need to understand and anticipate what the bedmate will do is because of the overwhelming importance of the USA to Canada. We need to know when and if you are going to roll over. You guys ... not so much. We have effectively zero influence on your politics ... even if every new President makes a first visit to our capital upon election. We are Lithuania to your Russia.

Trudeau said it best in French:

  • Être votre voisin, c'est comme dormir avec un éléphant; quelque douce et placide que soit la bête, on subit chacun de ses mouvements et de ses grognements.
Edited by william.scherk
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That wasn't "us" ... it was the dang British Empire and their mercantile dictatorship. Canada at the time was just forming in people's minds outside of Quebec -- that identity came from the French, who called themselves les Canadiens.

The last war between that "us" and you guys was actually fought in the Northwest in 1859. Look up The Pig War**. Happened 100 miles from me as the crow flies. 54-40 or fight! Or figure out a way to cohabit the continent.

The border crossing is just about two miles from me. I take my bicycle across a lot in the summer. I love Americans, and I love America. But I am always glad to get home. I am pretty sure you feel the same way.

-- the absolute worst thing about Canadians is their/our insufferable smugness. Less worse is our lack of patriotism. On down the list of bad things is multiculturalism and bilingualism. But, without those two last things, we would just be another Minnesota. And who needs that!

_______________

** called the Pig War because that was the only casualty of the confrontation.

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Any Takers - Obama 3rd Term?

I put this in the humor section because I can't imagine such a tragedy in reality, but like all good humor, there is a twinge of truth.

Obama just put out a feeler balloon.

When people say things like this, and repeat it like Obama just did, it is not the end of a conversation, but the beginning.

Here's what's supposed to happen next. Someone steps up in public to address Obama's complaint that he cannot run again because that's the law. This person says, "We can do something about that. Let's change the law."

The crowd cheers.

Thus a movement starts.

Any takers?

Anyone want to step up?

:smile:

Michael

The Republican leadership is probably already preparing to cave in on Obama's running for a third term, and attacking any of its party members who support upholding the Constitution.

J

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The Republican leadership is probably already preparing to cave in on Obama's running for a third term, and attacking any of its party members who support upholding the Constitution.

J

If that occurs J., I think there will be open revolution and blood in the streets.

I sure hope you are mistaken on this one.

A...

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I remember reading a lot back when Clinton was getting ready to do his last year and the speculation of such .

Clinton was not a constitutional lawyer either .

I agree with MSK , and also other posters who wrote about jail . One way of keeping out of jail is staying in the office of POTUS .

I found his stating that even was a horrific thing to "joke" about .

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