I wasn’t on SM when you were last blogging here as a masthead blogger Mutineer, but I’ve read some of your posts in the archives, and was quite impressed, and I cited your post on the 100th Anniversary of Satyagraha a couple times in some of my comments. I remember visiting your blog at the time. I also remember someone commenting that in one of your pics/avatars you totally represented grrlpower for him, and fully agreeing with him!

Look forward to reading more of your posts here.

If Obama is taking random requests, can he also jump into a headstand during his state of the union, as well as administer a beatdown to those snotty whale eaters on the Faroe Islands?

You want the US to invade Syria and Iran?

I don’t care if Obama delivers, he’s the first mainstream candidate in my lifetime that is even saying all the right things.

I’ll say what I said about the Congress in India during the 2004 elections. At that time, I said that regardless of who wins, Congress or BJP, nothing will really change. The agenda is set by events that are out of control of politicians. They can say what they want, promise what they like – but as long as they just talk and don’t do anything different from the BJP, I don’t care if the Congress wins.

And that’s exactly what has happened. Congress has carried out BJP’s policies better than BJP could. And nobody bats an eyelid, because all the naysayers were barking up the Hindutva tree, whereas the true agendas were silently being continued.

Coming back to Obama, he can say all he wants and promise change, but as long as it’s just for public consumption and winning the elections, but not doing anything different in office, I’m happy with the dude. We’ll have to see a couple of years down the line – and I think what will happen is that he’ll come in, cut the usual deals, and do exactly what was done before. In the next elections when people question him, he’ll say: “I tried to change things – but what has been entrenched for fifty years cannot be removed in four years. So please, give me four more years“. And I will vote for him again then. But only if he’s gone into Iran and Syria.

M. Nam

Saying is a little different from delivering the results.

I’d change that to saying is the first step towards delivering the results.

Not to be cynical buddy, but Washington will change Obama (not the other way around).

I’d change that to saying is the first step towards delivering the results.

Yay, with each utterance he makes, I love him more. He seems like a sensible and reasonable person, and he is principled enough to say what he believes. I don’t care if he delivers, he’s the first mainstream candidate in my lifetime that is even saying all the right things. Saying is a little different from delivering the results.