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Thought is was pretty cool that Oden came out in support of Obama. Not for any political reason (although I am a supporter myself), just because its nice to see a guy with marketing appeal who isn't scared to have opinions.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 04230.html

Good for him, I guess. But why should we care what he thinks?

99% of the problem with politics IMHO is that we as Americans treat it like a "game."

99 percent of the problem with politics is that the rich are the ones that get people elected so they have to be catered to. But that is only about 2% of the population so every year we watch policies get passed that have a nominal effect on the other 98% but help the other 2% alot as payback.

So then the people running for office have to be all full of crap about what they are going to do for the lower and middle class, it never gets done, so they just blame the other party for holding them back from doing what needed to get done.

Politics are a game. A game that is probably really fun to play if you are rich.

Just a side note. I read an article a while ago that showed which athletes donated to presidential campaign funds and I saw that both Marvin and Chil donated $2500 in support of Obama.

mrhonline wrote:Good for him, I guess. But why should we care what he thinks?

99% of the problem with politics IMHO is that we as Americans treat it like a "game."

People who are aware enough to form their own opinions shouldn't care.

I think the positive message here is that a young superstar with marketing potential isn't following Jordan's "Republicans buy Nike's too" model.

Athletes used to fight for social justice, or at least stand for something. I'd rather hear Iverson say, "my heroes didn't wear suits" and make people think than watch another "The Lebrons" commercial. Thats just me though.

Its also good for the image of the NBA, at least in my opinion. Everyone looks at the leage as a bunch of hedonistic young millinaires. I feel better about burning my dough to watch someone who cares about whats going on in the world, one way or another.

Ali was that much more special because he stood for something.

Rip might have said it best, can't add much to that.

(Although I hate to get my hopes up yet again, I actually believe what Obama says when he talks, which is more than I can say for just about any other politician in my lifetime outside of Jimmy Carter when I was 2 years old...)

LL Cool Scott wrote:Rip might have said it best, can't add much to that.

(Although I hate to get my hopes up yet again, I actually believe what Obama says when he talks, which is more than I can say for just about any other politician in my lifetime outside of Jimmy Carter when I was 2 years old...)

Probably the beauty of Obama.

Rip highlights some pretty good reason why the good ol' USA needs some election reforms.

Even when you aren't catering to the rich, you can win a campaign based on marketing. Not to name names but it rhymes with maxby mabliss.

HoopsGuru25 wrote:Just a side note. I read an article a while ago that showed which athletes donated to presidential campaign funds and I saw that both Marvin and Chil donated $2500 in support of Obama.

I just recently heard Marvin was a Obama supporter, but I knew Josh was for awhile now, and that's good to hear that's good they support who they believe is the best to run our country.

Probably the beauty of Obama.

You mean the unabashed socialism, or the latent populism?

This election is yet again a choice between two evils. Neither candidate respects individual liberties, and neither candidate understands economic theory.

Barf.

But that is only about 2% of the population so every year we watch policies get passed that have a nominal effect on the other 98% but help the other 2% alot as payback.

Honestly? That's a cop-out. We as citizens don't realize how possible it is to get people elected to state offices and the House thru grassroots work. Wealth has always influenced the Senate and the Presidency, but those branches were never intended to have the ultimate authority we've allowed them to hold.

Americans have no one to blame but themselves.

mrhonline wrote:

Probably the beauty of Obama.

You mean the unabashed socialism, or the latent populism?

Both