# Change your SDMB location to Obama Country! **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 18, 2012, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-your-sdmb-location-to-obama-country/616094 "2012-03-18T00:37:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-your-sdmb-location-to-obama-country/616094/41 "2012-03-19T09:07:26Z")
I’m in ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-your-sdmb-location-to-obama-country/616094/42 "2012-03-19T09:47:58Z")
I’m not a member, and no one will see it, so I don’t see the point. Plus I think it communicates that I agree with him 100%, and I don’t. The chosen locations always sound to me like a country where Obama is the absolute ruler, and I would definitely not want to live there. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-your-sdmb-location-to-obama-country/616094/43 "2012-03-19T11:49:05Z")
Why all the hostility? Sheesh (not pointing to any single poster). I don’t approve of everything Obama’s done either, nor am I very happy with some of the things he said he’d do but hasn’t. **Elendil’s Heir** ’s request was meant as a lighthearted way to show support for a president who, in the main, has performed well enough, under a really crappy set of circumstances I might add, to have earned it. Many of us did this 4 years ago, and it was fun. If you don’t want to participate, then don’t, but don’t spoil it for everyone else. ---
**Author:** ![LilRoses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@LilRoses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilRoses)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-your-sdmb-location-to-obama-country/616094/44 "2012-03-19T12:07:17Z")
I have been viewing the SD boards for a long time. This post finally made me register to post my support for Obama Country! Obama 2012! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-your-sdmb-location-to-obama-country/616094/45 "2012-03-19T13:40:52Z")
Thanks, all. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-your-sdmb-location-to-obama-country/616094/46 "2012-03-19T15:15:46Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Yet you somehow survived 2000-2008, as I have 2008-2012. It’s not that big a deal. Well, I’m an upper middle class straight white male American, and as a rule, neither party is going to try to put a dent in my comfortable existence. > [@](#): > > Likewise, neither are politics. Political opponents are roughly equivalent to fans of a rival sports team, not demonic entities intent on stealing your soul. No, they’re NOT even a rough equivalent of a rival sports team. Because Bush won over Gore in 2000, we got involved in a war in Iraq where ~5000 Americans got killed, an untallied (but unquestionably 6-figure at least) number of Iraqis got killed, millions of Iraqis fled the country, and Iran became the uncontested dominant military power of the region. If Bush had succeeded in privatizing Social Security in 2005, that would have started making the retirement prospects of a lot of people much worse in just a few years: the under-55 group in 2005 is now under 62, and closing in on retirement age real fast. If the GOP plans to gut Medicare come to pass, again, it’ll really lay a hurt on a lot of people. If the GOP plans to get rid of Title X come to fruition, it’ll be a real problem for roughly 5 million lower-income women who will be unable to afford family planning resources on their own. You may think all that is good (and I of course don’t), but the fact is, this shit is REAL. It makes a real difference in millions of people’s lives, even if it doesn’t make a big difference in mine. This ain’t no silly sports team rivalry, where if the fucking Cowboys beat the hapless Redskins yet again, everything’s pretty much the same on Monday morning. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-your-sdmb-location-to-obama-country/616094/47 "2012-03-19T15:22:53Z")
> [@miss\_elizabeth](#): > > He is not the goddamn “leader of the free world.” So who is? ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-your-sdmb-location-to-obama-country/616094/48 "2012-03-19T15:52:38Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Yet you somehow survived 2000-2008, as I have 2008-2012. It’s not that big a deal. Likewise, neither are politics. Political opponents are roughly equivalent to fans of a rival sports team, not demonic entities intent on stealing your soul. I may have “survived” 2000-2008 but life got a whole lot shittier. It IS a big deal unless you are incredibly well off, Republican economic policies do severely impact the quality of living of those who are not rich. Oh i am sure everyone will “survive”, but their life will continue to get worse the longer they are in power. Anyways, i think i did this last time and never remembered to change it back so i guess count me in. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-your-sdmb-location-to-obama-country/616094/49 "2012-03-19T16:13:16Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > Anyways, i think i did this last time and never remembered to change it back so i guess count me in. Check to see if you have it in the Location field in your profile. It should then display in the upper-right of your post, under your Join Date. See how mine has: Location: 小浜国 at the top of this post? ETA: I think it only shows your location if your status is not set to ‘Guest’. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-your-sdmb-location-to-obama-country/616094/50 "2012-03-19T16:33:20Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > Like Jimmy Carter, the world market is down on his watch and will not improve until that watch is over. Right or wrong, if he gets re-elected the economic depression will continue until his term ends. What “world market”? The Dow is currently [within a few hundred points of its all time high](http://www.the-privateer.com/chart/dow-long.html). The FTSE is [on pace to match its all time high around the end of his current term](http://www.forecast-chart.com/historical-ftse-100.html). The Nikkei is [pretty much where it was when he started](http://www.forecast-chart.com/historical-nikkei-225.html). The DAX has [steadily grown since he took office](http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/index/DAX/charts?ma=1&maval=50&uf=7168&lf=1&lf2=4&lf3=0&type=2&size=2&state=8&sid=0&style=1013&time=11&freq=1&startdate=1%2F4%2F1999&enddate=3%2F19%2F2012&height=444&widht=579&random=803442384&arrowdates=0&countrycode=DX) despite the Euro crisis. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-your-sdmb-location-to-obama-country/616094/51 "2012-03-19T16:37:21Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Yet you somehow survived 2000-2008, as I have 2008-2012. It’s not that big a deal. Likewise, neither are politics. Political opponents are roughly equivalent to fans of a rival sports team, not demonic entities intent on stealing your soul. Presidents may not have much impact on your day to day lives in the short term but they can have a pretty huge impact in the long term. We’re all going to be feeling the effects of Bush’s SCOTUS appointees for decades. Obama’s, too, but to to a lesser extent since they were replacing liberals. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-your-sdmb-location-to-obama-country/616094/52 "2012-03-19T16:43:14Z")
I’ll make a vote against the suggestion of the OP. Even though I like Obama, I like accurate location tags more. I often find it helpful often to know where a person is posting from so I can put their post in context, and heartily endorse this [ancient pit thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=365053). So I’ll be keeping mine where it is and would prefer is others due likewise. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-your-sdmb-location-to-obama-country/616094/53 "2012-03-19T17:51:16Z")
Apparently as I’m a guest, my location is not shown… ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-your-sdmb-location-to-obama-country/616094/54 "2012-03-19T18:05:44Z")
> [@PlainJain](#): > > Of course I know he’s not actually the leader of the free world. It’s not offensive, it’s shorthand. Way to miss the point entirely, BTW. Oh, I got your point. You’re pretty much wrong about that too, but whatever. I left it for others to comment on. But equating America with the entirety of the free world is _completely_ offensive. As shorthand, it’s dumb. What is it shorthand for, “I don’t know of any other countries”? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-your-sdmb-location-to-obama-country/616094/55 "2012-03-19T18:06:23Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > No, they’re NOT even a rough equivalent of a rival sports team. I’m talking about voters rather than elected officials. You vote lefty. I vote righty. We disagree about political issues. As neither of us have the power to implement our preferences, it is pretty much analogous to rooting for different sports teams. I like to eat, fuck, and otherwise enjoy life. I suspect you do, too. I don’t practice human sacrifice or run kittens through sausage grinders. I doubt you do either. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-your-sdmb-location-to-obama-country/616094/56 "2012-03-19T18:10:55Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > , but to to a lesser extent since they were replacing liberals. Bush did not alter the balance of the Court. Roberts for Rhenquist, Alito for O’Connor. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-your-sdmb-location-to-obama-country/616094/57 "2012-03-19T18:21:28Z")
Alito is a good bit more conservative than O’Connor, who was a swing vote on a lot of issues (incl. abortion). So yes, I’d say Dubya nudged the Court to the right. > **[Why I Miss Sandra Day O’Connor](https://newrepublic.com/article/91146/sandra-day-o-connor-supreme-court-alito)** > > The Supreme Court term that ended this week would have looked very different if Justice Sandra Day O’Connor were still on the bench. Twenty percent of the cases were decided by a 5-4 vote, and, in many of those cases, Justice O’Connor would have... ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-your-sdmb-location-to-obama-country/616094/58 "2012-03-19T18:24:46Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Bush did not alter the balance of the Court. Roberts for Rhenquist, Alito for O’Connor. Roberts more or less equals Rehnquist I can see. Alito for O’Connor? I don’t think so. He takes a much more conservative/Scalia-like view of the Constitution than O’Connor ever did. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-your-sdmb-location-to-obama-country/616094/59 "2012-03-19T18:35:29Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Alito is a good bit more conservative than O’Connor, who was a swing vote on a lot of issues (incl. abortion). So yes, I’d say Dubya nudged the Court to the right. > > [Sandra Day O’Connor: How America Would Be Different If She Were Still on the Supreme Court | The New Republic](http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/91146/sandra-day-o-connor-supreme-court-alito) > [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > Roberts more or less equals Rehnquist I can see. Alito for O’Connor? I don’t think so. He takes a much more conservative/Scalia-like view of the Constitution than O’Connor ever did. At most, he replaced a conservative Justice with a more conservative Justice. That’s not really altering the balance of the Court. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-your-sdmb-location-to-obama-country/616094/60 "2012-03-19T19:13:09Z")
As the TNR article mentions, several decisions have been 5-4 in a different direction than they probably would have, had O’Connor still been on the court. I’d call that “altering the balance.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-your-sdmb-location-to-obama-country/616094.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-your-sdmb-location-to-obama-country/616094.md?page=4)