# If Obama wins on Nov 4, I'm gonna buy some stock on Nov 5 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 26, 2008, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-on-nov-4-im-gonna-buy-some-stock-on-nov-5/469600 "2008-10-26T02:40:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-on-nov-4-im-gonna-buy-some-stock-on-nov-5/469600/1 "2008-10-26T02:40:08Z")
I’ve never owned a single share of stock in my life. But I plan to buy _something_ to demonstrate some faith and confidence in an Obama presidency. Just an idea I have. Maybe I’ll even make a bit of money on it. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-on-nov-4-im-gonna-buy-some-stock-on-nov-5/469600/2 "2008-10-26T06:17:33Z")
Good luck. Certainly Mr. Obama will right all of the financial institutions’ transgressions immediately and the world will be a better place. He appears to be poised to solve all of the world’s military conflicts too. Perhaps even eradicate leprosy. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-on-nov-4-im-gonna-buy-some-stock-on-nov-5/469600/3 "2008-10-26T07:06:57Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Good luck. Certainly Mr. Obama will right all of the financial institutions’ transgressions immediately and the world will be a better place. He appears to be poised to solve all of the world’s military conflicts too. Perhaps even eradicate leprosy. I hear he’ll also get rid of sarcasm. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-on-nov-4-im-gonna-buy-some-stock-on-nov-5/469600/4 "2008-10-26T14:42:09Z")
Unless he’s smarter than all of the Democrats already running the oversight committees on banking and the like, I don’t see it happening. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-on-nov-4-im-gonna-buy-some-stock-on-nov-5/469600/5 "2008-10-26T16:23:38Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I’ve never owned a single share of stock in my life. > > But I plan to buy _something_ to demonstrate some faith and confidence in an Obama presidency. > > Just an idea I have. Maybe I’ll even make a bit of money on it. I doubt it. If Obama wins, the bottom will fall out of the market, most likely. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-on-nov-4-im-gonna-buy-some-stock-on-nov-5/469600/6 "2008-10-26T16:42:30Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > I doubt it. If Obama wins, the bottom will fall out of the market, most likely. Have you looked at the market recently? ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-on-nov-4-im-gonna-buy-some-stock-on-nov-5/469600/7 "2008-10-26T16:53:37Z")
Last night, my mother told me, in all seriousness, that if Obama won on November 4th, on November 5th we’d all be in the poor house. I forbore to mention that even if (hopefully when) Obama wins on the 4th, it’d be about 3 months before he took office so anything that happens on the 5th isn’t his responsibility. _sigh_ There are reasons I don’t discuss politics with my folks anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-on-nov-4-im-gonna-buy-some-stock-on-nov-5/469600/8 "2008-10-26T17:36:51Z")
I’ve been hearing a lot lately that much of the economy is little but the collective society pretending certain things have value. Wouldn’t an increase in trader confidence do much to help stabilize things, even if Obama does little on his own (and certainly could do nothing until January anyway)? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-on-nov-4-im-gonna-buy-some-stock-on-nov-5/469600/9 "2008-10-26T17:49:52Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I’ve never owned a single share of stock in my life. > > But I plan to buy _something_ to demonstrate some faith and confidence in an Obama presidency. > > Just an idea I have. Maybe I’ll even make a bit of money on it. Well, pick something that is solid, like General Mills (GIS), Wal-Mart (WMT) or Public Storage (PSA). They’re boring, but financially solid. At least you won’t lose your ass with one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-on-nov-4-im-gonna-buy-some-stock-on-nov-5/469600/10 "2008-10-26T17:58:19Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > I’ve been hearing a lot lately that much of the economy is little but the collective society pretending certain things have value. Wouldn’t an increase in trader confidence do much to help stabilize things, even if Obama does little on his own (and certainly could do nothing until January anyway)? Of course. Consumer confidence and mood of the entire world have an enormous impact on the markets, as this is a global crisis. Landslide election wins are often good boosts for the economy, tight contested races not as good. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-on-nov-4-im-gonna-buy-some-stock-on-nov-5/469600/11 "2008-10-26T18:46:38Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Well, pick something that is solid, like General Mills (GIS), Wal-Mart (WMT) or Public Storage (PSA). They’re boring, but financially solid. At least you won’t lose your ass with one of them. If I had extra money to invest, I wouldn’t wait until next week to buy stock. The time to buy is now, while prices are very low. Eventually the market will come back up, you just have to be smart – or lucky – enough to pick one that will last. Personally, I’d buy Campbell’s Soup, which is actually UP since the beginning of the year. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-on-nov-4-im-gonna-buy-some-stock-on-nov-5/469600/12 "2008-10-26T19:51:02Z")
I was going to say the same thing: buy now. It’s quite likely that the current Market is pretty much at the lowest point it’s going to be for a very long time. It might go a bit lower, but probably only in the short term. It also might stagnate for a few years, with little to no growth. But it will definitely grow again. Right now, even solid stocks have taken hits in value while the lending industry drags everything down. Do some research, and start buying now. Those solid industries are going to recover sooner or later. I’d bet sooner myself, but in any case always invest in the market with long-term thinking. Short-term investments are horribly risky. Edit: If Obama does indeed see a solid win, expect the stocks to rebound quickly in the short term. The markets often react well to clear changes of direction in the presidency. Don’t believe conservative crap that Obama will hurt the Market–a lot of economists are endorsing his ideas, and with Greenspan’s admission of “a flaw,” the brand of conservative, unregulated economics post-Reagan doesn’t have a lot of credibility. Change will be good, and I expect the market will agree. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-on-nov-4-im-gonna-buy-some-stock-on-nov-5/469600/13 "2008-10-26T19:53:18Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > If Obama wins, the bottom will fall out of the market, most likely. You’re wrong, but the OP probably is, too. The market should recover over the long term, but there are problems that won’t go away just because Obama is elected and are likely to get worse over the next year or two, including weakness in the housing market. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-on-nov-4-im-gonna-buy-some-stock-on-nov-5/469600/14 "2008-10-26T19:55:57Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I’ve never owned a single share of stock in my life. > > But I plan to buy _something_ to demonstrate some faith and confidence in an Obama presidency. Just so you know, this is probably not the best way to invest, if your goal is to make money. But if it’s simply to make a statement, more power to you. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-on-nov-4-im-gonna-buy-some-stock-on-nov-5/469600/15 "2008-10-26T20:02:52Z")
This is the first time I am putting this in print so take note. I believe that whoever gets elected will be looking good in 3 plus years. The economy will recover in spite of who is elected. The choice is for who will screw up the long term economy the least. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-on-nov-4-im-gonna-buy-some-stock-on-nov-5/469600/16 "2008-10-26T20:05:55Z")
One more point, if you feel uncomfortable picking your own stocks (and, if you’re a novice, you definitely should), invest in some index funds. And think long term! Be diversified! Etc. [Here’s a good NY Times article about this](http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/26/business/26bogle.html?ref=business). > [@NY Times](#): > > “The probabilities for stock market investing right now are very compelling,” Mr. Bogle said in a telephone interview from his office at the Bogle Financial Markets Research Center, on the Vanguard campus in Malvern, Pa. The cataclysm in world financial markets has brought down valuations to fairly attractive levels, he said, improving the prospects that the broad stock market, over the next decade, can earn an annualized return of perhaps 9 percent. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-on-nov-4-im-gonna-buy-some-stock-on-nov-5/469600/17 "2008-10-26T20:06:09Z")
Traditionally, the stock market hates uncertainty. Whoever wins in November, the market will go up in the few weeks following the election. That’s been the historic trend, whether a Democrat or Republican is elected. The exception was the 2000 election, where the uncertainty continued for many weeks after the election date. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-on-nov-4-im-gonna-buy-some-stock-on-nov-5/469600/18 "2008-10-26T20:22:23Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#): > > Traditionally, the stock market hates uncertainty. Whoever wins in November, the market will go up in the few weeks following the election. That’s been the historic trend, whether a Democrat or Republican is elected. > > The exception was the 2000 election, where the uncertainty continued for many weeks after the election date. Ding! Right now, everyone’s wandering around wondering who is going to win the election, and until the matter’s settled, there’s going to be a lot of fluctuations in the market. Once we’ve picked a President, people are going to say, “I think ‘X’ is going to happen.” and start doing whatever they think is the appropriate action. I’d imagine that if McCain were to win, stocks in defense companies would go up, while if Obama wins, stock in alternative energy companies would go up. (Whether either of these industries see their stocks _stay_ up is another matter, and one in which only time will tell.) ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-on-nov-4-im-gonna-buy-some-stock-on-nov-5/469600/19 "2008-10-26T21:42:11Z")
> [@MLS](#): > > If I had extra money to invest, I wouldn’t wait until next week to buy stock. The time to buy is now, while prices are very low. Eventually the market will come back up, you just have to be smart – or lucky – enough to pick one that will last. Personally, I’d buy Campbell’s Soup, which is actually UP since the beginning of the year. Sorry, I won’t be buying any stock if McCain wins. I will most likely be drinking myself to death. ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-on-nov-4-im-gonna-buy-some-stock-on-nov-5/469600/20 "2008-10-26T22:41:58Z")
Also, if you just invest in a stock for fun more than for investment, and aren’t staking a lot in it, I think it would be most satisfying to invest in a company whose products you like, or you’ve had good experiences with, etc. Those are as good reasons to invest in a company as any. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-on-nov-4-im-gonna-buy-some-stock-on-nov-5/469600.md?page=2)