Recently at Reason.tv: Are You the Change You've Been Waiting For? (And If So, Aren't You At Least a Little Disappointed?)

Nick Gillespie | February 12, 2009

You are the change you've been waiting for, declared Candidate Barack Obama.

We weren't exactly sure what that meant, so on the evening of January 19, just before Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States, Reason.tv's Dan Hayes and Nick Gillespie talked with Obama supporters in the Dupont Circle area of Washington, D.C.

Some came to throw shoes at a giant inflatable effigy of George W. Bush and some came just to take in the sounds and sights of a chilly January night.

And some talked to Reason.tv about whether they would change anything now that Obama was about to take office.

Approximately 2.30 minutes. Shot and edited by Dan Hayes.

Previous comment thread here.

Comments

Mad Max|2.12.09 @ 9:07PM|#

I must be in the slow class - explain the relevance of the question the Reason interviewer posed to the various people - would you have done all these good civic-engagement things if McCain had been elected?

Is the interviewer trying to score some kind of point with these Obama supporters? What, exactly, is the point?

Pendulum|2.12.09 @ 9:08PM|#

Aw! They's soooooo kyyyyuuuuuute!

Mad Max|2.12.09 @ 9:09PM|#

'You are the chance you have been waiting for' sounds like a libertarian slogan - if President Obama actually meant it, it would be a good sign.

|2.12.09 @ 9:50PM|#

Change I've been waiting for... me? This ain't what I've been waiting for, 'cause it ain't no fookin' change! Yes I'm disappointed.

Mr. President, please, keep the change! Yer screwing with all the rest of my money anyway, so please, just keep the frigging change!

After the 2004 election when George W. stole er.. won er.. got a second term, I had a few Dem friends (yes I have them, and some Reps too..) call me up and seriously ask me about moving to Canada. (I am an ex-pat Canuck.)

I gave them as much info as they wanted and pointed out that it was not exactly the political or social paradise they had expected, particularly in the socialized medicine arena - as they were/are all in the soon to retire and have medical issues category.

Anyway, in the last couple of days I have been allowing myself to consider the possibility of moving back to The Great White North. I'm coming around to considering the possibility Canada may, in the not distant future, actually be less socialist than the US!!!

Returning to Canuck land was waaay down on my list of 'things to possibly do for some unexplainable reason'. And if I had moved it up to the top, it would have been because of family related issues (aging parents) more than anything else. Now it seems it may actually be a way to escape teh Socialism wave appearing on the horizon of the USA. Now there's change I find difficult to accept, Canada LESS Socialist, regulated, bureaucratized than US of A... Could happen, no? Who'da thunk?

One annoying problem is that the Canucks will make it difficult, if not impossible, for me to keep my gun collection should I go back... but the Dems may do that here anyway!

a name before submitting the f|2.12.09 @ 10:26PM|#

Reruns already? It's not even March.

economist|2.12.09 @ 10:32PM|#

Dammit, I watched the video, and now my keyboard has puke on it.

Damn you, Reason TV!

Orange Line Special|2.12.09 @ 10:33PM|#

What??!?!?!?!?!??!!

Reason asked questions?? I'm going to have to completely re-evaluate my opinion of them!!!!

Oh. Wait.

They asked powerless nobodies questions that anyone could have asked. In fact, I started internet-based look-at-the-freaks coverage back in 2002, and now Reason's here with the video version. In 2009.

[Smattering of polite applause, audience leaves...]

economist|2.12.09 @ 10:38PM|#

"He like, talks about global warming, so now I like, use a lot less electricity."

I weep for the younger generation.

economist|2.12.09 @ 10:39PM|#

Bugger off, Chris. Didn't I tell you that if you couldn't stop being an asshole, you'd get put in the ignore hole?

|2.13.09 @ 12:41AM|#

sooo, this video just makes me realize how inspired the Obamaniacs are...was that the point? I may disagree with his economic policies, but he clearly inspires people. I guess this is Reason's attempt to mock the idealism of the Obama camp?

Ummm Ok, I'd rather that libertarians spend their time trying to inspire some idealism in our movement, maybe, just maybe, actually achieving some result some day.

JB|2.13.09 @ 1:35AM|#

I'm waiting for these douchebags to off themselves and make the world a "greener" place.

Then again I'm not holding my breath since 'Liberal' is basically another way of saying 'hypocrite'.

HammeredHead|2.13.09 @ 2:41AM|#

Wow complete morons. What would you expect, so were McCain's. I guess most people are really not that bright. I blame public education.

economist|2.13.09 @ 12:33PM|#

Jason,
It's the fact that they say, essentially "Because Obama got elected, I'm going to do all sorts of wonderful things now." Most libertarians don't go in for personality cults. Go figure.