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How long will you display your Barack Obama signs and buttons out in public?

Submitted by Chad on Tue, 11/18/2008 - 10:26am.

Be-Elected

_{both photos taken by me}
A sign hanging in downtown Detroit on November 17. How long will the signs stay up?

BE-ELECTED
by Chad Rubel

We tend to make fun of the political signs in people's yards that linger after the election, especially when the candidate has lost.

But it seems that there is a special feel to the lingering Barack Obama signs and buttons.

True, it's only been two weeks since the election. But I still see a lot of buttons and signs for Obama. And it doesn't feel like they are going to come down anytime soon.

This enthusiastic Obama supporter from Cleveland still was wearing a Latinos for Obama button as well as a Dennis Kucinich button on November 16.

Yes, there was an enthusiasm for this election like no other I can remember. But it does feel like the buttons are no longer because these people voted for Obama, but because Obama is the president-elect.

The commonality of the last eight years was wearing buttons against a certain inhabitor of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. But wearing buttons in anger, protest, and frustration is pretty easy to do.

But wearing buttons and hanging signs, long after an election is over, can be seen as a positive turn of how people will interact in politics. Obama himself has made it clear that people will have to be involved well after January 20.

Is there a protocol to keeping the buttons and signs? Wait until January 20? Keep them going forever? And is this election cycle different from previous times when your candidate has won?

From Message to Memorabilia and Back Again

Submitted by rousliny on Sat, 11/22/2008 - 9:19am.

My lawn sign was stolen prior to the Election.They did leave the metal frame laying in the street. I was so PO, that I grabbed my Grand Daughter's Street Chalk and wrote OBAMA across the front of my Garage in huge letters.Though I was tempted to write a simple message to the sign thief, like , F Off.But all I had was florescent pink,lime green, and yellow.And who swears in pastels anyway.However I did want to make a point. Thinking OK let who ever stole my sign have to look at nearly 24 inch high OBAMA each day. Well I had to look at it each day as well. Yes it looked like child's graffiti. However, I was working at Obama HDQ's in my area and was able to replenish my signs.Which I was told to bring in each night and not to post them near a sidewalk. It worked and I have my signs.I also had an Obama bumper sticker on my mail box since the primary.Post a Election: A few days ago I noticed that someone peeled OBAMA 08 off and took it with them as I found no evidence of my sticker. I still have one on the glass window on my door from the teamsters as well as a home printed poly covered sign hanging from lamp post. I intend to keep them up until the inauguration. Which I will be attending along w/ 4 plus million other people. I also saved some of the campaign items received in the mail for a time capsule of this historic event.Along w/ news papers of the morning after the elec., my mail in ballot info etc.. Even the horrendous propaganda Obsession CD I received,along w/ some negative snail mail campaign adds. Just as a reminder of the nastiness of the RNC. They can steal as many signs as they want, however the US has still made history :-) So I guess it's like leaving your tree up after the holiday. Leaving a campaign sign up until after the inauguration suits me fine. I just hope it's still there when I return from DC.

Never had any.............

Submitted by GwenP on Wed, 11/19/2008 - 4:50pm.

I consider myself a progressive democrat. I campaigned for both Gore and Kerry and was proud to display their election bumper stickers. However, for some reason, I neither campaigned, nor displayed an Obama bumper sticker during this presidental campaign. Sure, I was highly impressed with his passionate speeches. Sure, I think he can do the job as president. Sure, he's certainly intelligent. Sure, I voted for the guy. I suppose I didn't campaign or display the sticker for the reason that I'm not sure I believe his "change" moto. Or perhaps it was when he voted to not punish the telecommunication companies for spying on fellow Americans - something that honestly shocked me! I certainly don't think that he will take this country into the black hole that Bush has placed us in these past eight years, but I think it's a telling sign when he chooses former Clinton advisors and even current BUSH cabinet members as part of his "team". Seriously, for a man screaming CHANGE, it doesn't look as though he's going to really move this country where it needs to go. Gosh, I HOPE I'm wrong, but it doesn't look it. Sadly, the democrats have REALLY disappointed me (the latest: allowing Lieberman to retain his chair - PLEASE!). I guess it's going to take a lot more then just a "democrat" label for me to display it for all to see. Kuncinich? DEFINATLY! Feingold? SURE! These folks have proven over and over again their dedication to the average American. I'm not so sure about Obama.

Obama flag

Submitted by Gregory Lynn Kruse on Wed, 11/19/2008 - 12:32pm.

After that idiot complained on Fox News that Obama had his own flag interspersed with American flags at the debate in Ohio, I ordered a vinyl sticker of the Ohio state flag and a lapel pin online. I intend to keep the sticker on my car for as long as I own it.

Bumperful of Stickers

Submitted by urthsong on Wed, 11/19/2008 - 5:14am.

I've got the VOTE sticker from the Friends' Committee as well as the ACLU Impeach Bush sticker. Then there is my Obama sticker, an early design. Of course, I also have the sticker for our progressive governor-elect. I phone banked on that campaign. My oldest sticker, nearly six years, is for single payer health care (I went without insurance for twenty years.) Another prior to the Iraq invasion proclaims: One People One Planet One Future. My brother borrowed my car last week and had two close calls being cut off in traffic by nut cases shouting at him. The only problem I've had is being called a baby killer even though I have nothing about abortion or choice. I think it might be time to find my can of WD-40 and edit. The crazies are coming out of the woodwork. Pat Williams

Obama keeps stuffing his new admin. with Neo-Con Democrats..

Submitted by vvvc1 on Tue, 11/18/2008 - 6:43pm.

Obama keeps stuffing his new admin. with Neo-Con Democrats.... Rahm Emanuel, Marc Rich pardon enabler (Clinton's Dep. AG) for AG, Hillary "I supported the war then, and still do today" Clinton, and, worst cut of all, Sen. Obaman has tossed his support FOR JOE LIEBERMAN retaining his critical GOVT. AFFAIRS Committee Chair.

What most Democrats and even Buzzflashers forget, is that back in 2002, Lieberman WET-BLANKETED the ENRON INVESTIGATION that Sen. Majority "leader" Tom Daschle STUPIDLY tossed in to Lieberman's committee. IF Tom Daschle didn't know by then that Lieberman was a Cheney/Wolfowitz/Rumsfeld/Scooter Libby Neo-Con (all the above supported the PNAC manifesto calling for invasion of Iraq.... from June 1997 on, and all were of course at the very center of power of the Bush Jr. administration), then Daschle was a grossly incompetent politician.

As it was, Lieberman's QUASHING of an energetic ENRON INVESTIGATION __ROBBED__ Democratic voters, activists, and candidates of THEIR BEST ISSUE in the 2002 midterm elections: the OPPORTUNITY to TIE President George W. Bush to ENRON's SERIAL ACCOUNTING FRAUD. A MASSIVE FRAUD that ROBBED tens of thousands of American workers, investors, pensioners, and, ultimately, taxpayers.

SENATOR JOE LIEBERMMAN _ENABLED_ ENRON's FRAUD to continue on for ANOTHER year, leading to the economic RUIN in 2003 of the West Coast electric consumers HAMMERED by Enron PRICE MANIPULATIONS of the West Coast energy markets.

Today, Pres-elect Obama and the damn DC Senate Democrats HAVE REWARDED Senator Lieberman for Leiberman's role in PERPETUATING THAT ENRON FRAUD.

How sad & disgraceful... SHOULD Lieberman pull a SIMILAR STUNT in the future (and he will, just as he campaigned in 2006 as an ANTI-WAR MODERATE in Connecticut, then REVERTED to THE MOST WAR-HAWK Senator in the whole congress) - of course a President Obama will expect us Democratic voters and activists to pull his chestnuts out of the fire that HE (future President Obama) will have enabled.

the sign comes down

Submitted by lacques on Tue, 11/18/2008 - 5:12pm.

Mine came down when Amy Goodman's brilliant Democracy
Now radio program revealed the war criminals (literally, legally, not
figuratively) in the CIA that are advising Obama
on transition. Or was it when Obama appointed Emmanuel as
chief of staff, ensuring mideast conflict from day one?
Or was it when Obama considered Hillary Clinton
for Secretary of State, and wrapped himself in Clinton
economic advisors?

The words "hope" and "change" may soon be dripping
with bitter irony.

I hope BuzzFlash can put down the koolaid and cover the
Obama presidency with as much critical acumen as they
summoned for the Bush years. Perhaps the looming crises
will tilt Obama leftward, but he's looking pretty McCainish
right now.

FISA Ended This Party Before It Began

Submitted by neoconned on Tue, 11/18/2008 - 1:14pm.

As glad as I am that McCain-Palin dragged the neocon GOP to defeat, about the only improvement I've seen out of the Obama camp is that the membership is generally much more intelligent than the Republicans have been. Too many anti-freedom Bush initiatives remain on the books, and I hear nothing about removing them out of the Obama camp.

So what do we have to look forward to? Economics will see to it that nothing progressive gets accomplished (although fixing this problem is itself progressive). All we have ahead of us is privation as we mend the economy from the ravages of Reagan-Bush voodoo economic policies. Ergo, what's to celebrate?

If Obama's administration does a good job with the mess they are being handed, then I will celebrate their re-election. Otherwise, I'm rolling up my sleeves to get through the next several lean years.

Obama Sign

Submitted by shellynm on Tue, 11/18/2008 - 1:03pm.

I'm taking my sign down today! Joe Lieberman retaining his chairman's position for Homeland Security is just too much for me! Evidently, from what I've read, Prez elect Obama thought it was the right thing to do in a spirit of reconciliation. Homeland Security is in charge of FEMA, as well as the "protect the homeland" from terrorists duties. With a right wing crackpot like Joe overseeing things, we can expect more of the same. This is not what I knocked on doors/telephoned people/stood at the polling station for! The Clinton retreads as financial advisors is also not the sign of hope and change that I've been looking for. Looks like more sad days ahead for the poor of this world.

Become the change you want to see

Submitted by Jasminet on Tue, 11/18/2008 - 12:42pm.

My "Dance for change" button is installed on my purse, but I replaced a belly dancer for the Native American dancer. After the 2000 election, I had made a big yellow button that said "Count every vote" which was on my purse for at least two years. I bought the "Yes we can" baseball cap because it will always be relevant. I consider displaying these as an affirmation of the work we all will need to do together to turn our country around. Remember that Mahatma Ghandi said "Become the change you want to see" Driving in Oakland, yesterday, I saw a number of young African American men wearing Obama T-shirts, they seemed to be walking tall with pride and an extra spring in their steps. This gave me an especially warm feeling, that young people born to hopeless conditions, can dare to hope because of Obama. Please pray for him and his family. YES WE CAN!!

H#LL! I've still got my Bush Buttons/Signs Up

Submitted by cokids on Tue, 11/18/2008 - 12:39pm.

Well, not exactly. I have a button with Bush's face on it and a 'No' symbol through it. People are beginning to ask me who that guy is. Is it possible to forget so quickly? I believe in long memories, so I'd keep mine for a lllloooooonnnnnggggg time!

Down & up again

Submitted by quousque on Tue, 11/18/2008 - 11:55am.

Took my primaries version of 'Obama 08' stickers off the car after the election, and then put them back on after the ugly backlash stuff started.

Might be a good idea this time to leave them up a long time ........ after all, 'W O4' amazingly abound on the unthoughtful's vehicles still.

It depends on how things are going

Submitted by Malgoska on Tue, 11/18/2008 - 11:11am.

but I think I will keep my stickers/buttons/yard signs for long enough to rub it in good. We won. WE won. WE WON and nobody can take it away from us.

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