In the inevitable analogy to Abraham Lincoln that Barack Obama [2] has deftly exploited, it is largely forgotten that Lincoln was only pushed to an emancipationist position by two years of civil war. Similarly, whether Obama will embrace a more sweeping agenda—re-negotiate NAFTA [3], nationalize the banks [4], instate a "Green New Deal [5]"—may depend on how deeply the American system goes into crisis over the next years. Our January Exit Poll was: "Will Barack Obama be radicalized in office by historical circumstance as Lincoln was?" We received the following responses:
From Margery "Prairie Dog" Coffey in Rosalie, Nebraska:
I certainly hope so. Indications are that Obama does listen and is willing to change. That would give room for hope. On the other hand, will he listen to the people more than the Washington "experts" crowd who have got us into the current mess? It is very isolating to stuff your cabinet with the same old sad-ass crew and not realistic to think they will come up with new ideas.
From the pithy, not to say taciturn, S. McAlpine, somewhere in cyberspace:
Of course.
See our last Exit Poll results [6].
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