Didn't read the whole thread but here are some comments:

1. Americans (about half) have no idea what socialism is, where by one has to differentiate between the one in Northern Europe and the one in former SVU or North Korea.

2. It is always interesting to see that often poor to middle-class people are against socialism, although a country like Denmark has the highest living standard in the world and US is far down. That tells me that those people are (wrongly) thinking that one day there is the American dream for them and they will be rich.

3. Racism is still going on here and who believes it changes with a black president is naive. However, racism is not typical American but typical human.

4. Unfortunately, I have to agree with some comments that Obama is not doing the job it was expected from him. However, like any other president he has to learn to be a president. Nobody is born that way. His bipartisan ideas, forget them. Just push democratic ideas. Those were the ones who voted for him. Obama has to learn to make decisions whithout making everybody happy. That is impossible.