General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Obama should do nothing... [View all]TM99
(8,352 posts)I responded in that thread that I have mixed feelings.
I am consistent in my criticisms of Obama. And this is what they center around. He presented himself as a populist, a liberal, and a supporter of the people. No I was not starry eyed about his marketing campaign. Hell I did not even vote for him in 2008 (neither did I vote for McCain!)
But he has consistently governed as a Reagan Democrat. His entire cabinet is full of bankers and corporate CEO's. The ACA is not health care, it is health insurance. How long now will it take us to actually get a true European style single payer universal health care in this country after that?
Arne Duncan, his education Secretary, seems more interested in courting the private sector and pleasing them than the actual teachers in the American system of education.
The TPP is a smack in the face towards labor and American workers but an absolute boon for corporations.
So yeah, I am critical of a plan that involves Apple, one of the worst American corporations for tax evasion. They get another tax write off while still holding all of their profits overseas. How many of the publishers are getting these same kinds of potential write offs.
In my case, and speaking for myself only personally, there have been plenty of times that I wish Obama had simply done nothing. There are others, sadly fewer, where I am glad he did. After evolving on 'gay rights', I was pleased to finally see him step up and challenge marriage inequality in this country. A few social issues not withstanding, that has not been enough for me.