Stop Bashing Obama

[stubtoe]

Mark Juergensmayer Huffpo

The frustration over the inability of Congress to pass any kind of meaningful legislation has now turned into major Obama-bashing from the left. One op-ed piece after another has railed against the president's "centrism," "capitulation to the right," and "pointless compromise." As if any other position could be effective in today's political climate.



Despite the unpopularity of the Republicans' elitist positions, they bank on the notion that the president will be blamed for the ineffectiveness of government, and for the damage to the economy that they, in fact, have caused.

The Obama-bashing from the left plays into their hands. What the president needs right now is our laser-like focus on the cause of our political mess: the Tea Party Congress and the Republican leadership that manipulates it for their political gain.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. Stop bashing the people.

Deal?

[tblue]

9. Yeah. It's our fault.

If we would only just nod and smile, Obama would be reelected in a landslide so we can have 4 more years of capitulation. I don't much like condoning bad behavior.

[MissDeeds]

30. +1000

This old blame the left meme is really wearing thin. If Obama does something we disagree with, we're supposed to be quiet, suck it up, and vote for more of the same. What BS.

[Marnie]

42. What you said!

[Badsam]

56. +1000

[SusanaMontana41]

48. But but condoning bad behavior is being the "adult in the room."

Doesn't capitulation feel reasonable now?

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Bluzmann57]

3. The next to last paragraph says it all

"Despite the unpopularity of the republicans elitist positions..." The repukes know that and are playing it just right, so to speak. They want not only the right to rip the President, which they will do anyway, they are intent on making the Left bash him as well. And it seems to be working.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

11. It's not happening in a vaccuum.

The Prez can exert influence. After all, his party controls 2/3 of government.

:think:

[movonne]

17. I really don't know about that...maybe the corporations own 2/3 of

the government...

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

19. That's the whole point.

Which makes this whole thread ridiculous.

[certainot]

78. but the opponent does not believe in democracy, does not play by the rules, assassinates dem senato

rs, and dominates media (mostly because the left ignores talk radio - the right's best weapon).

and where do you think we'd be if we had a republican president? we'd be in iran too.

[creon]

62. It is working

It is the nature of politics.

[DonCoquixote]

4. Neither extreme fits

We do need to keep pressure on Obama, but we also need to let the GOP know that even if we are angry at him, they are simply unaccpetable, and that we will do what it takes, even vote for Obama, to keep THEM OUT!

[William769]

5. Promises change, changes promise.

[polmaven]

6. K&R..

I hope you have your flame proof suit on, though!

[myrna minx]

7. So it's not the message or the horrendous policies that are the problem, it's the American People.

Gotcha. How about the politicians stop bashing the American People, and we'll do so in kind.

[tblue]

8. Good luck getting everybody to shut up.

Wouldn't it be easier just to get him to stand firm on Democratic policies? Which do you think is easier?

[MannyGoldstein]

10. "I don't give them Hell.

I just tell the truth about them and they think it's Hell."
- Harry Truman, who never tried to slash Social Security

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

13. Or I compliment them.

2 strategies.

2 different results.

[Enthusiast]

28. PLUS ONE!.......nt

[awoke_in_2003]

53. I just had that quote...

running through my head.

[AC_Mem]

12. I agree

Those who bash are dividing the democratic party as much as the other party is dividing theirs. If Wisconsin taught us anything, it is that when we stand together UNITED, we are a powerful entity. At this point in time we should stand strong and encourage the President to stand strong.

Bashing him is what the GOTeaparty does, are we now taking lessons from them?

I'm almost ready to leave DU because I'm just sick of it. I stand behind President Obama. I wish he could do more but I pay attention and I can clearly see that no matter what he does, the GOP will block and send out a negative message. They are jumping up and down with glee that democrats are joining them in critizing President Obama.

I stand with the President.

Annette
Memphis TN

[bahrbearian]

26. Do you stand with him wearing comfortable walking shoes?

[BiggJawn]

47. Those comfortable shoes he was gonna walk picket lines in?

Yeah, whatever happened to that?
The contrasts between Candidate Obama and President Obama.

Ooooh, excuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuse me! I didn't mean to
"bash"

[Chan790]

45. -1 for a boring pre-GBCW post. n/t

[Larkspur]

14. Tell Obama to start behaving like a Democrat and a leader

His idol, Ronnie Reagan, was a B rated actor and a B rated President. Why does Obama aim low?

[bowens43]

15. stop defending Obama

he's a miserable failure.

[banned from Kos]

29. Lots of dumbass "true progressives" working for the repeal of

HCR and FinReg. Not me - support all that and more.

[abq e streeter]

16. I for one, apologize for my occasionally bashing our President.

I will from here on out, force myself to live in a fantasy world where he has consistently, and assertively stood up to the insanity and general venality of the republicans , didn't give in to 98 % of what John Boehner wanted, and hasn't made capitulation and reneging on virtually everything he pretended to stand for during his campaign, the signature feature of his presidency.

[mzmolly]

20. And, I will pretend that John Boehner is a truth teller and that Obama hasn't

done one good thing for the country. I'll also pretend that the President "capitulated" and "caved" on legislation because he didn't act as a King, and force a democratic nation to adhere every nuance of his specific vision.

[Chan790]

46. How do you defeat extremism?

That's not a rhetorical question, there is an answer. One (and only one!!) proven time and again and again throughout history.

You refuse to compromise with hysterical extremists, regardless of the threat they make. As the misery resulting of their actions increases, you continue to clearly and unwaveringly lay out your vision. In time, hearing only one rational discourse, the middle rises with you and slaughters your opposition in the streets and in their beds (usually metaphorically, though nobody is so foolhardy to deny the past-and-present existence of political violence.)

Compromise does not work. To commit to a consistent course of action of compromise in the face of irrational extremism is to fail over and over and over. This is why one does not compromise with extremists. Ever.

The President is a failure because he is a compromiser. He is a compromiser because he is a failure. QED. Water is wet. Dogs hate cats. Michele Bachmann is crazy. Thus it is as it ever was and ever will be.

Forever-and-ever. Amen.

[mzmolly]

50. So we should have defaulted on the debt?

Gotcha.

[Chan790]

51. If he'd not spent the full first two years of his presidency...

rolling over and going belly-up to capitulate:

1.) We'd still have both houses of Congress.
2.) They'd never have pulled that shit even if they did have the House.

We never pulled that shit on Bush because we knew that motherfucker wasn't going to compromise, he was going to stand resolute, laying out his fucked-up Gordon-Geckoesque vision of America (which people liked honestly. We might have hated it but to many Americans it was clear, it was compelling and it was resolute. We like clear, compelling and resolute as a country. This President won on clear, compelling and resolute then promptly put it in his back-pocket, never to be seen again.) and we were going to come out of it looking like we wanted to destroy the country. This President compromised and now both parties look like they're not out for the American people. So, yes...again, all the President has to do to win with the public is not compromise his principles to the GOP and lay-out his vision in clear and compelling terms.

Negotiation only works if both sides are negotiating and you show the good-faith to walk away entirely if the other faction has no intention to put any skin in the game. Obama works from the fail-first premise of "If I just compromise my values a little bit more, maybe they'll like me...they'll really really really like me!" Nobody likes or respects a cowering simp though.

The President has failed, his presidency is a failure. We can try to avoid facing that reality (well...you can avoid trying to face that reality; I already did.) or we can send a clear message that if he does not change his approach, tactics and first-instinct to compromise, if he does not develop a spine to stand tall and make the GOP eat its' failures rather than capitulating at the last minute because he lacks convictions...then he will not deserve a second term whether he wins one or not & his second term will be as fail-filled as the first was.

It's as simple as being clear, compelling and resolute. Successful Presidents are clear, compelling and resolute. They do not engage in wholesale compromising except as a rare last resort.

[mzmolly]

58. Bush had a sound majority in the house/senate for six years.

Remember? He also lied his ass off about (nu'kular) weapons in Iraq. Remember?

It's easy to be 'resolute' when you're a simpleton whose agenda is "lower taxes/start war" - check and check. Not to mention, being a cult leader.

[chervilant]

55. Wow...

Just what we need, more 'leftists' promulgating red herrings for the uber wealthy...

[mzmolly]

57. Answer my question.

:hi:

[chervilant]

63. Really?

Here is one of many resources that you might peruse in your search for answers. Social Security, medicare and medicaid should NEVER HAVE BEEN CONFLATED WITH THE RIDICULOUS DEBT CEILING KABUKI THEATER!

The vast majority of US citizens blithely and ignorantly coasted through multiple 'debt ceiling' increases during the Bush junta. WHO, specifically, benefits from fear-mongering about *this* particular increase in the nation's debt ceiling? WHO benefits from dismantling our nation's social safety net?!

Mr. Obama evinced a rather condescending tone when he declared: "We must eat our peas." And, he pegged the meter on condescension when he asserted that "YOU progressives" view the glass as "half empty." (Cenk provided a great commentary on this stark glimpse of Obama's apparent disdain for progressives.) As a chronically unemployed teacher, I don't need Obama's paternalistic condescension, I need a JOB! But, irony of ironies, our POTUS said NOTHING about job creation the entire time he was helping promulgate the debt ceiling red herrings.

A growing number of us are appalled at Obama's glib performance in these debt ceiling theatrics. You can dismiss or belittle our concerns until the cows come home; you won't change the fact that our concerns have merit.

[mzmolly]

64. Was that a yes

or a no?

[Name removed]

67. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mzmolly]

71. I have no idea

who the hell you are. Thankfully, your opinion isn't important to me.

[chervilant]

73. Bwahahahaha!

:rofl:

[mzmolly]

74. I didn't think you could top your previous juvenile

commentary. You prove me wrong on that.

Oh, and now I know who you are.

"Unconditional Love and Self-Realization are not just psychobabble buzzwords. In the spirit of Eleanor Roosevelt, Mother Teresa, Abraham Maslow, Martin Luther King, Albert Schweitzer, Mahatma Gandhi and countless other humans, both known and unknown, I celebrate the human spirit and strive to embody unconditional love and self-realization." :eyes:

http://www.blogger.com/profile/03622747612196727867

Not that I care...

[chervilant]

68. Sigh...

Given the likelihood you're sarcastically rhetorically asking that question, knowing full well the US would NOT default on its debts, I encourage you to consider this:

Recently, Obama admiringly quoted St. Ronnie, during whose administration this nation's massive economic train wreck first occurred. Ronald Reagan spent more than EVERY other president before him COMBINED. Our country saw its first trade deficit EVER during his reign of terror. Does anyone else remember how the intractable Ronnie Raygun irrevocably damaged unions when he fired the air traffic controllers? Does anyone else remember how he embraced Uncle Miltie's catastrophic economic creed?

The uber wealthy corporatists, who installed Reagan in office for their express purposes, grew ever MORE wealthy and powerful during his tenure. So, WHAT is it that Mr. Obama admires about Mr. Reagan?!

How about this patronizing little sound bite from Mr. Obama during the Debt Ceiling Kabuki Theater:

Now, every family knows that a little credit card debt is manageable. But if we stay on the current path, our growing debt could cost us jobs and do serious damage to the economy.

WTF?! Mr. Obama needs to use the correct tense when discussing job losses and serious damage to our economy--especially NOW that the wrecked engine of our economy is FINALLY grinding to a halt. We are already witness to the relentless crumbling of this global economy, quite the logical outcome of decades of unfettered hedonism from the disaster capitalists.

What say you about this, from our Paternalistic POTUS:

"We must eat our peas."

Really, Mr. President? How presumptuous to use peas (a most delicious vegetable) as an analogy for the austerity measures shit sandwich we're expected to swallow.

Actually, Mr. Obama pegged the meter on condescension when he asserted that "YOU progressives" view the glass as "half empty," rather than half full. Like SO many other jobless, soon-to-be-homeless citizens in our beleaguered nation, I DON'T need Mr. Obama's condescension; I need a JOB!!!

Which brings me to this final observation:

Obama's appointment of Arne Duncan as SecEd, ALONE, put a huge question mark in my mind about his integrity. Then, his casual dismissal of teachers as 'resistant to change' provided an accurate, if disheartening, picture of his attitude towards a profession that is VENERATED in nations that excel at educating their citizenry. How many teachers (firefighters, union workers) support him now?

Mr. Obama (and his sycophants) can ignore our anger, or he can hear our concerns. Dismissing us as whiners, malcontents, or pathetically misinformed is both disingenuous and disrespectful, and it will NOT help us save this nation.

[mzmolly]

69. Again, was that a yes?

:hi:

[mzmolly]

18. "The Obama-bashing from the left plays into their hands."

Yep.

[chervilant]

70. hmph

"The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the Nation as a whole. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile. To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else."

Teddy Roosevelt, May 7, 1918 (emphasis mine)

Rove and others are ecstatic when 'liberals' and 'progressives' promulgate their red herrings.

[FogerRox]

21. I do not recognize myself in that description

Even Chris Matthews is taking the issue of Job creation and taking point. If the jobs meme continues to spread thru the media, and the economy continues to slide towards Nov 2012 will
Mark Juergensmayer continue these articles, sticking to the same thing repeatedly, regardless if it continues to fail.

More and more folks are asking why Obama does nothing on jobs, lets see if this goes beyond Krugman, Riech and now Chris Matthews.

[bemildred]

22. If he doesn't like the heat, he should stay out of the kitchen. nt

[Fly by night]

23. It's Obama's flip-flopping and faintheartedness -- not Congressional inefficiency -- that's lost me.

[obxhead]

24. When Obama stands up and fights

for Democratic principals and values the bashing from the left will stop.

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Enthusiast]

27. Where are the investigations and indictments

for Wall Street crimes?

Bush admitted torture. President Obama just can't arbitrarily decide that we will "look forward" on war crimes. This is absurd. There is the rule of law to consider. Doesn't Obama remember the 1990s when the Republicans impeached Clinton over a fucking blow job? Has he never heard of the Nuremberg trials? Doesn't he know that after WWII the allies executed NAZIs and Imperial Japanese for torturing allied soldiers? If he doesn't know this he isn't qualified to be my president.

Oh, fuck. If that was all.

Of course Obama is responsible for nothing the rabid right claims he is. Yet, he has betrayed me in so many ways.

Either he is under the control of some super powerful unknown entity or he is a President that does not share my ideology. I suspect it is the later because he actually expressed admiration for Reagan. No one that knows 20th century history and is a true Democrat could possibly admire Reagan.

[MissDeeds]

31. Agreed n/t

[stubtoe]

32. Has anyone read the article?

Just checking.

[Enthusiast]

34. We just make up our responses

out of thin air. You knew that!

[MisterP]

33. so, enacting Republican policies, proposing Republican policies, and excluding those

who dissent against Republican policies = fighting the Republicans
complaining about Republican policies = playing into Republicans' hands

I can see why his (remaining) followers can claim he gave us universal healthcare and got us out of Iraq and Afghanistan...
I mean, it's almost like the two orgs the Kochs fund (i.e., the Teabaggers and the DLC) produce people with identical mentalities...

[rms013]

35. Two party politics

This is two corporate parties. Both have the same masters. One boils the frog slowly the other throws it into boiling water. In either case the frog dies. If you do not have economic power or influence you are the frog.

[Bluenorthwest]

36. Democracy and free speech is bad for poor Obama who

is unable, do you hear me, unable to speak his mind as long as even one Republican is in Congress. What tripe. The apologists are in full swing today, bloody fists flying and the insults hurling. All 'for Obama'.

[creon]

61. poor Obama?

oh really?

[yurbud]

37. indeed. congress helped, especially Senate, when they refused to change filibuster rule

someone is not a hostage if they refused to disarm their captor when they had a chance.

[colbertforpresident]

38. I Voted For Obama

and he rightly deserves to be bashed. he too sold us out. He's another tool of the multinational corporations and the banking industry. He talks the talk but does not walk the walk. Instead of prosecuting the people that robbed us he appointed them to cabinet positions and economic advisors. He sucks and so does every republican candidate, the system is corrupt and he is a part of it.

[lindalou65]

39. maybe the next POTUS will be a Rethug!

shall we help or hinder Obama's re-election? I will support him.

[Heathen57]

40. I think Obama just wants my money

and not me. He and his staff have repeatedly called progressive names and brush us off. The real roots of the Democratic party are too "crazy" for him and the 'real Democrats'.

If I give money to a party, I expect to have a voice in the way it is run. And that is not something that the present Democratic party will allow.

Don't piss on me and tell me it's raining.

[Marnie]

41. You convinced me.

As soon as I pull the knives out of my back, and buy a life time's supply of cat food with my SS while it still has some value, I'll start writing scathing comments about Republicans, also.

Oh,wait, I already write scathing comments about Republican,also. Does that mean I have to keep living with those knives sticking out of me?

I have an Act Blue account, Do you?

[Skittles]

43. MARNIE YOU ARE MY KIND OF GAL

yes INDEED :hi:

[Fearless]

66. +1000!

[Jakes Progress]

44. Another in a long line of "poor helpless Obama" pleas.

Not very good at nuance. The public knows the difference between tea partyers and Obama. They know how bad the tea party is. They also know the president hasn't been very bright or very much of a fighter when combatting the tea party. It often seems that he doesn't really mind some of their agenda.

[creon]

60. No

the key words are "often seems"

[AlmostUlyanov]

49. Good Idea!

Handed a shit sandwich from the get-go, wtf ELSE do you expect from him?

[Doctor_J]

52. HOw far are we supposed to go with this?

Do we have to cheer when he signs legislation banning unions?

Maybe he could throw us a bone once in awhile (hint: Stop trying to give away Social Security)

[awoke_in_2003]

54. another "Sit down and STFU post" nt

[creon]

59. Go ahead

Go ahead and 'bash' Obama. It is a free country.
This is not new.
Abolitionists bashed Lincoln.
Leftists ( as in actual socialists) and some black leaders bashed FDR.
Henry Wallace ran against Truman in 1948.
Conservatives bashed Reagan.
Kennedy ra against Cater for the 1980 nomination.

None of this is new.

Presidents will, always, disappoint their most fervent partisans. It is the nature of politics.

[Fearless]

65. Stop telling liberals to be Republicans. Silence is a condoning act. n/t

[Hydrated]

72. Good idea!

He's doing what he can under toxic conditions!

[stubtoe]

79. A lot of people do not seem to understand that. nt

[Fearless]

75. Also: LEAVE BRITTANY ALONE!!!11!!111!

[Citizen Worker]

76. I will as soon as he quits bashing the working class.

[certainot]

77. yes it is the left's fault- they don't even know what the right's best weapon is

much less do anything about it so it kicks internet ass.

and the naive new voters can't figure out why they can't win and why the black man couldn't waltz into the white billionaire's house and do whatever they wanted.

you are right. most of his critics are doing the republicans a favor and not voting in 2012 like in 2010 to teach dems a lesson will get us into a war with iran.

and all you who didn't vote in 2010 - fuck you very much..

[Shaundra]

80. "bashing" may be "criticizing" to others

It depends on the person's point of view.

[People for Polity]

81. Obama

Let's just hope he pushes his progressive campaign promises should he win a second term.

[Larkspur]

82. If the best Obama and his minions can do is bully the Democratic base, then

they have failed as leaders.

I'm a Notre Dame alumna. Knute Rockne never bullied his players. He inspired them.

When Obama and his aides bully and bash the Democratic base then they are admitting that they are incompetent leaders. They should resign so we can find someone else to take their place.