So, seriously, my DU pals - did any of us really think this "change" thing would be easy?

[NRaleighLiberal]

Each day I read TPM and DU (and am led to other noteworthy news tangents). I lived and loathed the last 8 years. I worked to help get our fine president elected. Most days I shake my head, I get pissed off, I thump tables, I go on rants -

But really, deep down inside - we are smart people here at DU, we knew the score going in.....we know the forces aligned against change.

Are any of us really surprised at what is being thrown at Progress and Change?

[villager]

1. The problem is what's being thrown at progress and change from *inside* the administration

...and the Democratic party...

[DURHAM D]

2. To what specific "change" do you refer? nt

[NRaleighLiberal]

10. I think is the change in general from BizarroBush world, back to the light.

So a whole package of change - the atmosphere, discourse, the specific policies and challenges - you name it.

[WillParkinson]

3. Yes, I am...

You stand in front of a group of people, you smile sweetly, you whisper sweet words to them, tell them what they want to hear, you get elected, and suddenly it seems like you are a whole different person than the one people stood with only a short time ago.

I had expected more of Mr. Obama. Sadly, just like with nearly every other politician all I got was promises and very little substance. (Though I still hold out hope, but even that only goes so far.)

[DURHAM D]

5. While reading your first paragraph I thought of Michael Douglas...

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

12. Don't give me that.

I just did a search on your posts and you've been hating on Obama for over a year and a half. Don't tell me you "expected more" - you never wanted to like him in the first place.

[WillParkinson]

36. I do not "hate" on anyone...

I disagree with Mr. Obama on some things. I also agree with him on some. I freely admit, he was not my choice in the primary. I also admit that my view of him was tainted by some of the things he has done (from Donny McClurkin to Rick Warren at the invocation), but he is my President. I do want him to succeed. Because I am a vocal critic does not mean I am "hating" on him.

[Peacetrain]

4. Not a bit..Knew it would be hard.. and most of us agreed it would

I am sometimes a little more than surprised to read "some" posts from people who before hand knew it was going to be a tough slog, and now, have a different view.

So nope, not surprised, and not disillusioned, kinda of knew we would be here exactly at this point. Resolved and ready for war is more where I am at now :hi:

[atreides1]

6. We expected things to be tough

But we knew the enemy in front of us, it was the potential enemies in our midsts that we never figured on.

"A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear. The traitor is the plague."

[niceypoo]

7. We are in total control

Someone please tell Obama. Obamas "Republicans first" policy of appointments makes no sense whatsoever. Obamas continuation of Bush policies isnt change.

[paulk]

8. I always thought that "change we can believe in"

was just another empty campaign slogan - but, even so, I've been surprised by how much of a centrist Obama has actually been, especially in dealing with the powers that be vis a vis the economy. He got handed an opportunity to affect some real change, and has so far shown a dearth of leadership in that area. Of course, I thought his being sold as a "leader" was also rhetoric, since he had no real record of leadership in his previous political career.

I know that will be an unacceptably harsh assessment for many here at DU, but I had truly expected more - especially considering the large Democratic majorities in Congress.

As evidenced by those Democratic gains, the country is clearly moving in a more liberal direction - and to drag out another cliche - I'm remembering that bumpersticker I used to see all the time - "if the people lead, the leaders will follow". Hopefully, at some point, Obama will follow, and become the leader he promised us he would be.

[rudy23]

9. Didn't think it would be so hard that Obama would reverse so many positions so quickly

It's not the amount of time things are taking, it's the direction Obama's moving in that frightens Democrats.

[scheming daemons]

20. Oh bullshit.... he hasn't reversed... you just didn't listen to him during the campaign

He's reversed from Kucinich's positions.... not from his own.

[democracy1st]

23. to many dayum centrists playing his ass for a fool,guarantee you

at the end of the day he'll wish he appointed more liberals/progressives

[rudy23]

24. I seemed to remember something about "change"

Not---go vote for Kucinich if you want someone to represent the people over the corporations.

[scheming daemons]

28. You're getting change... you just refuse to see it, or recognize it.... or....

"it's not the change that I want, therefore it is not change at all!"

[rudy23]

30. It's not the change that was discussed and implied and you KNOW it!

Hence, these weak defenses.

[NRaleighLiberal]

34. It is wimpy windowdressing change. The wealthy/powerful cannot allow true change,

because it means loss of their power.

[earth mom]

11. I haven't seen one bit of change. I knew what was coming during the primaries.

Same shit, different day.

[Spazito]

13. Yep, same shit, different day...

and I am NOT referring to the Obama administration's actions.

[SeattleGirl]

16. Not one bit, huh?

Do you always walk around with your eyes closed and your ears plugged?

[scheming daemons]

21. Nope.. not one bit, apparently

Sotomayor? Not a change

Stem cells? Not a change.

Stimulus? Not a change.

Begin pulling out of Iraq? Not a change.

Ledbetter act? Not a change.

Engaging foreign countries in honest dialog? Not a change.




All of those things were true under Bush, dontcha know.

[rudy23]

25. No disrespect to those accomplishments, but you know that's not what was meant by "CHANGE"

CHANGE was supposed to be a change from politicians who sold us out, to a guy who said he was not letting one lobbyist work in his administration.

Now, he's letting the lobbyists dictate the negotiation---one in which we should have all the leverage. We're not blind, we can see him giving away most of the farm from here.

[scheming daemons]

26. I disagree.... Change was "Change from Reaganism/Bushism"

But... you live your life looking for the cloud in the silver lining.

If something's 90% good, you rail about the 10% bad.


I get that.


This is a *GOOD* Health Care Bill (the House version). Perfect? no.


But, to you, anything less than perfect is a "sell out".



We get it.


All or nothing.

[rudy23]

29. Talk about setting the bar LOW! HAHAHAHA!

That should've been his slogan---Hey, he's better than Bush!

[earth mom]

40. I pay attention, I connect dots, I read and read and read and I don't censor information

that is negative about your dear leader by unwrecking it.

Which is more than can be said about you and your buddies no doubt. :eyes:

What's your mantra?

"See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil?"

Denial. Denial. Denial.

Yep, that about sums up your groupie like behavior.

[OwnedByFerrets]

14. It certainly didn't seem to be that hard to send this country

to hell in a handbasket.

[SeattleGirl]

15. Unfortunately, it's usually a lot easier to fuck something up than it

is to fix it.

[Autumn]

17. Never thought it would be, but

what I find difficult to tolerate is that a good part of the forces aligned against it are in our party.

[Jennicut]

18. Nope. Especially when we have so called Dems named Baucus who tell the Prez he is not helping

Really, these conservadems piss me off.

[PretzelWarrior]

19. agreed. kicked and recommended

[mopinko]

22. still waiting

scott peterson story? :puke:

[high density]

27. I overestimated Congress' ability to not be Republican and work with the Democratic president.

The House is borderline OK but the Senate is overflowing with people of both parties owned by corporations.

[rug]

31. It's a hell of a lot easier than spackling the status quo.

[PurityOfEssence]

32. It's a lot easier when you actually try.

Health care must be done in a way that makes the profiteers of death happy.

Financial systems must be sustained because they are, by definition, "good", and any regulation must pass muster with those whose very fibers are bent to subverting them.

Fighting global warming is important, as long as major corporations can still have their entitled riches protected, even if it's to a degree that the danger isn't averted.

Labor support must have a kindler and gentler face to it so the titans of industry aren't spooked.

Free Trade must be knelt before and have its signet ring kissed, no matter how many schlubs get kicked to the gutter.

War in Afghanistan must be continued to prove that we're not weak Democrats. Or is it that we really think that Islamists can't plan attacks against us from anywhere else? Or is it that pipeline? Or is it just the knee-jerk fulfillment of a campaign pledge, regardless of the pointlessness?

Israel must be supported in its continued encroachment on ostensibly Palestinian lands.

The big joke is that these half-measures serve to not correct the problems and don't appease the reactionaries. It's like a replay of the Clinton Administration: suck up to the monarchists and drag the party and the country even farther to the right, while still reaping the blame and ire of the entrenched forces of power.

Let's not even talk about religion.

[NRaleighLiberal]

33. Well stated. I think the PEOPLE have the will to change, but not the LEADERS.

And it is because the vast majority are seduced by GREED. It is hard for me to see a real, true, authentic way forward - not only for our country but for the world.

[JNelson6563]

35. Not just easy but instant too!

Like a bunch of over-indulged children. Damn sad to see.

Julie

[K8-EEE]

37. Post bushco it's like untangling mountains of knots with ticking time bombs everywhere

I understand it's going to take time.

[falcon97]

38. Easy? No. Easier? Yes.

I was under no illusions about 60 Dem Senators being all that it was made up to be. The power, or maybe it's the ability, of the so-called moderates to neuter much of the stimulus and now health care has been surprising.

I hate to blame the media for part of what's happened, but the coverage of the expected change has been surprising. The sudden *intense* concentration on deficit spending from virtually every angle and news source has emboldened conservatives and made it difficult to get through the large changes that are needed.

[omega minimo]

39. Did we know the "forces aligned against change" would be embedded in the Admin and Government?