This country does not deserve Obama

[AzNick]

All you Obama critics need to cool down a minute.

You probably had your own internal image of an Obama who was totally different from the man he really is, and you need to chill out a little bit.

You knew the guy would escalate the war in Afghanistan to "finish the job" (whatever that is), because he said he would, and you voted for him anyway, so you probably need to learn to read fine prints next time to sign anything.

You also need to stop freaking out each time something is not done the exact way you'd like. This is only year #1 of his term and he inherited a big mess.

When I see Obama I see a smart, genuinely honest guy who wants to change things for the better.

What is blinding you so much that you can't realize the man has been hard at work, working on so many different things, but just not fast enough, not hard enough according to you?

This is a big fat ship to steer, and the steering wheel was just turned around to avoid what could be viewed as a big reef. We're just initiating the turn.

Health reform is taking much much longer than expected. Obviously Obama was over-confident in the fact that he could rally some of the Republicans and that the all of the Democrats in Congress would do what's right and what their base wanted. Well, he was wrong. Lesson learned. And that lesson, we all learned it. I am appalled by the Republicans, even more by the Democrats in Congress. Not all. The few, the idiotic. And the idiotic 60% majority rule. Which other civilized nation has this rule? Seriously? Bueller?

He thought the media would play nice and besides one certain "news" channel, be truly fair. After all they let Bush get away with murders. He was wrong and, again, we all learned a lesson.

I don't envy his position, but he took the decision to run for it and I am glad he did, because he proves to be a smart man, even if I don't agree with all of his positions.

Would I be president, we would be out of Afghanistan, Guantanamo would be closed, gay marriage would be on the front burner as well as a solid package to help small business, pressuring the banks to give credits. Of course I would have personally lobbied Congress for healthcare reform and this would have been done in July, even if I had to give a fellatio here, a cunnilingus there.

Oh maybe not. Maybe I would realize how complex this job is, how extremely complex and convoluted the entire situation is and I would have run for the hills by now, if my acid reflux would not have killed me by boring a huge hole in my thorax from the stress.

This is only the beginning. So far I don't see a promise he has not kept yet, even the less popular ones (sending more troops to Afghanistan). He is late on some of them (Guantanamo is still up and running), and very tame on others.

I truly believe that he has saved us from a huge economic collapse. Yes, a few mistakes were made. Our nation got even more into debt when we bailed out the banks and in return they stop lending to small businesses and raised rates on credit cards, even on those with high credit scores. Yes, a big caveat should have been included, including a bonus freeze and a few layoffs at the top of these banks. Another lesson learned.

What I did learn though is that one nation could have a big idiot at its helm and reelect this idiot even after he's made a mess and allowed a major terrorist attack on our soil, let our enemy run away because he was a childhood buddy as well as a needed Boogieman for a future war we were lied into and finally allowed the biggest economic crisis since 1929 to happen.

What I also learned is that the next poor chump who tries to fix the mess would have to be blamed, no matter what he does or does, no matter what he tries to achieve, simply because he is just a regular dude after, and by that I mean not perfect.

Maybe next time we need to elect an idiot. You know what? I would purposely vote for this idiot, because that's what this country deserves.

I don't think this country deserves Obama.

[quiet.american]

1. Mature. Reasonable. K&R. nt

[Sherman A1]

46. Agreed

He is not the guy I wanted, but he is as close to that guy as I could get (that is the way the primary thing works and I understand that, perhaps others don't). I do believe that with our situation as dire and complex as it is both in economics, environment and foreign relations that he is the smartest guy in the room and I am much happier he has the job as opposed to the Esteemed Senator from Arizona.

[Bluebear]

"even if I had to give a fellatio here, a cunnilingus there." - yes, very mature & reasonable

[closeupready]

79. Note to self: read completely - I thought you were kidding, but he actually posted that in the OP.

Disgraceful.

[QC]

85. That's what passes for intelligent political discourse around here now. n/t

[quiet.american]

86. Well, there certainly are immature ways to describe those actions. nt

[Bluebear]

122. I don't need a lecture about fellatio & cunnilingus, no matter what you call them.

Really.

[Jim Sagle]

2. Whadda crocka chickenshit bullshit.

[AzNick]

9. You are free to disagree

But you don't have to use that language.

How about giving me your opinion on why and where you think I am wrong?

Are we turning into a left wing freeperville?

[Jim Sagle]

26. If we are, you help make it that way.

You don't GET to tell us what we deserve, although I will point that we voted for a Democrat. Did we get one?

[Violet_Crumble]

31. He wasn't telling *you* what you deserve...

He was talking about what the US deserved, something he's got every right to do. And he's not the one who's making this place a LW version of FR - you are.

[Jim Sagle]

173. Like you know. Or care. But hey, nice to see you here.

:hi:

[natrat]

50. yea a supposed democrat that went back on most every important campaign promise

[AzNick]

64. It is my opinion, I have the right to express it

I do not agree with what you say but will not use foul language to say it and on top of that, I would either add some substance to my opposition to your opinion or shut up.

[salguine]

133. I'll use the language then. Whadda crocka chickenshit bullshit. Obama's turned out

to be a bigger corporate whore than Bill Clinton.

[The Wielding Truth]

139. How would you turn this corrupt shell of a democracy around?

If... you didn't follow the *'s skeleton of stifling laws written to stop your every move, you didn't have to massage the egos of an military who could take anyone out if they felt threatened, and you didn't have to press logic and concern against a corporate power house that can sway the public any way it wishes. Tell me that if you turned into Kucinich you wouldn't be marginalized and tripped up and spit out.

I think, as long as they feel they can use him they let him stay and he can slowly rebuild the shambles left in the wake of so may years of greed placed above all.

I had no illusions that he was a messiah, but I knew he would be better for the country than anything else out there.

Let's get real and keep the snakes from his ankles so he can dig us out of this hole. He has given all this more thought than you give him credit, and he has not given up. Neither should we.

[goclark]

159. You are making too much sense ~ you will be called a lot of names here

Brave but right on the money!

:patriot:

[shadesofgray]

164. +1

[HughMoran]

172. Ummmm,

Isn't the +1 the most chickenshit bullshit coward thing that a poster who has nothing to say can do?

Just askin'...

[Postman]

3. We deserve better.

Obama is as far to the "left" of a candidate that the corporate masters will allow to hold the Presidency.

How far to the "left" is Obama? According to political compass. org, he falls in the "Authoritarian Right" quadrant.....

http://www.politicalcompass.org/uselection2008

[ixion]

49. exactly

we voted for change, it would be nice it we'd see some.

[Enthusiast]

55. I would say your's is

the correct assessment.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

59. Posted hundreds of times during the primaries. There should be no surprise.

[inna]

101. Mike Gravel is this far to the right?? Doesn't seem to make sense.

:shrug:

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

113. Gravel:

[GreenArrow]

69. What's really funny about that

is that the political "center" he governs from is actually the space between his own spot on the grid and the Barr/McCain/ Palin cluster; the left corner of the grid and any positions represented within may as well not exist.

[treestar]

96. They represent a minority

Maybe that's the reason for it?

The teabaggers are also in the end ignored.

[GreenArrow]

132. Maybe, maybe not.

You'll note that save Kucinich and Gravel, all the Democratic candidates from the last primary season are on the authoritarian right quadrant. Maybe this is simply a right-leaning nation.

[otohara]

107. President Kucinich Will

NEVER HAPPEN!

But President Palin just might!

[rollingrock]

4. You're right

the American people deserve much better.

we voted for change we can believe in but got Bush's third term instead.

[Xenotime]

104. So, you are saying Obama lied?

[Bonobo]

5. And another thing....! (K&R)

Here's a quick lesson for all of you reading this about how to behave as a team. It is a concept the Japanese may refer to as "soto" (outside) and "ura" (inside). It is also a concept that Ronald Reagan understood about politics.

Basically, if you have some complaint about a team/family/party member, keep it PRIVATE. Don't hang your dirty laundry out and don't bicker in front of the other side.

You people at DU who post thread after thread of crap about Obama now... I won't even honor you by asking "what do you think you will accomplish with it?".
No, I will not ask this. Because it is self-evident. It will NOT accomplish any goals that you DO want, but it will likely lead to a result that you do NOT want, namely ushering in another 8 or 12 years of Republicans. Let me repeat. It. Will. Accomplish. Nothing. It is just self-serving bullshit to satisfy your own egos and I bet half of you know it too. If it makes you feel superior to tell all of us here that you are a true peace lover and abhor war and therefore Obama is a mouthpiece of the military-industrial complex, I say piss off somewhere else with your ego. Or better yet, write a nice effective letter to him or your senator or congressman. But do not post all day on DU and go googling for damaging articles about Obama that you will then cut and paste. Do not do this and PRETEND that you are accomplishing anything. You are not.

So, that's it. I am not happy about the Afghanistan build up, not one bit. But get your shit together people, or you will be looking at the end of this little experiment in a Democratic controlled congress and presidency.

[HipChick]

11. Thank you for posting what needed to be said

[Better Today]

17. Nope, you're right Obama isn't listening/reading us at all, that's clear.

[saracat]

19. What many are seeing is the reality that the end of this little experiment

as you call it may not mean as much as we thought. We have "Democrats" opposing reproductive frredom, unions, GBTL rights and advocating more senseless wars while the jobless are being told"funds are limited" and the private sector gets huge bailouts!

There was a time not so long ago I would have agreed with your post, but not now.Not any longer.We are supposed to be Democrats and have the freedom to speak our mind and hope our leaders listen.And quoting from Reagan isn't the way to command attention.
Our problem is that "when folks have the choice to vote for a republican and a republican they vote for a republican every time" and that is Truman, who also understood a bit about politics.

Perhaps many of us are mad as hell and we are not going to take it anyhmore, and there is nothing to be kept "private" about that anger.

[treestar]

99. Way to go out of your way to squeeze every possible negative and

gloomy interpretation of every single effin' issue!

[waiting for hope]

152. The "base" that is being thrown under the

bus is getting bigger by the day.

[EFerrari]

22. If posting to DU can bring down the Democratic Party, the party is in trouble!

lol
And here's some good advice for you, Bonobo: Basically, if you have some complaint about a team/family/party member, keep it PRIVATE.

[closeupready]

80. +1

:rofl:

[Marr]

27. You've got it upside down.

You aren't supposed to be loyal to politicians and political parties. They're supposed to be loyal to you.

You sound like a battered wife, insisting she got her black eye by walking into a door.

[AndrewP]

60. LOL. Well said.

[The Wielding Truth]

142. Yea, that's what I always said about the loyal bushies, but this is

not the same. Obama has to work in the constraints that are there. He is logical and methodical. He is what he is learning to be,plus what he has learned in his life. He has learned to coax and charm and he has learned to work with establishment to change it.Look at what he is doing. He is slowly turning our country around. If he acted the way we wished he would be out.
I see him sucking up to the republicans and I am puzzled. I watch him using Bush tactics and I am sickened. I look for the money sent to Corporate a..holes and I am angry. Then I step back and see a man working all the time, studying, planning, listening, and steering this ship.He has to play the game of politics. He is smart enough to do it, and tough enough to carry the load that we are not helping him hold.


God, I will not blast the only hope we have, because he hasn't taken us to nirvana in his first year or first term.

[Marr]

149. He's not turning this country around. He's maintaining course and increasing speed.

He's proven unwilling to reverse course on issues like illegal surveillance, Military Commissions, rendition, etc., etc. He's following one of the most extreme right-wing administrations in our country's history, and he won't reverse their most extreme positions. He hands out money to Wall Street like it's going out of style, and let's 'healthcare reform' stagnate into a bill that's shaping up to be so weak we'd be better off without it.

He isn't turning jack shit around, and he isn't trying. I'm sorry to say this, but the man just isn't on your side. He's a corporate approved, corporate "Democrat"-- nothing more.

[Bluebear]

189. .

[Art_from_Ark]

29. Actually, "ura" is closer to "behind the scenes"

and does not generally have a positive connotation

[Bonobo]

84. There's no negative connotation.

It's just the way it is, Art.

[Starry Messenger]

39. You think posting at DU will bring down the Democratic party?

Boy...that's...hmmm.

[Bluebear]

125. what ignoredamus said that?

[Sherman A1]

48. Just to add a small pov

The Esteemed President Reagan did not have to deal with the 24/7 cable news factor (well, as much as we have today) or the internet and blog-o-rama.

Things may have worked out a bit different (or perhaps not) had he had to do so.

Everyone has an opinion, now we can just spread it instantly around the globe.

[redqueen]

66. I think some want to end this little experiment... that we'll be better off

if we lose the WH and congress.

[treestar]

98. +1000

If their goals are what they claim they are, they would not be doing this.

[walldude]

108. LMFAO.. write a nice effective letter to my Congressman

That my friend is an oxymoron. There are no effective letters to congress. Unless you have the billions of dollars to back it up.

[Tigermoose]

123. Well said!

nt

[salguine]

134. So you're saying "if you don't like it, shut up." Well, I ain't gonna do that.

[nachosgrande]

150. I'm rec-ing this mutha...

I'm disappointed in what little progress we've seen, but if we tear the party apart right now, WE (the American people) will be in a world of hurt under the morons that pass for Republicans these days.

[Bluebear]

188. welcome back!

[dflprincess]

194. If the "little experiment in a Democratic controlled Congress and presidency"

fails it won't be because of us - it will be because those Democrats in Congress and the White House blew their chance.

I've begun to think they'd rather be the minority - that way they can get by making their empty promises without being expected to deliver on them.

[AzNick]

6. Another thing...

I don't pity him. I am sure he is enjoying every bit of it. He sees the big picture. He probably saw it in Chicago, in Harvard, in UCLA. I know there's something in it for him.

You know, my prediction since 2000 have been right. I know Bush would win, I would he would screw up badly, I knew this very stupid credit and banking system would fail eventually. I knew Kerry would lose, and that obama would win (I knew it since his convention speech of 2004 and told my wife then, and she thought I was a cook).

No, I am not a medium, I could not predict being laid off in 2001 or in 2005, so really I don't "see the future".

But when it comes to politics and world affairs, I have a bizarre habit of predicting what's coming next because I simply PAY ATTENTION.

I predict this man will go down to 40 or 45% in popularity before rising and being reelected in a landslide, and that Biden will not be his running mate in 2012.

Take the bet?

[Enthusiast]

56. HRC will be the running mate.

This is the boost they are planning on. This is why President Obama doesn't mind alienating his base the way he has. HRC supporters will put them over the top in 2012, that and a horrible GOP candidate like Palin or Romney.

Just a bit of speculation on my part.

[laughingliberal]

65. Having a candidate that wins the election is good

Having that same candidate reverse the Republican trickle down economic policies and work for Democratic principles would be very good.

[knightinwhitesatin]

184. I'll take that action

When Michael Moore, Dennis Kucinich, and Keith Olbermann are under the Democratic bus we have a problem........

[Ramulux]

7. Kind of agree

I agree that a lot of people don't realize how excellent Obama has performed in a historical context. In comparison to any other president he has accelerated positive change on a level unfathomable. However, that doesn't mean he can make bad decisions and expect us to just accept it. Escalating the war in Afghanistan is a terrible idea that is going to produce so much misery for so many people and just because Obama has performed admirably in other areas it does not excuse this decision.

[AzNick]

10. I agree: we should get out of Afghanistan

One thing we see he that he does not "play the polls", which is the sign of a true leader.

Bush would not have invaded Afghanistan in 2000 or Iraq in 2003. He turned the polls in the direction he wanted to play, which is smart, in a way, but of course evil.

[Ramulux]

13. I dont know

I would have to disagree, in some way I feel he almost plays the polls too well. One of the main problems I have with him is how is constantly attempting to take the middle road on any given issue. I see this as an attempt to garner favor from as wide a demographic as possible, however I could be wrong because I think this strategy has not worked out that well. He has ended up losing some of his liberal base by being non-partisan when it is unnecessary and unwise.

[jpak]

73. "Plays the polls too well" - what horseshit

If his Afghanistan policy was "poll driven" it would be very different from the one he proposed Tuesday night.

"He has ended up losing some of his liberal base"

Some of his so-called "liberal base" are nothing but malcontents that never supported him from the get-go.

and they are the one whining the loudest these days.

yup!

[laughingliberal]

83. I supported Obama enthusiastically and cried tears of joy when he won

but I am part of the 'liberal base' that is becoming disillusioned. I was not surprised by the Afghanistan policy. Don't particularly care for it but it is what he said in the campaign. What discourages me are the other things he said he intended to do that he has not stood strongly for since winning. Yesterday, the man he has renominated for chairman of the federal reserve called for cuts to SS and Medicare. The public option for health insurance went from being front and center of his health care reform plan to a 'sliver' he could live without and the appearance is that some within the administration have actively worked to kill it.

Don't shoot the messengers.

[Sherman A1]

47. I would love to be out there as well, the question is

just how do you do it without it becoming a complete and total disaster, with Osama and his zany pals re-establishing their former place in the scheme of things?

[gleaner]

8. I don't think this country ....

deserves Obama either, but I am at the opposite end of the spectrum from you. I do not find his leadership compelling or dynamic. I do not see in him what you do. What I did see in him was the man he presented himself to be during his campaign. I saw the image he wanted us to see. I liked what I saw. What he campaigned on is what I voted for. What he campaigned on is what he has not given us. He is not the man he held himself out to be. That is a very simple concept.

I do very much dislike having my objections to what I perceive as missing in Obama's administration, characterized so unfavorably by people who do not know me, except to know that I disagree with them. I can dislike the direction Obama is taking us without being irrational, or "freaking out" or any other of the many characterizations I have seen. It seems that while I feel that it enhances Democracy to have many different voices, others do not. This is sad, but it doesn't distress me to the point that my views seem to distress you. You are a different voice than mine, and I hope you are not disappointed in the end. I like happy endings. I just don't expect one myself. So in the meantime tell me what you want me to hear without belittling my disagreement. I can read it without belittling you. Sometimes in a debate of relative values people have to agree to disagree and leave it at that. It doesn't seem like such a hard concept to understand, and it does make for a much freer discussion of the issues.

[AzNick]

12. It's true he sucks at communicating because he simply does not

That is true that he does a lot but does not give the impression that he does, and that's what bothers me.

When he talks to the nation, people like it. His opinion numbers go up instantly. Issue is: he does not talk enough to the nation.

Bush managed to be on vacation pretty much half of the time, as if he was not on his ranch, he was in Lalaland, contemplating the little birdies with a stupid smile.

And yet he was "action man". Walking like an action figure, with his shoulders wide apart, his arms almost not moving. Heck, they made an action figure of him in his flight suit, and it looked even less stiff than he really was.

It's all about the image, how you communicate to the people.

In Europe, people would be fine with Obama. In America, not much so. He is a great communicator. But now that he is a doer, he does not communicate as much. The French call Sarkozy a "président américain". Why? Because he communicates A LOT MORE than any of his predecessors, including De Gaulle, who had such a strong hand over the media.

I am personally a doer, but I had to learn to be a talker. I was unfairly laid off once after working extremely hard and yet people did not know it, because I was not walking like Bush and never saying "it's hard work!!!"

[gleaner]

36. Thanks for your reply .....

I like Obama as a person. I think he is articulate and intelligent and he has a great sense of humor which Bush entirely lacked. You laughed at Bush, but not with him. I just don't think Obama is a "doer." It is Ok that you do. Everyone needs someone to admire and believe in. Let's just agree to disagree on the President's doings.

Whatever you lacked in the past as a talker, you are doing very well with it now.;) And you should have complained when you were laid off. What's not fair does bear repeating.

[AzNick]

61. Yet he has been doing a lot...

The media don't notice, therefore the people do not.

I am not going to list all he did this first year, there are plenty of posts that do that.

[omega minimo]

14. Obama was a player in 2004 speech, in the campaign and in the White House. A Player.

[Quantess]

15. In general I approve of Obama, but I unrecommended your thread.

How the hell am I supposed to agree with the statement that America doesn't deserve a good president? We paid our dues for eight long years. I don't need a guilt trip from somebody telling me I'm ungrateful and I don't deserve the best president possible.

[rollingrock]

16. Do you believe in the tooth fairy?

'I truly believe that he has saved us from a huge economic collapse.'

like the majority of Americans, I don't believe the Wall Street bailouts did anything good. The bailouts accomplished nothing except enriching a bunch of corrupt bankers and propping up their too big to fail, failed zombie banks at taxpayers expense. Elizabeth Warren said herself no one knows where any of the bailout money even went or what happened to it. The money just disappeared down a blackhole. Which is why shoveling hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars to a bunch of private banks no questions asked is never a good idea.

But if you still buy into the propaganda then you would have to give the credit to George W. Bush and his treasury secretary Henry Paulson for supposedly rescuing the economy from certain doom. They were the ones who came up with the TARP idea, not Obama though he certainly supported it.

[orwell]

20. Close to half of the TARP...

...has been or is about to be paid back. Elizabeth Warren knows this.

[rollingrock]

21. If you believe that

I heard there's a bridge in Brooklyn for sale you might be interested in.

[orwell]

24. Here ya go...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7151983

Those darn facts are pesky things...

[rollingrock]

32. Yes, they are pesky things

here's what the TARP inspector general recently had to say about it.

Nov. 13, 2009

(Bloomberg) -- Neil Barofsky, the special inspector general for the $700 billion U.S. financial-industry bailout, said the program will “almost certainly” result in a loss to taxpayers.

“We need to temper or be realistic about our expectations, a dollar-for-dollar return is just highly unrealistic,” he said yesterday at the Bloomberg Washington Summit. “It’s almost certainly going to be a loss.”

www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ah4X24Z1sQs4&pos=3

[girl gone mad]

33. If only it were that simple.

Unfortunately, the compensation restrictions that went along with TARP proved unpalatable to the big bankers. They found better ways to get money - through tglp, talf, ppip, cap, tip, and various other backdoor bailouts that don't have any of those pesky transparency or oversight issues. It's like cheering when your brother pays back the $20 he borrowed from you last year with a $20 bill he just took from your wallet while you weren't looking.

The worst thing about the bailouts is that we amped up the moral hazard. The lesson banks got was that they need to become too big to fail and go full out with the gambling and reckless leverage. Being responsible is for suckers.

[TheWatcher]

42. Completely OT, but I Love your Avatar ggm.

Best. Show. EVAR! :hi:



And very spot on analysis as usual.

Now, back to the thrilling, never-ending war between the Keepers Of The Eternal False Paradigm VS. Those who can see what's really going on, but must not be allowed to express it in ANY shape or form lest we enable the Republicans (The Crazies on the other side of this false political theater that has become the joke that is our country)

[girl gone mad]

105. Thanks.

I didn't know if anyone would recognize him, the picture is so dark. :)

[anonymous171]

18. I agree. He should resign and let someone with balls take over. nt

[TheWatcher]

43. SHUT UP TERRORIST!!!!11111

Thou Shalt NOT Take The Party Line In Vain.

Thou Shalt NOT Question The Party Line.

Thou Shalt Honor "The Football Team", to Keep it Holy.

That's a Triple Commandment Violation, Mister.

TO THE CAMPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111

[anonymous171]

120. OH NOES! I PROMISE TO BE DOUBLEPLUSGOOD FROM NOW ON!

Just don't take me to the camps!

[Marr]

23. There's one born every minute.

If you actually believe this bullshit, I feel sorry for you. I do want to ask you something, though:

How can a man be deeply perceptive *and* utterly naive about the way media works in this country? How could he be a political genius *and* blind to the fact that he could've used his bully pulpit to shove real, meaningful healthcare reform through?

The people I hear offering the most exasperated praise for Obama excuse his actual actions by assuming he's a god damned idiot. He isn't an idiot. He just doesn't want what you want.

[1badjedi]

45. Sums it up for me

Sucks to find out now he doesn't want what I want but really there was no choice in the last election. Voting for dumb and dumber was out. Not voting was out. So I went for the guy with the big smile who talked a good game. Seems it was just that, a lot of talk.

If I wanted a new car I'm sure he could sell me one in a minute but I was expecting a real leader. Some will say he is but I sure don't like where we're being lead.

I'm more mad at myself for falling for it than I am at him for fooling me. They say you know a politician is lying when his lips are moving and I should not have forgotten that little quip.

[cherokeeprogressive]

25. You are SO right. n/t

[FrenchieCat]

28. Je suis d'accord avec vous !

La politique américaine et nul!

I'm beginning to believe that this country deserved George Bush.
And Obama ain't even close. Not by miles and miles.

[AllentownJake]

30. STFU Thread #3026

You aren't getting your pony because you don't deserve a fucking pony, you deserve coal in your stocking.

[saracat]

34. We obviously need to be confined to our "free speech zone"

[lamp_shade]

35. Great post, Nick. Little by little the adults are returning to take DU back from the disparagers.

[AllentownJake]

38. Yes telling people to shut the fuck up has always been an adult quality nt.

[lamp_shade]

40. Did somebody tell you to STFU? Tsk. Nasty.

[spoony]

165. Yep only infantile little whiny pony-wanters are against war. nt

[donco6]

181. Adults? That's a laugh. n/t

[Raine]

37. Thumbs Up

I'm recommending, not that it will show up.

[retread]

41. Do they?

[quaker bill]

44. We have done this to ourselves before

and we are trying to do it again.

Jimmy Carter was insufficiently liberal for a great number of people, to include Ted Kennedy. The liberals, at that time in congress, refused to work with Carter to the effect of creating a government that was ineffective and almost incapable of governance. We could have had a bold initiative to end dependence on foriegn oil, instead we got a tepid response. Finally, the left primaried Carter to the convention and earned us 8 years of Ronald reagan and a further 4 of GHWB, it is not even unreasonable to conclude that the stigma we created for our party aided in the election / selection of GWB. To quote St. Ronnie Raygun of Bonzo "Here we go again".

To be seen as capable of governing the country, the Democratic party has to form a "governing majority" that can actually govern. This is tough work as there are, on a good day, about 70 million of us with some widely varied and legitimate opinions on what that would mean. Personally, I would end the wars, unravel the empire of foriegn military bases, cut the defense budget by more than half, ban the death penalty, sharply regulate the possession of firearms, decriminalize or even legalize cannabis, get government out of the marriage business, end regulation of reproductive healthcare, socialize medicine, protect and restore the environment, and use government as a Keyensian "employer of last resort" to assure constant labor demand and raise wages, and end "free trade agreements that place our workers on an equal footing with foriegn labor that makes nickles on our dollars and has few of the rights, freedoms, and workplace protections we enjoy. Said just to provide a brief laundry list.

The point being that I know I will see little of this in my lifetime regardless of who is in power, but I also know that we will simply move farther away from all of it if republicans retake power.

If you want to flush every progressive notion you ever had down the can for the next 20+ years, the very best way to do this is to work against President Obama to assure that this term is ineffective. If you think this country will not elect Sarah Palin, remember the landslide victory this country awarded St. Ronnie of Bonzo. It was not all that long ago that the Chimperor in Chief had 80+ percent approval ratings. Personally, I don't want to imagine a country where St. Sarah of Wasilla is carrying the nuclear "football" for 4 years, and am more than willing to postpone a large amount of personal gratification to avoid it.

It is a free country and we all get to pick our approach. I for one, will back our President even when I don't fully agree, because I know the alternative is a President with whom I fully disagree on all things. I have been there, done that, and did not enjoy the experience.

[AzNick]

63. I agree with your program

I would do all of that. Get out of wars, reduce our military footprint, make cannabis and hashish legal, get universal coverage, make gay marriage legal, not ban weapons but make it illegal to own full automatic weapons and certain large calibers, etc... etc...

I would do all of that but guess what? Maybe Obama would if he really could. Again: this is a big ship to govern.

And unfortunately, the lobbies are in charge, not the people.

Barely anybody took notice last week when it was announced Obama was working on getting the lobbies out of the equation.

[freddie mertz]

51. I think we deserve the president so many of us hoped we were voting for.

Public disappointment is the problem.

Obama's election held the promise of a new era in our political culture.

Maybe he promised too much, I know I was skeptical about much of it.

But what you are seeing now is a growing wave of buyer's remorse, and it is the president and the Washington Dems who are (in large part) responsible for it.

We as a people deserved better,

[madokie]

52. I like the man I voted for and plan to vote for him again

he has a heart as big as texas and as warm as a soft summers breeze. We done good when we elected this man and I'll stick with him through thick and thin. If he was doing everything as i would want him too I then would question my sanity. Coming up on 11 months and looking forward to the next 37 and hopefully 85.

[blindpig]

53. Your subject line is correct

The rest is a crock of shit.

[shadesofgray]

54. "Health reform is taking much much longer than expected. "

Obviously Obama was over-confident in the fact that he could rally some of the Republicans and that the all of the Democrats in Congress would do what's right and what their base wanted.

When has Obama ever tried to "rally" "some of the Republicans"? You would have thought Olympia Snowe was president, the way her demands got all the attention without a peep from Obama. But now it's a few Democrats who are fucking up everything. Things are so bad that HARRY REID is looking like a leader - HARRY REID. What else there to say on Obama's lack of leadership?

[HopeOverFear]

57. Nope, we don't. We deserve Sarah Palin.

[Andronex]

143. What's the difference?

Presidents no longer determine policy in America, at this point it should be obvious to everyone, they are only figureheads. It's quite revealing that those who support this president RW policys can find no better way to prop up their leader than to use a bogeywoman, which is a rather weak response.

[HopeOverFear]

155. Oh yeah. Palin and Obama are EXACTLY alike.

:eyes: GTFOHWTBS

[spoony]

163. Boy this thread is telling.

For months DUers who disagreed with Obama about anything have been asked, "would you rather McCain and Palin???!!!111"

I guess we know now it's actually you guys who would rather Palin, because you're not the first who has suggested that. In another thread someone wished that she would win in '12 so that they could watch Obama "haters" suffer under her rule. Funny things.

[boston bean]

58. It's not what he hasn't done. It's what he has done. Ferchrissakes!

He has only been in office 11 months yet he has managed to keep many of bush's appointees. He has managed to escalate war. He has managed to continue to cover up torture. He has managed to diss gays and women. He has managed to bail out corporations NOT main street and the list goes on and on and on.

[Thickasabrick]

70. +10000

[Skittles]

72. but those are just personal pet issues, boston bean!

concentrate on the positive and you too will be happy as a clam!!!

[arcadian]

62. unrec

[jpak]

67. K&R

:applause:

:thumbsup:

[closeupready]

68. Unrecced.

I am not Obama's servant. No, you have it backwards. :mad:

[AndrewP]

75. Yeah, I had no idea that I was Obama's servant either

He wanted our votes, I'll let him continue to earn it.

[Echo In Light]

71. Unrec...although made me recall a funny bumper sticker: KERRY - Too Smart For America

[montanto]

74. Silly.

So those are our choices? Because we are critical we should have an idiot? Illogical. Bad argument strategy. Hmmm Let me just think about that for a second. Or is it because it takes time we should shut up? Not quite as silly as the former, but still, not quite the thing in a DEMOCRACY. No. I'm not going to shut up. Obama needs to do what the human race needs him to do, not just what American capitalists need him to do, and I for one will keep telling him so until he does, or until he's out of office.

[mix]

76. This is the problem with personality based politics,

which are ultimately narcissistic.

This obsessive defense of President Obama, at the expense of understanding his policies historically and seeing them as a continuation of the past rather than as a break from it, helps perpetuate the social and political malaise of the last 30 years, when neoliberalism began its stranglehold over American life.

This is no reflection on the President himself, but his most diehard supporters are a cancer on our democracy, no different than the true believers on the right who place the individual ahead of the country's interests.

Pathetic.

[Bluebear]

77. >even if I had to give a fellatio here, a cunnilingus there.< Good lord.

[closeupready]

82. Yeah, again, he actually posted that in his opening post.

And thinks we are going to take him seriously. :rofl:

Can't make this kind of shit up; it's gotta actually happen. ;)

[AzNick]

89. Because you people are ridiculous

What do you people want Obama to do more than he already did to get Congress to do what they have to do, besides giving sexual favors?

[closeupready]

90. Not our problem. When he ran for president, he knew it was tough, but that doesn't mean

we were prepared to vote for a president who fails to achieve what he set out to do.

Because there were others who were prepared to succeed.

[Bluebear]

103. "You people"

The ones who don't deserve Obama, yes?

[Thickasabrick]

78. If you start right now, you may be able to encourage enough people

to work/campaign/vote for this president in 2012 to make up for the massive amount of progressives that are so disgusted they will stay home. Hopefully things will turn around before then but if the past 10 months are any indication of our future direction, it will be an uphill battle. Good luck with that.

Echoing the sentiments of a poster upthread - we deserved better.

[Neecy]

81. Where to start?

I'm not going to go over the same territory again and again...but I'll just mention this.

He does very little to acknowledge the very real suffering that's in the country outside of the precious top 1%. He mentions unemployment on occasion, but he drops it in without any real concern or passion, just words on the page given to him by his speechwriters.

Where is his outrage over the outrageous credit card interest rates now being charged to GOOD customers by banks that WE bailed out? This is one of the biggest negative impacts on Main Street right now - the complete clamping down on consumer credit by pirate banks. But not a peep from Mr. Change 'n Hope. We hear nothing about the foreclosure crisis now that he's in office, either. People continue to lose their homes left and right.

Bill Clinton was a DLC destroyer but he understood that he needed to "feel our pain" (even if he caused it). This guy is just cold, an empty suit doing the bidding of his advisers because he doesn't have the experience to set his own course.

America deserves better, for sure.

[quiet.american]

87. Spoken like someone who would really rather believe their own version of events rather than reality.

If you have actually been following the real-world, real-life, day-to-day actions of this president, you would know he's left Bill Clinton in the dust when it comes to "feeling the pain."

No one could actually spend time at whitehouse.gov, and recovery.gov, listen to this president's weekly addresses every week, catch his town halls, review the immediate, tangible assistance he gave to small businesses, the unemployed, seniors and others almost from day one of taking office and still in good conscience write the claptrap that you did.

Not only that, but Barack Obama was honest all the way through about what we would be facing during the first year of his presidency. Apparently, though, very few actually heard him when he said. "It is going to get worse before it gets better," and it's just so much easier to stand around talking shite about him while he's busting his ass to get this mess sorted out, isn't it.

[Neecy]

92. I love being lectured about reality by a cheerleader

Why aren't these topics placed where they belong, btw? This is entirely about President Obama, why isn't it in GD/P?

Why is GD being cluttered with these rants and lectures against the left? If you all think you have the numbers for 2012, why bother berating those who actually see reality in their everyday lives, rather than being spoon-fed it at whitehouse.gov?

What's the point? I can't count the number of posts like the OP's appearing in GD over the past week. If you think you can leave the left behind, do it. But the lectures flooding GD are repetitive, tiresome and make you all look frenzied and desperate.

[quiet.american]

93. Why do you call a post in support of the president as something "against the left."

As a Democrat, this is my home, and you're shocked and outraged that I acknowledge the efforts of the president? Where do you think you are.

And while you close your eyes and chant "lalalalalalalalala," this president is working hard in traceable, tangible, real-world, real-life ways to help people now. That is the reality of it, whether it fits your "story" or not.

[ShortnFiery]

88. Yes, we deserve someone NOT serving Corporate interests with a shred of REAL comapassion. eom

[AzNick]

91. You're all a bunch of whiners

If you keep going this way, in 2010 the Republicans will take Congress back and we'll have another GWB in power in 2012 and you'll be whining and wondering what you did wrong.

And by 2020 Obama's image will be in the 70%, with most people wondering what happened and why this fellow was booed out of office while being a much better president than any of those before and after him.

Just like with Carter, whose image is close to 70% and with people wondering what happened and why things got out of hands while he did try his best to get the job done.

The Democrats love to eat their own, and that's why are good at talking but not at doing.

Obviously all of you are amazingly good at governing a major Western nation, since obviously you'd do much better than Obama and would have done this and that.

[closeupready]

115. If Obama leaves the left behind, in 2010 the Republicans will re-take Congress.

So you see, that dilemma swings both ways.

[treestar]

94. Sometimes one has to wonder if this country deserves a good President

But as long as they elected him. And the teabaggers and the negative nellies here are a tiny minority.

[Echo In Light]

97. The concept of a "president" for three hundred million people is bizarre & silly, anyhow

[Fire1]

95. I understand all of the above and agree except for one thing.

You DO NOT tell homeless, under employed, uninsured and unemployed people that funds for them is "limited" and expect adoration.

[treestar]

100. That may be so under the law

This country does not have a good safety net and a President can't change that overnight. Better to tell the truth about it.

Being unemployed doesn't make you a saint if you opposed that safety net before - as may be the case with some. Repukes never seem to lose their jobs, though.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

102. It is the responsibility of the citizenry to hold public servants accountable.

Even if they are nice guys, articulate, and Democrats.

[JamesA1102]

106. Escellent post.

Too bad so many here are too narrow minded to understand what you are saying.

[walldude]

110. Yeah narrow minded...

it's not that I'm pissed off. It's not that I got robbed to pay off billionaires. It's not that we are escalating a war in a country with an illegitimate government, to catch a whole 100 members of Al-Queada. It's not that the health care bill is a gift to insurance companies. It's not that Obama has stocked his staff with wall street insiders who will work hard to change laws that will benefit them when they go back to being CEO's of Goldman Sachs. It's not that he didn't repeal DADT or stand up for gay rights. It's that I'm narrow minded. :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Bluebear]

114. You so do not deserve Obama, you narrow-minded person, you.

[walldude]

119. Yeah I should just pack my stuff and go home...

Oh and I guess I should STFU as well because peons like me just don't "understand". :rofl: Good to see you BB, not too many friendly faces around here anymore..

[JamesA1102]

135. Thanks. You just totally proved my point! nt

[walldude]

170. Wow I totally did, that's so totally bitchin, I totally proved that

you are a totally bitching genius and you totally punked me with your totally witty retort... LMAO...

Maybe you can explain how my dislike for the way gays are treated, my distain with the wars, with the lousy health care bill, the economic staff of Goldman Sachs running the economy into the ground equates into narrow mindedness. Then again I fucking doubt it.

[Bluebear]

174. +1

[JamesA1102]

178. And you proved it once again. nt

[Hekate]

109. How dare you talk sense? KnR

[joeybee12]

111. Are your rose-colored glasses prescription, or over the counter? n/t

[Jamastiene]

153. I'm thinking they are a custom job.

Those are some REALLY ROSY glasses. :wow:

[Bluebear]

179. :)

[LastNaturalist]

112. You are so right.

This country DOESN'T deserve him. But we sure as heck NEED him.

[silverweb]

116. K&R

Not for the unfortunate choice of words in a couple of places, but for the overall argument.

:kick:

[Regret My New Name]

117. All politicians deserve criticism and people shouldn't STFU just 'cause they voted for him...

I like Obama and rarely bitch about him, but I don't think those who have strong opinions against him should be told to keep quiet. Do you want to be like those republicans who disagreed with Bush on a lot of fucked up things, but never stood up to say anything about it? What you're saying isn't much different than what they said and did back then...

[opihimoimoi]

118. The Reality is a Group who Hates hiz guts for whatever silly reason..Pub PigDogs hate evryone who is

NOT NUTZ like them

They are PIG DOGS...as in ZitButt who is their Hero....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amWP8FpLrtw

[MNDemNY]

121. He is EXACTLY the Corporatist that we deserve.

[dysfunctional press]

124. we deserve MUCH better than obama.

but we always settle for less.

[ecstatic]

126. I agree. The rest of the world is counting on him though

Ideally, I would pack everything and move to another country and then laugh at the ignorant Americans who can't get it together. But even if I moved to another country, my new nation's fate would still be tied to the US somehow.

[Bluebear]

127. 'laugh at the ignorant Americans who can't get it together' - funny sense of humor!

[ecstatic]

128. They are laughing at us! At the townhalls, puritan laws, etc!

[Bluebear]

131. I don't think the world is counting on Obama to get rid of puritan laws etc though

[placton]

129. IOKIODI

It's OK if Obama does it - yeah right - and we do deserve this man for being such idiots.

[TokenQueer]

130. Somebody open a window.

This bullshit is stinking up the joint.

[Bluebear]

175. belated

welcome to DU. love your posts

[upi402]

136. Obama is a better Republican that Clinton was

OP needs to cool down and look at what Obama has been DOING, and stop listening to sweet nothings whispered into the ear.

[RedCloud]

137. I see an Obama Nation in which too many conservatives wield far too much and very undeserved power.

When it come to the big issues those cons are having it all their way.

Remember when Obama chided McCain for being too much like Bush? How does that picture look like today? On wars? Torture?

[Nikki Stone1]

138. +1

..

[Bluebear]

141. +1

[Jamastiene]

154. +1

[shadesofgray]

167. +1

[saracat]

176. +1

[Bluebear]

196. +2

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

140. So how long have you personally known President Obama?

[BREMPRO]

144. great post- we do better with idiots to blame for our own failings.

we are ALL responsible in some way for the problems this country faces and until we ALL acknoledge that, we'll fail.

[treestar]

156. Good point. These people slamming Obama for everything are really

just trying to dodge responsibility for ourselves. We elected/let Bush get elected and have to deal with the fallout. It's no good just blaming Obama for not singlehandedly fixing it overnight.

[Bluebear]

145. I am not worthy, but only say the word and I will be healed.

[shadesofgray]

166. +1

[Bluebear]

169. welcome to DU, shades!

[TicketyBoo]

146. I love this country,

and I think it deserves the very best. And last year, Obama was the best choice and right now he IS the best man for the job.

Now, maybe some of those people here don't deserve him, but this country surely does.

I'm SO glad that he's in the White House. I can't think of ANYONE else who would be better at the job at this point in time.

Be careful what you wish for. Every day, I fear assassination, and another brilliant President who brought hope being cut down before he could finish the job he was elected to do.

[donheld]

147. Unrecommend

When his economic team are the ones who made the mess in the first place he's lost me.

[TicketyBoo]

148. Well, I would recommend

if I hadn't seen it too late to do so.

His choice of Geithner was my first disappointment, and it hasn't been my last, but I still hope that he will get things right in the end.

In this case, it may take one of the foxes to keep the rest of them out of the hen house. At least, that's my take on it.

[Bluebear]

177. kick

[avaistheone1]

151. Obama has let Democrats down too many times.

This Afghan war escalation is the last straw. It is one of the screwiest decisions ever especially given our own country is falling apart. Obama doesn't deserve the Democrats.

[branders seine]

157. good title

the body of your post? not so much.

[Bluebear]

161. --

:spray:

[QC]

158. Very true, but we're stuck with him just the same. n/t

[treestar]

160. We elected him, so we do

As a country.

[kenny blankenship]

162. Indeed, we needed a leader to break with the Reagan Revolution that began this country's decline

almost 30 years ago. But we didn't get one. Do we deserve better? I think so.

[LWolf]

168. Deserve?

I don't want Obama. I never did.

Deserve? I don't care what the country "deserves." I care about making sure that the country moves in a direction best suited to improving the health and prosperity of the people and the land.

[donco6]

182. Isn't the patronization breathtaking?

I need some oxygen after that pantload.

[LWolf]

185. It is.

Here:

[donco6]

186. Aaaaah. Thanks.

I needed that.

[Tim01]

171. Monsanto corp says "thank you for being rational.". nt

[upi402]

183. and Wall Street, and the Military Industrial Complex, and...

:sigh: ad infinitum, it seems.

[knightinwhitesatin]

180. You are spot on

If Obama keeps ignoring the gay and lesbian community, if Obama keeps sending more of our kids to die in an ethnic civil war and if Obama keeps giving money to Wall Street so they can flush it away, they you are absolutely right, we do not deserve him. We deserve far, far better.

[Bluebear]

187. welcome to du!

[FarLeftFist]

190. I wonder how many rec's it would take to get this thread on the positive side n/t

[Bluebear]

193. good luck

[sendero]

191. Everyone here that thinks Obama ..

... is doing a good job, well, you must have like Bush because there is little difference.

Me, I was hoping for and, naively it seems, expecting something more, something better.

I've given up now, Obama has shown quite clearly what he is about. Fine. But please don't lecture me about how I should be happy with this, and that nobody could do better. BULLSHIT FOOL.

[lib2DaBone]

192. ..and that is what we are going to get..Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck....

[Iggo]

195. Oh, we're not worthy oh lord!

(Stop groveling!)

[Tippy]

197. K&R...

[Tippy]

198. K&R Timed out but I still wanted to

Higly Recomed this post

AzNick....Great job.....Thanks for telling it like it is...

[Bluebear]

199. .

[Ignis]

200. "Leave Obama Alone!"

[earth mom]

201. Yep this country does not deserve Obama. It deserves Kucinich or RFK Jr.- Men who really care

about the people and this great country.

Obama seems only to care about the gansta banksters and the pharma giant/insurance bloodsuckers, etc. :puke: