Pres. Obama could still be transformational - in a way he never expected.

[polichick]

The prez imagined himself to be a post-partisan president but finds himself in a situation where "transformational" means calling out the other side for the radical terrorists they are and mobilizing the American people to restore democracy.

We have a small minority that is trying to undo democracy through democratic structures - as well as a corporate-owned Supreme Court.

The president can continue to muddy the waters and pretend to be the adult in the room - or he can lead the country out of a very dark place.

So far he doesn't seem to have the stomach or the heart to be the transformational president we need - but it's not too late. Pres. Obama does have the intelligence to understand what must be done.

[jannyk]

1. Don't hold your breath! nt

[polichick]

2. I won't - but that sure would be change I could believe in...

And I do feel for the president. Wonder what his late mother or grandmother would tell him at this point.

[Supersedeas]

39. campaign slogans can feel so empty and meaningless

[dbonds]

3. He may unite the people , left and right, to an anti-corporatist stance.

Of course totally not what he set out to do.

[polichick]

10. True - he could do it unwittingly. But that's okay if it does the trick.

[KoKo]

38. That's my hope...that his lack of leadership has beneficial consequences by

exposing the power brokers for what they are. Hoover did lead to FDR...and the Robber Barrons did lead to Teddy Roosevelt. I don't see any Roosevelts of the caliber of FDR or Teddy in either the Repub or Democratic Party leaders these days. But, we can hope that Obama's greatest gift will be that all of the sewage of illegal wars, Banksters, Lobbyists and Wall Street running the country and buying elections will burst the manhole cover and flood the streets endangering so much the populace that something will be done.

My hope anyway. But, then I hoped for Carter, Clinton, Gore, Kerry and Obama. I'm always full of hope..even though it's hard to see much these days.

[msongs]

4. presidents who stand for nothing will fall for anything nt

[polichick]

11. Yes, that's true for everyone!

[txlibdem]

17. That would make a great bumper sticker! (n/t)

[bigwillq]

5. I still believe in O.

If he can't do it, no one can.

[polichick]

6. He could do it - if he really wanted to.

[bigwillq]

7. Are you saying O doesn't really want to?

Are you?

[polichick]

8. So far he doesn't seem to want to be the transformational prez we need.

[bigwillq]

9. In many ways it seems that way (nt)

[flamingdem]

35. That's the truth, he has twice the intelligence of most pols, and a heart in the right place nt

[woolldog]

12. K&R

[Armstead]

13. He's got the intelligence -- But I doubt he has the will

I think he wants the country to be a "center-right" nation, even though in today's terms that actually means "very conservative."

He sees liberalism as a "tired ideology" and won't bother defending it.

[polichick]

14. At this point he doesn't have the will - first he'll have to come to the realization...

...that he's there for a reason, but not the reason he imagined.

Maybe he's not there to rise above it - but to fight through it.

Maybe "post-partisanship" can only happen when citizens unite against corporate control.

[Armstead]

15. Corporate Control is bi-partisan, but at least One Party has to challenge it

The GOP are officially bought and paid for, as part of their professed philosophy.

The Democrats should, logically, challenge it as part of its professed philosophy.

Problem is at this point, support of corporate control is bi-partisan. We'd all be a lot better off if at least one of the two big teams were partisan about that issue and would actually fight for economic democracy.

[polichick]

16. Exactly - and if this party is not going to be the party to stand up to corporate control...

I'm no longer interested.

[flamingdem]

36. We'll see an empowered Obama if we can get him the votes he needs and oust teajadists, believe it nt

[txlibdem]

18. Transformational... only when enough people realize that the game is rigged

and we need to work together to get our money back. Picketing does nothing, as we saw in the last G-8 meeting in Canada. Marches do nothing. The politicians of both parties have sold us out and don't give a crap if we like it or not.

What else can we do to shake them out of their comfortable millionaire lifestyles, or to shake them out of their congressional seats?

[polichick]

20. Obama has the intelligence to lead that movement, but doesn't seem to have that purpose...

I'm no longer sure it can come through this party.

[txlibdem]

28. Doesn't have... never had that purpose. Agreed. (n/t)

[Jakes Progress]

19. So far the transformation has all been to the meaning of Democrat.

He may have the intelligence to understand, but I fear he lacks the courage to act.

[polichick]

21. Or maybe he sees himself as very much part of a system he's okay with...

I agree, the meaning of "Democrat" has been transformed - over decades, not just the last couple of years.

[Jakes Progress]

23. I think it is age and a lack of seeing history as real.

All of the suffering and hardships that civil rights workers and union organizers did to give us the life we have and to build the ideas of the traditional Democratic Party, are just lines on a page to many who grew politically aware under the miasma of lies and misdirection that was the atmosphere of the reagan era. The "New Democrats" are just reagan democrats back on the party roles.

[polichick]

24. How ironic for the first black president to be unaware of all that made it possible!

[Jakes Progress]

29. True. But no more ironic than workers who defile unions

or teachers who vote republican.

I was an English teacher so I always had faith in fiction. To Kill A Mockingbird was a better teacher of history than dates. We lack the kind of fiction that teaches, without being pedantic, those things that some of us actually witnessed. It takes stories and thought to turn the important lessons of history into flesh. Perhaps our president isn't a reader of good fiction.

[polichick]

31. Some "leaders" are experts at pitting one worker against another...

Reminds me of the way religious leaders pit one group against another - all for control.

Good point about the function - and joys - of great literature!

[Solomon]

34. Yeah. He's really really stupid. Definitely dumber than you.

The arrogance of people on this board. Its insufferable sometimes.

[polichick]

37. Funny, from someone whose screen name screams "insufferable arrogance."

[Jakes Progress]

42. Glad you agreee.

The ignorance of some people on this board. It's hilarious sometimes.

[JoePhilly]

22. How come the Debt ceiling vote didn't ....

cut / gut / slash / dismantle Social Security and medicare?

Wasn't THAT what Obama was going to do?

Wasn't that his intent?

Why didn't that happen?

Or are we now moving on to a different set of outrages?

[polichick]

25. Read carefully - this op is anything but "outrage." You need a new game.

[JoePhilly]

26. Naaa .... Obama just isn't transformational enough ...

he's just muddying the waters ... and doesn't have the stomach for being transformational ....

Which I guess is a good thing?

My other question still stands ... btw ... not that I expect an answer.

[polichick]

27. Sorry you can't follow - though not surprised.

[Autumn]

30. It's the only game in town

:rofl:

[high density]

32. If not now, then when?

It just keeps getting worse. The Republicans are getting more crazy every time. It seems Obama's team needs to look a little deeper into the future when they map out their plan. They should have brought forward this debate last December when the Republicans were demanding that we retain tax cuts for rich people.

[polichick]

33. That is definitely when the debt ceiling should've been raised!

[lunatica]

40. There is no doubt he has all the potential to be a great Progressive President

But does he want any of the things that are Progressive? That's the fundamental question. It looks more and more like he's a moderate to Right politician. A true believe I think.

[avebury]

41. Don't hold your breath.

[blkmusclmachine]

43. "Hope" springs eternal, I see.

:eyes: