Obama deserves TIME.

[RBInMaine]

Bush and the R's got 8 years to screw up this country ROYALLY. Obama inherited a GIGANTIC mess, the biggest since the mess FDR inherited. In 9 short months we have gotten a stimulus that while imperfect HAS done MANY good things. This man has worked his tail off on healthcare, and we FINALLY have a chance to get some extremely long overdue reform. 9/11 terrorists are being put on trial as they damn well should be. All reports indicate that the Iraq drawdown work is about on schedule. We have new and more progressive rules on torture, stem cells, and choice. Climate change and financial regulation bills are pending. They have directed a lot of stimulus cash toward green energy development (some we are seeing here in Maine as we develop our brand new offshore windfarms).
We have the most diverse cabinet ever. I could continue this laundry list, but people get the point.

On healthcare, single payer would be ideal, but in the real world of our political system you very, very rarely change the world overnight. REALITY and the art of what is doable at a given point in time must always be understood. We have a chance to make an ADVANCE. And THAT is GOOD. Perfect?
No. But damn GOOD. To the all-or-nothing crowd, I would say you need a history lesson. Killing the healthcare bill because it isn't as progressive as one might like would be like going back and killing the emancipation proclamation because it did also include a voting rights act, a non-segregation act, and affirmative action laws. Those all came later. MUCH later. But they had to start somewhere. Same with healthcare. We need to get a foot in the door. Then we can build further over time. That is called being REAL.

Obama and Dems have made progress in a system of tough rules and one where reality, deliberation, and compromise are absolutely inherent. No one can be expected to be happy with everything, but consider what we have now compared to what we might have had: McSAME and Palin. HUGE difference, and I'll take Obama/Biden ANY day. (Forget pipe dreams of Kucinich or Nader in the White House. Wouldn't happen even if hell DID freeze over. And remember, moderate independents control large elections. Our opportunity now is to marginalize the R's as their base continues to shun the moderates in favor of Teabagger politicians like Palin, Demint, Beohner, and Bachman.)

We need to count our blessings, SUPPORT Obama and Dems, and ATTACK the right wing HORRID Republicans for what they are: heartless villians who think the answer to ANYTHING in life is a massive tax cut for the rich and who THIRST for power to where they are intent ONLY on blocking the Dems in hopes of making 2010 political gains. This is a beautiful opportunity to showcase the differences between the party of conscience and ADVANCEMENT and the party of I-Love-The-Rich and "NO!" Stay united, stand by our approaches, and attack the R's for what they are, and we WIN in 2010. Infight, naysay, and fixate on half-empty glasses rather than half-full ones, and we lose in 2010. It is just that plain and simple.

[trayfoot]

1. Outstanding!!!!!!

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. He has also wasted incredible amounts of time

June, July, August - during that whole period, the White House gave no hints, clues, direction, or ideas about what a final health care bill should look like. That allowed the Tea Baggers to fill the vacuum left by him. Between them, the GOP leaders and the K Street bribers, America was seriously misled about what health care reform was all about. All he had to do was say, "I want 100% coverage, and no pre-existing conditions," and he would have set the opposition on its heels. But he didn't. Much of the work that has gone into getting this thing passed has been recouping lost ground, ground we unnecessarily lost because of the timid, quiet, empty approach created by the White House. During that time, people who would and should have supported us, were convinced by K Street that we were evil and were stealing their lives. It is very hard to deal with emotions, when you don't even have the facts on your side (Again, silence from the WH created that ugly vacuum).

So, he's had a year. Good. Has he done a couple of good things? Yes. Has he fucked up too many serious issues? yes. Do we give him a pass simply because he sports a D after his name? Hell, no. We push, we demand, we write and call, and we make sure we are heard.

It is not just the GOP we are fighting, but misinformed Tea baggers, and worse DINOs who claim to be dems, but act against our best interests.

You make a completely bogus argument: "but consider what we have now compared to what we might have had: McSAME and Palin."

What a bullshit argument. We might have lost! But we didn't. And we don't. We won, not an ancient fraud and his busty sidekick. And that does NOT mean we give Obama a pass when he is failing. Just because the oppo team was so bad, that gives Obama a pass when he fucked up financial reform, got ugly deals with big pharma, and screwed the pooch on reforming health care? Give me a break. That's no argument, that's teabagger talk.

[spiritual_gunfighter]

18. I am unrecing the OP

and giving your post a K&R (well if I could).

[butterfly77]

38. He wasn 't wasting time..

he was untangling the bullshit that was left for him and fighting off all of the non-issues that the media kept pressing him to answer when he had more pressing issues. He has more to deal with than any president has and he has been questioned,prodded,picked at and a lot of it was due to jealousy and racism,and some who don't want a black man in charge of anything.


The only one who FUCKED UP everything was ASSHOLE BUSH! His problem is the FAKE ASS DEMOCRATS who have been masquerading as Dems for year when they are really REPUBLICONS! Hell no,we don't give him a pass but, I have never seen any president being questioned about every damn move he makes.

Some even want to tell him what kind of damn dog he should choose. One thing I have learned since President Obama has taken office is that their is a lot of racism in this country and a lot of IGNORANT,SILLY,HYPOCRITICAL,ILLINFORMED,MOTHERFUCKERS in this country!!!

[jgraz]

3. We deserve LEADERSHIP

How much TIME does this guy need before he steps up?

[ChairmanAgnostic]

4. what you said, in your more concise and precise way, no less.

[BklnDem75]

45. Crap meme...

Your RW politicians thank you for your support.

[jgraz]

46. Wow, that WAS a great example of a crap meme. Got any more?

Lemme help you out: PONY, CHESS, ONLY 10 MONTHS, BETTER THAN BUSH.

[BklnDem75]

47. I'm glad you agree!

I'm sure the word 'cheerleader' is right at the tip of your tongue. I'm sure it's in there with the rest of your stale, dried out RW talking points.

[jgraz]

48. No, I was going to go the "mindless apologist" route.

Now run along show this thread to Mr. Emanuel. You earned your gold star for the day.

[BklnDem75]

49. Yummy! Two stale memes in one post!

Your check is in the mail.

[freddie mertz]

5. Turn on the excuse machine. OF COURSE it takes time...

The question is more like, HOW is the time being used, and to what end?

That is where the criticism rightly focuses.

[elocs]

6. I've heard a lot of talk and promises, now I would like to see results.

If the healthcare reform bill goes down, then you can stick a fork in Obama because the Republicans will have his number and know the way to stymie him.

Maybe someday we will get a Democratic president as well as large majorities in both houses, then we can get things done.

[Hamlette]

22. if you wonder why the dems are weak once they gain power, elocs is exhibit one

the GOP can count on their base to back them up right or wrong.

The dems know the base will turn on them right or wrong.

If you can't have a supportive base, you gotta hold the middle.

So next time you say "fuck the dems" remember, you are enabling their weakness.

[elocs]

23. If you wonder why we have DINOs & Blue Dogs, then Hamlette is exhibit #1.

Yep, we should blindly follow our Democratic masters like good little lap dogs regardless of what they do and keep our mouths shut.

If I work to get Democrats elected and give them my hard earned money and vote for them then I have every right to expect results rather and pretty words and promises.

I don't believe in my country right or wrong so why should I believe in my party right or wrong? And if the freepers back the GOP right or wrong why would I want to be like them?

Any Democrat who represents me who talks a good show and does not produce results will not get my support and I say fuck those specific dems and I won't apologize for believing that way.

[Hamlette]

25. stand or fall together n/t

[CakeGrrl]

33. So one year or less is your timeframe for President Obama, then?

That's pretty much what I hear.

"It's been less than a year and the problems aren't solved YET!"

I wonder, if somehow someone like Kucinich or Edwards was magically transported into the WH on Jan. 21, exactly WHAT you believe they would have accomplished by now, all other things being identical with the makeup of Congress we have?

I'll say again: Dems can take one lesson from Republicans - they support their party when it counts. They UNIFY against Democrats when it's critical. Even now, McCain manages to be complimentary to that subversive, ignorant idiot Palin as she embarks on a mission to criticize the President of the United States thinly disguised as a book tour.

[butterfly77]

40. Tell it to the Bluedogs...

[Number23]

36. You just BLEW MY MIND!!!!!

If you can't have a supportive base, you gotta hold the middle.

Oh my God. These are the truest words I have EVER seen here. And this explains so much.

Obama was elected by a wide cross section of America so he would gravitate towards the middle anyway. But the constant discontent and snarling coming from the left -- which scream how they are his "base" with one side of their mouths while criticizing his every move with the other -- would have possibly driven him there by now anyway. I'm sure that this is a precedent set by other Democratic presidents as well.

[butterfly77]

39. If it goes down you can put the blame squarely where it belongs..

with the Bluedogs and the RepubliCONS..

[Name removed]

7. Deleted sub-thread

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

[Ineeda]

8. I agree. And sometimes it's hard to see

that this is a Democratic site. We should never be a group who blindly follows-the-leader, but it seems there are many here who jump all over the smallest "infraction" to their version of perfection. For example, yesterday, heads were exploding here about Dana Perino, and many, if not most, didn't know the rules of the appointment, nor get the big picture. #1: President Obama HAD to appoint rethugs to this bipartisan board. #2. What better way to get her off her high-horse Faux soapbox? #3. She's not the brightest, and her party-line talking points will be useless. But no, latest-page threads about "another betrayal" were giving Sarah a run for her money. There's so much work to do, so much B*sh crap to un-do, it's exhausting just to contemplate. What we don't need is to devote energy to the whining, "It's not perfect, so start over. And, damn it, hurry up -- after all it's been 10 months."

[dionysus]

15. ding ding ding!

:thumbsup:

[Spazito]

21. Well said!

:thumbsup:

[depakid]

9. "ATTACK the right wing HORRID Republicans for what they are"

There are a whole lot of people who bought tickets for that ride.

Makes a lot of sense to at least not scold and belittle them. Leastwise, that's how I see it.

Want an army and such? Want political power for a generation? It's right there for the taking.

All it requires is a commitment to traditional Democratic values.

[mopinko]

10. it is driving me crazy around here.

there was a thread yesterday about a research study that said (paraphrasing) that sexist and racist jokes give people permission to think in more hateful ways. people were all high fivin' over that. sure that was true.
so, what do people think that this kind of stupid non-stop whining does? what do they think those rw talking points that they spout are intended to do?
have a good time in 2010, haters. you are building a great little self-fulfilling prophesy.

[depakid]

12. You might want to expand on that

As I have no idea what you're posting about. It bugged you- and you've been on the board for a while, so it's only fair to ask.

[sailor65]

11. So buy him a subscription

and while he's waiting for the first issue to arrive, he can step up.

The Presidency is not pizza delivery. If you claim you're going to do things, you had better damn well be ready to do them on 21 Jan.. No excuses. No President deserves any different.

[treestar]

29. Oh for F's sake!

It all has to be done on 1/21!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

You must be a spoiled brat! :rofl:

[Bluenorthwest]

13. We should 'attack the GOP' just to have Obama praise them

constantly? This is part of the leadership thing many of us long for. We can not 'attack the GOP' just to have the President defend them and lecture us for being partisan. When he hired and defended Donnie McClurkin, Donnie said the gay community is trying to kill children. Obama said we should just take that, because Donnie is a good and moral man. So that is the leadeship thus far. Obama says praise the bigots, lecture those they harm.
Obama and his staff have criticized every Progressive in Congress that I support, including my own Representative. They have at the same time praised a list of GOP bigots as long as my arm, Coburn, Grassley, Warren, Caldwell, Leiberman the list goes on and on.
When Donnie said that horrible stuff Barack lectured us that we should not criticize him even when he attacks our very families. Called Donnie his friend.
Why would I go out of my way to defend a man who holds my family in contempt, aggressive and fully expressed religious contempt?
My conscience stands with my family, not a politician who would see us go forever without equal rights.

[dionysus]

16. one, god forbid he be civil to his political opponents, maybe he should spit in their face.

2, it will always and forever be about mcclurkin won't it?

[spiritual_gunfighter]

19. Obama was quoted the other day

referring to his "friends on the left". He doesn't identify or call himself a liberal. Thanks for being my "friend" though Mr. President.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

32. Hm, a personal note, with a real dog in the fight.

My battle is more abstract, but no less important to me and mine.

Obama conveniently hides behind his effort at bipartisanshit as his only answer, even though the GOP responds by throwing shitballs as though they were made out of snow. Once? OK. Twice, maybe they will learn. BUT CONSTANTLY? At some point, the president must eject that bipartisan stuff and start working on leadership and solutions. That has not happened yet. I now wonder if he has it in him. Carter was a brilliant man, but Congress (dems in particular) undercut him at the very time that we needed common goals. Maybe he did not reach out to congress hard enough. Maybe he refused to sit on D leaders, but just as likely, his style of leadership was ill-suited for the White House. Which brings us to Obama.

How far will Obama compromised, just to buy off one R vote in the senate? He will agree to screwing millions of innocents, just for that silly label? That's not leadership, that's plain foolishness and stupidity.

Right now, all bets are off on this presidency. They will sink or swim, depending on HCR. SO far, I haven't seen much leadership coming from the Oval office, and that is one dark omen for the future.

[butterfly77]

42. Maybe, he already knew..

about the backstabbing Bluedogs all along and was waiting for them to show their true colors after all he was in the senate and he knows who is who..

[butterfly77]

41. I am so tired of hearing about this..

McClurkin shit. It is what it is,the man told you what he believed in long ago.

You were never with him in the first place, I will bet you were one of those who kept bringing this shit up during the battle between Barack and Hillary.

[firedupdem]

14. Rec'd! n/t

[JamesA1102]

17. K&R nt

[gels]

20. I'd like to see it happen just to watch the freepers heads explode!

Could you imagine Rushie and Beckie-poo? They will think is IS 2012!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[frylock]

24. unreccing..

getting tired of the get-in-line-or-we-lose-in-2010 threats.

[Undercurrent]

26. Very well said!

Thank you.

It turns my stomach to see Democrats once again eating their own. We are THE big tent party. Have been for decades. This is a good thing of course, but frequently leads to a lot of infighting. On DU it's worse. Far worse. Vicious.

I support my party. If I didn't I wouldn't have been a Democrat all of my life. A little party loyalty is a good thing. This doesn't mean blind loyalty, but it does mean I wont abandon it when things are not perfect. It does mean that I will work for change within it's structure.

It sure doesn't mean not throw temper tantrums based on misinformation, and Repug talking points!



*edited for added comment*

[kixat2550]

27. I agree. Obama needs all the time he can get

[HopeOverFear]

28. I don't care if we lose 2010, it would have been worth it not to look like an Obama asskisser

and NOBODY'S GONNA STOP ME!!!!! *stomps-temper tantrum*

:sarcasm:

(I hope you enjoyed my impersonation of a whiner)

[DU GrovelBot]

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[Tippy]

31. Republicans want to destroy President Obama

The Republican leaning media preaches hate, they make no bones about making violent threats against our President....And one or two of those tea-party nuts even had the gall to show at an event where the President was scheduled, with their guns. I was dumbfounded they were not arrested if someone had done that with Bush they probably been jailed for life or shot on the spot. They are pushing the button with racism they realize racist remarks inflame, southerners as noting else will. I am not saying everyone in the south is racist but there are a lot of tea-party nuts down this way.

Republicans oppose anything/everything President Obama does, no matter what network you watch the lead stories are designed to undermine everything he does one way or another. Not talking about just Fox here, they by far are the worse but cable news is not doing our country a favor by not pointing out the lies....Health Care for instance or Palin. The we have those in our own party st iring the pot. This makes for dangerous situation. Just think about it.

[butterfly77]

43. Some are Dems...

who are racist or bluedogs,who have been doing the leaking all along.

[Cha]

34. Of course he does..

and any sane person could understand that. I have no sympathy for those who whine and stamp their little feet.

[RepublicanElephant]

35. thanks for a crash course in u.s. political reality 101. nt

[butterfly77]

37. That is not happening because,,,

as soon as Obama took office some Dems lost their damn minds and want everything done in the first year some,wanted everything done in the first few months,.

They just added fuel to the fire for the repugs and opened the door for them to lie and distort even more. I don't know what some of them want because they know damn well what we were dealing with before Obama took office and now they want to pretend like a lot of the repubs.


Maybe they are really bluedogs too,I know damn well that they can see what the republicons are doing and if they don't, they must be some of the same people who wouldn't listen throughout the bush years and believed that what was being said was some type of conspiracy no matter what the issue.

I'll bet it is not a damn conspiracy now that some of their asses are out of a job or living in their cars or on the street,and these silly ass people still don't seem to have had enough.

If they are stupid enough to put in these republiCONS again when they see what has happened to the country then they deserve all that they will get.

[Sebastian Doyle]

44. "Obama inherited a GIGANTIC mess, the biggest since the mess FDR inherited."

This is true. And if FDR had appointed a cabinet full of Hoover flunkies, he would have never gotten out of that mess either.

Obama needs to BE the new FDR. Not Clinton. Not Reagan. Not the guy who appoints Wall Street and MonSatan shills every time a job opens up. You cannot be a part of the solution if you are part of the problem.

And the problem IS Wall Street, Corporate Greed, and the DLC.

[davidpdx]

50. I agree to some degree

people have unrealistic expections of what can be done in 10 months. Everyone has the cause they push the hardest and right now everyone is trying to push to get health care done. The problem with unrealistic expections is that they disappoint you. I listened to what Obama said during the campaign and he was clear that he won't get everything done in one year or one term.

Someone else wisely pointed out that Obama was elected with a large cross section of voters both moderately conservative to liberal. We also elected many very conservative Democrats in the Senate, which are making it difficult to hold together a majority (especially with spinless Harry Reid).

My take is in 2010 we are going to lose 25 US House seats and probably a few US Senate seats. If we barely have 60 now (Byrd has been ill, Lieberman is worthless and you have a few very conservative others), we just fell to 55 or 56.

[MattSh]

51. Well shit, everybody deserves time !

But the fact is, not everyone gets it. Some get years, some get months, some only get weeks. When the world and the USA are in a world of hurt, and you're the President, here's a hint. You're not getting years. You're actually expected to step and and get results NOW. Not sit by while Congress dithers about and slithers about aimlessly.

For Obama. Don't be afraid to open a big can of Whoop-Ass. Use as often as necessary. Use often and apply liberally.

.

[ZombieHorde]

52. President Obama can read any magazine he wishes, no one is stopping him. nt

[ProgressOnTheMove]

53. Kucinich is great and I support his cause for single payer, but as President ...

a lack of any compromise would of met resistance in a very conservative congress. I think Kucinich should keep fighting his causes and keeping his colleagues honest that's good. At the same time Pres. Obama is moving forward on issues more than any candidate could of done. They mess left behind was almost unsurmountable, but somehow slowly he's getting through it and needs his supporters patience but also activism to make him a success. Putting it all on his shoulders is slightly unreasonable. Let's give him a shot and don't recreate the environment that made the conservative movment possible and Clinton's tenure more difficult. If times are now more difficult now, in some ways it's only ourselves to blame not wrking hard enough for Kerry or Gore, so the solution we work twice as hard now for Obama because this window of opportunity may never come our way again if we do not.