Obama's First Nine Months: Change We Can Believe In?

[Kalun D]

Really good article on Common Dreams by Gary Olsen


excerpt

""For those who worked and voted for Obama, especially younger folks, all of this must be a bitter pill to swallow, a giant step backward toward disillusionment and cynicism. I prefer to interpret it as a necessary and valuable lesson in electoral illusions for those truly serious about making this a better country: Obama, a brilliant and charismatic politician, was always a conservative corporate Democrat, a self-described believer in "the free market," and an enthusiastic accommodator to the rich and powerful. In the words of one pundit, Obama is Clinton without the sleaze. He would never have been given a favorable vetting by the financial elites who chose our presidential candidates if he represented the slightest threat to their domestic interests and global empire. By the way, the latter includes 800 military bases in 130 countries.""



Obama’s First Nine Months: Change We Can Believe In?

[C_Lawyer09]

1. None of which had anything to do with Obama

One thing I see missing is all the different ways to serve America he spoke of, but I'm not convinced many would step up if the opportunity availed itself. What did the young people expect? Friggin magic. If so, they obviously have no idea of the three seperate branches of government. What do they have to worry about? They can stay stateside and whine about the ineffectiveness of Obama as well. They are lucky they don't live in a country with a mandatory two year service requirement.

[opihimoimoi]

2. Fuck Yeah...thereis a lot of goodchange we can believe in....McCane offered Bush 3

Obama has turned things around for the better..

Bush, the Worst POS in American History .;...had really fucked things Royal

[katkat]

5. three branches of government

Too bad the Executive branch is MIA in terms of bringing about change.

I guess he's consistent, though. He rolls over for the Repigs, and he rolls over for Congress. I guess he missed that part about the President being a Leader.

p.s. Tell me again how he's different from Bush? The only difference I see if he doesn't insult foreign leaders. Everything else, same old, same old.

[salguine]

6. Consistent is right. The Great Capitulator.

[C_Lawyer09]

7. The biggest difference between Obama and Bush

Is effort and involvement. I don't know if you are aware of this, but the original stated National Security Strategy of the Bush administration placed overwhelming priority on the Israeli/Palestinian peace process. GW stepped aside and allowed several key cabinet members to be thrown under the bus. Shortly after this he usurped any authority he once had to Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, and Perle. Obama left no stone unturned in his pursuit of a workable Afghanistan/Pakistan strategy. He was dogged in whom he sought out for advice, and his personal evaluation of countless scenarios and how they might unfold. Bush wouldn't even tolerate an hour long meeting on most subjects, even if they were critical to national Security. It was the same when he was Governor of Texas. Luckily the Texas Lt. Governor actually has more power than the Governor. I've gotten frustrated with Obama several times, but it helps to be mindful of his position. Obama has enjoyed no honeymoon period as Bush did. Hell Reagan enjoyed a whole term of honeymoon. Let's remember that when Obama took the reins he was given a shit sandwich, nothing more, nothing less. Even though Obama is confronted with friggin obstructionists and nay sayers non-stop he keeps pushing. I'm bothered by a few in his administration, that I think make bad decisions or whom are more or less bought by the institutions from whence they came. Jimmy Carters big failing, which gave Reagan such a big foothold in the 1980 election was that he refused to prioritize legislation. I sure don't see this as an Obama failing. It is not his job to get in there and throw punches, it is Harry Reids and Nancy Pelosis respectively. As you also might have observed, it is not just Republicans he's fighting. Do I think he should have struck harder while the iron was still hot, vis a vis healthcare. Sure, but who am I? I'm a monday morning quarterback, that's who.

[katkat]

12. Lawyer

Well, we disagree on this. In my view, the President leads. He gets the country fired up about good possibilities, just as Obama the campaigner did. Then he works with his party in Congress to get legislation through. JFK led. Say what you will about LBJ (and I'll join you), he was very effective at getting Congress to do what he wanted.

[jgraz]

10. He also chews with his mouth closed

Oh ... and he pronounces "nuclear" correctly. (Honestly, that "change" is almost enough for me)

But as far as policy goes, it's getting harder and harder to tell them apart.

[old mark]

3. "Bitter Pill" = no immediate gratification, exposure to the sad reality

of American politics, especially congress. Mark Twain said that Congress was failed lawyers, and I think we are living in a second guilded age.

mark

[jgraz]

9. It was Candidate Obama who set those expectations

Do you think he would have gotten young voters to turn out if he campaigned on "the sad reality of American politics"? These voters have every right to feel betrayed.

[old mark]

14. bullshit. Give it a rest and let the guy work with the scum in congress -

after his first 4 years, you can add up what you feel are his failures and vote for the Republican of your choice.
the "young voters" who expected instant miracles should start to fucking grow up- it would make a nice change.


mark

[stray cat]

4. I prefer him to 8 more years of W as do many DUers so clearly there is change

[jgraz]

8. So instead of YES WE CAN, maybe he should have run on I'M NOT BUSH

A decidedly lower bar, don't you think?

[bvar22]

11. "Obama is Clinton without the sleaze".

I think that comment was unfair, but I DID Laugh Out Loud.


From the linked article:

"Obama, a brilliant and charismatic politician, was always a conservative corporate Democrat, a self-described believer in "the free market," and an enthusiastic accommodator to the rich and powerful. In the words of one pundit, Obama is Clinton without the sleaze. He would never have been given a favorable vetting by the financial elites who chose our presidential candidates if he represented the slightest threat to their domestic interests and global empire." (my bold)

That doesn't leave much "HOPE" for The Working Class.

"Those who make peaceful change impossible guarantee violent revolution.---JFK (IIRC)




bvar22's official scorecard for Obama's 1st year:

*The Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party SHUT OUT of the Obama Administration…...Mission Accomplished!

*WARS fully funded and EXPANDING. Bill sent to our children…...Mission Accomplished !

*Trillion Dollars given to friends and campaign contributors on Wall Street. No Strings Attached...Mission Accomplished!

*Military Spending INCREASED....Mission Accomplished!

*Trillion+ Dollars given to the Health Insurance Industry. Token, easily avoidable, symbolic only strings attached....Mission almost Accomplished!

*Kill the possibility for a REAL "Public Option" or REAL Universal Health Care for at least another generation, and begin the “Entitlement Reform” defunding of Medicare (-$500 Billion)....Mission almost Accomplished!

*Block ANY re-regulation of BIG BANKS and Credit Cards....Mission Accomplished!

*Protect the Bush War Criminals and Torturers from JUSTICE....Mission Accomplished.

*Throw the Dirty Hippie Peaceniks, Liberals, and GBLT under the bus....Mission Accomplished!

*Reinforce the worst Police State provisions of the Patriot Act....Mission Accomplished!

*Protect the very richest. Tell the Working Class that they CAN will be forced to compete with 3rd World Slave Labor.....Mission Accomplished!

*EFCA (Employee Free Choice Act) killed in the crib....Mission Accomplished!

*More Anti-LABOR "Free Trade"....Mission almost Accomplished!

*Jobless Recovery....Mission Accomplished

There are those who insist that OBama id doing EXACTLY what he promised, that WE mislead ourselves.
I challenge those people to view the following video from the campaign:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZG8Zq8V54k


So, what can we do?
At this point, ALL we can do is everything we can to publicly voice our disapproval.
We DO have one powerful tool....the Internet.
We MUST use it to target several PROMINENT BlueDog/DLCers in 2010, and combine & co-ordinate our NATIONAL efforts to either remove them from office, or make their primary a living hell.
It would dilute our efforts to target ALL of them.

I suggest we focus our efforts on Senator Evan Bayh (Indiana) who is up for re-election in 2010.
Even if we are not able to unseat him, if we are successful at co-ordinating our efforts we CAN send a strong message to The Conservative Democratic Party that they ignore us at their peril.



"I am a New Democrat!"---Barack OBama
http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?contentid=254931&kaid=85&subid=900184


The DLC New Team
Republican Lite ONLY!
Real Democrats Need NOT Apply

(Screen Capped from the DLC Website)

[swilton]

13. The Biggest Difference Between Obama and Bush

Obama can walk and chew gum at the same time - policies same-old same-old

Both relied on the 'manufacturing' personality-cult style of image making in electoral politics.

The world was and is being duped.