Obama's Biggest Problem: People are suffering from Bush Vision.

[berni_mccoy]

When Bush was president, it was very easy to look at everything that he and his administration did and think the absolute worst of those decisions. We all did it. Every decision made was analyzed and shown to be a failure of somekind. I did it too. And eventually, the entire nation started having Bush Vision. Many had Bush Vision in 2004, enough so that Kerry would have won the election except for the election fraud carried out in the state of Ohio. More people got Bush Vision. In 2006 enough people had Bush Vision that one of the greatest sweeping victories of a political party was made by the Democrats as they took back Congress. But Bush was still president and we didn't have enough Democrats in congress to pass any initiatives. More and more people started having Bush Vision as the nation slowly fell apart. More casualties from war and the Bush Administration's incompetence. Unemployment on the rise, the credit crisis, the scandals, all spread Bush Vision much faster than any political ad by the opposition party. But political ads were indeed made to tie every Republican Congressperson to Bush, making people see them with Bush Vision too. There can be no wonder that Obama's victory was a landslide due to Bush Vision. Bush Vision helped inspire the people to rise up and be an active part of Obama's campaign. All Obama had to do was say he would change what this country was doing. Fundamentally change how the administration would work and change what it would do. That was his campaign pledge and promise. And better yet, he actually believed in it. He is a real person. He actually makes informed decisions.

Now, Obama has set a course of making sweeping changes in his administration. New rules about transparency and conflicts of interest in his administration. Undoing of many many Bush Executive Orders. Reversing bans on stem cell research and making policy to restore scientific integrity to policy decisions. Recognizing our nation's impact on global warming. Actually sitting down with leaders of other Nations in their homes. All of these are fundamentally different operating proceedures from the Bush Administration. But Obama has a conflict.

Remember Obama is one to make informed decisions. He is a thinker and won't rush a decision in order to make the best one. Now that Obama is President, he is going through all of the Bush administration policies. And, as we all should expect, not every one of them is being turned over or changed. This strikes us as very odd and serious when this happens. But because we saw every decision through Bush Vision in the past, we are now wrestling with acknowledging that the Bush administration could have gotten lucky and been right on some things. I see people here reject Obama when this happens and say things like "Change my ass" or "Now that's change you can believe in :sarcasm:!". Well, I don't know what everyone was expecting, but I'm pretty sure Obama isn't going to undo every decision ever made by the Bush administration. First it's simply not possible. Second, Obama is evaluating everything... taking everything into consideration. And given how the direction of this country has already changed and is moving in a positive direction, I'm going to give him some credit for the things he's accomplished already. He's earned some trust from me and it's helping me shed some of the Bush Vision I've suffered from. My Bush Vision won't ever go away, in case some other asshat like Bush becomes president. But for now, for me, Obama's making plenty of good change. The world is indeed looking less evil and more hopeful.

[Tumbulu]

1. I think that you are correct

I keep focusing on how every day a boulder is lifted off of my heart. Perhaps they are not being picked up fast enough, but they are being lifted off and new ones are not being dropped down.

Good post, thanks.

[HopeOverFear]

2. Excellent post

[Turbineguy]

3. An excellent hypothesis.

As a bumpersticker I saw last September said: "I'm for Obama, but is America ready for a President with Brains?

[lunatica]

4. Agreed.

But I think what's happening is we're learning to get the Obama vision where we see that he actually does thoughtful evaluation. It takes a while to trust. He's quite new to us. It took years before enough people got the Bush vision to reject his party.

[HamdenRice]

5. Excellent post!

We can't evaluate Obama as though he has evil motivations like Bush did -- but many seem tempted to do so.

[Blue_Roses]

6. I agree and well said!

:thumbsup:

[jgraz]

7. As with any politician, a healthy sense of skepticism is always a good idea.

My guess is that Obama will be remembered as one of our greatest presidents, but that doesn't mean he's perfect. Remember, this is the guy who voted for telecom immunity.

If the left just gives up and joins the cheering masses, that guarantees that the only people pulling on Obama will be pulling him to the right. How is that ever a good thing?

[berni_mccoy]

8. "that guarantees that the only people pulling on Obama will be pulling him to the right"

that really resonates with me. It's by far, the best stated case for why we must speak out for what we believe in. However, there are many who go too far, and it is this that I'm trying to address. Just trying to keep a balance is difficult.