Change takes time, friends.

[chrisa]

Fact 1: We're 3 weeks into the Obama Presidency.

Fact 2: Bush was one of the worst, if not the worst President in the history of the United States. Dick Cheney was probably the worst leader in US history.

With these facts in mind, why do people on DU expect everything to suddenly change 3 weeks into Obama's presidency. This is occuring off of DU too. Do people suddenly have a 5 second attention span, and expect instant change? This is why Obama is saying that it's going to get worse before it gets better. There is no instant fix for the economy. It's going to take years. We're going to eat the poison no matter what we do.

The second thing that I noticed in some threads that irks me is the completely unwarranted America bashing. People are outright calling Americans cowards, and saying that since we're all fast food eating slobs and couch potatoes, the government is going to roll over us with no mercy. These people seem to have unrealistic expectations of what is actually possible, and what can be done. You can't expect people to get off their ass when they perceive that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. In fact, you don't want people to get off their ass unless if we're on the wrong course. Nothing at this time tells me that we are. Give Obama a chance.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. You're 100% right. I give Obama my support. I couldn't have asked for a better man

to take the position of president, and I campaigned for him till my shoes wore off lol

I think people hate Republicans so much for destroying our country and people, that they will allow nothing, and when they hear or see Obama working with Republicans, and DLC Democratic politicians allowing Republican trampling, they grow very frustrated.

I do think now that Obama has been rebuffed by the Republicans, he's going to start changing his tactic. That's not a bad thing.

[BlooInBloo]

2. People just like to bitch - for a variety of reasons. No amount of rationality will impede it.

[blm]

3. Because Bush and Cheney were the WORST along with the worst GOP congress why should Obama keep ANY

of their policies in place? If you're driving towards the end of a cliff, should you hesitate about putting your car in reverse?

[tech3149]

4. I agree with you re: Obama

He's just one man and doesn't have unlimited authority to do everything he thinks needs to be done. He has to work within an extremely flawed system and will only be able to make incremental changes without broad support.

BTW, welcome to DU. Most of us here welcome open discussion of issues and can get beyond ideology when presented with a logical argument. I expect you will provide worthwhile input with your posts.

Regarding the "unwarranted America bashing", I can't say I've seen any of that. From my POV, we need to do a lot more self-evaluation. I wasn't politically engaged since before they killed Kennedy, but I did a 180 in March 2003. I don't fault the people in general, but they have been "dumbed down" and distracted for decades and we are now dealing with the results.

Most people don't have the time or energy to get an informed view of world events. It doesn't make it any easier when all the commercial media just sells the story of those in power.

[UTUSN]

5. Ain't it something that THREE WEEKS have been media flaming that

some kind of miracle hasn't occurred with a snap of the finger? And how every little BURP by whomever is portrayed as a MAJOR DEFEAT for the new Administration?!

Belated welcome to DU!1

[chrisa]

8. It's sickening.

Turn on Hannity if you want a laugh. These people have the nerve to say "Obama hasn't done a damn thing in office!" Seriously? He's probably done more so far than Bush has done in his entire Presidency. The MSM is determined to make Obama fail because whiny stories and a whiny public give them good ratings. They'll never report on anything good Obama does. Now, we have Rush cheerleading the effort to tank Obama. Isn't this called treason?

[BlooInBloo]

13. No different from DU, in that respect.

[leftstreet]

6. Voters expect change because Obama campaigned on Change

Had he campaigned on 'Let's Take This Slow and Easy' and won, then people might not have the same expectations.

[Fire1]

7. If they keep gutting his stimulus package, it won't happen at all.

Obama recognizes what needs to be done. He knows 'change' starts from the bottom up, which is the reason for selling his plan in Indiana and Florida. To get these people to put a fire under their congressmen. He also knows that many of these issues are dire and cannot wait two or three years. Obama is not the problem. Congress is the problem and we all know that and more and more people are seeing that tunnel light dissipate.

[TornadoTN]

9. Congress is the problem

Obama can only do so much, but at the end of the day, it's the Congress that gets to have their way with anything Obama sends them.

What we are seeing here is the result of too many limp-wristed Democrats in Congress that try to play politics with everything under the false hope that Republican voters will "like them enough to vote for them". Above that, there is no spine in the Senate or House leadership. Absoloutely none. It's disgusting to see what people like Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi have done to our party. The Republican's know how to use the leadership to their own twisted advantage when they are in charge and they control the flow of everything when they are in charge.

I'm sick and disgusted.

[Fire1]

10. I think I said, 'congress is the problem.' I also know how this

game is played. But the 'cost' of gaining the support of two or three publicans is much too high. To the extent that we end up with a watered down version of what should have been and does absolutely NOTHING to benefit the poor, working poor and what's left of the middle class. I think we agree.

[TornadoTN]

11. Yes indeed - I should have emphasized my agreement with your statement

We are on the same wavelength on this one, I was just wanting to emphasize my agreement. Sometimes doesn't come through on the internets!

[Fire1]

12. Quite alright.

[EraOfResponsibility]

14. Tornado and Fire, I agree with both of you

you both made excellent points.

[BirminghamExaminer]

15. Don't you mean "my friends"

[chrisa]

17. It would be if.

I had a chesire cat grin, and spewed bs everyday.

[Two Americas]

16. no one is

No is expecting "everything to suddenly change 3 weeks into Obama's presidency."

Social change often happens very quickly. Usually does, in fact.

All social progress throughout history was the result of people who "have unrealistic expectations of what is actually possible, and what can be done."

You say "you can't expect people to get off their ass when they perceive that there is a light at the end of the tunnel." yes indeed. That is why we keep hearing these promises of "a light at the end of the tunnel" - to prevent a popular uprising.

What we should be giving politicians a chance to do is to respond to pressure. That is how representative democracy works. "If you want me to do something, force me to do it" FDR said.

[chrisa]

18. Can you agree, though, that.

The media has been too harsh and demanding of Obama?

"You say "you can't expect people to get off their ass when they perceive that there is a light at the end of the tunnel." yes indeed. That is why we keep hearing these promises of "a light at the end of the tunnel" - to prevent a popular uprising."

There's not going to be a "popular uprising," and the concept of one happening is somewhat ridiculous. Even during FDR's time, the populist movements were weak.

[Two Americas]

19. of course

Absolutely. The media is our enemy. They are not "too harsh and demanding of Obama" they are trying to destroy him, and us.

I say turn it off, and then start talking about how to work around it and then how to slay it. What say you?

The Left and the Unions were not weak in FDR's time, especially when compared to what passes for the Left today.

Popular uprisings happen about every 80 years, going back in Anglo-American history. Something to do with the social amnesia, and the passing of information across 4 generations. Minor social upheavals happen at the midway point, at 40 year cycles.

1690's, 1770's, 1850's, 1930's, 2010. Beyond that pattern, all of the signs are there in plain view that we are right on the cusp of a massive social upheaval. You can only stretch the rubber band so far.

[ddeclue]

20. A lot of us don't have time friend:

1) Fact: I've been unemployed since December 15th.
2) I have been unemployed far too much in the last year.
3) I am broker than shit.
4) I have bill collectors calling all the time.
5) I have no prospects for a job right now.

Change had better hurry its ass on up already!!

:nuke:

[Left Coast2020]

21. Speaking of "Change".....

How is this for "something completly different?"



VIA WIKILEAKS:

Change you can download.

Wikileaks has released nearly a billion dollars worth of quasi-secret reports commissioned by the United States Congress.

The 6,780 reports, current as of this month, comprise over 127,000 pages of material on some of the most contentious issues in the nation, from the U.S. relationship with Israel to abortion legislation. Nearly 2,300 of the reports were updated in the last 12 months, while the oldest report goes back to 1990. The release represents the total output of the Congressional Research Service (CRS) electronically available to Congressional offices. The CRS is Congress's analytical agency and has a budget in excess of $100M per year.

Open government lawmakers such as Senators John McCain (R-Arizona) and Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vermont) have fought for years make the reports public, with bills being introduced--and rejected--almost every year since 1998. The CRS, as a branch of Congress, is exempt from the Freedom of Information Act.

CRS reports are highly regarded as non-partisan, in-depth, and timely. The reports top the list of the "10 Most-Wanted Government Documents" compiled by the Washington based Center for Democracy and Technology<1>. The Federation of American Scientists, in pushing for the reports to be made public, stated that the "CRS is Congress' Brain and it's useful for the public to be plugged into it,"<2>. While Wired magazine called their concealment "The biggest Congressional scandal of the digital age"<3>.

Although all CRS reports are legally in the public domain, they are quasi-secret because the CRS, as a matter of policy, makes the reports available only to members of Congress, Congressional committees and select sister agencies such as the GAO.

Members of Congress are free to selectively release CRS reports to the public but are only motivated to do so when they feel the results would assist them politically. Universally embarrassing reports are kept quiet.

Each time the topic of opening up the reports comes up, it runs into walls erected by opposing lawmakers such as Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), who "like many members of Congress, views CRS as an extension of his staff,". If the reports were made public, "every time a member requests a particular document, the public may infer that he's staking out a particular policy position." (Aaron Saunders, Stevens' spokesman, Washington Post, 2007)<4>.

However that hasn't stopped a grey market forming around the documents. Opportunists smuggle out nearly all reports and sell them to cashed up special interests--lobbyists, law firms, multi-nationals, and presumably, foreign governments. Congress has turned a blind eye to special interest access, while continuing to vote down public access.


http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Wikileaks_publishes_billion_dollars_of_semisecret_0208.html

[ddeclue]

22. This is related to the OP HOW again?

:shrug: