The innauguration is almost a year ago, and what has changed?

[madmunchie]

The train wreck may have temporarily slowed down, but not slow enough. We still have 2 wars, only talk about 1. The republicans, whether they are in the majority or the minority seem to control this country....I have backed so far out of the Democratic undergroun that my ass is getting sunburned.

Big Business vs the Working People - that is what it is about. Nothing else, not any more.

[dysfunctional press]

1. my opinion of the president.

[Libertas1776]

3. +1

[Rockholm]

25. +2

[tabatha]

2. Obama said that when he came into office that he did not

expect the financial state to be as bad as it was.
I think his agenda was kicked to the back because of it.

I still think he is a good man trying his darndest, against very difficult odds.
Next year, hopefully, some of the bad will be less, and more good can be done.

I am glad for whatever fights the Dems can win, and that they are trying.
It could be far worse.

[ncteechur]

4. That about 50% of DU members have lost their grips on reality.

[NYC_SKP]

5. + 1 n/t

[Hekate]

8. Right you are.... nt

[dysfunctional press]

9. which 50% would that be...?

the ones that support lending criminal bankers a WHOLE lot of OUR money so that they could lend it back to US at a tidy profit(but instead they went to the casino), an escalation in vietghanistan, and financially fellating insurance companies...

or the rest of us?

[defendandprotect]

11. No -- our "reality" is in the hands of corporations who control it and our government ...

and our legislators -- !!!

[goldcanyonaz]

26. +1

[Hekate]

6. Visit some of these links and get back to me...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=433&topic_id=54501
Bush's third term is a figment of poor imagination. Change:
Progressives (and Obama) are Doing Better Than We Think -- and We Won't Know What We've Got 'Til It's Gone

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=8538282
What your President has accomplished just 6 months into his first term

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=8491813
Some Folks Think Obama Promised….

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=433&topic_id=26630
Progressives (and Obama) are Doing Better Than We Think ...
Progressives (and Obama) are Doing Better Than We Think -- and We Won't Know What We've Got 'Til It's Gone

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5670655
When should I start to be concerned that President Obama doesn't appear concerned...???

[Historic NY]

7. He must be doing something wrong the Repukes are complaining..

and the Dems are abandoning him.

[defendandprotect]

12. The Repugs would complain over the last nickle still in the hands of public...

they will complain over the last whisper of a truth coming from any news source ---

the idea is to totally shut down anything that runs counter to corporate interests --

and that includes our privatized-corporate-military.

We need to reinstate the Fairness in Broadcasting Act --

Glass Steagall -- totally re-regulate capitalism --

End monopolies --

And take back the people's government -- !!

[Historic NY]

15. I agree 100% but on this board you would never know it....here

from the pony waiters who are abandoning the POTUS.

[defendandprotect]

16. Well, disagree with you . . . Obama is running a corporate agenda . . .

and so is our Congress --

Corporations pre-bribe and pre-own candidates and elected officials --

that's where the problem is --

Putting more Democrats in Congress to work for the corporate agenda is not the

way out of this mess --

Putting more LIBERAL/PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS in Congress -- is the way to succeed.

They have taken many tools from us --

Public financing --

IRV voting --

and given us computers to vote on!!!

If there's a way back it is only in recognizing these problems, not ignoring them!

[Historic NY]

19. Interesting since most lobbyists are running away...tying Obama to Congress..

is interesting since the congress is independent of the executive branch. So your conclude to put more LIBERAL/PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS in Congress. Interesting the tea baggers have the same theroy when it comes to there not being enough conservatives. Where does one find the candidates and the funding to put them in office? That is where the evil starts with the money. A third or fourth party movement in the US would be drowned unless of course it tosssed the election to the the GOP as it has done. Sometimes the ideal isn't the reality. You can wait for it but it isn't coming. The ebb & tide of the party isn't in being disgruntled, as it is to work from the inside to change it.

[defendandprotect]

22. Only 20% of voters are now identifying as Republican . . .

What we're talking about here is corporatism . . . I trust you read the

Jane Hamsher article?

That's been going on for more than 40 years --

Corporations/elites have bought government -- all of it -- all of our agencies, as well.

And, Congress. The candidates are pre-owned and pre-bribed by corporations.

Did you think that Baucus was an independent representative looking out for the welfare

of voters in his state?

Voters do contribute to campaigns . . . the idea is to target "Blue Dogs" and DLC Democrats

while moving more liberal/progressive Democrats in to Congress. Perhaps you read Michael

Moore and Wm. Greider's articles on this?

Voters gave Obama 800 million -- !!! But look at how much still Obama took from corporations!

Of course, it would be better if the Democatic Party saw the light and moved towards a bill

for public financing -- which would bar corporations from any participation whatsoever in our elections!!

We also need IRV voting --
As long as the only competitition that the Democrats have is from a
near-fascist GOP, then the Democrats will continue to move to the right.

Many of us have already "worked from the inside to change it" --

As Howard Zinn has often pointed out -- change comes from outside --

[murdoch]

10. Honduras had a coup d'etat

We had the first successful military coup d'etat in Latin America in I don't know how long. Which has the US's hands all over it - the US is sending the junta tons of money right now. Lots of the white, liberal, middle class Democrats here are happy about it which is an illustration of how democracy and elections are not a way to succeed - if they win it is OK, if after long peaceful struggle the working people win they'll just crush you with tanks. The people calling for intervention with Iran today are from the same quarters that crushed the moderate, secular government in Iran in the 1950s for daring to consider nationalizing their own country's oil resources.

[lonestarnot]

13. And what is about a class war that people do not understand, and why is it that calling it what it

is, is a losing proposition?

[alfredo]

14. I've lost twelve pound.

[pnwmom]

17. There's NO WAY to know what crazy things McCain/Palin might have done by now.

Started a war with Iran, for example. Or with North Korea.

[pissedoff01]

18. More bombs and soldiers for Afghanistan, and gazillions for Corporate America

[Meldread]

20. We've sold out future generations.

We owe more money than we'll ever be able to repay, and we've sold our economic independence to China; losing our ability to criticize them on anything. We are their bitch now.

[pampango]

21. We're in Great Depression II, we attacked Iran, we doubled down with more troops in Iraq,

we didn't sent a delegation to Copenhagen (it's bad for business), we're drilling in ANWR now, more tax cuts for the rich, etc. ;)

[KharmaTrain]

23. It Shows How Far Progressives Have Come & Need To Go

Many ignore the biggest factor in what helped elect President Obama...the implosion of the rushpublican party. He and the Democrats won more in spite of what they said or did and more due to the kleptocracy of the booosh regime combined with the utter incompetence of the McCain campaign. While Democrats made big gains, it wasn't due to any Progressive or Liberal agenda...the change was from anything but a rushpublican.

There are those who built up expectations that the world would change overnight...unfortunately, the beltway is a company town and many feel it's their town not some "usurper". The corporate media knows its a ratings winner to have non-stop confrontation (as well as serving their financial benefit) and gladly fan the partisan divides that has dogged this President from the moment he took the oath of office.

A big problem is both President Obama and liberal/progressives have been getting their asses kicked in the message war. Healthcare became death panels and "socialized" medicine...and the Democrats did a poor job in both taking control of this debate and counteracting the right wing money and lies. The Congresscritters saw the teabaggers and not those on the other side...they fear the wrath of faux noise and they "respect" the money of the lobbyists who pay for their campaigns more than they do for the voters. The fact this debate has taken so long shows how successful the corporates have been in not only gutting this legislation but demoralizing the Democratic party base in the process. President Obama hasn't helped...and any victory he earns on this will be hollow. But a loss will be politically devestating to him. He built this box by letting others derail the process from Baucus to Stupak to Nelson and so on.

If there's a "teaching moment" here, it's a wake-up call for how far Progressives need to go to win the ultimate wins...the "hearts and minds" inside the beltway. This only comes with electing more and better Progressives and supporting those who are with us more than against us. It means developing a way to counteract the right wing and its corporate media allies by strengthing the netroots and networking on the grassroots level to push change from the bottom. When the politicians fear losing votes and money from Progressive, then real change can and will happen.

[mmonk]

24. People's expectations.

[madmunchie]

27. All i hear many of them say is Socialist this and Socialist that

Thats the new attack weapon against the Dems. Being labeled "Socialists" - like thinking in terms of "for the good of all" are somehow dirty words now. If the Repubs want us to buy it.....most eventually will. I am so disgusted with it all. How do you make a person care for another person? How do you "sell" someone dying from starvation or lack of adequate health care is unacceptable? So many of those same people that are in church every Sunday talking about Jesus and Christianity....... It makes no sense, it never will and it is a a waste of time trying to figure it out. All that I know that IF it ever gets any better, it will take decades, I won't be around to see it. I hope that my children and/or grandchildren will see the light of life during their lifetimes. I was fortunate enough to have somewhat of a glimpse of it. I'm sure many of you did to, we were lucky, it was never perfect, but it was sweet.