Obama looked like he could've been something different. He ain't.

[kpete]

Published on Sunday, December 20, 2009 by CommonDreams.org
Now I’m Really Getting Pissed Off

by David Michael Green

.........................

Are you freakin' kidding me??? What's up with the passive president routine, anyhow, Fool? You hold the most powerful position in the world. Or maybe Rahm forgot to mention that to you. Or maybe the fat cat bankers don't actually let do that whole decision-making thing often enough that it would actually matter...

......................

Here's a guy who was supposed to actually do something with his presidency, and he's turned into the skinny little geek on Cell Block D who gets passed around like a rag doll for the pleasure of all the fellas with the tattoos there. He's being punked by John Boehner, for chrisakes. He's being rolled by the likes of Joe Lieberman. He calls a come-to-Jesus meeting with Wall Street bank CEOs, and half of them literally phone it in. Everyone from Bibi Netanyahu to the Japanese prime minister to sundry Iranian mullahs is stomping all over Mr. Happy.

..............

I am seriously beginning to worry that this cat is delusional. He has lopped off twenty full points from his job approval rating in less than a year's time, falling now below fifty percent. His party, once dominant in generic congressional election poll questions, is today almost even with hated Republicans in the public mind. Last month, Obama's inverted coattails (don't even ask where those go) got two Democrats clobbered running for governor in New Jersey and Virginia. The otherwise obnoxious George F. Will (very) rightly points out that in Kentucky, "a Republican candidate succeeded in nationalizing a state Senate race. Hugely outspent in a district in which Democrats have a lopsided registration advantage, the Republican won by 12 points a seat in Frankfort by running against Washington". Wow. Obama is now wrecking state senate races! What's next? Will local Republican candidates for sheriff win office just by opposing the embarrassment in the White House who chooses abysmal policies and then refuses to fight for them, lest he should ruffle any feathers?

..............

Obama looked like he could've been something different. He ain't.

So this is it, folks.

Change you can believe in?

More like bullshit you can take a bath in, if you ask me.

more:
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Health-insurance-company-s-by-background-n015e-091220-88.html

[shadowknows69]

1. We needed a game changing leader. This country won't survive the status quo.

[dysfunctional press]

4. first we need one that's playing the same game as the people...

and not the corporati.

[shadowknows69]

6. Well, that's what we were told anyway.

I defy anyone to find me a pre-election speech where Obama says: "I will mandate that you buy insurance from the corrupt companies that don't care about you."

[RufusTFirefly]

13. Pres. Obama actually spoke out AGAINST mandates

Check out 17:30 into the clip
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x415501

[shadowknows69]

23. I know.

[LibDemAlways]

59. You can bet the repukes are very glad that clip and many others

representing broken promises are available to be used in campaign ads for their candidates next year and in 2012. Does Obama not remember what he said? Is he not aware of how easily his own words can be used against him by the opposition?

With the repukes at least the voters get a pretty good idea of where they stand and what they intend to do or not do. Obama has been nothing but bait and switch. Expect big repuke gains next year. If Obama doesn't dramatically shift course, he'll be a one termer and we'll be looking at 8 more years of repuke tyranny.

[phasma ex machina]

9. "This country won't survive the status quo."

Too many bubbles. Financial bubbles. Reality bubbles.

[Hydra]

50. Bubbles indeed

The myths passed as facts, the facts shouted down.

[Bluebear]

56. indeed

[bjobotts]

77. The weight of the complere disaster left for Obama covers all areas

[bjobotts]

82. I am disappointed with my expectations, We are in collapse with breathing room

and Obama is not our savior. He's yet to get Dawn Johnsen confirmed or any of the more than 80 holds repubs have on his administrations picks. He can get nothing passed through the senate as long as the overly abused filibuster rule is in place.

Like from Godfather II when we learn who owns which senators Obama knows he can threaten few and get results because these senators will give up reelection and go to work for their owners if need be if their owners tell them to stop Obama with a filibuster.

Go after the real problems...the senate rules that allows for such blackmail must be changed before we could even get campaign finance reform...these are the rules Obama faces trying to get any HC reform bill passed...but his Justice department is a complete hypocrisy of change we could believe in having done NOTHING but get a guilty republican senator off the hook while allowing an innocent dem (Siegleman) to be railroaded into prison without even a word of protest.

Where Obama can act he doesn't...where he is compromised he just accepts...but what would we have gotten with McCain or any republican...they are ALL an unchanging touch of disaster.

It is a corporatocracy (just waiting for a chance to become fascist) vs democracy. We are at "peak" everything, not just oil and these are the fateful moments of collapse if we don't act to get our balance with our nation and the world back from those greedy few who think their wealth will protect them.

[NuttyFluffers]

119. America is like a Don Ho song... "Tiny Bubbles"

doobie doo doo doo....

:hide:

[INdemo]

131. Do the corporate fat cats really care if we continue as a

Democracy....I mean ...we are certainly not a governing Democracy now...We are controlled by the corporations.The people we elect and send to Congress to represent us are bought and then represent the corporate interests . So we have lost that "for the people by the people"
If Republicans are given the Majority again along with the White House then we fall..We will no longer survive and will lose that small portion of what is left of our Democracy.

[dgibby]

146. No,

they much prefer the Fascist Oligarchy we've become. Democracy is so passe.

[Hippo_Tron]

111. That's your problem right there, there are no game changing leaders

Almost every leader in the history of the world has acted primarily to maintain their hold on power. The problem isn't the President. The problem is that the best way for him to hold on to power is to pass a health care reform bill that is short of what is needed. It's up to we the people to make it so that the best way for him to hold on to power is something different.

[FLAprogressive]

2. "More like bullshit you can take a bath in, if you ask me." +1

[dysfunctional press]

3. we wanted another fdr...

we got another clinton- but without the tech and housing bubbles to ride in on.

[katkat]

44. not clinton

Alas, Jimmy Carter.

[dysfunctional press]

49. i'd take carter over clinton ANY day.

either clinton.

dlc dems aren't democrats.

[Le Taz Hot]

120. Oh, please.

Jimmy Carter has/had a moral compass. The article is right on!

[burning rain]

89. Well, Clinton had moderate-to-conservative economic policies generally....

but he was successful as moderate-to-conservative guys go, and not just thanks to the tech and housing bubbles. He was strong on deficit reduction and budget-balancing, a gutsy stance that cost him and Democrats in 1994, and which does a hell of a lot to make economic growth more sustainable, unlike the supply-side jackasses of the GOP with their budget-busting tax cuts for millionaires and corporations. And he did have some genuinely liberal budget priorities such as trimming the defense budget, along with expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit, and insisting that the Republican 104th Congress make their $500-per-child tax credit refundable, for the benefit of lower-income families not paying enough income tax in the first place to enjoy the full benefit of the credit.

[intheozone]

5. Now your getting a clue!! nt

[dkf]

7. Damn that is harsh but it rings true.

Where is The Rock Obama?

[DKRC]

38. Slamming his base that's where

Repukes, turncoats, and ANY damned corporate crony gets his full support, but anyone who actually is trying to represent the best interests of we the people gets slammed.

[joeunderdog]

85. He's not a victim of them...

he's one of them.

Where's the resistance? Where's the outcry, the fist pounding and the defiance?

Nowhere. No how.

[snagglepuss]

8. K & R... "What's up with the passive president routine"

[hayu_lol]

15. A little research into this president's political background...

at the start of the primary would have given the info about his politics that told all. Not knocking the people who found a cause in this candidate...but he is doing exactly what he did in Chicago politics, in the US Senate, and up to the present.

If anything, he is less prone to approaching controversy now, except in his appointments to various offices and his speeches. Speeches are excellent, except that when you lay them out and take them apart...you find that he has said nothing.

Despite that, he is our president now and we have to rely on what he ends up doing.

During the primary, there were those who would not tolerate hearing anything negative and did their best to censor/ban/insult those who tried to turn the rocks over.

Many got what they wished for...including some of those who are now screaming for the lack of action they expected.

I reckon we'll live through this, one way or another.

[laughingliberal]

27. The irony for me is after it came down to him and Hillary I was at flip a coin time

I went with him because I knew Hillary to be too corporate friendly and he seemed not to be so much. Fuck me!

[Blue_In_AK]

28. I went with Hillary because she was a known quantity,

even though I disagreed with her on several issues. I never did fully trust candidate Obama.

[laughingliberal]

31. Yeah, I remember well one night when I realized Hillary would not get the nomination

I didn't really want her but I, all of a sudden, had a moment of panic and asked my husband, "Are we making a big mistake, here?' As time went on he seemed to be promoting enough progressive ideas to calm my fears. Those, of course, are the ones he has not followed through on.

[Bluebear]

32. And I supported Edwards and we know how that turned out.

Sigh.

[Blue_In_AK]

36. I supported Edwards, too.

He was my first choice, and I am sorely disappointed by his lack of character. I really believe he had the right idea with regard to the corporations and the "two Americas."

[connecticut yankee]

133. That's exactly how I felt.

and I thought he had the charisma to win.

I guess I'm not a very good judge of character. When Obama got the nomination, I was for him 1000%. Another disappointment.

edited for spelling

[MissDeeds]

138. Same here

I still believe in his message, but with the character issues he wasn't the one to carry them forward. I hope someone else will adopt the same positions and run in the near future.

[nannah]

143. i like edwards too... re: his character,

Lynn Caine wrote a book, "Widow" (1974) in which she tells of her life while her husband was dying of cancer and after he died. In it, she talks about an affair she had while her husband was dying. She addressed the complex feelings of guilt, grief, and rage that accompany struggling along a pain filled pathway of desperation, dashed hopes, and unforgiving test results with your life partner.

John Edwards has endured enormous loss and pain in his life; i can't find it in my heart to judge him for being human. And i agree that the economic message he brought to the presidential debate was truth spoken to power.

[Pretty_in_CodePink]

144. Me too. Big disappointment nt

[laughingliberal]

91. He was my first choice, too. I spoke for him at our caucuses in '04

I still think he was much more in tune with the working class and the poor that any of the others.

[noiretextatique]

42. ditto...i preferred the known to tthe unknown

because i suspected the unknown would be worse. i never caught obamamania, but i must admit i did have some hope. not so much anymore.

[katkat]

45. Hillary

Of course, I have buyer's remorse about Obama, but the main reason (okay, not the main reason, that was because I was pissed off about how she let her husband walk all over her), I didn't support her was I thought we'd wind up with just what we've gotten with Obama.

I know she isn't going to challenge him in 2012, I can't imagine (although I can hope) any Democrat doing that, but is there anything that led you to believe she'd be different than what we've got?

[Blue_In_AK]

51. No, I don't really think she'd be much different,

just that if she were governing in the way Obama has been, it wouldn't have been a surprise. I am grateful every day that I didn't fully buy into the "hope and change" thing because I can see how disappointed so many people are that he hasn't lived up to their expectations so far. I wish my doubts had been unfounded.

Just once in my life I would like to see a politician exceed my expectations, but they pretty universally let me down. I don't trust any of them.

[defendandprotect]

107. Hillary is DLC leadership . . . how would that have helped us . . .???

[emilyg]

74. So did I - same reasons.

[gelinas]

88. Hillary was battle tested

Hillary was/is battle tested. She has accomplishments in a brutal, partisan environment. Obama acts like a someone famous....for being famous. Did he ever lay out exactly what he wanted in a health care bill after he became president? I remember explicit discussions during the primaries wrt the Obama and Hillary plans. But Obama appeared to simply leave it to Congress when push came to shove. Obama goes on Letterman, goes to Asia, goes to Europe, goes on dates to NY, but he doesn't seem to get down and dirty in the legislation-making process. Lecturing senators at the very end of the process doesn't cut it. Using his political capital on day one, helping to write the bill, guiding it thru Congress, etc., might have gotten us somewhere.

[sabrina 1]

101. Some specifics about health care were discussed

during the primaries. I never supported Hillary or Edwards because both had voted for the Iraq War. When that vote took place, I crossed everyone who voted for it off my list as far as giving them any support. It felt like, and was, such a betrayal. I knew their votes probably didn't matter as far as the outcome, Bush was going to get his war. But it mattered a lot in helping to determine what kind of people they were, for the future.

I didn't like any of the major candidates, but Obama was new. He had not supported the Iraq War, so that was plus as far as I was concerned. Now, however, I feel certain that had he been in the Senate at the time, like Hillary and Edwards, he WOULD have voted for it.

So, he was the only viable candidate I could support. But there were so many times I felt uneasy about him. His praise for Reagan, eg. His focus on Religion which I wasn't sure was even sincere, but more an attempt to introduce people to the idea that the Democrats were as 'religious' as the Republicans. Many are, but religion imho should be kept out of politics, so that bothered me too.

Other than his opposition to the Iraq War, I couldn't see any other differences between him and Hillary. Until the debate where Healthcare was a topic. Hillary supported Mandates. Obama spoke out against them, saying that it would be necessary to have some kind of enforcement mechanism if you had mandates. He said he believed it would be unethical to fine people for not being able to pay their premiums. Since I am so against mandates I was thrilled. So I suppose I could say I supported him mainly because of those two issues, his opposition to the war and to mandated insurance.

I don't know why he changed his mind, he said when asked that his 'thinking has evolved'. How can that be? If something is unethical last week, how does it become ethical next week? That is the most disappointing thing to me, not that there haven't been others. But it is such a drastic flip flip and done so blatantly without apology to those who believed he meant what he said.

Was he told that the Private Insurance needed to squeeze the poor in order to survive? If so, then let them fail, that is what an ethical person would do. I don't know, but the bailouts, the choices of cabinet members, the escalation of the war in Afghanistan, the refusal to hold the Bush administration accountable, we kept giving him a pass. I'm still hoping that he isn't really what he now appears to be, part of the DLC wing of the party. As someone said 'The Republican Wing of the Democratic Party'. Because I never would have knowingly supported a war supporting DLCer.

It kills me to watch the Republicans right now. I know they know he is losing his base and they are gloating about it. I never wanted to be in the position where I could be used by Republicans for any reason, let alone to roll over another Democratic President. And I am angry at HIM, for putting us in that position. I want more than anything to be able to prove them wrong. I have spent years fighting with rightwingnuts, defending Democrats. But right now I just stay away from Republicans as I've lost the ability to be able to defend this Party.

[gelinas]

150. excellent post!

very well written!

[quark219]

58. +1 N/T

[bertman]

69. I agree with you laughingliberal. I thought we might have a more non-corporate President

if Obama were elected. (Plus, the Tusla lie really pissed me off.) So much for that pipe dream.

Any way you look at it, we will NEVER get a real Change candidate if they survive the Republican/Democrat vetting process. Both parties are solidly in corporate hands. The only hope is a third-party candidate and that could be decades away--if we're still having non-sham elections by then.

[laughingliberal]

93. I think that's true, sadly. We have 2 corporatist parties nt

[defendandprotect]

109. PLEASE . . . we've had two corporate parties for 40 years . . .!!!

How much more self-delusion will there be before voters wake up?

It's astonishing!!!

Do we have to lose the balance of the New Deal -- Social Security --

Medicare and Roe vs Wade before corporatism/fascism can be acknowledged?

How many failed to see that voters gave Obama near $1 billion, yet he continued

to take every corporate penny -- and is still arranging his future with corporate money?

Maybe corporatism/fascism smacks too much of conspiracy for people to really be able to

absorb reality? I don't know. But, let's be clear ... capitalism is conspiracy.

I think another problem is that people understand that once they are forced to acknowledge

reality that their behavior has to change -- and I think that points clearly to how confused

much of DU is about the future!!!

This is an overwhelmingly liberal nation -- even Catholics want government run health care

with coverage for contraception and abortion!

Come together as a voting bloc and decide on Plan B --

[libertyvalence]

92. Disappointment with Obama

I'd like to let myself get pissed off but it is not clear who to get pissed off at.Obama got in, he played the political game. I thought that the rhetoric of change was more important than the equivocating statements he made for example; on Afghanistan. How horrible has that turned out? I thought he would seek support from his base, uh uh. He went to the power brokers for a safe (for now) place to hide.
I hope he's a fast learner. What the hell is he going to say to us in 2012? "I'm going to dump Hillary, Bill Gates, Geitner and Rahm"? That would get my attention, depending on his new picks. That would tell the story if he is ready to govern and to lead. We can fulminate all we want but none of us can predict the future and it is important for progressives to learn how to wait, see realty (even if it looks like shit) and choose your battles and alliances as they present themselves, There is more at stake than health care. This bill is a pile of crap but the progressive movement is real and we can't let that become a pile of crap.
When dad let me use the car, there were strings attached. It's the same now with Obama. He is cautious and careful, even timid by nature, just like dad. That doesn't make him a conservative. Almost everybody is the same way, Republicans want people to believe that it means people are conservative politically. Not so.
Obama made deals behind our backs. Just like dad. Obama is winging it. Just like dad, but we thought he knew what he was doing. Well, we're on to him. It's not like we don't know what to look for. This is a slow game, you're not going to spot the rope-a-dope right away. If he has gone over to the dark side, then he's in the right place but if he hasn't gone over, he in a dangerous place. That's not politics, that's a war with the conservatives who have been itching for a fight since the end of reconstruction.
You have to be smart with these assholes. I trust you to figure this out as it is happening. Right now, the fight for social justice is being played out in mock politics but you ain't seen nasty yet.
That's my take.

[defendandprotect]

110. Agree with you . .. but there were large CLUES in the corporate $$ stuffing Obama's pockets...!!!

[chimpymustgo]

10. Sigh. K&R.

[eleny]

11. What happened to "The fierce urgency of now" ?

[northernlights]

81. plagiarism.

it's not like he came up with that line. just borrowed it because it sounded good.

[Gregorian]

12. I remember seeing him on the Daily Show.

People were raving about him. I was disappointed in his lack of fire.

However, I know that swimming upstream ain't easy. In fact, this capitalist society is mature. And there is not much he can do to make the changes he needs to make due to the fact that the power is no longer in the workers, and now in the companies. That is my take on it.

Also, I don't know. I don't know anything anymore.

Bush and Cheney had the world's capital on their side. Our creditors were lending so we could buy the things that we no longer make. They got our military machine rolling in high gear.

And the world is not changing. A global momentum. Running out of oil and heating up.

And none of this probably matters since he could be taking bigger steps toward the new world. Massive public announcement of FDR sized battery development programs. But then maybe we can't. Maybe we don't have what it takes. Maybe China already has that game cornered.

Maybe Obama has his hands tied.

[Andronex]

14. Obama only appears weak...

if you believed he was a progressive in the first place, he's not even a centrist, just a wall street creation, repackaging of an old product and nothing more.

[mikita]

65. +1 n/t

[Bitwit1234]

16. The one thing.....the Obama campaign had a PR expert

they made the people believe the candidate they put forth. Obama is not that strong. He doesn't have the push the strength the reserve to tell his advisor's THAT HE IS GOING TO MAKE THE HARD DECISIONS. He doesn't have the guts to kick Rahm to the curb and choose and adviser that has the int erst of this country first. Who does not have the banks and insurance business first.

Can you imagine if he had the guts to pick Dean as his adviser? Would we be mired in the slime the insurance companies and banks and wall street are peddling. Hell no.

Don't get me wrong Obama is really a good guy. But he did not have the political know how and experience and reserve to get it DONE like a lot of people said, and he is showing that right now. If only he had waited another eight years he would have learned how it is done.

[Gregorian]

20. This makes sense. I also think he knows he dare not make changes.

I don't think people really know what he's up against. I can imagine just what giants he found out he's dealing with. Imagine telling the military they have to all go home now and take unemployment. The alternative is keep on producing ammunition. And the same for many other huge conglomerates. Transportation, banking, medical...

He can't change it. They'd off him.


What I get from your post is that perhaps in another few years he'd have known how to make the changes without getting stiffed.

[noiretextatique]

43. anyone of a certain age knows what he's up against

since so many who tried to change things in this country were murdered.

[katkat]

47. I could do it

I, an old lady, could do a better job of running the country than he does. I would be happy to get us out of Iraq and Afghanistan lickety split. Who the heck is the commander in chief anyway. As to being offed, just stay in the White House until it's done. Then, who cares, it would be worth it.

[snagglepuss]

22. Well said

:applause:

[saracat]

25. I do not make excuses for Obama. He is not inexperienced and manipulated.

He chose rahm Emmanuel. Rahm was his choice and no others. He campigned for him and pursued him. Obama is making these decisions on his own. he is doing what he wants to do and he has a majority congress to help him do so. It is time to realize he doesn."t share the liberal viewpoint.He is NOT a liberal

[tonysam]

62. He's a NEOliberal, and people overlooked that

thanks to nonstop media propaganda he was a rock star, etc.

[bertman]

71. I don't think so, saracat. President Obama is following orders. He is no more independent than

you or I. He knows that he will survive to see his children grow up IF he does as he's told. Emanuel, Summers, Geithner, his whole freakin' cabinet were hand-picked by the Powers That Be.

After seeing the results of our last Presidential election there should be NO American who has any illusions about who controls this country. The Military-Industrial-Corporate Complex is in charge and has an iron grip, including on the domestic surveillance and control front. The transition was cemented in '47 when Truman signed the National Security Act into life--a decision he later said he sorely regretted. From that point on, the Intelligence complex used its "black" budget and its ability to operate without ANY supervision, and ran with it. And here we are today.

I'm just glad that I don't have any boy children to feed to the grinder. And I feel for those who do.

[xynthee]

90. Yeah, he knew going in that there'd be ten guns pointed at his

and all his loved ones' heads 24/7 and that he wouldn't be able to do ANYthing the gunpointers didn't unanimously approve (EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!). If he didn't know, then shame on him for being a fucking moron.

Either way, I'm thoroughly disgusted with him!

:puke:

[G_j]

17. he was a great campaigner

but that did not translate into being a great president.

[Blue_In_AK]

29. Unlike John Kerry,

who may not have been such a good campaigner, but would have made a great president. Just my opinion.

[Skittles]

106. not to anyone who was paying attention

[Deep13]

18. Told yah so. nt

[KoKo]

19. "Sweet Jesus What Is It?" Dems spot a spine in the corner...

[Bluebear]

21. 'more like bullshit you can take a bath in' - lol

[bvar22]

24. The marketing of "Brand Obama" was a HUGE success.

When a rookie Senator from Chicago showed up at the Iowa Caucus with $100 Million Dollars and an Up & Running Political Machine, more questions should have been asked.

The marketing of Brand Obama began in 2003, at the Democratic Convention.
Give him credit for being able to deliver a good speech.


Cheap Talk.
Chump Change.


"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans. I want us to compete for that great mass of voters that want a party that will stand up for working Americans, family farmers, and people who haven't felt the benefits of the economic upturn."---Paul Wellstone

[tularetom]

26. Dumbest fucking thing I ever read

What do you want the man to do? It sounds like David Michael Green whoever the hell he is, won't be happy until he walks into the Senate, grabs Lieberman by the collar, kicks the livng shit out of him, tosses him in the corner and then goes over to McCain and does the same thing.

We just got rid of an impulsive, immatuire, mama's boy who spent 8 years trying to prove to everybody (including himself) that he actually possessed a pair of testicles. We elected somebody who actually thinks before he acts, and all of sudden he's a sissy?

Flame my ass if you want to, I still support the man and I'm not disappointed in his style, even if I'm less than ecstatic about the health care bill.

[Bluebear]

33. Political science professor at Hofstra, since you've asked

[AusDem]

129. polisci, is that a real degree? n/t

[Bluebear]

142. Yes. It is.

[dgibby]

147. Ask your President. I believe that was his major. n.t.

[DerekG]

39. I don't think he's a sissy

It takes balls to continuously backstab your base.

[rury]

66. I'm with you tularetom!!!!!

[lamp_shade]

125. Have you been here?.......

Democrats for Obama Group:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=388

[valerief]

95. How did LBJ get Medicare passed? Same way. We don't need to know the dirty details. nt

[jonestonesusa]

97. I'm with you also, even though the health care bill needs serious help.

I have also not at all been pleased with President Obama's economic policies, but I think he's done well with reviving American diplomacy at a critical time. Diplomacy is about continuous, tenacious effort, which gives us our best chance at good relations over time.

I still have hope that his presidency will succeed. I think that liberal revolt is the best thing that can happen to the presidency, frankly. This leadership team is able to read the writing on the wall when it counts - when fundraising and enthusiasm dry up from the left, it is sure possible that some of the people (Summers and Geithner) and policies (flyover economics) can be rethought. I think that the blistering criticism of the left even got to the Bush administration eventually. Politicians take polls - they know what's up. And there's at least a chance that for this president, on-point criticism can influence the direction of policy.

But I still want to respect the President, his governing style of attempting to communicate with all sides, his fundamental intelligence and broad vision. What he needs to stop doing is leaving liberals out in the cold - the same problem that both Clintons, Kerry, Gore, et al. all had at the wrong time. Gore's promotion of Lieberman is one reason why that sapsucker is all in our grill now.

If the national Democratic party ever starts appreciating liberal policies and the left voters that put them in office, we'd have something. But Obama hasn't apparently learned from the mistakes of the others who think they need the center/right more. When will we learn?

[Vidar]

30. We should have elected Obama's speech writer.

[truedelphi]

55. + 1.

[jonestonesusa]

98. Obama writes his major policy speeches, by all reports.

This sounds too much like the right wing talking point: all he can do is read a teleprompter.

[blues90]

34. What happened? I always got bashed big time here

When I spoke against what Obama was doing or wasn't doing.

[Bluebear]

35. The anesthesia wore off?

:)

[emilyg]

76. We pulled our pockets out and

there was no change.

[timefortherevolution]

80. It's called a cyber-mugging.

Yes, there's a certain other popular site where you couldn't dare reason or raise
questions about his candidacy.

I'm feeling a bit vindicated but also destroyed by calling him correctly for what he is.

[Greyhound]

37. The "Coke vs. Pepsi" campaign worked, Pepsi won.

Perhaps, Idiocracy is a better analogy. The crops are dying and the only solutions offered are Coke & Pepsi where water is the only solution.

[gtar100]

40. So what happens now that the both the republicans and democrats have destroyed their own parties?

Because the republicans are no real alternative to any democrat. It's like the race to the bottom is close to hitting bottom and all we've got to choose from is corruption from the right and corruption from the left.

[katkat]

48. what happens now

Work for true progressives/liberals.

In the words of Galaxy Quest: Never give up, never surrender.

[bridgit]

41. Don't look at me, I never fell for any that "I'm a blank sheet scribble on me" stuff

[Buzz Clik]

46. Yet another Obama slam from kpete posted without comment.

I'm assuming that this is her final word.

So be it.

[MelissaB]

63. I think you've been around long enough to know

that kpete doesn't always comment when posting an OP.

[Forkboy]

52. I don't even agree on the first line. He looked exactly like what he is to me.

[NMMNG]

53. "Present" n/t

[SaveOurDemocracy]

54. Presidents aren't allowed to vote 'present'? DUH!

BIG FUCKIN SURPRISE EVERYBODY!!

He was packaged, scripted, marketed and sold by a very hi-tech, savvy political machine.

[Dangerman]

57. Obama double-cross us!

He failed to prosecute Bush and Cheney, and continue to expand their policies by bombing innocent people in Pakistan and Yemen, he expanded the unnecessary war in Afghanistan (used to be necessary but not anymore), and there's much more.

Change we can believe in MY ASS! We should have voted for good men like Kucinich in the first place.

Obama you backstabber! :mad:

[NorthCarolina]

60. We could have listened to Kucinich who was spot-on on Health Care,

the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars (if they really are wars as much as they are socialism for the military-industrial complex), Wall Street, etc....but NO, he's too funny looking and besides he has no chance of being elected because the media tells us so.

[Skittles]

64. yup - and to hear that shit on DU no less

well, we got our style over substance

[Jamastiene]

67. And what's worse is that here in NC,

we didn't even have the option to vote for Kucinich. He was marginalized and sent home before our primaries ever happened. We were fucked from the get go.

[tranche]

70. He has no chance of winning because he takes his orders from UFOs.

I laugh until I crap when I hear Koochies talk about how things could be different.

[bertman]

72. Go back to your shithole, dipshit.

[d_b]

99. lulz

[Forkboy]

75. Is that you OMC?

:rofl:

[Hekate]

116. Gone, but not forgotten, is he?

[ima_sinnic]

123. could you be a little more obvious? I can't see through you well enough

[Dystopian]

61. He is everything I knew he wouldn't be...

No hope.


peace~

[defendandprotect]

112. Ok . . . you were fooled . . . but don't go away . . .

get organized with other liberals and progressives as a voting bloc and decide

on Plan B --

and stop enriching your corporate enemies --

[leeroysphitz]

68. For whatever reason this president is not "in it to win it".

The administration is either incompetent or duplicitous.

[defendandprotect]

113. The agenda is to destroy the Democatic Party as any tool for progressive action . . .

Social Security, Medicare -- Roe vs Wade -- will all be next --

Bankrupting of our Treasury by wars is another excellent and speedy way

to destroy democarcy --

This isn't "incompetence" . . . it's purposeful destructiveness --

and very sad for so many Americans in urgent need of help.

[ima_sinnic]

124. +1 the insight that's come to me also--fracturing and chaos of the democratic party

mission accomplished

[defendandprotect]

149. Correct . . . that was the purpose of co-opting the party from the beginning . . .

:)

And sad, indeed --

[bertman]

73. The reality is sinking in. As many have said, there is only one party--the Money Party. It

has two wings for marketing purposes. We are in the less heartless, fascistic wing. For now, at least.

Rec.

[timefortherevolution]

78. What did everyone see in him that I missed????

Not trying to be condescending here but I missed it.

I saw a candidate who voted "present" on tough issues when it was necessary to make a stand.

I saw someone who had a mediocre performance in nearly every debate..with the MSM providing excuses about a cold.

A candidate who had only served two years as a senator.


I too was looking for a great candidate but I saw a hell of a lot more fight in the Clintons.

Sorry to say!

[Skittles]

108. he gave purty speeches

and that's all I saw

[defendandprotect]

114. They arranged NOT to see the corporate $$$ filling his pockets . . .

they've arranged NOT to see anything since then . . .

suggesting that others want too much too soon, that Bush made a big mess --

that Obama was playing a chess game -- that we wanted a pony --

but the main theme was really "we don't want to recognize this reality" ---

and I think the answer to that is because they would then have to change their

behavior and that frightens them because they're unsure.

They can stick with "voting for the lesser of evils" and get betrayed over and again --

or organize with liberals and progressives and work on a new plan B --

We'll see . . .

from what I've seen here before . . . delusion has a 50% chance with most of them!!!

[treestar]

79. While they try to Carterize a Democratic President

You help them.

Geez.

[bjobotts]

86. Ask yourself what were or are the alternatives.WE are the change WE believe in

[bjobotts]

87. WE must keep pressuringTHEM to become this change too.Expectations are a bitch.

[defendandprotect]

117. You'll still be trying to "pressure" this corporate administration . . .

when they're kocking out Social Security, Medicare --

and Roe vs Wade!!!

Delusion has a good chance of winning here at DU!!!

Over and again!!!

[defendandprotect]

115. PLEASE . . . give it up - --

[LastNaturalist]

83. Is.

[caseymoz]

84. I'm critical of Obama, but that is too harsh.

He's not even out of the George Bush economy, yet. (I'll mark the end of that in 2010.) That's the greater part of the reason why the party in power has low approval ratings.

Though it's true that I think his economic measures have been wrong, that still has to be proved. They haven't been given time to not work, and he has time enough to change them. Again, 2011 will be the start of the Obama economy.

As for this statement, "Everyone from Bibi Netanyahu to the Japanese prime minister to sundry Iranian mullahs is stomping all over Mr. Happy." It's not true; it is just a statement of irritation.

[defendandprotect]

118. This is corporate/fascism . . .

you've been betrayed on health care DEFORM . . .

and there will be more betrayals --

Social Security, Medicare, abortion . . . ???

[caseymoz]

148. I know.

I just think we should be fair and not overstate things. If not stay on topic.

On that subject of not overstating things, if there was one thing that distinguished fascism, it was rule by one supreme leader. That is definitely not true of the plutonomy that we have. And I think it's best described as a corporatism and plutonomy.

[defendandprotect]

151. Let's beware of UNDERTATING corporatism/fascism . . .

and let's be sure that everyone here understands what it is --

Italian fascism was corporate based --

And it was corporations which brought Germany to re-arming --

That is the underlying play in fascism ---

They created Hitler --

There is no such thing as "rule by one supreme leader" -- unless you're talking about

Christianity's "One male god" . . . ???

There is the power elite -- and those who serve them. Obama right now looks like one of

those who serve them.

[caseymoz]

159. There definitely is rule by one supreme leader.

Hitler did an awful lot to cut the deals that put him into power. So to say he was "created" by corporations is simply a misrepresentation.

In a fascism, people are manipulated in such a way that they will not oppose the leader. For the most part, they are terrified about what supporters will do if they even think about it. Some are bribed, some have their interests served, some are enthralled by the personality, some are enthralled by the vision and some are simply happier to be better off than others. This was a very key part of all the fascist states: Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Chile . . .

Fascism cannot be separated from this.

George W. Bush was not a fascist leader, but he put everything in place that a fascist leader would need in the presidency.

[valerief]

94. Hey, I voted for DK in the primary. nt

[newtothegame]

96. "Obama looked like he could've been something different. He ain't."

What part exactly looked different? His 700 days in the Senate? His 130+ "present" votes that most here on DU didn't look twice at? What exactly looked different?

The "shock" on DU at what has happened with the Obama presidency just astounds me. Clueless. Seriously, freakin clueless.

[grahamhgreen]

100. "More like bullshit you can take a bath in, if you ask me. " LOL

[omega minimo]

102. He. Looked. Like. A. Player.

[earth mom]

103. Obama wanted to be prez ever since he was a kid & he did whatever it took to reach his goal.

Ambition like that can be a very treacherous thing, which we're all seeing now.

[Lorien]

104. A liberal friend of mine insists that Obama just checked "President of

the United States" of his "to do" list post elections and will now coast for the rest of it. He doesn't believe that Obama will run for a second term. At this point I won't be surprised if he's right.

[CBR]

130. Imagine a politician being ambitious. I would rather have the slacker

down the street as the President. Good grief.

[defendandprotect]

105. Very destructive to the party and to democarcy . . . shameful and sickening....

[ima_sinnic]

121. new campaign slogan: the laissez-faire president, because change is out of my control

[Le Taz Hot]

122. Excellent article.

Puts it in nice, succinct, crude terminology -- now THAT I can understand. :evilgrin:

[AusDem]

126. hahahahahah

you sound exactly like what most rightwing commentators sounded like BEFORE he got elected. "He's an empty suit, he's got no experience, etc". are you saying that they were all correct about him?

maybe he WILL turn out to be one of the worst presidents in the history, at least by the standards of the right and the left. Isn't that ironic?

you can rant all you want, but you voted for the man. he never said he'd be a fighter. He said he had goals, and intentions, that is all.

[ima_sinnic]

132. he's a professional chameleon

working for ALL the insurance co's, not just Geico

[Dinger]

127. A Weary K & R

God I'm tired. Does it even pay to vote anymore?

[Echo In Light]

128. And what's worse is the same % will fall for the same shit next time, and the time after that

etc, etc

[TomClash]

134. What racist shit

I'm not happy with some of what the President has done but this assclown tries to write in some 70s blaxploitation language to mock Obama. It is pitiful, racist and stupid. It reads like some old, white wrinkly poli sci prof who never had a real job in his life talking about Obama being prison-raped in faux ghetto lingo. I'm not impressed or amused - Hofstra should ax this loser.

One example - the Kentucky State Senate race. The nationalization of the race by Higdon barely mentioned Obama but instead focused on Reid and Pelosi. It's also a Republican seat typically. Obama basically had nothing to do with the race.

I'm calling him out: David Michael Green = racist. Memo to Hofstra - fire this clown.

[dionysus]

135. don't bother.. this is fail porn at it's finest. wriiten at a 12 grade level, this prof must have

been having a stroke as he wrote it...

[TomClash]

137. I agree with everything you wrote except "12th grade"

I'd lower that grade a bit.

[Bluebear]

141. "some old, white wrinkly poli sci prof" - - but YOU'RE not racist. Or agist. Or anti-educator.

"Never had a real job".

Fool.

[TomClash]

154. Right back at ya

If you want to take a good long look at a fool, find a mirror. Have a nice life, Professor Racist. :rofl:

:rofl:

[Bluebear]

155. Wow, what an asshole. /ignore

[Hepburn]

136. This is NOT the change I voted for...

...:mad:

[Swede Atlanta]

139. More of the same..........

I think Obama had sincere aspirations to make a difference. But I think the evening he won someone let him in on the little secret, you are not President of the people, you are the lackey of corporate interests and don't forget it.

Until we stop recognizing and giving business interests legal rights we will live in a corporatist state.

[Clear Blue Sky]

140. I fear huge blowback over this in the next elections.

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[Horse with no Name]

145. Sorry. He always looked this way to me

If you looked past his purty speechifying, that is.

[Name removed]

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