Well, I expected change. Stupid me.

[Political Heretic]

More specifically, I had this ridiculous believe that Obama was really on a mission to reframe how we talk about politics, using his amazing rhetorical gifts and commanding presence to teach America that so-called liberal values were actually american values at the very heart of bedrock America.

I thought he'd use his talk of a post-partisan politic to speak political left leaning policy in a way that even heartland America would understand and eventually get behind.

I thought that be the end of his time as President, he could have really set the stage in political discourse for a much more progressive future, even if he himself wasn't the absolute progressive on a number of issues.

Boy was I fucking stupid. I own that - I let my emotions get the best of me. You can go search my post history and find big posts expressing this vision and my hopes for what Obama would be ale to do as far as changing the political landscape of America is concerned. Wrong. Emotion-based not facts based. Wrong despite numerous attempts to explain - with factual information - why I was wrong.

Emotional hope and a desperate desire for good news after a years of Bush made my blind to facts that were already right in front of me. When Obama lied about NAFTA and got caught talking to the Canadians about how his campaign rhetoric was just for show and that the pro-business pragmatists needn't worry about any serious reform, my heart told me that I had just seen a window into the reality of how an Obama administration would actually operate..... but I chose to ignore it. Letting the emotion of hope drive me.

What I got instead is a President that looks like every other status quo president that props up our crony capitalism run amok and prioritizes the wants and whims of the financial elite over the desperate needs of low and working class individuals and families. Politics as usual. That's all I see. Even in the handful of good things that have happened during this administrations tenure, none of them amount to more than a "beautification project" on a sinking ship. Not to mix metaphors, but we need a clear, emergency course correction for our society beyond the little incremental change back and forths between the two corporate dominated national parties.

Stupid. Shame on me. I hope I never, ever do that again. Facts are all that matter, and we had more than enough facts to know how Obama would choose to govern long before he was elected - and he is governing pretty much exactly like all the facts said he would: as a ferocious defender of status quo and business as usual.

And we aren't getting it.

[Cant trust em]

1. OK.

[DrDan]

2. highly rec'ed

you are correct - we need a major course correction - and we do not get it.

[ixion]

3. k/r

great rant! :applause:

[Donnachaidh]

4. K&R. n/t

[county worker]

5. I feel the same way you do.

It occurred to me this morning that the mistake we made was to think that the inequities in this country were reasons for making change happen.

We are like the fundies who vote repub in a way. We see our political party as a means of making the country into the kind of ideal country that matches the vision we carry around in our minds. It isn't and will never be.

I'm beginning to see that if we want a more just society we have to change minds and not use politics to get there.

Look at the health care issue. 47 million uninsured but more than that are insured. So we solve the problem by forcing all of us to buy insurance. That doesn't hurt those who already buy insurance. Only a single payer system could effect everyone in some way. But to the majority, that is a negative thing. Not to the 47 million uninsured but they really don't count in the grand scheme of things. They are the pawns in the game, the "reason" for the change that isn't really going to happen.


Yes we put our hopes in the system and as usual we are getting a lesson that we didn't expect to get.

Somehow we have to stop working through political parties and work for social justice one on one. That's because the political parties are owned and paid for by those in power who want the status quo and that's what we are getting.

We should stop seeing each other as only right or left. Both side's leaders are lying to their base. Maybe if we all stopped voting, both right and left, politics wouldn't matter so much.


The lesson for me, I am 63 yrs old, is that there will not be a progressive movement coming from Washington in my life time. I can only hope we all learn to care more for each other and that we get rid of the negativity and hate that we all carry around.

[CrispyQ]

62. This may be the wisest thing I've read about politics:

"...we have to stop working through political parties and work for social justice one on one. ... We should stop seeing each other as only right or left. Both side's leaders are lying to their base."

[CoffeeCat]

69. That sentence, in a nutshell, if the cure for corporatism...

What happens if Americans are united against the BIGGEST threats to our democracy--corporatism,
corruption, wars-for-profit, erosion of our civil/Constitutional rights?

If we are united, they lose.

The radical fractionalization of our country into left/right sides is part of the coup. If
we're all focused on how awful the other side is--we mistake them as our enemy. The real
enemy is the cabal that is decimating our democracy and setting aside the Constitution.

Rush Limbaugh, Hannity, Beck--they are all part of the plan to keep America weak and
divided and distracted.

America wakes up to a three-ring circus that is placed in the center ring--by corrupt
criminals who are out in the parking lot and beyond--dismantling our entire world. By
the time we figure out that the real action is beyond the circus--will it be too late?

[bobbolink]

76. If you want peace, work for justice. What we once knew.

Yet, I have lost hope that very many will TRULY care about justice.

This morning brought that home to me..... Obama has apparently changed course because of the strong lecture he got from the labor leaders.

Yet, we homeless people have NO voice like that, so we will continue to be tossed under the bus.

[bobbolink]

75. "I'm beginning to see that if we want a more just society we have to change minds ...."

EXACTLY!

:applause:

Some of us have tried to get that across. It didn't resonate. Maybe the disappointment is so strong that now there will be a shift in that direction.

[ddeclue]

6. K&R nt

[gleaner]

7. You are not alone in this ...

You have said it all and very well. But you're not stupid. You had hope and you wanted positive change. Me too. Maybe someday we'll get it, but it won't be from Obama.

I see that your very fine post has already been unrecced by others before I got here. I gave it a rec and it still shows negative. Perhaps you have been visited by the unknown unreccers who always seem to take a crack at posts like yours.

I'm sorry you were disillusioned. It was cruel and unnecessary and very calculated on Obama's part. I was disillusioned too. Things will get better if we push back hard enough to cost Obama and those who follow him their offices. I have the feeling that he thinks he has pulled off the coup of the century and is laughing about it. Letting people live in misery and hardship is really something to be proud of yourself for.:sarcasm:

Here's a kick and hopefully more positive readers will give you more recs. People do need to read this.

[MuseRider]

8. Well this post is up

to +7 including mine. I think you speak what many people here are feeling.

[MineralMan]

9. A fine, fine Obama-bashing OP. You've outdone yourself,

bless your heart.

[jgraz]

18. And you, with your awesome, mindless Rahmpology. Take a bow.

:applause:

[Bluebear]

20. He has nothing to apologize for!!!1

:crazy:

[Romulox]

99. "References. Brilliant"

[Romulox]

100. Ooops. Dupe. nt

[ima_sinnic]

51. ...

just a rahmbagger doing his duty

[Romulox]

98. "Rahmpology" (snort!). Well done! nt

[defendandprotect]

97. If it were ONLY Obama .. . . we'd be way ahead of the game....

We have the corporate DLC in the White House --

and Democrats on the corporate dole --

"pre-bribed" and "pre-owned" by corporations --

bless their little hearts!

Who ever said that our elected officials should be working for the citizens, anyway?

[newtothegame]

10. What made you "expect change?"

Not trying to be a smartass, just really interested. I don't WANT to drag up primary talking points here, but 700 days in the Senate and 130+ "present" votes during that time NEVER said change to me. Apparently it did to many, many people here, and I've always wondered why.

PS I voted for him, but only because my top 3 candidates were beaten out in the primaries and I would never vote (R).

[dionysus]

16. lol, dragging out the present votes.. aren't you precious...

:rofl:

[newtothegame]

17. What led you to believe?

Warm hugs and kisses,
newtothegame

[Political Heretic]

25. I explained why - largely emotional hope. I failed big time at critical thinking and I admit it.

[newtothegame]

28. Right. But I guess I mean...

"emotional hope" in anyone but Bush, or something specific about Obama (amazing rhetoric, etc.)? I would lean towards the former, but the viscous way people attacked Clinton in their defense of Obama makes me think it was more something people loved specifically about Obama than just that he wasn't Bush.

[Political Heretic]

30. No I was enamored with Obama even more than anyone-but-bush.

He speaks in a way that I am very vulnerable to.

As a dreamer, a hope, and a romantic at heart ( yeah yeah, I hide it well, now) I am very vulnerable to having my emotions manipulated if I am not careful.

And I was tired of feeling bad about my country and government. All created a very ripe environment for me to get caught up in amazing sounding words without critical, careful investigation of action.

Having said that, you mentioned Clinton, and I'm curious to know if you think that Clinton would have brought us something other than this sort of status quo. I mean, half Obama's current team are ex Clinton advisers, and she herself is on the team bringing us this mess.

I now realize that either one of these two candidates were pretty much committed to playing politics in the same way its always been played in Washington...

[tavalon]

68. He was and is an inspiring speaker

I'm just seeing more and more distance between his words and his actions.

[Oilwellian]

40. errrr

the Senate doesn't vote "present." Good grief. You really are new to the game, eh?

[vssmith]

45. He's going back to Obama's time in the Illinois legistlature

[newtothegame]

58. Yes.

Warm hugs and kisses,
newtothegame

[pecwae]

11. R&K, but

stop feeling stupid. You aren't. You believed change might really occur and that belief was shared by millions. Pretty soon we get tired of getting kicked in the teeth, though.

[90-percent]

12. I'm a little confused

Saw this on Rachel last night

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=422499&mesg_id=422499

Obama's rating by the Congressional Quarterly Presidential Success Ratings ( at about 5:00 in the above clip) is the best score since they started doing this over 50 years ago!

By that measure, he's friggin' fantastic!

However, his whole status-quo pro-corporate leanings and his leaving in place all the Bush crimes against the Constitution are deeply troubling to me. I thought a Constitutional Law Professor would restore the Constitution as it was before Bush as one of his first Presidential acts?

Is American Corporate Fascism the best we can hope for? Gee, I sure as hell hope that wasn't the change I ended up voting for!

-90% Jimmy

[mochajava666]

13. His book led me to believe that he was more progressive

than his presidency so far has illustrated. Change we can believe in. Ironic, isn't it?

A few red flags that I ignored were his defense of the FISA telecom immunity bill and his lack of support for gay marriage, supporting civil unions, which isn't the same under the law. Also his friend, Rev Wright, said to remember that he is a politician and will say what he needs to say.

I refuse to believe he is a bad man, I think he is just way in over his head to the point that his advisers (which are the establishment) are able to serve him poorly.

The bottom line, however, is that this country (and world) desperately needed leadership, and he has failed miserably. I hope he gets his head out of his ass soon, or the 2010 election is going to be horrible, and the future will be even more bleak.

[DisgustedInMN]

14. Yep...

... you aren't the only one kicking yourself PH. There's a lot of us that got taken in by style without substance. I hope I live long enough for there to be an actual Progressive to bring this Nation out of the death spiral it's in. I'm not optimistic about the odds.

[timeforpeace]

15. Rec'd. And we got change. We got lots of change going on.

[salguine]

33. Yeah, previously employed people are changing into jobless people, previously

housed people are changing into homeless people, sick people will continue to change into bankrupt people. So much change!

[elocs]

19. I think many of us projected our hopes for this nation on Obama based upon the promises

for real change. It now seems that the promises were your typical political promises made to get our votes.

What will we believe next time? We are now all but taunted with, "well, you've got no choice because where else can you go?"

Right now we have a segment of the Democratic Party that is demoralized at the same time that the Republicans and the Teabaggers are getting inspired and fired up. I don't think this is going to shape up for good election results for the Democrats come November.

[derby378]

23. Perhaps the Democratic Party needs its own version of the Teabaggers

A determined grassroots effort to push the Democratic Party further to the left, to replace compromisers on Capitol Hill with legislators who are interested in real, progressive change instead of maintaining the corporate status quo.

[defendandprotect]

101. Of course, we do !! That's obvious ... but if Democratic Party had wanted it . . .

they would have called us out to demonstrate for Single Payer/Medicare for All --

They have to avoid that because even right wing morans would vote for it --

and probably join us!!

How could any Dem in Congress or even any Repug vote against Medicare for All???

Couldn't be done!

Unfortunately, corporate money has infiltrated the Democratic Party to STOP any

active liberal, progressive movement.

Not to encourage it!!

Sadly . . .

:cry:

[CrispyQ]

64. I agree completely with your last paragraph, & I wonder, do the Dems even see it?

I worry that the dems are seriously underestimating how many people are so disgusted they will stay home on Election Day.

[Greyhound]

80. For them to not see it requires that they are stupid and they are not stupid (not that many). n/t

[defendandprotect]

102. If we all see it and feel it, how could the Dems not see it -- ????

What the corporate DLC is trying to figure out is how long they can get away with it --

And, considering that in 40 years there has been no price to pay for dismantling the

New Deal and Middle Class in America, why should they worry?

Bill Moyers was only pointing that out the other night --


Meanwhile, if the only competitition to the Democratic Party is the neo-fascist GOP

then the Dems will continue to move to the right --

[amborin]

21. K&R

[Coyote_Bandit]

22. Ummmm......

Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me.

Meaningful healthcare reform is my line in the sand. The POS legislation that is currently pending ain't it. And IMHO Obama failed to demonstrate a principled commitment to achieving something better - or he lacked the political skills or guts to do so.

Yes, I too have buyer's remorse.

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[arthritisR_US]

31. yep, that's the way I see it too. n/t

[Subdivisions]

27. K&R. n/t

[Sinistrous]

29. POOP!

[Tim01]

32. "Hope,change,yes we can." Is a political trick. It promises nothing.

These empty words allow people to believe whatever they want to. Which is exactly what happened. People should have seen this coming.

[rutherford behaves]

34. Very inspirational writing! Let's keep hoping.

[donheld]

35. Chump change

[spoony]

36. k/r I know what you mean

I let the emotion of the campaign blind me quite a bit. We shouldn't feel TOO bad, because many people were paid a load of money to make sure that happened. Fool us once, shame on them. We've learned a lesson, it's too bad the price we'll be charged for it.

[shadesofgray]

37. You were NOT stupid. Obama orated, postured, and deceived.

He is the one at fault. Not you, not me, and not anybody else who believed in him.

[Name removed]

38. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[EmeraldCityGrl]

39. K&R

[uponit7771]

41. Your unwillingness to pay the fuck attention leads you to express fustrations at Obama....hmmm

[Political Heretic]

50. Actually, if I paid less attention, I'd be far more favorable.

Since I started off completely bought into the hope and change message, and excited about a new direction under this president.

But then I made the mistake of paying attention. :(

[bobbolink]

77. And all you got is a personal attack.

geee, where have we learned THAT trick?

[anonymous171]

42. K&R. nt

[Vidar]

43. Obama duped many of us. Never again.

[Raine]

44. Yes so did I, silly me

but it won't happen again. :mad:

[nightrain]

46. It's tempting to blame oneself, but Obama has hd a huge PR thing

going. Many of us were taken in.

He's campaigned as a quasi-progressive, and is governing like a "New Dem"--DLC.

[depakid]

47. I expected center right policies ala Bill Clinton- but not pathological conflict aversion

like we've seen with the health care debacle and the disgrace of a Justice Department.

[nofurylike]

48. you said it. stupid not to actually look at the change that IS

happening.

and self-centered to have expected the change to be as you wish to dictate it to be - as if your changes would be possible for anyone to accomplish, especially so quickly. and especially live through doing it.

[Political Heretic]

49. No, only "change" as you dictate it to be.

"stupid not to actually look at the change that IS ... and self-centered to have expected change to be as you wish to dictate it to be."

Said only because you are defining "change" as you dictate it to be? You can dictate what constitutes the kind of change we need and say its happening. No problem with that. But when I describe what I believe constitutes the kind of change we need, I'm self-centered.

My "change" is very simple. Change that prioritizes the needs of low-income and working class individuals and families ahead of the wants and whims of the financial elite. It's not self-centered. It's simple responsibility to hundreds of millions of American families.

As far as quickly goes, its not about "speed" its about direction.

[nofurylike]

103. point is, i do not threaten to completely throw it all away when it

doesn't do MY particular bidding.

i again suggest you look more closely, and not with a gleeful eye to what is wrong, but with a sincere eye to what is constructive.

[Political Heretic]

104. It isn't "MY" particular bidding.

It's the "bidding" of hundreds of millions of Americans.

"throw it all away"

What "it" are we talking about exactly, you have some examples?

[nofurylike]

109. no. "hundreds of millions of americans" have preference, but

do not threaten that if it doesn't go their way, they will demean and even sabotage others' earnest and effective efforts.

teabagger alliances? norquist allies? election boycotts? join other parties? yeah, right, not demanding ones own particular bidding be done.....


i understand i can not reach you, so i will stop trying now.


bye.

[ima_sinnic]

52. the moronic waste of time on "bipartisanship" to the detriment of actually getting anytning done

has really alienated me, along with the complete exclusion (with a very few exceptions) of progressives from cabinet and higher-level cabinet posts.
Look at how fast Van Jones was shown the door (his resignation "accepted" with no fuss) while industrial-strength capitalist crony crooks like Geithner and Summers are retained and "supported" despite a huge outcry for their arrest. The "constitutional scholar" is simply a CON, "looking forward" to further war crimes and grand theft by the same traitors who started their coup in 1963, the same pigs who stole our treasury and sold arms to Iran to fund death squads in Central America, and further shitting on habeas corpus while giving lip service to "how important" and "fundamental" it is to our "democracy." The Nobel Peace Prize winner with a new request for $708 billion for WAR. The laissez-faire president who has bent over backward to make sure worthless "health insurers" make obscene profits and we are forced to buy overpriced prescriptions from his buddies.

feh. I won't be voting for him again--his phony "community service" (which apparently amounted to registering some people to vote) made me think he would have a perspective on poverty and human rights, and understand things from real people's point of view, and I was suckered by "constitutional scholar" to think he really would put reinstating habeas corpus at the top of his to-do list, as he so glibly "promised"--not even more trashed.

I just don't like his "politics as usual" laissez-faire approach. We need a strong leader to turn the country around, not someone who sits back and lets Congress put the screws to us while he pretends to be "helpless."

Because of this administration, I have reregistered as Independent, for the first time in 45 years. Now that's CHANGE I can believe in.

[Enthusiast]

55. Zactly

The fucking Republicans deserved zero consideration but Obama had to lick their butt while they lied at every opportunity.

And like you said-the Van Jones thing. It was like caving in to Glenn Beck's demands while we must "look forward".

I have never been more pissed off about anything than I am about this betrayal.

[golddigger]

53. K&R

Awesome rant!

[Enthusiast]

54. Stupid you and stupid me.

But, come on. It was a great act. It still has millions convinced.

I like that "we need a clear, emergency course correction for our society"

This is what I thought we were getting when we elected the president and a huge majority to the house and senate. But all I hear is that I want a diminutive equine. This is utter bullshit and someone should pay dearly.

Don't tell me this shit was not orchestrated.

[CrispyQ]

65. "...a diminutive equine."

:rofl: :rofl:

[Mithreal]

56. It was a beautiful vision. I saw it too.

I thought this would be the turning point of our new century when America embraced the things that made us great and rebuilt our communities, prospering by loving each other and those around the world.

There is no shame in hoping. I just didn't realize I was being marketed to, I so wanted a fresh start for our country.

I do feel like I lied to very many people in my community though. It shames me.

[DiverDave]

57. You arent the only one

I, too, believed the lies...shame on me.

I sit squarely in the middle of the "middle class" (well towards the bottom, actually)
and I was really hoping that he would help...
Stupid me, of course he knows which side his bread is buttered on.

Mea Culpa.

[crispini]

59. Have you ever volunteered for a campaign or gotten involved with a local political party?

Because change is SLOW. Slow, slow, slow.

[Orsino]

60. This is how change happens...

...in an almost thoroughly corrupt government. Little bits of change, for which we bargain away our other liberties and prosperity.

[proudohioan]

61. Me too...

don't feel bad.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

63. I think the Democrats were taken over by the Pod People DLC

and that's the reality. Old Progressive Dems have to decide where to take their marbles and play. They can try to take back the Party or they can schism off. No idea what will happen.

If a Progressive Party rose out of the rubble of the Democrats, I would follow the leader. I thought Obama was that leader. He is not. I know about why am I surprised, blah blah, blah. I listened to his campaign rhetoric and I believed it, that's why. I can't be clearer than that.

[raccoon]

66. Elections alone don't bring about real change.

Think about the Civil Rights movement, the Women's Suffrage movement, the draft resistance during the Vietnam War. Add the abolition of slavery to this list.

None of these came about as a result of Lincoln/JFK/Nixon, etc., being elected POTUS. Nor of Sen./Rep. of whatever state(s) being elected.

REAL CHANGE is something the people have to demand. It's going to be that way with a national health plan. I don't like it either, but that's the way it is.

(I posted this yesterday as an OP but got little response.)

[TexasObserver]

67. Count me in. I stepped right into the punch.

Silly me. I actually thought he meant much of what he was saying.

Change we can shove up our ass.

[Faryn Balyncd]

70. You nailed it.

k and r



:hi:

[quiet.american]

71. This OP is delusional, unfair and utter claptrap. nt

[inna]

73. it is your comment that is "delusional, unfair and utter claptrap".

:thumbsdown:

[quiet.american]

74. Keep the hits, coming, inna. Really original. nt

[inna]

79. you've nothing to complain about, i just reflected what you said back at you.

[quiet.american]

81. Yes, I saw that. How original. nt

[inna]

82. How disingenuous to whine about your own words reflected back at you.

See the irony? :shrug:

[quiet.american]

86. What I do see is serious projection.

"Complain," "Whine."

Knock yourself out.

[inna]

88. LOL, who's projecting?

I'm not the one who's whining, complaining, projecting and being hypocritical.

I haven't "whined" or "complained" about a thing.

I simply confronted your attack on the OP with your own words.



I'm not going to engage with you any further at this point, you're not being rational and this exchange is not worth my time.

:hi:

[quiet.american]

93. Still at it. What nonsense. nt

[treestar]

72. You're only seeing the negative

Like a depressed person, the positives just don't count.

[upi402]

78. i didn't

but i think i get where you're coming from. thank you OP! you're not stupid at all. many here have their heads so ddep in sand, it's hopeless. i'm glad a black guy was elected, but a non corporatist was requisite.

[cliffordu]

83. Yep, you got fucked. Suck it up and walk it off.

Stop snivelling.

[NorthCarolina]

84. Error: You've already recommended that thread (nt)

[cliffordu]

108. Error: you can only recommend

posts which suck less than this one.

[Name removed]

85. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Greyhound]

87. K&R.

[Chulanowa]

89. Yet ironically, you use the same title and material used by dozens of others

I guess when you need a self-congratulatory pick-me-up, ignoring reality to Freep Obama on DU is always a good way to go. You're guaranteed a trip to the greatest page, by a bunch of other idiots who will rec you from the title alone. Simple formula, but effective apparently.

[upi402]

90. "Freep Obama"? lol, Obama is more of a Freeper than the OP

meh

Obama is a corporatist that is betraying his supporters. Please pay attention.

[Chulanowa]

92. He's betraying his supporters? Are you sure they supported him?

Or were you guys all like "Look! He's not Bush! Let's attribute everything we want to him! I'm sure he'll read our minds and pull through!"

He's exactly what he advertised himself as. If you feel betrayed, then that's because you're stupid. Sorry to be so blunt, but really, it's true. Either you completely ignored anything other than the fact he wasn't Bush during hte campaign, or you are ignoring the reality of what he's managed so far. Either way, stupid.

[upi402]

94. i knew he was a corporatist in the primaries. i hated him

others are coming to terms with his Clinton-Republicanism. I sympathize.

You have some catching up to do.

[quiet.american]

96. Amen on that .nt

[grantcart]

91. Ok if you insist I agree with your title

Any one who expected a single year in the life of the President to be able to "reframe" how the country talks about politics is in a word - stupid.

When you add the fact that the first 8 months were spent simply keeping an imploding system functional well the word you chose may be a little too soft.

[Political Heretic]

105. It's not about speed, its about direction.

[cliffordu]

107. ..And you can change the direction of the

garbage scow the size of the one Bushy left in a year??

It must be nice to live in a world the size of yours.

:eyes:

[defendandprotect]

95. Think all liberals/progressive have to come together in a voting bloc . . ..

let's find out just how big that bloc might be --

We need to discuss doing something other than 40 years of voting for

"the elesser of evils" -- !!!

Plan B . . . ???

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

106. I expected the status quo and that's what we got. Politics as usual.

:shrug: