It has been several years since I first heard the term "outrage fatigue". It was in the

[Atticus]

first couple of years of the unmitigated disaster historians will call "the George W. Bush administration".

The term was used to describe the feeling of disgust and helplessness people of intelligence and conscience experienced as it became obvious that, while W. likely couldn't spell "military", "industrial" or "complex", he was, nonetheless, its chosen tool.

Lies got Bush into the Oval Office.
Lies got us into the Iraq invasion.
Lies covered up the atrocities of rendition, Abu Ghraib and "Gitmo".
Lies were fed to "out" a CIA operative to take petty revenge against her husband for telling the truth.
Lies were told to conceal illegal spying on American citizens by their government.
And on, and on, and on.

Each week seemed to bring a new outrage; a new "Jesus Christ, look what those bastards are doing now!" revelation. There wasn't time to focus on and effectively react to one obscenity before another came along to take it's place as the "Bush crime of the week."

So, at long last this festering anger was given an outlet: Obama and Clinton laid siege to the nation's imagination and spent months on prime time TV kicking ass and taking names. Either would have been elected in 2008. Barack Obama eventually was.

And, now, our "deliverer", our at long last Democratic president who seemed to say all the right things during the campaign, who CAN spell big words and even use them correctly in a sentence, is the source of our "outrage fatigue".

Gitmo is still in business.
We still have that goddamn Patriot Act.
NONE of the acknowledged causes of the financial meltdown have been eliminated or even reduced.
We have yet to renounce rendition or spying on our own citizens without a court authority.
We now approve of the mass firing of teachers.
We now find that the public option isn't really that important.

Do I wish Bush was still in power?
Of course not!

Do I wish McCain had been elected?
No way in hell!

But, I do wish that my party was more concerned with what I want than what the party of Big Business wants.
And, I wish I could be sure that MY party isn't also the party of Big Business.

I am no longer outraged because I am no longer surprised, but I sure as hell am fatiigued.

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. I find that I can muster up outrage, but unlike in the *Bush years, when it was constant,

I find this is more like a roller coaster - hope followed by despair followed by hope followed by...you get the idea.

I like to be teased as much as the next person, but this is getting ridiculous!

[Nite Owl]

2. It's gotten so bad at this point

that I will be surprised if he does really deliver as a Democratic president should.

[Jackpine Radical]

3. Seems like a lot of this mood going around tonight.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7859817

K&R

[Skittles]

4. if you're not outraged, you're NOT paying attention

[tango-tee]

6. Must be old age setting in with me...

...because things that would have made me hit the ceiling in a heartbeat only a few years ago, now get a lame "WTF?" initially. It takes time and effort to get pissed off these days. Internal circuits close to being overloaded? Resignation?

[Starry Messenger]

5. "Our" party didn't invite us to the after-party.

The only people left to look after the little guy is ourselves. We can't afford fatigue. Crank up some old school punk rock music (or whatever you prefer) and brush off the cobwebs. It's a new day with new asses to kick. Luckily we have Skittles. :D

[Greyhound]

7. 1000 Posts!

:kick: & R

[liberalmuse]

8. I had it during the Bush years...

but now I'm tired of misdirected outrage. Obama has done more at this point in his Presidency than any other President before him, but it's never enough. We're in this mess because of years of apathy and Americans doing nothing while horrible stuff was done in our name. Now one person is expected to fix crap that happened because of years of apathy - NOW, or face incessant criticism. The right will criticize him because they are largely racist and small minded. The left because too many want all or nothing. In an instant world where you can nuke your dinner in two minutes, people expect also instant results from Obama. It's very disheartening to watch.

[OhioBlue]

9. +1

[JoeyT]

12. It's hardly misdirected.

No one is complaining that he isn't fixing things fast enough.
They're complaining that he's going in completely the wrong direction.
And for the most part they're right.

Edited to add: With civil liberties not only has he not moved to roll back the Bush administration policies everyone was so outraged over, but has fought to continue and even expand some of them. He's bang alongside the idea of closing public schools as fast as possible. He doesn't seem to care much for unions. He cares even less for gay rights. (Remember: Don't worry about DOMA, he's going to get rid of DADT. Wait, never mind.) Health care reform somehow morphed into "Health Insurance (kinda) Reform, and you'll like it.". We're not going to punish war criminals, or war profiteers for illegal acts or punish bankers for wrecking the economy. He makes grand statements about how the groups under his control will act, then does absolutely nothing when they do the exact opposite of what he said. (Mostly referring to the DEA.) He's pushing for more free trade agreements. We're still using contractors that are not only criminal, but openly commit fraud. Of course someone will gleefully defend every single thing I just listed, even though they were absolutely livid when Bush did it or would have been livid had Bush done it.

[druidity33]

13. Nope. I'm with ya there...

he's been a big disappointment to me. I have trouble thinking of an "accomplishment" of his that wasn't rescinded, compromised, re-framed, or somehow mangled by the proximity to Corporatism.

:shrug:

[Robb]

18. You are only half right.

First many complained he wasn't fixing things fast enough.

Then many complained he was going in the wrong direction.

My favorite part of your post, actually, is where you say no one is complaining about the speed of things, then wait a full three carriage returns before complaining about the speed of things. You have epitomized today's DU nicely.

[JoeyT]

22. Actually I didn't complain about the speed of anything.

About the closest thing I can imagine would be taken that way would be DADT and DOMA.
I consider neither a "speed" thing because I don't think he has any intention of doing anything about either one.

[DisgustedInMN]

14. I also have ...

.. piss poor excuse fatigue. But it seems there's no shortage of apologists making them.

[tavalon]

17. I'm not just mad at Obama

There are 435 House reps, only a handful are worth saving from a tornado. Same with the stupid ass Senators. I can't even think of more than two worth saving from the aforementioned tornado. And don't even get me started on the "Judicial" branch - just the fact that I put that in air quotes should express just how disgusted I am. Misdirected? Nope. I'm damn tired of being pissed on and being told it's just raining. I know piss when it's raining down on my head. This government serves corporations and unless I'm planning on incorporating, I'm shit out of luck and so are you.

Mad. I'm fucking furious.

[dkf]

10. I feel deceived. I deserve my money back.

It's amazing because I close to maxed on Howard Dean and he didn't even win yet I feel I got my moneys worth from him. Not so from Obama. What a ripoff

[upi402]

11. +1 same n/t

[DisgustedInMN]

15. K & R

[tavalon]

16. I wish I were no longer capable of outrage

I seem to have a fucking endless supply of it. I'm starting to think maybe Rahm is right, I am fucking retarded.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

19. The people voted for "change". They got the status quo and politics-as-usual. K&R

And, they wonder why a lot of people don't vote.

[mulsh]

20. Isn't that "journalistsic"short hand for rationalizing their failure to

report the facts. The first time I heard that was around the time I heard the equally contrived "Clinton Fatigue". I felt both terms were instructions rather than descriptions.

[Mithreal]

21. +1 "Bush crime of the week" and no longer surprised by Obama's errors in judgment

[XemaSab]

23. Welcome to the 1000 club!