My wife has an analogy she uses to describe Democratic critics' attitude toward the President

[bigtree]

She says they do everything they can to cut him off at the knees and then complain that he's having trouble standing up.

I once thought that was a bit simplistic. Now I think, given the dearth of support from so many corners of our party - even for things which are clearly progress - this presidency is left to fend for itself politically from all sides and needs support.

Critics often complain that he's compromising - practicing politics. I don't know how the presidency avoids practicing politics, or, why his office should be the only political branch in town with its feet shackled to the floor. Anyone who's paid attention to politics over the years knows that political positions change with the political tide. The tide nearly washed our party out of power last election. Not a Democratic tide, but a republican one. A few more media-manufactured storms before the next election and they'll threaten to wash our Democratic president out of office.

I'm a critic of this administration. But, I'll be damned if I'll give anyone the satisfaction of separating my allegiance from our Democratic presidency over those differences. You want a political fight with me over our Democrats? Meet me in the primary season. Right now, there are much more insidious forces ready and willing to take advantage of any wedge they can put between members of our party to weaken our influence at the polls.

Right now, we've got a Democratic WH and a Democratic-controlled Senate sitting on a pin. I'm more interested in spending my energy supporting my Democratic President and party than tearing them down. And, when I do criticize them, I hope that I'm accurate and fair. If I'm not, I expect to be called on it.

So, I'm proud to be a Democratic supporter of President Obama and our Democratic party. I'm proud to represent the folks we've managed to elect to our legislature and White House. I hope more folks can find room to give them a leg up when they agree and are mindful of the other challenges this President and party face as we criticize them.

[deaniac21]

1. Did you hate Ted Kennedy for 1980?

[Maru Kitteh]

4. As evidenced by the outcome, it was a stupid move

[nessa]

40. +1 (nt)

.

[mediaman007]

2. My allegiance is to progressive issues, not the person.

I was unhappy with Clinton's NAFTA, but he was the better alternative to the Republicans. Obama pushes that line even farther to the right. Just because he is a better alternative to the Republicans, doesn't mean that he is aligned with me.

[Warpy]

3. Same here, and neither of us is in any position to cut him off at the knees

All we can do is complain on message boards when he disappoints us.

People who want lockstep approval should run as GOP.

[treestar]

27. Disconnect to the real world here

Since those issues can only be tended to by elected representatives.

[Scurrilous]

5. K & R

:thumbsup:

[yellerpup]

6. Good thoughts from you and a great analogy from

your Mrs. We can't let him lose in 2012. With you all the way! :kick: & Recommend

[JTFrog]

7. K&R!

[DrDan]

8. bull roar - I only wish there would be a bit of compromise

capitulation is closer to the truth

[frylock]

9. i'm a critic of this administration..

just curious as to what you've been critical about.

[Just One Woman]

10. I love it!

And I hope she or you wont mind me using it. It is a perfect comeback for these republicons I deal with daily.
Thanks for sharing this with us.

[malaise]

11. That's the truth n/t

[gratuitous]

12. You know, you're right

No sense getting all heated up about the continuing giveaway to the wealthy, who are struggling to get by as it is. I mean, an additional three cents' tax on every dollar they "earn" over a quarter million a year? It's tyranny, it is! Real, live, shooting revolutions have been fought over less, and just thinking about Paris Hilton having to pay an extra $22,500 in taxes on her first million dollars of earnings next year absolutely breaks my heart. Something Must Be Done!

And I know just what. All this namby-pamby talk about senior citizens and subsisting on social security and other absolute bunk. Our codgers and codgerettes should be proud (damn proud, pardon my French) to die penniless in the gutter rather than force Paris Hilton to fork over another penny in taxes. We must absolutely balance the budget, but it can't be done on the overburdened backs of the idle rich. It just can't!

The only sensible and reasonable solution is compromise, and even though negotiations have already gone to a "temporary" extension of tax cuts for the wealthy, it's certainly not going to be enough come 2012. Oh, the uncertainty and the instability of it all! How can rich people possibly create any jobs with this virtual Sword of Damocles poised above them? Only another two years of tax breaks on top of the 10 years they've already had? Weep for an America so hard-hearted! Weep, I say! We must negotiate further; some of you poor people still have homes and clothes, furniture and automobiles. Dig deep for the betterment of America, a betterment that begins with more money for the affluent. Our pie in the sky will come, by and by.

[SammyWinstonJack]

48. +1

:evilgrin:

[ShamelessHussy]

13. yeah, well maybe he should start listening to his critics, they may be on to something

especially if they have so much power.

[pnwmom]

24. He's got critics on the left AND on the right -- even within the party.

[ShamelessHussy]

41. We are talking about his party critics

[pnwmom]

44. Which ones? The ones on the left or on the right?

They all contributed votes that led to his being elected.

[vi5]

14. No thanks. I'm a citizen not a cult member.....

Granted, I'm a citizen who has voted straight dem ticket in every single election for the past 24 years and likely will continue to do so. But I don't stay silent or chant mantras of support when it's not deserved.

I'm curious what exactly she things any progressives did to cut him off at the knees. I mean seriously, what initiative or legislation failed because "democratic critics" cut him off at the knees? Did the public option and drug re-importation not get included in the healthcare bill because "democratic critics" fought against it? Did HAMP fail because not enough "democratic critics" supported it? Were major things left out of financial reform because not enough "democratic critics" supported it? Is he ready to cave on the tax increases for the wealthy because not enough democratic critics are against it? Really, I'm curious which major action or piece of legislation didn't get passed because of "democratic critics" and what exactly "democratic critics" did that resulted in the half assed, weak legislation that did get passed?

I mean last I checked even in congress, it was all the "democratic critics" and progressives who got on board when they were told too. It was the blue dogs and conservadems who cut him off at the knees (and even that is only assuming he didn't agree with them).

[treestar]

29. You've got it backwards

The political capital, the bully pulpit power, comes from having a high approval rating and a lot of support. Remember what it was for Bush right after 911. If the opponents can start saying his own party doesn't approve of him, that weakens him, so don't complain about the result.

[vi5]

35. Oh please....

Spare me the chicken or the egg scenarios. When he took the public option off the table and when he took drug re-importation off the table he had record high approvals. He had everyone on his side going into those negotiations (and please don't feed me the line about how all of that was the Senate's doing and he had no hand in it).

And besides, the "SUPPORT DEAr LEADER AT ALL COSTS" crowd keeps telling the rest of us that 80% of Dems support him and that it's only a fringe group that doesn't. So if he did and continues to have such high support among dems and it's only a fringe that is against him.....then what more support does he need? Or is it like the moving goalpost of the Senate? Is "80% approval just isn't enough. He needs 100% approval to be able to do these things" the new "59 Democratic votes just isn't enough. We need at least 70!!!"

[scarletwoman]

30. +1,000. Well said. (nt)

[savalez]

15. K&R

[Toucano]

16. That's laughable.

He's the President of the United States.

He bowed down on his knees of his own free will, and that's when he started getting criticized.

[SammyWinstonJack]

49. Yep! nt

[EFerrari]

17. Characterizing people who disagree with you is not an argument. n/t

[political_Dem]

18. K and R.

[BzaDem]

19. K & R! Especially "And, when I do criticize them, I hope that I'm accurate and fair."

So many criticisms are leveled in a fantasy universe, whose facts are completely and utterly wrong.

[Monique1]

20. I'm with you Bigtree

I am so frustrated with the negative I read here - I just want to get away from it all. The negative garbage is going to hurt us and help the repukes.

[Tx4obama]

21. Bravo !!! K & R n/t

[liberalmuse]

22. Absolutely true.

We don't deserve this guy. Not collectively.

[Catherina]

23. What the fuck ever. Disappointing. I'll stick to antiwar wives thank you. n/t

[apocalypsehow]

25. Kick, Rec. n/t.

[LostInAnomie]

26. K&R.

Obama whiners/haters should be ignored.

[Rex]

28. Well great, we should just all drink the kool-aid and never

have anything negative to say! Ever!

[TwilightGardener]

31. K/R.

[jonnyblitz]

32. Creepy. nt

[donco6]

33. I guess when they change the name to ObamaUnderground, I'll worry.

Until then, it's still Democratic Underground. Criticizing the president, when warranted, is A-OK.

[PurityOfEssence]

34. Bullshit.

We're constantly told he's the best we can get, and anything short of lock-step approval is a personal attack on all that's good and true.

Somehow we OWE him everything. He's entitled to benefits of any and every doubt, regardless of how consistent his corporatist record is. It's an insult. It's an affront. It's cluelessness elevated to a religion.

Personally, I think he's the same glad-handing ultramoderate corporatist with a foolish and cynical habit of using religion that he seemed to be when he first graced us with his appearance. Compared to other Democrats of late, he's not so very horrible, but that's damning with faint praise if there every was such a thing. He's not a monster, but he's as deluded as Bill Clinton if he thinks corporate hegemony is as necessary and nice as he seems to believe.

Forget global warming. Forget affordable health care. Forget getting out of ruinous, heinous wars. Forget about enabling the Financial Industry in its literal destruction of civilization. Forget about the relentless takeover of our social and political lives by religion, with which he's very much in league. Revise your environmental aspirations. It goes on and on.

He habitually plays both sides of the street, and the base who got suckered is now getting disillusioned. How dare they not share the common delusion and march on shoulder to shoulder in support of this great champion of all that's good and pure. To me, and to many others, the CONSTANT demand to bet on the come and PRESUME the best is ridiculous. The Peace Prize is ridiculous. All of his greatest achievements are still ahead of him, and as far as I can see, always will be.

People need to be held responsible for their actions, and this form of government and society provide for constant input from us schlubs out here trying to make a go of it. He's benefited so much from so many projections, and it's just plain despicable that people can get high and mighty when he's called into account for his inactions and flaccid appeasement.

He owes us. That's how it works. The term is "public servant" for a reason, and I'm tired of the wistful humming of those who think that his political success is more important than the very survival of our society. It's in his hands, and he can stand tall and do the many things he's inferred that he cares about, or he can continue to hide behind other politicians and not stick his neck out.

If he is instrumental in sacrificing Nancy Pelosi, he'll show himself to be more foolish and less honorable than I think, and my opinion is rather bleak as it stands.

[inna]

36. ridiculous and inteligence-insulting.

complete misreading of the situation.


in case you didn't notice, it is the American workers who are being backstabbed by this administration, not the other way around.


unrec for absurdity.

[howard112211]

46. agreed. add another unrec.

[scarletwoman]

37. Please explain the mechanism by which criticism of Obama on DU "cuts him off at the knees".

Are we weakening his aura by our negative thoughts?

Is his tinkerbell light growing dimmer because we haven't clapped hard enough?

Are the pixels from our critical posts taking malevolent form in the aether and eating away at his soul like tiny demons?

Seriously, how exactly does it work?

Here's what I think: not one of us on DU has any power whatsoever to influence policy decisions beyond whatever direct contact we may endeavor to make with our elected officials through letters, emails, petitions, and possibly an occasional but rare face-to-face meeting with a Congresscritter.

And voting, of course -- and aside from a very few exceptions, I'll lay odds that just about every U.S. DUer got out and voted on November 2, and voted for Democrats no matter what.

The only influence we have here on DU is among ourselves. At best, people make their arguments here in hopes of possibly changing someone else's mind, of presenting a viewpoint in such a way that it might cause someone else to see an issue from a new angle.

Other than that, DU is mainly about egos jostling for space and attention in order to proclaim their opinions. Like assholes, everybody has one.

Criticism of Obama isn't "cutting him off at the knees", it's simply irritating to those DUers who don't like having their opinions contradicted by other opinions.

sw

[Octafish]

50. It happens to me when I think about the wars.

It's a shrinking feeling in my soul.

I don't understand why people aren't angry, let alone have no proble with, the fact our nation now acts the same way the Roman Empire and NAZI Germany did.

And if the powers behind the throne are willing to kill a million innocent Iraqis for their oil, they won't think twice about stealing what's left of our Social Security savings.

[TheWraith]

38. Kicked and recommended.

Some "Democrats" are never happier than when they're trying to destroy Democrats.

[AndrewP]

39. I'm a Democrat, not a cult member. So no thanks.

[MineralMan]

42. K&R. Thanks!

[scarletwoman]

43. kick - so that more people can understand that their negative vibes are messing w/ Obama's mojo.

[GOTV]

45. Silly. Critics do not impede Obama in any way. Unless he's incredibly timid, in which case ...

... he's worthless in the oval office.

[lapislzi]

47. I'll tell you how.

George W. Bush did NOT practice politics or compromise. He rammed his (and his Congress's) agenda through the legislative process with blitzkrieg speed. He drove America like he stole it, which he did.

There can be no compromise with the uncompromising. Four years of a Democratic House has pissed away or watered down every available opportunity.

I will continue voting, and voting Dem, but it is bitter. Bitter, because it is my heart.

[DirkGently]

51. "Support" includes critique. Critique is not treachery; it's the constitutents' JOB.