What do YOU see as fair and reasonable expectations of the Obama Administration 'til 2012?

[Ken Burch]

Obviously, we all know no gains will happen in the next two years and that all battles until 2012 will be defensive, at least on the legislative front.

What do YOU think we have the legitimate right to expect from the admin while the Boehnerhaus stands?

What do you think are NOT legitimate expectations?

And what, to you, would be the "this has gone too far" point, the point beyond which you couldn't support renominating the prez?

I'm not going to post in this thread...just wanted to get the sense of DU on these questions.

Seems like it's the discussion we SHOULD be having right about now.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

1. What I "expect" is more compromises, more sell-outs, more of the same, and more excuses.

Which is pretty much what I expected when he got elected.

[guitar man]

2. I don't know

What was Bill Clinton able to accomplish with a republican congress?

[walldude]

3. Fair and reasonable would be to not let the GOP

keep the tax cuts, or get into social security and medicare.

Gone too far, well, apparently there is no such place anymore.

[T Wolf]

4. This admnistration will compromise even more, now that they have to face a rethug

majority.

Legitimate expectations are for an admin that will fight for liberal legislation. But just because I consider that a legit expectation does not mean I expect it to happen.

Last straws have included...
the wars against Iraq and Afghanistan,
the prison camp in Cuba,
bailouts directed toward the wealthy instead of those actually struggling,
lack of regulation of the financial criminal enterprises,
tax cuts for the rich (still under consideration),
marriage equality,
approving the use of goddamn children-soldiers,
failure to hold the previous administration responsible for its crimes,
failure to have a strategy other than capitulation to the thugs on every major (and almost every minor) issue,
failure to use the voice he has as POTUS to strongly and aggressively promote progressive/liberal ideas,
etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc.........................

This admin has already passed the "too far" point in my opinion. It can regain my support and vote if it puts forth any kind of effort in pursuit of my legitimate expectation.

I do not expect to be supporting them in 2012 if the record of the first two years are any indication.

[whattheidonot]

5. challenge

I expect a challenge from the left as things get worse. Business will not be able to fill the void in 2 years or less. If Obama does not start coming out strong against the madness I think he is finished. He has at least say I told you this would happen even if tax cuts go through

[Brickbat]

6. I've found that I get through my day a lot better if I have no expectations whatsover.

On the other hand, my cynicism levels are off the charts.

I think this is a legitimate question, but a lot of people won't like the answers.

[damntexdem]

7. A few things:

1) don't cave.
2) push a legislative agenda in the lame-duck session this year.
3) keep up the pressure on Congress for needed legislation.
4) oppose, and if necessary veto, idiocy pushed, or passed, by the GOP and Blue Dogs.

[zipplewrath]

8. Suspend explusions

If they don't repeal DADT, then he should suspend expulsions and investigations.

Repeal the mandates, the GOP will support that.

Repeal the cadillac taxes.

Let all the tax cuts expire.

[Erose999]

9. Things we have the right to expect:

Healthcare coverage for all Americans, gov't assistance provided for those who cannot afford free market coverage.

A tax rate with brackets graduated in such a way that the rich pay their fair share.

Equal marriage/civil partnership rights for all Americans.

Equal rights to serve in the military for all Americans

Regulation of Big Oil and other industries that have the potential to cause environmental disasters.

Increased regulation to make certain our food supply is safe from contamination of food borne pathogens.

Education reform that does away with the dependence on standardized testing and encourages intellectual curiosity and critical thinking.

An unequivocal denouncement of torture and prosecution of all parties involved with torture in the executive branch and the Pentagon. Shuttering of GITMO and similar institutions.

An investigation into the pretense for wars with Iraq and Afghanistan, and a phased withdrawl of troops as soon as possible.

Those are things I think we would be right to EXPECT. But I don't think any of those are things we will actually GET.

As to what I think we will actually GET, just another 2 years of neo-liberal bullshit and "multi-dimensional chess". It will be like George W. Bush never left office.

[AlinPA]

10. That the veto pen will be used to stop repeal of Health Care Reform. There are enough

republican leaning "Democrats" to assist the republicans in causing some real damage, especially to the environment and education. We can asssume the START treaty is dead, along with repeal of DADT so it's basically defense against a teabagger-Blue Dog coalition.

[gratuitous]

11. Expect the tax cuts to be extended for the wealthy

And, counterintuitively, the tax cuts for those earning less than $250,000 will be allowed to expire.

The Labor Department will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The retirement age for people earning less than $100,000 a year will be raised to age 75. Retirement age for people earning more than $100,000 a year will come down to 55, at which time they will qualify for full social security benefits, Medicare, and be exempt from any limits on earnings. Both houses of Congress and the Obama administration will be "shocked" at this outcome, and nobody will know how such legislation was written in the first place, much less how it was passed and signed by the president.

The Strategic Defense Initiative (Star Wars) will be revived, with new, expensive, and fully-funded programs installed in the home districts of the most vulnerable Republican members of the House, so they can brag to their constituents about how well they're doing in Washington.

I'll think of some more later, but I have to excuse myself to go vomit right now.

[Winterblues]

12. My expectations of him are when the GOP says "jump" Obama simply asks how high?

Is there any reason to have any other expectations?

[Ozymanithrax]

13. As long as the Administration is constitutionally required to govern...

And Republicans are only required to make sure that Obama doesn't govern after 2012, I have only low expectations.

Funding bills must be passed. Obama can veto the crazy, but at some point, they must be passed or the government itself is shut down.

Our system as written requires either compromise or unanimity. Unanimity is out.

If it is absolutely nothing or compromise, I tend to think that some compromise is required. But I'm a realist.