Oh, for the love of God. Has Obama done anything right?

[justgamma]

Does every single thread have to end in a shouting match about how horrible he is? Every single thread.

[BeFree]

1. Well

Obama was the skipper of the AG or the whaler, take your pick.

[ZombieHorde]

2. Stem cell research. nt

[cutlassmama]

28. Very much so

[gateley]

3. Lots. But the good actions aren't shoved in our faces by the media like the

controversial (ratings-getting) actions, or non-actions, are.

[Dr Fate]

16. To many voters, those successes do not balance out his failures on larger, major issues.

For me, that would be a strong public option or single payer reform, and eliminating foreign occupations in Iraq & Afghanistan.

One or the other would have gone a long way in getting me to stand by him no matter what, but I'm getting snubbed on my two biggest issues.

And I dont give a shit about what he promised or did not promise- he knows what he needs to do to get more Liberals to start supporting him again.


If he does not want or need that support, fine- but you guys should expect certain voters to complain about it.

[gateley]

20. I mentioned nothing about people complaining, about what he HASN'T done,

how I feel about it. I merely said he has done lots of good stuff, but we don't hear about it in the media -- it doesn't get ratings. :shrug: My statement was innocuous and objective, so I don't know why you felt the need to respond to my post this way.

[FrenchieCat]

4. Apparently.....

Much of the Internet has turned into one giant
sorry ass piece of Hyper-b-ole!

[DrToast]

5. I don't know, bu tthese threads are pretty annoying, too.*

*

[jonnyblitz]

6. somebody will be here with a list shortly I am sure. nt

[Political Heretic]

12. Two levels - individual acts not connected to the status quo, and acts that challenge the status quo

There are many good actions that come from an administration like this that are accomplished because they are not risky at all, and don't challenge the basic status quo of our political-economic structure.

I'm grateful that these good things can happen. But the reason I don't talk about them as much is because they are goods that happen completely risk-free and that do not address the desperately critical kinds of institutionally impacting changes we need.

So, completing the process begun under Bush of lifting the HIV travel ban, which just happened this week - that's a great thing. So its getting rid of the global gag rule. So is signing the pay equity act. And of course people regularly cut-and-paste "accomplishment lists" from administration websites that can detail these risk-free, non-status quo changing accomplishments which we can all be greatful for, but which do nothing to address or core problems.

(For more on that see http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6337770|Why "accomplishment" cut and paste lists are disingenuous strawmen>)

The problem is, we need dramatic change of the status quo in our society - that means controversial change, risky institutional change, political and economic change that the current beneficiaries of the status quo - multi-billion dollar conglomerate interests and the investor class - will vehemently resist.

That kind of change takes courage, and a willingness to risk a political career for belief that certain things are right. You can't please everyone and hold everyone's hand and make that kind of challenge to the status quo - certain factions are going to oppose you, and you're going to need to oppose and fight back at them.

Nothing of this administration has demonstrated any capability or willingness to fundamentally challenge the status quo of olichargy and class exploitation. Nothing. Every action they take cries out "my god man, I don't want to do anything that would screw up my chances at a second term, I don't want to make any enemies of the status quo powers that be! How can I continue to appease them?"

From second deals with Pharmaceutical companies to back-room secret deals with Health Insurance corporate interests (after promising health care discussions would be open to the public and transparent), to meeting nearly weekly with Wall Street and cronies from AIG to Goldman Sachs about how the White House can do better by these billionaires, and on and on...

When it comes to low-level acts that don't threaten the status quo at all - the administartion has done some good things that probably wouldn't have been done by a republican.

When it comes to "change we can believe in" - and a courageous confrontation with the institutional forces that are running our country into the ground and exploiting working class americans, getting rich on the backs of poor people? No... not much to celebrate there.

[Political Heretic]

7. If it was really evey single thread I'd be quite encouraged, because that would mean

hopefully enough people were starting to open their eyes to the fact that this is a person we must force to accountability, force to do what's right for working class individuals and families, and that his default position is to allow his administration to side with Wall Street, side with the MIC, side with the investor class which makes up a small fraction of our population.

It's not that Obama is a particularly bad person. He's probably a great guy. But this isn't about personality. It's about prioritizing the needs of low income and working individuals and families above the wants and whims of the financial elite.

Right now what we have from this administration and the Democrats in Washington is Ronald Reagan style governance. "Trickle-down Democrats" is we should call the current Washington crew. From jobs, to broader economic recovery to health care, to foreign policy, the strategy from these people has been meet and exceed the demands of the financial elite, and then some of the excess from their mass profiteering will "trickle down" to everyone else.

Enough.

If every single thread was about how horrible things are (not how horrible "he is" - its so silly when people making it about persons or personality rather than issues) I would be greatly encouraged that perhaps people were starting to shed the disingenuous horse shit and becoming ready to start demanding accountability from our so-called "leaders" in Washington... even if that demanding means clearing Washington of politicians betraying the American worker, no matter what letter they have after their name, even if that means fixing what is completely broken in the Democratic party means risking temporarily losing some power in order to come back as a strong and just part of the actual people rather than this ridiculous sham that the Democratic Party has become.

The fact that you think "every single thread" is negative and critical.... gives me a tiny sliver of hope.

It's time to wake up.

[DJ13]

8. But this isn't about personality.

It shouldnt be, but it is to a great many people here.

They only see the nice guy with his great oratory skills, they dont want to think about the policies he has been promoting behind the scenes.

[Political Heretic]

13. It is to a great many people here, I agree - on BOTH sides.

[Hansel]

24. The only forcing that is going to be done is to force the Tea Baggers into power.

If you want change then try to provoke a grass roots movement against the constant filibustering of every piece of legislation that goes through the Senate. At least 53, a majority of the Senators would pass just about everything we want, but they can't because of constant filibustering and our weak leadership. They need more like them and get no credit for their efforts. We should work our asses off to get a greater number of these progressive, even moderate, candidates elected.

You want accountability from our leaders in Washington then turn you guns on the people at fault: the blue dogs, Joe Lieberman and the Republicans, and the weakness of Harry Reid. This would do more to change what is happening in Washington then complaining about how Obama is not controlling everything and pretending that constant griping can somehow "force" him to do anything. Neither we nor he has that kind of power.






Edited.

[MuseRider]

9. Sure, he has done a lot of things right

but I am still waiting for him to do something left. Maybe that is the problem?

[jonnyblitz]

11. LMFAO!!

:hug: :hi:

[MuseRider]

19. Hey Jonnyblitz!

:hug: :hi: back to you!

[ShortnFiery]

10. If he doesn't lock-down our MIC, we'll be dealing with a Universal Draft and WWIII.

That's a given. :nuke:

[Political Heretic]

15. The MIC wouldn't want a universal draft. Not by a long shot.

A Universal Draft is how wars end.

It's what gets people to take the street in combination of non-violent and sometimes violent resistance, and what causes people to become willing to practice acts of mass civil disobedience.

Drafts create social chaos when you have wildly unpopular wars that no one but the ruling class wants to be fighting.

Best thing we could do to reign in our warmongering right now is have a no-deferment, no-exemptions 18-30 draft. Rich and Poor standing toe to toe equally draft able.

The wars would be over in a couple months.

[Dr Fate]

14. On the 2 major issues I care most about, he is failing.

Fighting for the public option and eliminating military spending & occupation in Iraq & Afghanistan.

Hopefully he can do something with jobs, then it might balance out.

[Peacetrain]

17. I just don't understand it

But that is what it has become.. and GOD forbid you post anything positive about anything.. seriously. anything..

[Parker CA]

18. The Pessimism Party is pushing strong into 2010. Something I can't wrap my head around. nt

[NYC_SKP]

21. K and R. It's become pretty dreadful.

I sent you a PM.

:P

[mopinko]

22. prevented the next great depression?

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/0,28757,1946375,00.html

[janx]

23. YIKES! Don't link to HIM!

What are you trying to do, set off a bomb around here? :rofl:

[mopinko]

26. i know.

i read the article in the doctor's waiting room the other day. i was not at all surprised that there has been no mention of it that i have seen. very interesting article.

[alcibiades_mystery]

25. It's quite apparent

That many members of this forum are not happy unless they are griping about something. They're lunatics, really.

[HughMoran]

27. You'd think people would tire of it

:shrug:

[Blue State Blues]

29. one word: nu-CLE-ar

I may have issues with policy, but he had me at "nuclear."

May I never hear "Nu-cu-lar" again

[Juche]

30. Tons of stuff

Helped lift our reputation globally

Stem Cell research

Possible health insurance reform (its not health care reform, but it is fairly decent health insurance reform)

Try to end the war in Iraq

Billions in infrastructure

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/rulings/promise-kept/

[ChicagoSuz219]

31. Rachel did a great job on Letterman about this...

...she said while both sides were ranting & raving about anything & everything, Pres. Obama was quietly getting things done.

I agree.

[dionysus]

32. what you're seeing, is people being so damned bitter their choice didn't win that they will never

let it go. EVER.

people bitching that the inauguration was a waste of money was the first sign.

[Hello_Kitty]

33. I think he's handling the recent attempted terror attack beautifully, FWIW. eom

[Dinger]

34. Depends On who You Ask (nt)

[Land Shark]

35. Oh, for the love of God. Has TIGER WOODS done anything right?

I suppose it's reasonable to ask the question: "Oh, for the love of God. Has TIGER WOODS done anything right?" But it seems even more sensible to conclude Tiger got his years in the sunshine of positivity in the past, and that if someone like Tiger goes back on big promises in multiple big big ways -- that this changes things, casting all in a new light.

The truth is, there are positive things about Tiger. They're just not relevant right now.