I'm gonna say it again-- if the Republicans spent as much time bitching about...

[TreasonousBastard]

their Presidents as we do, Reagan and Shrub would have been one-termers. Neither of them got that much of the "conservative agenda" passed, but never got the blizzard of shit from their own people that we're giving Obama.

There will never, EVER, be a President fully acceptable to the far left or the far right. The far left, however, has the unique problem of not being able to understand the concept of half a loaf. And has shown no patience at all. The rest of us will take the half a loaf and be happy it's not a crumb.

And no bullshit about how "We ran out of patience after all these years..." This is politics, and it is a very big country where NOBODY ever gets all they want. The best you'll ever see is three steps forward and two back.

Unemployment is probably the biggest problem we have at the moment, but while I see a lot of whining and blaming banks, Wall Street, and "The Rich" I don't see any concrete solutions. One thing I certainly don't see is a campaign directed against the "deficit hawk" Republicans to get off their asses and support another stimulus package. A good one. Better to complain about Democrats not getting anything done than attacking Republicans for getting in the way.

BTW, howcum when some survey shows up about how "the people" want single-payer, it proves we need single payer, but when a survey shows up showing that same public wants to stay in Afghanistan it proves that they are a bunch of ignorant fools?

[izquierdista]

1. Advertising is "how cum".

If single payer is popular now, just think of how popular it would be if it was advertised 24/7 like the war is. Another thing you don't see is the power of persuasion in the advertising all around you.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

2. +1 - Our liberal groups would rather attack Democrats than sway opinions. (nt)

[Stoic]

3. They did, you just didn't pay attention.

And if you went to their forums during GWB's reign, Bush's traditional conservative and libertarian critics got smacked around by their Dear Leader's fanboys regularly. Hell, they used to get quoted around here to our delight.

[treestar]

4. Rec'd

In fact we should dump these people and let them form their own third party - they just bring us down and inadvertently help Republicans. The professional left expects everyone to march to their tune and does not tolerate disagreement.

[Demeter]

5. So, Your President, Right or Wrong?

I thought this was settled a long time ago:

http://www.bartleby.com/73/1641.html

AUTHOR: Carl Schurz (1829–1906)
QUOTATION: The Senator from Wisconsin cannot frighten me by exclaiming, “My country, right or wrong.” In one sense I say so too. My country; and my country is the great American Republic. My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right.
ATTRIBUTION: Senator CARL SCHURZ, remarks in the Senate, February 29, 1872, The Congressional Globe, vol. 45, p. 1287. The Globe merely notes “” but according to Schurz’s biographer, “The applause in the gallery was deafening.” This is “one of Schurz’s most frequently quoted replies.”—Hans L. Trefousse, Carl Schurz: A Biography, chapter 11, p. 180 (1982).

Schurz expanded on this theme in a speech delivered at the Anti-Imperialistic Conference, Chicago, Illinois, October 17, 1899: “I confidently trust that the American people will prove themselves … too wise not to detect the false pride or the dangerous ambitions or the selfish schemes which so often hide themselves under that deceptive cry of mock patriotism: ‘Our country, right or wrong!’ They will not fail to recognize that our dignity, our free institutions and the peace and welfare of this and coming generations of Americans will be secure only as we cling to the watchword of true patriotism: ‘Our country—when right to be kept right; when wrong to be put right.’”—Schurz, “The Policy of Imperialism,” Speeches, Correspondence and Political Papers of Carl Schurz, vol. 6, pp. 119–20 (1913).

SUBJECTS: Right and wrong

http://www.everydaycitizen.com/2009/02/my_country_right_or_wrong.html

"My Country, Right or Wrong

By Weeden Nichols
February 8, 2009

The phrase “My country, right or wrong!” is known to all of us. To some of us, it represents the epitome of patriotism. To others, it may represent the worst of knee-jerk, right-wing, so-called, “patriotism.” I had always, correctly-enough, attributed the phrase to Stephen Decatur, naval hero, captain at age twenty-five, and one of the fathers of the US Navy. The phrase was spoken by Decatur as part of a warrior’s toast:

“Our country! In her intercourse with foreign nations, may she always be in the right; but our country, right or wrong.”

The phrase is also central to a quote from Carl Shurz, Union Army General, later US Senator, and, still later, US Secretary of the Interior:

“My country; and my country is the great American Republic. My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right.”

It seems obvious to me that General Shurz was consciously referring to the famous quote from Stephen Decatur, and that he intentionally used it to focus upon what he considered to be a concise definition of responsible patriotism..."

he goes on to add:

"....There are two kinds of people – those who divide things into categories, and those who do not. I do. I would divide those who care what their country is and what it does (and this is not everybody) into four categories:

1. Those who deny any possibility that their country might commit misdeeds or missteps, and who ignore any evidence to the contrary.

2. Those who are aware, but who consider themselves honor-bound to be loyal and obedient until and unless they become the decision-maker, or unless the decision-maker consults them, in which case they would exercise their best judgment.

3. Those who love their country but are aware of misdeeds and missteps, who wish to hold their country to its best values, and who therefore feel compelled to speak truth to power.

4. Those who renounce, deny, or reject their country upon evidence of misdeeds and missteps.

I belong to Category 3, but feel great respect and kinship for Category 2. I have more friends in Category 2 than in Category 3, and none at all in Categories 1 and 4."

[sadbear]

6. You make the assumption that voters actually elect the president

[truth2power]

7. Cuts to the heart of it. Thanks. n/t

[killbotfactory]

8. I am extreme radical left and don't spend much time bitching about Obama

the problem is far left, the problem is an inability to see the forest for the trees.