Despite being called Madame Obamahater, I'd vote for him again

[cali]

I keep getting told I'm some sort of radical lefty (of course I just got told by another DUer that I'm a right winger and should have been kicked off of DU for my right wing views, so...)

Given a choice between McCain and Obama, of course I'd vote for the President. Given a choice between Mittens and Obama, of course I'd vote for the President. In fact, I'd vote for the President over any republican and quite a few dems.

I like President Obama. I thinks he's an intelligent, decent, compassionate man.

I happen to disagree with quite a few of his policies. I happen to believe that he's enmeshed in a system that has become more corrupt than not. I think labeling and dismissing him as a "corporatist" is simplistic.

I want to see President Obama succeed. Arms to the Syrian rebels? I think it's a potential disaster of huge proportions. I hope like hell it's not- and not just for the people of Syria but for the President.

I don't hate him anymore than I believe that most of his ardent supporters are just "hero worshippers". I don't believe that most folks here who criticize his policies hate him.

I don't regret my votes for him.

[bunnies]

1. Well said, Cali. knr. nt

[Parable Arable]

2. That's an incredibly well reasoned, though out argument.....

And I respect your point of view immensely.

[OilemFirchen]

3. I obviously would.

I'm an Obamabot, an NSA-lover and an Authoritarian. I hate the Constitution and believe everything the government tells me. I'm a dupe.

Am I a perfect little Nazi or what?

[nomorenomore08]

29. Only you can decide that for yourself...

[Fantastic Anarchist]

37. You certainly have a nack for building straw men. nt

[OilemFirchen]

38. Not really. Too clumsy.

I have, however, been accused of all of the above. More like meat men.

[mick063]

4. How could any situtationally aware person vote for Mitt?

Or Herman or Michelle or any other passenger on the 2012 clown car?

Given two choices, you make the best choice.


I still despise many of Obama's decisions and would choose a multitude of other Democrats over him.

Hiring "Too big to prosecute" Holder is probably his worst decision, but there are other decisions that are nearly as bad.

[Andy823]

16. What about Christie

Didn't you say we could do worse on both sides that Christie?

[mick063]

17. I did indeed.

But I would choose either of my senators from Washington over just about anyone other than Warren or Sanders.

[DonCoquixote]

5. well said

Though I fear that will not be enough for those who want us to march in lockstep goosestep in 2016.

[Cooley Hurd]

6. Thank you cali...

...for crystalizing my own thoughts on the President.

[CTyankee]

7. Since when do all Dems have to approve of every single thing a Dem president does?

I wonder about that. I disagreed with Bill Clinton on several issues and now feel vindicated in my earlier disagreements, which were basically on Rwanda and DOMA/DADT. It's a good feeling for me to hear that Clinton now regrets those decisions.

I'm glad Obama has changed his mind on marriage equality and also on OTC birth control pills for any age female. I think he will come to regret his decision on Syria, altho I think it is somewhat measured and could be a lot worse. We'll see how that all plays out.

As for national security, it frankly disturbs me that we continue to maintain these spying programs, but I don't know what the feasible alternatives are. Until I do I don't think I'm qualified to make judgments on what he should do. But it seems ominous to me.

[truebluegreen]

8. Me too.

I campaigned/canvassed/called/donated/voted for him twice, and would again, considering the alternative.

Doesn't mean I love him or his policies. Doesn't mean I won't criticize him. Doesn't mean I don't hope and work for better.

[tblue]

20. I'm with you, mostly.

I would not vote for him in a primary. I live in a blue state and wrote in Stephen Colbert last year. And for that brief moment I didn't feel so utterly powerless.

[truebluegreen]

27. Actually, we are in agreement.

I didn't vote for him in any primary and was in fact a delegate (at the state level) for another candidate in '08. But I wish I had thought to vote for Stephen!

[rhett o rick]

9. Very well put. I agree completely. nm

[msongs]

10. a moderate republican is better than an extremist right wing republican nt

[bluedeathray]

11. It isn't really about love or hate is it?

If ones political agenda (at least in a broad sense) is being adopted, then it makes sense.

If ones agenda is thwarted, perverted, ignored, or turned into the antithesis, then it's something to fight against.

Emotional reactions aside...

[hfojvt]

12. I cannot see him as either decent or compassionate

he's done too little for the poor, too much for the rich, told too many lies and is likely to end his life as a 0.1%er - just like Bill Clinton.

He promised hope, a change from the Clinton DLC centrism, and he's taken us so far in the opposite direction that it is hard to see any way back. Clearly electing a Democrat as President and a whole bunch of Democrats to Congress does not accomplish very much at all.

At least if Romney was President somebody (besides me) might be complaining about the $1,000,000 a year in permanent tax cuts that the President and Congress just gave him.

Oh wait, what the hell am I talking about? :yawn:

[forestpath]

13. Nobody who wants to cut Social Security or whose policies include prosecuting

medical marijuana patients is "compassionate" in my book.

[pacalo]

14. I can back you up on that.

During the 2008 Democratic primaries you were just as adamant that Obama was the best candidate for the job, & if anyone said otherwise, you were relentless. You have your convictions & so do those who believe in Obama.

You also care about right vs. wrong & you're open-minded enough to learn more about it & speak out about it regardless of the flak you get back.

Imo, this has nothing to do with Obama -- it is the system. I do wonder if the military/corporate PTB's are calling all the shots in government.

I love Obama & I will not say anything against him. But I do have strong opinions on what is right & what is wrong. Just like you.

[cantbeserious]

15. People Can Be Quite Likable And Also Extremely Wrong On Many Issues Via The Cult Of Personality

eom

[freedom fighter jh]

18. They call you what?

In recent weeks I've become a fan of yours.

I'm pretty far left but I am, more than anything else, contrarian, feeling far more pressure to post when I disagree than when I agree. Because most of what you see on DU is left, my contrariness leads me to express right-leaning stuff on DU. As a result I've been called lots of names. It's just the nature of DU: There's not much of a price to pay for venting and calling people names, so you see a lot of thoughtlessness and name-calling.

Keep on sharing your thoughts. IMO you're making a substantial positive contribution.

[AikidoSoul]

19. You have expressed my feeling very well. Hopefully more people here on DU

will adopt that more nuanced view of our president due in part to the corrupt system he is "enmeshed" in, and the severe limitations of his power, especially with this disgusting congress.

Thanks Cali. Well done.

[xtraxritical]

21. If he engages us militarily in Syria that will be the last Obama straw for me.

I will never vote for Hillary either. There's real Democrats out there like Elizabeth Warren.

[Skidmore]

22. Then why all of the ugliness

in expressing your disagreements and the really nasty mocking of those who refuse to lay blame for all of the ills of that corrupt system at his feet?

I'm happy to see that you are able to articulate some support for the President. Quite frankly, for the last few days, I have found some of the abuse you have unfairly heaped on people who were trying to make reasonable points regarding a number of issues to be very disappointing. I did not expect the tone or tenor presented.

[tavalon]

23. I'm not positive but I think you and I are often on opposite sides of issues

but I could have written this, word for word. From the opening word to the closing one, I am so with you.

[roamer65]

24. I voted anti-Rethuglican more than I voted for Obama.

Have a feeling you probably did the same, Cali

[reusrename]

25. I am an ardent believer in the will of the people.

There is no doubt that the world wanted Obama.

[n2doc]

26. There's a lot of binary thinking going on at DU

No room for nuance.

[Downtown Hound]

28. Well, it's not like Romney would have been any better

and in all likelihood, probably would have been worse. So yeah, I'd vote for him again too, because at least when I vote Democrat I get a few crumbs thrown out to me like ACA and some semblance of sanity on foreign policy.

But like you, that doesn't mean I'm happy or content with only getting crumbs in the midst of a pile of shit. I expect more from our leaders than what we've ben getting, Democrat and Republican alike. And I'm not going to shut up and be happy with the crumbs like so many here seem to want me to do. I want the feast.

[NaturalCommunist]

30. Obama is the best President we have had in modern history

I would vote for him again as well. Perhaps we will get the chance to change things for a 3rd term. There is much work to do and it's going to take many years to move our agenda forward.

I'm still inspired!

[TransitJohn]

44. LOL. So, FDR and Kennedy and Carter aren't modern history?

I'd rank all of them above President Obama, but that's just me.

[CokeMachine]

48. FYI -- He can't run for a third term.

Welcome to DU!!

[KoKo]

31. He was the only choice that "reasonable Democrats" beaten down after Bush II

and living through the scandals of the Clinton years could make. The alternatives were too bizarre.

So ....now it's Up to Us Reasonable Democrats to keep working...but, working to undo what has been done before. Obama at this point is not going to do what we hoped...or can't do what we hoped. So "the beat goes on."

[graham4anything]

49. For those that are saying "Should have voted for Hillary",well, in 2016, guess what, they can.

and will

and forever, thankfully, the 80-20 will prevail and the 20 will forever be rendered obsolete at the voting booths.

as it should always be.

Luckily there is always two choices.

And thankfully, in 2016, one won't make the same mistake one made in 1952, 1956, 1968, 1972, 1980(ESPECIALLY 1980), 1984,
1988, 2000 and 2004.

[reformist2]

32. I was hoping the "real" Obama would appear after re-election.

You know, the wild-eyed radical that the conservatives were so afraid he was? That's what I was hoping for. So far, it hasn't happened yet...

[Douglas Carpenter]

33. There is no choice, is there? Unless one wants to increase the possibility of people coming

to power who are so extreme that they claim with a straight face that President Obama is a radical left-wing socialist and is soft on terrorism and way too considered about civil liberties. I have not truly voted my conscience since November 7, 1972 and I don't know when or if I ever will again. So I will vote in a way that decreases the possibility of the most extremist reactionary elements from coming to power.

[bigwillq]

34. I voted Obama in 2008 and third party in 2012

Why? Because I live in CT and Obama was going to win by enough votes to give him the state's electoral votes.
Glad I live in CT because I like choices, and I wasn't satisfied with Obama enough to vote for him again.
Only voted for Obama in the GE in 2008 because I didn't know how close the race would be and I thought Obama was better than McCain.

[livingwagenow]

35. Would Pres Mccain or Romney put their political asses on the line for advancing gay rights?

A big NO!

I'm a gay man. I've seen change for the better that I never thought I would see in my lifetime, since Obama's election. Albeit slowly, Obama showed some real leadership in moving America toward LGBT rights. Not an easy thing to do in this nation with its history of bigotry, homophobia, sexism, racism etc.

When much of a nation is imbedded with hate, it can be an enormous mountain to climb to lead a country away from that.

He's not perfect by any measure, but him vs any Rethug- Obama gets my vote for life.

Obama has proven that he will fight for things that may not always be popular in "good ole 'Merica" because certain things, like equality, tolerance, justice, human rights, are worth fighting for because it's the right thing to do.

I hope that 2014 will bring him a better congress and I along with many other Dems will work to help him in that regard. I think Dems need to stay positive and focus on winning back the House and widening the Dem lead in the Senate in 2014.

I'm pissed at Obama for many things but I am still with him and would still support him and vote for him.
Great OP.

Recced.

[Jamastiene]

36. Agreed.

He inherited a system that was already bigger than anything he could possibly change in 8 years anyhow. This cabal of war profiteers and intelligence profiteers has been entrenched in our government for a long time now. Because Bush privatized so much of our government's day to day operations, it will be very tricky to weed out the private contractors that are up to no good, only there to make money, and serving no use for the country whatsoever. I don't agree with the holdover policies from the Bush administration that he kept, or the actual Bush people that he kept, but that does not mean he has not done good things too. I can't discount the good he has done. I just vehemently disagree with the fact that Candidate Obama said one thing and President Obama is doing another on a number of issues. I still would not vote for a stinking Republican, ever.

[graham4anything]

39. Link please. I don't recall reading that. Thank you.

[DCBob]

40. Your endless bashing does not help the cause.

President Obama is the current leader of our Party and he and the Democrats are the only thing between us and a GOP takeover of the government... which if it happens will be very very ugly for many of us. If you care about the future of this country I would consider focusing more of your ire on Republicans rather than the President and other Democrats.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

41. Back at you

If you care about the future of this country, you should consider focusing your ire more on creeping fascism than on party politics.

[DCBob]

42. I dont agree there is any "creeping fascism".

The only thing that creeps me out at the moment are the radical right-wing conservatives.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

43. Then we have a fundamental disagreement. Have a good day.

[DCBob]

45. Do you even know the meaning of Fascism?

Fascism: "a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition."

Its absurd to think anything like that is going on now.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

46. Answer: Yes. Counter question: do you even know what creeping means?

[DCBob]

47. As I said.."Its absurd to think anything like that is going on now."

creeping or otherwise.

[uponit7771]

50. I don't think so Cali, given the chance you'd vote 3rd party and NOT for Obama...

...that's what come off your post every time Obama's voice cracks a little too high people (including you) are the first to be on DU top posting about it.

I don't worship any man, I don't like the overt sophistry from the right nor the support of said sophistry from the left

[leveymg]

51. I'm with you on that. But, Syria is already a regional disaster, and we could have avoided it

by deterring outside intervention. But, instead, the US and NATO did a covert intervention and allowed the Saudis and Qataris to fund a Jihad. The Obama Administration -- particularly the first one, dominated by the Hillary and Petraeus neocon wing -- are largely responsible for tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths.

[Eddie Haskell]

52. Not me.