Heads up: One of the best replies ever to the "We suffered through Obama for 8 years" posts.

[blm]

It just started as a reply to someone he knows. He is allowing it to be shared, so please do.


Scott Mednick
12 hrs

A person that I (sort of) know on Facebook wrote that: “We suffered for 8 years. Now it’s your turn.”
First: I never wish suffering on anyone. The fact the he, a very strong Trump supporter based his posts, takes that attitude is ultimately very disturbing.
So I wrote back to him and I felt I would share with you all what I said:

I am surprised you would wish suffering upon me because I did not support Trump. That of course is your right, I suppose. I do not wish harm on anyone.
Your statement seems to continue an ‘US v THEM’ mentality. The election is over. It is important to get past campaigning and campaign rhetoric and get
down to what is uniting not dividing and what is best for ALL Americans.
There will never be a President who does everything to everyone’s liking. There are things President Obama (and President Clinton) did that I do not like
and conversely there are things I can point to that the Presidents Bush did that I agree with. So I am not 100% in lock step with the outgoing President
but have supported him and the overall job he did.
And, if you recall, during the Presidential Campaign back in 2008 the campaign was halted because of the "historic crisis in our financial system."
Wall Street bailout negotiations intervened in the election process. The very sobering reality was that there likely could be a Depression and the world
financial markets could collapse. The United States was losing 800,000 jobs a month and was poised to lose at least 10 million jobs the first year once the
new President took office. We were in an economic freefall. So let us recall that ALL of America was suffering terribly at the beginning of Obama’s Presidency.
But I wanted to look back over the last 8 years and ask you a few questions. Since much of the rhetoric before Obama was elected was that he would
impose Sharia Law, Take Away Your Guns, Create Death Panels, Destroy the Economy, Impose Socialism and, since you will agree that NONE of this came to pass,
I was wondering:
Why have you suffered so?
So let me ask:
Gays and Lesbians can now marry and enjoy the benefits they had been deprived. Has this caused your suffering?
When Obama took office the Dow was 6,626. Now it is 19,875. Has this caused your suffering?
We have 82 straight months of private sector job growth - the longest streak in the history of the United States. Has this caused your suffering?
Especially considering where he the economy was when he took over, an amazing 11.3 million new jobs were created under
President Obama (far more than President Bush). Has this caused your suffering?
Obama has taken Unemployment from 10% down to 4.7%. Has this caused your suffering?
Homelessness among US Veterans has dropped by half. Has this caused your suffering?
Obama shut down the US secret overseas prisons. Has this caused your suffering?
President Obama has created a policy for the families of fallen soldiers to have their travel paid for to be there when remains are flown home. Has this caused your suffering?
We landed a rover on Mars. Has this caused your suffering?
He passed the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Has this caused your suffering?
Uninsured adults has decreased to below 10%: 90% of adults are insured - an increase of 20 Million Adults. Has this caused your suffering?
People are now covered for pre-existing conditions. Has this caused your suffering?
Insurance Premiums increased an average of $4,677 form 2002-2008 an increase of 58% under Bush. The growth of these
insurance premiums have gone up $4,145 – a slower rate of increase. Has this caused your suffering?
Obama added Billions of dollars to mental health care for our Veterans. Has this caused your suffering?
Consumer confidence has gone from 37.7 to 98.1 during Obama’s tenure. Has this caused your suffering?
He passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Has this caused your suffering?
His bi-annual Nuclear Summit convinced 16 countries to give up and destroy all their loose nuclear material so it could not be stolen. Has this caused your suffering?
He saved the US Auto industry. American cars sold at the beginning of his term was 10.4M and upon his exit 17.5M. Has this caused your suffering?
The deficit as a percentage of the GDP has gone from 9.8% to 3.2%. Has this caused your suffering?
The deficit itself was cut by $800 Billion Dollars. Has this caused your suffering?
Obama preserved the middle class tax cuts. Has this caused your suffering?
Obama banned solitary confinement for juveniles in federal prisons. Has this caused your suffering?
He signed Credit Card reform so that rates could not be raised without you being notified. Has this caused your suffering?
He outlawed Government contractors from discriminating against LGBT persons. Has this caused your suffering?
He doubled Pell Grants. Has this caused your suffering?
Abortion is down. Has this caused your suffering?
Violent crime is down. Has this caused your suffering?
He overturned the scientific ban on stem cell research. Has this caused your suffering?
He protected Net Neutrality. Has this caused your suffering?
Obamacare has extended the life of the Medicare insurance trust fund (will be solvent until 2030). Has this caused your suffering?
Prescient Obama repealed Don't Ask Don't Tell. Has this caused your suffering?
He banned torture. Has this caused your suffering?
He negotiated with Syria to give up its chemical weapons and they were destroyed. Has this caused your suffering?
Solar and Wind Power are at an all time high. Has this caused your suffering?
High School Graduation rates hit 83% - an all time high. Has this caused your suffering?
Corporate profits are up by 144%. Has this caused your suffering?
He normalized relationships with Cuba. Has this caused your suffering?
Reliance on foreign oil is at a 40 year low. Has this caused your suffering?
US Exports are up 28%. Has this caused your suffering?
He appointed the most diverse cabinet ever. Has this caused your suffering?
He reduced the number of troops in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Has this caused your suffering?
Yes, he killed Osama Bin Laden and retrieved all the documents in his possession for analysis. Perhaps THIS caused your suffering?
From an objective standpoint it would appear that the last 8 years have seen some great progress
and we were saved from a financial collapse. Things are not perfect. Things can always be better.
We are on much better footing now than we were in 2008.
I look forward to understanding what caused you to suffer so much under Obama these last 8 years.

(He has not replied as of this writing)

[hells]

1. They voted for tRump so the democrats can suffer

This is how your average deplorable thinks. And don't waste your time trying to argue with these morons. You can't fix stupid.

[blm]

2. I'm wired for sturdy. And I'm patient. And relentless. I'll be fine.

.

[Lonestarblue]

49. Thank you!

A really great post! I've seen a few summaries of accomplishments under Obama, but this one is really extensive. So few Trump voters seem able to think for themselves. They simply take at face value anything they've heard on Fox News or right-wing radio or read on Facebook. So many Republicans were just unable to accept the fact that not only was a black man in the White House, but he was also smarter than most of them.

[bdamomma]

59. your post is correct

A wonderful man who was intelligent and calm, and was obstructed because of his color and did put the country's interest in front of his own. He always thought of us.

COUNTRY OVER PARTY which these filthy repigs continue to not understand.

[blm]

64. I think you're right. They resented that he was intelligent and compassionate while they were not.

They could have chosen an enlightened path, but, they didn't.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

114. Great attitude!

While most of these people are impervious to facts and reality, some may change their mind. Most have only been fed reactionary propaganda. Maybe a few, when exposed to the truth, will change their mind.

Good work, madam or sir!

[Akamai]

23. Yup. Spite and hatred motivated many, many of them.

[hollowdweller]

31. A lot of that really is true

Had more to do with hatred of dems than issues for maybe 1/3

[handmade34]

3. K&R

[TrekLuver]

4. There is no way a deplorable is going to read all that. LOL

[blm]

5. Even trimmed to half it's still awesome.

.

[lastlib]

116. He was black. THIS caused their (mental) suffering.

eom

[tonedevil]

33. More like...

There is no way a deplorable is going to read. Fixed it for you.

[ET Awful]

85. Minor revision

There is no way a deplorable can read..

[tonedevil]

90. Much better. /nt

[bdamomma]

61. Exactly they don't

have the attention span.

[JI7]

6. he was black

and having a black guy as president was the worst suffering for them.

but list needs to be passed around as much as possible to let those who might not be very political and easily swayed see.

[blm]

10. Exactly why I dropped it here.

.

[Dave Starsky]

80. Unbelievable, isn't it?

Amazing how such hatred can make you so stupid that you really will cut off your nose to spite your face.

[Dustlawyer]

7. +1!!! Let them think twice for blurting out their hate!

This was a public shaming that is well deserved. I have someone I have known his whole life literally spitting mad saying Obama was the worst President ever! When i asked him what it was he has done that qualified him for this dubious honor he could not respond with anything. He had been conditioned to think this way with daily immersion in RW radio and Fox News.

This is what I will throw out next time!!!

[blm]

9. I hear you. Every single damn day someone will say something like this.

That is why I brought it to DU. I know everyone here is hearing the same.

[Phoenix61]

8. Thanks for posting this

It's really amazing to see what was accomplished under Obama in spite of the repubs.

[Cha]

11. Excellent, blm.. mahalo! REC

[blm]

92. just reposted from someone else...

I would never have the patience or show the graciousness that Scott does here.

[Cha]

117. I know what you mean.. thank you!

[sheshe2]

12. Excellent Op.

Truth, it was only because he was a black man that the poster suffered. Nothing more and nothing less. I don't get where they come from, I never will.

Thanks blm, awesome post.

[tblue37]

13. K&R for visibility. nt

[AgadorSparticus]

14. How can he? You pummeled him to a bloody pulp with facts. Straight up FACTS.

Is anyone checking for his pulse? Start CPR maybe?

Damn good response! Bookmarking.

[MyOwnPeace]

40. Perhaps he's waiting.....

to respond with "alternative facts!"

[AgadorSparticus]

88. Bwahahahaha!! Cut that out!!

You made me choke on my green tea.

[blm]

89. LOLOLOL

no doubt

[Fantastic Anarchist]

115. Damn, you beat me to it.

Was thinking the same.

[erpowers]

15. Hillary Clinton's Communications Team

Too bad this guy was not on Hillary's communication team. He was able to list just about all of President Obama's accomplishments and why it would have been a good idea to stay the course.

[blm]

93. Obama's team, too. But, they really weren't boastful, which one can appreciate, BUT

not when an election is afoot and the fate of the world is at stake.

The press corps should have had these facts IN HAND, and they did if they paid attention the last 8 years, but, they CHOSE to ignore them.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

16. That's amazing. It feels good to be reminded.

I'd forgotten about a lot of them!

Pukes won't read it, sadly. The reaction I always get is a disappearance, or, the one time a very nasty person said, "I don't have time to read that!" and disappeared.

Or you get the Eff Yourself!!! And they disappear.

But still, we need to get the information out. It will percolate outwards. Wish people got Woked Up faster, but.... that's not how it goes.

[blm]

66. Getting the truth out there was difficult with a 'news' media intent on featuring entertainment

for the mouth breathers more than news.

[IMWITHHERR]

17. Bravo

Very well thought out and factual. I applaud you

[KT2000]

18. this is great -

I am going to save it and share with anyone who suggests such a thing to me. Thanks for your work on this.

[LittleGirl]

19. That got a bit tiresome

but WOW, to have that all spelled out like that is freaking amazing!
They didn't suffer at all. They are just repeating right wing propaganda.
Bookmarking for future reference!
Brilliant.
Thanks.

[erpowers]

20. He Was A Black Guy

For 8 years a number of people has to see a black guy in the White House. It is suffering if you have been told all your life that black people are inferior to you and then a black person is elected President of the United States. It is also suffering when you spend 8 years waiting for a guy to enact his revenge on you for what your ancestors did to his ancestors. It may also be suffering when you have to turn on the TV and see well educated and well spoken black people when you want to envision black people as uneducated, inarticulate, illiterate, violent thugs.

[raccoon]

37. You sure got that right! Wish I could rec your post. nt

[mnhtnbb]

38. This is precisely right. A well-educated, well spoken, gentleman who happened to be black

was occupying the WHITE House. Black people are only allowed to be servants in the WHITE House according
to the people who hated Obama. They have no other reason for disliking him.

And I want to enforce the fact that he was a gentleman--not an angry guy--but a man who also clearly loved his wife.
They couldn't stand the fact that he didn't fit their stereotype.

[ProfessorGAC]

41. On A Related Note:

Maher's line from Friday, while showing a picture of It and Obama.

"Hey racists, the one with 4 children by three different women is the white guy!"

Ties in nicely with your last sentence.

[desi]

71. I think Bill forgot one.

Aren't there five children, 3 males and 2 females?

[ProfessorGAC]

74. Or, Maybe I Heard It Wrong

You might very well be correct. Either he was wrong, or i misheard it. Either way, it's a great line!

[NewJeffCT]

50. If Hillary had beaten Obama in 2008

I think the reactions would have been very similar from Republicans - only instead of misspelled signs with the N word on them, we'd have misspelled signs with the B or C word on them.

[blm]

82. They hate..all of us

.

[Boomerproud]

106. I'm positive you are absolutely correct.

She is now a private citizen and they are still frothing at the mouth-especially a certain congressman from Utah. It's beyond tragic.

[roamer65]

107. Absolutely true.

[lambchopp59]

21. It will be the rabid RW'ers suffering to justify the idiotic avalanche of faux pas from

The preadolescent mentality 70 year old warmonger in chief they put in office. He's already starting to poke sticks into the middle east bees nest. We may all be suffering for their spiteful choice soon.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017420651

[Initech]

22. Bravo!!!!

[Warren DeMontague]

24. He stayed black the entire time

Suffering!

[Bettie]

45. And there we have the real reason

they hate him so much.

Because his skin isn't the color they would like it to be.

Assholes. Racist Assholes.

[chowder66]

25. Beautiful! nt

[tenorly]

26. Republican voters deserve this:

The only problem is that the rest of us would be stuck in the same boat, and we can't very well have that.

[stopwastingmymoney]

27. Fantastic! K n R n nt...

[Hoyt]

28. To the white wing, Obama couldn't be good enough no matter what he did for them.

And, god forbid he do something for all the groups that have been treated poorly by our laws and American racists/bigots.

[califootman]

29. Well, I think the death panels thing might have come true.

Won't the GOP Congress essentially be a death panel if/when they repeal Obamacare?

[vanlassie]

35. Block Grants for Medicaid EQUALS Death Panels.

Let's get this meme going.

[blm]

96. Yep - it's back to junk insurance you buy through your local 'church'.

Total junk. Cheap….but, complete junk if you get sick or injured.

[fleabiscuit]

30. Ya I'll probably have to steal some of that. K&R

[smirkymonkey]

32. +1000

[Frogg]

34. Racism At the heart of it

I have family members who sound just like this and it makes me sick in my soul. I grew up white and priviledged in the South and I know these people. This bullshit about jobs and patriotism is the white cloak they hide behind. When pressed to answer what has been the source of their distrust and dislike of President Obama, I can never get a coherent answer. My disgust for Agent Orange is not comparable to their "suffering" over Obama as I come from the same demographic and should therefore then be ruled by the same indoctrinated thinking...the difference between myself and my sorely misguided moron family members is that I try to think in terms of compassion and inclusion and I was never more proud of the US as when we elected Pres Obama...and now I have never been more ashamed of the US for electing this "disaster" of a hideous human being. He represents the very worst and most base and vile aspect that still skulks and slithers throughout a very large percentage of the country. Shame on the 62+ Million(?) who voted for a reality TV bully. They wanted reality...I fear they are about to be served a monstrous portion...problem is they have served it to all of us in their stupidity and fear-based ideology.

[Raine]

36. The one who wishes suffering on Obama voters is overlooking the fact that

putting Dumpster in is prolonging their own suffering thru his term. If they think they suffered under Obama they have no idea the pain they'll be suffering soon under Dumpster.

[bdamomma]

62. oh yes, they will hurt badly

that is a given, by why take us down with them. I do believe in good or evil, or the truth does prevail.


Again, can't they be better than this. To pick a reality TV show celebrity who has no experience in political ideology.

[underpants]

39. We suffered through 8 years of dumbass

W

And then 8 years of overt racism

[Vinca]

42. A brilliant response.

[malaise]

43. This is a great post

Should have 500 recs

[blm]

94. Hahah - the trolls won't.

Probably a good way to spot a troll. ; )

[malaise]

97. Good point

[sinkingfeeling]

44. Great summary!

[Whiskeytide]

46. Bookmarked. Well done. n/t

[Nitram]

47. Most excellent!

[marked50]

48. Their suffering was fear. Not the reality

but the fear of what they were being told. Telling them the truth is what they wouldn't hear because the fear is what they really wanted to believe. This is the world of "alternative facts".

[blm]

95. Their fear was INDUCED by manipulative mind control tactics (aka RW propaganda machine)

Always remember that this RW propaganda media was developed initially in the early 80s by a Korean cult leader.

[NewJeffCT]

51. excellent response

I wonder what his response will be?

[DinahMoeHum]

52. You put too much shit for him to read. . .

. . .never mind if he can even read that much.

[Qutzupalotl]

53. The Dow Jones figure is wrong.

It closed at 7,949 on Jan. 20, 2009. As the recession ran its course, there was a gradual slump until March 2009, when it reached the figure you cited.

The true numbers are sufficient. We don't need to exaggerate.

[tiredtoo]

54. Good reply but too lengthy for my liking

I have just asked those folks to name one thing Obama did that made them suffer. This usually shuts them up. One dude said "He raised my taxes". After i explained to him that taxes were controlled by the house of reps. he went silent.

[blm]

65. Yes, Scott was being far more gracious in his reply than I would be.

Last edited Tue Jan 24, 2017, 04:06 PM - Edit history (1)

Or perhaps he was just setting up a trap he knew they couldn't get of.

[Fla Dem]

55. Their suffering was they had to endure a "Black Man" occupying the "White House".

Nothing more, nothing less.

[bdamomma]

56. I will bookmark your post.

but remember these are the people who don't quite believe in diversity. They feel threatened by minorities, women, the LGBT community, Muslims.

And they feeling as though they are being outnumbered by these diverse groups white men especially and they are scared of not being in control, thus now you have all the hate groups which have been surfacing during the campaign and now through this filthy fascist regime.

Ignorance and Arrogance fuel these people.

[treestar]

57. I either

1. Ask them how they suffered and why? (you know it's because of Obama being black).

or

2. Tell them we also suffered under Dubya and that their Obama era suffering was like that. Not this. This time they have gone too far. Dubya was at least experienced in some way. His appointments were people with experience. So this IS quite different.

[retrowire]

58. OMFG PLEASE TELL ME HE RESPONDED

I need to know what caused his suffering. NEED

[True_Blue]

60. Great post!

Thanks for sharing!

[-Steph-]

63. I would love to hear his response.

[blm]

91. Scott hasn't posted an update yet, so he probably hasn't had a response yet from him.

When he gets one I will repost it here.

Just can't imagine that the guy would even try.

[BRMCOne]

67. Brilliant...

its something I've been dying to put up myself, because I too really want to know what their response(s) would be. I just can't for the life of me understand these people, and the lengths they will go to twist facts to fit their rationale.

[blm]

69. Obama really did so much more it is almost mind-numbing to put it together.

Which is why most of didn't do it, but, fortunately for us, someone did.

[Iggo]

68. The President of the United States was black for eight years. THAT's what caused his suffering.

[blm]

70. THAT is a certainty.

.

[padfun]

72. Can I send this to others?

I will give you credit. Like "from BLM at DU" or whatever you wish.

[padfun]

73. I see the top line now

So should Scott Medwick get credit?

[blm]

78. Yes - it's Scott Mednick. He said it was fine to share.

Those of you who want to edit it down to the actual list are welcome to do so.

[keepthemhonestO]

75. well done

Great job and also one thing I hear people talk about is the national debt has gone up sky high during the Obama administration , however Bush never put the wars on the books that is 3-5 trillion right there, Hmmmm? I wonder if we would have any debt at all if it were not for war and Trump is gearing up for more of this.

Can I borrow this???

[MythosMaster]

76. he has not replied

because he stopped reading after the first few lines. My experience with conservative partisan hacks is that you have to dribble the information in small spoonfuls.

Send them one at a time next time.

[blm]

81. Not mine. But the list is impressive and I applaud his approach in replying this way.

I also encourage those who wish to edit it down to just the list to do so.

[tnlurker]

77. K and R

[blm]

79. Scott Mednick said all are welcome to share. For those who wish to edit it down to

the actual list feel free to do so.

Scott Mednick wrote this as a FB reply and copied it to a lefty group we are both in.

[saidsimplesimon]

83. thank you blm

I will forward it to my brother who reflects the "he suffered under Obama" delusion. My brother is very intelligent, unfortunately, he missed the lessons on critical thinking. No wonder my brothers told everyone "she is adopted". It was not true. I was raised by my liberal grandmother, such a blessing for me.

[blm]

84. I assumed many of us have been hearing that same hollow whine.

That is why I brought this man's post here to DU.

[heaven05]

86. bam!!!!

this truth sets me on the right path....especially when addressing the boy-potus followers.

[blm]

87. That is exactly what I thought when I read it.

The first part could definitely use an edit, but, the writer's approach is perfect.

[Angry Dragon]

98. I think the suffering had to do with the color of the skin

[blm]

99. Most certainly.

And their choice of propaganda media sources.

[Skittles]

100. MY REPLY: LET'S GET THIS STRAIGHT

YOU HATE OBAMA BECAUSE HE IS A *BLACK MAN*
I HATE TRUMP BECAUSE HE IS *UNQUALIFIED*

see the difference there, assholes???

[blm]

102. LOLOL..

And that is why you are a perfect being.

My approach tends to be more like yours in real life. ; )

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

101. It would be interesting to find out what they meant by suffering.

I bet they realized they weren't actually suffering after reading your post.

[AllaN01Bear]

103. my dear blm, no he wont respond as you shut him down and he knows it.

love the way these people go sputter sputt sput . hide behind the constitiution, bible , etc, or call snowflake , comunist pinko pig, and then they either start yelling in your face and tell u to shut up. i wont go quietly and i mention this to a friend of mine who claims hes a 'democrat" and i shut him down.

[blm]

104. Good - let's keep it real. No backing down to the fascists.

.

[JMCoast]

105. Of course he hasn't replied

Because conservatives do not and will not look at the facts, especially the ones you so eloquently listed. They just don't matter to them

[Ligyron]

108. I would have just said "Fuck You!"

and left it at that.

Trump supporters can't be bothered to read more than a few lines.

But I bet you feel better!

[Laura PourMeADrink]

109. Here is what pisses me off to the nth degree - Democrats would have been much more

successful in November had we PR'd the hell out of most of this. it's a staggering list of achievements. had we taken 5 at a time, cool 30 second ad, on CNN, and Fox - who knows what would have happened.
Hillary may have not wanted to play off the Obama successes - fine - legitimate campaign strategy, for sure. But the Democratic Party could have boasted all this. I would have gladly contributed to that.
Remember ! Trump supporters thought unemployment went up under Obama.

[blm]

110. yep

and what is especially sick is that most news media knew what was true but didn't think it was their 'job' back then to counter Republican lies.

Now they wonder how Trump got into the WH and is STILL lying?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

113. So true. Of course you've got Fox and they have no competition among their viewers. The biggest

elephant in the room to me is the lie that Republicans and Trump actually CARE about the millions who signed up for ACA so they could see a doctor. I call total bullshit on that. They do not care about them - they just were infuriated that we did something to help those who could not afford coverage and somehow hurt the insurance companies.

that is leaving them in the ultimate bind. They have to produce something better. But better hurts the insurance companies. And better, helps more less fortunate people. OOPs.

[tavalon]

111. Socratically speaking

He got taken to the woodshed.

[Nwgirl503]

112. Bra-fucking-o!

[orleans]

118. i'll come back and copy, probably edit it down, & post on fb (when i'm more awake)

great piece.
thanks!

[blm]

119. Thanks - it really is lengthy list of accomplishments with little note from corpmedia

The beginning can definitely use some editing.

[coco22]

120. Kick,Kick,Kicked&Recommended!

[yardwork]

121. Kick

[blm]

122. ((yardwork))

.

[yardwork]

123. Hi!