from Robert Reich

[elleng]

Last edited Mon Jul 21, 2014, 10:27 PM - Edit history (2)

The media’s (and the public’s) attention has turned to the 2016 presidential election, and stories abound about Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Warren, Christie, Paul, Jeb Bush, and the like. Meanwhile, President Obama’s approval ratings are in the basement, not only with Republicans but with many Democrats and independents. He’s not a just a lame duck; he’s a severely disabled duck.

But we’re still more than two-and-a-half years before a new president occupies the White House. That’s a long time, and it's a dangerous time. Crises are breaking out all over the globe. Here at home, Tea Party radicals are pushing Republicans to the extreme right, and the Senate may be under the control of the GOP after the midterms. You may not like everything Obama has done, but for the next two-and-a-half years he’s our president, and he’s the best hope we have. I don't mean you should withhold criticism of specific policies when criticism is due -- I certainly won't -- but we need to tone down the generalized badmouthing and bellyaching, and give him the strongest support possible when we agree with what he's trying to do. You with me?

https://www.facebook.com/RBReich?fref=nf


EDIT: For those who can't find President Obama's accomplishments, here are a few examples:

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/march_april_2012/features/obamas_top_50_accomplishments035755.php?page=all

http://pleasecutthecrap.com/obama-accomplishments/

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/02/15/a-long-list-of-president-obamas-accomplishments-with-citations/

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/06/obama-has-now-fulfilled-his-4-big-promises.html

5 years of President Obama, timeline:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152419523414610&set=a.463344454609.247808.330873359609&type=1&fref=nf

[merrily]

1. No, I am not with anyone who seeks to silence criticism of a sitting President.

I wasn't with the Bushies who attempted to sell that trash and I'm not with the Clintonites who attempt to sell it, either.

Reich has been trying to sell us policies that are not exactly what Clinton or Obama have pursued, conveniently forgetting (or so it seems) that he never objected while publicly while a member of Clinton's cabinet. And now, he'd like us not to criticize Obama, either?

[elleng]

2. Reich said THIS:

'I don't mean you should withhold criticism of specific policies when criticism is due -- I certainly won't -- but we need to tone down the generalized badmouthing and bellyaching, and give him the strongest support possible when we agree with what he's trying to do.'

It appears that you are not aware of the extent to which he criticized President Clinton when he was a member of the cabinet. He left the cabinet for some of these reasons.

[merrily]

3. No, I was not aware of all the public resistance Reich gave Clinton.

And, no, I am not altering my conduct because Reich decided to make a comment (and I very much doubt anyone will). And I read what Reich said before I posted the first time, so all caps unnecessary.

[zipplewrath]

4. I struggle

I frequently struggle to identify those things with which I agree that he is doing. And he does so many with which I strongly disagree.