DU's turning point was November 4, 2008

[kid a]

At that time many members saw the election of Obama as a step forward.
Some a huge step, some barely a budge forward, but still better that Bush on a majority of policies.

If you see May 2009 as a turning point because some still celebrate (as well as discuss relevant policy), have and see positive things in Obama and support his administration, or because some folks don't go bat shit crazy every time Obama's decisions do agree with your agenda, than hit the archives and experience the sobering nightmare DU soothed me through in 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, etc.

DU did and should have changed on Nov. 4. We made a step forward.

If you don't like picture threads and positive discussion, you don't have to click on them.

[RetroLounge]

1. Thanks for your concern

RL

[Texasgal]

2. I'm just tired of all the whining

from BOTH sides. Enough already!

[meegbear]

3. Thats. Nice.

[MADem]

4. Maybe it would help if members were forced to go through a tutorial on "HIDE THREAD" every once in a

while. It's nice that this forum is so customizable. Wish more would avail themselves of it, particularly if they don't want to discuss a subject. Nothing wrong with honest disagreement, but "That sucks" isn't, to my mind, honest disagreement.

[panader0]

5. The obvious difference being that, from that date, we now have a Dem

in office. DU was founded to gripe about bush, and the thugs in general. There is no real perceived "enemy" now as there was then.
Now it's debate over policies. We all know Obama is 'way better than bushco or McCain/Palin.

[elocs]

10. The trouble is that after 8 years in attack mode, many DUers know nothing else.

Constructive criticism of Democrats is allowed here and that gives cover to many posters who lay out the criticism without much constructive to it. Honestly, I sometimes wonder what it must be like to be the spouse or children of some of the posters here. Do they also get jumped on and criticized for every little thing when they don't exactly toe the line to the DUers liking?

I'm not claiming we should applaud everything that Obama does, but in a whole 4 months in office he is regularly being ripped a new one and that is by people who confess to be Democrats. If I were a Republican I would certainly be taking notes to use Democrats' own words criticizing and condemning their own president when 2010 and 2012 roll around and won't that be embarrassing.

[tavalon]

12. Yep, I'm pleased with the direction DU has gone

I was worried we would wither from neglect after President Obama was inaugurated. That hasn't happened. We all know he's better, in fact, much better than the * but we are still willing to debate some of his decisions and because we have far fewer complaints than we used to, some positivity gets through.

[Terran]

16. "We all know Obama is 'way better than bushco or McCain/Palin"

Heh, careful, you'll be labeled a cheerleader.

[liberalmuse]

6. Amen.

And yes, I was whining very hard two days ago. I'm still upset, but it is good to put things into perspective. I am very glad we have President Obama in the WH, even though some of his decisions might not set well with me. Most of them do, which is more than I can say for the atrocities committed by Bush every single fucking day for 8 long, excruciating years. This is so much better, and only bad because President Obama has a huge stinking mess to clean up, and he's only human.

[angstlessk]

9. agree, liberalmuse, each outrage seemed to outdo the last outrage with boosh

at least now we can be outraged, pleased, pleased, outraged and outraged again..it is not a building block of outrage. ANYONE WHO CAN AGREE 100% TO ANYTHING IS NOT COHERENT! Though I would love a Dennis Kuchinich to be president..I could with for candy at breakfast, lunch and dinner too..ain't gonna happen!

[billyoc]

7. Oh.

[EFerrari]

8. As Obama said on election night, in his election we won a chance for change

not change itself.

[Gman]

11. There are a lot of closet Greens and others here that are not Democrats

for example, they supported Cindy Sheehan over Pelosi for Congress and they don't care about the Democratic Party. They are essentially trolls here. I never have liked allowing them here. If I had my way, if they consistently harshly and overly criticize the Democratic Party they're tombstoned.

[tavalon]

14. Some may be, most are not

Broad brush you have there. I'm a socialist who supports the Democratic party. Grant you, when I came here, I was an absolute democrat but I've been educated by the fine folks here and realized that my political leanings actually are more in line with socialism. I'm very supportive of President Obama except when I believe he's fucked up. As he has a handful of times. I have more energy and attention to complain about those fuckups because I don't have outrage fatigue anymore. With the *, it was an everyday thing, except when the foolish creature was on vacation and even then, he sometimes opened his mouth and I got outraged. Bad times. Don't miss 'em.

[Mari333]

15. so what if a lot of people preferred Sheehan over Pelosi?

that doesnt make then any less Democrats then anyone else. I preferred Kucinich over Obama but Im still a Dem. and no, you dont get your way. DU is a large tent of many Democrats with differing opinions and discourse. Not a closed minded place where only one agenda is discussed. Thats what makes it different then free republic.

[HamdenRice]

20. Kucinich is a Democrat

I think you may be misinterpreting the person's point. It's one thing to support a left alternative Democrat in the primary. It's another to support someone with a different political affiliation in the general. Kucinich is a Democratic Party member and does not go off reservation during the general.

If you supported Sheehan over Pelosi in the general, that's no different from supporting Nader over Gore.

[Gman]

23. Sheehan ran as an independent against Democrat Pelosi

there should be no question whatsoever involved in deciding to vote for Pelosi.

[Mari333]

26. some democrats vote for Independents in some elections

not every dem votes straight democratic.

[Marr]

21. Yes, that attitude is working out great for Republicans right now, isn't it?

[Sebastian Doyle]

24. There are also a lot of paid shills here.

Don't believe me? Look for the tobbaco lobbyists equating their "rights" with a woman's right to choose. Or just a few minutes ago, one of the NRA shills hijacked a thread about marriage equality in New England.

Not to mention the pharma shills, the Monsanto shills, and the (foreign lobby whose name shall not even be mentioned, but whose spies just walked away from prosecution) shills, among others.

[Psychic Consortium]

13. DUers changed the world, and they don't yet realize it.

They helped elect a man who will be the best president
we have ever seen.

They have helped bring America into the 21st century which will
be a period reflecting DU values.

Most DUers can't see the good they have done and will do.

[Bluebear]

17. "your agenda" - hokay. nt

[lpbk2713]

18. A number of things made me happy that day.

But one thing I truly enjoyed was the loud "Fuck you" message
that was delivered to Limbaugh and his slimy RW Media pals.

[Number23]

19. Can you repeat that? LOUDER this time??

Here, I'll help...

If you don't like picture threads and positive discussion, you don't have to click on them.

It's really not all that damn hard to figure out...

[ecstatic]

22. k&r. Tired of haters who have no concept of history

even recent history ffs.

[readmoreoften]

25. Agree with "their agenda"?

Yes, those sinister folks whose pet issues are transparent government (torture photos), shutting down torture sites (without "loopholes"), environmental protection (not corporate cronies in charge of the environment), a health care plan (not a payoff for campaign donors in the health industry), and the keeping of at least a few campaign promises about ending an illegal occupation of a nation that never did anything to us.

You call it a crazy "leftist" agenda... I call it sanity.