It's not that he isn't good...

[CaliforniaPeggy]

It's just that he could have been so much better.

Damn.

Yes, I'm talking about Obama.

[TwilightGardener]

1. Oh, I see it's Obama Presidential Obituary day. Time to tune back out.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. My post is not an obituary, far from it.

I'm just wishing out loud.

[HughMoran]

24. Yes, becasue there are never enough "worrying out loud" threads on DU n/t

[CaliforniaPeggy]

27. I have a right to post anything (within the rules) that I want.

[HughMoran]

Nobody ever suggested you didn't.

And when you post on a public forum, you can expect people to disagree or make other comments as is our right.

[SammyWinstonJack]

60. +1000

:thumbsup:

[BrklynLiberal]

77. You go girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[defendandprotect]

43. Some people still believe that hiding under a school desk will save you from nuclear attack . . .

and some realize when they're being lied to --

and that politics effects your life every moment of your life.

Not only that, it's suicidally exploitve of nature, natural resources,

animal-life -- and human beings.

The BP disaster isn't any different from any of the other corporate disasters

confronting us --

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/06/21/127988546/gasland-hbo-gas-drilling-film-exposes-drinking-water-worries

and Global Warming.

We need a president who understands the urgency of stopping this corporate exploitation.

Including on the level of the MIC which obviously makes government protective of oil for

"national security" reasons -- i.e., no oil/no war --

[Enthusiast]

110. "We need a president who understands

the urgency of stopping this corporate exploitation."

Now more than ever before. This is a crisis.

[branders seine]

73. we'll call you when it's safe for you to come back.

until then, sweet dreams!

[DesertDiamond]

120. How about "Obama Wake-Up Call Day"?

[gateley]

2. I'm still hoping he WILL be, but I know what you're saying Peggy.

Did something specific prompt this, or just general disappointment?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

7. I was reading some other threads...some positive, some not.

And my feelings just boiled over, with this little rant as the result.

I get tired of feeling hopeful and then facing what looks like unreasonable compromises on our part, because of his actions.

That's what did it.

I hope he will be better too...

I will NOT vote for a Republican.

[gateley]

9. I'm right with you, but he's more than those disappointments, he

HAS done a lot (as Rachel recent pointed out causing me to :wow:). It's just that the disappointments are usually biggies. :(

[CaliforniaPeggy]

16. Exactly right.

He has done a lot of good...

And the disappointments are usually the biggies, the issues that we care most about.

*sigh*

[zipplewrath]

119. Yup, it's a hard concept to explain to subordinates

I've got an employee who "works hard". Very thorough, real detail kinda guy. He gets alot of things done. His priorities always take managing though. He can spend alot of time on a presentation, and it looks very good, clear and concise. But it just wasn't that important and the items he "puts off to the next day" are often those upon which the most people are waiting. I have to spend practically every day managing his work flow. Its about priorities and quantity doesn't always trump quality, or visa versa. Getting a few important things done can be as important, or more important, that getting alot of lower priority tasks completed. One thing very late may be worse than alot of things a day late.

It's the turd in the punch bowl phenomenon. The best punch in the world, made from all natural organic ingredients can be completely ruined by the smallest of cat droppings floating on the surface.

[FrenchieCat]

85. Can you point me to the positive threads,

cause I can't find them considering the numerious demoralizing threads
where folks don't like his not yet 1/2 a term, because it ain't all
fixed and they don't believe in progressive politics....just getting there
in a hop, a skip, and a jump.

[GOTV]

122. Can you point me to ONE thread whose complaint is that "all" is not fixed?

Every complaining thread I see is more specific than that. I don't think I've seen one thread whose complaint is that Obama still has work to do.

[howmad1]

133. And I will not vote for a democrat.........

....who poses as a democrat while supporting every rethuglican effort to ruin this country. I have decided that I will not be voting in the coming election. I consider this an investment in my great grandchildrens future. If the rethuglicans win in November, they will reduce this country to a banana republic and hopefully, by the time my great grandkids are old enough to vote, they will be smart enough to realize the damage done by quasi democrats and rethuglicans and they will change this country for the better.

[renate]

158. I'm sure *your* great-grandkids would be smart enough. mine too

But the problem is that after eight years of Bush-Cheney, tax cuts for the wealthy, a lack of oversight that lead to the Great Recession, and most of all, two poorly executed wars--one of which was completely unnecessary--nearly half of this great nation's population voted Republican in 2008. Americans don't do uprisings any more, plus there really are a vast number of people who would vote for Sarah Palin if she were seen clubbing seal pups on national TV and ripping out their still-beating hearts with her teeth.

So, however disappointed in the shortcomings of this administration progressives may be, letting things get really really Republican-bad so that the population at large will take it upon themselves to make things better might be a better Plan X than a Plan A or Plan B.

[sandnsea]

3. Nelson, Landrieu, Lincoln,

He is doing the absolute best circumstances allow.

[bahrbearian]

62. So campaigning for Lincoln and Landrieu is a good thing?

[sandnsea]

63. Yes

Unfortunately party politics is part of the deal too. You hope by sticking by them, they give you some of the votes you need, like the ones that gave us all the good that has been accomplished since 1/20/09.

[Sebastian Doyle]

79. Lincoln could have been removed a few weeks ago.

There was a decent challenger available, but DLC corruption ensured he wouldn't win. Now Lincoln will more than likely be replaced by the Repuke. Not that the votes coming from that seat will change much. Just the theoretical number of "Democrats" in the Senate.

And if Harry Reid had a spine, then treasonous shitbuckets like Blanche, Ben, and Drill Baby Mary wouldn't matter at all. All it takes is 50 Senators, a vice president to break the tie, and a majority leader to tell the Repukes to fuck themselves.

[treestar]

140. Baloney, the relative conservatism of Arkansas voters

was at play here. Some people cannot seem to accept the fact that there are conservative majorities in these states.

[dflprincess]

153. And cutting the number of polling places in areas that favored Blanche's opponent

had absolutely nothing to do with her win.

If the Republicans had done that, you'd be screaming bloody murder.

[tavalon]

99. Hope springs eternal

But honestly, this hope is beginning to remind me of the hope of an abused spouse - the hope that if they just do it right this time, they won't get beaten again. I'm tired of getting beaten by my party and continuing to hold out hope that this time it will be better. It doesn't get better.

[Art_from_Ark]

103. So you campaign for one Democrat versus another

and then the Democrat you campaigned for turns right around and votes with the opposition party.

http://arkansasnews.com/2010/06/10/lincoln-pryor-vote-with-republicans-on-epa-resolution/

[Bryn]

127. As for Lincoln

You're not in Arkansas.

She's spiraling down here in Arkansas with very little support. She has no chance in November. Thanks to DCLs we're getting Big Dumb Republican John Boozeman. The Democrat we wanted and supported and worked hard for, Bill Halter, would have had a very good chance to beat him, but DCLs helped to take him out by cheating us out of 90% voting polls in a city where Lincoln is unpopular. Bill Clinton and Obama helped, too. We The People of Arkansas had spoken with our support of Bill Halter, but those big boys in White House did a very good job screwing our good chance with Bill Halter. They just had to....had to interfere.

Then when Blanche Lincoln won the White House insulted the labor unions with "10 million dollars flushed down in drain".

Is this good? Really? Did you know 60th vote for Health Care Reform was Lincoln's? She agreed to vote for it only if they killed the public option. Then bragged about it. Did you know?

[sandnsea]

132. My family is in Arkansas

I know how it is there. I also know Arkansas gave less support to Obama than they did to John Kerry. The support for the Republican is just Arkansas showing its true colors, so to speak.

I supported Bill Halter, I wish he would have won.

The truth of that matter is there is absolutely NO reason for an incumbent Democrat to support the President's agenda if they're going to get party opposition in their primary. If she had voted against everything Obama wanted, she'd probably be winning right now. That's your problem in Arkansas.

[sabrina 1]

136. He supported Lincoln and Landrieu, and Lieberman also.

Passing the buck to Congress never works for a president, especially when their party has a majority in both houses. It makes him look like he can't control his own Party. I don't know why people do this as it is not a winning argument.

[sandnsea]

143. They're voting with him now

Right?

[sabrina 1]

144. They are supporting the interests of the American People who

elected Democrats? Against War funding? Against the destruction of Social Security? Against letting Wall St. off the hook? For prosecuting war criminals? Against Offshore Drilling? Could be, I don't follow these Dinos normally as I don't expect from them but it would be great if they had suddenly become real Democrats.

[treestar]

139. Exaclty, WTF? These Senators cannot be forced by any

so called bully-pulpit or threats to their campaign chests. They come from the states they come from. No amount of arm twisting changes that fact.

And add Lieberman and Brown and Snowe and Collins - they have real power. They are supposed to.

[sabrina 1]

145. Really? So having a majority means nothing after all, if you are

a Democrat? Then why did we work so hard to get one?

Republicans never have a problem, no matter what states their Reps come from, twisting arms and getting them to vote with the Party that helped get them there. Even in the minority, Republicans were able to get legislation passed.

Seems to me that what you are saying is that we shouldn't waste our time voting at all.

[treestar]

146. Be real. If all Rs filibuster everything and there are 41 of them

Then we need some of them.

[Dr Morbius]

4. How?

Really, how?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

10. How?

He could have been a lot more aggressive about shutting down the damn wars.

I don't like what I see this commission on Social Security doing. This is because he set it up, and accepts what they propose.

DOMA and DADT could have been dealt with much more efficiently and more aggressively, IMHO.

I know he's done many good things, many more than McCain/Palin would have done. And those give me heart...

I don't know. My post was more an emotional response to the bad news I'm seeing about the economy and the job losses than anything else...

I'm not as politically savvy as many folks are here...I can't make the clever arguments, with the intellectual smarts that so many folks here have...

So shoot me.

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Dr Morbius]

22. No, I won't shoot you.

But I ask you to remember that politics is emotional. Putting emotion aside, it's hard for me to imagine how he could have been better. Yes, I disagree with some of his policies and I too would prefer the wars came to an end, but is a President really able to just up and decide it's over? Is it fair to say a President isn't good enough because he or she implements policies with which we disagree?

This is why I asked how. I think that taking the long view, being patient and accepting what can be gotten as opposed to fretting about what cannot be had, this guy is as good as any President we've gotten in half a century.

Maybe, now don't hate me for this because I don't mean it as a judgment of any kind, but maybe our standards are not fair.

[Steely_Dan]

125. I Think...

that many would agree that politics can be emotional. No doubt, the speeches we heard from our President tapped into our emotions and allowed us to "hope." He could not have had more chips to cash in right after the election. Many feel he squandered his opportunities in the name of bipartisanship.

-P

[Number23]

91. You sound like a sweet woman but madam, you have been had

Absolutely had. My prescription? A whoooooole lot less time spent in GD.

[pattmarty]

128. What is GD? PLEASE, people TYPE the shit out for those of us............

........that don't know what GD or DDT or whatever. Remember, you are NOT writing in longhand you are on a fucking keyboard and it IS easy to type out shit. Sorry, didn't mean to steal a thread, but that is something that really pisses me off. A lot of us don't have the "computer book of bullshit abbreviations". See, even I can type out shit.

[Number23]

149. If you had asked me nicely, I would have been happy to spell it out for you

Since you didn't...

[Tsiyu]

154. If you'll calm down

and use your deductive skills....


and scroll up to the top of the page...

and you will see that you are in the General Discussion Forum.

What can you deduce from this?



Peace

[tavalon]

100. Peggy you are unflinchingly kind to your fellow DUers

but even the kindest get frustrated sometimes and I can grok your frustration. I'm frustrated too.

[deacon_sephiroth]

114. yes he COULD have, but

If you read Obama's books, he seems to believe in the older political ways, back when the parties would come together in meetings and dinners and talk things out, compromise here and there in order to get things done. Whereas today most politicians would rather revel in the media popular and no doubt profitable practice of declaring each other mortal enemies and digging thier heels into the ground to stop anythign and everything they can from happening at all.

I imagine Obama COULD have done more by now but he's trying to go about it from the civilized, cooperational aspect that once made this country great and I commend him for it. He believes that this country was once run by resonable gentlemen who understood government and made it function through hard work despite disaggreements and spirited debate.

If Obama resorts to the tactics of the last administration and simply crowbars all democrats to force through everything they'd ever want, full speed ahead and damn the torpedoes, he BECOMES the last administration and only fosters more frustration from the right-wing when they inevitably return to power. He'd be doing EXACTLY what Fox news lies about him doing, and he'd be the monster they make him out to be.

It is unrealistic for Obama to believe that by remaining civil to the other side, and governing like civil people should that he can break the cycle of playing political ping-pong with the U.S. (A game that doesn't so much go from righ to left, right to left, but mroe like right to less right, right to slightly less right, decade after decade) But he's run on a plaform of hope and if we lost sight of that in order to achieve our short term goals and get what we want on paper, we'll just lose it in the next election.

The things we're tyring to build need a firm foundation and that doesn't get built overnight

I do not share in your disappointment and submit that you had unrealistic expectations considering the environment you want these changes taking place in.

[crim son]

6. Agreed, Peggy.

We had high hopes and I believe he could have moved with more force on some of the issues that concern us most. I'm still not sure if he's being bipartisan for the sake of being bipartisan, if he's wily as a fox and moving very slowly to minimize uproar, or if he's (I hope not) just another, rather brilliant, politician. Still, he's done a heck of a lot more good stuff than he gets credit for. :hi:

[monmouth]

8. Dear Peggy, Hope your hazmat is back from the cleaners...LOL...n/t

[CaliforniaPeggy]

13. Thank you for the much-needed laugh, my dear monmouth!

I needed that!

Not to worry.....

I believe I can take it.

[Mike Nelson]

11. I'm not surprised...

... but I'm always ready to be!

[Tailormyst]

12. I think there will be many who come and berate you for saying this

Please remember that there are alot more who agree with you.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

14. Thanks for your support...

I'm not worried.

I find that my views are generally treated with respect here.

[devilgrrl]

15. I agree but I also think someone showed him the "other" Zapruter Film shortly after he was elected.

He's being told what to do by people that will do something otherwise if they don't get their way.

:tinfoilhat:

[JuniperLea]

41. That thought crossed my mind too...

Still, I'll continue to give him the support I promised.

[dflprincess]

152. If that were true

and he was too scared to do the job he was elected to do, he should resign - or go public with the threats.

If anyone got to him - it was to promise him he'd never have another thing to worry about if he just went along with the status quo. Look how well Clinton has done since he left office.

[underseasurveyor]

17. Considering the massive shit pile that was left to him

I'd say he's doing a more than fair job at it. He can't instantly please everyone, he can't instantly make wars go away, he can't instantly change and reverse the long influence of multiple generations and the deeply imbedded cogs of the industrial, petroleum and politcal machines. On top of that consider the magnitude of what has been addtionally dumped on top of that which was already there when he stepped in...?

Barack Obama is one VERY smart mother fucker and I for one am glad and grateful he's in the room! What if mccain and palin were in there?
Be grateful for what we have and thankful for what isn't.

[AtomicKitten]

21. +1

[CaliforniaPeggy]

23. I very well realize all that.

I really do.

But.

He has the bully pulpit. Has he used it? Not enough.

We need jobs, and what is he doing? Supporting the war. That won't fix the job situation. Cutting Social Security won't fix it either.

He needs to show us what his plans are, or we won't be able to support those plans.

I agree about McCain/Palin, but they aren't there.

It might not sound like it from the tone of my post, but I am very glad we have him there.

[underseasurveyor]

32. I see your frustration Peggy

Really I do. And that's not to say I don't feel frustrated at times too but when I stop to consider the seemingly un-scalable wall before him? Plus the very short amount of time he's been President? I give the man a LOT of credit.

Think about how many years or decades it will actually take to reverse the power elite influence in Washington?

[HughBeaumont]

34. Obama cannot "fix" the jobs situation.

That's up to the hostage-holding Private Sector, for the most part.

Heh heeeeeh . . . these occupations aren't ending. The MIC gets far too much money from using our poor as mortar fodder, turning them into PTSD wrecks.

[tavalon]

101. Yeah, it's not like he's another FDR

[uponit7771]

118. Your expectations are out of line with reality, his TRUE resources is congress not what you named

[sui generis]

26. I for one am grateful I wasn't born a sea slug

that doesn't mean that I'm satisfied that things are as good as they can be.

Obama is a very specific kind of president - I would qualify him as more of a "moderator" than a "leader". For those of us who voted for a vital driven LEADER on our issues, we have every right to be disappointed with his choices and tactics.

There is nothing at all wrong with having high standards. If someone says they're a fierce advocate then they damn well better put up or shut up. It's that simple, and it helps manage expectations.

[underseasurveyor]

38. I for one went into this knowing that it was going to take a long, long time

to fix many of the things that have gone wrong and are still wrong in this country. Certainly it's going to take more than one term of any president to 'fix' anything in todays United States. Those were and still are my expectations. It seems to me that those whose expectations of a Barack Obama 'quick fix' are the ones that are disappointed. He's been in office how long now?

Of course there is nothing wrong with having high standards but even high standards take time. And considering the overall extreme low depths of standards to which we have sunk that for eight loooong years many people were satisfied with, attaining those higher standards are going to take that much longer.

And BTW sea slugs are actually very cool creatures.

[JuniperLea]

45. It took over 8 years to screw us this badly...

I find it ridiculous to expect he can fix everything in under two years.

What the hell is wrong with this DU picture?

[underseasurveyor]

50. It's as if by some magic thinking

The expectation is that the Powerful Influences would suddenly step aside, bow their heads and say, 'oh yes sir Mr. President what ever you want'

I know it's :crazy:

I would think that anyone that's paid attention to politics for even a short amount of time would understand that Elite forces are just that.. Forces.

[JuniperLea]

55. Indeed! The parting of the GOP seas...

Step aside, Magic Negro coming through!

:crazy:

Eight years... eight long, grueling years... and yes, magic is expected. I don't get it.

There are three people in my family that are out of work and have been for quite some time. There are three people on the brink of losing their homes, and another that already has. Funny how none of us are blaming Obama. Interesting how in spite of all the horrific things happening to us, we're still pulling for him. Weird how we understood when we "hired" him that we would need to hunker down, that things were going to get far worse before they got any better, and we believed him when he said that... and we weren't shocked when what he said would happen actually did happen.

[Lost4words]

81. Wrong! 30 YEARS to get here!

[underseasurveyor]

157. Perhaps reading comprehension isn't your strongest point. *OVER*

Yup that's the little word sitting there before the words 'eight years' as in it took "over eight years." It wasn't ever implied that it took only eight years. Sorry you read it that way.

I know it's an easy thing to overlook.

[Sebastian Doyle]

82. The first step is admitting that its not 8 years, it's 30.

This shit started in 1981. And it didn't take an 8 year break from 1993-2001 either. Clinton did things that harmed this country as much as anything Reagan, Poppy, or Chimpy did. NAFTA was created by Poppy, but Clinton pushed it through Congress, and he could have stopped it. Then there's the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which killed any illusion of an independent media and directly enabled the creation of FAUX Noize and Clear Channel. And repealing Glass-Steagal led directly to the clusterfuck killing this country right now.


It would be nice if Obama was trying to undo some of that damage. But not with Clinton's DLC flunkies reassembled in his own economic cabinet. And not by giving more power to the "Federal" Reserve, who are - and have always been - a huge part of the problem.

[Overseas]

90. Well said. Thank you. //nt

[pattmarty]

129. Agree.

[Bluenorthwest]

123. That would be ridiculous but no one, no one is saying that.

That is a straw man argument. You are not quoting anyone when you say that stuff. No one on DU expects him to 'fix everything'. Using that hyperbolic dismissal device makes your case look far more petty than need be. Everything, under two years, magic wand. Old, tired, hacks. Not what people say.
DU is filled with actual posters saying actual things. Why make up phantoms to tilt at? Where is the respect in that?

[Smashcut]

65. "He can't make wars go away"

No, you're right.

He can expand them.

[tavalon]

102. As the Commander in Chief, he can do either

[deacon]

113. I'm with you. n/t

[Coyote_Bandit]

19. I consider his administration one of lost opportunities n/t

[Lisa D]

20. Isn't that true of everyone?

I know it's true for me. I could be much better at a lot of things. Hopefully, my friends, family, and co-workers aren't ready to write me off because I haven't met all of their expectations yet.

I'm thrilled we have President Obama in the White House.

[Born_A_Truman]

64. Welcome to DU Lisa D

:hi:

[Lisa D]

160. Thanks!

Been reading here for years, just haven't posted much. :hi:

[Hydra]

25. He's probably a good Man

But he's not making the changes we needed and that he promised.

Grand irony is that I think the fact that he's black has almost become blase(Except for the fundie moron I used to work with who insisted he's Muslim). I don't think anyone will blink about voting for a minority President in the future, and in an even grander irony, it seems no one is blinking about Palin considering a run, beyond the obvious lack of competence.

So as some have said, it's a mixed bag. I'm highly disturbed about some of the things he's pushing for though...or maybe I'm not sufficiently "American" enough to accept the war and corporate handouts and leeway.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

31. I'd say you're more than sufficiently American...

Not accepting the wars and corporate handouts and leeway are distinctly not American or patriotic, in the best senses of those words.

Those issues really upset me.

Shouldn't Obama be better than that? I think so...

[Hydra]

36. I do too

But I watched a documentary about Thomas Jefferson last night, and it was a stark reminder that the problems we have now can be traced to causes that were alive and well back then.

The US was built on things other than the ideals we tout. I wish the ideals would win out, though- the other stuff is beyond disturbing.

[HughBeaumont]

28. Um . . . well . . . no.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/HughBeaumont/113

America is not a progressive nation, and likely, it's never GOING to be. America will have an alien president before we'll have a truly progressive one. Corporations shoot progressives that have appeal and make the ones that aren't popular into comedy acts to be ridiculed. In this sense, I hope Sherrod Brown never runs for office. I don't think he'd last 2 years.

America loves war. America loves violence and finds everything relating to it fascinating. America is afraid and paranoid. America still thinks it's number one.

America loves the idea that, they too, can be rich someday. "Therefore, perish the THOUGHT of not pleasing the ultra rich that I'M going to be part of. I WANT all these advantages in place for when I become rich."

America is all about ME ME ME and not WE.

That's why the Rich White Old Man Cabal rules us all, because we haven't figured out that we've been had.

[EstimatedProphet]

33. Yeah

We're not center-left, we're not center-right. We're center-self. We're for whatever has the flashiest packaging that gives us the most goodies. When progressive movements can manage to sell an idea as something that results in goodies for the average person, then the average person is all for it. When the bill comes, the average person is suddenly against it.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

35. Nice to see you!

It's been too long...

And I agree with both you and Hugh...

Alas.

[SammyWinstonJack]

66. Don't back down!

:hi:

[pattmarty]

130. So we're fucked?

[HughBeaumont]

164. America's choice entirely.

We could turn around and be an exemplary nation that leads by the example of being fair to all peoples, not having massive wealth inequalities, taking care of the sick when needs be and not conducting occupations of folly just because.

Or, we could remain on the course that the Bewshes, Clinton and Reagan put us on, cater to only one section of the population and go straight in the shitter because we wouldn't know how great life could be if we didn't.

[Spheric]

29. K&R I agree with you. And it's terribly sad. /nt

[laughingliberal]

30. K & R nt

[BuelahWitch]

37. I'm with you CP!

Although there have been some improvements, like the amount of Pell grant funds available to students, he had so much potential. I too was hoping for an arm twister in the form of LBJ. It's very disappointing to see him twisting arms in favor of Wall Street instead.

[JuniperLea]

39. I promised him my support for the full term...

And he's going to get it.

I don't think any human being could have done better, given what he's up against.

Yes, he could have done better... if he wasn't up against the party of no... IMHO, WE could do better...

[tekisui]

40. How could 'we' do better?

[JuniperLea]

42. By supporting him in the things he's done well, the things he's done...

Under tiring obstructionism. We could be genuine in our concern, instead of freakishly unrealistic in our expectations.

The GOP has saddled him with concrete boots and made him wade through molasses, and what do "we" do? Help them drag him down... gads.

It took more than 8 years to screw us up. I think it utterly ridiculous to expect he could fix this mess in under two years. It could have been so much worse... and it appears people have forgotten how horrific the future looked at the end of W's term.

I expect miracles from Deities, not politicians.

I don't live in a dream.

[LostinVA]

46. He works for US

[JuniperLea]

52. Yes, yes he does...

How do you support your employees? Do you expect them to work miracles while you bash them incessantly?

Or do you want him as your slave?

[tekisui]

47. Do you really think what we do has any impact?

Do you really think the debates we have on DU have an effect?

[JuniperLea]

54. They effect US...

The constant jeers effect those of us trying to do the right thing by supporting him in the good he does... it effects us, oh yes it does. We should be supporting each other... we all want the same things.

[Lisa D]

56. +1000

[WingDinger]

44. Oh yeah? With the crap sandy he was handed?

Two weeks before election day? Bush admin hiding it all for years? Following Grover Norquists advice to destroy gov, so we can dismantle the rest? Why are the left so gutless?

[SammyWinstonJack]

61. -1. nt

[Juneboarder]

48. War Crimes...

Why does he fail to prosecute the Bush/Cheney group for war crimes? IMHO ignoring these crimes makes him a part of the cabal. I voted for Obama once and will NEVER vote a repuke.

[Soylent Brice]

49. i agree with your sentiments,

as well as what you said in post #7.

i'll never vote for a puke.

[Urban Prairie]

51. I distinctly recall hearing President Obama say during the debates

of his intention to continue the US occupation of Afghanistan. While I would love to see him end the "war" there, YESTERDAY, I don't get angry at him for not fulfilling a campaign promise that he apparently did not make.

Perhaps we can someday vote for the man or woman who will finally fulfill all or most of what many here want and wish for, but after over 35 years of mostly Republican leadership in DC, it ain't gonna happen as quickly as most would like, if ever, since it would take a STEADY succession of Democratic presidents and a majority in Congress more often than not, over this and perhaps the next decade, to accomplish most of "our" near and long-term future liberal/progressive goals.

[old mark]

53. I really agree, Peg, but I can't see anyone better waiting anxiously to become President...

The country went so far to the right it is amazing, and the Democratic Party big shots went along without a murmur of protest-they became the "ME TOO" GOP lite in the Gingrich Era and never really got over it...then the GOP ran away from the center-and from reality - and the centerist/moderate gutless Democrats suddenly were transformed into "socialist liberal progressive radicals" (like Harry Reid!!!???!!!)

It would all be a grand joke if Bush hadn't fucked everthing he touched...and he touched EVERYTHING!

mark

[akbacchus_BC]

105. Good to see you. Does the Midas touch come to mind re bush. This

President, no matter how he tries, he is a pariah to some!

[damntexdem]

57. Yes, that's the issue.

That plus: we don't need just good, we desperately need outstanding.

[Richardo]

58. I don't know, Peggy, it just doesn't have the imagery of your other poems.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

59. Ha ha, my dear Richardo!

This is not a poem...

Not nohow. Not ever.

You ARE kidding, I hope!

:P

[Robb]

67. My dear CaliforniaPeggy!

...We agree. I'd throw a "so far" in there, though.

I plan to write the epitaph when it's all actually said and done. :hi:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

68. I agree to the "so far" as well, my dear Robb!

I'll leave the epitaph to you, and hope like crazy it won't be necessary!

:hi:

[TZ]

69. Ah yes, less than 2 years in and he hasn't SOLVED ALL THE PROBLEMS YET

OH NOES...You mean he can't walk on water? Geezus.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

71. C'mon...you know better than that.

I didn't say he had to solve all the problems yet.

I said he wasn't doing everything he could.

That's all...

And BTW, I agree with your Shakespearean post.

I said so.

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

72. Who does everything he could? Do you? I don't. I know that there is always something that

I could do better. Nothing in life is perfect. If that is the criteria a person is to be judged by then, well it doesn't seem very realistic does it?

[rpannier]

115. A member of the OH NOES crowd chimes in

You even threw in a "He can't walk on water"

Impressive

[Gold Metal Flake]

70. I R'ed, and then I K'ed.

:kick:

[costahawk1987]

74. With much respect...

I've read a lot of what you have written and do not question your heart or sincerity. But half-way through his first term, he still could become "so much better." Certain accomplishments of his presidency have impressed me so far while some make me shake my head and wonder WTF. I've said before that he's a good man with the potential to become a great president. I still believe that.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

75. How much I hope you're right...

I appreciate what you've said here today...

Thank you.

[OhioChick]

76. I agree with you 100%, Peggy. n/t

[jp11]

78. Somehow this sentiment gets glossed over by some people.

[donheld]

80. Peggy, I wish like hell I could disagree with you

My hopes were so high, maybe too high, but I feel too, like he could be doing so much better.

[jgraz]

83. Look out, guys. The underside of the bus is about to get a helluva lot classier.

Better smarten yourselves up a bit.

[FrenchieCat]

84. Personality politics......

is getting boring.

What about the GOP's personalities?
Why aren't we slamming them a bit harder each day?

I'm not talking about a fleeing weak half ass response
either?

Where's the DU that used to make mincemeat of the Republicans?
Where did it go?

[akbacchus_BC]

87. Frenchie, the Republicans are no longer in office and if a DUer on

here is stating her/his opinions, at least we could discuss that opinion, CalPeg worked her ass off for President Obama. She is entitled to state how she feels.

[FrenchieCat]

89. I don't have a problem with how she feels......

and in fact, based on the multiple negative threads on this President
and his administration and Democrats here at DU, I can easily see
why one might get demoralize and underrate this President in his first
18 months.

Anyways, She certainly can say what she feels,
which is what I guess both you and I are doing as well.

The only thing that gets me are those who say that folks like me,
the alleged cheerleaders, are into "personalities" instead of policies...
and yet, when I look around on this board at various comments,
it is those who profess that folks who look down on "personality" politics
that seem to have the most to say about this President's Personality.
(I'm not talking about CalPeg, but today of all days seem to have been
an assault on this President, with no recognition to what he has done
that is a giant improvement on what his precedor was doing for the last 8 years.


Obama has a higher rate of appointing women and minorities to the courts

Yesterday, the Philadelphia Inquirer highlighted Republicans’ successful efforts to obstruct President Obama from appointing judges to the federal courts. Despite these efforts, the Inquirer notes, Obama has had a higher “rate of appointing women and people of color…than those of any of his precessors during their first year of their terms”:

So far, nearly half of Obama’s 73 appointments to the federal bench have been women, 25 percent have been African American, 11 percent Asian American, and 10 percent Hispanic. About 30 percent of Obama’s nominees were white males. By contrast, two-thirds of George W. Bush’s nominees were white males.

Obama’s rate of appointing women and people of color is higher than those of any of his predecessors during the first year of their terms.

Unfortunately, Republicans have shown a historically high level of obstruction in blocking Obama’s appointees. While Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan had 91 percent of their judicial appointees confirmed in their first year of office, Obama only had 36 percent of them approved by the U.S. Senate.
http://thinkprogress.org/2010/07/12/obama-higher-rate-women/


Obama tries another moratorium on Gulf Coast deep water oil drilling

July 12, 2010~

"Obama administration took another crack today at imposing a moratorium on deep water oil drilling in the Gulf Coast, saying it remains concerned about safety in the wake of the BP oil spill.

"The president has and continues to believe that we have to be careful with what we're doing, given the uncertainty about what happened 84 days ago," said Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs, referring to the ongoing Gulf Coast oil spill.

A federal judge struck down a previous moratorium, and an appeals court rejected the administration's request to reinstate it. Gibbs said the new moratorium will address the legal concerns raised by the courts, including new evidence of potential safety problems.

Local business owners had sued the administration over the first 60-day moratorium, saying they were being penalized for BP's problems.

In announcing a new moratorium to last until Nov. 30, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said a statement that "I remain open to modifying the new deep water drilling suspensions based on new information, but industry must raise the bar on its practices and answer fundamental questions about deep water safety, blowout prevention and containment, and oil spill response."

<more>
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2010/07/obama-to-try-another-moratorium-on-gulf-coast-oil-drilling/1

[Name removed]

92. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

104. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Bluenorthwest]

124. You are crediting him with the discovery of the anti HIV

antibody? Seriously, that is out of line, vile, and disrespectful to the scientists and donors who have been working for decades, decades toward and for this and further breakthroughs. This started way before Obama. He was off playing with Donnie McClurkin while others worked tirelessly.
Make me ill to read that.

[Forkboy]

141. +1

[Number23]

150. "He was off playing with Donnie McClurkin while others worked tirelessly."

Good God...

[mtnester]

163. Ureal.

I don't know which is more offensive...insinuating he was responsible for that, or using that to prop up a weak argument.

[johnnyplankton]

86. I Wish I Had

A larger penis and a million dollars, but I can't have
everything. 

But I am with you sometimes. I was hoping for more, but
realistically, you don't see much balls on the Democrats in
Congress do you. What if Harry Reid made the Repugs REALLY
filibuster before the 4th of July? The unemployment would have
been extended in two seconds.

[akbacchus_BC]

88. Dear CP. I understand your frustrations. However, the President

inherited the QE big boat of shit, 2 years to fix 8 years of mismanagement is not possible, but he only has 4 years and we not even sure if he will get elected again.

I am not President's Obama mouth piece, but if he gets elected in 2012, I hope he pushes through everything that the Bush era mismanaged. Most importantly, I hope the troop comes home from Iraq once and for all. Afghanistan should not be escalated, President Obama should ask for help from the UN (waste less tool it is) and from Arab countries that are pro-US to work out how to not get the Taliban in power again! I must be dreaming!

[mvd]

93. Hi, Peggy

I agree - I didn't expect everything to be changed by now. I expected more fighting for progressive ideals - should have known that while a noble idea, bipartisanship with the Repukes is rarely possible. I also think he could have surrounded himself with more creative people, gotten a better health care plan with a full push for the public option (Lieberman's a bully - he'll cave if you talk back), and change the Patriot Act, among other things. But, lately I've seen a better attitude, so maybe there will be more significant changes coming. The President is who we have right now, so tell him where you think he goes wrong, but support him. :hi:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

96. You bet I support him!

I think he's great.....mostly. You know, I never thought this thread would take off like this...

Who knew?

:hi:

[mvd]

97. I think it's a thoughtful thread and takes an objective stance

I like that. :hi:

[spin]

94. I have to admit I am disappointed in how he has handled the BP oil gusher ...

he seemed to allow BP to run the show, and all they are interested in is making a profit.

Recently he seems to be taking more charge of the situation.

He hasn't had a lot of experience actually being in charge of anything. Obviously a person can be a great orator but a poor leader. But he is smart and I hope a quick learner. The midterms look like a disaster for Democrats in Congress, but maybe he will actually stop listening to Pelosi and Reid after the elections and finally take charge himself.

I still have lots of hope. He has the potential to be one of, if not the best, President in our history. He just has to develop his leadership skills. My father used to say that in times of greatest need, our country has always been fortunate enough to have a President that rose to the occasion.

I hope he was right.

[Touchdown]

95. Still no denunciation of the DADT survey? It means he either tacitly approves of it's bigotry or

He thinks it's a political hot potato. EIther way it's disappointing.

[Blue_In_AK]

98. I hear ya, Peggy.

:hug:

[proteus_lives]

106. Sorry CP, gotta disagree.

He's been slower and made some decisions I wouldn't have made but he's still under the two year mark. Give the man some time.

[Skittles]

107. he is doing exactly what he intended to do

[Name removed]

108. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Skittles]

109. oh dear

[jgraz]

112. .

[fasttense]

111. Tricky Dick had the Hippies protesting. FDR had the socialist and communist protesting.

Do you see a pattern there?

[MissDeeds]

116. I agree, Peggy

And judging by the number of recs, a lot of others do too.

K&R

:hug:

[uponit7771]

117. Hows he different from any other human then? TIA

[anachro1]

121. Bipartisanship - WHY?

These in-bred, over-fed, undereducated people will always hate seeing a black man in power. Why even care for their input? If we have the votes, why bother with their needs?

[Name removed]

126. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Binka]

131. Poor Dear

Oh the Mods already cleaned this up! Thanks am crew!

[indepat]

134. BHO could repudiated the entire junior PNAC extreme RW mantra instead of ratifying so much of it,

not prosecuting known/suspected war criminals, not cleaning house a Justice, MMS, et al, and not providing single payer in HCR. And now its looking like future social security recipients, some who have had payroll taxes deducted from their pay check for as many as 35 or more years and would be eligible to commence receiving benefits in as little as four years, will have their annuities drastically reduced, an act which would be an egregiously blatant fraud on its surface if committed in the private sector. Folks: get over it, for all these are the works of and have the touch, feel, and smell of, an extreme conservative rather than a progressive. Moreover, the expiring gigantic tax cuts mostly inuring to the benefit of our most affluent will likely not be allowed to expire for the most part, again having the touch, feel, and smell of an extreme conservative. For the sake of this Republic and its future fiscal viability, its Constitution, and most of its citizens and other residents, my prayer for America is that all these assessments are wholly wrong and the writer is wholly wrong-headed. :cry:

[avaistheone1]

135. The kicker is not only

could Obama be so much better, but the times we are having in this country seriously demand that he be better.

Obama and his handlers are tone deaf to most of what is happening on Main Streets throughout most of this country.

[robinlynne]

137. You are so right. kind even. ignore the nonsense. they aren't thinking or aren't aware.

[treestar]

138. Unrec'd for no support for the argument given

He's done as well as he could with what he has.

This has been debated endlessly. There is no magic wand. Lieberman and Nelson have to be dealt with and can't be forced to cooperate. That's the system we have.

[Forkboy]

142. I'm sure you would have recced had she included her reasons.

You're well known for how tough you are on Obama....

[treestar]

147. I am glad to be well known for something.

[Skittles]

148. not good

not good at all

[eleny]

151. K&R

I have my own disappointments, too.

[texanwitch]

155. I agree.

I can't say I am surprised, was hoping for better.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

156. I'm not sure he could have been any better

If he was more liberal or more "left", the Chicago machine would have ground him up and spit him out long ago. It produces practical politicians who know how to make business work. "Kinder, gentler" is not part of the machine's equation.

At the end of the primary season, we had a choice between Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum. Both central corporate Dems, both guaranteed to beat McCain.

The next big trick is to get Democratic voters excited enough to bother voting in November.

:hi:

[renate]

159. it would have been interesting to see what he could have done...

... if he weren't hamstrung by a minority in Congress who has held up every damn thing he wanted. I'm pretty sure the strong odor of Republican that wafts from most everything that's been done so far isn't his preference. Now, why he's spent so much capital trying to please people who were so demonstrably and utterly determined not to be pleased, that's another question, and one that I would like to pose to Rahm Emmanuel as much as to him.

[XemaSab]

161. And if my aunt had nuts she'd be my uncle.

:P

[Seneca]

162. I had an uncle who thought he was a chicken

My aunt would have divorced him, but she needed the eggs.