A one term pres, huh? (rant)

[Javaman]

:rant:
Obama has said it, several people here on DU have said it and now it's slowly creeping into the MSM.

This scares the living shit out of me.

Now, although I voted for Obama, doesn't mean I'm not critical of some of his policy choices, however, putting that aside, do you honestly know what this means if he only lasts one term?

Honestly, does the right wing need anymore gasoline to add to their self righteous moronic crusade against Democrats? I can hear all the insults, lies and outright bullshit now, further demeaning the Dems. "you can't last one term, George W. moron* at least lasted longer than that! blah blah fucking blah".

Want an inkling of what is to come if Obama is only a one termer? We will get a full spin cycle raygun-esque/poppy bush rewriting of history sprinkled heavily with george w. moron revisionism topped off with a more than healthy dose of crashcart dickhead chaney fear.

Do you want that back?

Then if you think it's bad now, regarding the haves and have not massive gap, you haven't seen anything yet.

Whom ever the repukes prop up as their puppet for their next go around will be the ultimate empty shirt. We will have, in effect our first full owned and run corporate president from end to end.

Okay, you can argue that g w moron* was just that, but you have to remember, the supreme court hadn't kicked open the door yet to corporate donations. And others on DU claim that Obama is just an extension of moron*. Nope folks. not even close.

the 2012 election will look like a nascar vehicle. It may not have all the stickers on it, but it will be bought by corps and sold to us by corps.

So if you all want to roll over and just say, "oh well, we tried, Obama is just like moron*", fine that's your right, but if you believe that a repuke prez will make things better, especially after the last fucking 30 god damn years of total and complete bullshit way they have dismantled this country, knock your self fucking out, I'm not.

Because as much as deep shit we are in, at least at the very very least, Obama has stopped the hemorrhaging. A corporate bough repuke in office? Ha ha ha, I give us until the end of his or her's term before we flat line. Any good that Obama has done or will do, will be completely rolled back. Those things will be taken behind the barn, not only shot, but beaten, dismembered, the parts burned and the ground on which it happened; salted.

So as many an issue I have with Obama, and I have plenty, I'm not so fucking dumb as to believe that he should only be a one termer. Come election season, which will soon be upon us, I will campaign for him, but not because of him, but because the alternative scares the living daylights out of me.

:rant:

[tallahasseedem]

1. Thank you for this...

the "stick a fork in me I'm done" crowd has been getting old.

[Javaman]

6. I couldn't take it anymore...

as much as the tea baggers and the right wing loons are revisionists and born yesterday historians, some dems here on DU are also suffering long term memory loss. It's as if they have completely forgotten misery of morons* 8 years of terror, let alone the past 30.

Grrrr.

[sendero]

91. The misery..

... never ended. That is the problem.

At this point I don't give two shits about it. It makes no real difference.

[Javaman]

97. That's your perogitive...

Me, I don't want another ultra right wing nut job in office.

[unpossibles]

99. not entirely true

I'd like to think that the last President taught us just how bad the worse of two evils can be.

As much as the Democrats piss me off, I can still see enough differences to not want a repeat of Bush.

[happygoluckytoyou]

103. if obama wants a second term--------------->

maybe he will need to be successful in his promises

maybe he will need to do great and presidential things in this time of disaster

maybe he should remember which % of the people voted him in based upon his words

---- i voted for obama
it was not a mistake

BUT IF OBAMA WANTS TO GET ME OUT OF THE HOUSE AND INTO THE VOTING BOOTH IN 2012....
HE BETTER START BEING THE PRESIDENT I VOTED FOR

I WANT RESULTS IN.... the end of a war... health care reform... recreating the economy...

HE HAS DONE A FEW THINGS BUT I DO NOT HAVE A SHORT MEMORY---- I WILL NOT BE FOOLED BY A COUPLE SPEECHES IN 2012
I WILL HOLD THIS MAN TO HIS WORD
I WILL JUDGE HIM BY 4 YEARS OF ACTION
I WILL COUNT HIS SUCCESSES AND HIS FAILURES

i hope i vote for obama again-----> but it is as much up to him as it is up to me

AND LIVING IN THE STATE OF NEVADA.... HARRY BETTER HOPE TO MAKE OBAMA SUCCESSFUL.... BECAUSE MY VOTE OR MY STAYING HOME IS A PARTY THING!!!

[peace frog]

115. HELLO!

Hear, hear! :patriot:

Much as I want a second term to happen, I've seen little to support the notion that Obama has the political steel will to carry it through. He wants everyone to *just get along*? While the wingnuts savage him and the conservadems ignore him? Meanwhile because we've been roundly slammed and/or ignored by this WH, his greatest supporters are bailing out of Good Ship Obama. This and everything else you mentioned bodes ill for a continuing Democratic majority in Congress and an Obama second term.

[Fire1]

46. Yeah. Like anybody cares. n/t

[bkohatlanta]

63. No more Bush, no more Obama: Torture and preventing the importation of cheaper drugs from Europe...

I look to a reason to vote for him and find none, but I only need one to vote against him: Dick Cheney, George W. Bush, Neal Boortz, Rush Limbaugh and Barack Obama believe in Torture. The sophistry and parsing involved in changing TORTURE into Enhanced Interrogation Techniques boggles my mind. But I will vote for anyone who tortures or justifies Torture.
That is the beginning and the end of the discussion for me.

I would not be a slave, so, therefore, I would not own a slave. Abraham Lincoln.
I would not torture, because I would not want to be tortured.

Jesse Ventura spoke the truth. I never liked him that much, but at least he proved that he was man of character because he endured ENHANCED INTERROGATION TECHNIQUES and call it what it was. TORTURE!

I waiting for you, Dick Cheney, George W. Bush, Neal Boortz, Rush Limbaugh and Barack Obama to be men enough to do the same, then I'll listen to your arguments.

[blondeatlast]

2. 100% yup. "Whom ever the repukes prop up as their puppet for their next go around

will be the ultimate empty shirt."

[Art_from_Ark]

143. You mean Duh-byuh wasn't the "ultimate empty shirt"?

The Repubs actually have someone even emptier than Duh-byuh waiting in the wings?

[no limit]

3. As upset I was with Obama last year the alternative would be much worse

and I'm hoping Obama gets his act together this year, the way he has been taking the battle straight to the republicans so far gives me lots of hope.

[pundaint]

124. "Taking the battle," indeed. Obama says "let's do it your way" and the Republicans say "no." Then

Obama say's OK, we'll do it your way without your help. "Now let's get after that deficit while we wage war around the world and try to climb out of this depression."

[maxsolomon]

4. exactly. the Republics have NO ONE to put up against him

Gingrich? Palin? Romney? Huckabee? please.

besides, 3 more years of bending over to kiss conservative ass will convince enough "independents" (AKA mouth-breathing inattentive idiots) of enough "bipartisan" bona-fides to easily hand Obama re-election.

then he can install the Socialism. :sarcasm:

[Blue Meany]

28. Never underestimate the Republicans...

Living under Reagan as governor of California, I always thought he wouldn't be elected president because he wouldn't be able to carry California, because everyone had seen what a stupid ideologue he was. And I didn't think that the idiot from Texas could be elected, because everyone could see he was a lightweight, but he ended up as president.

Remember, if your a republican, you don't need a majority to win, just enough votes to cover up a stolen election. My sense is that if Bush could get in, Palin could get in too.

[bc3000]

111. You're forgetting Cheney... and his people control the voting machines.

[mike_c]

5. I'd be very happy to replace him with a real liberal...

...and if any run against him, you can bet I'll be voting for them!

[Javaman]

13. Dream on.

I would love to see that, but the reality is this, regardless of party, no one runs a candidate against their own party anymore. Ain't going to happen, at least on a big scale. The money is just not there.

Besides, the repukes and the tea bags are at complete odds since failin quitter threw them under the bus yesterday and joined the repuke side completely.

The repuke side show will be fun to watch.

[ddeclue]

30. +1 for the truth!

[salguine]

41. Me too.

[NYC Liberal]

64. Don't be silly,

We have a real liberal in office right now.

[mike_c]

70. c'mon-- that's just delusional....

Well, the tea party folks think he's liberal.

Or did you mean that sarcastically? Sorry if I missed the humor-- it's late and it's been a long day!

[NYC Liberal]

72. I am 100% serious: facts are facts.

He has implemented more liberal policies in his first year of office than any president in the last 40 years. Not "relatively liberal" - liberal policies.

[mike_c]

73. OK....

We'll simply have to agree to disagree. I see him as being well to the right of Nixon on most issues that are important to me. It's hard to call that "liberal." Maybe from a tea party perspective. Oh well. Different strokes.

[JDPriestly]

79. The problem is that Obama hasn't done anything dramatically

important. He has done a few small, rather boring things. Some are liberal. Most are just sort of middle-of-the-road boring things. He hasn't done anything that people really care about.

If they get a health care bill with a single payer option that is more reasonably priced than current alternatives for people who can't now afford health care, the Democrats will have an easy time in the next election. If they don't -- forget it. We are sunk. It's up to Obama, Reid and Pelosi.

[NYC Liberal]

135. In your opinion. In others' opinions, he's done a hell of a lot of important things

that they care about, and just in the first year alone. DU isn't representative of what goes on in the real world. On DU, if a poll had been taken, Bush probably would have had a 0.001% approval rating on January 20, 2001 (accounting for trolls and all).

[ThomCat]

81. That's crazy talk.

He's a moderate pro-corporate democrat.
He bashes the left wing of the party.
He has Rahm Emanuel, a famous lefty hater as his chief of staff pushing his policies.
He's pushing free trade.
He has not backed women's rights and choice.
He has not been the strong advocate for LGBT rights he promised.
He has been good, but not great, on environmental issues.
He is hostile to unions, especial teachers unions.
He is openly in favor of dismantling public school systems and giving away all our public educational resources to charter schools. That is privatization of education.
He is continuing almost all of "No Child Left Behind." All he did was change the name.
He is continuing 2 wars we have no legitimate reason to even be in, and he's escalating one of them.
He is planning for a permanent presence of 10s of thousands in the country where he's supposedly "ending" a war, with an undisclosed number of contractors.

His signature achievement was going to be health care reform, and he started by giving the insurance companies everything they asked for. He guaranteed them that they would remain profitable and necessary, when they are the known problem that needs to be removed from the health care equation. He doomed health care reform to failure from the very beginning.

You may imagine that he's liberal, but it's all in your head. He's no liberal.

[avaistheone1]

113. I think he would make a better republican candidate.

Obama's positions on civil liberties and the nuclear energy suck too.

[NYC Liberal]

133. Well as I've said, the facts are the facts. He is a liberal.

And you can argue as much as you want that he isn't, but the facts -- as in the record of what he's already accomplished thus far in only a year (more than any other president in at least 40 years) speaks for itself. The fact that you disagree with him on one or two issues, or the fact that some of the things that you wanted him to accomplish seemingly by snapping his fingers or waving a magic wand, doesn't change that. I have already posted the record a few times, but if you like, here it is again:

What Obama Has Done Right : The List of 90

• Ordered all federal agencies to undertake a study and make recommendations for ways to cut spending
  
• Ordered a review of all federal operations to identify and cut wasteful spending and practices
  
• Instituted enforcement for equal pay for women
  
• Beginning the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq
  
• Families of fallen soldiers have expenses covered to be on hand when the body arrives at Dover AFB
  
• Ended media blackout on war casualties; reporting full information
  
• Ended media blackout on covering the return of fallen soldiers to Dover AFB; the media is now permitted to do so pending adherence to respectful rules and approval of fallen soldier's family
  
• The White House and federal government are respecting the Freedom of Information Act
  
• Instructed all federal agencies to promote openness and transparency as much as possible
  
• Limits on lobbyist's access to the White House
  
• Limits on White House aides working for lobbyists after their tenure in the administration
  
• Ended the previous stop-loss policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date
  
• Phasing out the expensive F-22 war plane and other outdated weapons systems, which weren't even used or needed in Iraq/Afghanistan
  
• Removed restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research
  
• Federal support for stem-cell and new biomedical research
  
• New federal funding for science and research labs
  
• States are permitted to enact federal fuel efficiency standards above federal standards
  
• Increased infrastructure spending (roads, bridges, power plants) after years of neglect
  
• Funds for high-speed, broadband Internet access to K-12 schools
  
• New funds for school construction
  
• The prison at Guantanamo Bay is being phased out
  
• US Auto industry rescue plan
  
• Housing rescue plan
  
• $789 billion economic stimulus plan
  
• The public can meet with federal housing insurers to refinance (the new plan can be completed in one day) a mortgage if they are having trouble paying
  
• US financial and banking rescue plan
  
• The secret detention facilities in Eastern Europe and elsewhere are being closed
  
• Ended the previous policy; the US now has a no torture policy and is in compliance with the Geneva Convention standards
  
• Better body armor is now being provided to our troops
  
• The missile defense program is being cut by $1.4 billion in 2010
  
• Restarted the nuclear nonproliferation talks and building back up the nuclear inspection infrastructure/protocols
  
• Reengaged in the treaties/agreements to protect the Antarctic
  
• Reengaged in the agreements/talks on global warming and greenhouse gas emissions
  
• Visited more countries and met with more world leaders than any president in his first six months in office
  
• Successful release of US captain held by Somali pirates; authorized the SEALS to do their job
  
• US Navy increasing patrols off Somali coast
  
• Attractive tax write-offs for those who buy hybrid automobiles
  
• Cash for clunkers program offers vouchers to trade in fuel inefficient, polluting old cars for new cars; stimulated auto sales
  
• Announced plans to purchase fuel efficient American-made fleet for the federal government
  
• Expanded the SCHIP program to cover health care for 4 million more children
  
• Signed national service legislation; expanded national youth service program
  
• Instituted a new policy on Cuba, allowing Cuban families to return home to visit loved ones
  
• Ended the previous policy of not regulating and labeling carbon dioxide emissions
  
• Expanding vaccination programs
  
• Immediate and efficient response to the floods in North Dakota and other natural disasters
  
• Closed offshore tax safe havens
  
• Negotiated deal with Swiss banks to permit US government to gain access to records of tax evaders and criminals
  
• Ended the previous policy of offering tax benefits to corporations who outsource American jobs; the new policy is to promote in-sourcing to bring jobs back
  
• Ended the previous practice of protecting credit card companies; in place of it are new consumer protections from credit card industry's predatory practices
  
• Energy producing plants must begin preparing to produce 15% of their energy from renewable sources
  
• Lower drug costs for seniors
  
• Ended the previous practice of forbidding Medicare from negotiating with drug manufacturers for cheaper drugs; the federal government is now realizing hundreds of millions in savings
  
• Increasing pay and benefits for military personnel
  
• Improved housing for military personnel
  
• Initiating a new policy to promote federal hiring of military spouses
  
• Improved conditions at Walter Reed Military Hospital and other military hospitals
  
• Increasing student loans
  
• Increasing opportunities in AmeriCorps program
  
• Sent envoys to Middle East and other parts of the world that had been neglected for years; reengaging in multilateral and bilateral talks and diplomacy
  
• Established a new cyber security office
  
• Beginning the process of reforming and restructuring the military 20 years after the Cold War to a more modern fighting force; this includes new procurement policies, increasing size of military, new technology and cyber units and operations, etc.
  
• Ended previous policy of awarding no-bid defense contracts
  
• Ordered a review of hurricane and natural disaster preparedness
  
• Established a National Performance Officer charged with saving the federal government money and making federal operations more efficient
  
• Students struggling to make college loan payments can have their loans refinanced
  
• Improving benefits for veterans
  
• Many more press conferences and town halls and much more media access than previous administration
  
• Instituted a new focus on mortgage fraud
  
• The FDA is now regulating tobacco
  
• Ended previous policy of cutting the FDA and circumventing FDA rules
  
• Ended previous practice of having White House aides rewrite scientific and environmental rules, regulations, and reports
  
• Authorized discussions with North Korea and private mission by Pres. Bill Clinton to secure the release of two Americans held in prisons
  
• Authorized discussions with Myanmar and mission by Sen. Jim Web to secure the release of an American held captive
  
• Making more loans available to small businesses
  
• Established independent commission to make recommendations on slowing the costs of Medicare
  
• Appointment of first Latina to the Supreme Court
  
• Authorized construction/opening of additional health centers to care for veterans
  
• Limited salaries of senior White House aides; cut to $100,000
  
• Renewed loan guarantees for Israel
  
• Changed the failing/status quo military command in Afghanistan
  
• Deployed additional troops to Afghanistan
  
• New Afghan War policy that limits aerial bombing and prioritizes aid, development of infrastructure, diplomacy, and good government practices by Afghans
  
• Announced the long-term development of a national energy grid with renewable sources and cleaner, efficient energy production
  
• Returned money authorized for refurbishment of White House offices and private living quarters
  
• Paid for redecoration of White House living quarters out of his own pocket
  
• Held first Seder in White House
  
• Attempting to reform the nation's healthcare system which is the most expensive in the world yet leaves almost 50 million without health insurance and millions more under insured
  
• Has put the ball in play for comprehensive immigration reform
  
• Has announced his intention to push for energy reform
  
• Has announced his intention to push for education reform

http://theragblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/what-obama-has-done-right-list-of-90.html

Maybe you're more liberal than he is, but the fact is, he is a liberal.

[ThomCat]

138. If you think he's liberal, you have a very right wing

definition of liberal. :eyes:

[tcaudilllg]

144. He's progressive, which is

not the same as liberal. See Brian Mitchell's book: radicals and progressives are BOTH considered liberal, but radicals are more liberal than progressives.

That said, if you want to go marching along with your 1/8 of the country to certain defeat BE MY GUEST. No wait, we need you at the ballot box so no, I ORDER YOU not to. :P

[ThomCat]

149. Who the hell are you to give orders?

Or give stupid generalizations without any support like that?

He's a progressive? Really? With all his support first and foremost for corporations?

Where did you get that 1/8th figure from? Pulled that out of your ass, did you? :eyes:

[bowens43]

109. really? Who?

I thought Obama was president.

[NYC Liberal]

134. To say that Obama is not a liberal is laughable beyond belief.

The fact that you may be further - or way further - to the left of him doesn't make him "not a liberal."

[avaistheone1]

117. If Obama is the most liberal president in

40 years - well that is plain sad.

I see Obama as more of a republican than a democrat. At best I see him more as a disappointing Tony Blair.

[T Wolf]

7. All you said, BUT... the blame will be on Obama and the Dems because they failed to deliver

(or even hint at delivering) any significant improvement. Doing not as terrible as Junior is not good enough. Not vetoing Lily Ledbetter is not good enough.

And I think that few (even me) are saying that we want him to be a one-termer. What we would like is something more then "he ain't as bad as Bush" to motivate our vote. What we would like is for the Dems to use some of the powder they have had in deep storage for almost a decade.

What we are saying is that it is possible/probable that he will be defeated in 2012. And we refuse to take responsibility for his and their failures.

They know what we want and what they should do. Their fate is in their own hands.

[whirlygigspin]

100. Bravo T Wolf!

well said

[tcaudilllg]

141. self defeat

You fail to understand that their failure will be your own. It will be YOUR dreams that go unrealized for sake of that failure, not just theirs.

So if I were you, I'd arrest their descent into failure at once, and deal with their spine or lack thereof AFTER that legislation is passed. You could send a signal by handing a defeat to a favorite primary pick or two -- that would signal that they have fallen out of touch with the Democratic consensus, and need to reconnect. At the very least, it would force them to do this.

[global1]

8. Really - Does Anybody Even Think That There Is A Reasonable Alternative ......

out there that can do any better than Obama?

Please give the guy a chance. He's just 1 year into this. Dubya was given two terms to get it wrong. Obama can't rebuild in 1 year what took *Co 8 years to destroy.

This talk of a 1 term Obama - sickens me.

[Javaman]

14. This talk? Obama said it himself.

And that alone pisses me off.

[Chulanowa]

25. According to most of his critics? Nope

But they'll still take the white guy over him.

Which white guy? Pfft, name one.

[Mithreal]

59. Most of his critics? Which ones? People here? Please flesh out

comments like that a lil better. Are you saying most of his "critics" here see skin pigmentation as an issue? I am sure you are not, right?

Now that they have the means to do so, the moderators are doing their part by tightening civility enforcement a bit. Some behaviors that have been common in the past are now more likely to get your post deleted. One such behavior is the use of unflattering names to refer to groups of DUers. This has had a particularly corrosive effect on discussions of Present Obama's legislative agenda, where it has become common to refer to people as "Obama apologists," "Obama haters," and the like. This type of name-calling is both inflammatory and unnecessary. Instead, use more respectful and specific phrasing like "Obama's critics" or "Obama's defenders" (Or better yet, "critics of President Obama's ___________ proposal" or "supporters of President Obama's ___________ proposal").

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Skinner/347

[Chulanowa]

80. Critics overall

But yes, I'm dead fucking certain that there are lots of DU'ers who would rather see any random white person than Obama.

I'm also aware that while many other of his democratic "critics" may have no particular bias AGAINST black people, they still thought that because Obama was black, he would deliver something fantastic and special, and are now disappointed that their Morgan Freeman / Will Smith investment didn't pay off like they had hoped. And in typical Democratic fashion, when faced with anything less than perfection, they want to throw the whole thing away.

I put "critics" in quotes because, honestly? You have to know shit about the subject at hand before you can call yourself a critic of it. Most of obama's critics on the left and the right, have not got the first fucking clue WHAT is going on. They're idiots, and "whiner" or "pants-wetter" fit the bill much better than "critic."

I will respect these people once they deliver something worth respecting.

[Number23]

83. Good Lord. I just got chills and tingles reading your post

I put "critics" in quotes because, honestly? You have to know shit about the subject at hand before you can call yourself a critic of it. Most of obama's critics on the left and the right, have not got the first fucking clue WHAT is going on

+ like, 500000000

[Mithreal]

131. -500000000 X infinity, that's a really big number

[Mithreal]

130. I completely disagree with your statement about critics on the left

I will add that this sort of rhetoric is particularly unhelpful when tossed at the left.

I realize you feel strongly, I can respect that, but all the trash talk directed at "critics" and "supporters" on the left is bullshit at best.

Thank you for explaining you were not directing that prejudicial comment only at DU'ers.

[iceman66]

34. +1

[Enthusiast]

129. I'm pulling for President Obama.

I want him to turn this around. He had better get it done soon. And I don't mean unemployment. I mean the issues we are constantly complaining about. President Obama appears to be more concerned with how Republicans perceive him than Democrats.

[Mithreal]

132. I'm pushing for Obama to move more toward the needs of average Americans.

Rahm told him that moving toward the Republicans was the best play for independents. If more of us were independents maybe he would listen? I know, silly.

[Enthusiast]

145. Great toon!

Obama's loss of popularity is mostly due to his move to the right. The single issue of the public option is killing him, and the Democrats. The American people are so completely fed up with the abuse of the insurance and pharmaceutical industries. If the Democrats pushed for an end of the insurance company anti-trust exemption and allowed drug prices to be negotiated, Obama and congressional Democrat's popularity would soar.

[unblock]

9. i'm more worried about congress. obama hasn't made the most of his opportunity to get things done

i do think obama has an excellent chance to get elected. i've posted before about the lichtman's 13 keys to the presidency, and especially if SOMETHING he can call "health care reform" passes", he's very likely to have plenty enough keys to have re-election in the bag.

but republicans will gain in 2010, and obama's coattails in 2012 will likely be small, and based on history, republicans are almost assured of solid gains in 2014. second terms are rarely better in any meaningful way than first terms, and the make-up of congress will very likely prevent obama from accomplishing much of anything from a legislative standpoint.

the frustration is not so much with him looking out for himself. i think he knows what he's doing if he's got a to-hell-with-congress-i-only-care-about-myself attitude.

what i want -- what i though i was getting when i voted for obama -- was someone who could actually herd these damn cats. you know organize a community? as it stands, the white house can't seem to convince democrats in congress even to save themselves.

[Echo In Light]

10. Another false flag will enable the country's owners to continue jockeying pawns

[Javaman]

15. We as a nation are always one false flag away from complete stupidity. nt

We only got partly there with 9/11, there is still much more work to be done by the neo-cons.

[Echo In Light]

18. Yes. Consider what 'they' got through via 9/11, and wonder 'what if' if the causality numbers ....

... were substantially greater?

Yikes

[Javaman]

21. the neo-cons are like the tv show 24...

each year they have to come up with some fabricated story so sensational that it gets back the viewers.

In order for the neo-cons to gain control again, they have to stage such a massive multi pronged attack that it would make 9/11 look like a walk in the park.

I fear not the imaginary terrorists that they parade on tv every other day, I fear the neo-cons who have been very quiet lately.

Like the old saying goes, "they devil comes in on cat paws".

[Echo In Light]

23. We're on the exact same page re this. Not a matter of if, but when.

[demi moore]

102. they are already spinning it

thats why they keep telling everyone obama is not keeping you safe. so when it happens they can say i told you so.
he's not keeping us safe!

the last thing they want is for an attack to help obamas poll numbers they way it helped bushes
by mmering in the the not keeping us safe crap, it will hurt him more then if they said nothing

[ananda]

11. If Obama is one term...

... it will be because he didn't serve the people who
elected him.

That any Reep would be far worse is irrelevant.

If Obama and the Dems would answer to the people, we
wouldn't be having this conversation.

[muffin1]

16. +1,000,000

:applause:

[Javaman]

17. no kidding. nt

[tabasco]

26. "That any Reep would be far worse is irrelevant"

LOL. That's the kind of idiocy the OP is addressing.

[salguine]

44. It's not idiocy, it's the truth. Why in the hell should people vote for a pale

imitation of a Republican when they can have the real thing?

[CrispyQ]

32. And they wouldn't need dirty corporate money to get elected.

If the dems would represent the People, instead of the corporate class, the corporations could throw all their money behind the repub candidate & it wouldn't matter - the People would vote for the dems & they would come out in droves to do it.

Of course, there is that nagging issue of electronic voting, which the dems never address - even when they are in the majority. :eyes:

The People are fucked. Royally.

[driver8]

37. AMEN!!

We know what the alternative is, and we know that Obama and Co. are not doing what they were put in office to do.

If he is a one-termer, it is his own effing fault!

[Fire1]

50. Since he mentioned being a one term president that tells me

he's possibly not thrilled with running for a second term anyway. With the shape this country is in, we're really not doing him any favors. If anything, it's the other way around.

[rury]

57. What President Obama said about being a one-termer

is that he would rather do what's right for the country instead of what is politically expedient even if his decisions are unpopular and result in defeat in 2012.
That made me love and respect him even more - if that's possible.
It's too early for him to announce his 2012 intentions, although I assume he will run again and be re-elected - he's certainly got my vote!!!!
He said, " I would rather be a good one-term president than a mediocre two-term president."

[Fire1]

58. Uh...as far as progressives are concerned he's less than

mediocre. I said, "mentioned," to avoid having to type out his remarks in it's entirety. I know exactly what he said cause I heard him when he said it. I'm sticking by my original statement, nonetheless.

[tcaudilllg]

142. I'll be the judge of that.

Buddy I'm a progressive and I absolutely disagree with you.

[goclark]

74. Welcome to Du ~ like your style nt

[eecumings]

78. Obama

talks; Obama does not do. He is not a "good one-term president." His accomplishments thus far are nil. Once he appointed his staff, he was finished. To take back America, run a good candidate against him in the D primary. Otherwise, so long America. It was good to know you.

[ThomCat]

82. Right. He talks a good game, but he's all talk.

He caves in to any actual challenge from the right unless it's time for more speeches. He caves in to any challenge from lobbyists, or lobbyist controlled party members. He gives great speeches, but when it comes to the actual fight he's timid. :(

That's why health care reform turned into insurance industry giveaway. That's why the republicans, even as a minority party, keep successfully blocking everything he tries to do.

He can't rally his own party, and the only time he seems to get mean is when he's attacking the left.

[bvar22]

108. Obama's accomplishments are NOT "nil".

The DLC Dream List....Mission Accomplished!

*WARS fully funded and EXPANDING. Bill sent to our children…...Mission Accomplished !

*Trillion Dollars given to friends and campaign contributors on Wall Street. No Strings Attached...Mission Accomplished!

*Military Spending INCREASED....Mission Accomplished!

*Trillion+ Dollars given to the Health Insurance Industry. Easily Avoidable, symbolic only strings attached....Mission almost Accomplished!

*Force all Americans to buy invisible products from For Profit Corporations who manufacture nothing and create no (Value Added) wealth..."A Uniquely American Solution"..indeed. .....Mission almost Accomplished!

*Kill the possibility for a REAL "Public Option" or REAL Universal Health Care for at least another generation, and begin the “Entitlement Reform” defunding of Medicare (-$500 Billion)....Mission almost Accomplished!

*Block ANY REAL re-regulation of BIG BANKS and Credit Cards....Mission Accomplished!

*Protect the Bush War Criminals and Torturers from JUSTICE....Mission Accomplished.

*Throw the GBLTs under the bus and expand "faith based" initiatives....Mission Accomplished!

*Reinforce the worst Police State provisions of the Patriot Act and strengthen the Unitary Executive....Mission Accomplished!

*Protect the very richest. Tell the Working Class that they CAN WILL compete with 3rd World Slave Labor for their jobs.....Mission Accomplished!

*EFCA (Employee Free Choice Act) killed in the crib....Mission Accomplished!

*More Anti-LABOR "Free Trade"....Mission almost Accomplished!

*Jobless Recovery....Mission Accomplished

*The Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party SHUT OUT of the Obama Administration…...Mission Accomplished!

*Accelerate the destruction of Public Education...Mission Accomplished!

*Bury next generation under such a debt burden that they will never be able to afford any social or economic programs that will benefit their Working Class....Mission Accomplished.

*Begin the desensitivation dialogs preceeding the privatization of Social Security...Mission Accomplished

And ALL this in Less than a Year!
:party:

[Individualist]

43. Exactly!

[Fire1]

49. Personally, I wouldn't blame him if he didn't run for re-election. n/t

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

60. One year in and you expect him to move mountains ...

you people didn't cry this much when Bush stole two elections. Have fun waiting on your pony.

[MissDeeds]

66. Yep

+100

[Zoeisright]

120. Tell that to the people who will benefit from stem cell research.

That is hardly 'irrelevant' to people who are dying of diseases every day. If you aren't one of them haunted by this specter, you are just plain lucky.

Shame on you.

[Enthusiast]

128. I have to agree.

Of course the Republicans are horrible and scary. But where are new regulations on the financial services industry? Why can't we regulate the derivatives markets instead of putting the American people in danger again?

President Obama could do some of this without legislation as the country's financial system is in grave danger and we are at war. And he could replace Geithner and Summers. The American people should be confident he is not on the side of the thieves that caused the meltdown.

President Obama behaves as if he is powerless while Bush behaved as if there was no limit to his power.

[ChicagoSuz219]

12. Maybe we ALL should support the President...

...rather than give the republicans more fuel for their fires.

He's dancing as fast as he can & he's doing a great job, in spite of everything that's been thrown at him & a do-NOthing congress.

Just keep the faith & cut him a little slack...

[Echo In Light]

20. If it weren't such an obviously rigged system I may consider that approach

However...

[ChicagoSuz219]

62. Cynical much? n/t

[Echo In Light]

89. One person's cynicism is another's realism

[ChicagoSuz219]

139. Not sure if that's what you meant to convey...

...unless you wanted to make my case for me.

[jeff47]

118. No, he's not.

There's a ton more that Obama could be doing. While he may not literally have the power to make Congress get stuff done, he could actually attempt to LEAD.

I know, it's a radical concept for the leader of the party to lead instead of letting the spineless dither, but hey it just might work.

[quinnox]

19. He is not exactly inspiring progressives

with his performance and policy choices. So you can't expect a lot of progressives to be enthusiastic about him. As another said, its irrelevant who the republicans run for president, everyone knows Obama will be better than that person. But he is letting down people on the left. Well, except for a few die hard supporters.

I sometimes wonder if Obama invaded Iran or kept the Bush tax cuts for the rich if these same die hard supporters would be cheerleading him as usual. I think some of them would, they are that zealous, Obama couldn't do or say anything that would turn them off.

[JoeyT]

38. I think he could

announce his intention to end Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and invade the entire Middle East all at once and some people would be trying to convince us that it was the greatest thing to ever happen.

[muffin1]

126. LOL!

Yes, that right! He's playing CHESS, doncha know? :eyes:

[Fire1]

52. Perhaps because he's not progressive. Oops. n/t

[WI_DEM]

22. Good Grief, he's not a one term president. People around here don't look at history

considering the problems he inherited and the still high unemployment rate his approval rating of 49-56 percent (according to different polls) is pretty good. Reagan was under 50% in January, 1983 and went on to win re-election with 59% in 1984. Clinton was 36% approval in Gallup in '94 and went on to win a handy re-election in 1996. The economy is already improving. If it continues to improve and jobs begin being created Obama will win easily.

[dionysus]

24. righteous rant man

:thumbsup:

[NorthCarolina]

27. If an unabashed Liberal/Progressive challenges Obama in the primaries

I'm voting for the Liberal.

[DonCoquixote]

29. Amen

The same folks that brought us nader in 2000, the same folks that stayed home in 2004 (because dean yee-hawed himself into the hole) want another GOP victory, so that we can have the pleasure of losing every election to people the GOP.

[lunatica]

31. I'm voting for him no matter what

There is no way in hell I'll ever let a no vote on my part get some Republican elected. I only wish I had more than one vote to cast.

[iceman66]

33. Bravo!

Best post I've seen here in a long, long time.

[yurbud]

35. Ironically, if Obama wants to be a two term president, he should ACT like he only has one

and get some shit done instead of pandering to the foaming at the mouth psychotics of the GOP.

Bill Clinton did most of what the GOP wanted when he was president, and the thanks he got was being impeached for what he did with his penis.

[bobbolink]

42. .

:applause:

[NYC Liberal]

65. He's already implemented more liberal policies in his first year

than any president in 40 years. And there's 3 years left yet.

What Obama Has Done Right : The List of 90

• Ordered all federal agencies to undertake a study and make recommendations for ways to cut spending
  
• Ordered a review of all federal operations to identify and cut wasteful spending and practices
  
• Instituted enforcement for equal pay for women
  
• Beginning the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq
  
• Families of fallen soldiers have expenses covered to be on hand when the body arrives at Dover AFB
  
• Ended media blackout on war casualties; reporting full information
  
• Ended media blackout on covering the return of fallen soldiers to Dover AFB; the media is now permitted to do so pending adherence to respectful rules and approval of fallen soldier's family
  
• The White House and federal government are respecting the Freedom of Information Act
  
• Instructed all federal agencies to promote openness and transparency as much as possible
  
• Limits on lobbyist's access to the White House
  
• Limits on White House aides working for lobbyists after their tenure in the administration
  
• Ended the previous stop-loss policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date
  
• Phasing out the expensive F-22 war plane and other outdated weapons systems, which weren't even used or needed in Iraq/Afghanistan
  
• Removed restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research
  
• Federal support for stem-cell and new biomedical research
  
• New federal funding for science and research labs
  
• States are permitted to enact federal fuel efficiency standards above federal standards
  
• Increased infrastructure spending (roads, bridges, power plants) after years of neglect
  
• Funds for high-speed, broadband Internet access to K-12 schools
  
• New funds for school construction
  
• The prison at Guantanamo Bay is being phased out
  
• US Auto industry rescue plan
  
• Housing rescue plan
  
• $789 billion economic stimulus plan
  
• The public can meet with federal housing insurers to refinance (the new plan can be completed in one day) a mortgage if they are having trouble paying
  
• US financial and banking rescue plan
  
• The secret detention facilities in Eastern Europe and elsewhere are being closed
  
• Ended the previous policy; the US now has a no torture policy and is in compliance with the Geneva Convention standards
  
• Better body armor is now being provided to our troops
  
• The missile defense program is being cut by $1.4 billion in 2010
  
• Restarted the nuclear nonproliferation talks and building back up the nuclear inspection infrastructure/protocols
  
• Reengaged in the treaties/agreements to protect the Antarctic
  
• Reengaged in the agreements/talks on global warming and greenhouse gas emissions
  
• Visited more countries and met with more world leaders than any president in his first six months in office
  
• Successful release of US captain held by Somali pirates; authorized the SEALS to do their job
  
• US Navy increasing patrols off Somali coast
  
• Attractive tax write-offs for those who buy hybrid automobiles
  
• Cash for clunkers program offers vouchers to trade in fuel inefficient, polluting old cars for new cars; stimulated auto sales
  
• Announced plans to purchase fuel efficient American-made fleet for the federal government
  
• Expanded the SCHIP program to cover health care for 4 million more children
  
• Signed national service legislation; expanded national youth service program
  
• Instituted a new policy on Cuba, allowing Cuban families to return home to visit loved ones
  
• Ended the previous policy of not regulating and labeling carbon dioxide emissions
  
• Expanding vaccination programs
  
• Immediate and efficient response to the floods in North Dakota and other natural disasters
  
• Closed offshore tax safe havens
  
• Negotiated deal with Swiss banks to permit US government to gain access to records of tax evaders and criminals
  
• Ended the previous policy of offering tax benefits to corporations who outsource American jobs; the new policy is to promote in-sourcing to bring jobs back
  
• Ended the previous practice of protecting credit card companies; in place of it are new consumer protections from credit card industry's predatory practices
  
• Energy producing plants must begin preparing to produce 15% of their energy from renewable sources
  
• Lower drug costs for seniors
  
• Ended the previous practice of forbidding Medicare from negotiating with drug manufacturers for cheaper drugs; the federal government is now realizing hundreds of millions in savings
  
• Increasing pay and benefits for military personnel
  
• Improved housing for military personnel
  
• Initiating a new policy to promote federal hiring of military spouses
  
• Improved conditions at Walter Reed Military Hospital and other military hospitals
  
• Increasing student loans
  
• Increasing opportunities in AmeriCorps program
  
• Sent envoys to Middle East and other parts of the world that had been neglected for years; reengaging in multilateral and bilateral talks and diplomacy
  
• Established a new cyber security office
  
• Beginning the process of reforming and restructuring the military 20 years after the Cold War to a more modern fighting force; this includes new procurement policies, increasing size of military, new technology and cyber units and operations, etc.
  
• Ended previous policy of awarding no-bid defense contracts
  
• Ordered a review of hurricane and natural disaster preparedness
  
• Established a National Performance Officer charged with saving the federal government money and making federal operations more efficient
  
• Students struggling to make college loan payments can have their loans refinanced
  
• Improving benefits for veterans
  
• Many more press conferences and town halls and much more media access than previous administration
  
• Instituted a new focus on mortgage fraud
  
• The FDA is now regulating tobacco
  
• Ended previous policy of cutting the FDA and circumventing FDA rules
  
• Ended previous practice of having White House aides rewrite scientific and environmental rules, regulations, and reports
  
• Authorized discussions with North Korea and private mission by Pres. Bill Clinton to secure the release of two Americans held in prisons
  
• Authorized discussions with Myanmar and mission by Sen. Jim Web to secure the release of an American held captive
  
• Making more loans available to small businesses
  
• Established independent commission to make recommendations on slowing the costs of Medicare
  
• Appointment of first Latina to the Supreme Court
  
• Authorized construction/opening of additional health centers to care for veterans
  
• Limited salaries of senior White House aides; cut to $100,000
  
• Renewed loan guarantees for Israel
  
• Changed the failing/status quo military command in Afghanistan
  
• Deployed additional troops to Afghanistan
  
• New Afghan War policy that limits aerial bombing and prioritizes aid, development of infrastructure, diplomacy, and good government practices by Afghans
  
• Announced the long-term development of a national energy grid with renewable sources and cleaner, efficient energy production
  
• Returned money authorized for refurbishment of White House offices and private living quarters
  
• Paid for redecoration of White House living quarters out of his own pocket
  
• Held first Seder in White House
  
• Attempting to reform the nation's healthcare system which is the most expensive in the world yet leaves almost 50 million without health insurance and millions more under insured
  
• Has put the ball in play for comprehensive immigration reform
  
• Has announced his intention to push for energy reform
  
• Has announced his intention to push for education reform

http://theragblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/what-obama-has-done-right-list-of-90.html

[BlueJac]

68. -1

[NYC Liberal]

71. A two-character subject with no body text.

I suppose that's what discourse here on DU has sunk to.

[ThomCat]

84. These lists are always bullshit.

Every President implements studies looking for waste. Unfortunately, Obama is excluding the Pentagon in the spending freeze, cuts, and searches for waste. He's still inflating the Pentagon budget. He's talking about finding waste in programs that can't afford to be cut, like Medicare. It's political spin to prepare people for the gutting of medicare as we all get pushed into buying mandated private insurance policies.

A lot of these list entries are routine bureaucratic actions for every president and don't represent any kind of result.

Some of these accomplishments were true before Obama, like students being able to refinance loans. That was always true.

Some of these entries are Intentions. They are not even things he has done yet. Why are they on a list of accomplishments?

A lot of these entries are not things to be proud of. For example, the study on slowing the rising costs of medicare is likely to result in options for cutting people from medicare and moving them to private insurance. That's only an accomplishment if you are an insurance executive.

Attempting (and failing) to reform healthcare is on here as a accomplishment? :wtf:

Having a policy against torture is on here too, even though it is now well known that the we continued torturing captives in Gitmo and Bagram, and people have died as a result. We still do not comply with the Geneva Conventions and use military tribunals instead of real courts of law. So meaningless policy isn't an accomplishment.

Some "accomplishments" are on here multiple times restated in different ways, like paying for redecorating private space in the white house using his personal money instead of public funds. It's listed several times, and while it's nice, how is that an accomplishment? It merely shows that he's rich.

This list is created for the gullible, inflated with spin, and about as useless as the similar list was when it was distributed for Bush.

[DisgustedInMN]

94. What's truly ...

... insulting about this kind of "list," is that the ones spinning it, actually think we are dumb and gullible enough to buy into it.

Here's a clue for you spinmeisters to think about before you trot out this pile o'bullshit next time:

Insulting people's intelligence by trying to feed them crap and calling it ice cream, isn't going to win you any fans. As a matter of fact, this is the exact kind of SHIT that has pissed off a huge slice of people that worked hard to get Obama elected. We can work just as hard for somebody else if you prefer. Just keep up with the all spin and no doing and we will.

[theFrankFactor]

105. +1

Lowered expectations and childish infatuation. Not how this country will be saved... if ever.

[Little Star]

147. +1

[avaistheone1]

112. Many of these are not true.

Just a quick example.

Housing rescue plan is a failure. No real impact on homelessness. Americans are continuing into bankrupty and foreclosure at record levels.

Phase out in Iraq just means the jobs are simply being given to military contractors (versus US military) like Xe, so there is no real pull down.

And so on.


(I have to laugh the blog author is calling the announcement of intention as an accomplishment.)

[BlueJac]

36. I guess some people will settle for anything.......

that is what is wrong with this country now, we will take anything and call it good instead of what we need. War is now good, bailouts are now good, trade agreements are now good, secret prisons are now good, free trade is now good, Milton Friedman economics is now good, over throwing elected governments is now good, Bush retreads are now good, Bush policies are now good, when will we say enough is enough??

[emilyg]

40. +1

[Mari333]

55. [phone]

[NecklyTyler]

39. The Main Stream Media doesn't get to decide who runs for President two years before the nomination

The M$M, backed by a vocal right wing echo chamber, is attempting to tell the American people who will or will not run for President. They don't get to choose the next President and they sure don't get to exclude a popular sitting President from the next election. The M$M is full of themselves and they are also full of it

[salguine]

45. What planet are you living on? No candidate even gets through the PRIMARIES unless

they are wholly endorsed by the corporate media.

[McCamy Taylor]

47. Obama is about as good as it gets in the US. K&R

[Name removed]

48. Deleted message

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

[SemiCharmedQuark]

51. Yes. I remember you called Obama a "tin pot dictator" before.

[twitomy]

54. Gladly...

And BTW I live in the sahdow of TMI. Doesnt bother me a bit. Im progressive that way.

[amborin]

53. progressives need to run progressive candidates, to push "centrist" dems toward

progressive objectives, including Obama

the TeaPartyers, as detestable as they are, are having some political success; imagine running a candidate to the right of Perry, in Texas, as an example, pressuring Perry to himself move further right (as if that were possible). Why aren't progressives doing this? mass social action....

[Fire1]

56. There was a progressive candidate but they didn't get past

the primaries.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

61. He'll definitely get my vote...if he earns it.

"I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever, in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in anything else, where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such an addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent. If I could not go to heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all." Thomas Jefferson to Francis Hopkinson, 1789.

"Were parties here divided merely by a greediness for office,...to take a part with either would be unworthy of a reasonable or moral man." Thomas Jefferson to William Branch Giles, 1795.

“Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." John Quincy Adams

[MilesColtrane]

67. I don't fear Obama losing in a race against a Republican.

I fear Obama losing in a race against a Republican and a left leaning third party.

There is likely to be a party made up of the many on the left who feel that they got duped when they voted for him.

Throw into the mix an unemployment rate that may be moving in the right direction by 2011 if we're lucky, more Republicans in Congress after this November resulting in no meaningful laws being passed, and the wild card of unlimited corporate campaign advertising against the President.

It certainly looks very bad.

I hate to say it, but whether he gets a second term or not may come down to the viability of the Tea Party, and it's ability to split the Republican vote.

Scary as fuck.

[depakid]

69. No one except the so called "centrists" in the administration and Congress seem to want that

Though Obama himself certainly doesn't help his own cause by associating himself and his policies with banksters, health insurers, PhARMA and other exceptionally popular interest groups through his ever conciliatory rhetoric and actions.

[Fire1]

75. Thank goodness you don't have to worry about it. One way or

the other.:hi:

[depakid]

76. Since it's happened in the same pattern before- that's true to a point

And even more so in the current environment, because pandering to the right and apologizing for corporate interests is neither what Obama was elected to do- nor was it what people reasonably expect, under the circumstances.

As for those worried about a progressive third party- the law's the same in physics as politics; nature like politics abhors a vacuum. Create one and there'll likely be some group or a some person who fills it. That's Poly Sci 101.

[JDPriestly]

77. It isn't up to us. We are a tiny fraction of the voters.

It's up to Obama. He has to start doing things that excite his base (That's us.) because we can't go out and excite other people about voting for him unless he gives us things to talk about, things to brag about, things to argue about. Obama has to do this.

I've written so many e-mails, made so many calls and I walked and walked for him in 2008. Now there is just so much I can do.

Obama has done next to nothing that was really important on the issues that matter the most to me. That is not exciting.

It's sad but that is the way it is. I will vote for Obama unless a more progressive candidate runs against him. But he has to give me something I can crow about if he wants me to get out there and walk precincts for him or stand behind a table and remind people to vote for him. So far he has delivered next to nothing -- only a few token and very small things. It is not enough.

[Little Star]

148. +1

[Stellar]

85. So, he's made some mistakes....

but he's done a lot of things right too. I'm tired of all the whiners around after one year! :nopity:

[western mass]

86. The DLC "terra!" alert::Will liberals get fooled again?

This argument, which the right wing of the Democratic party relies on to keep liberals and progressives eternally marginalized, relies on people being unable to see beyond their short-term fears to the long-term reality that the country, its freedom, and the prosperity of its people, are just as doomed under the policies of right-wing democrats. The journey toward losing this country is a little slower, a little less unpleasant, but the end state is the same. The last election showed that people *hate* what the Republicans did. They want what populists and progressives offer: an end to corporate bailouts, foreign wars, lobbyists blocking reform at every turn. If it takes Democrats losing elections in the short term until they're finally willing to respect the will of the people in the long-term, I'm ready to contribute to that. There is no other option.

[JHB]

92. The best advice is still the one credited to FDR:

"I like it. I want to do it. Now go out there and make me do it!"

And you don't make a politician do anything by giving them unconditional praise.

[old mark]

87. I voted for Obama in the primary and the GE. I am let down because he is not

the "radical leftist" he was played up to be, but I realise that he is doing a better job than anyone we have had in many decades, even Clinton.
I will vote for him again and not feel bad about it.

mark

[OneBlueSky]

88. "Obama has stopped the hemorrhaging" . . .

not sure I agree with you on this . . . hey, I voted for him, too . . . but he and I have parted ways when it comes to policy issues that are of the highest interest to me . . .

is 30,000 more troops in Afghanistan stopping the hemorrhaging? . . . are multi-multi-billion dollar bank bailouts stopping the hemorrhaging? . . . is turning our healthcare system over to the insurance companies with a mandate that we buy their defective products stopping the hemorrhaging? . . . is not reviewing (and reversing) even the worst features of the Patriot Act stopping the hemorrhaging? . . . I could go on and on, and on virtually every issue in which I am emotionally invested, Obama has failed me miserably . . . not only hasn't he stopped the hemorrhaging -- he seems to be injecting blood thinners to help insure that it doesn't stop under any circumstances . ..

when I voted for Obama, I knew that he was a community organizer in Chicago, and therefore thought that he might have some real empathy with the man and woman on the street, and perhaps pursue policy choices that focused on helping real people rather than the phony "persons" that are our mega-corporations . . . no such luck . . . he has instead surrounded himself with corporatists solidly devoted to not only preserving the status quo, but to worsening it . . . to say that I'm disappointed would be the understatement of the year . . .

I still hold out hope, however, that at some point soon Obama will see the light and switch his allegiance from artificial corporate "persons" to real persons like you and me . . . I hope that he will harken back to his time as a community organizer, remember the real needs of real people, and act accordingly on their/our behalf . . . whether he has it in him to accomplish such a philosophical u-turn is an open question as of now, but one that we'll know the answer to soon enough . . . and if he's incapable of doing the right thing by the American people, it won't matter much whether he's re-elected or not, since the policies he's pursuing aren't all that different from those of his predecessor -- and likely from his those of his successor . . .

this country needs a radical in the White House, someone who will challenge the status quo at its very roots and say "Enough!" . . . so far Barack Obama is not that person -- but I hold out faint hope that he can be . . . if not, he's doomed to the dustbin of history right along with the Bushes and the rest of the Neanderthals who have been raping this country for decades, if not longer . . .

[Skidmore]

90. The 2012 season is still a bit away, do you have as much angst

about losing Congress to an R/Teabagger bunch?

[DisgustedInMN]

93. Sorry ...

.. my friend, but I don't *owe* my vote to anyone, nor am I willing to *settle* for someone that isn't working in my best interests, by holding my nose and voting for them, just because "the other is worse."

If Obama wants my support and my vote, then he has 2 1/2 years left to earn it. And he sure as fuck can't win it with more pretty speeches. It is now, and ALWAYS has been about what gets DONE. No spin. No excuses. No whining. He knew the job description when he signed on.

I'd sooner slit my own throat than vote for a Republicant, but I'll have no hesitation next go around to vote my conscience and go third party if Obama fails to deliver. Because "the righties will gloat" doesn't earn my vote, being a FOR REAL Democrat does.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

95. Recc'd right into ORBIT!! and Kicked around the block!

I'm beginning to think that picking apart every single breath P.O. takes under an electron microscope with a short term lens is not productive.

I don't think anyone else could make any progress whatsoever, let alone stop the hemorrhaging.


If, dog forbid, a 'puke should win take the next election, I will look into expat options. Probably even come on here asking for Canada or Netherlands advice-buddies!

[Name removed]

96. Deleted message

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

[Javaman]

98. You say you won't vote, yet you have a Canadian icon.

So I'm confused. Are you even an American citizen?

[igfoth]

101. Sadly I still live here

but my values are more Canadian then American now. America has not represented freedom for decades now.

I look at myself as a man with out a country until I can complete my immigration to Canada.

[Javaman]

123. You might want to look into Canada's "freedom" of speech laws...

but then again, ours have been so degraded, it probably won't be much of a difference.

Don't get me wrong, my family has had a cabin in Canada for about the past 35 years.

I spent a huge amount of my youth and teens in Canada and even considered becoming a citizen for a long while.

Just because they have national health care doesn't mean they are progressive in all areas.

[liberation]

104. The issue is that some of us don't find black mail very appealing as an electoral value proposition

When we are offered a shit sandwich, pretending that the issue some of us have with having that for lunch is the choice of bread... it is a bit intellectually disingenuous, me thinks. Whatever happened to candidates/incumbents getting votes the old fashioned way: by earning them?


The evil of having to chose between two lessers is really getting tiresome, and I am sorry to say that people who keep advocating and perpetuating such predicament are also part of the problem.

If all the Dems have to "sell" their platform is fear of the GOP, then they are not much better than their GOP and their fear-based electoral campaigns. Time to evolve, I say.

[anonymous171]

106. Republican/Conservative policies always fail.

It's probably better for the country if we elect a GOPer who's conservative policies send the nation into chaos than let a Democrat do the same (thus tarnishing the Liberal Democrat title and preventing actual liberals from getting into office.)

I am not advocating for the GOP or anything. I am just making an observation. Take it as you will.

[Toasterlad]

107. If Obama Doesn't Want to Be a One Term President, Perhaps He Should Keep His Promises.

[veganlush]

110. I don't think that any significant number here at DU WANT him to be

...a one-termer, and I think most will still vote for him, but, if he doesn't change the direction of things pretty soon, his gonna lose all the OTHER people that voted for him, the people that don't live and breath politics like we do. It's the people who wanted change from the debacle of the bush years who thought that delivering a Democratic President with huge majorities in congress would make something happen.

I'm sure most of us here will support, vote for, many will even canvass for, a second term, but it's John Q. Public out there that sees that the Democrats are as hopeless now with big majorities as they were when they were in the minority. What is there to bring the average voter back out to the polls? The cowardly congress is now hunkered down, bracing for the losses they they are insuring by the very act OF hunkering down, hiding in shame from their own agenda.

We were always told we can't get anything because we don't have the votes. Now it's because they don't have the guts.

[BrklynLiberal]

121. +1000!!!

[jeff47]

114. I think you misunderstand

It's not that the 'one term' crowd thinks an R would be better.

It's that the 'one term' crowd thinks that Obama turning to Rham & Co. to run the White House has resulted in a disaster that will result in a one-term presidency. Not because they want Obama out, but because Rham & Co are so terrible at politics that they will let the R's back in.

It's not that a single term is desirable, it's that a single term is probable as long as the DLC is running the show.

[kenny blankenship]

116. Vote Hindenburg!

Sure Hindenburg is a bloated outmoded extravagance, which only a few rich people will benefit from, and Hindenburg is doomed to crash and burn - but think of the alternative!

[veganlush]

119. I think he'll win a second term, if only because whoever

..the right puts up will be a complete joke-what's it gonna be, O'Keefe/Plumber? Palin/Brownie? no. the problem is that the Democratic majorities in Congress will be lost, and the Repugnants will own the agenda. It's as simple as that. Anything that gets passed after the 2010 debacle will be right-wing legislation. Harry Reid is utterly incompetent and cowardly.

the second term will be worst than the first is shaping up to be. Why is Harry Reid still there? Why doesn't he do the honorable thing and quit officially?

[pundaint]

122. Being scared is how they try to manipulate us. Don't be scared, and don't be fooled again.

The only thing I can see is for every vote, which includes an incumbent, to be a straight up or down vote on the incumbent's delivery of benefits to the People. All else is speculation. Incumbent's words are meaningless in comparison to his deeds. If there are no incumbents vote for the most credibly progressive alternative.

To believe that an incumbent who didn't deliver in his first term, or as with some congressmen like in MA 2, in the first 10 terms, will deliver in the next term is unreasonable.

A corporate bought democrat displaces good representation and leadership every bit as much as a corporate bought republican. Deliver or retire should be our creed, and on that basis I welcome Dodd, and Byah's decisions.

[mdmc]

125. Obama will win in 2012 if he wants to run

He has the money, the powers that be are comfortable..

[SemperEadem]

127. it's past time for Obama to change tack

and with a quickness.

He has left confused and dumbfounded not only the scores of volunteers who helped him get elected but also the enormous numbers of voters who voted him and the other dems into office IN A LANDSLIDE.

I, for one, would rather see him do a second term behind a successful first term, but he has got to put down the rethugs, put down reaching across the aisle, put down keeping bush's status quo going. He has got to do way, way, WAY more to convince me that he's got the stones and nerves of steel required to do what is needed to be done in this country.

The rethugs propaganda machine has never shut off. They just put it on low power for about 8 months, retooled it and found new buzz words to use; they outright lie and proudly proclaim it and are never called to task on it. The country doesn't care that it's being lied to outright by the thugs, but they've got their nipples in the masher over tiger woods screwing his way through Hooters.

As long as Tim Kaine, the most ineffective person they could have chosen, is in place as DNC chairman to help hand thugs their victories instead of keeping Dr. Dean in charge of a clearly and proven winning strategy, whatever Obama was able to build during 2007-2008 WILL BE LOST FOREVER. He began losing it when he decided not to prosecute bushco for their part in lying us into war. He continued to lose it by appointing the very criminals back into power at the Fed. He continued to lose it by scrapping single payer/public option and handing people over to the insurance companies with a front loader.

If Obama wants to cement his one-term presidency, just let "no public option" come out of his mouth on the 25th. He will be done. All progressives will know that we need to distance ourselves from him and to tack further to the left and identify more progressive candidates.

Right now in Indiana, thanks to bayh bailing out this week (before some scandal hits the news of his literally being in bed with the insurance companies--life his wife's activities and income drawn sitting on Wellpoint's board--that will most certainly sink his chances of re-election) right before Friday's deadline for candidates seeking office and having the 1000 signatures to qualify, Dems have no strong candidate to run against what will most likely be a shoe in for the thugs--and maybe that was bayh's plan all along, since he's doing the bidding of the thugs already.

It isn't consolation enough for me to hear Kaine say "cheer up--we will defend bayh's seat"---WITH WHO? John Mellencamp? Until Mellencamp states that it's his unquenched desire to serve his fellow hoosiers in elected, public office, move on from that.

See, had Kaine had the insight and cunning of Dean, Massachusettes' would still have two democratic senators; he would have been developing progressive candidates where blue dog/conservadem obstructionists are up for re-election to run against these status quo whores. That's not what happened. Not once, but twice now, Kaine has been caught asleep at the switch and now he wants us to trust him?

There has to be a total change before February is over with regards to the tack Obama and by extension the whole of the democratic party who are not progressive is concerned. Lead or get out of the way and let us replace them with candidates who have the stones to do the job they were charged with doing.

[obamaisbestone]

136. The right said the SAME thing about Clinton in 1993-94.

This is all such a repeat of what occured them. The new president used up his political capital on a failed healthcare bill. The far right danced on his political grave. I could have made a fortune betting right wingers back then that Clinton would be re-elected.

Presidential elections are very different animals than off year state and local elections. THe voter turn out is WAY higher. THe reason why the CONS are winning now is that the Obama voters are stayng home. In Virginia 1.9 MILLION fewer people voted in 2009 than in 2008. In New Jersey 2.8 MILLION fewer people voted.

As dissapointed the left is with Obama, the alternative is FAR worse. Would you rather have some far rightie picking Supreme Court justices or Obama?

[Festivito]

137. "bought by corps and sold to us by corps" AND PRESENTED BY the corps.

That's the pisser the American public will not realize in time.

[tcaudilllg]

140. Take responsibility

If you want to nullify the effect of corporations on voters, then all you have to do is lead boycotts against any stations who run their issue ads. They'll be gone soon enough.

Obama is invincible in 2012. Our control of the House and Senate are a different matter, however, not to say the governorships.

[DFW]

146. Way back in 1995.......

The first time I had met Clinton and Gore, the first subject I brought up was re-election.
Gingrich and his "contract" were riding high, and suddenly it looked like Clinton-Gore
would be a one-act play, with half the press already writing their political obituary.
Al Gore told me then and there, he was confident of their re-election.

Then Bill Clinton got up and gave a spell-binding (and hilarious) speech. He held the
whole gathering in the palm of his hand. Newt Gingrich, who was Speaker of the House
at the time, leaned over and commented to my mom, "anybody who thinks this guy will be
a pushover in the next election is fooling themselves."

Gingrich proved to be dead right then (as did Gore), and I believe that his words hold
true now. If you can ever get a candid moment with any of these people (nearly impossible
in this age of hand-held camcorder cell phones, I realize), I think many of them on both
sides have a clearer picture of things than they ever let on in public.

[dysfunctional press]

150. he may very well CHOOSE to be a one-termer.

and it certainly wouldn't bother me if he did.
he certainly seems to be more of an lbj than an fdr.

the only thing i know for sure- he's never going to get another vote from me.

[AsahinaKimi]

151. I will vote Democrat!

After 8 years of George W. Bush, I would never ever vote for a Republican, and I don't think the Independents will have much of a Candidate either. (It will probably be Ralph Nader, pfft..forget that!)

Sorry, I am a Democrat. I will not stay home and mope..I will be in the voting booth come hell or high water because I don't want to go back to how it was 8 years ago.

[DailyGrind51]

152. Unless Sanders, Kucinich, or Grayson challenges him, Obama gets my vote in 2012!