A trail of broken promises

[MadHound]

It has simply amazed me how Obama has broken promises he made, either on the campaign trail or while in office. An incomplete list follows, feel free to add your own:

Close Gitmo within a year (Gitmo is still open and looks to remain that way, and let's not even get into the whole Baghram AFB thing)

Insure that any health reform would have a public option.

Insure that any health reform wouldn't have mandates (he hammered Hillary on this one).

Repeal DADT.

Bring the troops, all the troops, home from the wars.

End the Bush tax cuts for the rich.

These aren't minor promises, things that can be shrugged off as just politics if they're broken. These are major statements, major promises that Obama has made, yet he has not kept these promises. How can we trust a man who doesn't keep his word? He says that he'll fight for repeal of the Bush tax cuts in 2012, really. Sorry, but I can't put any kind of faith in that.

This goes beyond our disappointment in the man, the question becomes how effective can he be if he can't be trusted? What Obama has shown is not leadership, but craven cowardice and an inability to lead. He has let the American people down, time and again, and his failures will have severe negative impacts on our country and our people in the months and years to come. This is not the "change" we wanted or voted for. In fact this isn't change at all, but rather a continuation of the same ol', same ol' two party/same corporate master system of government.

If Obama can't keep his promises, then it is time to find somebody who will.

[leftstreet]

1. Well he did get a dog, and take Michelle on that date

:hide:

[TBF]

2. Yes, let's talk about his fancy purebred dog.

while millions of perfectly good dogs are euthanized in shelters annually. And yes there are breed-specific rescues for portugese water dogs if he had to have that particular breed due to the girls' allergies.

[jaxx]

4. The dog was a gift from Ted Kennedy to the Obama girls.

Must people make everything bad?

[TBF]

10. Why must we kill millions of animals in shelters every year? That would be my question.

I could care less what a rich Kennedy does or does not do.

[jaxx]

21. Because people are irresponsible and don't spay and neuter their pets.

The fight isn't with Obama on this, it's with people who just don't care about stopping unwanted pets from being born.

[TBF]

24. Nothing is ever Obama's fault. He could have made a point to adopt a homeless pet

and use that as a moment to talk about neutering.

But did he do that? Nope, rich pal to the rescue with a purebred.

[theaocp]

13. Better for Obama

to keep his mouth shut about adopting a shelter dog and let everyone think he doesn't care rather than open it and let everyone bask in his hypocrisy.

[jaxx]

19. I believe the statement was made before the gift was given.

How rude to address the issue like that. Very rude.

[TBF]

20. Guess what, it's also "rude" to give billions of dollars in tax cuts to the wealthiest in our

country while others are starving and living in tents at best. That is RUDE.

[jaxx]

23. You'll need to look elsewhere for that fight you're spoiling for,

I really don't like being attacked.

[TBF]

34. No substance, as usual. nt

[theaocp]

25. Whatever. He was the one who opened his mouth.

If you don't want to have your words shoved back in your face, don't say them. I'm willing to take responsibility for my statements in life, so why shouldn't he be held to the same standard?

[theaocp]

3. I believe he also said

he was going to get a dog from a shelter (correct me if I'm wrong) and bailed on that one, too. I run a no-kill ferret shelter and have rescued over 800 ferrets in the metro Detroit area since 2001 with my wife and some dedicated friends. So, this is a sore spot for me and mine.

[leftstreet]

6. ...

You have a good memory! I forgot about that

[TBF]

11. He sure did - but one of the cheerleaders just mentioned that it's ok to

go back on a promise if rich folks give you gifts.

[Missy Vixen]

28. Our dog is a purebred and a rescue

We have a Lab. They get dumped when they outgrow the cute "Aww, he looks just like Marley" stage.

It's hard to believe there were no rescue Portuguese Water Dogs available in the entire country at that time...

:eyes:

[theaocp]

32. Damn straight

Lead by example. 'Nuff said.

[griffi94]

5. didn't he also promise

to listen to regular americans and not special ineterests, and to make government transparent again.

so there's 2 more

[MadHound]

8. Thank you, and yes he did.

Though actually I think he has made progress on making government more transparent. Not much, but probably the most since the Watergate era.

[griffi94]

12. well i was thinking specifically

about the deal with health corps. and big pharma

[MadHound]

22. True that,

I was thinking more of his transparency on other matters.

[Renew Deal]

14. That promise was kept

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9707147

[TBF]

18. Just because you said something doesn't make it true.

Although I must admit that he's being pretty transparent about being a republican lately.

[Winterblues]

7. I will support a Primary Challenge to Obama.

:shrug:

[CakeGrrl]

29. If one just drifts along? Any challenger will do?

What will they say to make you believe that THEY will do a more effective job in the Washington political climate?

And what if no one materializes for that challenge?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

9. But, he does have a strong trail of mobile "Lines in the Sand".

[Safetykitten]

15. He really should just use an etch-a-sketch

[griffi94]

16. so it's really less of a line

and more like a hopscotch grid.

[myrna minx]

17. And the US Chamber of Commerce is thrilled with his capitulation er, I mean 'compromise'.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4647071

So it's win/win for him!

Oh - his "Make me do it" must have been a bunch of hot air too.

[Matariki]

26. Well, he knew what to say to win the Progressive vote.

Funny how he's scolding us now for holding his feet to the fire...

[we can do it]

27. Fierce Advocate My Ass

[Hell Hath No Fury]

30. He said that --

if evidence appeared that pointed toward war crimes being committed in Iraq/Afghanistan, then he would ask the AG to look into it.

Technically I'm not sure that qualifies as a full-on "promise", but still, I think Bush and Cheney admitting war crimes on national TV would be enough evidence for anyone.

[MadHound]

33. Yeah, you would think,

But if he held Bush and Cheney's feet to the fire, he would have to roll back their excesses of power that they gave to the office of the president, and frankly he's probably having fun playing with those new toys. Nothing says ultimate power like declaring a US citizen an enemy combatant and then killing them.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

35. HIs move to broaden/cement those powers --

chilled me to the bone. :(

[MadHound]

36. You're not alone.

It's amazing how willingly the Dems and Obama took up these illegal, immoral, unconstitutional powers.

[Reader Rabbit]

31. A Native American guy called into KPOJ's morning show today...

...and said while he's appalled at what is going on, he's also taking a bit of guilty pleasure in hearing all his white brethren complain about how the Obama administration is speaking with a forked tongue and going back on all the promises they made.

It was really funny and really sad.

[WVRICK13]

37. I knew When I voted For Him

that he was right of center but damn, I didn't know he was this right of center. I would still vote for him today rather than vote for McCain/Palin. That isn't really saying much however.