Are progressives losing faith in the Obama admin?

[Skjie]

"But he's gonna CHANGE EVERYTHING" Hearing that every day in my classes made me want to shoot everyone in the face.

The American system is designed so that he cannot change anything should he have wanted.


PS: He didn't want to.

[Plow]

Honestly, who went to the voting booth actually expecting a super majority and a significant first shot that at points has looked very capable of success in bringing universal health care 8 months into the presidency?

[Sirrus_Asura]

"But he's gonna CHANGE EVERYTHING" Hearing that every day in my classes made me want to shoot everyone in the face.

Change nigga, thats whatsup.

[Alleya]

"But he's gonna CHANGE EVERYTHING" Hearing that every day in my classes made me want to shoot everyone in the face.

Not as bad as, "It's so awesome that the first african american to ever run for president got nominated his first try!"

[Beckwin]

8 months is a valid point. doesn't exonerate conduct up to this point, but at least presents the possibility for exoneration and y'know, enough time to actually do something.

the whole torture/detainee issue feels really half-heartedly done, which is very frustrating because that was one thing he campaigned heavily on and also has the capacity to literally just change things by executive order.

the bailout issue is frustrating as well. on one hand, it's difficult for me to say (or anyone, honestly) whether some sort of massive stimulus/rescue was necessary- I think it probably was. However the execution wasn't uniformly well done. Gov't stepped in big time for the auto industry, and the people managed to actually show some disdain for those fuckers simultaneously, so I feel like we've seen a positive, to whatever degree, action... gm ain't bankrupt anymore, the unions are still alive, and we avoided having major employers shut down. but then you look at AIG and Goldman in the financial sector and wanna slam your head into a wall- yet at the time, there was some loud rallying around capitalism (which america unfortunately has a nearly religious fascination with)... essentially, the issue and the voice of the people didn't line up correctly with respect to time. the outrage came after the bonuses and record profits.

for all the comparisons being made to clinton and discussing who's the most liberal lately, Obama needs to look at the OG liberal president- FDR. bulldoze your campaign platform through your presidency. write those XOs (and yeah, I'd forgive him for fema camps to intern guntoting rednecks in). and he ought to look at TR for some trust-busting inspiration (but that's where looking at TR begins and ends).

but yeah, if obama can't put a public option out there, it's gonna be time to be very disaffected. not only a renegging, but it'll be another decade before we can try putting it on the table. once it actually happens though, it enters social security/medicare territory and shits a lock forever...

[Qalbert]

http://www.comixed.com/wp-content/up...8849146716.jpg

[guartz]

You know, you ask this question a lot. The answer is the same as the last time; it's asking the reader to ask themselves that question. I do have my own ideas about those questions already.

[Skjie]

8 months is a valid point. doesn't exonerate conduct up to this point, but at least presents the possibility for exoneration and y'know, enough time to actually do something.

One day if I'm feeling up for it I'd like to explain to you Gordon Campbell's first term as Premier of BC (British Columbia general election, 2001 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). He took a super majority and reamed it for all it was worth within days of winning. Now, to be fair, this is what BC wanted him to do, but he didn't pussy out. He recently won his 3rd term.

Also, Jean Chretien's first term as Prime Minister in 1993. Obama is a pussy and a fake. There is no way to get around that or out of it. Anyone who believed his message was a sucker.

[Demosthenes11]

I thought the first 6 months of a presidency are supposed to be the biggest and most earth shattering

[Beckwin]

and we saw some earth-shattering bailout action, I guess.

[kuronosan]

Obama's trying to please everyone - that's what his biggest issue is. He needs to realize that no matter what he does people are going to say bad shit about him. He should just pass what the fuck he wants to pass and be done with it. If he thinks he knows what's good for the country then he's the damn President... he should do it.

[eunhye]

If he thinks he knows what's good for the country then he's the damn President... he should do it.

Bush tried the same "tactics". Many wanted him dead. Obama's doing the same. Many just don't agree with him.

[Cephius]

I haven't read this whole thread, but to me Obama's inexperience as a politician has been showing recently. He needed to have a health care plan that was better researched and not something that would go over this poorly. Granted, the conservatives have not helped with some over-the-top fear mongering. But he should have been prepared for this.

Weather this is indicative of growing pains or just shades of a failed presidency to come, I don't know. But I do think Obama is a bright man, and has bright people surrounding him, so I think he'll turn it around. As far as I'm concerned he hasn't screwed anything up yet, and he's been far more aggressive in Afghanistan and Pakistan that anyone expected (even conservatives) yet you don't hear much about that.

I can't blame him for the bailout, I think the same thing would have had to happen regardless of who was elected.

[eunhye]

As far as I'm concerned he hasn't screwed anything up yet, and he's been far more aggressive in Afghanistan and Pakistan that anyone expected (even conservatives) yet you don't hear much about that.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/24/wo...litary.html?hp

Just starting to though, screw up that is.

BAGRAM, Afghanistan — American military commanders with the NATO mission in Afghanistan told President Obama’s chief envoy to the region this weekend that they did not have enough troops to do their job, pushed past their limit by Taliban rebels who operate across borders.

[Cephius]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/24/wo...litary.html?hp

Just starting to though, screw up that is.

According to that article, they're asking for more troops despite already getting an addition 17,000 assigned to the region. So, I don't know if that's a "screw up" unless he ignores the advice of his commanders. I think Obama has made it pretty clear that securing Afghanistan is a priority, despite it's falling support in the country.

It seems though that major problem is that the strikes are coming from across the border in Pakistan, whose government refuses to help secure the region. So they're faced with invading Pakistan's airspace (which I think they've already done multiple times) or staying put. So it may not be as easy as sending more troops.

[Dimmauk]

Just send more Blackwater troops. That way we can hide the real amount of soldiers that are dying. And the war looks like its not as bad as it really is.

[Neosutra]

Dont worry guys, Ill be in Afghanistan in October. Ill have it all cleared up by New Years.

[Dimmauk]

Dont worry guys, Ill be in Afghanistan in October. Ill have it all cleared up by New Years.

Damn dude, we will pray for your safety.

Good luck bro.

[Beckwin]

Damn dude, we will pray for your safety.

oh god I lol'd

[zoobernut]

Damn dude, we will pray for your safety.

Good luck bro.

Well played. *golf clap*

( I loled as well )