I have really been hurt and angry over some of the stuff I have seen and read. Oh the stuff from Jane Hamsher and some of the so called rabid left I have long come to expect. It is from so many of you, who have decided now that the President is a failure, he needs to fire his staff, you can’t support him unless he does this or that. He needs to be primaried in 2012, it just goes on and on.
Then the President does something you like and it is all roses again… You know that is what I have always heard called “Fair Weather Fans”.
It just seems you can’t make up your mind whether you like him or not. Now I am not saying you have to be his cheerleader constantly. But to call for a primary against him today, then praise him tomorrow. That is just a little over the top. No wonder the Republicans are getting such a foot hold with people.
When the Democrats can’t stand together, and stand behind our President, why would the Republican’s want to support him? Why would the Independent’s support him?
Just one of the things I saw everyone having a hissy fit over was the President’s proposal of a spending freeze. Everyone on the left was up in arms over this, without even knowing what he was fully considering. No one had read it, no one knew the details, they just knew it was a bad deal and so they attacked.
First it doesn’t take effect for another year. Second, it is very strictly targeted and will be just as he promised in the campaign, a scalpel, not a hatchet. It is not so much a freeze as a reorganization of the budget. He is going to take out programs that don’t work and waste money, and then use that money that is saved for programs that need it. That makes sense to me… How anyone can’t see this as a good thing doesn’t understand how budgets work.
Matt Osborne, at OsborneInk did a wonderful piece on this. Here is some of what he said about it and how everyone is reacting.
But perhaps this “move to the right” isn’t what it seems? Obama froze administration salaries, which doesn’t add up to much but certainly has the right optics. Noting that details are still unknown and the freeze will not affect health care reform or a second stimulus, Oliver Willis makes a strong argument that the oh noes are premature:
I don’t personally like the framing of these issues in one that favors conservatives, that is a fight versus government spending. Not at all, and in an ideal situation a Democratic president should laugh at the idea, knowing that everyone with common sense understands the long term value of government investment in the American economy and social safety net.
We do not live in this ideal world. We live in a world where, as I noted above, the people across the spectrum hold contradictory ideas within their own minds about what constitutes rational public policy. If some are concerned with spending, it seems the least harmful way to do this is to have a bone thrown their way that will actually lower *some* spending without harming the president’s domestic agenda.
Is it less perfect than a pony? Sure. Would President Jed Bartlett do it? Probably not, but real life isn’t a pitch-perfect Aaron Sorkin script and a fade out after 60 minutes of plot.
Put another way, I’d suggest that this is more of the same nuanced empiricism that makes lefties scream about “unclear” Afghanistan withdrawal dates and the public option. I’m willing to lay odds the whole thing will be forgotten a year from now — in fact, if the Senate passes a public option through reconciliation no one will be talking about this the next week.
Frank Schaeffer weighed in on this entire thing with his anger too, and I have to say he took you all to task much more than I did. But he was my inspiration. Here is Mr. Schaeffer's entire post.. It is almost a letter to you all... I would hope you read it and take it to heart.. Of course I believe some of you are suffering from the same syndrome as Limpballs has... Anticardiocitis... No heart.. That almost has to be what it is.. because you are the only opinion that matters and you can't see anything except what you write and you don't care what anyone else points out they are wrong and YOU are correct.
Anti-Obama Lefty Perfectionists Killed Us In MA
By Frank Schaeffer
Congratulations to the Left of the progressive movement and the Democratic Party: You just shot us all in the foot. You contributed to the Democratic loss in Massachusetts.
I’m a former Republican who ran from that hate-filled movement years ago. I am a heartfelt Obama supporter. And I am also and Independent Massachusetts voter.
I blame the ideological purist Left who have worked so hard to undermine the Obama presidency for the MA debacle. You set the stage.
The Left of the progressive movement couldn’t wait patiently for change. They wanted everything Now! They couldn’t ever see a glass half full and the possibility of improvement on the health care reform bill; it had to be prefect Now!
Gay rights moving ahead slowly weren’t fast enough! The fact that our president inherited the mess that landed on his desk didn’t move his Lefty critics to root for him, pray for him, and wait for him: No! It was “You’ve failed!” You’ve sold out to the banks! We're still at war! And all this only after less than 12 months in office!
Well, you got what you paid for. By giving aid and comfort to the extreme right – “See even his own supporters don’t trust him!” – You have emboldened the nuts. You also have sapped drip-by-drip the enthusiasm of Obama’s actual grass roots supporters (like me) who are not part of the "progressive elite".
You of the Obama-hating Left (yes I used that word -- hating) are both short-sighted and unrealistic.
Well, thanks ya’ll! See you in no-health care, no-gay rights, eternal-dumb-wars Sarah Palin’s America.
Now, I believe he told us how he really felt.. But he is correct.. If we keep this up.. We are opening up the door for all the Palin's, and the Republican's to get back in power.. Already according to the polls, people seem to want the Republican's to take the Congress back... Is this what YOU WANT? Keep up the good work.. That's what is going to happen.
I can’t remember this kind of wishy-washy attitude about a President before. Even when Bill Clinton was confronted with Monica, then impeached, people stood behind him. They supported him. No one, and I mean no one, was fighting and shouting he should do this and do that, he should fire this one or fire that one, he should step down.. Well except Republican’s. But NOT DEMOCRAT’S. The Democrat’s stood with him, oh there were some who didn’t… but the people… common people rallied around Bill Clinton.. Why are we not rallying around Pres. Obama?
No other President has ever.. Let me repeat that… NO OTHER PRESIDENT has ever faced the problems that Pres. Obama has faced this first year. NONE. Everyone he inherited from his predecessor. From 2 wars, both mismanaged, to a terrible recession, the worst since the great depression, to rising unemployment, which is being corrected by the actions of this President.
Pres. Obama has done more for this country in the first year, than most have done in 4 or 8 years. Yet no one gives him credit for it. He has brought us back from the brink of disaster, he has slowed unemployment by 10%, from 700,000 + a month to way less than that. Yes, we still have lots of people out of work, but it is much better than it was. He is honoring the agreement made to bring all the troops home from Iraq, in fact the Marines are leaving now, and all combat troops are to be out by the end of August. He has followed through on his planned escalation of the war in Afghanistan, much to the dismay of some of you, who wanted him to pull out of there. However he did say he was going to do just this.
Plus the list of accomplishments legislatively he has gotten done… all with little to NO Republican support, is very good. He has had a VERY GOOD 1st YEAR.
33 comments:
I whole-heartedly agree with you. I'm so tired of these spoiled, shallow-thinking people who do nothing but moan and groan and whine because everything didn't happen yesterday. It's always easier to criticize than to get off their collective butts and contribute.
And of course it's all Obama's fault - not the Republicans who spent the evening shaking their heads no, not the yeller dawgs, not Lieberman's. It's all the president's fault, period.
Public memory is short and it is fickle. Excellent post.
Good post. Criticism of leaders is legitimate, but yes, we do need to remember whose side we're on, and what the alternative is (the Republican party is far too dominated by deranged elements right now to be allowed back into power). And Obama (and Congress) deserve credit and support when they're trying to do what they were elected to do.
It's too soon to tell, but there are some signs that the SOTU speech is starting to rally people.
I'm pretty sick myself of people who threaten to vote third-candidate or stay home because health-care reform didn't go far enough (or whatever). That's exactly what the Republicans want, and they're the ones who would benefit from it.
Thanks Leslie.. It took me a while to write.. I had to really get my anger under control.. When I read the comments at SOME blogs which shall remain nameless... lol... about finding a primary candidate to run against him in 2012.. I was just livid.. I haven't even commented much at any blogs for a week.. trying to keep my anger under control.
I am still angry, but it is more under control.. however it still comes out in some of my comments.. I just have to watch carefully what I say.
Thanks Infidel.. I appreciate your support. I just had to get this off my chest. It has been festering for over a week and it had to come out so I could lose this anger and get it out.
Hopefully this will settle it once and for all.
Great job Annette, It's not worth our time or sanity to get mad at the nay-sayers. We know we have the best president to come into office in YEARS, we know what he is capable of and what his heart desires for us. It's Congress who MUST get off their hands and get to work! I said it on my blog and I'll say it here if you don't mind... fuck the right and forge ahead Obama and team!
Hi Frank Schaeffer here: Thanks for reading and posting my comments on this issue. I'm grateful for your interest. Best, Frank
Hear hear!
You know, no one is perfect. I see President Obama as an intelligent, hard-working man who understands the issues and who tries hard to do the right thing by the country. The contrast between him and his predecessor couldn't be greater.
And you're right: Opposing him in the way that some on the left are is the same as supporting the Tea Bagger looney fringe. It's the same attitude that got Ralph Nader enough votes in Fla and NH to swing those states to Bush. And we all know how well that worked out.
The idea of finding someone to run against him in the 2012 primaries is downright suicidal.
Thank You Mr. Schaeffer for your comments and for your inspiration on this post. Your heartfelt writing allowed my voice to come out. You are an inspiration to us all. Thank you for all you do and for the voice you have in the world.
Sue, thank you... but think back to last week and some of your comments... That's all I am going to say.
K,
Thank You for commenting. I agree it would be suicide. How anyone who would call themselves a Democrat, a Progressive, a Liberal and then challenge a sitting President for re-election is beyond me. There is just no way that should or could happen I would think. However it might... with the climate in DC now.. anything is possible.
I too am tired of Obama's own party turning on him constantly. I've expressed disappointment at my blog towards the lack of Democratic unity, and towards Obama for not having stronger leadership.
It's always been amusing to see Republicans going after each other -- teabaggers vs. RINOs, Libertarians vs. "family values" idiots, etc.
But Democrats aren't supposed to be doing this. I can't believe there are people who still think "there's no difference between the 2 parties." George W. Bush refuted that theory once and for all.
Thanks Tom, glad you stopped by and hope you stop again.
I believe we have the responsibility to start pulling together and supporting our President. I don't mean we have to agree with everything, but we do have to support him.
Anyone who says "he is just like Bush" is either blind or just not seeing facts as they are presented.
If we elevate anyone it should Frank Schaeffer. He has and is doing more good than Sarah can imagine or create mentally.
Frank is a great role model, however I am sure he would be the first person to say he would not want to be elevated above anyone.
Thank you for commenting J.M.C. and come back anytime.
Sue said: "fuck the right and forge ahead Obama and team!"
This is why many of us are angry with President Obama. He put comprimise with the right before victory for the Ameican People.
I wholeheartedly agree with Sue. My problem is that President Obama seems to have waited a year into his presidency before ,hopefully, taking Sue's advice.
Please don't count me among those wingnuts that demand a new primary. My only wish is for Obama to govern as he promised last night.
Evidently you don't understand as much about the Presidency as you think you do. Or maybe I don't... I have pointed this out before...
He can't, I repeat... HE CAN"T stop holding his hand out to the Republican's... as much as I and some of you would like for him to. We are a small minority of people. The majority want the parties to work together... they want BiPartisanship. Therefore he has to hold his hand out no matter how many times he gets it slapped back.... By doing so it shows that he is on the Correct side of the fence and the Republicans are on the wrong side.
That does not make him weak, it does not make him bad, it makes him a good leader, and them look like the idiots and obstructionists they are.
Annette,
I wrote my own piece (http://hamsandwich66.blogspot.com/2010/01/hell-is-for-children.html) a couple of weeks ago about the lack of backbone in the liberal/progressive movement. However, I can't agree with you about the need for attempted bipartisanship. The President gains nothing by the attempt. The first 3 months of the health reform effort were practically wasted in the Senate looking for a Republican vote. In the end even Olympia Snowe didn't vote for it in committee, even though major concessions had already been made. It doesn't make them look like idiots to their base. It makes them look like heroes. It fires up their supporters and demoralizes the supporters of the President. Progress can indeed be made, but trying to reach out to a monolythic voting bloc that is hell bent on your failure, does not seem like a sound strategy to me.
I understand that republicans will obstruct until forced to come to the table. They will come to the table when the pork for their individual districts is cut off.
Obama isn't dealing with reasonable and rational people with America's best interests at heart. Obstruction and no regulation are in the interests of the big corporations that fund the republicans. They have no reason or interest in health care reform or leaving Iraq. Their best tool is obstruction. Once that is taken away through threat of reconcliation or constituent pressure from a good public relations effort, then they will come to the table.
Hardball is in order. I don't like it when my President has to kiss up to the likes of McConnell or Boehner.
But I don't think he is kissing up to them.. He just has to make it appear he is holding out the olive branch in public, and they are rejecting it.. He has to take the high road in order to be the better person. That's just how he is... You can't change that no matter what.. That is his core value.
It only makes them look small and petty by rejecting and obstructing and the people will see this if we keep pointing it out.. instead of complaining about the President.. That is my point. Comparing him to Bush, saying he is weak by doing so... saying he is not getting anything done when he is... that's not helping... pointing out the lack of reaching back by the Rethugs.. and pointing out their lack of even trying to work with him is the answer...
That's what we need to be doing... All you are doing by putting down the president is feeding into what they want. You are just helping them gain the upper hand... everytime you do or say anything against him you gain another vote for them to take back the Congress and the White House.. Is that what you want to do?
Think about it.. Please.. Open up your mind to someone else's opinion for a change instead of being so closed minded.....
I do see your point very clearly. Obama holds out his hand and the rethugs time after time slap it away, turn their backs and give him NOTHING. Soon the people will wise up to the obstructionist GOP and hopefully it will be their demise!
When Obama ran for president, he explicitly and repeatedly said that he would reach across the aisle and attempt to govern in a bipartisan fashion. He expressed this over and over, so being critical of him for trying to do what he said he would doesn't make sense. I'm also not going to criticize for thinking that the Republicans would put country over party. That they have not is their shame, not his, and we've all learned from it. I would have ceased the bipartisan stuff sooner, but I'm not president and I'm not going to second guess anyone's best intentions.
I understand that Obama promised to be bipartisan during the campaign, however it is clearly not working. By reaching out to a party that has no intention of doing anything but obstructing your policy is counterproductive, regardless of whether it was promised. I believe that when candidate Obama made that promise, he honestly believed that he would find at least a few people on the other side of the isle willing to see reason. That has not been the case. The stimulus package got zero Republican votes in the House or Senate. The Health care bill got zero Republican votes in the House. This is the reality. Reaching out to a group of people whose sole purpose is the failure of your agenda, only delays and may ultimately defeat that agenda.
I don't think there are many of his supporters who would hold it against the President for trying to move forward more aggresively with his agenda. Capitulating to the other side or wasting time trying to get them on your side, does not get anymore support from Republicans or Independents.
I wouldn't rely on the American people to finally come to their senses and realize that the Republicans are simply obstructionists. The famed "Low Information Voter" is not going to be swayed by that kind of argument. They respond to buzz words and passion, not reason and measured statements. They also respond to results. Those results are being delayed by a DOA attempt to gain Republican support for a Democratic agenda. We cannot simply hope that the LIV (who sway national elections) realize that the Republicans have not offered one rational proposal to fix any of our major problems.
The President has worked extremely hard over his first year and I would argue has accomplished more in his first year than any President since Reagan. That has not registered with the LIV's. All they hear are terms like "death panels" and "socialism" and "communism" and they make decisions on who is yelling the loudest.
This isn't about a campaign promise anymore. This is about effectively running the government. The Republicans are willing to ignore the needs of the American people in order to regain power. In my opinion, continuing to pursue a policy of seeking bipartisan support, plays directly into their hands.
Sorry MyCue, but you have made 2 mistaken statements...
The recovery plan garnered 3 Republican votes.. yes it was only 3 but still 3 just the same. And the Health Care bill got 1 Republican vote in the House.
No it isn't much... but still it was Republican votes. So see... it hasn't all been for naught.. There have also been Republican votes for other bills that have been signed into law.. not many but there have been some.
I believe just off the top of my head, Lily Ledbetter had some R votes on it.. as did the SChip... So to say there have been NO votes from the other side is just rewriting history, and doing what we accuse the R's of doing. Making false statements to back up our arguments. We can't do that. We have to stick to facts... and only the facts.
Again I say he has to at the least look as if he is reaching out.. Even if he just gets slapped, that is the mark of a good leader and a good president. It is also President Obama's core values and we can't change who he is... no matter how much we want him to be different.. just as I can't change who you are, and you can't change who I am.
K, Again you are so very correct in your assessment.. We may not like it, and we may have done things differently, but we are not the president and we aren't the ones making those decisions. We can only support him and let him make those decisions and hope he is doing what is correct. He has all the facts.. not us.
Annette,
I don't beleive that reaching out when it doesn't lead to better policy is the mark of a good leader. I don't believe that there is any observer from the left or the right who would claim that the attempts at bipartisan support have made any bill better. I understand the he made a campaign promise and I believe that he has fulfilled his promise. However, I think that moving forward he and we would be better served without the time consuming and ultimately unsuccessful attmepts at bipartisanship. Clearly the Republicans are still going to have their say about every bill. They all have to go through committee markup and mulitple votes, but we can't have the tail wagging the dog, so to speak.
I understand your point on this as well. I'm not here to talk badly about the President. I just happen to disagree on this point. I don't believe that disagreeing with the President on a particular policy or tactic is opening the door for the teabagger group. Apathy is what we have to fight. Real honest and passionate debate should always be welcomed.
Thanks Annette, elevate was a wrong choice of words. Frank S. should be our choice to round up the religious right and get our government back.
Now that I can agree with 150%...lol J.M.C. I think Frank S is probably one of the smartest people out there and I respect his opinion very highly. Thank you for your comments and come back often.
Sorry Annette. If my mind is closed as you say, it has been closed by the actions of obstructionist, anti Working American thugs like McConnell and Boehner.
I stand by what I said and my strategy for dealing with people like this. From what I heard from President Obama's speech, I think he's on the same page as I am now.
you know i like obama - i think his problem is the incredibly weak leadership of Harry Reid and the ridiculous ninnies in the senate -
obama also needs to be tougher - he is not a senator anymore, he can actually demand a few things --- the GOP takes full advantage of this guy's good nature and willingness to reach out.
i truly believe the republicans do not want to work with him - they are determined to make him fail - they have proven that over and over again - while reaching out was a good idea - it is not helping him
No, it may not be helping him with the minority, but it is making them look worse every day... people see what is happening.. they have to. Well the ones that want to see anyway.. Some will never see no matter what.
But our 2 party system is supposed to be set up to compliment each other.. to supply that check and balance between the two.. and as long as they just keep obstructing, they are only hurting themselves.
I don't have the heart right now to wade into this fight except to say, that if it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it's more than likely a duck. One must question just who is stirring the pot about the "left" being unhappy and disenfranchised, to the point that it has made unthinking chattel, er, I mean people, angry and unhappy. We must ask ourselves just who is pulling the strings...
My point was the blogs I visit mostly... and some of the other idiots out there who can't seem to be happy with anything this president does.
I blame a lot of this on the media spin and on the corporation who own the media too. They don't want this president and his policies to succeed because the R's are too good to them and they own them. Of course they own some of the D's too.. but by and far it is the R's that favor them much more.
I by no means think we need to blindly follow along, but we can support our president without vilifying him. That is my point. Constantly calling him a loser, telling him he needs to fire this member of his cabinet, telling him he did this wrong and that wrong, never agreeing with anything I think is just being obstinate.
He is not Hillary, and he never will be, so get over it.
I don't think Hillary would ever be able to do what this President has done. Not by any means. And anyone who thinks she could... just is fooling themselves.
Thank you Annette, for this post. I feel the same way. Sometimes I get frustrated too but I always come back to how much he has already done and I still love every time I hear his articulate voice on the radio! And then when you think of the alternative, well the mind just shudders to imagine.
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