I voted for President Obama in 2008. Never in all my life had someone who saw things pretty much the way I did make it so far in American politics. I was used to seeing them get crushed by whomever the Democratic establishment pushed as “safe” and supposedly mainstream enough to win the general election.
So when Obama won I thought that at long last the right man won! It was a dream come true.
I knew that once in power he would have to move towards the middle somewhat just to get things passed. I knew he could not openly favour blacks. I knew that the “realities of power” would make his high-sounding speeches seem simple-minded.
But still I thought he would close down Guantanamo. I thought he would not renew Bush’s tax cuts for the rich. I thought maybe a true universal healthcare would get passed. I thought he would do something serious about education and sensible about crime.
The first sign of trouble came when he did not close down Guantanamo. Then came tax cuts for the rich. Then came his utter silence on Troy Davis. Then came his approval of the murder of an American citizen, Anwar al-Awlaki. And then, like a sickening thud, came the nationwide police crackdown on the Occupy protesters – a crackdown so smoothly pulled off from coast to coast that it had to come from the capital with Obama’s blessing.
It is like Obama has become a different person. I no longer understand him.
Question: What would McCain – or Bush and Cheney – have done differently?
Answer: Precious little.
Maybe the Republicans are blackmailing him. Maybe power corrupts way more than I thought. Maybe he has become part of the Borg Collective that is American power. Maybe I am just being too hard on him.
But the pit of my stomach tells me it is far worse than any of that: Maybe power has become so institutionalized in America that it no longer matters who holds what office. The machine itself is too powerful for any single man, even the president – supposedly the most powerful man in the world – to change.
What makes me think that is the police. The pepper spray does not shock me. Rounding up the press to put them out of sight of the crackdown does not shock me. Because for a long, long time I have seen how the police protect the rich. Because for a long, long time I have seen how the press has been soft on the police.
Maybe the white middle-class protesters were shocked. Maybe the New York Times reporters were shocked. But if so that is only because they have been fooling themselves all along about the true nature of the police.
But then likewise maybe I have been fooling myself all along about the true nature of the president.
In the past I was always able to blame the viewpoint and political beliefs of the man who held the office. Now I no longer can.
See also:
- Barack Obama – written in 2007
- Barack Obama is now president – written in 2009, wherein I now look like a fool
- The police
- The press
- Troy Davis
- just world doctrine
Yet despite all you write, the right wing in America still consider Obama to be the most radical socialist threat to America in the history of the universe.
Why is it that the Right have never flinched from their view of him as dangerously left-leaning, yet the Left think he has been disappointing because he has veered too far right?
I don’t think Obama has changed. Firstly, the expectations on him were unrealistically high when he entered office. Secondly, he inherited a terrible economy which was always going to limit his political capital.
I think Obama is a classic case of what happens when a good man with good intentions discovers the reality of the political system. Some of the things covered in this post – the Bush tax cuts for example – are not things he wanted to do, but things he felt little choice but to agree to. Closing Guantanamo is great in theory but in the real world it presents a whole host of logistical problems.
Obama once described “The Wire” as his favourite TV show, which is quite fitting. The show’s underlying theme is that an individual’s endeavour, talent and good intentions will always be compromised and shat on by the system in which he has to operate.
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I always say that no matter who gets in office, those at the bottom of the social and economic hierarchy get shafted while the overprivileged get more breaks than they deserve.
Honestly, I was never enthusiastic about Obama entering the race, nor was I all that excited when he was elected. I mean it is a milestone for a mixed race man to be President considering this nation’s racist history and spirit. However, like with any one elected to the highest political office in the land, they will have to do more than just talk about how great this nation is and what’s supposedly good for it while pandering to corporations and institutions that continue to suck the blood from its people.
I think Obama is trying too hard to please the very people who want to see him out faster than disco. Even though I’m not a huge supporter of him, or politicians in general, I still get disappointed a little bit when it comes to his speeches concerning blacks. However, it’s not surprising since this nation’s habit is to blame black and brown people for anything and everything wrong.
I dunno. I’m just rambling here.
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“Maybe power has become so institutionalized in America that it no longer matters who holds what office. The machine itself is too powerful for any single man, even the president – supposedly the most powerful man in the world – to change.”
I think that’s it. I think it’s something that people don’t fully realize until they get into these offices. It’s just one big machine and you either play along or get steam-rolled.
Americans act too much like sheep to effect change. Change is hard. Change hurts. We’re all for change as long as it messes with someone else’s world. Not ours. Unfortunately, change can never occur under those rules.
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Well, I guess you were naive. It’s not a crime.
I guess the Americans are too used to voting FOR someone. Maybe you should all start voting AGAINST. It’s a tactic that works beautifully in my part of the world.
… wait, not really.
Never mind.
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I’ve been both pleased and disappointed by the Obama administration. I was not happy when the Bush tax cuts were extended, nor was I pleased about the decision to keep Gitmo open. I don’t believe, however, that it is the role of any Commander-In-Chief to become involved in individual death penalty cases and movements like OWS. I don’t know if Mr. Obama has anything to do with the crackdowns. It’s my understanding that decisions concerning OWS are made on the mayoral level since the mayor is the one who appoints the police chief.
One of my major criticisms of Mr. Obama is that he concedes too often and too quickly. I understand the need to move to the center in the spirit of compromise, but it appears the opposing party gets what it wants way too often. It makes him look weak. I’m no Obama apologist, but obstructionists in both houses of Congress are blocking a lot of what he is trying to accomplish, even things that both parties ideologically agree on…just to score political points. If they pass bills that will help the economy on Obama’s watch, it will make him look good around election time, and they’re not having that. The sad thing is, Mr. Obama could have passed a lot of bills and done a budget during his first 2.5 years when he had Democratic majorities in both Houses of Congress.
I don’t think Barack Obama’s values have changed. I do believe he tried to do too much too quickly in the beginning which has made it difficult for him to accomplish other important things. Mr. Obama has also had to deal with a lot of crap that his predecessors didn’t have to deal with. Making promises on the campaign trail is a lot easier than keeping them once in office. The President has often voiced his frustrations about dealing with the House and the Senate.
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I think President Obama is making (has made) political calculations based upon the current political environment on Capitol Hill. He at first thought that if he didn’t make waves he could get a few things done. But he didn’t read the writing on the wall.
Mitch McConnell said “the single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.” And he wasn’t playing around. Nor were the other Republicans.
In that kind of environment, where the other Party become refuseniks, there isn’t much a president can do. Unfortunately it took President Obama until this past summer to realize that.
In other words; going along to get along hasn’t worked for President Obama. And the Democrats are a spineless lot who don’t know how to wage political war. Which leaves the President out there by himself.
And it hasn’t helped his cause that he’s ignored his base, as you note, as part of his political calculation. Many African Americans are fed up with being ignored (and condescended to) especially during such dire economic times. The loss of support amongst African Americans is going to bite the President on the behind on election day.
I don’t think there is some nefarious machine operating the President like a puppet master. I think the Republicans are willing to do anything to win. Even destroy millions of Americans. How does one fight such an enemy?
I’m not making excuses for President Obama. Few have been as disgusted by him as I. It’s just important to understand the political climate he’s operating in while evaluating his performance.
That said; until there is change on Capitol Hill the President isn’t going to be able to accomplish anything. If he can convince the electorate at-large that the Republicans are the evil lot that they are then maybe he can win a second term and then really do some things. But the Democrats are very bad at creating narratives so I don’t expect he will be successful doing so.
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Excellent topic for a post.
I don’t think Obama has changed. He’s no Hugo Chavez! He’s the same dude that threw his pastor under the bus for telling America the truth about her racist self. And he’s still waging war against nations that haven’t done harm to America. Obama has always been compromised. It’s utterly impossible to become POTUS, much less win an election, without being IN BED with the money, corporate, power elite!
Every four years those running for the white house sell the same old bridge in Brooklyn – and amazingly the “blue pill” swallowing voters “keep buying” it. They keep believing the same old BS sales pitch/lies. The common folks in America have no real say-so or representation. The people who have “things” done for them are the powerful and wealthy – using their money and influence to get/buy the things/profits/advantages that benefit THEM. Occasionally the smoke and mirrors illusion give the everyday people the impression that they’re getting a little something or other. That’s how the GAME is played. The people get a couple of crumbs every now and then, while the rich get much richer – regularly!
Voting is as much an illusion as the man/any man sitting inside the Oval Office, pretending to be the Head Man In Charge. Strange, isn’t it, how rarely the MOST QUALIFIED person OF CHARACTER in America is the one to be voted into office. The people who are the true deciders, the 1% dictate to the politicians what happens – not just here, but all over the globe. If voting really changed/revolutionized things, it would be rendered illegal..
Seems like you’re taking your first bite of the red pill, Abagond. Keep those jaws moving/chewing away as you’ve got a bit more swallowing to do on this score. Obama, like Bush et al, is just a figure head. They’re only puppets taking instructions from their much more powerful masters.
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I’m not surprised but optimism was never one of my strong points at least not when it comes to politics. I believed from the outset that some of what Obama said were mere words because that’s the nature of politics. However, I also believed that where he was genuine he would be stymied by the establishment.
But hell yes, I think he was a better choice than ‘bomb bomb bomb Iran’, ‘gook’-killer Mccain. I think he’s a naturally more moderate fellow. Eight years of ‘hawks’ brought us 9-11, patriot act, multiple wars and a huge budget deficit. Who in their right mind would want more of that?
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Many people in many parts of the world thought Obama would be a refreshing and welcome change in the American politics. By now the honeymoon is over for most people. 2008 was a time of crisis for the American people and Bush lost all his credibility, so a new guy was needed, someone who could restore faith in the system. Obama was the best choice. Excellent educational records, good orator, clean background, anti-war (in my experience, most of the white Americans who are anti-war are so because they’ve lost someone in the war, or the wars are costly in terms of money and American lives. In a white American’s mind the foreign lives and properties that are lost in wars come second to the American losses, if at all) at a time when most people were anti-war, not too outspoken about minority rights, a Christian with a drab and mechanical accent that the white people like. His race was the trump card and could renew the interest in American politics of the communities that have seen the ugly side of the American system for too long to trust the system. So he was catapulted to the top with huge funding. Yes, funding directly and strongly correlates with the chances of winning.
http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/contrib.php?cycle=2008&cid=N00009638
*Claps* and why would they still be delusional about the true nature of the police after they’ve seen the mass incarceration of black people in the name of war on drug, the profiling and ‘accidental’ shooting of POC, the cordoning off of white neighbourhoods to keep them secure while leaving the black neighbourhoods unprotected? Why is it that today all of a sudden the nature of the police becomes clear to even some of the mainstream reporters even though POC have been saying all along that’s how the police are, and the facts supported their theory?
In India police crackdown is far worse than that at the Occupy. Many people have been killed with active participation from the police. There have been many fake encounters. Students have been picked up by the police in the morning and in the afternoon their parents went to visit them in the police custody to find them dead “due to suicide”. Villagers have been evicted from their homes by the government so that factories, dams and sanctuaries could be built on the land. Those who resisted were brutally suppressed and killed. All of these are happening as I type. These never become international news. Nobody reports them. No one cares.
But I digress. Obama is just another one in the row of the corporate funded, globalist-interest-protecting, faces of an empire.
Great post, Matari.
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Welcome to the 21st century where banks and mncs (aka the rich) dictate national and foreign policy. Obama and msot leaders of the world today are essentialy puppets or managers for the rich.
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Great comments all!
I know it has been rough for Obama and that has allowed me to make excuses for him in my mind for as long as I have, but it is getting beyond that now.
I agree that it was a very bad sign that he threw his pastor under the bus. It showed he was not as honourable as he presented himself, that he was too willing to kiss up to the wrong people, that for him the ends justify the means.
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I don’t know how many of the preceding commenters are black, but I find it refreshing when we can honestly critique the President. It’s frustrating when black people I speak with automatically jump to his defense and give you the evil eye before you can finish your sentence. I understand the pride and the historical significance, but pa-leeeze!
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Lola, you are so spot on.
I tell my husband (his job was offshored back in 2000) all the time to stop whining about Obama because the real power in this country is held by the corporations and banks. The government (Reagan and friends) relaxed and got rid of so many mechanisms that was needed to control the banks and multinationals…since the 80’s its been one free-for-all and now the “chickens have come to roost” as the pastor said.
Clinton added to the damage by pushing the global free market…At the time, I was for it because I thought it would help the Caribbean with a more balanced trade but it has seemed to pass us by and went straight to Asia; and of course, the US workers are now paying the price because jobs went overseas.
It’s possible that Obama just doesn’t have enough clout or the right connections to make the back door deals that is necessary to bring the banks and multinationals under control and we all know he can’t get Congress to reverse the damage done.
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Abagond, I feel the exact same way about the president. Sometimes I feel as if i am too hard on Obama, but he has disappointed me so many times in his first term. I have also toyed around with all of your theories about why he has done so much “compromising” with Republicans.
In the end, I just can’t see myself supporting any Republics in the coming 2012 elections, so he’s most likely going to get my default vote.
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Welcome to my cynical world, Abagond!
I’ve never had any faith in voting, democracy or politicians in general. That’s why I’m a monarchist.
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A. Smith wrote:
“Americans act too much like sheep to effect change. Change is hard. Change hurts. We’re all for change as long as it messes with someone else’s world. Not ours. Unfortunately, change can never occur under those rules.”
As I was watching the Michael Moore documentary – Sicko – I was struck by not only how vastly different the French health-care system is from the American system, but also how the French don’t take much crap from their government.
Those people know how to take it to the streets and effect meaningful change to the extent that their public servants actually heed/fear the people’s collective voice! Americans can learn a lot from the French people, but only if they have the heart (and guts) to do what’s required.
Good luck with that America. You’ll require a huge amount of courage, fortitude AND a real spiritual awakening.
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” maybe I have been fooling myself all along about the true nature of the president.”
At least, unlike so many other blacks, you’re beginning to realize it.
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If I’m not mistaken, most if not all European countries have universal healthcare – and the Europeans love it. Canada also has it. I’ve heard Europeans say they can’t understand why the U.S. is so resistant. The resistance comes from three different areas, IMO. Those on the Right say “Obamacare” will be an infringement upon individual liberties. (I believe a lot of the resistance is rooted in the notion that those in certain demographics will benefit). There is also the misguided idea that universal healthcare = socialism, yet some of very people screaming socialism have no problem receiving Medicare and Social Security benefits. Go figure.
BTW, those who supported Social Security and Medicare back in the 1930s and 1960s were also branded “socialists.” If Obama is re-elected, his healthcare plan may continue to be watered down by the Supreme Court who has ruled that parts of it are unconstitutional. To make matters worse, many of the Republican presidential candidates have vowed to “repeal Obamacare” if they are elected. Either way, it doesn’t look good. I remain optimistic, though.
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@ Abagond:
In the past I was always able to blame the viewpoint and political beliefs of the man who held the office. Now I no longer can.
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I feel the same. What’s been going on in Washington proves that the system is so messed up. It’s not just the obstructionism on the Right. It’s all the lobbying and shady dealings that go on behind the scenes. So much of it seems to be all about the money. Our elected officials seem to care more about getting re-elected than doing what’s right for the country. Sickening.
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It does seems as if people placed too much hope into one person and expected change to happen over night. If at the same time as Obama being elected you had numerous like-minded individuals elected in the other branches of government (that should be the focus), then I could see a lot of the criticism. Like others have said, it’s the system in place that’s slowing things down and it’ll take more than one man (and possibly a generation) to get the ball rolling. Given what he’s had to work with, I’d say he was doing fine.
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Abagond, I’m a lurked who loves your blog, but I call be on this one. You and the great majority are feigning some serious naivete as to how this govt works. There is such an entity as the CONGRESS that this man has to deal with. Nor have I heard mention of what this man HAS accomplished in the short 3yrs that he’s been in office, despite fierce racist, classist opposition not only from the right, but within HIS OWN PARTY. Despite the myth, he’s NEVER had a majority in congress. Yet, he’s been the most effective, progressive, accomplished President since LBJ. Navigating us away frpm a 2nd depression,HCR, saving the auto industry, stimulus ,repeal of DADT, wall street regulations, credit protection agency, the list continues. I expect this opinion from white folks. These are people who ROUTINELY vote against their interests. But not from you. Cmon man…
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I voted for President Obama and think he’s done pretty well. I remember when I voted for President Clinton the first time and feeling disappointed that the national health care plan went absolutely nowhere then.
It’s just the nature of the beast for presidential politics – that they don’t have enough executive power to do everything they would like (which can be a really good thing depending on who’s president.)
He hasn’t done a bad job, and like Eurasian Sensation says, he did inherit a terrible economy (and a couple of wars) so I think Democrats can be way too hard on him. But also, I don’t have really strong feelings about Occupy and think time could be better spent on talking to voters than camping out in parks, personally.
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@ Farrod:
(I know you are addressing Abagond, but I couldn’t resist).
“Despite the myth, he’s NEVER had a majority in congress.”
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So not true. There was a concurrent Democratic majority in the House of Representatives and in the Senate for over two years while President Obama was in office. That is one of the reasons I was so happy when he got elected. Where are you getting your information?
“I expect this opinion from white folks.”
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Are black people expected to agree with all of President Obama’s actions /decisions simply because he is black, and are all white people expected to disagree with all of his actions/decisions simply because he is black?
.
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I don’t think Obama has changed that much. I think he’s the same person he’s always been. Before the election, his shift on FISA and his opposition to “dumb wars” as opposed to “smart wars” should have let everyone know where he was coming from.
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I can understand the frustration, but, as a rational person, I can’t agree with your position.
I can’t throw the man under the bus when I 1) look at the context of everything involved, and 2) look at what he HAS accomplished.
It is one thing if his entire record was flawed, it is complete different when 90% of his record is clearly progressive. You must give a little to get a little. Now, I agree 100% that in some instances he should have gotten more, but I don’t fault the man for trying to make deals. That is what being in politics is all about.
You can’t ignore changes to credit card laws, advancement in women and same sex rights, draw down of wars and military personnel, kept the economy from going completely into the tank, international achievements, insurance for children, stronger hate crime laws, etc…
NO citizen will EVER get 100% of everything they would like from ANY president, that isn’t even possible. So to look for it is illogical.
Equally illogical is to blame Obama for involvement (or lack thereof) in state and local issues. That isn’t how our government works. Obama didn’t “order” the State Governors and mayors to “crackdown” on OWS protest. That is just a lack of understanding.
I’d say he’s done pretty good with record level obstruction from the opposition.
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@Nom De Plume
I always question that majority he supposedly had, since a few of those D’s were pretty much R’s in governance. I think that was one of the reasons why a lot of legislation was watered-down to get votes.
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Get rid of your Electoral College. Bring in Universal HealthCare for all.
What’s wrong with socialism?
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@greyships:
“But also, I don’t have really strong feelings about Occupy and think time could be better spent on talking to voters than camping out in parks, personally.”
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I know OWS doesn’t want a leader, however, I think the movement would be better served with spokespeople who could clarify the message and deal with the media. I also wish Occupy movements across the country would communicate and strategize with each other so that everyone is on the same page. Doubters and cynics would take the movement more seriously IMO if they think it is well-organized and has the potential of being a strong voting block.
@CDF:
“I always question that majority he supposedly had, since a few of those D’s were pretty much R’s in governance. I think that was one of the reasons why a lot of legislation was watered-down to get votes.”
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You’re right. .
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Thanks CDF. Apparently, Non de Plume has never heard of the ‘blue dogs’. HCR passed by a single vote.
Non de Plume, the fact that a significant number of whites routinely vote against their interests is what really matters, as they are still the overwhelming majority in this country.
Why no mention of the man’s numerous accomplishments, in lieu of your ‘happiness’? That’s what baffles me about this thread.
Ahh, the Magic Negro syndrome….
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See this is the problem with political commentary – many people do not bother to educate themselves on what a President is responsible for and, more importantly, what a Presidents not responsible for:
“The first sign of trouble came when he did not close down Guantanamo.”
Perfectly legitimate criticism of the President.
“Then came tax cuts for the rich.”
Also a perfectly legitimate criticism of the President.
“Then came his utter silence on Troy Davis.”
A President cannot pardon somebody convicted of a STATE crime. Nor can a President force a State Governor to pardon somebody convicted of a STATE crime. A President can only pardon FEDERAL crimes. So unless you were just looking for Obama to give us some kind of meaningless public service announcement just for the heck of it, this is not a legitimate criticism of the President.
“Then came his approval of the murder of an American citizen, Anwar al-Awlaki.”
As commander-in-cheif, this is a perfectly legitimate criticism of the President and, for the record, one I agree with you on.
“And then, like a sickening thud, came the nationwide police crackdown on the Occupy protesters – a crackdown so smoothly pulled off from coast to coast that it had to come from the capital with Obama’s blessing.”
WHAT??? This doesn’t even make sense. Unless they are conflicting with federal law, Presidents can not “bless” state and local affairs. Each protest was broken up by local police who are under the direct control of the Mayor of each respective city. Again, unless there is a violation of federal law taking place, the President has NO power to tell city police what to do.
I’m all for holding the President accountable for his shortcomings, but before we run off half-cocked with misinformation let’s make sure that we’re actually making a legitimate complaint in the first place.
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The thing that put me off Obama from the start was his seeming enthusiasm for chastising Black people publicly to appeal to racist White conservatives. I found it offensive that he spoke respectfully to all the other racial groups and was respectful of their needs and concerns but often had words of chastisement for Black people. I’m not sure if it’s because of his upbringing and absent Black father but I think Obama’s worldview is quite Eurocentric, he seems to believe in American Exceptionalism.
Obama’s relationship with the Black community always reminded me of a successful rich man who has a wife and a mistress who is uneducated, unemployed and lives in a slum, he sees on the side. The wife is recognised publicly, he holds her hand publicly, he takes her out to dinner and takes her when he goes to see his parents, but he could never be seen holding hands with the mistress, he doesn’t take her out to dinner or to see his parents, all she gets, is a wink and a nod when no-one is looking and she accepts the situation because she is desperate, feels grateful to be in the rich successful man’s life and has low self-esteem. I think Black people get too hung up on and dazzled by symbolism and trinkets instead of demanding real substantive change.
I also could never take the first “Black” President thing seriously either when he kept mentioning his White grandparents and mother and showing photos of them every chance he got to appeal to the White electorate. He was always the first Biracial President to me. I find the One-Drop rule offensive because of the White Supremacist idea that underpins it – one drop of Black blood pollutes and negates the pure White blood, but I understand that people of Obama’s hue get treated like Black people by society and therefore identify themselves as such.
After the Bush years the American people were angry and disillusioned and America’s image and standing abroad was in tatters so they selected Obama to pacify the American people with promises of hope and change and rehabilitate America’s image abroad and he played his part beautifully. He was very convincing.
He was ideal; good looking, young looking, he radiated health and vigour, he was very articulate and eloquent, a great orator and was cool calm and collected at all times. He was “Black” but not too Black so White liberals could feel noble for voting for him but not feel threatened by him, with a White mother which made White liberals feel like he was related to them and part of them and raised by White Grandparents so Whites felt they could take the credit for how he turned out. Not being African-American also helped him since he came with no slavery baggage and he said non-threatening fluff on race like “there’s no such thing as a Black America and a White America” and had a Black wife and kids so Black people could feel an affinity with him.
I always knew he would be just a front man they all are, the real power behind the throne are those who control the money, Democracy is a sham and a charade. Some people think Obama was a well meaning fundamentally decent naive man who ran for the Presidency because he wanted to do good for the American people, I don’t agree. His demeanour is not that of a man who went into the Whitehouse to do good and found out it wasn’t what he thought it was. He looks like he is enjoying every moment of it to me. His joke about Predator drones which he knows have killed many innocent men women and children gives me a good idea who he really is.
I believe he knew exactly what he was getting into and got into willingly because he wanted to be in the top echelons of power. I think he is a willing and enthusiastic servant of the American Empire and because of his service to the Empire he is now a “made man” in the United States Cosa Nostra Global Organized Crime Empire.
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Well, one thing they can not take away: he is the first black president of the country and that is something. Also, his campaing promises were something else. They did not come reality, YET. One day someone makes them so.
Untill you guys have a new roosevelt not one politician will be free from the big business and their crap. That is waht Roosevelt did. He told the big business shove it. Obama did not. That is why they still command and things do not change.
As for Obama being socialist, that just shows how politically ignorant majority of americans are.
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Well, Obama has most probably realised that being the president is not what he thought it would be.
Imagine thinking that you can change the world and make important decisions only to find that you are told what to do and don’t have the final say as you thought you would.
Besides, I can imagine his euphoria at being the first black president in the western world….That is pretty historic.
Also, I would imagine that he is fed up now with getting blamed for the things Bush had done before him, which really is not Obama’s fault when you think about it.
The man has to stand up more, but it just looks as though he has given up the race…..You don’t see that energy that he initially had, such a shame for him and America.
Like I said before, big shame when you think you are the one making important decisions but actually just a puppet to be told what to do….I can imagine that being annoying and energy draining for him.
On the other hand though, some people will say anything to get into power, many politicians do lie a lot and won’t keep to their word, as we see everyday.
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On the other hand though, some people will say anything to get into power, many politicians do lie a lot and won’t keep to their word, as we see everyday.
I tried that when I ran for office and I didn’t win!
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Obama didn’t “throw his pastor” under the bus. Initially he avoided openly repudiating or criticizing Jeremiah Wright. But in response to the backlash Jeremiah Wright became even more vociferous in his denouncement of the United States, despite knowledge that it was going to hurt Obama. Now, Jeremiah Wright may indeed have been right…there’s no “may”, he most certainly was. But the truth is—white America can’t handle the truth. They’ve never been able to and they probably never will be able to—when it comes to race, “truth” is like a kryptonite for whites. If Obama remained silent on Jeremiah Wright’s remarks, especially after Wright came out even more aggressively, then we’d have either a President Clinton or McCain today. I don’t fault Obama for that…sometimes it’s not tactically sound to wear your heart on your sleeve or even to reveal what ideologies are up your sleeve…sometimes, you have to win. We say, “oh, that’s mendacious” and this and that and the other—but that’s just how the game is played. I have problems with Obama but I realize the reality of the political system has more to do with his shortcomings than he does…I throw my weight behind him in 2012.
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@ Robert:
“I found it offensive that he spoke respectfully to all the other racial groups and was respectful of their needs and concerns but often had words of chastisement for Black people.”
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I think he meant well, but it was a mistake to use that kind of familiarity, IMO. I agree that it came of as disrespectful and chastising. Although the groups he addressed had differences, he should have addressed them in the same tone. I have noticed that Bill Clinton has also used this chastising tone when addressing Black audiences. I remember him using it while eulogizing Coretta Scott King. I don’t think anyone called him on it.
@ Robert:
“Obama’s relationship with the Black community always reminded me of a successful rich man who has a wife and a mistress who is uneducated, unemployed and lives in a slum, he sees on the side. The wife is recognised publicly, he holds her hand publicly, he takes her out to dinner and takes her when he goes to see his parents, but he could never be seen holding hands with the mistress…”
—-
I disagree. IMO he is not some elitist who is leading a double life and forgets where he came from – a single parent household, food stamps, high school scholarships, and loans for college tuition. As president, Obama should not closely align himself with any one group. He is everybody’s President, and should behave that way regardless of how he may feel personally. I must say that I have never seen so many Black advisors and White House staff in ANY administration. He also appointed a Black Attorney General and a Black Surgeon General. I believe these two appointments made history.
Obama is truly stuck in the middle. Some Blacks think he is not Black enough while some Whites think he is too Black. I don’t agree with everything the man does (or doesn’t do), but I believe Obama knows who he is.
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Correction: There were two other black surgeon generals who preceded the current one.
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“As president, Obama should not closely align himself with any one group. He is everybody’s President, and should behave that way regardless of how he may feel personally. ”
I am tired of the Obama apologists using this “he is everybody’s president” aka “he isn’t the president of Black America” line. Tell that to Jewish Americans, who Obama made EXPLICIT statements in regards to defending Israeli and makes it a point to address APAC every year. Tell that to Wallstreet, who Obama gave trillions of taxpayer dollars to at NO interest to, appointed these criminals who caused the systematic fraud to happen in the first place (a.k.a. Lawrence Summers and Timothy Geithner) to his cabinet, and NO major federal prosecutions have happened under Obama’s watch. And furthermore, who do you think have been the number one contributors to Obama’s 2012 campaign? Etc, etc, Obama has catered to every other interest group, EXCEPT black people who he has treated with disdain since day one. Obama has coddled racist White people more than Black people, who gave him 95 percent of their vote…….
“I must say that I have never seen so many Black advisors and White House staff in ANY administration.”
And what has these Black faces in high places produced? Not a d*mn thing. Instead of White people committing acts of evils to defend white supremacy, parasitic capitalism and American imperialism, we have black people doing it, and the icing on the cake is that our interests are STILL BEING IGNORED. Symbolic change, which Obama and all these other Black faces in high places equal to DOES NOT equal substantive change in policy or actions…..
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I always knew Obama was a fraud from day one: he is NOT a progressive, he is NOT a liberal. From his willingness to throw Black people under the bus, and to use us PUBLICLY as a punching bag to appeal to racist White voters during the 2008 campaign I knew he wasn’t someone that could be trusted.
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I like this blog and I read it all the time. You have some good insights and a good eye for things.
However.
The first sign of trouble came when he did not close down Guantanamo.
He did try, that is established fact. Also established is that Congress shut down the process and would not approve the funding for the closure. Add to that that many in Congress, both Republicans and Democrats, essentially said “Not in my backyard” when it came to placing the Guantanamo prisoners in federal and max prisons.
So, it’s true that he did not shut down Gitmo, but not true that it was some sort of failure of intent or his Liberalness and all that.
Then came tax cuts for the rich.
Congress. Could he have gotten a better deal, even dealing with all the Blue Dog Democrats and the intransigent Republicans? Maybe, but it seems unlikely.
Then came his utter silence on Troy Davis.
A tragic thing, that, but I am not sure his speaking out would have done anything for Davis, and could have done harm to others on death row. But that belief is a personal one, as is yours and, of course, you are welcome to your belief.
Then came his approval of the murder of an American citizen, Anwar al-Awlaki.
Yep. Lots of ins and outs here, but certainly be mad about this one.
And then, like a sickening thud, came the nationwide police crackdown on the Occupy protesters – a crackdown so smoothly pulled off from coast to coast that it had to come from the capital with Obama’s blessing.
Completely unproven. In fact, the person that wrote about it in the first place has backed off his original anonymous and single-sourced accusation.
Lots of things, depending on where you stand on the political spectrum, to be upset about with President Obama, Congress, Democrats, the economy, the political process, so on, but I just think it’s better when the anger and upset has a factual basis.
I knew from the first that Obama would not be nearly as left as I am, and that he was a cautious, strategic politician, so I guess I’m just not as disappointed or surprised about some of his actions as others. And, of course, I blame a lot on Congress. I don’t know his true nature. If I had to guess I would say that he is far more to the left than he appears, that his second term will show that more clearly, and that these past few years he has been laying the groundwork for that. But what do I know?
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“If I had to guess I would say that he is far more to the left than he appears, that his second term will show that more clearly, and that these past few years he has been laying the groundwork for that.”
Honest question, what has Obama done in the last three years that would cause you to believe his second term will be different, particularly in light of the fact that the Dems controlled Congress for the first 8 months of his presidency and yet he did nothing with this power as the LEADER of the Democratic party?
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“Honest question…”
Hope? 😉
Even in the first six months he never had a real majority of non conservative Democratic senators. And he probably won’t if he gets reelected either. But when he is not facing reelection, he will have fewer constraints. Perhaps will use executive orders more, or something, who knows. Or maybe he’ll just be the same.
But, a few things. He was a community organizer and studied some of the principles, so he knows the importance of laying a good foundation for things, and I think in some ways he has done that. He’s inoculated himself somewhat on some issues by being more hard line; will that give him room to maneuver better in a second term?
I think, though, that one thing that may drive it is a desire to leave his mark, not just as the first Black president, which is big enough, but as a transformative president in some way. So far, even with the mess he inherited he’s done a lot of things (whether one thinks them good or bad) but not enough to be the type of president he perhaps envisioned. To do that he’d have to do something big enough, important enough that neither the right nor his continual detractors on the left can ignore, or dismiss.
I don’t know, really, though. I guess we are back to “hope”, lol.
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“Even in the first six months he never had a real majority of non conservative Democratic senators.”
I will give you that partially: Harry Reid controlled the Dems in the Senate then, and he controls them now……Plus that ignores the supermajority that existed in the House under Nancy Pelosi. And I find it hard to believe that this few conservative Dems would have really stood infront of the HUGE mandate for change that was issued to Obama by the American people. A mandate for change that he squandered…..
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You know, it wouldn’t matter what this President accomplishes, he will NEVER get credit for it in the eyes many; many of these posts are ridiculous with the criticism. No factual accounting to support opinion, heck, little to no acknowledgement of Obamas accomplishments. WTF? Almost 50posts later and I can count on one hand the number of posters who’ve mentioned some this great man’s accomplishments. Yeah I said it, great. Thus far he has proven to be an exceptional President and Leader.
And the petty stuff about what he said to the CBC? Cmon son, is that all u got? They deserved it! What the hell have they done for their constituents? And they have NEVER had Obamas back, and openly criticized the man repeatedly.
Fuck em.
You blew it with this one, Abagond. You had an opportunity to present an honest, informed assessment and didn’t; no facts, no examining of the President’s record, just your emotionalism. All I’ve learned is that ODS and Magic Negro Syndrome doesnt just inflict whites on the right, but some people of color as well.
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“You blew it with this one, Abagond. You had an opportunity to present an honest, informed assessment and didn’t; no facts, no examining of the President’s record, just your emotionalism. ”
Where are your facts? You are the one that sounds really emotional….
“And the petty stuff about what he said to the CBC? Cmon son, is that all u got? They deserved it! What the hell have they done for their constituents? And they have NEVER had Obamas back, and openly criticized the man repeatedly.”
WHERE IS YOUR EVIDENCE THAT THE CBC HAS “open criticized the man repeatedly”?? Thats interesting, Obama saves the tough talk for the CBC, the people in Congress who have ALWAYS voted for the legislation that Obama wants. But I never heard him use such language toward the Republicans, who have made it clear that they want him to be a one term President. Explain that one…..
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“Plus that ignores the supermajority that existed in the House under Nancy Pelosi.”
Speaker Pelosi and the House Dems (the ones she was able to corral) were amazing. But even they, with the super majority and NancySmash could not break through the wall of the Senate. They passed a *lot* of stuff, good stuff, much of which was watered down in the Senate or completely blocked.
“And I find it hard to believe that this few conservative Dems would have really stood infront of the HUGE mandate for change that was issued to Obama by the American people.”
Why would you find that hard to believe? The Senators were there, a good number of them were running scared in their districts and they blocked, along with the Republicans and Lieberman, a good number of Democratic bills. Some were voted out because they made neither the Republicans nor the Democrats happy, and that’s when the Republicans took over.
” A mandate for change that he squandered…..”
He made mistakes, no doubt. People do, no matter how prepared they are or think they are for any position. But he came into a huge mess, a country on the brink of disaster, and he brought it through it. Perfectly? Perhaps not. And it’s still not done, obviously.
But squandered? I don’t know about that. Personally, I think we, the people, did more squandering of the “mandate”. So many people came out to vote and got him elected–and then seemed to think he should effect change all on his own, so they went home and just waited for it to happen. Immediately. With quite a lot of them constantly carping and tearing down from the sidelines before he was even inaugurated.
I don’t know how much of a mandate he had in the first place, anyway, but he said all through the campaign that he was a consensus builder and I think that is what he set out to try to be and do. It didn’t please some people much, but had he come in like Bush after 9/11 and just demanded things, that wouldn’t have pleased many either. Nor would it have worked absent another national tragedy.
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@ Nanette,
I don’t agree with your argument, but I respect it. It is stronger and more balanced, than most of the other pro Obama viewpoints on this thread. I still find it hard to believe that 6 to 10 conservative Dems could derail a progressive agenda (that if Obama had one in the first place) for these reasons (1) Obama has the power of the bully pupil to focus the public’s attention on issues (2) Obama is the LEADER of the Democratic party, and with such power (and money) he and other Dems could easily threaten to, and COULD primary this non-compliant Dems, which both parties do to candidates all of the time (3) They could threaten to withhold support for bills and policies that the conservative dems support, and again, this is standard practices of both parities for negotiations….
He did have a mandate: there is no other way in hell that this nation would have elected a Black man with the first name of Obama……
“But he came into a huge mess, a country on the brink of disaster, and he brought it through it.”
I wish I could agree with you on this, the stimulus was needed and did help (in the short term), but the plain fact of the matter is more tax dollars were spent to bail out banks, than was given out to states and municipalities under the stimulus. If the growth in poverty, unemployment, and crime are any measure we are moving into the storm, and not away from it………
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Abagond “blew it with this one.” ??? I disagree. I love how this thread has spurred such a passionate discussion.
I wonder how those who are extremely disappointed in the President will vote. Yeah, he may have been a disappointment to some, but will you be voting for the Republican nominee, whoever it is? If you choose not to vote, it will make the road that much easier for the Republicans. I haven’t missed any of these televised Republican debates. I have been very disappointed but not all that surprised. Booing a gay soldier who is risking his life, cheering at the thought of some uninsured person dying, the “Just get a job” mentality when jobs are scarce and Black unemployment is higher than the national average. And let’s not forget Herman Cain’s comment, “If you don’t have a job, blame yoself!” If you think it’s bad now, just wait…
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“I wonder how those who are extremely disappointed in the President will vote.”
I am voting for a third party candidate. I feel like I don’t have much of a choice at all, I can (1) vote for the guy who is doing 90 percent of what Bush did aka Obama or (2) vote for the Republican who will do 100 percent of what Bush did and more. It is clear to me that the political system is not hear to serve the interests of the American people, both parties have been bought off by big business. My final point to all the Obama and the Dems are the best thing since sliced bread crowd:
Answer this question for yourselves honestly: If Obama wins a second term (which he will), and the Dems get super-majorities in the House and Senate, what changes? Will there be major investigations and prosecutions of Wallstreet? Will the Dems pass legislation ending the repeal of Glass-Steel (which allow Wallstreet to engage in many of the actions that lead to the crash of 2008)? Will there be an end to the global farce, sorry, war on terrorism? Will the card check bill, the bill that would allow more Americans to unionize be enacted in legislation? Would government spying and intrusion in the personal business of Americans end? Would the patriot act be repealed?
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@Mk82. I’ve already mentioned a good number of the Presidents’saccomplishments, but u already know what they are and where u can find this informmation; you’ve chosen to ignore, and feign ignorance. That’s like debating with a fool. I’ve got more important things to do than YOUR homework.
See, that’s the real problem. Low information voters, who choose to be that way, for whatever reasons: racism, playa_hatin, jealousy, sense of entitlement and superiority who knows. Black man’s in office tryin his damndest to save this country that was INTENTIONALLY fubared, and is putting on a MASTERFUL performance given the circumstances, and hes not getting the love and SUPPORT he deserves. Now errbody here is Monday morning quaterbacking, fantasizing that the could do a better job. GTFOH.
You’re voting 3rd party, MK82? And u got the nerve to talk about someone else ‘squandering’ opportunity? Man please, with that garbage. You’re part of the problem.
Damn right i got his back…
Peace,
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“power has become so institutionalized in America that it no longer matters who holds what office. The machine itself is too powerful for any single man, even the president – supposedly the most powerful man in the world – to change”
Bingo. And so long as we continue to elect our national figurehead via the current electoral college system, it cannot change.
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@ farrod
The only fool here is you! LMAO! You have his back?? That’s good to know. But the better question is does he have YOUR back?!?!? Only time will answer that one. It so interesting that your response to my questions are character attacks on people who are in your opinion “lower information voters” but my responses have all been policy based critics of Obama and Congress. Yea I am voting third party, and I explained my reasons for doing so, and the explanation didn’t invlove any “playa-hating” or “Monday morning quarterbacking”, just facts, simple facts that you choose to ignore. Ignorant negros like you running around thinking that Obama is the second coming of Christ or something….
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MK82
“I am tired of the Obama apologists using this “he is everybody’s president” aka “he isn’t the president of Black America” line. Tell that to Jewish Americans, who Obama made EXPLICIT statements in regards to defending Israeli and makes it a point to address APAC every year. Tell that to Wallstreet, who Obama gave trillions of taxpayer dollars to at NO interest to, appointed these criminals who caused the systematic fraud to happen in the first place (a.k.a. Lawrence Summers and Timothy Geithner) to his cabinet, and NO major federal prosecutions have happened under Obama’s watch. And furthermore, who do you think have been the number one contributors to Obama’s 2012 campaign? Etc, etc, Obama has catered to every other interest group, EXCEPT black people who he has treated with disdain since day one. Obama has coddled racist White people more than Black people, who gave him 95 percent of their vote…….
And what has these Black faces in high places produced? Not a d*mn thing. Instead of White people committing acts of evils to defend white supremacy, parasitic capitalism and American imperialism, we have black people doing it, and the icing on the cake is that our interests are STILL BEING IGNORED. Symbolic change, which Obama and all these other Black faces in high places equal to DOES NOT equal substantive change in policy or actions…..”
Bravo. *Applauds*
That’s why I didn’t want him to win. I didn’t want a “Black” face fronting White Supremacist Global Gangsterism and international Terrorism. That’s why they wanted Obama so they could have a “Black” half-African face front their new Scramble for Africa – AFRICOM.
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That George Carlin “TRUTH” clip hits the nail exactly on the head.
The sad thing is that most Americans still believe in and support “the system” that is the greatest undercover criminal enterprise in the history of man, the U.S. military-industrial complex and the associated (corrupt) institutions that support it.
For those who “support” the troops and believe that these wars the military and political elitists are engaging in overseas are for preserving America’s so-called freedoms, check out – WAR IS A RACKET written by a retired General Smedley D Butler. He knew the score and shed a strong light on the problem. This little book should be required reading for everyone.
http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/warisaracket.html
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MK82, thanks. And I understand the difficulty in believing about the Senate, but numbers are numbers. It takes 60 votes to overcome a filibuster. In 2009 there were something like 57 Democratic Senators–if even a few of those joined the Republicans (as they did, time after time) and no Republicans joined the Democrats, well…
But all that is easily seen if you comb through the votes, especially on important legislation like the Gitmo thing, the healthcare bill, so on.
I am going to do what I can, however, to make sure that Obama gets a second term for a few reasons, though.
1. Long-term strategy
It seems to me that from the very beginning, January 2009 and even before, some on the right, and it sometimes seems that even more on the white left, have been branding Obama’s presidency a “failure”. No matter what he did, it was a failure. He failed the people, failed the left, failed the Blacks, failed the middle-class, failed the sick, failed everyone — regardless of what the actual facts were. No matter what he did, no matter what his admin accomplished, he should have done more and better and faster and, and and…
I have my suspicions of why this was/is, but one of the main reasons I am going to work for Obama’s reelection is because I would like to see, down the road, other non whitemale presidents. Sooner rather than later. And if Obama does not win reelection, if the meme is allowed to set in that “Oh, well, we tried a Black guy in office and the world fell apart — they just can’t govern, you know” (which it would, have no doubt) then it will be a really frosty day in Hades before another non whitemale was elected.
2. Curiosity
I really would like to see what he would do in a second term, absent the constraints of having to run for reelection. I look at some of the things that are most annoying to some (including me), like what looks like paternalism toward Black groups sometimes, deporting the highest number of undocumented immigrants (or whatever that statistic is) and other things, and I wonder. It could be that this is just how he is. It could be that he is setting the stage, shoring up his flanks, preempting criticism, so on, to really do big things that will have a profound effect on Black people, other people of color, in his second term. I don’t know. I’d like to see, though.
3. General support
I think he’s a good guy in a really tough job, who has accomplished a remarkable amount, especially given what was on his plate at the first. I think, probably, their messaging strategy (including that, oh so magical, bully pulpit 😉 leaves a lot to be desired. I think he’s made some mistakes, but again that is expected. And I certainly think that he is better, way better, than any Republican. My belief is that the whole “he’s the same as Bush, or almost the same” stuff is absolute nonsense. He is, as I stated above, not nearly as left as I am, but then I am more a Socialist than anything else. But he’s not the second coming of Bush, or anywhere near it.
Anyway, that’s me.
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@ Nanette
You opinion, is your opinion (backed up with strong arguements about the Senate, even with the filbster withstanding, he still could act). I would hope that the conclusions you have drawn about him are more accurate than my own, but I have three years worth of evidence in terms of foreign and domestic policies, who has working for him, and most importantly his relationship with wallstreet and big business. What can’t be denied is that he is a cut above ALL the Republican canindates, and because of this, he will win a second term. We will all have a front row seat to watch how your hypothesis about his second term will play out.
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And btw, Obama has said, but more importantly has actions have shown, that he is NOT a progressive or a liberal. He is a centrist, just like Mitt Romney.
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MK82
“And btw, Obama has said, but more importantly has actions have shown, that he is NOT a progressive or a liberal. He is a centrist, just like Mitt Romney.”
Oh, well I may as well go full metal Pollyanna and say that I like that he has positioned himself as a centrist (though I don’t think he is like Mitt Romney.) I don’t, of course, agree with all of his views or everything he has done, and not everything can be explained or forgiven as “strategy”, but I persist in thinking that some of it can. And I think that as he takes up the mantle as a ‘centrist’, it can help make some of his positions seem ‘centrist’ as well. Which they are.
So, healthcare as a right and not a privilege, as candidate Obama stated? A centrist position now.
GLB (am not sure about T at the moment) have the right to serve their country and fight and die in our (imperialistic and unnecessary, if you ask me) wars? Centrist position now.
The rich should pay their fair share of taxes and not leave the tax burdens on the poor and middle class? Centrist position.
I’m very much in favor of the moving of the center/centrist position from the far right cliff it was falling off of.
Mind, for the same reason I get highly annoyed at some on what is to me at most the center-left, flopping about and screeching about being the hippie punched “far left.” These, for the most part, are not people arguing for a redistribution of wealth, or for every person to have a living wage and housing, no matter what, or for a complete overhaul of our (the U.S.) prison and justice systems and so on. Most of them basically want a kinder, gentler capitalist society that will greatly improve the prospects of, and lessen the burden on, the middle class.
This positioning, of course, leaves the actual “far left” clinging by its fingernails to the possibility of even successfully inhabiting the “fringe” territory.
Anyway, as far as the next term, I hope you are right and we get to see what happens.
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@Nanette
Ok, so I will bite, my responses will focus on OBAMA’S ACTIONS, and not words:
“So, healthcare as a right and not a privilege, as candidate Obama stated? A centrist position now. “
Correct, healthcare is a right. However, how much of a right will it be if the legislation was written by insurance companies, and the other more cost effective option, Medicare for all, was killed on arrival by the Obama administration?
“GLB (am not sure about T at the moment) have the right to serve their country and fight and die in our (imperialistic and unnecessary, if you ask me) wars? Centrist position now.”
This one I will give to you. Great, now gay people get to serve openly in a global war on terrorism that Obama has expanded and has no intention of ending.
“The rich should pay their fair share of taxes and not leave the tax burdens on the poor and middle class? Centrist position.”
Lol, was this before or after Obama held his 2012 fundraiser on Wallstreet? What has Obama done to back up these words of “paying their fair share”? Thats right, appointing people who believe the opposite to this position to high level economic and financial posts in his administration, allowing the Justice department to commence NO major investigations or prosecutions of corporate fraud (including avoiding paying taxes) under his administration. Or what about the FACT that the Department of Homeland security has assisted local police departments in breaking up and tracking down members of the occupy wall street movement? How are such actions helping to ensure a just and equable society? Or is Obama going on TV and talking about a jobs bill, which he quickly surrendered his position on a few days later, enough to believe that he is doing something???
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I just saw on TV where House Democrat (Massachussetts) Barney Frank will not be seeking re-election. There is also word that other dems may not be seeking re-election. More than 20 seats could be up for grabs in The House and the Senate. .
I agree with many here that the system is very, very broken. We’re also losing our standing in the world because we don’t have our fiscal house in order, among other things. The debt ceiling debacle sickened me. The Super Committee could not come up with a budget by the Thanksgiving deadline, so now the axe is going to fall even in places where nobody wants it to fall. If we push back the deadline again, we could risk another credit rating drop. And so it goes…
I’ve often wondered that since Washington can’t seem to accomplish anything as of late, if some gathered a group of 20 or so people from different backgrounds and political affiliations and put them in a room, they could get things done.
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MK82
“Correct, healthcare is a right. However, how much of a right will it be if the legislation was written by insurance companies, and the other more cost effective option, Medicare for all, was killed on arrival by the Obama administration?”
But, was it?
I am the first to admit that I am not a detail-oriented person. Getting down into the weeds of things rarely enlightens me; more likely it’ll put me to sleep. But when you consider the timeline of the health care bill, including that fatal August, when the right was out and agitating against the bill, taking over townhall meetings, calling senators and reps threatening whatever if they passed the bill, especially with the public option–and the left was nowhere to be found, and were neither seen nor heard–I think it’s a miracle that anything got passed at all.
Did he give away too much, thus dooming the bill to be as bad as good be? Or did he take what he could realistically get, thus setting the stage for further advances down the road? The answer to that probably depends on a lot, including views of Obama himself, what actual power he has, what influence he has/had with congress and so on. I’m a “take what you can get and build on it” type person, as I’ve seen that happen over and over through the years, but of course others vary.
“Lol, was this before or after Obama held his 2012 fundraiser on Wallstreet?”
Can’t answer this one, I’m afraid, because I don’t know which fundraiser was held on Wall Street or for whom, or what the outcome was.
What has Obama done to back up these words of “paying their fair share”?
Well, he is not in the legislative branch, but he’s certainly offered proposals for Congress to decide on, supported bills that rolled back the Bush tax cuts, threatened vetoes of legislation before it reached his desk, and so on. And, of course, has traveled the country encouraging people to contact their congresspersons to get these bills passed, to think of the Buffet rule and all that. Until something actually gets to his desk that he can sign into law, though, am not sure how else he will be able to “back up these words.”
Thats right, appointing people who believe the opposite to this position to high level economic and financial posts in his administration
This is Geitner, Bernacke, etc? I don’t pretend to understand economics, especially when numbers get into the trillions and are wrapped up in the mess that was the mortgage, finance, so on situation that Obama walked into. I couldn’t tell you if they did a good job or a bad one, if through their work they limited the really bad damage that was done, or if they accelerated the fall, if the bailout of the auto industries was worth it for the jobs they saved, or if they should have just been allowed to fail, if letting the financial services companies fail would have toppled things beyond repair, or if propping them up, disastrous though it was, prevented even worse disasters.
Some of them may personally oppose taxing the rich, or rolling back the Bush tax cuts, but that doesn’t seem to have prevented the President from advocating it, so I don’t know.
allowing the Justice department to commence NO major investigations or prosecutions of corporate fraud
You sure about this? It takes time to build strong cases against corporations and people, especially when they have the kind of money some have at their fingertips to hire lawyers. I know that while Obama said that some of what these people did was immoral but not necessarily illegal, there have been cases trickling out of the Justice department over time. Maybe not huge, sexy ones, but cases nonetheless. I don’t follow this closely, though.
Or what about the FACT that the Department of Homeland security has assisted local police departments in breaking up and tracking down members of the occupy wall street movement?
Please show me the basis for this fact, thanks.
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@Nanette
“Can’t answer this one, I’m afraid, because I don’t know which fundraiser was held on Wall Street or for whom, or what the outcome was.”
Very interesting, you were more than willing to do the research on the health care reform issue, but when it comes to finding out information that makes Obama look a hypocrite you can’t find out yourself. Well don’t worry I have the information right here:
http://patdollard.com/2011/10/obama-receives-more-financial-sector-donations-than-all-gop-candidates-combined/
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1111/67770.html
“Well, he is not in the legislative branch, but he’s certainly offered proposals for Congress to decide on, supported bills that rolled back the Bush tax cuts, threatened vetoes of legislation before it reached his desk, and so on.”
How hard has he fought for these bills? How much did he involve the people who voted for him? I will cite the jobs bills as a perfect example…..Besides the jobs bill, what other proposals are you talking about??
“This is Geitner, Bernacke, etc? I don’t pretend to understand economics, especially when numbers get into the trillions and are wrapped up in the mess that was the mortgage, finance, so on situation that Obama walked into. I couldn’t tell you if they did a good job or a bad one, if through their work they limited the really bad damage that was done, or if they accelerated the fall, if the bailout of the auto industries was worth it for the jobs they saved, or if they should have just been allowed to fail, if letting the financial services companies fail would have toppled things beyond repair, or if propping them up, disastrous though it was, prevented even worse disasters.”
I must say that was a great attempt to dodge the issue and deflect responsibility from Obama. The fact remains he appointed them, THEY bailed out wallstreet, wallstreet used this money to pay themselves bonuses and to LOBBY Congress against tougher laws and regulations. Obama could have given this money out with strings attached, HE CHOSE NOT TO. These same institutions now have turned around and are now kicking people out of there homes and hoarding cash. Bernacke has continued multiple backdoor bailout to the banks which has devalued US currency, and dropped our interest rates (which people need for savings) to zero.
Obama kicked Vain Jones to the side when he became a political liability. Geitner, Bernacke, etc. haven proven themselves to be liabilities since day one. Why do they still have jobs?
“Some of them may personally oppose taxing the rich, or rolling back the Bush tax cuts, but that doesn’t seem to have prevented the President from advocating it, so I don’t know. “
That makes no sense at all, you come on tv and say one thing, but the PEOPLE who work for YOU do another. What is more powerful words or actions?
“allowing the Justice department to commence NO major investigations or prosecutions of corporate fraud
You sure about this? It takes time to build strong cases against corporations and people, especially when they have the kind of money some have at their fingertips to hire lawyers.”
Yes I am sure, are you sure about the information you have posted? Please see link:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/15/financial-fraud-prosecution_n_1095933.html
“Or what about the FACT that the Department of Homeland security has assisted local police departments in breaking up and tracking down members of the occupy wall street movement?”
Please see link:
http://gothamist.com/2011/11/16/justice_dept_official_raids_of_occu.php
I will address health reform in another email.
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Matari said:
“Obama, like Bush et al, is just a figure head. They’re only puppets taking instructions from their much more powerful masters.”
Yes, indeed – that’s the truth right there. Period. Red or blue; donkey or elephant, it matters not. I’ve written-in my votes, both on the local and national level, since G. W. Bush’s second term in office. I no longer expect a corrupt system to operate honestly.
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MK82:
Weeds! I am deep in them here! But I shall strive to stay awake. I will have to do some of this later because of time limitations, so I will just take the last first, as it is the easiest.
“Or what about the FACT that the Department of Homeland security has assisted local police departments in breaking up and tracking down members of the occupy wall street movement?”
Please see link:
Sorry, no, still not proven. It is perhaps a possibility, as just about anything can be, but even at the link you provide, their conclusions depend on “according to…” this guy, who at this link is walking back his story. He leaves room for questions at the end, but questions are not proof.
Most of this entire thing follows what one Kos writer calls The Circle Jerk of Attribution. That sort of thing is used, to great effect, by Republicans against Democrats. I find it a bit sad that, like so many of the right’s strategies, we’ve taken it and used it against ourselves.
Anyway, this whole story started with one poorly sourced article, posted at what amounts to a blog (with little or no editorial review), a blog, by the way, reportedly funded by the very right wing Phillip Anschutz, though I don’t know that it has a particular editorial slant because I don’t read it.
Anyway, I have seen people say that they believe in the Obama/DHS coordinated OWS crackdown because it sounds like it could be true, they think it must be true because Obama is basically the devil, and that it probably is true because otherwise why would the mayors of different cities talk to each other about OWS in the first place? So on.
All things to consider, yet the initial charge itself remains not proven.
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“I must say that was a great attempt to dodge the issue and deflect responsibility from Obama. The fact remains he appointed them, THEY bailed out wallstreet, wallstreet used this money to pay themselves bonuses and to LOBBY Congress against tougher laws and regulations. Obama could have given this money out with strings attached, HE CHOSE NOT TO.
Linda says,
Your statement is not really accurate. The backdoor deals with the banks were made by the Bush Administration prior to leaving office: Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson, as well as Tim Geitner and Bernacke (with private citizen Warren Buffett as a “silent” advisor).
The decision to attach no strings was a Paulson/Geitner/Bernacke decision made during the Bush administration …I do agree that Geitner never should have been appointed–he is shoe-licker for his wallstreet friends and he needs to be replaced…
anyhow, this mess didn’t start with Bush administration either, it began in 1999 with the ” .com” bubble and it’s implosion and stock crash in 2000. The average person didn’t notice it, and neither did the Bush administration since they were busy getting us into wars they did not budget for.
But more importantly, neither did Alan Greenspan (chairman of Fed.Reserve during Bush Admin), the one person who could have led the economy in the right direction but he was sleeping on the job and allowed the Housing bubble to proceed unchecked by continuing to reduce the federal fund rates to darn near 0% up until 2006.
I almost can’t blame those vultures (banks) for doing what they do best–making money off of cheap money and gullible people who believe that banks care about regular people.
The economic problems won’t be fixed in 2 or 4 years, since it took about 10 years for it to fester and erupt.
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“I’ve written-in my votes, both on the local and national level, since G. W. Bush’s second term in office. I no longer expect a corrupt system to operate honestly.”
I hate it when Africa is held up as THE world’s most unseemly continent supposedly full of corrupt nations and people, I’m astonished how visible “that TICK” is to everyone — while hardly anyone sees the gigantic elephant (America) standing alone in the room infested with every sort of vileness and rottenness that would make even the most hardened psychotic criminal blush with embarrassment. America has been taken over by conventional wisdom!
The people don’t choose the candidates. That’s a farce carried out with a sold out mainstream media and compromised ballot boxes, etc. The system picks them for us, and then we are allowed to VOTE for any of the candidates – all of whom BELONG to “them” – and Israel. It’s a lose – lose situation for us, a win – win scenario for them. They get their lackey, and MORE wealth. We get the fantasy called the American Dream and the privilege to become wage slaves – if we’re that lucky. Better wake up quickly America! If you can.
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No LIida,
These actions started under Bush, but CONTINUED under the Obama Administration, and some new programs started under Obama. Specifically quantitative easing part 2 happened under the Obama Administration:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantitative_easing
“The economic problems won’t be fixed in 2 or 4 years, since it took about 10 years for it to fester and erupt.”
The economic problems of this country won’t be fixed at all. NO ONE, including Obama, Congress, or any of the Republican candidates are offering any real solutions. Our political process has been brought and owned by Wallstreet. The middle class will be destroyed, and America will be turned into a third world state.
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@ Nanette
I look forward to your rebuttals regarding the lack of action from the Obama Administration concerning Wall street crime and how he is not responsible for the actions of the individuals he appoints to his own administration.
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@ Nanette
I also find it very interesting that you rebut the link I provided by citing that the article was poorly sourced from a blog, but you then cite an article from a blog (Daily Kos) to support your argument?
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“Specifically quantitative easing part 2 happened under the Obama Administration”
Doesn’t matter, Quantitative easing began in 2008 under Bush administration, policy and timetable of rollouts were already in place before the Federal Reserve announcement of its second round of quantitative easing in November of 2010….the course was already set and whoever won the presidency, whether Obama or McKain, could not have derailed it because the Federal Reserve was already given the go ahead by Congress back in 2008.
The problems started before Bush, and it was the Bush administrations LACK of action until the middle of 2008 that allowed things to mushroom out of control. The president of 2009 was not going to be the lone ranger who rides in and saves the day.
The economy is stagnant, Obama’s programs have not caused it to go up–but by not meddling with Paulson/Geitner/Bernacke plans, Obama allowed the policies to do what it was designed to do–keep the economy from going into a depression.
Don’t be so pessimistic, the US will get back on it’s economic feet like it always does.
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“The economy is stagnant, Obama’s programs have not caused it to go up–but by not meddling with Paulson/Geitner/Bernacke plans, Obama allowed the policies to do what it was designed to do–keep the economy from going into a depression.”
You mean Wallstreet and large corporations, from where I am standing the middle class isn’t doing so great….
“Don’t be so pessimistic, the US will get back on it’s economic feet like it always does.”
Sorry, I am not a believer in America exceptionalism, for a personal who seems to have a good handle on on finance/economic it surprising to know that you can ignore the evidence of the growing economic disparities in this country in addition to the destruction of the middle class. The economy is already back on its feet for the 1 percent, but the question is what systematic changes will have to occur before the 99 percent starts to feel positive results….
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“for a personal who seems to have a good handle on on finance/economic it surprising to know that you can ignore the evidence of the growing economic disparities in this country in addition to the destruction of the middle class.”
I don’t think you and I have discussed my personal feelings about the disparities of the classes in the US..
I can say this, these disparities are not new, they’ve always been there…the average person didn’t see them because the credit system in this country had always allowed the average person to live a lifestyle they could not really afford based on their earned wages…the poisoned apple tasted real good.
I am a realist…as an immigrant, I am not a member of the disillusioned class because since I set foot in this country, my eyes have always been wide open. I have no expectations of the system in the US nor have I ever expected the government to do anything for me…I come from a country where the 95% has been ruled by the 5% for years…
The middle class in the US have finally woken up and are just now discovering how much kool-aide they have drunk for all these years while they were grazing (as sheep) in the golden pasture…good for them.
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@Linda
“I don’t think you and I have discussed my personal feelings about the disparities of the classes in the US..”
You opened the door to my comment when YOU challenged my statement about the middle class being destroyed and the US becoming a third world nation.
“I can say this, these disparities are not new, they’ve always been there…the average person didn’t see them because the credit system in this country had always allowed the average person to live a lifestyle they could not really afford based on their earned wages…”
Not true, the expansion in credit that was provided to the middle class did not start until the 1990s. Before that it was hard for the average person to get a credit card or mortgage. Furthermore, the expansion of credit was a DELIBERATE decision made by the federal government and the financial services industry to mask the FACT that the real purchasing power of the middle class has remained stagnant since the late 1970s…….
“I am a realist…as an immigrant, I am not a member of the disillusioned class because since I set foot in this country, my eyes have always been wide open. I have no expectations of the system in the US nor have I ever expected the government to do anything for me…I come from a country where the 95% has been ruled by the 5% for years…
Thats great Linda, you are apart of the “I will put myself up by my own bootstraps” crowd. But you came to the USA for a reason, and I would assume it was to escape the tyranny of the 5 percent in your own country. So, the obvious question is what are you going to do when America becomes the system that you left? Furthermore, how do you think such a system will affect your children or grandchildren? Of course, YOU don’t expect the government to do anything for you. But I expect the government to provide good school, libraries, roads, etc. for me and the future generations, especially in light of the fact THAT I PAY TAXES FOR THESE SERVICES……..
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“You opened the door to my comment when YOU challenged my statement about the middle class being destroyed and the US becoming a third world nation.”
No, I don’t think so…I pointed out the inaccurate statements you made concerning this current administration and the recessed economy…you purposely introduced the new subject of the middle class and class disparities as a way to continue trying to find a bone of contention to debate on…
you sound knowledgeable about subjects but you are off base…don’t know what you were doing in the 80’s but for working people with good credit, it was not that hard to get credit or a mortgage…I am hip to your game, grasshopper, but I am not interested in playing.
you seem to be throwing out political talking points like you are on a CNN news show hired to debate for entertainment or you are trolling for a fight with someone/anywone…
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@Linda
So the recessed economy and the destruction of the middle class have nothing to do with each other? The financial services bubble and the housing bubble didn’t mask the declining fortunes of the middle class? There wasn’t an effort to increase home ownership and expand access to credit cards and other loans under the Clinton and Bush Administrations? Then lets agree to disagree then. You ignore my comments on threads, and I will do the same. How is that grasshopper?
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Abagond:
No experience, no backbone, no coherent platform…Problem! The democrat machine that elected him knew he was flawed from day one. In their mind, they viewed him as a useful idiot. They tried to elect ultra-liberal white guys in the past, and they failed. Walter Mondale, Al Gore, and John Kerry. Clinton was just as liberal, but he was pushed to the center out of necessity and political survival. Once the GOP gained control of the house in 1994, Clinton had enuf sense to roll with the punches. Dems love Clinton, but, he wasn’t a true-blue liberal in their mind. Obama was the perfect candidate for dems, biracial, ivy-league educated, smooth-talker, radical friends, etc. They couldn’t fool the people with the crazy white guy, in comes Obama to the rescue. Foolish and naive enuf to really implement far-left policy, and we see the results of that. Obama is the sucker, he just doesn’t know it yet. His racial background was used as a weapon to implement policies that hurt black people and americans in general. Black people haven’t gotten jack out of Barack, and it shows!!!
Tyrone
Black Eros Movement
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“Of course, YOU don’t expect the government to do anything for you. But I expect the government to provide good school, libraries, roads, etc. for me and the future generations, especially in light of the fact THAT I PAY TAXES FOR THESE SERVICES”
I too would like to believe that my local city government / county government put my property taxes towards “school, libraries, roads, etc” afterall, that’s the excuse they are using as to why they are collecting taxes in the first place…but I also recognize that they misappropriate funds all the time and do things with the money that I did not vote for.
The real truth is, as a resident and a citizen of the US, you and I (and everyone else) have no choice when it comes to taxes: we HAVE to pay taxes, so your expectations on how it is spent is a luxury that the system allowed you to have…if you don’t pay taxes or the appropriate amount, as Wesley Snipes can tell you, there will be h*ll to pay.
As I said, I am proud that the sheep finally have woken up…. and I agree with you that our conversations are not productive. Good luck in your effort to enlighten the sleeping sheep in the disillusioned class.
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@Linda
“The real truth is, as a resident and a citizen of the US, you and I (and everyone else) have no choice when it comes to taxes: we HAVE to pay taxes, so your expectations on how it is spent is a luxury that the system allowed you to have…if you don’t pay taxes or the appropriate amount, as Wesley Snipes can tell you, there will be h*ll to pay.”
Wesley Snipes was an atypical example (in my opinion punished so harshly because he had the nerve to be rich, black, and not pay his taxes!). The rich and large corporations get away with skipping out on paying taxes all the time.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/19/us-swiss-banker-probation-idUSTRE7AI00320111119
I am done.
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The president is still the same man, IMO. I just don’t think he has as much power as people think.
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But I think he was the best choice in 2008, and still is the best choice in 2012. I just hope the talk about his race goes down; it’s been pointless and never-ending; distracting from the real problems that need to be addressed in America.
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Tyrone:
Obama was the perfect candidate for dems, biracial, ivy-league educated, smooth-talker, radical friends, etc. They couldn’t fool the people with the crazy white guy, in comes Obama to the rescue. Foolish and naive enuf to really implement far-left policy, and we see the results of that.
Can you share with us what Obama policies are actually far-left? Or is this just another right-wing fantasy with no reality based evidence to back it up at all?
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Robert:
1. The Auto Bailout…A gift to unions at the expense of taxpayers.
2. The Stimulus Plan…A trillion dollar payback to states and public-sector unions, with no benefit to private sector workers.
3. Obamacare…A takeover of private healthcare in this country, black folk will suffer the most from the legislation. Hopefully, it’s overturned by the Supreme Court next year.
4. Dodd/Frank Bill…A takeover of the financial services industry by the snakes in DC. Instead of tweaking the system, Obama and his minions decided to take over another portion of the private sector economy.
5. Operation Fast & Furious…Eric Holder, Attorney General, thought it would be a great idea to force owners of gun shops in Texas, Arizona, and other border states to give guns to the ATF, who in turn would allow mexican drug cartels to transport the guns into Mexico to kill countless numbers of people…Genius!
6. Illegal Immigration…Barack has no problem allowing illegals from Mexico and other latin countries to flood the US with impunity. It’s against the law and it adversely affects black people in this country, but democrats don’t care. They view hispanics as another source of cheap labor to exploit and clueless voting bloc. Democrats have no shame.
Robert, I could go on and on, but, I think you understand why I’m not a Dixiecrat/Democrat, and never will be.
Tyrone
Black Eros Movement
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1. The Auto Bailout…A gift to unions at the expense of taxpayers.
False.
The “far-left” course of action would be complete and permanent nationalization of the auto industry. The profits are still private.
2. The Stimulus Plan…A trillion dollar payback to states and public-sector unions, with no benefit to private sector workers.
CBO: Stimulus Has Raised Employment By 1.4-3.6 Million
Private Analysts Estimate That Stimulus Increased Employment By 2.1 To 2.5 Million
WSJ: Economists Say Economic Recovery Has Been Driven By Stimulus.
Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal are increasingly optimistic about the pace of the recovery, predicting the U.S. will grow at better than a 3.2% annual rate in each quarter this year.
“The U.S. economy appears to have successfully navigated the adjustment from a recovery driven primarily from economic stimulus and inventory rebuilding to one driven by private domestic demand and rising exports,” said economists at Wells Fargo & Co.
Looks like the Stimulus did pretty much what Obama said he intended for it to do. He could have done an even bigger and better one had he not compromised with obstructionist Conservatives.
3. Obamacare…A takeover of private healthcare in this country, black folk will suffer the most from the legislation. Hopefully, it’s overturned by the Supreme Court next year.
False.
The “far left” policy would have been universal healthcare funded by general taxation.
4. Dodd/Frank Bill…A takeover of the financial services industry by the snakes in DC. Instead of tweaking the system, Obama and his minions decided to take over another portion of the private sector economy.
How does the Dodd/Bill enable this?
5. Operation Fast & Furious…Eric Holder, Attorney General, thought it would be a great idea to force owners of gun shops in Texas, Arizona, and other border states to give guns to the ATF, who in turn would allow mexican drug cartels to transport the guns into Mexico to kill countless numbers of people…Genius!”
False.
Even if this were true it still wouldn’t be properly classified as “far-left” I’d be interested in a link to some evidence of this claim.
6. Illegal Immigration…Barack has no problem allowing illegals from Mexico and other latin countries to flood the US with impunity. It’s against the law and it adversely affects black people in this country, but democrats don’t care. They view hispanics as another source of cheap labor to exploit and clueless voting bloc. Democrats have no shame.
False.
Allowing immigrants into the country to exploit them as cheap labour is not “far left” .
I could never be a Republican/Conservative, nor would I read their publications for my information as they are low-life pathological liars only interested in making the rich richer at the expense of everybody else and are the avowed enemy of Black people who would only be satisfied by Black people being left completely destitute.
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I have noticed that he to some degree has changed a little bit, but I know that it’s really just a front he is putting up just to appeal to right wingers because he’s under enormous pressure from several different angles, he’s is being bullied by most media outlets and right wing media outlets with there constant nitpicking, trivial fault finding, destructive critism and the constant poisoning of people’s perceptions against his character. And also about Tony’s case, you said you self that he can’t appear to show favoritism for blacks If I can remember correctly the way you put it….I’m pretty sure if he did show sympathy for tony the right wingers would have found and made a big deal about some story of a white guy that was not guilty of doing something to someone who was non white in an attempt at making it appear that non whites cry racism all the time or something…the media usually cooks up something retarded to paint Obama in a bad light…I mean damn he already has gray hair when he didn’t before! I knew that when I voted for him that he would not be able to fulfill every promise, and that he was basically inheriting what lil’ bush had been responsible for, I felt bad for him as the news about the recession got a lot worse before nov 2008! Phew, I you can understand what I wrote!!! 😉
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well said.
i just discovered your blog, from googling half sigma.
so far, so good.
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obama is just another puppet being used by the military-industrial complex… oh, the democrats and republicans arent really opposed to each other… they are “oppo-sames”….
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Idk what to think about Obama at this point. With an obstructionist Republican it’s hard to judge his presidency…
Does anybody know anything about his political record as a senator?
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*obstructionist repub congress
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Reblogged this on Mbeti's Blog.
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You are delusional Abagond. We plan many things in life. ABCD; but ‘life’ and other interruptions will get in the way. As a responsible adult, anyone should know that we can have an agenda, but when you are dealing with a partisan congress, it can severely limit your choices. Personally, I am very glad our President is for once speaking up for himself. He was such a gentleman, that he didn’t want to make Romney look bad and thus he lost the first debate. But he soon learned, you better lay this ‘nice guy’ thing aside and bite back at the wolves or you will be annilated. Proud that he bared his teeth and wish he continue to do so in order to get things done on his terms. He IS THE PRESIDENT!! He’s not the ‘black peoples’ president, but the President for ALL the people. Look back at your own life and how you may have had your agenda all set. Did every thing go as planned? I know mine didn’t.
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I heard a discussion with bell hooks the other day, and she said we (those who voted for Obama) always knew that he was in cahoots with big business and bankers, but being complicit in white supremacy only saw a black man and what this might mean for the country and as African-Americans. After all, the man was educated at some of the best schools in the world…I think she made a solid point that we were blinded by our complicity in these things. Once the blinders came off and we saw Obama for who he is; he seemed like a different person.
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Your Obama is a puppet. Just a puppet. A very good one I might add. But he’s not the only one. He is from a long line of presidential puppest. The only difference is that this puppet is very inteligent. Diabolically inteligent. The others were kinda dumb.
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My rule of thumb has always been to never trust a politician. They pretty much as trained liars and power can make any good man turn evil.
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@Eurasian Sensation
Very well said. Gives me much to ponder on.
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Does Obama still have any room left in the next 2 years to redeem himself?
How will history write him?
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Does Obama still have any room left in the next 9 months to redeem himself?
How will history write him?
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Naive.
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Does Obama still have any room left after his presidency to redeem himself?
How will history write him?
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Good riddance.
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Inept, indecisive and naive, Obama was largely a disaster. Good riddance.
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