When Barack Obama assumed office in January, 2009, he already had two strikes against him. He inherited a mess comparable to what FDR faced the last time the Republicans had wrecked the economy under Hoover. But in FDR’s day, Republicans were a saner breed and many were willing to work with him to make things better for Americans. Today’s Republicans are so despicably desperate for power that they are intentionally sabotaging our nation to keep Obama from making accomplishments, even going so far as to filibuster their own proposals. In spite of that, he has accomplished some amazing things. I have been free with my own criticism of the man, and will continue to be so. Whenever I think he is wrong, I say so, and will continue to do so. However, he far better than anyone the Republicans have to offer and he will have zero chance to accomplish anything else, if Republicans take the House and the Senate. Lets give him the chance.
…From the outset, it was inevitable that Obama’s transcendent campaign would give way to an earthbound presidency — one constrained by two wars, an economy in free fall and an opposition party bent on obstruction at any price. "Expectations were so sky-high for him that they were impossible to fulfill," says presidential historian Douglas Brinkley. "Obama’s partly to blame for this: People were expecting a progressive revolution. What the president has delivered instead is gritty, nuts-and-bolts, political legislative work — and it’s been rough."
During his campaign, skeptics warned that Barack Obama was nothing but a "beautiful loser," a progressive purist whose uncompromising idealism would derail his program for change. But as president, Obama has proved to be just the opposite — an ugly winner. Over and over, he has shown himself willing to strike unpalatable political bargains to secure progress, even at the cost of alienating his core supporters. Single-payer health care? For Obama, it was a nonstarter. The public option? A praiseworthy bargaining chip in the push for reform.
This bloodless, if effective, approach to governance has created a perilous disconnect: By any rational measure, Obama is the most accomplished and progressive president in decades, yet the only Americans fired up by the changes he has delivered are Republicans and Tea Partiers hellbent on reversing them. Heading into the November elections, Obama’s approval ratings are mired in the mid-40s, and polls reflect a stark enthusiasm gap: Half of all Republicans are "very" excited about voting this fall, compared to just a quarter of Democrats. "Republicans have succeeded in making even the president’s victories look distasteful, messy — and seem like bad policy steps or defeats," says Norman Ornstein, a scholar at the conservative American Enterprise Institute. "Many on the left have expressed nothing but anger, frustration and disappointment."
But if the passions of Obama’s base have been deflated by the compromises he made to secure historic gains like the Recovery Act, health care reform and Wall Street regulation, that gloom cannot obscure the essential point: This president has delivered more sweeping, progressive change in 20 months than the previous two Democratic administrations did in 12 years. "When you look at what will last in history," historian Doris Kearns Goodwin tells Rolling Stone, "Obama has more notches on the presidential belt."
In fact, when the history of this administration is written, Obama’s opening act is likely to be judged as more impressive than any president’s — Democrat or Republican — since the mid-1960s. "If you’re looking at the first-two-year legislative record," says Ornstein, "you really don’t have any rivals since Lyndon Johnson — and that includes Ronald Reagan." [emphasis added]
Inserted from <Rolling Stone>
This is the lash half page of an extensive seven page article that thoroughly lays out the issues involved to reach this conclusion. I urge you to click through and read it.
During Obama’s campaign I warned over and over again that he is a centrist and would govern from the middle. I sat on the fence for a long time, before I decided to support him shortly before the primary. Sadly, many of my fellow progressive friends were to ecstatic with Obamaphilia to see that and painted him with the image of who they wanted him to be instead of seeing him as he is. Many now feel betrayed and are taking the attitude that they want what the want, they want it all now, and if they can’t have it they will jump off the bandwagon.
In my ideal world we would have single payer health care (Medicare for all), ENDA in, DOMA and DADT gone, 100% public financing for campaigns, TBTF banks broken up, massive stimulus and more. If only we lived in my ideal world, but we don’t. At least under Obama we have had some PROGRESS.
Therefore progressives should support that progress by hanging in there. The sweetness of that rebel thrill of voting for the third party candidate (except in rare cases like SC-1, where the Democrat is a Republican plant) will sour in your mouth, if Republicans return to power.
20 Responses to “Lets Give Obama a Chance to Succeed”
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You know just as I do Thomas that the wording of the question asked can skewer the result of the end number. Ask me if I am excited about going to the polls the answer would inevitably be no. But does that mean I am not going to vote? Depending on how and who is asking the question for whom just about any statistic is going to be biased towards whoever is paying the bills view or need for reportable “facts.”
That said—If the Progressive media would shut the hell up and quit telling us how unenthusiastic we are and leave that to Hannity, Beck and 2 Viet Nam draft deferment Limbaugh (not quite as many as 5 time chicken hawk cheney but the reasons for them he has already said were Alice’s Restaurant), it would sure as hell be more helpful in my opinion. No dog likes to be kicked so let the right do the kicking not the left and let the dog bite the right leg.
Mark, I’ve been going by what I’m seeing from progressives in the many places I go for information, not the polls. The only people I’m irritated with are those that say they are jumping ship, because. as you know, that will help Republicans.
Thank you for this accurate and sensible post, TomCat. Obama is indeed worthy of praise for what he has accomplished so far, and has definitely earned his paycheck. He has been no flaming radical (which has disappointed a nymber of us here on the left), but he has accomplished an unbelievable amount, especially consider the lack of congressional cooperation he’s had to endure. For the Tea Party and conservative Republican idiots to continually pound on him as being socialist and far left shows how twisted and far right, WAY out of the mainstream THEY have become!
VOTE, DEMOCRATS, LIBERALS, AND PROGRESSIVES!!!!!
Amen Jack. 🙂
I agree we must vote and the choice is really Democrat or republican. Voting for a third party, while maybe sending a message, only helps republicans get elected. Progressives are not going to get everything they want from a Democrat, but they will get much more than from a republican/teabagger.
The choice is clear!
I will end up voting for a blue dog democrat for the House. I am not particularly happy about it. I did not vote for him in the primary, but the republican is far worse. My choice is clear.
Jerry, I understand your frustration. Fortunately, I have a David Wu, a Rep. I can vote for. I’ve spent most of my life voting against people too.
Tom, thank you for a sane and well thought out comment about Obama. I think that what he has accomlished is amazing being that it has been an uphill battle against the GOP from day one.
As for polls, I have absolutely no confidence in them as they are based solely on contacts with landline phones and do not tap into the thoughts of the huge number of people who have only cell phones.
Charles, many pollsters are calling cell phones now. The company for which I used to work did.
Granted Obama has accomplished a lot, but he’s really pissed me off sometimes too. I’m sure a lot of us feel that way. The Dems need to vote (I don’t give a shit if you’re not motivated). I’m one of those old fashioned people with a land line and I’ve never been called once in the 20 years I’ve lived in this house. I think they just call the same people over and over. 😆
I hate when people call my cell, because I can never find the damned thing. It’s the blonde. 🙄
Me too, and I’m not even blonde!! 🙄
Lisa, how many times have you seen me say he’s wrong? Lots! So I agree.
Your number is at the very top of their “people we’re afraid to call” list. 😉
Sorry I haven’t been by. Trying to put together a yard sale and getting sick to boot.
Lisa G., I don’t know how long you’ve been voting but I bet you haven’t always been totally happy with the person you voted for. I’ve been disappointed in Obama but I’ve been just as disappointed – read pissed – in Democrats who snivel ALL the time.
This is what I’ve put up on top of my blog:
VOTE REPUBLICAN – if you don’t want mental health parity or coverage for a preexisting condition. VOTE REPUBLICAN – if you’re willing to give up Social Security. VOTE REPUBLICAN – if you hate gays, blacks, Hispanics, Muslims, Native Americans, Asians, Jews, and everyone else who is not a WASP. VOTE REPUBLICAN – if you love big corporations and high taxes. Or hey, DON’T VOTE – it’ll amount to the same thing.
Good, well-reasoned post, Tom.
Sorry I haven’t been by yours either, Leslie. Yard sales are harder to bear that illness.
I agree.
Great header!
Thanks!!
Thanks TC, really well said! I will vote democrat til the day I die and I don’t care who thinks that’s stupid. Even more stupid is voting against your own best interests when you vote for the GOP!
You’re welcome, Sue. I can’t say the same, because if the Republican party were to go the way of the Whigs, and a progressive party to the left of the Democrats were to replace it, I would probably change. But in the current political landscape, self-interest demands a Democratic vote for all but the very rich.
Well said, Tomcat. I’m with you all the way. While there are things I wish Obama had done differently (e.g., why would the DOJ be appealing the recent court ruling re: DADT) I know for sure that he has accomplished way more in the right direction than anyone is giving him credit for. And certainly the GOP politicians that may win during the midterms will be trying to push it all in the other direction. We must give Obama his chance to finish what he has started and certainly that will depend on Dems retaining control of Congress.
Thanks Mimi. If Obama follows the law properly, he leaves DOJ to make their own decisions. I agree.
I’M PROUD OF YOU LABOR!. Keep standing up. The lives and health of all the American people and the World are in serious jeopardy.
Further, unemployment healthcare benefits are critically needed. But they should be provided through the Medicare program at cost, less the 65% government premium subsidy provided now to private for profit health insurance.
Congress should stop wasting hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer money on private for profit health insurance subsidies. Subsidies that cost the taxpayer 10x as much or more than Medicare does. Private for profit health insurance plans cost more. But provide dangerous and poorer quality patient care.
It’s over. Tell congress to get the healthcare Merchants of death and injury out of the American peoples lives for good. 2010 is about THE PUBLIC OPTION!
And that CORRUPT! UNDEMOCRATIC! filibuster must GO! NOW!
Alan Grayson Honors The Dead http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TV9TRoYMtjs&feature=player_embedded
Alan Grayson on Healthcare http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPpQ2MNaSDo&feature=player_embedded
Ron Sparks HealthCareReform http://youtu.be/kqlBFRJh4Cw
John Garamendi – The Public Option http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyBTEke68aQ&feature=player_embedded
I want to commend all of you for working so hard and being so strong at helping the whitehouse and congress begin to address our U.S. and Global healthcare crisis. You have been AWESOME! my fellow Americans and peoples of the World. America and the World is better and safer for it. My greatest pride is the knowledge that I am one of you. And that you really get it. You really understand the importance of it all.
There are some potentially very good things in the healthcare legislation. Especially with the reconciliation fix’s. The Democrats, Bernie Sanders and the Whitehouse did a GREAT! job of fighting to produce the best healthcare legislation that they could. They have earned all our strong support. And we should give it to them.
But it was your relentless pressure and hard work that made the difference. Whatever good comes from this healthcare legislation, America and the peoples of the World will have each of you to thank. You were smart, creative, courageous and relentless. You fought together for the best legislation possible. And when you had to, you fought alone. No matter who stumbled and fell you continued to push and forge ahead. Fighting for the lives and health of the American people and the World. YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF YOUR-SELVES 🙂
It may come to pass that future generations will look back on us and say that we were ALL Americas Greatest Generations. And that healthcare reform was our finest hour. You should be proud of our leaders President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Reid and the many other Democratic and independent fighters for the people in congress. They proved them-self worthy of the leadership of a GREAT! PEOPLE.
But we are not done yet. This was just the beginning of healthcare reform, not the end. WE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES, ARE NOT! divided on healthcare legislation. The vast majority of you have been consistently crystal clear that this legislation does not go far enough. You want a strong Government-run Public Option CHOICE!! available to everyone on day one. And you want it NOW!
YOU MUST NOT ALLOW AN INDIVIDUAL MANDATE TO STAND WITHOUT A STRONG GOVERNMENT-RUN PUBLIC OPTION CHOICE! AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE.
WE THE PEOPLE have been crystal clear that we want an end to dependence on for-profit healthcare and the for-profit proxies called private for non-profit healthcare. The American people want the CHOICE! of a strong Government-run Public Option to replace their need or dependence on healthcare providers whose primary motivation is profit. Rather than providing the highest quality, easiest accessible and most affordable medically necessary healthcare possible. This is what the rest of the developed World has. And the American people want it too. They want healthcare ASSURANCE! Not, for-profit health insurance. And they want it NOW!
Now is the time to continue the push for a strong Government-run Public Option CHOICE! available to everyone that wants it on day one. Rationally it’s clear what we have to do to get this done. SUPPORT THE DEMOCRATS that supported you with a Public Option choice, and REMOVE as many republicans as you can. Not one republican in congress was willing to step across the isle to support a strong Government-run Public Option CHOICE!! available to everyone on day one. NOT ONE! Let no candidate prevail this November that does not support a Strong Government-run Public Option.
47,000 AMERICANS die each year from lack of healthcare. 120,000 die from treatable illness that don’t die in other developed countries. Hundreds of thousands of you are dieing from medical accidents in a rush to profit. And Millions of you are injured. Millions more are driven into bankruptcy. All for the privilege of paying two to three times as much as any other people in the developed world for healthcare. HOGWASH!
Additionally, tens of thousands of you and your children were killed and millions sickened and injured from a terror attack with H1N1 (swine flu). Released on the American people and the World by the for-profit healthcare industry. All in an attempt to panic and frighten you into accepting the oxymoronic criminal enterprise of private for-profit healthcare (The most costly, deadly, dangerous, and disgraceful product sold in America). H1N1 is still sickening people and killing them. Especially children, the young and the middle aged. And there will be a third wave. These are the terrorist you need to worry about the most. Even the so-called international terrorist would not do something so INSANE! But greed driven medical profiteers would and did.
Apparently as far as republicans in GOVERNMENT are concerned, YOU! my fellow Americans – CAN JUST DROP DEAD! Including their own family members. Fools!… Hundreds of thousands of you, and possibly millions of you will die from the long-term effects of your infection and poisoning with H1N1.
So my fellow Human Beings. Rest-up, Take good care of the basics (Balanced nutrition, hydration, exercise, rest and POSITIVE emotional supports). Then wade back into the FIGHT! for a strong Government-run Public Option CHOICE! available to everyone on day one. Drug re-importation, Abolishment or strong restrictions on patents for biologic and prescription drugs. And government controlled and negotiated drug and medical cost. You must take back control of your healthcare system from the Medical Industrial Complex. You MUST do it NOW! This is a matter of National and Global security. There can be NO MORE EXCUSES.
God Bless You My Fellow Human Beings. I’m glad to know of you. And proud to be one of you.
See you on the battle field.
Sincerely
jacksmith – WorkingClass 🙂
Welcome Jack. 🙂
Thanks for the extensive comment, with which I fully agree.