On Approaching 145,000 Posts, I'm Going to Slow Way Down
I joined DU in November of 2008. President Obama had just been elected as President, and I was over the moon with excitement about the possibilities. We seemed to be on the verge of a sea change in the course of our nation's progress. I decided that I would bring my years of experience in Democratic politics and campaigning to a popular national discussion forum.
Despite my optimism, I arrived here, only to see some DUers attacking the newly elected President for not being good enough, not being progressive enough, and not something else enough. Even as he worked to help Americans obtain more affordable healthcare, he was attacked on this very website. One DUer famously called him a "POS used car salesman," for Pete's sake!
Worse, despite his popularity, we were never able to give him a large enough majority in Congress to do all he might have done. Still, I maintained my optimism and did my best to encourage actions that would lead to that majority in the future.
Barack Obama led the nation through two terms in office, constantly trying to get progressive programs through a reluctant Congress. We never gave him a fully supportive Congress. Instead, many of us complained about what he didn't accomplish, rather than praising him for what he did accomplish.
After two terms as President, he had to move on. In 2016, his Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton ran for the office. She had served the nation well and enthusiastically. She was opposed in 2016 by an insane buffoon of a man, Donald J. Trump. Surely she would defeat such a poor excuse for a presidential candidate.
It wasn't to be. Even here on DU, candidate Clinton was attacked for whatever reasons could be mustered. I was dismayed through that entire campaign process. How could we attack a qualified, progressive woman who ran as a Democrat, when the Republican opponent was such an obviously unhinged, dangerous man? But we did. I believed that US voters would come through on election day, nevertheless, and elect Hillary Clinton. After all, so much was at stake, including several potential Supreme Court justices.
That was not to be, either. Enough disgruntled "progressives" refused to vote for candidate Clinton that three states were lost. Just three states and by precious few votes. I knew a few people who voted for Jill Stein, myself. Their reason? "I just don't like Hillary." Donald J. Trump was inaugurated in January. The Supreme Court shifted to a strong, conservative majority, and that spelled the end of Roe v. Wade, as we had been warned.
In 2020, we came to our senses and elected Joe Biden as President. However, we failed, once again, to give him a strong majority in Congress. Indeed, we lost our majority in the House in 2022, if only by a small, 4-vote margin. Despite that, President Biden has managed to accomplish much. Surely we would reward his success by working tirelessly to regain our congressional majority and magnify it. Right? Nope.
Instead, we now begin to complain about President Biden and declare him to be too old to run again. We appear ready to sever our collective nose once again to spite our collective face. Not only could we lose the presidency in 2024, we could also lose both houses of Congress.
All because some of us are unable to accept anything less than perfection. We risk losing everything for some vague expectation that we can have a perfect government. How could we be so stupid, again and again?
So, I will continue to log in on DU, as I have since 2008. I have a permanent tab open on it in my web browser. However, I will not be posting original posts here very often. I'm shifting my focus onto other ways I can try to influence things. I am tired, at the age of 77 years. I remain hopeful, but am also doubtful, unfortunately. It has not been a great 14 years. Nope.
Good luck to all of us! Good luck to the United States of America!
= new reply since forum marked as read
I am proud to call you "friend", for all that we've never met IRL. And I understand..
DU will be poorer without 
your content and voice.
Be well.
I came here in 2016 (enough said) And you were one of the posters who helped restore my sanity! Your posts quickly became must read for me. Thank you for your excellent outlook on politics and your wise words. I will miss reading your posts! Please sign in when the spirit moves you to do so! Some of us need your clear-eyed take on what is happening day to day. 
Thanks for sharing your personal views, wise insights and funny stories over the years. I can understand your discouragement, I really can. But I'll also say that once you've spent time on other forums, you'll start missing the safety, the warmth and the friendship on DU. There are no other places like it out there.
Politics is always a tricky subject that sometimes brings out the worst in us, but it can also bring out the best. Sometimes. Please don't stay away too long.
YOU are one of the most knowledgeable (an strongest) persons on this site. it's hard to come here and read almost continuous attacks on the Democrats that are fighting daily in congress and investigations that continue. I'll be 76 this year, and some days i cannot take the news coming from the TRAITORS controlling the House. I'll continue to read EVERY future posts you make. Hang in their friend!!
And thank you for your tireless work for our democracy. I always enjoy your posts!
You have always been a rational, informative, and interesting poster. Needless to say, your posts will be missed, but it is good to know you are remaining part of the DU community.
We have to put our focus where we feel it is the most productive or rewarding. Meanwhile, I'm sure we'll see you around and about from time to time.
I know you’ll be doing good work out there IRL, as you always have.
We’ll keep the light on for you 
(I myself spent most of Obama’s presidency in the Barack Obama Group, aka BOG. It was disappointing, to say the least. )
Putting this here, because reasons:
On Approaching 145,000 Posts, I'm Going to Slow Way Down
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I joined DU in November of 2008. President Obama had just been elected as President, and I was over the moon with excitement about the possibilities. We seemed to be on the verge of a sea change in the course of our nation's progress. I decided that I would bring my years of experience in Democratic politics and campaigning to a popular national discussion forum.
Despite my optimism, I arrived here, only to see some DUers attacking the newly elected President for not being good enough, not being progressive enough, and not something else enough. Even as he worked to help Americans obtain more affordable healthcare, he was attacked on this very website. One DUer famously called him a "POS used car salesman," for Pete's sake!
Worse, despite his popularity, we were never able to give him a large enough majority in Congress to do all he might have done. Still, I maintained my optimism and did my best to encourage actions that would lead to that majority in the future.
Barack Obama led the nation through two terms in office, constantly trying to get progressive programs through a reluctant Congress. We never gave him a fully supportive Congress. Instead, many of us complained about what he didn't accomplish, rather than praising him for what he did accomplish.
After two terms as President, he had to move on. In 2016, his Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton ran for the office. She had served the nation well and enthusiastically. She was opposed in 2016 by an insane buffoon of a man, Donald J. Trump. Surely she would defeat such a poor excuse for a presidential candidate.
It wasn't to be. Even here on DU, candidate Clinton was attacked for whatever reasons could be mustered. I was dismayed through that entire campaign process. How could we attack a qualified, progressive woman who ran as a Democrat, when the Republican opponent was such an obviously unhinged, dangerous man? But we did. I believed that US voters would come through on election day, nevertheless, and elect Hillary Clinton. After all, so much was at stake, including several potential Supreme Court justices.
That was not to be, either. Enough disgruntled "progressives" refused to vote for candidate Clinton that three states were lost. Just three states and by precious few votes. I knew a few people who voted for Jill Stein, myself. Their reason? "I just don't like Hillary." Donald J. Trump was inaugurated in January. The Supreme Court shifted to a strong, conservative majority, and that spelled the end of Roe v. Wade, as we had been warned.
In 2020, we came to our senses and elected Joe Biden as President. However, we failed, once again, to give him a strong majority in Congress. Indeed, we lost our majority in the House in 2022, if only by a small, 4-vote margin. Despite that, President Biden has managed to accomplish much. Surely we would reward his success by working tirelessly to regain our congressional majority and magnify it. Right? Nope.
Instead, we now begin to complain about President Biden and declare him to be too old to run again. We appear ready to sever our collective nose once again to spite our collective face. Not only could we lose the presidency in 2024, we could also lose both houses of Congress.
All because some of us are unable to accept anything less than perfection. We risk losing everything for some vague expectation that we can have a perfect government. How could we be so stupid, again and again?
So, I will continue to log in on DU, as I have since 2008. I have a permanent tab open on it in my web browser. However, I will not be posting original posts here very often. I'm shifting my focus onto other ways I can try to influence things. I am tired, at the age of 77 years. I remain hopeful, but am also doubtful, unfortunately. It has not been a great 14 years. Nope.
Good luck to all of us! Good luck to the United States of America!
I always appreciate the truth. I'll be 75 2morrow and I have a lot of frustration about how we can be our own worst enemy sometimes. Peace to you in this new year. Hopefully, peace to us all.
May you live your best life in your years ahead, and may we be graced with your visits now and then.
Good luck to you, too.
and figured you were winding down for a break.
I joined about 9 months before you and watched DU lose its mind through 8 years of a historically-elected Democratic President, who was vitriolically referred to as and dubbed our "turd way neoliberal POS used car salesman" 44th President, who we were promised would approve TPP and the Keystone pipeline, and implement chained-CPI (among other RW talking point things), essentially killing off the party and the nation.
What gets me through with joy at this point, despite the restless masses ready to haul out the same playbook again, is that this current President is not only a lawyer (who actually briefly practiced as one), but was a Senator for 35 years - having been elected in that chamber before any of the current longest-serving members had arrived, including Feinstein, Grassley, Turtle, and Murray (and was even there before Leahy who has recently retired). His expertise revolved around foreign affairs and the judiciary - two subjects with notable relevance at the moment. He was also a VP for 8 years and has a deep knowledge of the inner workings of the WH and Executive Branch.
In essence, he is probably the most qualified, knowledgeable, and experienced person to be in that position during these trying times, in recent memory.
I hope to hear from you from time to time because certainly, your calm and erudite posts are a breath of fresh air that helps to cut through so much of the angst, defeatism, and frustration that DU often gets stuck in.
if you have a change of heart, we'll be here. (hopefully)
Take some time and enjoy the small pleasures in life and I'm glad to hear that you're not leaving us entirely.
Thank you for a great summary of your time here, and for your continued presence.
