Obama has found his spine

[bluestateguy]

In the last three months he has stood firm on the payroll tax cut, recess appointed Richard Cordray, killed the Keystone pipeline, and made a signing statement on the defense bill.

[virtualobserver]

1. he never lost it......he was just playing chess with the Republicans

[LynneSin]

11. The guy is a master chess player

Which has lead me to believe that whatever I read in the papers or even here at DU - whatever it is about OBama, there is probably more to the story they what's on the surface.

The guy has the next 10 moves planned ahead. He's just that good.

[Kahuna]

14. Yep! I find it amazing that lefties still think they are smarter or are ahead of PBO.

The thought just make me with laughter.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

16. It probably makes him laugh as well.

[Cali_Democrat]

21. LOL! Stop it

You guys are killing me!

[Marrah_G]

18. I find it odd that you think no Lefties are smarter then he is

That sort of thinking is just foreign to me when it comes to politicians. He is a guy,a charismatic guy, who raised money and campaigned well. He's done some good things in office and some crappy things in office. He is not the smartest man ever, nor is he a diety. He is the President of the United States. Extreme thinking on any side is disturbing...

[Kahuna]

24. I think the FACT that the president averted a DEPRESSION and that a mere

2 years later, jobs were being added, PROVES not only his BRILLIANCE, but his WISDOM too. While all of the armchair PLers were bloviating about things they had only the most superficial knowledge of (always foolish to do so, as one always sets one's self up for failure) the president was getting things accomplished. You may think you know some lefties who are smarter than PBO, but I bet you can't name one.

[ClassWarrior]

35. Halleluia!! The CAPS convinced me!!

Since you like to throw around words like "FACT" and "PROVES," prove to me that a future event (that "DEPRESSION" you capitalized) would have in fact happened if the President hadn't done what he did.

Prove it.

And please show the President the respect he deserves. Spell out his name or title. Please don't abbreviate him like he's some kind of pain medication.

NGU.

[Kahuna]

44. Get over yourself. Don't instruct me. You are not my master.

The fact that PBO's policies prevented massive bank failures did infact prevent another depression because that is where we were headed had the president not taken the steps he did to keep the financial institutions afloat. While all of the teabaggers and PLers were bleated about bailouts because their priority was meting out punishment rather than saving the economy, PBO did the right thing and saved the econony from totally failing.

[ClassWarrior]

48. Prove it Karnak.

NGU.

[progress2k12nbynd]

54. First post but this is just so wrong....

You realize that those bank bailouts that you're bragging abt were in fact enacted under BUSH in 2008 right? Before your God ever took office? Perhaps you've been loving GWB this whole time but didn't know it?

My god, how far we have fallen in political discourse here. How seriously can we take your defense of President Obama's record when you're citing things done by a completely different President. Wtf?

[Marrah_G]

41. I wish you the very best

And we are on the same side, we just view politicians a little differently. I do think he is smarter then any of the gop candidates...by a long shot

[Kahuna]

47. Thanks Marrah. That was very

big of you.

[Logical]

50. Is this sarcasm or you really mean it? Seriously!

[dawg]

38. I agree.

I think the President has, indeed, been making better decisions lately. But that implies that he was making some poor ones earlier, which I do believe to be the case.

[Shankapotomus]

52. Wait...he's not a diety?

Are you sure? Because I was just about to go all in on diety.

[Bandit]

25. Yes us "lefties: just love the drone killings and loss of Habeas Corpus

Us "Lefties" just love those Bush* tax cuts that Obama extended.. I don't know about smarts but I do know Republican Policies from Democratic ones....

[ClassWarrior]

32. So you're saying you favor "righties?"

If so, your freep is showing.



NGU.

[Kahuna]

45. Typically juvenile response. nt

[ClassWarrior]

49. To a typically juvenile comment.

NGU.

[CakeGrrl]

12. +1000.

It's those who can't see the forest for the trees who were / are on perpetual freakout over every incremental action.

[bowens43]

30. then he needs to find a new game

he lost nearly every round

[virtualobserver]

37. he was luring them out into the light of day.....

now they are fully exposed for what they really are and he can crush them

[dawg]

40. You know what? I really hope you're right.

Polls show that Americans think the President is far to the left of them on the issues and that Romney is closer to their "personal" beliefs. This, despite the fact that the President did everything humanly possible to portray himself as a moderate.

I fear all the compromise and moderation has accomplished us nothing, and that a downturn in the economy before the election could still sink us.

[virtualobserver]

42. I more than worry about a downturn, I expect it.......

However, I believe that Romney and the gang are so easily linked to the reason for the downturn that they function as a type of economic incumbent with Obama actually able to position himself as the economic outsider.

[bigtree]

2. more

he advanced his 'we can't wait' executive initiatives and banned new uranium mining leases for 20 yrs. around the Grand Canyon.

Stood firm on Iraq withdrawal and on Yucca Mt., earlier on in his term.

[hedgehog]

3. It's all about the preparation.....

[Aerows]

22. Excuse me for being off topic

But that was so incredibly cool, I just really don't know what to say.

That was AWESOME!!!

[ZombieHorde]

34. Awesome. nt

[EC]

4. I think he finally got REALLY

pissed.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

5. The Keystone pipeline is not killed...yet.

Trans Canada will reapply with a new route proposal (decision will probably be somehow pushed back until after the election). And don't get me started on the "signing statement". He's showing just enough spine to try to reel back in some of his old supporters, IMO.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

15. Absolutely right.

[Romulox]

6. He found it right where he left it: the campaign trail. nt

[emilyg]

7. Exactly.

[dionysus]

8. .

[hfojvt]

9. too bad the first thing you mentioned

is Republican tax policy.

Wow, Obama stood firm on tax cuts for the rich.

That's change I can believe in.

[Kahuna]

13. Oh brother. He never lost his spine. PBO is ninja. He's stealth. I find it amusing that

still today, people think they are smarter than the president. PBO is brillliant. Every time he gives a news conference, the way he handles the press convinces me of this.

[Aerows]

20. I used to by the 11 dimensional chess bit

And I don't.

Whether or not you are intellectually smart or politically smart doesn't make you great.

Sometimes you have to be politically "gut" and go with intuition to be a true leader.

I'm not trying to take anything away from him here in these decisions, either. They were LONG needed.

[Aerows]

17. Thank goodness

I'm glad. I hope he finds even more of one.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

19. It was buried under all the campaign contributions from the corporations.

[Beacool]

23. He's up for reelection.

What he found is his need to keep his base in check.

[emulatorloo]

26. I thought you guys said he only wants Republicans to vote for him.

Funny how the story keeps changing

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

27. They can't seem to keep their "Obama bad" memes straight.

That's why their story keeps changing.

[Beacool]

28. Who is "you guys"?

Last edited Fri Jan 20, 2012, 12:12 AM - Edit history (1)

I only speak for myself.

[ClassWarrior]

36. You won't get an answer. The goal is to smear people with strong Dem values.

NGU.

[AtomicKitten]

46. You forgot to post your Superior Dance again.

Here ya go -

[backscatter712]

29. Yep. He's figured out he doesn't want his base to rebel.

So he's throwing us a few bones.

[Beacool]

56. Hitlery????????????

What this, Free Republic??????

You can stuff your rudeness and personal attacks.

Unbelievable................

[bowens43]

31. he may have finally realized that he was looking at loss in 2012

if didn't at least start pretending to be left of center.

[Enrique]

33. you include the defense bill as an example of spine?

the signing statement, where he tries to have it both ways, is spine?

A better example would be ending the Iraq war.

[bigwillq]

39. It's an election year, silly.

They say what we want to hear when they need us to vote for them.

[Logical]

51. Obama is in "Campaign Mode" remember. He will become more liberal as we get closer to Nov.

[whistler162]

55. SO glad you woke up. Sorry about you being in a coma for 4 years!

you do have a lot to catch up with.

[MNBrewer]

57. 2 (maybe 3) out of 4

Payroll tax cut (probably) and the laughable signing statement (definitely) shouldn't count.

[markpkessinger]

58. Sorry, but the signing statement doesn't cut it . . .

. . . A "signing statement" isn't worth the paper it's written on, and has no binding effect on future presidencies. FAIL!

[bvar22]

59. Nor does the campaign to cut FICA Contributions,

or "The Payroll Tax" if you are more comfortable with Republican NLP Framing.

This IS a stealth attack on the funding mechanism for Social Security/Medicare,
and WILL make it easier to kill these programs which are a foundation of the modern Democratic Party.

Payroll Tax Holiday Directly Connects Social Security to The Deficit]
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1538388

Obama campaigned on INCREASING Payroll Contributions to FICA by "Raising the CAP",
NOT cutting them.

Casting this as a Democratic Party Victory is NOT something that Real DEMOCRATS like FDR & LBJ would have approved.
THEY insisted on a separate and distinct funding mechanism for these programs FOR a REASON,
and it has worked extremely well exactly as designed.


Man, I miss THAT old "DEMOCRATIC PARTY"!





[font color=firebrick][center]"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans.
I want a party that will STAND UP for Working Americans."
---Paul Wellstone [/font][/center]
[center][/font]
[font size=1]photo by bvar22
Shortly before Sen Wellstone was killed[/center][/font]