This Is Truly A Good Time To Be A Democrat!

[PennsylvaniaMatt]

Last edited Sun Jan 20, 2013, 12:15 AM - Edit history (1)

On the eve of President Obama being sworn-in to a second term, I wanted to take a moment and state the obvious. Not only is this a great time to be a Democrat, but as I look back at President Obama's first term, I can't help but to feel a sense of amazement at the work he has done and the work ahead. In the face of unimaginable obstruction from the opposing political party, President Obama has not only worked hard for the American people, but for the cause of the Democratic Party!

Now, there may be times that we may criticize some of his actions or his thinking, and that is natural with any politician in any political system, but I think that through it all, President Obama is one of the most decent men to hold the office of the Presidency, and history will reflect that!

From the self described "skinny kid with a funny name" to a two-term President of the United States - here's saying "bravo" to all the work that has been done in his first term, and here's wishing him all the best in a second term!

[Cooley Hurd]

1. I agree... somewhat.

We are dealing with an unprecedented, contrarian Republican Party. Because of this, it's a BAD time to be an American.

[kardonb]

4. bad time

it is NEVER a bad time to be an American ! We will overcome this hard time , just like we always have . Believe in the strength of this country and the courage and basic goodness of most of our people . I am always proud to be a naturalized citizen of this great nation .

[pacalo]

2. There's no better reminder of that than watching the '09 pre-inaugural goings-on on C-span

which is being shown right now: http://www.c-span.org/Live-Video/C-SPAN/

Just a moment ago, Cheney rolled out of the WH in a wheelchair with a cane in his lap. Biden followed from behind with a somber look on his face & said to a few people standing on the portico, "A little chilly out here."




/edited for spelling error

[catbyte]

48. Cheney looked just like Mr. Potter in "It's A Wonderful Life", lol

[Cha]

3. Thank you, PennsylvanianMatt! I'm am so excited

about this 2nd Inauguration. So many of us worked long and hard to make this happen and it happening!

I'm going to be watching online 'cause I don't have a tv.. I'll be on DU, and http://theobamadiary.com/, too.. where there will be lots of pics and celebration!

[sheshe2]

12. Damn,Cha !

That is the best, most moving picture that I have EVER seen! I love these two men, for what they have done for this Country!
They both sacrificed so much, so that we could soar. So that we as a Nation could reach out and grab on to our Dreams.

Bless them both!

Peace to you...Peace to us all!

she

[Cha]

15. Isn't it!? That Chips and her website, The Obama Diary,

really have it goin' ON!

"Bless them both", Indeed!

[littlemissmartypants]

16. And 150 years from

Lincoln's signing!

[Cha]

17. Yes, lmsp! And Pres Obama's going to use Lincoln's Bible and Dr Martin

Luther King's Bibles at his Inauguration!

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama is putting a symbolic twist on a time-honored tradition, taking the oath of office for his second term with his hand placed not on a single Bible but on two – one owned by Martin Luther King Jr. and one by Abraham Lincoln.

The inclusion of King's Bible is particularly significant since the inauguration comes on Jan. 21, the federal holiday in honor of the civil rights leader, who delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech 50 years ago at the Lincoln Memorial. Obama will be facing the memorial as he takes the oath. King's Bible, which his children say he used early in his career as a preacher, has never been part of a presidential inauguration.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/10/obama-using-mlk-lincoln-b_n_2447174.html

[littlemissmartypants]

18. I know and it makes me cry just thinking about it!!! n/t

[Ferretherder]

42. I just have to say...

...that's fuckin' COOOOLLLL!!!

...and I ALSO have to say, yet again, that I never thought I'd live long enough to see the first African-American president of the United States. Now, I want to see Hillary become the first female president - BOOM, two in a row!

[JimDandy]

53. Wow. There's a significant

bit of history and symbolism surrounding this event.

[uponit7771]

25. +1

[calimary]

55. WOW, Cha - I LOVE this image!

Our future and past.

Nice! REALLY REALLY nice!

[SunSeeker]

5. K&R

[blkbear]

6. Yes this is a good time to be an american democrat.

I can't wait to see President Obama turn loose his election machine on the republicans.

[freshwest]

47. It's still up and running and taking donations. Check your email. I'm glad they are continuing.

[adieu]

7. I concur

and I didn't even vote for him this time around. (I did volunteer at the Organizing For America Obama reelection campaign, and I did donate to OFA and barackobama.com.)

[Comrade_McKenzie]

8. I am excited about the direction of our country. nt

[nc4bo]

9. Just have to say that this is an incredibly handsome POTUS. Great portrait photo!

Actually makes you want to smile looking at it.

Sorry just had to say it.

I want one of these LOL.

[juajen]

30. Yep, he is handsome! Not skinny at all, just gorgeous. I'm sure Michelle agrees with me.

[UtahLib]

10. Rooting and watching and smiling! n/t

[Auntie Bush]

11. I agree 100%

Love that picture of Obama!

[sheshe2]

13. KICK & REC + 1000

Thank you so much, PennsylvaniaMatt!!!!!

[cbrer]

14. *However*

This is no time to sit on our collective asses in smug satisfaction. There's LOTS to do!

[littlemissmartypants]

19. We can chill for two days and celebrate can't we?

[cbrer]

20. Hell Yes LMSP

I'm grooving on the power of the electorate AS WE SPEAK! (type?)

Seriously, my greatest joy, my penultimate degree of success, my "Magnum Opus", my single most enthusiastically pursued endeavor, is to turn over to my children, a BETTER nation than was turned over to me!

But a glass of champagne won't hurt anything...

[awoke_in_2003]

21. I am off on Monday...

and will be watching the inauguration live for the second time in my life- the first being on 09

[Tarheel_Dem]

27. Ditto! I won't be leaving the house the entire day. I'm afraid I'll miss something.

[babylonsister]

33. Take notes; I

have to work. I WILL be home by around 2pm, but will miss the big festivities. Maybe I'll catch a rerun.

[Tarheel_Dem]

60. Will do babylonsister. I had a chance to travel with a couple of co-workers to DC....

but I'm old & cranky, and I deplore road trips these days. I took the day off anyway, so I'll have a front row seat for the festivities. Sorry you have to work, but if I know MSNBC, they'll do recaps throughout the evening.

[juajen]

31. Everyone should be off Monday. Why is this not a law?

[druidity33]

32. Do you mean for MLK day or the Inauguration?

Because i'd much rather see a National Holiday for ELECTION DAY than the Inauguration. Why we don't do that, i'll never understand. As for MLK, love what he did and stands for, but i'll take the Time-and-a-Half for the day instead of the day off.

[catbyte]

49. Our university suspended classes but we in administration have to work, sigh.

At least they cancelled classes for the first time.

[DevonRex]

22. Yes it is! This is our time. K&R nt

[Vic Vinegar]

23. Please give him demands

Decent man he might be. This has nothing to do with policy. Time will tell if Obama is a Wall Street Monetarist Neo-Liberal or a New Deal Democrat!

He MUST raise the debt ceiling via the 14th amendment! He must nationalize the Federal Reserve and lend low interest century bonds for infrastructure, re-industrialization, hospitals, public schools. He must stop supporting scab jobs to make it appear as if he has created real jobs. He must support a 1% Wall Street Sales Tax! He must stop ALL cuts to entitlement programs that he has allowed even before the fiscal cliff. The list goes on...

If Obama does not accomplish these things he is not a Kennedy, he is not an FDR, he is not a Lincoln and he is not even an LBJ. Democrats must pressure Obama to do these things! If you are not willing to pressure the president with demands then you are allowing the descent of the Democratic party into the Monetarist Neo-Liberal wing which is now the dominant faction.

I beg you, never be content. We need change and it can not be pocket change reforms Obama has instituted.

[uponit7771]

24. +1

[hfojvt]

26. at this time, I don't see any point to being a Democrat

We apparently stand for nothing and fall for anything.

I feel like I should apologize to anybody that I told to vote for Democrats. I told people that Democrats, unlike Republicans, would represent ordinary working people.

It turns out that I was a liar when I said that.

[Summer Hathaway]

29. If you don't see any point

it might be time to look elsewhere.

We will try to muddle through without you. It will be rough going for a while - but I think we can make it, despite your absence.

[babylonsister]

34. What a shock!

Why are you even here if that's how you feel? Serious question... Because if it's to constantly bash Dems, you could go elsewhere and find like-minded souls.

As for me, I feel a helluva lot more represented by President Obama than I would have with Romney.

[Dawgs]

38. The Democrat party used to be left of center. It hasn't been close to that in a really long time.

Many of us can never be okay with that.

It's sad to see that many have been duped into believing that a left of center party still exists.

[babylonsister]

40. Who said anything about

believing this was a 'left of center' party? I'm saying that what/who we have is infinitely better than the alternative.

[Dawgs]

41. I said it. I wasn't referring to anything you said in your post.

Just making a point.

[hfojvt]

51. more like infinitesimally

the difference between keeping 85% of the Bush tax cuts and keeping 100% of them is not that huge.

[CheapShotArtist]

46. You do realize the type of unyielding opposition that Obama has been dealing with, right?

And just a heads up--you come off as a troll when you call it the "Democrat" Party instead of "Democratic". People like Rush call it that all the time.

[hfojvt]

50. once again

I joined this board in November of 2004. Kerry had just been defeated. I wanted and needed some kind of support group. I thought I was joining a group of like-minded people who were working together to undo the damage that Bush had done/was doing to the country.

It turns out, that I feel like I need to constantly bash Dems, because they keep refusing to undo that damage.

I mean, by electing Democrats to Congress and to the White House, we were supposed to get rid of those tax cuts that favor the rich.

At least I thought so. Instead, Democrats keep most of them, and only about six people on this board seem to care.

Like I said, apparently we will fall for anything. It's apparently a great time to be part of a party that embraces the Bush tax cuts.

I am so old, I can remember when it was better to be a Democrat. When, for example in May 2003 when EVERY SINGLE Democratic Senator voted against the Bush tax cuts. Even Lieberscum. Fast forward to 2012 and almost every Democratic Senator voted to keep them. Wow, what a change. It's unbelievable. In just nine years, the Democratic Party has apparently become the Republican Party.

[Tarheel_Dem]

28. Terrific post! Great picture! And to the naysayers, I......

Your piss & vinegar is amusing, and thankfully, missed the target this past November.

[Dawgs]

39. Didn't miss the target. We voted for Obama as the lesser of two evils.

We know what we got. It certainly wasn't a "Democrat".

[JoePhilly]

43. Guess you should get busy finding the "true progressive" for 2016 then.

[Tarheel_Dem]

61. You mean you didn't vote for the Jill/Roseanne/Rocky/Gary Show? I'm shocked.

It wasn't like you didn't have choices. Just how much were your "principles" worth? Like I said, you guys only serve to amuse the rest of us, at this point. You worked diligently here, and probably elsewhere, to demonize this president as "UNCLEAN", but your ravings were summarily dismissed, as I suspect they will be moving FORWARD!!!!!!!

[Dawgs]

63. No. Just as many of us as there are you.

It's been that way since I joined this site.

[Tarheel_Dem]

64. WTF are you talking about? I thought you knew I meant the Democratic Party, not DU.

DU has become a small echo chamber of Obama hatred, much like Freeperville. The Democratic Party, not so much. Not sure what your point is, or whether you even have one.

[Dawgs]

65. If you didn't get my point then why did you respond as though you did?

And it's not "Obama hatred", it's Obama disappointment.

And, maybe in your world the Democrats you know are happy with Obama. Not in mine, DU or otherwise.

[babylonsister]

35. Thank you and rec'd! nt

[99Forever]

36. I guess that depends on...

... where you are in the pecking order, huh? Things aren't so great for all of us, but that's okay, you got yours.

[Dawgs]

37. *Sigh* When will it be a good time for those of us on the left that no longer have a party? n/t

[JoePhilly]

44. Again ... maybe you should get busy finding your pure progressive

candidate for 2016.

Times a wasting.

[Dawgs]

56. Not progressive, just what a Democrat should and used to be would be nice.

We haven't seen anything close in a really long time.

[JoePhilly]

57. Then again, you need to get busy.

[Dawgs]

58. You're not willing to help? n/t

[JoePhilly]

59. Sure ...

But I'm not one of the disgruntled and so I would never be as good as some one like you at proposing the right candate.

[Liberal In Red State]

45. Absolutely thrilled to be living in the Age of Obama! There were times during the last four years .

. . . that I thought it would be a momentary bip in time . . . Much like the Kennedy Era . . . but we made it through the dark days of the Tea Baggers . . . and showed the press . . . the pundits . . . and the Repugs that we . . . the people . . . are a force to be reckoned with!

[humbled_opinion]

52. Yes it is great that he is the one in the WH

However, I will reserve my jumping for joy until after I hear exactly what his plans for this term are. Already I have the idiot teabaggers at my job talking about the Obama debt bubble. They claim that if Obama does nothing different on this term than his last that in 2017 when he leaves office he will be leaving a legacy of 22 Trillion in debt massive inflation, and higher interest rates. They claim that there will come a time when the FED will not be able to keep the interest rate on the debt at the current 1.5 percent and it will return to the historic norms of 5-6 percent when that happens the interest payments alone on the debt will eclipse more than half of the current revenue causing austerity to destroy SS and Medicare. They believe there will be no way to tax our way out of that problem and any massive tax increase on the Middle class will meet with a major revolt against Obama at the end of his term they believe that historians will ask why Obama did nothing to deal with the bubble as it will destroy the currency, as they run the media talk circles with this type of debt bubble fear mongering it will not take much to make it stick in many persuadable minds.

My fear is that Obama himself will succumb to the future debt bubble talk early on this term and be enticed to cut spending and give in on the GOP dream of privatized SS and major cuts to Medicare. The baggers say that Obama has no stomach for massive cuts to the DOD because the news streams of his term will continue to show a resurgent Communist Russia, a building of massive military from Communist China, the Iranian nuclear threat becoming a reality and further deterioration in the Middle East not to mention the rise of Al Queda in Africa. They claim the only thing left he has is massive spending cuts and every day we spend at current levels it means those cuts get just a tad bit deeper.

I know what the correct solutions are to this debt problem but I have yet to hear them spoken by the President that is why I said my jumping for joy is reserved for now.

[libodem]

54. Dear Goddess

Bless and protect our first Family.

[indepat]

62. My wish, my prayer for America is that history rank BHO as one of the five greatest presidents

ever. For this to become reality, he imo must bust (politically) a gaggle of right-wing heads, so many that the GOP will be destroyed as a viable second party. After all, did not a 2009 Homeland Security Department report identify domestic right-wing extremists as our greatest threat, a greater threat to America, its people and government, than Islamic extremists? Please Mr. President, make that top-five list, which would require imo that you bust a gaggle of right-wing heads in the process.