R. Reich: You may not like everything Obama has done-but for next 2 1/2 years he’s our president

[kpete]

Robert Reich

The media’s (and the public’s) attention has turned to the 2016 presidential election, and stories abound about Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Warren, Christie, Paul, Jeb Bush, and the like. Meanwhile, President Obama’s approval ratings are in the basement, not only with Republicans but with many Democrats and independents. He’s not a just a lame duck; he’s a severely disabled duck.

But we’re still more than two-and-a-half years before a new president occupies the White House. That’s a long time, and it's a dangerous time. Crises are breaking out all over the globe. Here at home, Tea Party radicals are pushing Republicans to the extreme right, and the Senate may be under the control of the GOP after the midterms. You may not like everything Obama has done, but for the next two-and-a-half years he’s our president, and he’s the best hope we have. I don't mean you should withhold criticism of specific policies when criticism is due -- I certainly won't -- but we need to tone down the generalized badmouthing and bellyaching, and give him the strongest support possible when we agree with what he's trying to do. You with me?

https://www.facebook.com/RBReich/posts/830126386999959

[dirtydickcheney]

2. At what time do you finally throw your hands up?

I find his "anything for corporations" agenda quite offensive.

He's been for one corporate giveaway after another. He gives lip service us, but the policies leave so, so much to be desired.

He said he'd renegotiate NAFTA, now he's heavily, heavily pushing this TPP and now this TTIP.

With that kind of agenda, why should we support him?

Oh yeah, he's got a D next to his name, apparently that's enough.

[kpete]

4. my hands get thrown up in the air

Constantly

but peace anyway dirtydickcheney,
kp

[pnwmom]

5. We can support the fact that 20 million people have health insurance now thanks to the ACA.

Which would be MORE if SCOTUS hadn't allowed states to withdraw from Medicaid expansion.
And the fact that the rest of us who already had insurance don't have to worry about the possibility of getting a serious illness and losing the insurance we thought we had.

We can support the fact that his Justice Department refused to defend DOMA and it's gone now. And so is DADT, thanks to a decision of Obama's. All of which has helped to lead to the current situation, where more and more courts are ruling against bars to marriage equality.

We can support his decision not to allow federal contractors to ban gay people from employment on religious grounds.

We can support the fact that he, unlike what John McCain says he would do, isn't giving arms to Ukraine, which would put us into a war against Russia. We can support the fact that he got us out of Iraq, and that he never thought we should go there in the first place.

If you want to complain, complain about the Rethugs in the Senate who have filibustered more legislation than any other Senate in history. It's funny that you're reserving all your criticism for the Democratic President. Your hypocritical concern is noted.

[hfojvt]

3. the only way to support him

is to help elect Democrats to the House and Senate.

I'm already trying to do that, although it is a lost cause in Kansas. I am trying to help the guy in South Dakota, but most don't give us much of a chance there either. And my free advice is not being heeded.

Obama already cannot do much of anything with a Republican-controlled House.

"Supporting Obama" isn't gonna mean anything if Republicans take control of the Senate and retain control of the House. Might as well clap for the wolfman. He at least can rate your record high.

[woo me with science]

6. Bullshit. It's MORE important than ever to expose corporate corruption in our party

so that we don't repeat the terrible mistake of 2008, which was to fall in line behind Democrats based on pretty words and party affiliation, without thoroughly vetting them to make sure they really stood for the things we asumed they did.

Corporate Democrats get elected by pretending we don't have a problem of corporate infiltration into our party. But we do. And we need to TALK about it and EXPOSE it so that voters are not fooled again in the primaries of 2016.

[Major Hogwash]

7. The haters don't want to hear it.

They want to whine.