"Your job is to hold my feet to the fire."
"Your job is to hold my feet to the fire. So, you need to be out there everyday raising these issues, telling us when we’re doing the right or wrong thing. My role is to be President of the United States, and your role is to be a strong voice for people who aren’t always heard."
http://www.stanforddaily.com/2011/12/01/a-foot-in-two-worlds/
"I think that’s a powerful message — what produces good policy is not just the expertise of people inside the government, but the pressure that comes from outside."
Jeremy Weinstein
". . . I think at the core of the president’s agenda on democracy and human rights is recognizing that sustainable political change comes from the bottom up,” Weinstein said. “. . . . .You tend not to get the kinds of outcomes that you’re interested in unless you have that base of support and interest with people willing to take risks. . . . ”
http://www.stanforddaily.com/2011/12/01/a-foot-in-two-worlds/
The president instructed his supporters to hold "my feet to the fire" for the simple reason that without this pressure to change course when wrong, without his supporters assertively being a "voice for people who aren’t always heard.", his ability to achieve democratic outcomes is made much harder.
Blind approval is the last thing he needs: To the contrary, such misguided "support" all but guarantees that the political pressure to triangulate will result in continued shifts of the Overton Window even furthers to the right.
Blind, unquestioning approval is thus not helpful (but harmful) even when the President is fighting for correct policy, because it does not provide the positive pressure of an assertive base that is essential in this age of sold-out corporate media.
But blind, unquestioning approval is catastrophic when the President's policy is in need of the correction that can only be provided by a vigorous base of support that demands that a ill-begotten course be corrected.
Our President had the foresight to explicitly instruct us to hold his feet to the fire when he is doing the "wrong thing" that used an example of us being a "voice for people who aren’t always heard".
This wisdom could is particularly appropriate in 2015 as we (following on the heels of a budget deal that capitulated to Wall Street) confront a multifaceted corporatist attack on workers, on the ability of governments to protect the environment, on citizens, on due process through our judicial system, and massive inappropriate expansion of intellectual property laws in ways that hinder rather than promote innovation, that enrich the 1% on the backs of everyone else, all written in secret by corporate lobbyists, and falsely peddled as a "trade deal", and demands that Congress vote with no input or amendments, on faith alone.
If ever there was a time that our President NEEDS us to be that voice for people who aren’t always heard., and to hold his feet to the fire, to tell him when he is wrong, and to provide the public pressure necessary to prevent a policy disaster much worse than NAFTA, is this not the time?
= new reply since forum marked as read
With this statement...above
Well he is sure hearing from those level headed people now is he not Cha? Those awesome truth tellers, the voice of the people. Here at DU holding his feet to the fire means calling him an F'ing piece of shit used car sales man. Or Dear President Obama Shut the F' up. Bravo DU. The sane voices of the people giving incite to how to run this government and ideas as how to correct the problems.
Do any of them understand the irony Cha?
If this is the voice of the people then we are truly lost.
brushes it off his shoulders. He's had so much experience fluffing away the hate and focusing on his job.
Obama shows everyone respect but too many feel they can just fling their ***** at him.
I love these hold his feet to the fire posts.
'cause that does nothing but make them look small.
Thought you were beddy bye?! 
to point that out. But, President Obama gets blamed for many things that he has no control over. He's not Magic man, either.
Obama shows respect to everyone even his enemies.. that's just who he is. I think some of it has to do with his upbringing in Hawaii. But posters on an internet board spew bitter epithets and telling him to STFU.. calling him a "pos used car salesman"
yesterday) with many "boy howdys" and RECS.. that's not constructive criticism.
President Obama supporters get berated too(for even daring to have a Group (where others can't go to call him names) so I know how that feels.. We're accused of being a cult.. Ha! But, that doesn't bother me because I consider the source..
Anyway.. personally I don't have a problem with criticism.. hold his feet to the fire. I just want it based on facts. But, that's just me.
plenty of evidence of that really happening without jumping to conclusions.
I campaigned for him too.. and would do it again, Mary. Never got to meet him in person though.. glad you got to do that. I bet you made him laugh! 
pause for the drum roll 
Kudos DU&!!!!
AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE ON DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND,
Take a bow DU you are the best Democratic Site Around. You Kicked our first Black President once again to the top of the page by saying SHUT THE FUCK UP! I suppose I should give you kudoos for saying please, yet I will not. What a fucking joke this place has become.
Next up. I will check the recs. I doubt there will be any surprises.
A magic wand? They posted in the BOG? How am I going to ban them?
[center]
Meaning:
To hold one accountable for a commitment, make good on a promise.
Example:
You made a fair bet with me on the Superbowl and I am going to hold your feet to the fire for payment.
Origin:
Pertains to torture used during the Crusade's. As a method for extracting confession for heresy, non-believers were positioned in a manner that allowed the inquisitor to apply flames to the feet of the accused. This was done until the accused confessed or died.
As ridiculous as that method of obtaining a confession seems by today's standards, consider a modern parallel - plea bargaining. The accused is offered the choice between a reduced sentence in exchange for a confession, or prosecution with the risk of more severe penalty (possibly death). link
[/center]
- This has been a Public Service Message for Presidents who may find it useful.
