General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: This is what a REAL Democrat sounds like. [View all]MADem
(135,425 posts)at one go, and having nothing left to fight with. His restraint in the face of point-blank racism and snide disregard (the likes of which hasn't been seen since the Truman Presidency, frankly--everyone hated him because he was a "haberdasher" and he wasn't FDR) is more than admirable, it's frigging HEROIC.
There's no point in pissing off your adversaries to the point where you give them the ammo they so desperately seek. Keep them at a low simmer, make THEM look like the intemperate, unreasonable assholes, and watch for them to freak out and lose it. It's a long game, but then again, it's a long pair of terms. Eight years at a job of that nature requires a measured and temperate approach to many issues.
I think Obama is stronger than most credit him. I also think he has to do twice as much to get half the credit. The only thing he doesn't have to do, is do it backwards and in high heels (to riff on Ginger Rogers' comment about dancing w/Astaire). He is a bit wonky/didactic/professorial, but that's his way. If people want "a guy they could have a beer with" they might want to go for Porgie's brother--who isn't on the wagon and can actually HAVE that beer. Frankly, I don't particularly want or need a President I can have a beer with; I am not fond of beer and don't feel a yearning to drink with world leaders! I do want a competent POTUS who will weigh a course of action before choosing it--not a wee cowboy who starts wars because some tinpot dictator disrespected his "deddy."
As for the War machine, keep an eye on End Strength. That tells the tale. It's falling precipitously, and we're not building robots to replace all those demobbed servicemembers.
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/?&dbname=cp113&sid=cp113lI2q6&refer=&r_n=hr113.113&item=&&&sel=TOC_36809&
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/security/report/2014/04/24/88516/a-users-guide-to-the-fiscal-year-2015-defense-budget/
Keep in mind that 2001 number is a pre-911 figure; the outyears numbers represent the smallest end strength in many, many decades.
I don't think you hate Obama--but I do think a lot of people who post here do--or at least use language that is highly suggestive of sneering disdain, if not outright hatred.