I'm trying..really trying ...but there have been many disappoinments with our new administration

[xiamiam]

and todays news is just more on top of the rest...I'm almost afraid to post here because I'll get bashed for not having patience or vision...while just a few years ago these same actions would have all of DU in a huff...escalting Afghanistan. new contract with Blackwater...rendition...no torture investigation announced until the documents were released..and I highly doubt its going to go anywhere even if it is illegal since we ( sarcasm) dont want to look back...lobbyists still controlling washington..no bankruptcy cramdown..foreclosure problem not solved...6% effective program..middle class vanishing and losing homes...i'm not asking for miracles...but a lot of this is bs...i'm disappointed..i've posted it before...just a little would give me great hope...i cried when i saw Michelle open up the white house jazz studio...culturally and socially there is change..maybe thats enough for some.....but there is so much which just breaks my heart

[here_is_to_hope]

1. +1

I am disgusted with what has happened so far.

[Vincardog]

7. +1 I am disgusted with what has happened so far.

[slay]

44. +1 more

you are not alone - just not seeing the change we were promised unfortunately.. then again Obama is a politician.. i was just really hoping he wouldn't turn out to be like all the rest.. sigh..

[timeforpeace]

63. They can take advantage of and take for granted the left, so they do. Always will.

[xiamiam]

2. it's a different du as well...nt

[Stinky The Clown]

3. You could do like the true believers .....

..... make lots of cooing sounds over puppies and then stick your head back in the sand and chant things like "give him a chance" and "do you want it all now?" ...... when all the time the **direction** is clearly not the way you wanted to see things develop.

Lots of us are trying ..... with varying degrees of success.

[mikelgb]

4. don't forget the pony canard

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. Well I drew my line in the sand and told them this

they don't get a PO that is REAL reform out, they can forget my votes, my money and my time.

The Staffer said they are getting calls like that now...

The threats are not for voting RNC either, but third party.

Unofficially they know we are pissed, but they are still on the corporate tit.

[stray cat]

6. Who hasn't been disappointed in what could get accomplished?

Thats a problem with a democracy - instead of a monarchy.

[Laelth]

8. I hear you. I really do. n/t

:dem:

-Laelth

[opihimoimoi]

9. What is this? Buyers Remorse so soon? Elected for 4 years...he has only begun

Think of the prevailing challenges, domestic/foreign, he is trying to address...Hemongous Problems ...all the while dodging shit and tacks thrown in his path by the GOP.....

Don't fall for the GOP Mode of keeping the discussions on the moot Level....thats where divisions take place...usually thru NEGATIVITY

come ...we go to larger picture....together, united, etc for advancement....chip by chip...we back up our Leader when he needs all the help he can get...

or we can be GOP ankle biters

[redqueen]

11. Bless you for trying...

:thumbsup:

[G_j]

14. larger picture?

the larger picture is what depresses me, seems to be the same old status quo.

[redqueen]

15. You really believe it wouldn't be any worse under

a republican WH and congress?

Really?

[G_j]

17. NO, I don't

they should have a Smilie for straw-dogs.

the old, if you aren't happy with Obama, you must think McCain would be better.

NO NO NO NOI!
:banghead:

[redqueen]

No, not a strawman... I'm trying to point out the bigger picture.

To see the big picture, you have to consider all the options we have... and it seems that you agree with me.

[G_j]

26. well yes, those other people are absolute monsters!

And I mean that seriously! I consider the present day Republicans to be the lowest life form on earth.

I never had unrealistic expectations of Obama, but what I was trying to say, was that I'm afraid Obama is failing the big picture.
Or better put, letting the big picture (which has traditionally been the status quo) overpower him.

IMHO, If he is really as serious and as passionate as he had expressed, for change, he needs to treat this like a war, and bring on some real 'tough love'.

[redqueen]

29. Yes... I certainly understand that desire...

however he's never demonstrated that he favored that kind of strong-arm process in the past, either in DC or Illinois.

This means that change will be slower, and perhaps not go as far as we'd like... however on the bright side, I like to think that it might delay / soften the inevitable backlash which follows whatever changes he oversees. Perhaps that's just wishful thinking... either way, it makes the medicine go down easier, and considering our options, I'm okay with that.

[WeDidIt]

10. Personally, I support a short term escalation in Afghanistan

Increase troop levels by 75,000 for six months (though you don't announce it's only for six months. Concentrate them mostly in the south along the Pakistani border. When necessary, hot pursuit across the border is allowable. Show the force to the Taliban and bring them to heel.

Then begin a withdrawal over a period not to exceed about 24 months. Be completely out by early 2012.

[xiamiam]

28. bs....nt

[slay]

45. Join up then genius - sounds like you've got it all figured out

:eyes: ALL WARS ARE BULLSHIT!

[WeDidIt]

47. I already served and am now too old to join again.

Afghanistan is a just war.

And if I could enlist again, I would have several years ago.

[Tim01]

12. You need to turn in your Democrat card. nt

[G_j]

18. they have cards?

learn something new everyday!

[Tim01]

21. You don't have a card? I probably shouldn't even be talking to you. nt

[DebbieCDC]

13. Totally agree with the OP

We were sold a bill of goods. We all fell for it because the package was so appealing.

[taught_me_patience]

16. I agree. There have been many disappointments along with achievements

The disappointments cannot be overlooked:

Showering the bankers with money
Continuing the military industrial complex control of our treasury

[Doctor_J]

19. I wish I could find my post from a year ago

I was really hopeful. Got 50 rec's. I am losing hope.

But I don't blame the president as much as I do the media. They are the irresistible force that is killing the country, and nothing of substance will change until they are destroyed.

Edited to match subjects.

[redqueen]

20. Wish I could rec this post. (nt)

[tekisui]

22. The only people who could effectively change the media is

governmental regulation. But, with freedom of press, that isn't going to happen. Politicians and leaders, sadly, have to work within the system of a damaging media.

[Doctor_J]

24. Then we as a country are finished

There is nothing to be done "within the system" to rescue us.

[tekisui]

25. The only hope is that people will turn off their teevees.

Alternative, non-corporate media needs to be strengthened. But, the masses are addicted to infotainment and the politics of personality.

[Doctor_J]

27. Like I said, if you're waiting for that, we're finished.

[redqueen]

31. I think you're being pessimistic.

It seems to me that people are (ever so slowly) catching on to the scam.

Real change takes generations. Just keep plugging along... don't give up.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

23. We have a corrupt system of government. Obama is part of that system.

The system dictates that politicians toe the line or give up their jobs. So, the politicians, of both parties, do just that.

New boss, meet the real bosses.

[redqueen]

30. So you can either work with what we have to make the best of it...

and change as much as we can... or you can piss and moan and woesy woesy woe like Eeyore about how tragic and sad it all is. Which it is... but fuckin deal with it already.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

32. Or, we can refuse to join the corruption.

Or, are you peddling the "not as bad" argument of retaining the status quo?

[redqueen]

33. Refuse to join = leave it to the GOP, right?

Nice plan. It's worked really well so far.

All the college-age Nader suppoters I meet while canvassing totally agree with you on that.

[omega minimo]

35. It sounds like you find support for corporate government inevitable....

or how would you word it? Your acceptance of what you also find somewhat unacceptable? Criticizing the Eeyores...

[redqueen]

39. I call it dealing with reality.

The corporatists have taken over the GOP. They've just about taken over this party, too. I'm not about to just leave them all the power... I'll fight them until there's REALLY no difference... then they can have all the power they want, cause it really will be hopeless.

Until then, I believe there's a reason to fight.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

36. Good for them.

The Democratic Party isn't about to "change" unless it faces losing the votes of the left.

I'm a long way from being college age and I have no problem with voting 3rd Party when the Dems frequently override my nose holding ability by supporting republican ideals and calling it "compromise".

[redqueen]

37. They already lost the votes of the left and they didn't change.

So I disagree with you on your belief that that will do anything but make the corporate influence in this party even stronger.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

41. Well, kowtowing to the right landed us a president and congress that continue the status quo.

So far, Obama, et al, have continued to bend to the right's demands while telling the left that they're "not as bad". Which is small comfort to the people "our" government is killing in Iraq and Afghanistan, that sells out on healthcare, that bails the banks out while the unemployment rate still goes up, that refuses to prosecute torturers and murderers.

Being a Democrat doesn't negate my responsibility as a citizen to hold politicians (of, either party) to account. Nor does it require me to vote for them because a little arsenic isn't "as bad" as a lot of arsenic.

[redqueen]

43. So you don't agree they're not as bad?

I guess we just disagree... cause I think we'd be a HELL of a lot worse under President McCain.

[xiamiam]

49. tired of that argument...obama won..he should be the change or at least some of it that he promised.

[redqueen]

51. It's not an argument, it's a fact.

I'm sorry that it impinges on your little Eeyore routine.

[xiamiam]

53. u suggest that i should be so grateful that mccain is not president, that i should accept what this

administration is doing...wrong

[redqueen]

54. Nope...

like I said to the person I responded to... the only option I see is to work harder to change it for the better.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

55. Of course, they're "not as bad".

But, that's not the reason they're in office. And, it's certainly no reason to sit quietly by and let them pursue Bush's policies...though "not as bad".

[redqueen]

56. We disagree again...

cause I absolutely do think that's the only reason some of them are in office.

If we had a parliamentary system they'd be forced to join coalitions but for now I think many are only there because they're the lesser evil.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

57. They're there because Boobya and Co. were such complete flops.

We, here on DU, place much more importance on competing ideologies than the huge mass of voters. They're in office now because the voters wanted the completely incompetent Bushies, and their minions in congress, out. They, indeed, voted for the "lesser of two evils" but that is an ephemeral vote that can change on a dime if Obama makes a hash out of it. "All politics is local" as Tip O'Neill said. If the average voter, who is disinterested in ideology, feels he/she is getting screwed again, they'll vote again for "change" in the form of some republican promising whatever the voters are longing for. Which is usually security and confidence that whatever government is in power will give it to them. "Security" in the sense of an adequate job, health care, and protection from the eternal bogeymen that the politicians erect.

I believe that Obama is making a huge mistake in catering to the moderates. The people were enthused about "change" and in the first few months he could have easily rammed through some real change, which I believe would have transformed the nation. Instead, he played politics and played it safe. Going for the middle where he saw/sees the votes to keep him in power. Now, he has squandered that opportunity and we are, again, stuck with the status quo, slightly altered to pass as "change".

[redqueen]

58. I agree with all of that... except the part

where you say he's squandered the opportunity. I think that is a possibility, but it remains to be seen how it will play out. Just MHO of course.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

59. Well, neither of us has the ability to read the tea-leaves accurately.

Gotta go. Nice talking to you RQ.

[redqueen]

61. You too...

take care. :hi:

[omega minimo]

34. Did you know before the election that's what you were getting?

[redqueen]

38. Everyone did.

Or should have... though some seem to have swallowed the media's BS about Obama being a "leftist."

We had a DLCer and a slightly left of DLCer. We chose the slightly left one, and we won... now we should be moving on... not wasting time farting around about how horrible it is that we only were able to choose between a DLCer and a moderate.

Our only hope IMO is to educate people... and it seems to me that that is happening, albeit very slowly.

[omega minimo]

40. Not on DU.

The perception of him here was very different. Most of the discussions would not allow the kind of point you're making now.

[redqueen]

42. I'd have been jumped on but fuck it.

Facts are facts, and he is not a liberal. Kucinich is a liberal. Obama is a moderate.

[omega minimo]

50. Yep

One wouldn't dare state the (now obvious) truth ahead of time................

[redqueen]

52. Except I just said I would have.

And IIRC, many did... the media was the culprit in trying to make him look like Kucinich.

His being not-DLC was good enough for me.

[omega minimo]

60. You would have?

or you did? On DU? :shrug:

I appreciate your perspective. It seemed like a lot of the "disappointment" on DU was correlated to the pre-election fervor to not hear what now is treated as "obvious" about Obama.

[redqueen]

64. I think I did... can't be certain...

but yeah, I think I was rankled even then by the idea that he was some lefty-left progressive when he is so very clearly not.

If I had my way we'd have someone like Feingold or Kucinich...

[omega minimo]

66. Either would do.

:thumbsup: I think they'd have a chance next time. No one's buying this corporate gubmint shite.

[earth mom]

46. Hope and change was nothing more than a bullshit served up on a silver platter. nt

[MISSDem]

48. and you did not even mention that they did not

get a shelter dog like they said they would. The easiest thing in the world to do wasn't done.

[Generic Brad]

62. I am seeing tons of positive change

It is obvious to me that Obama has different priorities than you and I, but I don't think that should diminish what he has done so far. I am not disappointed with him at all.

In my view, his heart is in the right place and he is doing everything he can within his power to make this country a better place for all Americans. He has earned my trust.

Look, no one is perfect and that includes Democratic presidents. I would rather have an honest person with good intentions trying to run the country than someone who is in it only for the power or the money. You may be disappointed in Obama, but take a moment to consider how our lives would be if Dick Cheney or John McCain running things? Can you honestly say things would be the same?

[leftofthedial]

65. Obama is PWNED by corporate and uber-wealthy powers that be

He represents their interests with a tenacious determination.


The irony is that the first black President is a slave. He makes more money and lives in a nicer house, but with each new pronouncement on any issue of substance, the chains and shackles become more clear.