If anyone is unhappy with the President, you need only consider this...

[OmahaBlueDog]

President McCain getting to name the replacements for Justices Souter and Stevens.

[iamjoy]

1. I Already Have

and to any one who thought there was no difference between Bush and Gore or Bush and Kerry, think of how much better this country would be if a Democrat had appointed replacements for O'Conner and Renquist.

[OmahaBlueDog]

2. Kerry losing (or being robbed) was tragic

We'd already most likely be out of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Our deficits would most likely already be shrinking to something managable.

...and we'd have a much better SCOTUS

[BeFree]

19. Gore 2000?

[still_one]

3. You are correct, but that still does not mean that one should not critisize. Today there isn't much

choice or voice for liberals or progressives

The republican party also isn't the same party that it used to be. It has become an extreme right win party, and anyone who doesn't ascribe to that is either kicked out or ignored

The Democratic party does NOT kick anyone out, and though there are disagreements among us, and at times it appears some are ignored, they are still heard

Unfortunately the country as a whole has shifted to the right, and it will take some time to move the pendulum back, but not voting or voting for a third party in national elections today, will NOT move the country to a more progressive direction

[RC]

8. I'm thinking more that our government and media has shifted to the Right.

We are being lied to and propagandized up the wazoo.
Properly informed most of us citizens are way over to at least the real center of the political spectrum.

[still_one]

12. The question is how many believe the distortions? /nt

[OmahaBlueDog]

13. I agree that President Obama is not above criticism and should be held to his promises

Hell..I think he'd agree with that.

I also remember 2000, when self rightous Green party members would proclaim that there was no difference between Bush & Gore. I daresay some thinkgs would be different if Gore is allowed to rightfully claim his victory in 2000.

[still_one]

24. I concur /nt

[Greyhound]

4. The primary reason I even voted.

The adamant refusal to challenge, or even move from 2006 - 2008 told me all I needed to know about the Democratic Party changing anything, but the SCOTUS remains and has a much more effect than any single administration.

Obama will, like everything else he's done, make less objectionable nominations.

"We suck less"®

[Motown_Johnny]

5. Or McCain suffering a fatal heart attack at being elected, and President Palin.......

need I say more?

[OmahaBlueDog]

14. Bingo!

[JonLP24]

6. Isn't that lowering the standards?

Better than McCain or Bush is something we shouldn't be striving for. I think most people here want him to do better, not magic tricks or anything but a reasonable expectation to do better. I am glad we have Obama rather than McCain but I don't think we should be lowering our standards by saying he is better than McCain or Bush wish wouldn't be very hard to accomplish.

[OmahaBlueDog]

15. I disagree. McCain or Obama were the choices we had

You can talk about idealized standards -- the reality was those are the choices. Many here have posted words to the effect that we are no better off since the President has not (yet) extracted us from the Bush wars or rescinded the Patriot Act. While I'm disappointed about those things, I am certain that, had the GOP put upp a winning candidate, the court would go from 5-4 to 7-2 in their favor. Goodbye Roe; Goodbye Miranda; Goodbye Gideon -- and a host of other Warren Court rulings.

[ThomWV]

7. Only people who have never seen a good President think Obamas's a great President.

You want to compare Obama to McCain, and indeed McCain would have been a horror show of a President, and of course there is Bush two too. But that's doesn't Obama great, it just shows how bad those two clowns were. I personally don't see Obama as much more than on more cog on the gear wheel that is moving is toward a total police state. He's managed to turn out to be a good sized cog too. He is weak on popular issues and far to strong on continuing the infringement of our liberties and rights, not to even bother with complaints against his solidarity with corporate interests as exhibited during the recent Heal Care Insurance Reform debacle.

[OmahaBlueDog]

16. I don't know how anyone can make a realistic judgement of the President's performance in 1.5 years

I knew going in that he had a 2 year plus barn-cleaning ahead of him after the last idiot.

I do think Hillary Clinton would have avoided a lot of the year-1 learning curve issues President Obama had. Otherwise, I think it's way to early to draw conclusions.

[Toasterlad]

9. McCain Didn't Win the Election. Obama Did.

Try and deal with reality.

[OmahaBlueDog]

18. I deal with reality every day

People here are griping because Gitmo isn't closed and don't realize that the majority of Americans think the status quo there is peachy-keen. Few care if Jihadists are treated fairly; conversely, if the President isn't perceived as having done everything in his power to prevent another attack, and we're attacked again, he won't be re-elected. That's reality.

Bush had 8 years to screw up the economy. Barack Obama can't wave a wand and fix it in a year and a half. That's reality.

Americans don't want to spend the money for a get-people-back-to-work program like we had with FDR. That's reality.

Many here complain that they aren't getting what they voted for, or that the economy isn't fixed, or that we're going to build nuclear power plants or drill for oil. Realistically, Americans who are working, fat, and happy don't want the change many of them said they were voting for a year and a half ago. But, if the economy improves and we don't end up attacked, and we really can get out of Iraq, Barack Obama will most likely be a 2-term President...and if he is, maybe he can replace Scalia...that's reality.

[Toasterlad]

20. Ah, Yes. The Magic Wand Fallacy Again.

Obama doesn't need a magic wand to suspend DADT, which a majority of Americans are in favor of ending. And yet, he hasn't done it. Obama didn't need a magic wand to fight for the public option, which a majority of American favored. And yet, he purposefully killed it.

You obviously DON'T deal in reality if you believe Obama is serving the will of the people.

[laughingliberal]

10. Having a bowl of thin gruel to eat every day is better than starving, yes

But it's hardly cause for orgasmic joy, either.

[walldude]

11. Yeah and had actual liberals been elected

Teachers would be getting support not attacked. The Patriot act wouldn't have been renewed. We'd be out of Afghanistan and Iraq and Guantanamo would be closed. Or at least on the way to being done with that shit. DADT would have been repealed and our GLBT brothers and sisters would be enjoying equal rights. Schools would be fully funded. We would be working on alternative sources of energy instead of offshore drilling and Nuclear Power.

Now for those of you who are just love to play the FEAR card, maybe you can explain to me how when Bush started the warrantless wiretapping program DU was up in arms about the violations to our privacy and to the Constitution.
But when Obama decided to Publicly legalized CIA Death Squads to kill American citizens without the right to face their accusers or the right to a trial, which is one of the most basic tenants of FREEDOM, the right not to be killed on the word of the GOVERNMENT ALONE, when he decided to burn the Constitution and piss all over the ashes, where were you? Oh that's right you were telling me I should be thrilled that it's not McCain in office.

[salguine]

17. I think the expiration date on the lame-ass "Just imagine President McCain" canard is long past.

[Toasterlad]

21. + An Ungodly Number

Seriously? This is the best they can do?

[unkachuck]

22. let's wait and see....

....who Obama nominates to replace Stevens....it could be very disappointing....

[Marr]

23. If anyone is unhappy with their automobile's performance, consider this...

... a world where cars are made of bees.

Call me strange, but I remain unmoved by the politics of alternate dimensions.