I have been quite critical of the President's domestic policy

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

I have been quite critical of the President's domestic policy

The President does something, or does not do something. I bitch. I say this sucks because it is bad policy and bad politics.

People say, why don't you get behind the president? Answer: Because it is bad policy and bad politics.

Sometimes politics can justify bad or sub-optimal policy. And sometimes a political hit is worth it for the optimal policy.

But there is no upside to things that are bad policy and bad politics.

So there I am, dumping on policy after policy... bitch, bitch, bitch... don't they realize that unemployment will stay near 10% and the economy will be heading back down just in time for election day 2010? ...talking about how this policy will lead to terrible political results... the squandering of a mandate, the rejuvenation of the republican party, the needless worsening of our economic prospects (ineffective economic policy is terrible politics!), increasing cynicism.

So then the wheels come off... the policies don't work, all public momentum for normal moderate-liberal solutions evaporated, pugs poised to retake congress and further wreck the economy.

And it's my fault.

If I had been more supportive of a series of very poor decisions they would have magically been good decisions... or something. Policies that obviously could not drive new employment would drive new employment if I didn't break the spell by pointing out that they couldn't?

But either way, it is my fault. I criticized the president, urging him to not turn congress over to the fucking republicans on a platter.

I suck!

[MannyGoldstein]

1. +100

Thanks for this.

[tblue]

2. I suck, too.

I should have been more of a good soldier. My bad.

[zipplewrath]

3. Friggin' Perfect

Very well said. Krugman is that you?

You've heard the joke about the guy in the balloon. Asks for directions and is mad that the respondent doesn't have the answers. Punch line is, "you are moving on hot air, don't know where you're going, nor how to get there, but now that we've met, it's my fault".

[EFerrari]

4. Omg. You're right I suck, too!

:applause:

[daleanime]

5. So that's not a breeze?

Oh, my. :blush:

[NJmaverick]

6. If constantly criticizing the Dems and the Presidents doesn't have an effect

why is the GOP spending time and $$$ doing just that?

as for "poor policy" you desperately need to listen to Rachel Maddow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQhVkLU8vqE

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

9. MOST OF AMERICA DOES NOT READ DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND

Memorize that datum.

Anything posted here is likely to influence no one, but to whatever degree it does influence anyone it has a greater capacity to speak to Dems who are interested in what folks on the internet say.

It has no influence on the broad American political scene.

[NJmaverick]

11. Words matter

and there are enough people on DU and read DU that it does make a difference. It may not be a big difference but it matters none the less.

[dkf]

7. +1000

[nc4bo]

8. Room for one more cause I'm guilty as he!! too.

Got a phone call yesterday to GOTV and told them you gotta be kidding me. Haven't you been reading all the letters, emails or paying attention to the phone calls over various issues? What good has any of that done?

Is one fiery stump speech supposed to give me a case of amnesia?

I don't think so.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

10. You should still GOTV, though

[Winston Wolf]

12. Thank You.

Many times, I find myself being labeled something along the lines of a traitor to the President or the liberal cause in general, and I find it to be quite insulting.

The American PEOPLE voted for change back in 2008. And it wasn't just "Idealist-Hippy-Liberals" and "Corporate-Loving-Pragmatic-Progressives" that voted for change, there were "Rethugs" and the "Unreliable Youth Vote", and those "Never-Can-Be-Satisfied-Green-Party-Nader-voting-folk" that voted for President Obama as well.

I wish people could see that, outside of the labels, fear, anger, and hatred we all have for each other, we share several desires in common (and in no particular order of importance, because they all matter a fuck ton)...

I. Access to quality and affordable medical attention

II. The right to be accepted even though your sexuality/skin color/religious upbringing/cultural heritage doesn't fit "the norm"

III. For the country to not be involved in military programs/foreign wars/occupations that have nothing to do with keeping America "safe"

IV. The ability for the average American to have a shot at being successful again, regardless of social status/upbringing

V. To focus on healing this planet that we as a species have collectively took a massive shit on

VI. To be independent from damaging foreign influences, like a dependency on foreign sources of energy, propaganda machines like FOX NEWS, and the absurd amounts of money being poured into nation building projects, while Americans themselves go hungry, and increasingly, homeless.

Despite the fact that the MSM tells us we all hate each other, it does seem that we share a lot of the same hopes and dreams for the future of this country and the future for the coming generations.

[Autumn]

13. You do suck.

Some people, usually Democrats, are capable of separating the criticism of a President and the criticism of some of his policies. It's okay though, I kind of suck too.

[27inCali]

14. some people are talking about getting the vote out

Some people want to talk all day about how they were really right all along about those awful Democrats are and how worthless it is to vote for them.

I don't question your motives, but I question the wisdom of your actions.

[indepat]

15. The only times I have ever been critical of the president on this board are when bad policies

have made wretchedly bad politics: and that's every time a policy, an initiative, an appointment, an action, or a law is too far right of center. Unfortunately, there have been a seeming veritable plethora of these which surely are obvious to all. If the tide of egregiously far-to-the-right fiscal policies, unfair tax policies, pre-emptive wars of aggression, profligate spending on the military, deregulation (thanks Bubba - your fingerprints are all over the financial meltdown), laizze-faire approach to governance, et al aren't reversed in totality, the damage done to the fiscal integrity of the government and viability of the economy will almost surely become irreversible. ;)

[BzaDem]

16. I think your posts about policy and economics tend to be right on, but less so about politics.

Not in terms of convincing voters, but in terms of political feasibility.

The truth is there is a huge difference between what needs to be done and what is possible to get done with the current Congress. The need can grow greater and greater by the day, but that doesn't mean the political feasibility increases at all. Pushing for a bunch of policies and publicly failing on all of them is not much better than only pushing for what at least has a chance of passing.