Why is Obama even negotiating with the enemy? Why? I need a really good explanation.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

I can't think of a really good explanation, and I honestly need to know why he's constantly negotiating with the very freaks that have f****d up our country. Is he not the president? Why is he doing this? Was I wrong in voting for him, and I never realized he never agreed with my beliefs that the middle class is important and that there NEED to be social programs? Did he never agree with me that the rich MUST BE TAXED AGAIN, particularly at pre-Reagan rates? I'm very confused. Why's he acting this way when he didn't during the campaign?

[uponit7771]

1. Because he doesn't have an 83% dem congress like FDR had?

[Sarah Ibarruri]

3. Don't Democrat supporters make a difference? Can't we do something?

Shouldn't we be out there protesting anything standing in his way, and shouldn't he CALL UPON HIS BASE TO SUPPORT HIM IN THIS????????????????????????? Why isn't he?

[uponit7771]

12. Does he need to?!?!?! Seriously?! If his base is too stupid to notice how the US govrnment works ...

...we're up shit creek anyway.

Again, we should be spending our energy towards getting him an 83% PROGRESSIVE DEM congress instead of bitching.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

14. I'm pretty active in that I write actual letters around, make calls, etc.

I don't know about anyone else. However, when I hear Obama speak, he seems to not be motivated. He gives me the impression that he wants us all to just stay home, shut up, not protest, and 'be nice.' It's wrong.

[uponit7771]

19. It'd be more effective if you took over your local dem caucus who actually ELECT the dems to run and

...report to the DCCC who to give money to.

The people they have been proposing are to conservative (blue dogs) and don't need to be.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

23. I've never been a good leader, unfortunately. I certainly wish I were. nt

[crim son]

15. Because he isn't interested in what we think.

That was evident before 2010.

[uponit7771]

21. Obama promise meter and his approval ratings amongst dems liberals says you're wron

[crim son]

26. No. All it says is that dems can be as uninformed as anybody else. n/t

[uponit7771]

41. Yeah, fuck facts

[WingDinger]

52. Wrote a song about it, and it goes like this

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/WingDinger/40

[Sarah Ibarruri]

55. That's a really good explanation. Thank you. nt

[TheWraith]

72. Because you and I don't get votes in the US Congress.

The only time we get to change things is at election time. Between then and now, he has to deal with a Republican House.

[Hand_With_Eyes]

9. So he must give away everything?

He has no other alternative than to cede all his power to the republicans, correct?

[uponit7771]

13. He has some, he could appeal to his base to get him a more progressive congress but hey...

..his "base" would rather bitch about his inability to conquer Mars or some shit.

[Hand_With_Eyes]

42. Or he could draw a line in the sand and make a stand

But that choice is unfathomable, apparently.

[lumberjack_jeff]

2. Your underlying assumptions are wrong. n/t

[Sarah Ibarruri]

4. If they are, explain. nt

[tosh]

7. Yes, please explain.

[lumberjack_jeff]

74. They're our enemy, not his. Economically, Bohner and Obama have many aligned goals.

Both sides occasionally send head-fakes to their base to supporting them. "I'll end porn and abortion! Vote for me!" "I'll implement single payer healthcare and end the wars! Vote for me!".

Do they intend to follow through? Sorta. It's kind of like a new years resolution, more of a statement of principles than an actual do-list. All the while, they know that if they're going to keep their jobs, they have to do what Goldman Sachs tells 'em.

Am I saying they are all the same? No. They're just far enough on either side of the social line that it's apparent which one a liberal or a conservative should support. But they never, never, never stray from what Wall Street will tolerate. The only thing that keeps me engaged are the ramifications of hiring supreme court justices. Appointments tend to be an opportunity to head-fake the base, but with unexpectedly tangible effect.

[Nederland]

5. Because we live in a democracy...

...and those "freaks" have a majority in the House? :shrug:

[Sarah Ibarruri]

8. You know, I lived in Spain. People there are VOCAL, they get out on the streets....

They protest shit. We Democrats do nothing but sit at home and become victims. Why do we do this to ourselves?

[uponit7771]

16. You're under the assumption conservatives care about what 233 billion people say

[Sarah Ibarruri]

20. I don't write Repukes. In fact, I do my best to trash them, including the CHURCHES that gave them

power. I blame the CHURCHES for putting these assholes in power, and continuing to support them. Churches can all kiss my ass, seriously. I couldn't hate them more if my life depended on it. I consider churches fundamentally evil. They NEVER EVER have a good effect upon the majority and the helpless. NEVER.

[KittyWampus]

18. Are you a Democrat? Why aren't you heading up the fight?

[Sarah Ibarruri]

22. I'm not a good leader. I'm a great, fantastic and energetic follower nt

[kenny blankenship]

6. Because Repubs are human beings 2, albeit w/ fantasies of huntin' liberals & they deserve 2B happy

They have a lot of love to give!

Maybe if we let them rape us, they won't hit us so often.

[KG]

10. word.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

11. I think you hit the nail on the head. nt

[KittyWampus]

17. It's called POLITICS? How do you not understand POLITICS and you're posting on a political message

board. Politics involves an opposition. It really is that simple.

And the opposition to the Left is very well funded.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

24. So that's all there is? We can't fight against these a-holes in every way? nt

[loyalsister]

25. According to the constitution

he is required to at least listen to a majority as represented by congress. The make up of the house indicates a larger population of people who agree with house republicans than I think there are. But, that does not change the constitutional process of representative government.
The fact that Bush acted without consulting opposing views was one big reason why I found him so offensive.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

28. So we're screwed then. Nice. It's been what, 30 years of getting screwed by GOPers?

All to maintain a gentle and nice composure, while the GOP freaks destroy our country.

[dkf]

27. Because not paying 800,000 federal workers would be awful for the economy.

And if it's long enough to add them to the unemployment rolls...yikes.

[RegieRocker]

38. Hmm I remember Obama saying something like

"Change isn't going to be easy". I guess you want it easy right?

[alc]

29. because we aren't a dictatorship

we're set up with powers separated between congress and the president and it takes both to pass laws.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

33. We have been allowing fascists to destroy our country for over 30 years...

all to maintain an attitude of niceness.

[MilesColtrane]

30. Obama =/= King

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_powers#United_States:_three_branches

[tekisui]

31. I shudder to think what he will do if we lose the Senate.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

35. It might be time to leave the country. We've allowed this shit for over 30 years nt

[MineralMan]

32. Because he has no choice. The Republicans control the House.

The Republican can block anything they wish in the Senate. As President, he has to make stuff happen. When the country is divided, that will always involve negotiations. It's just how it works. He can't play a hand he wasn't dealt. So, let's deal him a better hand in 2012.

[Hand_With_Eyes]

45. He doesnt have to make any deals with them

He can say, 'We will not make deals with people who use blackmail while holding a gun to the head of America" and walk away. This makes the GOP own the whole mess.

But that would take balls.

[lunatica]

34. Because unfortunately they have the power to hamstring him as they've shown

Congress is the powerful branch of the government as per the Constitution and reality. The fact that Bush had a rubberstamp Congress doesn't mean he had more power than they did technically. It means they exercised that power by rubberstamping his policies, which were really their own. He did what they wanted done.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

37. Is he showing power? Is he showing strength? Is he defending his people? Is he? nt

[lunatica]

48. I gave you an explanation which you asked for

Sorry that you don't like it. It would be ridiculous of Obama to be the screaming mad President because if you think that would stop the Republicans from obstructing every single thing he proposes you're mistaken. Right or wrong he believes he can bring the parties together. Perhaps a white President could. We'll never know.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

51. We've Democratic helplessness since the 80s, and there's no excuse for that nt

[elleng]

36. In the United States, there are three branches of government,

the Executive, the Legislative, and the Judiciary. . . .

[Sarah Ibarruri]

39. Cool. This is over 30 years now that we've been screwed by the fascists of the GOP...

Our country has landed int he gutter, but carry on.

[MineralMan]

49. Never mind that. That's silly stuff from the Constitution.

The President should just declare himself Supreme Leader and do whatever he wants. :sarcasm:

[Sarah Ibarruri]

54. Then our country will continue its downward spiral it's been on for over 30 years. Carry on. nt

[rdking647]

70. so you would be ok with the president acting unilaterally

and what if it was a repug president

[elleng]

59. THANKS, MM! You got it!

:hi:

[badtoworse]

40. Take some classes in civics and then come back and talk to us. - nt

[woo me with science]

43. Because he agrees with them in many areas. nt

[Sarah Ibarruri]

57. This is exactly what I'm beginning to believe. HE HAS THE ULTIMATE PODIUM, FOR GOD'S SAKES!

he doesn't use it.

He doesn't get out there and give a speech, explaining in simple language what the REPUKES are doing. He doesn't explain the threat of the Repukes.

He just silently and suddenly agrees with the enemy, and moves in their direction, no comment to the country, no anything.

[lunatica]

63. Actually he does talk about their obstructionism all the time

He gives speeches all the time too and he explains what they're doing and how it's hurting the economy and the country. He isn't silent on this. I've heard him speak many times about everything you say he isn't speaking about.

[Name removed]

44. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Tennessee Gal]

46. He is not a dictator.

It is called the structure of our government.

[blindpig]

47. Because they are not his enemies...

though they are ours.

[TheKentuckian]

50. Because he demands it. The folks crying about the House forget he was doing

the same and selling their stupid policies with one of the largest majorities in history. Maybe not FDR or LBJ but still a generational type high and no scoffing matter historically.

The grand chess master was going for bipartisanship from before tipoff.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

53. You're right, and bipartisanship while the ship is going down, is not wise nt

[WingDinger]

64. Feigned bipartisanship, is the only path. Set them up to support corp jet writeoffs and such

Insular contempt is only two wrongs. Their unamerican attitudes will work for a season. Then, a little thing called extinguishment. That is when the public fails to react fearfully to lame, oft repeated sky is falling, pres is a cannibal crap. Then, there aint a damn thing they can say to get a rise.

[geek tragedy]

56. Because they control the House and write every single

check the President needs to cash.

[RC]

60. And Obama has the power to veto every single one of them.

They also control the Senate because of the DINO's.

[geek tragedy]

68. Yes, both sides need to agree for anything to get funded.

Why people think Obama can simply order them to cut him a check for any amount he wants is beyond me.

[roxiejules]

58. Poll after poll shows a 2 to 1 margin

in favor of preserving benefits for Social Security and Medicare -- rather than reducing deficit or the debt -- 2-1, people say, preserve -- preserve our benefits.

When we say if you have to do something, what would you rather see with respect to these entitlements, revenues increased, or taxes increased, or benefits cut?

People say, raise taxes, raise costs, but don't cut those benefits.



http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec11/deficit_07-07.html



The politicians are not representing the wishes of the people based on this information

[Sarah Ibarruri]

61. It's shocking to me that politicians are all thinking RIGHT WING. I can't get over this nt

[WingDinger]

65. This is LONG past due, and the answer. Wrote a song about it.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/WingDinger/49

[roxiejules]

73. They are the ELITE

"Elected Democrats at the Federal level are members of the national elite. If they weren't a member when they were elected, they are quickly brought into the fold. They are surrounded by lobbyists, other members and staffers who were lobbyists, as a rule. They learn they need to raise immense amounts of money in the off years when normal people aren't giving, and that the only way to raise that money is for corporate interests and rich people to write the checks. They also receive the benefits of elite status, very quickly. It's not an accident that the every Senator except Bernie Sanders is wealthy.

To the elites, ordinary Americans are pretty much parasites. It's not the bankers, with their multi-trillion dollar bailouts who are the problem, it's old people with their Social Security and Medicare. The elites made it. They are rich and powerful. They believe that their success is due entirely to themselves (even if they inherited the money or position). If you didn't, then that means you don't deserve it.

Democratic party elected leaders, as a group, are members of this elite, or are henchmen (and some women) of this elite. They believe what the elites believe, and they live within a world whose boundaries are formed by those beliefs.

They have no intention of engaging in radical change which threatens elite, which is to say, their, prosperity and power."



via: http://www.openleft.com/diary/16774/why-democrats-are-trying-to-commit-electoral-suicide - Ian Welsh 1/4/2010

[Sarah Ibarruri]

75. You're right. To the mega-rich, the poor are not important nt

[FreakinDJ]

69. "What the American People want" - those Damm Pesky Facts again

I had a link up here last week that showed 19 different polls demonstrating the same 60 - 87% want NO CUTS in Social Security and Medicaid and wanted Tax Loopholes Closed by the same margin

In 2008, Goldman Sachs, had 29 subsidiaries located in offshore tax havens and reported profits of over $2 billion. It paid federal taxes of just $14 million on those profits.

http://www.ourfiscalsecurity.org/taxes-matter/tag/tax-loopholes

[Name removed]

62. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Palmer Eldritch]

66. Because they hold elected Office and a majority in the House.

Do you really need to have the entire American POlitical System explained?

You want to pretend you live in a Country without millions of Conservatives in it.

While I agree that would be nice, it is just not the case.

We have to make decisions all together for all of us.
Nobody gets everything they want.

[dbonds]

67. Because he really wants to be liked by them.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

77. Seems that way. Why does he? I don't get it. What's his point? nt

[Pisces]

71. Wow, with this logic we should just bomb Iran, Pakistan, anyone we deem an enemy. Why talk why

try and work things out???. They are f***ed up right, so don't negotiate just bomb them. This is the same extreme as neocons. I can't believe this is where we are at on DU??

And that fact that you need someone to school you on American Democracy is insane.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

76. I honestly have no clue what you're talking about. nt