Obama is still a radical socialist big-spending tax-happy extremist

[jpgray]

After all this time and all these shameful compromises, that caricature remains firmly in place in our discourse and in the minds of most conservatives and many independents. The claim that Obama has to act as he has done to shake off this perception of him as some commie radical is ridiculous. There is nothing objective he can do to buck that image, as it has no objective basis. He can obsess over it, be owned and led by it, and treasure up in his imagination the next grand compromise where he -proves- he's not a socialist--but the best he can hope for is a few kind words from David Brooks. The majority of his accusers won't change their line of attack at all. This is a petty reward for bringing more misery to millions who are miserable. When attacks already touch the furthest extremes of accusation, it would be better to do what needs to be done and be blamed than to justify your accusers' every ideological premise through conciliation--and still be blamed.

It's true the GOP is guttering their own public image, but what, objectively, have they lost in terms of policy?

[DJ13]

1. I keep wishing he would learn to embrace that label

And start acting like it.

[ChiciB1]

5. I WOULD Be Nice If He Would Embrace His Own Base!! That's What I

would love to see. Unfortunately, for whatever reason he simply doesn't see this as an option. And regardless of what many here would LIKE others to think, he's been leaning more and more to the right each and every time something needs action!

I'm so stressed out with worry and know others who are feeling the same. We don't know what we can do or where to turn. Trying to call Congress now, or trying to elect other people isn't as easy as some say. Where I live it's almost or maybe EVEN impossible to get any Democrat elected to any office. And in this Red county even our Democratic Party leans to the right! So trying to get ANY moderate candidate elected here is like spitting into the wind. LITERALLY!

I'm not only worried to death, I've gotten to the point that it's begun to drag me down. I feel like I'm walking a plank now, but just don't know when I will reach the end. And I'm still am able to keep my house because we bought it a long time ago and it's not new. It was built in 1973 and thankfully the prices were a lot cheaper then. But we still have taxes to pay and everything else around is costing me more and more.

AND STILL THEY WANT TO CUT benefits. How are people going to make it? This is no joke. Some people simply WILL NOT be able to make it through the month soon. My mother-in-law lived with us for almost 10 years before she passed away and her SS check was $668.00 a month. How far will that pittance take anyone today??

It's beyond disgusting that he doesn't even want to come out and say ENOUGH, this is just ENOUGH! I truly feel had he done so a long time ago, it would never have come to this. He's bent over back wards so far that in fact "they have his number" and know it. THEY know how much he's compromised, but they STILL say he's a left leaning socialist when NOTHING is further from the truth! And they know it too! He really must take some blame for it though. I say if that's what they think about him then HE SHOULD ACT LIKE IT!

Spit in their eye and say... EF Yeah I am, whatcha' gonna do about it?? But he NEVER will, and it's costing him more than I think he actually realizes. I know too many Democrats who have simply turned away from him and think he's betrayed them and THE PARTY. I'm one of them myself and it hurts me to have to say this over and over. But I refuse to wear blinders.

[robdogbucky]

2. From your typing fingers to Obama's ear

"...it would be better to do what needs to be done and be blamed than to justify your accusers' every ideological premise through conciliation--and still be blamed..."

[Doctor_J]

3. Yes, all of his appeasement and caving was useless

He's a really terrible politician, and I hope he will live out the rest of his life regretting not leading his country AWAY from right-wing rule instead of toward it.

[Kalidurga]

4. Wait wut...

but the RWers say he is a master politician and a Chicago Mobster.

[jpgray]

6. I think he will likely retire to a life of lucrative speaking engagements

Almost whatever happens.