So... to all the doubters about Obama's progressive creds... impressed yet?

[scheming daemons]

- Beginning the process to close down Gitmo

- Getting rid of the gag order at abortion providers

- Opening up the FOIA to Bush-era documents

- Forcing a pay freeze for all of his staff

- Forcing new ethics standard on members of the executive branch


Pretty good first 24 hours, eh?

[Deja Q]

1. You expect them to be honest in their responses?

[lostnotforgotten]

8. Off To A Good Start - Let's See How He Handles Torture And Prosecuting Bush And Cheney

eom

[Colobo]

70. Won't happen.

[derby378]

78. Either it happens, or America is effectively over

Bush and Cheney are only the latest manifestation in a neo-fascist undercurrent that has been festering in our country since the 1930s. It must be stopped now, and it can only be stopped with prosecutions.

Otherwise, the next wave of neo-fascism - and there will be one if Bush and Cheney are not held accountable - may be enough to destroy America for good.

[davidwparker]

10. Yes, I do. i commented that I was cautiously optimistic, but wanted to see

proof. This is a good beginning. The FOIA, I mean.

Our government has a tendency to white wash ... Warren Report, 9/11 Report, you know what I mean.

We need to know what was done in our name. We do, actually. But, we need to see it proven in court.

[mirrera]

25. Them? Has it come to that? As a progressive, I am cautiously hopeful, and

certainly grateful that we are not under the reign of mccain palin. That is why I voted for Barack Obama. I don't get the new enemy you imply. Isn't this exactly the attitude we are all supposed to put aside? I for one am doing just that. I am pleased by what I see so far.

[glitch]

26. Do you really think Barack Obama wants or needs sycophants?

If you do you have a much lower opinion of him than we do.

[katandmoon]

31. Well, let's just poison the well, now! That's such a great discussion technique!

[babylonsister]

2. WHAT a slacker. nt

[rosesaylavee]

23. And someone said he doesn't drink coffee?

First meeting at 7:45 am after attending 10 balls the night before and kind of a full day earlier.

Wow.

[babylonsister]

30. I know! I'm exhausted just reading about it! What a 'change'!

I'm really happy. And grateful. We won the lottery.

[tabatha]

3. I always said he knew what he was doing.

[ogneopasno]

4. I'm very happy with the first 24 hours. But that still doesn't mean I think he's "progressive" or

"liberal" when it comes to school vouchers, trade and labor or gay marriage. It's not a bad thing -- the man's got four, if not eight, years, and there's plenty of time to get right on stuff.

[Zomby Woof]

42. Hilda Solis was his Labor pick!

Jesus Christ on a buttery biscuit - do you want him to dig up Eugene Debs and revive him? Solis is the most progressive Labor pick of our lifetimes. And that means EVERYBODY on DU, not just the politically naive youngsters, or the bleating, bleeding ponytails.

[EraOfResponsibility]

5. far from impressed

[trudyco]

6. Opening up the FOIA - didn't hear that one. Very good. Yep, I'm a happy camper right now -nt

[BlooInBloo]

7. I've consistently said, Obama has clearly betrayed us.

[Tatiana]

12. LMAO. I know, right? Why he gotta act like that? Working and making change and stuff?

You KILL me!

[Cha]

14. And, you're not going to change

your tune,eh?

[BlooInBloo]

17. Down to the last muon, Obama has clearly betrayed us! BETRAYED!!

I kill me.

[firedupdem]

61. My favorite..

Obama has betrayed your momma.

[Shiver]

56. I've been co-opting your line lately.

[Shiver]

58. I've been stealing that line, by the way

[Ichingcarpenter]

9. You forgot putting Grey Wolves back on the endangered Species list again

My neighbor came by and said she was amazed at
what he had done today.

Prayer meeting, sworn in, stayed for the whole parade,
took care of the kids, went to 10 balls, came home at one,
got up and then did your list.


grey wolves story;


http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jan2009/2009-01-21-03.a...

[quakerboy]

41. Well, there goes Palin's plans for the year

[ScreamingMeemie]

11. Give my friends and family members the right to marry who they

wish and I will fall to my knees in thanks. I didn't expect him to be Bush but I realize, as well, that he isn't a God.

[pnorman]

22. Was that an issue that he had campaigned vigorously for last year?

I guess I missed it. I was apparently obsessed with issues of lesser import then. (sigh!)

pnorman

[Zomby Woof]

43. That issue is beyond his constitutional scope of powers

It's a state issue. Obama (or any president) can no more legalize gay marriage than Lou Dobbs could become Ambassador to Mexico.

[treestar]

50. LOL, can I use that, it's great!

Lou Dobbs as Ambassador to Mexico - the very definition of impossible!

[mkultra]

47. Thats a state issue.

Otherwise it would require a constitutional amendment, which is probably beyond his abilities.

[Posteritatis]

13. Where's my pony, goddammit?! (nt)

[Hekate]

72. Puppies! I want puppies!

[mdmc]

15. a leftie checkin in

both day 1 and day 2 have been impeccable.

[glitch]

21. Same here. Very impressed with his first days.

Still not liking Treasury and Interior, but I am a lot happier than I was.

[mdmc]

36. better then the GOP

I can't imagine how awful another 4 neo-con years would have been...

[Posteritatis]

16. What was the abortion-provider gag order about? I missed that one (nt)

[Justitia]

29. sounds like he is going to rescind the global gag rule tomorrow - good news. -eom

[Posteritatis]

33. Ah! Yes! Woot! (nt)

[stevedeshazer]

18. Hell, he did more for Americans in one day than Mr. Ex-Chimp did in eight years

Plus, he got sworn in twice, completely dissected the former Doofus in Chimp right in front of him in his inaugural speech seen by a bazillion people, went to ten inaugural balls and danced with his lovely wife, walked part way to the White House with her, held a short presser, probably worked out, called a shitload of world leaders to help restore America's image, and probably kissed his daughters g'night and tucked 'em in.

He smoked Little Boots in ONE DAY.

[BlooInBloo]

19. Always keep in mind... It only takes one "aw shit" to cancel out 10 "atta boy"s....

And they're just silently waiting to pounce on that one "aw shit".

[Two Americas]

35. "they"

What is with the "they?"

Why continue to promote this false and malicious smear of your allies here, who happen to disagree with you on a few issues?

There is a direct connection between dissent and elected officials responding to that. When an official does things that the dissenters were calling for, that down not make the dissenters wrong. That tells us we should keep speaking out, it does not tell us that those resistant to those speaking out have been justified or validated.

I am not silent, not waiting, and not dreaming up things to criticize the president about nor looking for an opportunity to pounce.

If Obama moves to the Left, no one will defend him more than I will. When he comes under assault from the right wing, I will defend him. If he moves to the right, I will speak out about that.

I think one "aw shit" cancels out 10 "attaboys" for the hero worshipers, who will tolerate no critical words at all.

I would be ecstatic with one "aw shit" and 10 "attaboys." The "canceling" will all be in the fervent imaginations of those who have loyalty to a personality and their own vicarious emotional feelings confused with politics.

But under no circumstances should we call for a suspension of dissent and criticism, no matter who is in office. That sabotages representative democracy.

[donco6]

63. What? No response? Tsk.

Good post.

[SidneyCarton]

55. Very true.

This will be an interesting ride, encouraging, but interesting nonetheless.

[Dragonfli]

20. An encouraging start -

My thoughts here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[Two Americas]

24. very good

But that has nothing to do with speaking out. For all we know, it worked to speak out - they heard us. I think that is the case.

Certainly, elected officials would never do anything if no one spoke out.

Critics: "Obama should do such and such."

Loyalists: "Why don't you STFU you whining angry pouting malcontents, and support the PE???"

Obama does what the critics were calling for.

Loyalists: "see? We were right and you were wrong, you whining angry pouting malcontents."

WTF?

Those of us who have been critical are happy. Get it? Happy. And many of those arguing against us were arguing the opposite points of view on the issue, and now support our position because Obama has taken it. You will always "win" and be "right" if you wait to see the outcome, wait to see what position the people in power take, and then choose that point of view. Not very responsible citizenship in a representative democracy.

You take a "nyah nyah you lose" stance toward the critics when Obama does not do what we ask for, and also when he does. Not much of a "win" there to gloat over.



.

[glitch]

27. Excellent post, but not short and snarky enough. nt

[Forkboy]

45. Best post in the thread.

[mkultra]

48. soudns about as effective as prayer. Nice work.

[PVnRT]

52. +1

[donco6]

62. Happy here, too.

Thanks!

[Captain Hilts]

28. Balked on stem cells, balked on the vote in congress for DC..gotta lean on him. nt

[democrattotheend]

57. When did he balk on those issues?

I'm not aware that they have come up yet...

[depakid]

32. It's a start

but the real work- and the proof of the pudding has yet to come.

[UrbScotty]

75. Thwe 'real work' began long ago

and is continuing now in a very different and more profound way.

[eridani]

34. Actually, I'm very impressed

But if you think that means I'm going to quit hollering about single payer health care and getting an economic team together with fewer people on it who have caused our current problems, fuggedaboudit.

[DURHAM D]

37. But, Obama doesn't want the "cram down" provision

because he does not want to lose Republican congressional support.
Great, just great.

[Zomby Woof]

38. Obama is a student of Lincoln

And I bet not one DUer in 1,000 could tell us in which ways he is modeling himself after Lincoln.

Could you imagine DU in March of 1861 after Lincoln's first inaugural? "He must free the slaves NOW!! He's just a centrist corporatist sell-out!! Did you hear in his speech how he may keep slavery just for the sake of unifying the country again? What a disappointment! I wish Howard Ralph Deanader ran!!"

Lincoln was a coldly calculating and shrewd political genius. We can only hope Obama has inherited 1/10th of his gifts. There is a lot of truth to that humorous captioned pic that surfaced often during the campaign - "Chill the fuck out! I got this!"

I am not saying Obama has a super secret plan to legalize gay marriage (that's a states' powers issue anyway, but DOMA's days are numbered), or that he will actually prosecute Bush and Cheney for war crimes - but he will be underestimated (as he already is, and I myself was deeply guilty of for most of the primaries), he will learn to navigate the political landscape for maximum results in his favor, capitalize on opportunities, and make sweeping reversals in not only the neocon agenda, but many of the past ways the U.S. did business at home and abroad. He will make mistakes, as Lincoln surely did - and like Lincoln, he will learn from them masterfully. After all, Lincoln did not have a super secret plan to free the slaves. He navigated the landscape and capitalized on the opportunities (besides, it was the 13th Amendment, not the Emancipation Proclamation, that ended slavery - but the EP was an effective political tool). The Right fears socialism - that is unfounded. The Left fears Imperial Lite, and that too has little basis in reality. This will not be a kind era for ideologues.

[Rabrrrrrr]

60. Perfectly said! People should go read up on Lincoln.

Cuomo's book would be a good, short, and excellent introduction.

[Maru Kitteh]

39. It'll never be enough for the perpetually more progressive than you are crowd and their

sibling chapter - the order of the perpetually offended.

[Occam Bandage]

40. They'll all have supported him all along,

at least until he fucks up, at which point they'll never have trusted him.

[Two Americas]

74. foolish consistency

"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."

Many of us will be expressing agreement with the administration when we agree, and disagreement when we disagree.

How would you have things work?

I cannot see the value in this "support" and "trust" you sat we should all have. The only way to obey your dictate would be to never speak our minds. How does that help anything?

we don't give out own family members and friends that sort if uncritical support and trust. In fact, part of supporting a person you care about is telling them the truth, not merely what they want to hear. Why would we grant that to powerful stranger, whose power is derived from a system of representative democracy, who hold their positions of public trust as our servants?

Odd doctrine you are espousing, and very much anti-democratic and suppressive.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

44. Aside from the actual good done, this first day sends the strongest possible message.

It encourages supporters and puts foes on notice that he is serious as hell about doing the right thing and getting as much good done as possible.

I agree with Zomby also that Obama is a deep and smart motherfucker playing a mean game of political chess, and his opening is kicking ass. He'll go whatever way will get him to checkmate and will take the more sure route even if it's less pretty. I hope that he will have a fraction of Lincoln's ability to reassess the situation and adapt to changes. The conduct of the campaign gives me strong hope that this will be the case.

[AzDar]

46. Haven't really paid attention... I just like lookin' at him.

[jenmito]

49. K&R.

[PVnRT]

51. It's a good start

I'm pleased so far. But, of course, the whiners are here mocking anyone who isn't head-over-heels in love with the man, so, whatever.

[Generator]

53. Pretty damn good!

We have more problem with the wait in the back of the bus sit down and shut up crowd on DU than we ever could have with Obama. I don't think we survived eight years of being told what to think and say by right wing media and the right wing zealots to be told the same things as our "own."

And if after eight years of fascism you don't have doubt you are a fool and dangerous to your own health and mine. Absolute believers are always dangerous.

I'm thrilled with Obama so far.

[GreenPartyVoter]

54. So far so good :^)

[tomg]

59. From my point of view, the

glass is half full. What I really like is that the faucet is still turned on.

[TheKentuckian]

64. I'm strongly Pro-Obama but I'd have to agree with the sentiment

that say "is this what progressive has come to?".

I call this mostly just being responsible but things are far off track. Don't get me wrong, I think he'll at least do liberals justice but I have to say it is sad that "Conservatives" are so far beyond awful that sound government is the new progressive.

[leftofthedial]

65. two kick-ass days.

so far so good.

a couple of minor quibbles, but nothing that is an issue yet.

Two truly memorable and impressive days! That Obama fellow can sure trigger the fast break!

[Cash_thatswhatiwant]

66. He hasn't gotten rid of the global gag rule. I'm hopeful it will come, but

a bit disappointed he didn't do it, especially today, on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

[Hippo_Tron]

67. He will within the first week, probably waiting for the right news cycle

[UrbScotty]

76. Ahem...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/22/obama-to-lift-...

[Rosa Luxemburg]

68. has the new puppy arrived yet?

[Captain_Nemo]

69. The choice of Rick Warren was sexist, homophobic and a gift to religious right.

Real change would have been a woman minister.

[cottonseed]

71. His justice department picks are pretty good too.

Greenwald has a good write ups on those selections.

[Two Americas]

73. that is backward

The goal is to impress the politicians with the needs of the people, not to impress the people with the wonderfulness of politicians.

[Celeborn Skywalker]

77. Yes.

They are OUR servants, not the other way around. Having said that, I am impressed that Obama seems to be listening to the progressive wing of the party.

[TxRider]

79. Hmmm might want to read this...

http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2009/01/obama-sides-wi...

[ieoeja]

80. Objection! Author makes wild leap of illogic.

From the story:

"The Government's position remains that this case should be stayed," the Obama administration wrote (.pdf) in a filing that for the first time made clear the new president was on board with the Bush administration's reasoning in this case.


From the quoted pdf:

On January 19, 2009, the Government filed a motion for a stay pending appeal and for certification of the Court's Order pursuant to ...



On January 23rd the Government lawyers added a line replacing Bush with Obama as the defendant in the lawsuit. This would be Government lawyers from the Department of Justice headed up by the Attorney General. And Obama's nomination for AG, Eric Holder, has not yet been confirmed.

1. The DoJ is still being run by the man Bush left in charge.
2. The "Obama administration" did not write the quoted line. It was written at least one day before Obama took office.
3. The motion was filed the day before Obama took office.


That being said there is a very good chance the Obama administration will continue the appeal. Because the Top Secret memo in question may very well have information we do not want exposed in open court: something like, "and B. Hussein, our spy in the Saudi government, was able to confirm many of the facts obtained by the wiretap."