Something to keep in mind:

[Marrah_G]

In regards to Pres. Obama and Criticism I would like to remind people of the following:

A) There are some people on DU who are sure the President can do no wrong and anyone that disagrees with the president is a freeper, puma, traitor, dlc, shit-stirring troll.

B) There are some people on DU who are sure the President can do no right and anyone who praises him must be a Koolaid-drinking, messiah loving, cult member.

c) There are some people on DU who think the President is right sometimes and wrong other times and like to discuss these things on forums such as this.

Group A and B are very loud and very vocal, but few in number.

Group C is not as loud or vocal, but is vast in numbers.


Remember:

We are all on the same side.

If you look at the total of issues you will find we all agree more then we disagree.

[lunatica]

1. Never underestimate the power of stating the obvious

Very succinct and to the point. And true.

[fasttense]

2. So group C is like the silent majority? n/t

[Marrah_G]

6. No- they just sometimes get drowned out by groups A and B

The majority of posts on DU are from group C. They are generally less dramatic then the ones from Group A and B and are often taken over by people from Group A or group B.

[geek tragedy]

3. Group B (The Green Party/Nader lovers) is not on our side.

Their goal is to destroy the Democratic party so that their 'movement' can take its place.

They are enemies, just as Republicans are.

And, for the record, I have had my own criticisms of Obama. But I have never treated him like the enemy.

[Raineyb]

14. And yet you have no issue with the DLCers who are basically Republican lite?

Strange indeed.

[geek tragedy]

17. I despise Evan Bayh and his 5th column n/t

[bvar22]

16. It is "The Centrists" in the Senate...

...who have formed a coalition to block vote WITH the Republicans to derail Obama's agenda....NOT the Left.
You are confused.

[geek tragedy]

18. But, you claim Obama is anti-labor

and Bush lite.

Why would they oppose his agenda?

[Every Man A King]

4. Group B should be banned

This is not a forum for all points of view.

[geek tragedy]

5. Really. How is Group B different from Rush Limbaugh? n/t

[Name removed]

11. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[NYC_SKP]

7. Agreed. I'll add that far too many "opinion-ey" posts are poorly sourced, parrot the MSM memes.

If I want spin I'll go directly to the bullshit MSM sources.

Props to the posters who source their commentary well.

And props to Marrah_G for this post.

Recommended.

[high density]

8. I don't think there are any "A"s here

There are people who support the president and have some patience to see his results, instead of assuming that his actions are automatically Bushlike and wrong.

Group B certainly is not on the "same side" and is being excessively disruptive. They want the pendulum to swing way left (as far left as it was right under Bush) except their expectations and assumptions about Obama and this country are wrong, to put it mildly. And they all want it done yesterday, ten weeks into Obama's term.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

9. OMFG

:rofl:

You're hilarious. Seriously, I'm like dying over here.

:rofl:

[NYC_SKP]

12. There are no A's here. There are folks who don't care to bash Obama but nobody..

has written or suggested that he's infallible or perfect.

If you care to share an OP to make your point, I'll admit I'm wrong, but I don't expect you to.

:donut:

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

13. Sharing a post to make my point would be breaking DU rules about "call outs"

Sorry, I'm not breaking a DU rule for you.

[NYC_SKP]

19. PM me, then.

Or not.

But, seriously, the biggest fans here, and you and I would probably write up the same list, would willingly offer some criticism if they were asked to. Nobody thinks he's perfect and where that's been written it was probably snark.

For example, I think Obama should be a lot tougher on the auto industry and fight the meme that smart efficient cars are decades away.

I'd like to see him articulate a clearer vision for a better health care system.

[Solon]

20. I had a post, just this morning, whose entire argument was to "just trust Obama"...

How's that for an argument, I won't link to it, its against the rules, but seriously, that's just fucked up. Show some supporting evidence, at the very least.

[NYC_SKP]

22. I still maintain that the author would admit that there are criticisms they could offer.

"A) There are some people on DU who are sure the President can do no wrong and anyone that disagrees with the president is a freeper, puma, traitor, dlc, shit-stirring troll."

To say we should "just trust Obama" (and even I won't go that far) is still not as extreme as "A", above.

[Solon]

26. Well, even worse, he was debating that Obama...

had some secret inside polling data that no one else is privy to that contradicts public polling data.

[NYC_SKP]

29. LOL.

Somehow I didn't see that one.

You know, politicians have been doing that since Bill Clinton, who ran polling day and night during elections, but I really doubt that Obama is doing this now that he's in office.

Every board has it's whackos, outliers, but I really don't think their numbers are as high as their bullshit pile is.

If you know what I mean.

[Vanje]

32. wrong spot. Sorry

[Vanje]

33. How about a poster who says..."I support Obama 100%"

as was written last night.

I'd call that poster an A-grouper.

[NYC_SKP]

37. Can you support with someone 100% but only agree with him 97% or 82%?

I submit that you can, even at 50%.

Supporting Obama 100% can be taken to mean "I'm not understanding what' he's doing, and I might be disappointed later, but right now I'm going to support him."

Not to split hairs, but there is a distinction, I think.

And I'll concede that there are probable a very few whack jobs that are blindly 100% for and 100% against him.

NYC_SKP

[Vanje]

38. Does that mean supporting even Obamas bad decisions 100%?

Would'nt that be blind support?

I think that would be an A-group approach.

[NYC_SKP]

41. No and yes, that would be blind support and extreme.

I don't see that in anyone's comments, but some fool may feel that way.

I think where we read anything like that there is an implied "let's support him, give him time first".

Or there are a few whackos.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

25. lol...I'm an Obama supporter and there are definitely some As on this board.

[glitch]

10. K & R for the OP. nt

[demmiblue]

15. I agree.

I fall under "C," however, there doesn't seem to be much discussion, so I usually stay out of the brawl.

Group A is more disturbing to me than group B. I disregard group B because I think they are limited to a few people. Group A kind of scares me... I think many of them care more about the label than the issues.

I am sad to see the C's being minimized. Damn... I saw someone this morning label some DUers as "freeper liberals." :wtf:

[bvar22]

21. DU was forged in FIRE.

This is a discussion board.
There will naturally be very little discussion about the things that we all agree are "Good" like the Stem Cell Research or spending directed toward the Middle Class/Poor. What is there to say except "GoBama"!

There are other areas that will (and should be) battlegrounds because we disagree.
(The escalation of the War... Trickle Down Bailouts)
There will naturally be strong opinions expressed in these threads by strong opinion holders, and the number of these threads will naturally dominate DU.

Some people haven't formed an opinion on these, or are waiting for some of the smoke to clear before going down on paper on these issues.

I don't know anyone on DU that "wants Obama to fail" (except maybe Bayh's "New Dem" Senate coalition).

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

23. I'm a proud liberal who falls into Group C. I knew what I was voting for when I chose Obama

and worked hard for him in Virginia. I knew that he would disappoint me at time and make be gleeful at others.

I think Group C are not as vocal because there may be a feeling of defeat when dealing with the Group A and Group B folks. No matter what you say, they will still be in Group A and Group B. So what's the use? I just tune them out.

[Marrah_G]

24. I agree with you.

I don't think there is anything we can do about it, or even should do about it. I just want folks to remember that at the end of the day, most of us are in agreement about most things. Don't let the drama queens convince you we are somehow "split".

[SemiCharmedQuark]

27. You're awesome Marrah

:hug:

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

42. One of the tactics that the right wing have been able to excel at for the past 30 years

is to divide the Democratic party...between the liberals and the conservatives or the DLCers. That's what's happening right now with the Krugman fiasco. If we cannot see what is right before our eyes, then yes, we are in deep trouble. I am a Kucinich Democrat, but was smart enough to realize that while I love Denis, there's was no way that he could win. And if Hillary had won the Dem nomination, I would have supported her because the alternative choices are simply unacceptable.

We Democrats need to way the hell up or we're going to find ourselves back in the minority. That doesn't mean that we cannot criticize or hold each other accountable; it just means that at the end of the day, we need to come together and get things done. You are right. We are in general agreement about what needs to be done. Now let's just get it done and dispense with the pettiness.

[Solon]

28. I fall in Group C, though people will probably think its Group A...

But frankly, when Obama does something I agree with, well, I find it useless to post on DU a virtual high five. I usually only post when something pisses me off.

[Runcible Spoon]

30. Yep, same here.

Obama doesn't need any internet lollies every time he eats his broccoli, IMO. There are PLENTY of DU fans to take care of that angle.

[Solon]

31. LOL, yes, that's true, and I generally only post about issues I'm passionate about...

GLBT rights, Universal health care, the Afghan war, etc.

[PopSixSquish]

34. C Would be Me

I don't like the lag time on GLBT issues such as DADT and DOMA and I'm taking a wait and see approach to Afgahnistan.

And if I sound like a cheerleader sometimes, it's just in my nature to give people a chance until they completely fuck up. Plus being a smart-ass is hardcoded into my DNA so watching folks go bat-shit crazy on an internet discussion board brings that out from time to time.

[Vanje]

35. I'm solidly in the C camp

I caucused for Obama in the primaries, wrote checks and phone-banked for him in the general election, bawled like a baby with joy, on election night.

And now I intend to hold his feet to the fire.
Do you think the right wing has stopped pressuring the president?
I dont think the left should stop either.

[DevonRex]

36. I never criticize Obama here. I disagree with him sometimes but there's

enough criticism here already, without me adding to it.

Another reason I don't criticize is because the issues are so very complicated. I cannot claim to be an expert on the economy so I can't say I know any better way to solve this crisis than Obama does. Krugman is an expert on the economy but he doesn't have to deal with politics and politicians and all the special interest groups that pull them in different directions. All Paul has to do is write a column. That's child's play compared to what this administration has to do. Wouldn't it be nice if fixing the economy were as simple as writing a column?

It kind of reminds me of trying to keep my house neat and clean when my kids were young. There are experts out there who tell parents how to raise their kids and that if they just got organized then everything would get done. So, I made lists of chores for everyone to do and it sounded so simple and organized. But soccer practice, lacrosse practice, homework, tests, music lessons, soccer tournaments, lacrosse games, more homework, more tests, girlfriends, dates, dances, clubs, etc., etc., always got in the way and my nice chore list never got more than half done. In the end I threw the lists out and we did what we could when we could, and my house was tolerably clean. Not the way I wanted it but I had to accept that I couldn't control everything and that my kids had things that took priority a lot of the time. And those "experts" who made it sound so simple? They wouldn't have lasted a day in my house.

[cboy4]

39. I remember when DU was a politcal debate/discussion board.

Now, this forum in particular, is nothing but a WHINER echo chamber.

Pathetic. :puke:

[mvd]

40. Proud member of group C here

There are things I disagree with, but I still support him and think he's done more good than bad. Let's give the President a chance.