In defense of Obama and a request for DU naysayers

[Cyrano]

It really shouldn’t be necessary to defend our president – the first one that was actually elected to office since 2000. Nonetheless, he’s being attacked by friends and foes alike.

You can’t turn a country around in four months anymore than you can turn a battleship around in a pond. But this man is sure as hell trying to do it anyway.

Much of what I’ve been reading about are the things he hasn’t done. But what about all the things he has done?

He’s stopped torture.

He’s restored respect for America throughout most of the civilized world.

He’s put an end to the embarrassment we felt every time our previous “president” spoke.

He’s restored dignity to the White House.

He’s short-circuited most of the Middle East propaganda thrown at us.

He’s pissed off Dick Cheney and Rush Limbaugh, as well as everyone who still owns a white sheet and a rope.

And most importantly, he’s given so many of us a sense of hope.

The list of things he’s already accomplished is much longer than what I've mentioned here. And he still has a long list of things that need to be accomplished. But given the short time he’s been in office, it can be argued that he’s turned that battleship in the pond a hell of a lot.

For all DU naysayers, I would ask you to give the man more time. And for all the rest of us, as much as we expect of him, let’s not ask for the impossible. I suppose the only one really trying to accomplish the impossible is Obama himself.

[RaleighNCDUer]

1. And, again, it's only been 4 months.

He has 92 to go.

[FLAprogressive]

2. "He’s stopped torture."

Supposedly.

And he's letting the torturers get off scot-free.

His health care "reform" is just an attempt to appease the left but keep the status quo and Wall Street is still getting assloads of taxpayer money.

I'm sick of the "he's only had X amount of months/days/years" meme. It's not about the amount of things he's done, it's about the direction we're headed in.

[Cyrano]

5. Let me say this. Be patient. He's up against some of the most powerful

organizations in the world.

Judge him four years from now. And if you don't like the results, you have the option of voting for any Republican who gets the nomination.

[nichomachus]

26. How do we know he "stopped torture?"

He said he did -- but most of the torture was done in secret torture prisons by CIA operatives and mercenaries or by surrogates. And, since being a torturer carries a much more lenient penalty than, say, being gay, what's to stop some rogue actors from simply carrying on with the torture. Nothing will happen to you.

Imagine if your local police chief said he wasn't going to prosecute bank robbers. Would you believe him if he said he "stopped bank robbery?"

[billyoc]

3. Request denied.

To stop putting relentless pressure on the white house would be nonsensical.

[Cyrano]

8. There is no time limitation on murder or crimes against humanity

Believe it or not, the majority of Americans are not ready to hold Bush/Cheney & Co. accountable for their crimes.

Obama knows this. And it's why he's not moving full speed ahead.

Perhaps I'm a fool for believing this, but I believe that within the next four (eight?) years, the vast majority of Americans will be screaming for an accounting of the crimes committed in our name. And I believe that Obama is trying to bring that about (behind the scenes).

As I said, perhaps I'm a fool for believing this. But I'm willing to wait a while and see.

[billyoc]

12. Perhaps you are, I wouldn't know. But you'd be a fool to think I'm pressuring Obama on torture.

That's not really my thing. I lobby for workers' rights and healthcare.

[Cyrano]

16. Outstanding issues that are right at the top of my list. And I believe

that these are things he will accomplish in the next couple of years.

[billyoc]

17. Gee, that'd be swell, but people are stealing food NOW.

[Cyrano]

18. Yes. And the situation really sucks. But we elected a man to the

White House, not Jesus Christ.

It took FDR years to turn around the pain, outrages and injustices of the Great Depression.

If any of us here had a solution to this horrible dilemma, don't you think we'd be shouting it from the rooftops?

[billyoc]

20. It was years of violent strikes that moved FDR, not "giving him more time".

Remember that.

[JDPriestly]

4. We are giving him time with regard to the economy and the wars,

but with regard to prosecutions of the Bush administration criminals, time is running out. Obama and Holder have to act now or it will be too late. So far, he has not done enough.

Also, with regard to Siegleman, Holder is not moving fast enough. Siegelman is requesting that his case be heard by a full panel. Holder needs to announce the results of his investigation and hopefully either pull the plug on Siegelman's conviction or start indicting a lot of other politicians who have taken contributions from their appointees. Here again, action will only be meaningful if it is swift.

[meegbear]

6. I have no problem giving the man more time ...

I DO have a problem when I'm told not to criticize him.

I refused to give up my rights for * and I'm not giving them up now for anybody else.

[Beam Me Up]

7. I've reced this because I support Obama but that doesn't mean I won't be critical.

I understand completely that the president is under constraints and has inherited the biggest mess in US history. Criticism of policy should not be misconstrued as lack of support. On the contrary, criticism of policy will actually support Obama in having the political power to counter some of the constraints he is under.

typo

[Echo In Light]

9. In my estimation it never boils down to a "him" since it's never a "him" who runs the country

It's the same goofy claim you'd hear from repubs during the first several yrs of BushCo (before the Establishment was forced to slowly turn on them, or, project the illusion of) ...it went like this:

"You just don't LIKE Bush! You're Bush-bashing!"

Nevermind the merit of any criticism, cause for such people, since they base their perceptions on this illusion, they figure everyone does.

I could give a fuck who anyone "likes" or not. Re the real, corporate ownership class of the country, it doesn't boil down to a "him." That's part of the mythos that prevents any real change. Politicians are by and large bad actors and liars used to get you to "like" media personas, which is a means of maintaining the illusion that you or I have a substantive hand in determining the country's domestic and foreign polices. We don't. And I suspect that's the most difficult, 'conspiratorial' obstacle entrenched within the public's propaganda based, background assumptions that many can never come to grips with.

[Cyrano]

13. I would agree with everything you say if we were talking about Republicans

And you can add a good helping of Democrats to that list.

But I believe that, for the most part, many Dems know that our system has been corrupted by corporations, the wealthy and the powerful, yet they are not willing to accept the status quo.

We know that Murdoch, Richard Mellon Scaife, Grover Norquist, (and even Dick Cheney although he no longer holds office) and so many others have much more to say than do we about the direction of this country.

But that doesn't mean we have to accept it. We know who most of these robber barons are. And we also know that their power is diminishing as newspapers are disappearing and more and more people are catching onto the whorehouse named Fox News.

At the very least, consider the possibility that people are starting to wise up to the scam that's been run on them ad infinitum. This is not to say that the "masters of the universe" will not come up with new tactics and schemes. But at this moment in history, real change is a possibility. If you can't believe that, then I guess we are all doomed to forever be the slaves of the rich and powerful.

[Echo In Light]

15. It doesn't mean we have to accept it, as you say, but most, due to indoctrination, can't face it

And w/o the momentum of a MAJOR uprising, the power structure isn't threatened, and therefore the only change forthcoming is the typical sort of American change - empty, meaningless rhetoric.

Sorry, but no...I haven't much confidence in humanity given the current prevailing structures. People are too passive and brainwashed to actually do anything. Real change will only come after a monumental crisis, and that monolithic power structure splinters. Then there will be opportunity, provided that whatever crisis it is, it doesn't wipe us off the planet.

[NJmaverick]

10. Well said and well reasoned N/T

[progressoid]

11. I'd like to give him more time, but we don't really have much more time to give.

Somethings can't wait.

I don't deny he's been served a shit sandwich.

But as someone that donated time and money to get him in office (got the t-shirt too!), I'm not going to keep my mouth shut when something needs appropriate criticism. Just as I will give him appropriate praise when deserved.

[mopinko]

14. the npr obama tracker. stunning list of accomplishments, really.

the very idea that you even need an instrument like this to follow the accomplishments of this administration, but people are still bitching, is just :crazy:
maybe du needs something like this. a "things that obama has done that i like" forum.

http://www.npr.org/news/specials/2009/obamatracker/

[readmoreoften]

23. Good god, it's just a list of things he has "done" not "accomplishments.

Am I supposed to consider it an accomplishment when he meets with kings and makes appointments? He's supposed to do those things. The chart tracks what he does, not "all the wonderful things he does."

And on a day when it comes out that he's threatening Britain to cover for torture. Goodness gracious.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

19. "Be patient" = "Let them eat cake."

Obama's done some good things. On others, not so hot to terrible. i.e, sending more troops to kill more people in Afghanistan.

It's our obligation, as citizens, to criticize our servants when they screw up, not wait patiently until/if they ever get it right.

[dysfunctional press]

21. "But what about all the things he has done?"

what about them?

"He’s stopped torture." has he stopped rendition? has he closed gitmo? has he pushed for prosecution of the torturers? has he stopped illegal airstrikes in pakistan?

"He’s restored respect for America throughout most of the civilized world." actually- the voters did that, by getting rid of bush.

"He’s put an end to the embarrassment we felt every time our previous “president” spoke." that's more a reflection on bush than obama.

"He’s restored dignity to the White House." the air force 1 photo op oner nyc arranged by the white house military office certainly wasn't very dignified.- and again- that's more of a reflection on bush's shortcomings- almost ANY president would have done so.

"He’s short-circuited most of the Middle East propaganda thrown at us." i never paid any attention to it anyway...:shrug:

"He’s pissed off Dick Cheney and Rush Limbaugh, as well as everyone who still owns a white sheet and a rope." so what? they're still laughing all the way to the bank.

"And most importantly, he’s given so many of us a sense of hope." that's just sad- anyone can provide 'hope'- 'results' are harder to come by.

i'm becoming less and less impressed with obama's performance with each passing day.

[readmoreoften]

24. Yes, all those "accomplishments" boil down to his effect on the mental state of his supporters.

*The statement that he has stopped torture is ludicrous. Apparently his goal (as was McCains) is to hide it better so it doesn't blow up the America's face.

*Respect for America in "the civilized world"? Let me guess, by "civilized" we mean our wealthy trading partners in Europe. Guess what? Their rank and file is losing respect and will continue to lose respect for Obama as he pummels Afghanistan and people all around the world are growing tired of our arrogance.

"He’s short-circuited most of the Middle East propaganda thrown at us." I don't even know where to begin with this. So, like, now there's no propaganda thrown at us? Or MOST of it has been short-circuited? Okee dokee.

He's "pissed off racists." Sure. Cool. Too bad his rich banker buddies aren't racists. I wish he'd piss them off.

Sense of hope? Hope for what? Expanded war in Afghanistan AND Iraq? More bailouts of the rich at the expensive of the poor? A useless health care initiative?

This isn't "hope" this is palliative care.

[omega minimo]

22. Another thread purporting Obama naysayers are rampant on DU and need to stop. WHERE?!!!!1

Why do all these threads refer to something somewhere supposedly happening................................... WHAT are you TALKING about?

[proud2BlibKansan]

25. Soldiers die every day

How many more will die before our president finally brings them home?

[bluedawg12]

27. It would be more helpful if you addressed issues as they came up

within that particular thread, so we could learn which issues need further discussion and which do not.

As it is, I know your opinion but not the opinions of those "DU naysayers," so I learn nothing.

[Javaman]

28. Correction...

first one actually elected to office since 1996.

moron* was appointed in 2000.

[Two Americas]

29. he is great

What does that have to do with what we advocate?

I am not asking for anything from him, I am asking for something from the people here. They should stop hiding behind Obama and using that as an excuse.

We should never stop advocating for what is right for the sake of some misguided and false sense of partisan loyalty.

I am not a naysayer. I say YES. Yes to supporting Obama in repealing DADT. Yes to supporting Obama in helping pass EFCA. Yes to supporting Obama bringing the torturers to justice. Yes to Obama reining in Wall Street. Yes to Obama regulating corporate agri-business. Yes to Obama ending the wars.

I am a regular aye-sayer. I don't expect him to do all of those things alone or overnight. But he will never be able to do any of those things if we do not have his back. The way we have his back is to speak out, not to hide behind some shallow cheer leading and adulation posture, while beating down and attacking the people speaking out for the causes we all support.


...

[Wednesdays]

30. K&R

:kick:

[HamdenRice]

31. Excellent post!

I wish more people would learn about the politicial process, as well.

[pecwae]

32. What naysayers?

Really, who are you talking about? I see only mild criticism when it's deserved. What's wrong with criticism and why should this president be immune from it? Isn't it the duty of the citizens to provide some sort of oversight?

Replace the word Obama with the word Bush and much of this post would have been the type seen on conservative sites in the early part of this decade.

These 'shame on you' posts are patronizing, condescending and doing nothing more than dividing this community.