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Obama's number one error, and how he is now reversing it.

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RBInMaine Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-08-10 07:45 PM
Original message
Obama's number one error, and how he is now reversing it.
Edited on Wed Sep-08-10 08:16 PM by RBInMaine
I am a staunch supporter of Obama and Dems. I am a very active Dem (local party officer, local campaign volunteer...). But the one major thing for which I have been critical of Obama has been his seemingly odd insistance on trying to "work" with RePUKES. From the day after he was elected they started "campaigning" for 2010 by opposing EVERYTHING he and the Dem majority have tried to do. He was elected with a populist mandate, and he should have ridden that wave like a fucking missile right down their fucking throats. This was NEVER a GOP he was going to be able to "work" with. That GOP is long gone. What you have now is a sad nasty gang of TeaFuckwad radicals who want to divide Americans at all costs and make everyone else a slave as they steal from the poor and middle class to give it to the fat filthy rich and their benefactor corporations.

Obama HAS been out there some during his term thus far, and he knew long ago and HAS SAID what their agenda was. (Remember the "Waterloo" remark?) But, what he should have been doing from day one was firmly and pretty LOUDLY saying, "Republicans, you had your turn. Now it is our turn. We won. You lost. Grow up and actually work with us, or get the hell out of the way because we are going to do what is right for average Americans and steamroll you. Average Americans have gotten the royal shaft, and we are going to work for them now and not Big Money. Period." Then every time RePUKES obstructed, there should have been a war room response within THAT narrative" "We are doing what is right for America which is suffering from the Republican Recession. They lost an election, and now they are only obstructing because they they think it will help them win the next sorry. Sorry, that game isn't going to work. We are calling it out. They made this mess, and now we are cleaning it up with or without their help. THEY made the mess. They messed it up BIGTIME. And we are NOT going to let them continue to mess it up." Obama (and Dems) should have been up on the airwaves and out in the public from DAY ONE bashing the shit out of those fuckers and taking firm control of the narrative.

Make no mistake. He and Dems have made great accomplishments. But the clear, powerful, ass-kicking, emotional, moral narrative was all too often fuzzy or missing. The fire was missing. The crystal clear lazer-beamed direction was missing. The spine-tingling powerful words were missing. Kicking the RePUKES when they were down was missing. In a recession, people get down in the dumps. You have to lift them up. He went into Mr. Spock mode all too often when he needed to STAY in Kick Ass Captain Kirk mode. He was all too often too aloof. Good to play chess behind the scenes, but you need to be a boxer in front of the cameras. He just wasn't being the inspirer that he was during the '08 campaign, and THAT has been the error. And to a large degree this can be said of many of the Dems. They need to learn how to FIGHT FULL TIME. This is one lesson that they MUST learn. THAT is how you keep your base energized and engaged, and also how you keep MUCH of the rest of the electorate with you too.

He's back in the swing now, and if we pull together, work the ground, and PUNCH THE LIVING SHIT OUT OF THE TEA-RADICAL RESCUMLICANS AT EVERY TURN we'll hold our own in November. So don't spend time worrying. Just work and FIGHT. And take heart that we still have plenty of time, polls are already looking better, and we just need to keep it up. I've been canvassing, donating, and email-messaging. Later I'll be phone banking. Let's do it ! (PS: Looks like our local State House candidate is going to FLIP the current RePUKE the hell out on his ass, but we have a LONG way to go. Taking NOTHING for granted.)
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Toucano Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-08-10 07:46 PM
Response to Original message
1. It has been clear for some time.
I am happy he appears to have finally realized it, but if we lose the majority it'll be too little too late.
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RBInMaine Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-08-10 07:49 PM
Response to Reply #1
2. Not enough has been said about how Dems don't fight full time.
Edited on Wed Sep-08-10 07:49 PM by RBInMaine
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msongs Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-08-10 07:52 PM
Response to Reply #2
3. evidently 19 months of appeasing republicans isnt working out after all lolol nt
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RBInMaine Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-08-10 08:10 PM
Response to Reply #3
6. Well, they have won MANY of the bill fights. But through "chess" and not "boxing." THAT was the
problem. You need BOTH.
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3waygeek Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-08-10 08:14 PM
Response to Reply #6
8. Here you go...
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Better Today Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-08-10 08:04 PM
Response to Original message
4. Is he reversing it? Or just tough talk? Seems most of the solutions he is suggesting
for job stimulus are pretty much all Republican style "solutions" that haven't worked before and I doubt will work now, ie tax cuts for those entities (in this case businesses) still making enough money to actually need to pay a tax, rather than something to help those that have been profitless, perhaps incomeless, for one to two years. Oh, and don't tell me about the stimulus to get local banks to loan money to these entities, it didn't work when he tried it last year, banks never started loaning, or at least not to those that really needed them.
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RBInMaine Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-08-10 08:09 PM
Response to Reply #4
5. Oh come on now. SMALL business loans = GOOD. TARGETED tax incentives = GOOD. INFRASTRUCTURE bank &
Edited on Wed Sep-08-10 08:13 PM by RBInMaine
investments = GOOD. CLOSING OFFSHORE OUTSOURCING LOOPHOLES = GOOD. Give THAT a rest. I am talking about the absent "fight" and powerful communication. THAT was the error. Most of the policies HAVE been PROGRESS. So do get fair and real on that point.
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Better Today Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-08-10 08:14 PM
Response to Reply #5
7. Except the loans weren't being made last time this was tried, last year. Secondly
Tax breaks just don't work unless and until taxes are raised on those who outsource, the oil companies, the mining companies, etc. AND let's not forget that none of his current ideas are through Congress. We thought at one time he was an advocate of public option, but it turns out he was more than willing to kill it. Even if I agreed that his current talk is on the right track, I no longer trust him to follow through rather than reversing course.
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RBInMaine Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-08-10 08:19 PM
Response to Reply #7
9. Are you so pissed that you are going to stay home, or are you going to vote Dem?
Edited on Wed Sep-08-10 08:27 PM by RBInMaine
By the way, it is indiputable that despite the clearer, tougher communication that needed to happen, HUGE progress has been made in many areas. Maddow agrees with that, and I'm with her. There still would have had to have been some compromise within the Senate Dem caucus. That's life in a regional nation. So you can either wallow in "I don't trust" land, or get out and work like to hell to help Dems and beat down Orange Man's fuckwad scumsucker party.
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Better Today Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-08-10 08:24 PM
Response to Reply #9
11. The Dem I have a choice of isn't one you would want me to be
voting for, trust me on that. He is being endorsed by the TeaParty he's such a DINO, and was in fact a republican that switched sides in order to ride on Obama's coattails last election.

I'm waiting to see who his opponents (not just their names, but really have a chance to learn about them) are before I decide if I'm going to vote or not.
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RBInMaine Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-08-10 08:29 PM
Response to Reply #11
13. A bluedog is still better than ANY RePuke dog. And I'm sure there are local and state candidates on
Edited on Wed Sep-08-10 08:31 PM by RBInMaine
your ballot. Even thinking about sitting home is absolutely foolish. Heck, you can even remotely (or travel and do it in person) donate and do phones for OTHER candidates you like better. C'mon now.
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Better Today Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-08-10 08:34 PM
Response to Reply #13
15. No, he's not any better than any republican. Sorry, he is a republican, on a Dem ballot.
Every vote he's made has been with republicans. He is no better, worse in my opinion. As for state and local, that's would have no bearing on what's being discussed in this thread.
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RBInMaine Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-08-10 08:40 PM
Response to Reply #15
16. But voting mean voting an ENTIRE ticket. So then yes, you are going to vote for LOCAL Dems?
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Better Today Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-08-10 08:45 PM
Response to Reply #16
17. Since it's not pertinent to this topic, I'm not saying. I also haven't decided
This is a very red state, my vote doesn't count for much unless there's a race that is close. At this point, none are close enough to concern myself with. Also none of the Dem candidates have set themselves as being any different really than the republicans they are running against. . . so I just don't know yet. I do know I won't be voting for the Dem on the national stage.
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girl gone mad Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-08-10 08:23 PM
Response to Reply #5
10. Small businesses don't need loans, they need customers.
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Better Today Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-08-10 08:26 PM
Response to Reply #10
12. True, but we need loans to hold us over till customers come. Most
that I know around here have spent nearly all of their cash, personal and business, trying to weather the past two years. The only ones not looking at closing are one's whose spouses have very good paying jobs, ie they're being subsidized by even more personal outlay.
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RBInMaine Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-08-10 08:30 PM
Response to Reply #10
14. Customers need jobs. Jobs come from small business. THEY need loans.
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Better Today Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-08-10 08:47 PM
Response to Reply #14
18. Holey Toledo, we agree on something!
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girl gone mad Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-08-10 11:05 PM
Response to Reply #14
22. Small businesses don't want loans..
the demand for loans has actually been falling over the past two years as more businesses repudiate debt.

Once again, the administration is not properly reading the economic tea leaves.

http://macroblog.typepad.com/macroblog/2010/05/how-discouraged-are-small-businesses-insights-from-an-atlanta-fed-small-business-lending-survey.html

Small businesses need customers, not more debt.
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BreweryYardRat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-08-10 09:06 PM
Response to Original message
19. Exactly.
He tried to deal with them like rational adults. Now he's found out for himself that they're not rational, and that most of them act like spoiled children.

Now the gloves are off.
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denimgirly Donating Member (929 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-08-10 09:09 PM
Response to Original message
20. It's CAMPAIGN SEASON -- where Democrats Pretend to be Progressives -- So Enjoy it while it lasts!
Obama is acting tough simply because it is time for campaign season. I prefer this type but my fear is once NOvember passes it will be back to appeasments at all times.

Always remember, democrats only get tough on the campaign trail but when it comes time to govern they virtually always cower. So here is hoping that Obama FINALLY realizes republicans are a waste of time.
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eallen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Sep-08-10 09:10 PM
Response to Original message
21. No, his number one error has been continuing Bush policies on state secrets....
And similar issues that pit executive power against civil liberties:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4532742&mesg_id=4532956

There is no indication at all that he is reversing it.

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Cowpunk Donating Member (572 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-09-10 09:43 AM
Response to Original message
23. Dang, I was hoping you meant Tim Geithner is being fired. NT
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Name removed Donating Member (0 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-09-10 09:46 AM
Response to Original message
24. Deleted message
Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.
 
whistler162 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Sep-09-10 03:10 PM
Response to Original message
25. He is buying "progressives" hearing/reading aides!
good for him.
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uponit7771 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Sep-10-10 07:53 AM
Response to Original message
26. My gripe with Obama is similar, demonizing the GOP would be good after the first two filibusters
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