"To Those Who Consider President Obama a Disappointment;

[johnaries]

You're Just NOT Paying Attention!"

If you think President Obama is a failure, or you're "disappointed" in him, the problem pretty much has to be you. So far, this president has done most of what he said he would do, and he's only halfway through his first term. Not only is he NOT a "failure," he's pretty much the opposite. Hell; he even took out Osama bin Laden, something Bush couldn't do in eight years. Of course, Bush also said several times that he really didn't care bout bin Laden, anyway...

Is he perfect? No, he's human. Does he deserve some criticism? Sure. But criticism about certain specific problems is one thing; taking on an overall "Obama sucks" meme not only has the potential to put another Bush into power, but it's also a lie to say, or even imply, he's a lousy president.

Here is a PARTIAL list of Obama's accomplishments so far. Unlike many lists, I actually include a link to details. I also update this list regularly, so check back often.

Anytime someone, right OR left, tells you Obama sucks, or is a "disappointment," show them this list and tell them to kiss a part of your body not usually considered pleasant to kiss.

For the rest:

http://pleasecutthecrap.typepad.com/main/what-has-obama-done-since-january-20-2009.html

[Pab Sungenis]

1. But on the things that MATTER

like jobs programs, stimulus, and health care, he has proven to be a very big disappointment. He need to stand up for what's right instead of constantly seeking "compromise" with people who don't know the meaning of the word.

[izquierdista]

4. I'll give my rec to your comment

and my unrec to the OP.

[SlimJimmy]

42. Same here +1 -1

[johnaries]

5. You really need to visit the link. It proves otherwise.

[Pab Sungenis]

7. Does the magic link give us a public option?

Does it give us an infrastructure plan?
A jobs plan?
A real stimulus?
An end to Bush's tax cuts?
Two liberals on the court instead of "centrists" Sotomayor and Kagan?

Wow, that must be a really powerful link.

[Creideiki]

You forgot an energy plan,

any understanding of the world outside the swamp, and anything that will fix this mess.

Obama's in a broken sailboat. It only tacks to the right.

[xiamiam]

38. does your link investigate cheney or help homeowners instead of bogus hamp?

[JuniperLea]

45. Yeah, because straw man arguments...

Are just swallowed whole around here...

Some must pee on the electric fence for themselves, I guess.

[jaxx]

9. It all matters. Trying to cherry pick is ridiculous.

The disappointment is a personal thing. Reality says that jobs programs, stimulus and health care have all been good. If he hadn't stood up for these things they wouldn't have happened.

[Pab Sungenis]

12. They didn't happen.

The stimulus was mostly additional tax cuts and woefully underpowered. We got no jobs programs, and health care has actually made things worse without a public option.

[jaxx]

17. Obviously they did happen or you wouldn't have an opinion

about them. I can't make you look at the truth, but can only wonder why it has to be so twisted to show the disappointment.

[Pab Sungenis]

32. You can have an opinion about something that didn't happen

There was no jobs bill. He's talking about one this week when it should have been item #1 back in 2009.

As for the stimulus and "health care," both were watered down to the point that they did very little good, or actual harm. Those are not successes.

The President has done a lot, yes, but his cowardice has hampered his performance on things that actually matter.

[cstanleytech]

34. The problem wasnt the tax cuts

exactly but rather the fact that there wasnt any stick in place to actually encourage the companies to hire additional people or to spend the money in such a way that would stimulate the economy, instead the companies sat on the money and or gave their corporate level employees bigger bonuses while the lower level people who do the majority of the work got squat.
For example my brother who works in the grocery industry got a whole 10 cent raise last year and he has worked for the same company for 15 years.

[jeff47]

53. There's no reason to hire when aggregate demand is low.

Which is why tax cuts are very ineffective as a stimulus tool.

[cstanleytech]

66. My point is if the tax cuts had been linked to hiring more full time

workers even if there wasnt exactly a demand at the time it might have done more for the economy than granting the corporations a no strings attached tax break has done.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

67. The health care reform bill did just that. It provided small business tax cuts

tied to the hiring of employees!!!

The problem is that DU and many Democrats, sadly, have forgotten this--far too busy hating Obama!

http://www.irs.gov/irs/article/0,,id=223909,00.html

<snip>

Recent Legislation Offers Special Tax Incentives for Small Businesses to Provide Health Care, Hire New Workers

Videos
HIRE Act: English | ASL
Small Business Health Care Tax Credit Update: English | ASL


IR-2010-69, May 28, 2010


WASHINGTON — In recognition of National Small Business Week, the Internal Revenue Service encourages small businesses to take advantage of tax-saving opportunities included in recently enacted federal legislation.
A variety of business tax deductions and credits were created, extended and expanded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), this year’s Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act and the Affordable Care Act. Because some of these changes are only available this year, eligible businesses only have a few months to take action and save on their taxes. Here is a rundown of some of the key provisions.

New Health Care Tax Credit Helps Small Employers

The small business health care tax credit, created under the Affordable Care Act, is designed to encourage small employers to offer health insurance coverage for the first time or maintain coverage they already have.

The credit takes effect this year and is generally available to small employers that pay at least half the cost of single coverage for their employees in 2010. The credit is specifically targeted to help small employers that primarily employ low- and moderate-income workers.

For tax years 2010 to 2013, the maximum credit is 35 percent of premiums paid by eligible small business employers. The maximum credit goes to smaller employers ­­–– those with 10 or fewer full-time equivalent (FTE) employees ––­­ paying annual average wages of $25,000 or less. The credit is completely phased out for employers with more than 25 FTEs or with average wages of more than $50,000.

Because the eligibility rules are based in part on the number of FTEs, not the number of employees, businesses that use part-time help may qualify even if they employ more than 25 individuals. More information about the credit, including a step-by-step guide and answers to frequently asked questions, is available on the IRS website.

Two New Benefits for Employers that Hire and Retain Recently Unemployed

Employers who hire unemployed workers this year (after Feb. 3, 2010, and before Jan. 1, 2011) may qualify for a 6.2-percent payroll tax incentive, in effect exempting them from the employer’s share of Social Security tax on wages paid to these workers after March 18. In addition, for each qualified employee retained for at least a year whose wages did not significantly decrease in the second half of the year, businesses may claim a new hire retention credit of up to $1,000 per worker on their income tax return.

These tax benefits are especially helpful to employers who are adding positions to their payrolls. New hires filling existing positions also qualify but only if the workers they are replacing left voluntarily or for cause. Family members and other relatives generally do not qualify.

Employers must get a signed statement from each eligible new hire, certifying under penalties of perjury, that he or she was not employed for more than 40 hours during the 60 days before beginning employment with that employer. IRS Form W-11 can be used to meet this requirement. Further details, including answers to frequently asked questions, are posted on IRS.gov.

</snip>

[stuckinarut]

30. You mean a huge, individual mandate hand out to the same..

Greedy for-profit structure that already existed...

WOO HOO!

[lumpy]

13. Things on that list MATTER to those of us who think they are of

importance. He is standing up for what's right in the face of outrageous opposition and underhanded tactics by the political stooges who are owned by the big fat corporate hogs.

[Life Long Dem]

36. Guess what?

Social Security didn't start out with what we have today for social security. Guess what? Medicare didn't start out to be what medicare is today. Guess what? We will be saying the same thing for health care. Years from now we will be saying health care didn't start out with what we have today for health care.

And for your information and those Hillary fans. Hillary Clinton already had her chance at health care and failed. So as far as a disappointment's go, I think your comment on disappointment's fail.

[Bluenorthwest]

43. Why are you talking about Hillary Clinton, Sec of State under

Obama as if she was the enemy and those who supported her as well? The person you are addressing did not mention her, nor did anyone on this thread. Personally, I still find it hilarious that some of you saw them as being so different, they were twin candidates. Except at that time he claimed to oppose individual mandates very strongly, which she supported. That was the entire difference between them. They were my last and second to the last choices.

[LibDemAlways]

41. Yep. Couldn't agree more. If I'm supposed to applaud Obama

for taking out Bin Ladin and overlook the continuing wars, high unemployment, pitiful excuse for health care reform, kowtowing to Wall Street, etc., well......no, thanks. Can't say I'm hugely disappointed, though. I listened carefully to his vague campaign speeches with a skeptical ear. He never sounded progressive to me. I voted for him because he wasn't McCain.

[JuniperLea]

44. I thought he was POTUS to everyone...

My mistake, I guess.

Seems many would rather he was as radical as Bush, but in the opposite direction... I think that is effed up. It was bad when Bush did it, and it would be bad if Obama did it.

He ran as a pragmatic centrist, that's what I voted for, and that's what I got. Those who thought he was uber liberal and was going to be a radical POTUS were, and are still, dreaming... and blaming Obama for their own nightmares. Ridiculousness abounds.

[jeff47]

54. Wow are you wrong.

"He ran as a pragmatic centrist"

Because "Hope" and "Change" were not major parts of his campaign. It was all about technocratic excellence and minor tweaks to existing programs that might possibly be changed to real solutions in 40 years.

It's not a good idea to rewrite history this close to the actual events you're trying to rewrite. People's memories are bad, but not that bad. Wait a decade, and when you claim he ran as a centrist people won't laugh in your face.

[JuniperLea]

57. What part of hope and change doesn't fit?

He absolutely ran as a pragmatic centrist... that you didn't see it is more telling of you than of him. Do you think he should be as radical as Bush was, but in the opposite direction?

[jeff47]

58. Perhaps you could list all the parts of his platform that were pragmatic centrist.

'cause that's a much shorter list than all the stuff that was progressive.

Oh, and can the dumb straw-man argument. The options are not 'pragmatic centrist' or 'extreme radical'. The fact that you try and reduce the argument to such absurdity does not make your argument stronger.

[JuniperLea]

61. You need to find the correct definition of straw man...

I wasn't trying to "reduce the argument" at all. You were talking change, and I'm asking if you want change or not... if not then you would be perfectly happy with the same, which was radical. Seems to me you want Obama to be a radical progressive/liberal.

[Magister Ludi]

47. You don't get to decide what matters by yourself.

[Pab Sungenis]

50. Nor does the person who makes "teh LIST!"

The voters do, and Obama's approval rating says all that needs to be said about whether what he's done matters.

[roguevalley]

52. oh god. we're the blame. sigh.

[John Agar]

2. Wow. Defensive a bit?

Skipping the link.

[Skittles]

3. YUP

it is pathetic

[johnaries]

6. By skipping the link you're essentially closing your eyes.

"There are none so blind as those who will not see."

[lumpy]

8. Thanks for posting this. Some people won't take the time to

read this, infortunately, and if they did they would still find something to bellyache about. Surely there is something on this list that would be "important" to some of the naysayers.

[polmaven]

39. Oh, but it is....

a :hide:LIIISSST:hide:!!!

The only lists that are appropriate are those which show what hasn't been fully realized without any compromise at all. Screw those who have actually benefited by some of those compromises.

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

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

[Bluenorthwest]

37. The link is to a blogger who was banned from DU just yesterday

So skipping it means people have standards and do not enjoy the style and methods that you, apparently find to be so wonderful. That blogger is not allowed to post his own blog here, so you did that for him. That was an act of kindness? 'Those silly mods, they don't know best'? End run on the rules, then declare that those who will not read the banned blogger are 'blind'? Seems you disagree with the moderators here. I don't.

[jeff47]

56. We're well aware of The List.

We are well aware of The List.

We're also well aware of all the things on the list that were actually accomplished by others. For example, the ACA is Pelosi's accomplishment, not Obama's. The administration decided to abandon health care reform when Senator Brown was elected. Pelosi picked up the ball and got the job done.

DADT's repeal is kind of similar. It was ruled unconstitutional in 2010. After that ruling, the bill was introduced in Congress to repeal it. Repealing a law that can't be enforced anyway isn't an accomplishment. It's wasting time. Meanwhile, the administration seems unusually fond of DOMA.

Also, there's tons of "introduced ____" or "proposed ____" on The List. Things that never actually went anywhere. Yet when critics point out other things that haven't happened, we are lambasted for being "unrealistic". You can't take credit for things that never had a chance of going anywhere, and then turn around and attack critics because what they want can't go anywhere.

[Tx4obama]

63. Maybe you are confusing the OP list with some other list?

The OP list does not have the word 'introduced' in it, not even once.
And the word 'proposed' is used only one time.

There are 'several' LISTS floating around the net and they are not all the same.

[jeff47]

64. Nope.

"He committed to phasing out unnecessary and outdated weapons systems" - Hasn't actually done so.

"Through an executive order, he created the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform." - The 'Catfood Comission' which failed to produce a report, and opened the door for the SS and Medicare cuts he proposed during the debt ceiling negotiation.

"He completed the massive TARP financial and banking rescue plan" - Plan was already in place. Being the guy keeping the lights on isn't an accomplishment

"He created the Making Home Affordable home refinancing plan." - which failed to spend about 70% of it's money

"He oversaw investment in updated and improved manufacturing processes" - Uh....what exactly was the President doing here? Our government doesn't manufacture stuff.

"He initiated a $15 billion plan designed to encourage increased lending to small businesses." - Initiated is a synonym for proposed.

"He supported the concept of allowing stockholders to vote on executive compensation" - Saying "That's a good idea" is now an accomplishment?

Most of the "Improved Foreign Relations and American Status Abroad" section is basically "He says nice things".

Those are the ones that I can easily snark on from the first half of The List. There's others in there that require more effort to debunk. And I really don't feel like putting in more effort to debunk them. It's not like it will change anyone's mind.

[KaryninMiami]

10. Thanks for the reminder.

He's not perfect- I agree. And I am disappointed that more things did not get done and I think he was a bit naive (or poorly advised) to believe that he would ever get support from the GOP. It as over as soon as he got elected. So, I'm really disappointed that he didn't push more through when we had control of the Congress but ok- he blew it - or perhaps it's because he never imagined that the next Congress would be so against everything that they would opt to sabotage the country or lead us to disaster then do the right thing. You know that thing- like putting country before politics. He was wrong and it cost us dearly. But I don't believe he will do that again.

I keep reminding myself, in addition to all of his accomplishments- and there are MANY-- this is the man that beat the Clinton machine. Think of all the obstacles he faced when running in addition to the Clintons.

Then think of what he faced immediately upon taking office- the economy was far worse then anything anyone could have imagined- literally hanging by a thread thanks to 8 years of the Bush Crime Family.

Then there were pirates. And Swine Flu. And it went on from there. One crisis after another. Then we lost Congress and here we are. That is after a bizarre east coast earth quake and a hurricane that plowed through and entire ct.
The guy never gets a break. But I'm glad he's President. I still believe he's the smartest guy in the room and he has a lot more to do = and will do- in his next term. But we have to win back Congress in addition to re-electing him. Period.

Who's in? 2012

[lumpy]

15. Thanks for your levelheadedness. Unfortunately we are

swamped with people who expect instant gratification without seeing the boulders in the road to success.

[Union Scribe]

21. You're assuming he's moving in the proper direction on that road.

I don't give a shit about boulders, I'll help you move fucking boulders. But if you're walking the wrong way, and he is on a distressing number of matters, then I hope to God you run into boulders to slow your path.

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

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

[jaxx]

11. K&R

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Union Scribe]

16. Isn't this the same douchebag blogger whose other diatribe

was locked here today?

I guess some here have found their representative voice.

[QC]

18. The very same.

And the mavericky soul who posted that diatribe is now resting peacefully: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=user_profiles&u_id=265522

[kas125]

19. Now, that's the best news I've read all day! n/t

[Union Scribe]

23. We can hope.

But, alas, restless spirits will wander. Often back to the places they knew, I'm told.

[Enrique]

28. you mean DU is haunted?

:scared:

[Oldenuff]

24. yeah???

Who was the banner waiver with regards to looking at Social Security...and all that "shared sacrifice" bs?

For someone who has taught constitutional law,what has he done to rid us of the intrusive search techniques foisted upon travelers at US Airports...and beyond?I somehow thought that everyone who was elected to office swore to protect the constitution?Not that he is the only one who has turned a blind eye to the issue,but as President,the buck stops with him.




Primary.

[Tx4obama]

25. K&R. It's a great LIST especially because it has citation links included :) n/t

[provis99]

26. there's a whole lotta "He SIGNED bills that Congress passed! Whoopee!"

Zero credit is given for signing a name on your paper.

I guess the bottom line is that we should be grateful Obama didn`t veto all these great things that Pelosi and Reid got passed in Congress.

[johnaries]

46. If he gets blamed for Congress' actions, shouldn't he also get

credit when they do something right?

[provis99]

60. when have Obama supporters blamed Obama for Congress's actions?

[treestar]

51. OH FFS

This is really TRYING. Then you blame him for not introducing bills into Congress, right? The President gets equal credit for signing. It is not just signing his name to a piece of paper. It is the legal effect it has. Usually the whiners of the left go on about how the President should be all powerful. Now his power to make a bill into law by signing it is dismissed.

[tanyev]

27. K&R

[NorthCarolina]

29. Please, cut the crap.

[great white snark]

31. K&R

:kick:

[Fearless]

33. Nope. Nice try though.

[Bluenorthwest]

35. Gee, a link to a towering jerk who was T' Stoned yesterday.

How telling. How tacky, but how telling.

[johnaries]

49. I don't know anything about that. I liked the extensive list and

the corroborating links to more details.

[JNinWB]

40. Thank you for this

I bookmarked your information because it has the detail links for each Obama accomplishment.

[GeorgeGist]

48. SOS

[jeff47]

55. All hail The List! The List will save us!!!

"Excuse me, the economy is really quite awfu...."

"THE LIST! ALL HAIL THE LIST!!!"

"Could you do something about the people rotting in Guitanimo..."

"THE LIST! ALL HAIL THE LIST!!!"

"You know, that warrantless wiretapping wasn't OK under Bush, it's still not OK just cause a Democrat is..."

"THE LIST! ALL HAIL THE LIST!!!"

"Didn't the last administration do an awful lot of war cri..."

"THE LIST! ALL HAIL THE LIST!!!"

"Why are you trying to negotiate a settlement with the banks that covers up the massive fraud..."

"THE LIST! ALL HAIL THE LIST!!!"

"Pivioting to the deficit is really going to hamstring your attempts to do anything about the econ..."

"THE LIST! ALL HAIL THE LIST!!!"

"Wasn't your "Health Care Bill" originally proposed by Bob Dole in 19..."

"THE LIST! ALL HAIL THE LIST!!!"

"Why are you putting Social Security and Medicare on the ta..."

"THE LIST! ALL HAIL THE LIST!!!"

[johnaries]

68. Actually, "the list" simply shows his many, many accomplishments

that some people choose to ignore. As for the specific items on your "list":

"Excuse me, the economy is really quite awfu...."

He got Congress to pass an unprecendtended stimulus bill, as well as other measures designed to improve the economy. It obviously wasn't enough, which is why he is working on a new jobs plan.

"Could you do something about the people rotting in Guitanimo..."

He issued an XO to close it. Unfortunately, it was NIMBYs in Congress that defunded it. You can't do anything without the funds.

"You know, that warrantless wiretapping wasn't OK under Bush, it's still not OK just cause a Democrat is..."

PATRIOT ACT was replaced by PATRIOT ACT II which greatly revised most of those issues - Obama voted and many other Dems voted for it. Obama himself said publicly that it wasn't perfect, but much better than the previous PATRIOT ACT.

"Didn't the last administration do an awful lot of war cri..."

NO administration has investigated a previous admin. I agree that Bush Cheney et.al. should appear before the Hague. BUT they should appear before the Hague, not an American court.

"Why are you trying to negotiate a settlement with the banks that covers up the massive fraud..."

This recession was sparked by the financial sector. Right now it is more important to stablize it. Messy, yes. Dirty, probably. But necessary nevertheless. (For the record, I would have preferred that he nationalized the Banks - but that may not have been practical considering the International ties they have).

"Pivioting to the deficit is really going to hamstring your attempts to do anything about the econ..."

Many economists agree that the growing deficit is part of the problem. Further, Obama is working to lower deficits IN THE FUTURE.

"Wasn't your "Health Care Bill" originally proposed by Bob Dole in 19..."

Does it matter who originally proposed it? OBAMA GOT IT PASSED.

"Why are you putting Social Security and Medicare on the ta..."

If everything isn't "on the table", then nothing is. There is no way that major cuts to SS and Medicare will pass Congress, so they are still safe.

[jeff47]

69. So did I need to put the sarcasm tag on that post for you?

My post was pointing out the absurdity of trying to use The List to shut down all criticism of the President. The List makers hope that a massive number of entries on their list will somehow get us to stop complaining.

But that works about as well as the entries in The List lowering unemployment: poorly.

If you want to rebut Obama's critics, you are going to have to actually rebut their arguments. Not throw up a longer list full of half-truths and claims of what Obama "really wants". For example, saying "he passed the stimulus bill" does not rebut "The economy sucks". "Congress blocked transferring Gitmo prisoners to the US" doesn't change the fact that Obama can have civilian trials _AT_ Gitmo. Or heck, even military trials. Just some sort of trial so that we're not violating one of the fundamental institutions of our country.

[Armstead]

59. Oh No! Not The List! Oh please.. Anything but that!...I surrender!

[JoeyT]

62. Does it prove that he isn't pushing the free trade he is in fact pushing?

Because that would be kind of interesting.

[Name removed]

65. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Vinca]

70. Oh, dear god, not "the list" again.

I am disappointed in many, many ways . . . and it isn't just me. Nothing would make me happier than to be going into this election with the same enthusiasm as the last, but I'm just sick about the way the guy panders to the damn Republicans. At least pretend to put up a little fight. Just a little. I don't expect everything to pass as I want it, but I can't feel real good when ground is ceded before a discussion begins and that happens every single time. He'll get my vote, but only to prevent a lunatic from winning.

[geek tragedy]

71. High unemployment, double dip recession, and no foreign

policy achievements of note.

Oh, and HCR will be starved of funds by future Congresses until it dies a silent death, so scratch that one too.

[Sherman A1]

72. Thanks for the lecture, however

I am fully able to make up my own mind about what is important to me and what I want in a President.

So I get to make the decision for me, not you...

[lynne]

73. So, independent thought is now out of the question? I can't make up my own -

- mind these days? If I don't think in brown-boot-lock-step along with you, then I'm "not paying attention"?

Frankly, I can't afford to pay attention. In the last 18 months I got laid off. My husband got laid off. My son got laid off. We're all now working part time - my husband and I for about half the hourly wage we were getting before.

As far as that "kiss a part of your body not usually considered pleasant to kiss" - Help yourself.

[Tx4obama]

74. And here's a link to another good list with some blue links :)

http://www.facebook.com/notes/leisa-hussein-simone/to-the-progressive-obstructionist-obama-haters/176216039110683