Obama 154

Just wanted to say that I

Thu, 02/04/2010 - 19:53 — Maggie (not verified)

Just wanted to say that I agree with you totally. Except that I always had some doubts about Obama because he didn't have a record and we really knew not much about him. But I am VERY disappointed in him. See the latest ACLU survey about him that shows that Obama has a majority of Fair/poor ratings on all the survey questions to members of ACLU.

why disappointed? obama

Thu, 02/04/2010 - 20:11 — stan van houcke (not verified)

why disappointed? obama works for the man, like all politicians do, as late howard zinn showed us. the fact that he is black doesn't mean he thinks differently as a white politician. that would be a racist thought. well, after going through so many fliters, obama was considered to be the right man on the right place by the ones who really have power in the usa. that has always been the case in history, the only difference now is that the middle class of the usa is forced for the first time to realize how reality works. two centuries ago edward gibbon wrote in The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire: 'Augustus was sensible that mankind is governed by names; nor was he deceived in his expectation, that the Senate and people would submit to slavery, provided they were respectfully assured that they still enjoyed their ancient freedom.' And so it is.

I second Maggie's comment

Thu, 02/04/2010 - 20:38 — Curt (not verified)

I second Maggie's comment EXCEPT: Obama did have a record, his votes in the Senate, and these votes clearly suggested exactly what we've seen since he was elected President. Now he wants us to "Make him do it"?? No, Mr. President, we elected you to be a leader, and we know you have the skills to do it. You lead in the direction America needs to go and we will follow and support you, but so far you're leadership has consisted of "Business As Usual" and as long as you continue down this route you will not get our support.
I have on several occasions suggested working with the 'Tea party" folks to find common ground and build upon it, we're all hurting for the same reasons and we're all on the same sinking boat, and as pointed out in the article the vast majority of them are not the rabid right, they're people that want change being misled by those that have the $ and airtime necessary to create such a movement. They have a movement and motivation, we have the understanding of what's really going on and where America needs to go and why, and the only way any of us will prevail is by working together so that we ALL prevail. We'll also have a much better chance for success if we aren't behaving like the "rabid left".

Nice to see that you woke

Thu, 02/04/2010 - 20:48 — Craig Della Penna (not verified)

Nice to see that you woke up, Mike, but frankly: you're an idiot. Some of us were yelling our heads off two years ago about what fraud Obama was/is. But you and your pals were too stupid/arrogant to even listen. So now we get to suffer from your inability to identify utter bullshit when you encounter it.
Do us all a favor Mike: next time don't vote.

I knew he'd Bush US when

Thu, 02/04/2010 - 20:54 — Vic Anderson (not verified)

I knew he'd Bush US when During The CAMPAIGN, Old Glory flew onto his lapel. Ever since, it's been wrapped around our heads!

So.....you'd rather be

Thu, 02/04/2010 - 22:13 — Anonymous (not verified)

So.....you'd rather be dealing with McCain/Palin?

Every politician, both

Thu, 02/04/2010 - 22:45 — Harlen (not verified)

Every politician, both Republican and Democrat, makes promises they can't keep during their campaign because when push comes to shove they realize they must compromise or collaborate to move the nation ahead. Every President does it. The campaign serves as an opportunity to establish one's values and priorities. Once in office you do your best to uphold those values and priorities but realize that you can't have your own way in every situation. A sign of greatness in a leader is the willingness to collaborate with the opposition and to change one's mind about issues as the circumstances dictate. When opposing camps become hardened in their position, as has been the case in recent history, then nothing gets done. Are you feeling dumped by President Obama? Snap out of it!

boo hoo - Obama can't roll

Thu, 02/04/2010 - 23:10 — Anonymous (not verified)

boo hoo - Obama can't roll back the 30-year-long march to the right in one year.

Think I'll stay home next election, let the wingnuts take over the country so I really have something to cry about. I want my righteous indignation too, just like all them Fox-News victims.

Dear President Obama, It is

Thu, 02/04/2010 - 23:23 — Peter G Cohen (not verified)

Dear President Obama,

It is with great sadness that I write to tell you that I can no longer support you or your followers in the Democratic Party. On the two great issues threatening the survival of humanity, Global Baking and Nuclear Weapons, you have chosen political expediency over solutions.

By supporting the continued use of coal, corn ethanol and nuclear energy you have done nothing substantial to control Global Baking, to protect the natural environment or the health of our people. Coal is the dirtiest of fuels, ethanol is wasteful of an important food grain in a hungry world, and nuclear energy is based on a a toxic element that threatens not only the health but the precious genetic heritage of its workers and surrounding communities.

As for nuclear weapons, your bold and wonderful statements are contradicted by the 2011 budget proposals to continue the development of facilities to build new and more virulent weapons -- even while you are talking about reducing their unusable profusion.

By supporting coal you get the coal vote, by supporting ethanol you get the farm vote, and by supporting nuclear power you get the vote of utilities and their builders. By supporting the continuation of our nuclear weapons facilities you will get the support of the people who profit from mining, refining and fabricating uranium, the laboratories and their supervisors, (Bechtel and the University of California) and some of the Navy and Air Force who deliver the Godlike power of life and death.

While you have done good things during you year in office, I am distressed that you have not made a good faith effort to live up to your lofty rhetoric on the great issues that threaten the survival of humanity. It is with a heavy heart that I must end my support of you and of all Democrats who support your policies.

Regretfully, Peter G Cohen, Santa Barbara

Don't blame me...I voted for

Thu, 02/04/2010 - 23:32 — BBF (not verified)

Don't blame me...I voted for NADER. Would have vote for Kucinich....but didn't get the chance.

Join Progrssive Democrats of

Thu, 02/04/2010 - 23:56 — Anonymous (not verified)

Join Progrssive Democrats of America! www.pdamerica.org

The solution now isn't to

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 00:08 — Anonymous (not verified)

The solution now isn't to make it such that Obama wants us back (because who would trust him were he to indicate "a return"), but shouldn't we find someone else to represent us who really does want what we want? How about a 3rd entity, not Republican or Democrat? ...or should I say a 4th entity, if one counts Tea Party Republican as a 3rd option? If not, I sure do hope Nader or Kucinich or such will be on any ballot because I sure can't imagine voting for any traditional party/person at this point.

Obama promised a new era of

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 00:14 — Anonymous (not verified)

Obama promised a new era of responsibilty and is now giving us 3.8 trillion dollar budgets and resulting deficits larger than any prez in history. He promised a new era of transparency and yet we see his attempted federal takeover of the healthcare industry marked by classical shady and dirty dealings. Remember the multi promises he made on the campaign trail to cover hearings on c-span? What transparency, what responsibilty. He comes onto national T.V., looks us straight in the face and says outright that he is not an idealougue. What a liar. Unlike Clinton who listened to the people and did what was best for the country, Obama will continue to place his radical ideaology above America and the American people. We Americans are now even more divided than on election day nov. 2008.

I worked for Obama, too.

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 00:44 — Anonymous (not verified)

I worked for Obama, too. And he has betrayed us all. (There's a difference between betrayal and making a genuine effort to fix years of mess.) But, hey--whatever happened with Irene?

A LINE IN THE SAND - From

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 01:25 — jacksmith (not verified)

A LINE IN THE SAND - From jacksmith - WorkingClass

http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2010/01/30/debbie-wasserman-schultz-senators-lied-about-supporting-public-option/

Call your representatives and demand an answer. Do you or don't you support a public option. Do you or don't support democratic MAJORITY RULE! We DEMAND! to know.

http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2010/01/21/fixing-health-reform-through-the-reconciliation-sidecar-13-improvements-6-ways-to-save-money-4-important-benefits/

YOU! are dying and suffering needlessly every day http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/27055

http://firedoglake.com/2010/01/21/ma-voters-seek-more-and-faster-change-economy-jobs-top-concern-taxing-health-insurance-very-unpopular-poll-says/

My Fellow Americans and People Of The World

A strong Government-run MEDICARE like Public Option is STILL! CRITICAL!

We have had a long hard struggle to find out what would be the BEST! that this congress and the Whitehouse could do to fix our highly dangerous, poor quality, most costly, and MOST! disgraceful healthcare delivery system in the world. It is clear that congress can do much more for the American people than what is proposed so far.

It is clear that congress can pass a strong GOVERNMENT-run public option CHOICE. Available to everyone on day one. Expand Medicare and not levy any new taxes on workers healthcare benefits and plans. LET THIS BE YOUR LINE IN THE SAND!

Lastly, there can be NO! INDIVIDUAL MANDATES without a strong Government-run MEDICARE like Public Option CHOICE. Or the American people WILL! and SHOULD! revolt with an all out CIVIL WAR against congress and this Government.

House and Senate progressives and the tri-caucuses should aggressively push for the inclusion of a strong Public Option, Medicare expansion, and no new taxes on workers healthcare benefits and plans. If the obstructionist kill meaningful healthcare reform, then you should kill this bill. Because it will be far worse than the healthcare disaster we have now. It's failure will be on the obstructionist heads. And they will be punished and replaced.

WITHOUT A PUBLIC OPTION CHOICE, THIS BILL WILL KILL FAR MORE AMERICANS THAN IT WILL SAVE.

What is proposed in the Senate bill is the worst case scenario for health-care reform. It would shift trillions of taxpayer, public and private dollars into the hands of the private insurance industry (The single most costly, deadly and dangerous product sold in America). And it would compel by law millions of Americans to financially support this oxymoronic criminal enterprise. You cant have a individual MANDATE WITHOUT A STRONG PUBLIC OPTION CHOICE!

You will have NO! realistic way of controlling cost and quality. Cost will continue soaring through the roof bleeding the American people dry, and KILLing our economy. And our quality of healthcare will continue to decline below our current ranking of "WORST! quality of healthcare delivery in the developed World".

From the very start, the American people have been crystal clear about what they wanted. They wanted a humane single payer system like the rest of the developed world has (HR676). Or at least a humane strong GOVERNMENT-run public option CHOICE!! This is what the American people gave the democrats control of the house, control of the senate, and control of the Whitehouse to do.

Those of you that can, should prepare now to remove every member of congress that fails to support YOUR healthcare reform with a strong Public Option, Medicare expansion, and no new taxes on workers healthcare benefits and plans. Run against them in teams if you have to. But take them out. And replace them with a strong single payer or PRO PUBLIC OPTION CHOICE candidate.

Now! is the time to bring maximum pressure on your members of congress. Contact your representatives and spread the word.

The Public Option http://tinyurl.com/yfftf76

H1N1 IS A WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION!

I have to tell you now that the H1N1 virus is a man-made WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION! and TERROR! It is a WEAPONIZED version of a flu virus. It has swept the planet infecting millions. And causing a global pandemic that has killed tens of thousands, and injured millions.

The H1N1 virus is the product of the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX! It was released in the U.S. in Texas in early January of last year, but not recognized until around April 2009 in California. The reason I know this is because when it came to America, it came to see me FIRST! How sweet...

This was around the time the MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX! assaulted the Whitehouse with all their devils deals to cripple and weaken YOUR! healthcare reform. Especially your right to have a single payer system like HR676 (Medicare For All) which most of you wanted.

They don't even want you to have your HUGE!!! compromise position of a strong government-run MEDICARE like Public Option CHOICE. To compete with their DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, MURDEROUS, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT PRODUCT (The single most costly, deadly and dangerous product sold in America).

They also wanted to take away your rights to have your government meet it's responsibility to use it's full power to regulate, negotiate, and control drug cost, healthcare cost and quality. Something every other civilized country in the developed World has done for it's people. Their Greed! moral degeneracy and lack of patriotism knows no bounds.

Many of you will remember that before we knew about H1N1. I posted a open message to the President and Congress warning them to be vigilant about their health, and cautious about any medical advice they received. As I said then "they will not hesitate to try and hurt you".

The U.S. and the World have been under a BIOLOGICAL TERROR ATTACK! for over a year now. It is CRITICAL that We The People Of The United States take away control of our healthcare system from the GREED DRIVEN MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX!

For our own National security, and the security of the world.

A Strong, government-run, MEDICARE like Public Option CHOICE. Available to everyone on day one, with the full unfettered power of the federal government to regulate, negotiate, and control cost and quality. Would be the most workable way to deal with this global crisis at this time. Including patent suspensions as needed for national security or the greater good.

As an American I invite the peoples of the World to help us fix our healthcare crisis. And bring pressure on our government to meet it's responsibility to protect global security by controlling, and removing the corrupting influence of GREED and the PRIVATE FOR PROFIT motivations from healthcare in the U.S. and around the World.

I call on the governments of the World and the global intelligence community to track down these MASS MURDERERS, and bring them to justice. CONNECT THE DOTS! And be vigilant that they don't slip in another viral strain on you under the cloak of H1N1 sequestration.

Further, the proposed patent protection on biologic's must be stripped from the US bill. And greatly shorten/restricted, or abolished completely. This is a grave danger to humanity and global security.

I think President Obama is doing the best he can at playing the disastrous deck of cards he inherited from the previous administration. And I think he is doing an excellent job. But the wolves and devils of the medical industrial complex! are trying to exploit, and take advantage of his good heart, and desperate desire to help suffering Americans. But we must be strong and insist that healthcare reform be done right for the American people. Or everyone loose's.

This is all I can say in a message post. I'll try to find a way to tell you more later.

God Bless You My Fellow Human Beings

jacksmith - Working Class

p.s. The so-called nominal H1N1 virus is designed in such a way as to make it more lethal to children and young adults. The medical community must be more vigilant of secondary bacterial infections in the young caused by H1N1. And remember, a viral infection is also a transfer of genetic code to you. Think about it, and be vigilant. :-(

My personal opinion is that

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 01:29 — Dan (not verified)

My personal opinion is that you've been far too idealistic. I feel like you were disappointed because you set your expectations far too high - beyond the point of being realistic. No 1 man will ever fix the deep economic turmoil and our country's other issues inside of 12 months. That's absurdly unrealistic. The health care battle has been waged for decades.. And there's more fighting to be had. It took a good 8 years to up-end our economy - how could we fix everything or do more than scratch the surface in a year's time...

Just my opinion.

You all just-don't-get-it,

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 01:31 — Moss Posner, M.D. (not verified)

You all just-don't-get-it, do you?

It's fascinating how your dreams and fantasies lead you to love another cookie cut-out of the Globalists, then you become deservedly disillusioned, and finally light-hearted when another crumb is thrown your way.

What does it take? You are pathetic, hopeless.

The "Tea Party people" will not side with you because you haven't a clue as to what they are trying to achieve.

You like fairy tales and the like? Read Henny Penny. It'll hopefully dull your senses because you won't understand the implication.

Your parallel with Irene is apt. Maybe a little pat on the head from her will get you panting.

She probably belongs to the Tea Party group. You got good taste in women, and alternatively, so does she, which is why she dumped you.

ALL THEASE PEOPLE PRETENDING

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 01:42 — Anonymous (not verified)

ALL THEASE PEOPLE PRETENDING THEY WERE FOR OBAMA BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WAVE HIS MAGIC WAND AND FIX THINGS IN A YEAR ARE UNBELIVEABLE. THIS (I WORKED FOR OBAMA CRAP) IS REALLY PHONY. I NO WHY YOU THOUGHT YOU OWNED HIM . YEAH GO AHEAD AND GET THE GANSTA PARTY BACK IN YOU SEEM TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH BUSH AND COMPANY SO GO DOWN WITH THEM!!!!

Yall really are a bunch of

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 01:45 — Jonathan (not verified)

Yall really are a bunch of bitchers just like the author said. On election day we had to choose between two candidates that actually had a chance at taking the reigns: Obama and McCain. Do you really wish things had turned out differently? For all of you who really believed deep down in your hearts that Obama was the second coming of Jesus Christ I have some bad news for you: you're going to continue to suffer serious disappointments in life. I know it's cliche now, but Gandhi said it best when he reminded us that we have to be the change we want to see in the world. If your world is not what you'd like it to be, you need to first ask yourself what you could be doing to change that. And although I think it's important to vote and be engaged in the political process, I think it's pretty clear that the solution to all our problems will never be as simple as king making. I'm not a fan of Tea Party politics or those of the minute men, but I have to respect the fact that they are somewhat grass roots movements motivating people to get up off their bloated American asses and participate in the process. Now I can sit her and bitch with the rest of you about why this person and that person, who I endowed with savior like powers through the act of voting, isn't living up to their lofty ambitions, or I can take a look in the mirror and check in on how I'm doing on achieving my own goals. What am I doing to address poverty, violence and intolerance in my own neighborhood? How many of my neighbors names do I even know? If you're not happy with where your leader is leading you, you can try to replace him, but don't be surprised if you discover your up against a hydra. Instead you could dig deep down in your gut and start developing your own qualities of leadership and start inspiring those around you. Of course, this will likely be the hardest thing you ever do, and it could end really badly, like in "All the Kings Men" but it might also just be the most rewarding. Just think about all the self respect you'd have and how the bitchers of the world feast on it!

The sad spectacle of trolls,

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 02:05 — David (not verified)

The sad spectacle of trolls, self-deluded democrats, and a few sane people...that's the comments for this article. Fact is, both political parties are tools of the oligarchs. Other than Kucinich and a handful of others, Congress, the executive branch and the right-wing Supreme Court are agents of the wealthy elites and corporations who have made sheep and slaves of us. Some trolls on here call it "bitching" when people say the truth about how Obama is not a progressive, never was, and is a sell-out. Others use the lesser of two evils argument- would we have wanted McCain/Palin? Of course not, but what we really don't want is to have only two presidential choices and both of them support wars, drones, death, banker handouts and other stupidity. Obama can't save us and neither can any politician. It's up to us to change our lives to break the dictatorship of corporations, media, and war lovers who run this country.

We should all be Tea

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 02:16 — Geo Rip (not verified)

We should all be Tea Baggers! Have lots of tea parties and change the world. Seriously folks. We all have legitimate gripes about how the government is mis allocating our taxes. It is important that we all get out there and voice our opinions. They are all legitimate and they all can be reasoned with. Our taxes are meant to be spent on our values and budgets are moral documents. We must learn to reason with others in a discussion about the foundations of American values.

E Pluribus Unum has never meant so much. there is beginning a merging of left and right as we battle over our national identity. Neither the GOP or the Democrats will come out the same. We need to strive for a unified vision.

This should have been

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 02:37 — Kevin (not verified)

This should have been written on inauguration day. I am still "hoping" for Obama and I think he has the potential to help us change some things. But that's just it: Help US change things. "We hired him to do a job" Well, there's your problem. Do it yourself. He's even said so. Quit complaining about the mess and the job he's doing and "pick up a mop." No one, no ONE is going to reverse the course of this culture. We can hope to bend it slowly and continually at best. Anyone who truly represents a radical change will end up with a bullet in their head -- literal like RFK or figurative like Fighting Bob LaFollette. Be like Bob. Progressives need to remember their one-time party evolved from Republicans. Democrats once shrugged at slavery and some said no to Medicare. This is our work. We have a man who is reasonable and willing to listen or follow our lead. Test him. Push him. Talk to him. It frustrates me that so many of his voters were exactly like the neo-cons said, Worshiping him. Government BY THE PEOPLE, not PERSON. Stop bitching like Republicans and start organizing. We need to lose this American "Just take this pill and you too can be healthy and strong" mentality. We are a nation of sofa sitters. For all who were on the campaign, get back out there and put bugs in the man's ear. It is the only way it would ever work. Act locally and communicate and organize nationally. And definitely tap into the Tea Party. A lot of them aren't terribly with it in terms of what's in their interests, but you will find a lot of them share the exact same causes. They need it sugar-coated and packaged in a way they can tolerate. Conservatives keep writing Socialist on everything we try to sell. Take up your own damn fight.

The biggest problem with

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 03:00 — An (not verified)

The biggest problem with President Obama is that he doesn't yet understand the job of being president. He can't sit back and tell the congress to send him a bill and if he likes it he'll sign it. HE HAS TO WRITE THE BILL. The he sends it to congress, buttonholes congressmen, invites many of them to breakfast or lunch or even tea, and tells them to work for it and vote for it. Obama is taking much too passive a role in healthcare and whatever else he wants. Granted that the one thing he could do on his own he did badly- escalating troops in Afghanistan has caused only more deaths- but that is only because Congress which can and should balance the president voted funding for it.

Maybe you shouldn't be

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 03:27 — Anonymous (not verified)

Maybe you shouldn't be listening to gossip about who's bedding down with Wall Street and check which party is voting to 1. Keep Wall Street Bonuses (GOP) 2. Forget about taxing Wall Street on the profits they made WITH OUR MONEY (the GOP) and 3. prevent reform on Wall Street so they can "sleep" with Lady Liberty and leave her after they've had their way with her again. (Check out Boehner and MCConnell's votes for the answer. Maybe, Mike, both Obama and this beautiful gal are too good for the likes of you.

Too bad almost all of the

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 03:34 — howie in seattle (not verified)

Too bad almost all of the commenters completely missed the point of your op-ed Mike. It's not your fault. In the past I've attempted to write about the personal and the political and have been misunderstood, as well,Have you ever heard of Jim Matles?

I have to agree with some of

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 04:03 — Anonymous (not verified)

I have to agree with some of the saner sounding posters here. I knew on election day that Barack Obama as president would be no miracle worker. I will hold the man accountable for things-he clearly walked into the job very naively. He took a too hands off approach to the healthcare debate, and could indeed have flexed more muscle against Republicans. For those who expected a hardcore left wing agenda, it must be enormously saddening to see who he has shifted strongly to the center. But yet was not one of the most frustrating things about George Bush the very fact that he was a slave to his base and never stopped pandering to the desires of a few hundred thousand far right wingers, instead of the millions of moderates or centrists?

Despite the let downs, I continue to be supportive of the president. And I have done some small things that may seem stupid, but I feel are important and show my support. I started driving less and turning off an extra light or two to support his "green" policies. I moved my money from one of the large banks that got bailed out into a community bank, which actually does lending to local businesses. And I have even purchased some treasury bonds. Small things, but if there are a few thousand people doing the same, it makes a difference.

And as others here have pointed out, it takes a lot of people to make a huge difference. No one man is going to be able to solve all the problems our nation now faces. If you want the presidents agenda to succeed, you have to be supportive. Do you think that the so called conservative democrats would have so vehemently opposed the public option if they had been getting flooded with phone calls, emails, and letters demanding it? Get involved.

Four more years, possibly

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 04:46 — Anonymous (not verified)

Four more years, possibly eight, of not speaking the truth of the reality confronting the United States, and the western industrial world. Depletion of the petroleum, soil and water resources, exacerbated by exponential increase in the human population.

I was appalled at the Bush

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 05:38 — domingo (not verified)

I was appalled at the Bush presidency and democrat congress spending from 2006 on. I listened to Obama and his promise to manage the country from the middle and above all else practice economic responsibilty. This man Obama lied to us and didnt even pinch our noses as he bent us over. What a snake-oil salesman this man is. Above all else we need someone who can manage the economy and it is NOT Obama. Lord have mercy on us all when OBAMANOMICS hits full flower 2011-2012.

At the end of the day, all

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 06:04 — Marion Delgado (not verified)

At the end of the day, all the teabagger raving in the world, and all the GOP lies, all the paid propaganda from the insurance and pharma industry that they're passing on without a thought process, stands revealed as purest bullshit.

Their raving theories aside, the rest of the world knows that public health works. The whole point of the Teabagger Movement is to make sure the rich get richer, the poor get poorer, the healthy live longer, the sick get sicker, Americans talk the talk and the rest of the world walks the walk.

No wonder Teabaggers hate foreigners, who are always showing up their fantasies with inconvenient realities.

That was sincerely a

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 06:25 — the Fire & the Sigh (not verified)

That was sincerely a beautiful piece Mike... it pulls a heartstring when someone on the inside comes to terms with truth, even when it hurts.

Obama has thoroughly earned his new moniker originally created by the left-minded "Village Voice," and that is....

BARACK W BUSH.

The Patriot Act, DHS, increased surveillance, stealing $23.7 trillion, decreasing liberty and expanding war.

You nailed the whole "Tea Party" thing on the head... they aren't Left or Right, they're just plain sick of the establishment taxing them to death.

And they should be. And I should be.

And you should be.

I am a "Liberal," but from my definition, Liberal means LIBERTY. FREEDOM. The things that we've slept on for too long.

One last token:

REPUBLICAN vs DEMOCRAT is like Coke vs Pepsi. Isn't it time for something healthier and less corporate? How about some orange juice or water?

It's time to abandon our favorite team (republican or democrat) and focus on whether the soul will stand up against the establishment.

Alan Grayson, Cynthia McKinney, Ron Paul. SEE? I've listed off a democrat, a Green Party member and a Republican/Libertarian, any of which would be vastly less corporate and more progressive than our current regime.

RE: MARION DELGADO WHAT are

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 06:34 — Mike Hall (not verified)

RE: MARION DELGADO

WHAT are you talking about? The GOP only thinks it owns the "Tea Party" movement. If the movement doesn't become partisan than the IRS and the Federal Reserve are in real trouble... they are the ones putting spin on it to make it look bad.

It's not Right or Left, it's regular people who are sick of paying taxes!!

Come on folks! Come on 'progressives!' It's time to quit this stupid team-oriented bickering... (GO Saints! NO! GO Patriots! NO! GO Republicans! NO! GO Democrats! NO! etc...)

How about "We the People?"

Let's stop fighting each other and fight the establishment! The IMF! The Federal Reserve! Wallstreet!

The author reminds me of the

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 09:40 — Anonymous (not verified)

The author reminds me of the man who continually hit himself in the head with a hammer. When asked why he did that, he replied. Because it feels so good when I stop. As long as the lesser of two evils mentality prevails all we will get is more evil. Just ask yourselves this, when you are driving yourself down the road to oblivion does it really matter whether you are driving at 55mph or 75mph? The destination is the same it's just a matter of how quick you get there. As single payer is the only real solution to the healthcare crisis abandoning the two major political parties is the only solution to our nations crisis. The votes are there to change things. More people are registered as independents than as Democrats or Republicans. All that is needed is to take that one step farther and exercise that vote for change by voting third party

dear friends, i am a

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 15:36 — stan van houcke (not verified)

dear friends,

i am a foreigner who read that more than 44 percent of your federal budget is officially reserved for something vague as the national security. now, more than a half century ago your president eisenhower said this: 'This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence -- economic, political, even spiritual -- is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the militaryindustrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.'

sofar your general and former president. in the meantime the influence of the military industrial complex has grown immensely. now my question is: why do intelligent americans expect their president to disregard this huge power within their society. you don't have a military industrial complex, the united states is a military industrial complex. so you have to have an enemy and to make war, otherwise your whole economic system, or that which is left of it, will collaps. hope to get answer.
stan van houcke
journalist
amsterdam

OK, good, but your

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 16:05 — Anonymous (not verified)

OK, good, but your metaphorical comparison with your failed affair with Irene and your disappointment with Obama was nauseating. So heterosexist, gee, and not one blogger even comments on it.

I wonder how many people are

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 16:53 — Anonymous (not verified)

I wonder how many people are philosophically opposed to paying taxes because they think a dollar of their money might go to someone they don't like or disagree with, as opposed to folks like myself who feel that taxation is necessary to fund society. The problem I have is that, for their taxes, Americans get dirty little energy wars and handouts to wealthy individuals and corporations instead of national health, education, and infrastructure like most other countries.

Obama is/was a marketing

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 17:30 — Duke (not verified)

Obama is/was a marketing phenom. The conservatives/MIC folks realized a Repug was unlikely to get elected in 2008 after the Cheney/Bush debacle so they started talking up Obama (e.g. Brooks gushing comments about Obama, corporate media's fascination with Obama and ignoring candidates who could bring real change, i.e. Kucinich and earlier Howard Dean). You could tell right away Obama was not going to bring real change to working people as soon as you saw his appointments (Geithner, Summers, Rahm Emanuel, keeping Gates, etc.).
He could change things quickly in DC (replace DINOs with Reich, Krugman, Howard Dean,Ralph Nader, Grayson,Barbara Lee, Boxer, etc.) but he won't. So look to third and fourth parties.

For Stan in Amsterdam,

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 17:53 — Curt (not verified)

For Stan in Amsterdam, unlikely you'll get an answer. Any politician is free to be whomever they decide to be once elected, but it is almost impossible to get elected to Federal office in this country without pledging fealty to the machine. Although Obama said many good things on the campaign trail, he would not be where he is today if the machine wasn't convinced of his allegiance. As for McCain -vs- Obama, how much difference would it have really made? (No ideological answers allowed, just a concise list of what would be different). I voted for Obama simply as the evil of two lessers, and I know I'm not alone in being unsurprised by the outcome.
Lastly, it all goes back much further than most people understand, to a time when a group of very rich men got together in Pennsylvania and wrote a document to guarantee the rights of the privileged and elite for all time and tried to pass it off as a "grand experiment in democracy", it took a long time and infinite repetition to get the propaganda to really stick, but now most Americans will repeat that line as if it were true.
As for my taxes, I'm taking early retirement voluntarily and will receive an income below the US poverty line, and one big part of the reason is because I can do little else to withdraw my support from a country that believes in 'make war, not love'.

I think Obama's heart is in

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 20:36 — Anonymous (not verified)

I think Obama's heart is in the right place. But he has many faults that cancel out many of his good qualities. To use the boyfriend analogy, his main problem is that many of his friends are truly rotten or very stupid, and he trusts these friends way too much. I'm talking about the Rahms and Geitners and Summers, the Baucuses and so on. If he simply dropped the bad people he surrounded himself with and replaced them with good people, he'd do a much better job because he'd get much better advice. And he could do things like threaten CONDems with not helping in their reelection if they don't go along with the majority of Democrats. Force them to either become true Democrats, or lose the primary to a true Democrat. So what we need to do is let Obama know that if he doesn't get rid of his rotten and stupid friends, we will drop him like a stone!

thank you curt, what you are

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 21:00 — stan van houcke (not verified)

thank you curt,

what you are stating sounds very plausible. but knowing that the usa is a plutocracy where 1 percent of the population possesses around 40 pecent of all the riches, how can intelligent people believe that voting for obama would really mean change we can believe in? i mean, i can understand the 43 percent of the amercans which again didn't vote during the last presidential elections, they acted rational, because they realized there was no real alternative. but i stil can't understand the people who voted for obama thinking he would change the system. was it the mediahype or are these americans unable to accept reality? did they need the hope so much that it made them blind? the strange thing is that when i travel through the usa i always meet people who can in a few clever words explain the economical and political situation, often much better than the dutch can. so what is wrong?
stan
amsterdam

Talk is no more valuable

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 21:12 — Jack B. Nimble (not verified)

Talk is no more valuable today than it was yesterday... and there is another batch of suckers born every 4 years. As a constitutional scholar & a Chicago-style politician , Obama understands how to ignore said constitution in order to maintain an iron grip on wealth & power. He became president not to loosen the grip of the imperial iron fist but to repair the velvet glove.

Interesting story and the

Fri, 02/05/2010 - 21:47 — Anonymous (not verified)

Interesting story and the writer makes a good point for people who want change to organize and speak out for the change that will make our country strong again for all citizens, not just the rich few and I agree with this tactic completely.

But this writer is sadly mistaken in his belief that our President hasn't been fighting for us and the change that he promised in his campaign. Let's keep in mind that when he was campaigning he had no idea that he'd be walking into a financial melt down that he would have to mortgage the entire country to try to rescue us from.

Let's also open our eyes to all the obstructionism that the Republican party has been throwing in his path, trying to stop him at every turn, thinking that we should continue with the same policies that wrecked our country for the past 30 years. President Obama has tried repetitively to speak to and listen to the (tea baggers) and guess what?! The only word they seem to know is (NO).

So I recomend that we not give up on our champion so quickly, this is exactly what the opposition wants and I for one choose to say (NO) to giving up.

Yes, a few sane comments

Sat, 02/06/2010 - 01:23 — Teabaggerstan_babe (not verified)

Yes, a few sane comments here, the ones who remembered the Eisenhower warning 50 years ago, the one who realized this nation was founded for a few elite rich and has never been a true democracy, and I think those commenters were foreigners- who perhaps see the forest better than we who actually live in the trees. I knew early on that Obama wasn't what he pretended to be and no, we shouldn't believe that he's just inexperienced and needs more time, he's a sell-out and as long as people refuse to vote for their best interests- as in Dennis Kucinich or Ralph Nader, because the 3rd party candidates aren't "exciting" or "handsome/pretty/sexy", we will continue to have ever widening gaps between rich and poor, wars for oil/gas and pipelines, and a nation who spends more on "defense" (really it's "offense" isn't it?) and environmental degradation/global warming.
Americans are so dumbed down by the corporate media that they don't even mind that we also go to wars for foreign interests- who are pulling the strings of Obama just as they did Bush/Cheney, and those interests are enmeshed with the global corporate interests- though many of them enjoy dual citizenship in this country and some fill Obama's cabinet and closest advisors- and it's not because they are his "friends" as alluded to here, but because Obama is doing as he is told to do and he's just another whore.

I have few hopes of Americans "waking up", since most don't even realize they are "asleep".

There are still too many

Sat, 02/06/2010 - 14:00 — Hank Van den Berg (not verified)

There are still too many progressives who want to "work with" Obama. Get real. Obama works for the corporate interests that funded him, and his only concern is that the progressive faction remain quiet. So we get tapped on the shoulder every so often with speeches and specific policies that are quickly taken off the table a few says later.
Single payer healthcare was floated during the campaign, it was off the table as soon as hearings started, replaced by something called a public option, then when that was taken away it was replaced by an extension of Medicare, which was also quickly withdrawn again. All the while progressives stayed quiet. This past week, we hear that the climate bill has become an energy bill, and even cap-and-trade, which itself was a replacement for a carbon tax, was sacrificed for clean coal (which does not exist), highly subsidized nuclear energy, more destructive corn ethanol, a new pipeline linking us to the Alberta tar sands, etc. All the while, we escalate military expenditures and send troops to more countries, and progressives have to be satisfied with the cancellation of a few orders for a jet fighter the military doesn't want anyway.
These bait and switch strategies are pure deception, they are intentional, and Obama is fully aware of what he is doing. No amount of speeches will cover up the fact that Obama works for them, not us.
Mike, try a serious progressive movement, such as the worldwide Green/Left movement. Why is it so hard to see that Obama and the Democratic Party are organized to subvert democracy and stop political reform. There is no working with them.

For Stan, the answer to both

Sat, 02/06/2010 - 14:56 — Curt (not verified)

For Stan, the answer to both the questions regarding why is 'Yes'. Perhaps many of us are not sane, believing that by doing the same thing over we'll get different results, and the "foundational myth" of our country, repeated often from childhood, is widely believed along with the myth that we are somehow better as people than others are. If you study the rise of Nazism in Germany you'll find many parallels. The movie "The Matrix" is a good metaphor, and as a recent interview with Henry Giroux here on TO recently quoted, we seem to be a "Darwinian culture", as to how we became such it would take a book I'm not qualified to write to answer.
Anon 21:47, I fear you are confusing teabaggers with devout Republicans and we need to avoid that mistake- the 'teabaggers' are just like us, the leaders and the money they used to organize the movement was for their own interests and gain and they misinform and mislead the movement, but the participants are upset for the same reasons we are.
Teabaggerstan, I live here in the forest and see both it and the trees. Good commentary, but don't forget the system is heavily rigged to ensure the two chosen parties are the only ones that can succeed and any 3rd party candidate will require a HUGE populist movement to succeed, and now with our new voting machines voting may be entirely irrelevant. Until we can somehow outgrow our "Darwinian culture" and have a movement of the majority with a "one for all, all for one" mentality we likely won't succeed, the one "light in the forest" if you will is that the majority is now in pain and angry and as things get worse this may coalesce into the necessary movement. If the movement isn't nurtured, if Americans don't outgrow their darwinism. then it will devolve into the masses dividing into camps and fighting each other, and only the rich elite will win.

Well, the point of that WA

Sat, 02/06/2010 - 16:53 — Anonymous (not verified)

Well, the point of that WA joke is that we DON'T need the eggs. There are no eggs. I think it was lost on you, as was the intent of fronting a charming eloquent president to further THEIR agenda, not yours.

Love you, Mr. President, and

Sun, 02/07/2010 - 04:30 — promemdss (not verified)

Love you, Mr. President, and always will, your faithful supporter of you and Michelle, always....

Sometimes, those of us

Sun, 02/07/2010 - 17:49 — Obama supporter in Vienna (not verified)

Sometimes, those of us outside the US, don't understand what is going on in the forest. We don't really understand what happened in Massachusetts.
We don't understand why everyone has given up on universal health care. We don't understand why Congress supports the surge in Afghanistan. Why a solution can not be found for Guantanamo? Why everyone wants to go down the nuclear road (both weapons and energy). Drones are popular. No one sheds a tear for collateral damage or innocents killed. No one is prosecuted for the financial fraud on Wall Street. And there is no thought of having a Chilcot type inquiry about the origins of the Iraq War.
A perplexed outsider.

Frankly, you make me ill. I

Mon, 02/08/2010 - 02:48 — RoughAcres (not verified)

Frankly, you make me ill.

I would much rather have a president able to set a mid-course correction than one running at full throttle in a sea of icebergs.

There's way too much chaos to overcome to a) do it all within the first year; b) do it all by "leadership at the top;" c) do it without changing stupid and arbitrary parliamentary rules requiring a Supermajority; d) do it without any reasonable objections from the opposition - simply a blanket "no" from them all.

The blogosphere and the pundits need to wake up and start spreading the truth - not regurgitating the same tired half-truths the hardliners on either side are offering as rationale. This piece is just one more piece produced more for its cleverness than for its content -- hey wait, isn't that what you're accusing Obama of??

You haven't learned. Looking

Mon, 02/08/2010 - 05:53 — Eric NotMyTribe (not verified)

You haven't learned.

Looking hopefully to the day when you lover/president comes back to you is a denial stage of being dumped.

The "hand on your back" segment was pithy but rang entirely false, it's still your fantasy isn't it?

You got dumped, by Irene and your president. Face it. Neither, it turns out, wanted you. They got what they wanted out of the match and moved on.

Where your analogy breaks down, is that your girlfriend as just a bad match. You lost nothing. The presidential candidate promised you the moon, and now with the authority you gave him over you stand to deprive you of whatever he can. He hasn't quit you. He has merely lost respect for you, and any pretense of responsibility to you. He's no longer your significant other, he's your pimp. The dumping procedure can only be initiated by you.

But alas...the president was

Mon, 02/08/2010 - 09:52 — bethany (not verified)

But alas...the president was taking his relationship cues from the prince of darkness himself, Rahm Emmanuel.

We cannot lose our hope and change in this contest of wits with an unarmed enemy combatant.

~We must let love win~

One nit, but otherwise an

Mon, 02/08/2010 - 23:07 — elizabeth (not verified)

One nit, but otherwise an excellent article & many excellent comments. The nit: As a progressive friend reminded me the other day, if we want to ally with the Tea Party movement, we have to abandon that term "teabaggers." It just contributes to the hatefulness that has invaded our political process. As we work to reclaim our country, we will only do so by showing the same kind of respect all our framer forebears showed all others, including opponents. I realize that it will take time to get out of the habit of responding in kind to Bush-Cheney snarkiness, that was nine years of hell, after all, but I hold out hope that the silver lining of Obama is the grassroots campaign that used that kind of respect to encourage and excite people to vote in record numbers in 2008, including firing record numbers of incumbents. Voting is far from enough, but the mechanics of that campaign can teach us a lot.

Anyone notice this piece of

Tue, 02/09/2010 - 02:32 — Joe S. (not verified)

Anyone notice this piece of regurgitated Right-wing Manhattan Institute (or Heritage Foundation or Hudson Institute... or etc.) trolling?

"Obama promised a new era of responsibilty and is now giving us 3.8 trillion dollar budgets and resulting deficits larger than any prez in history. He promised a new era of transparency and yet we see his attempted federal takeover of the healthcare industry marked by classical shady and dirty dealings...."

It is funny that even with legitimate gripes about Obama, well articulated from a Left wing perspective, we get the same old Right wing nonsense with the cleverly placed misspellings to make it seem "authentic." It also shows the person who posted it Anonymously (of course) did not read the article just copied and pasted as he is paid to do.

Obama said he would not

Tue, 02/09/2010 - 13:40 — Anonymous (not verified)

Obama said he would not cram things down throats. You wanted him to be what he was not Bad recipe for romance.He is a compromiser. The trouble is, the GOP are cram downers and we will get them back soon when the nation does not hear our voices supporting him but asking for what we want. He brought us a SC judge who did not rule to give corporations the same rights as humans, the war in Iraq is winding down, there are energy tax credits, more credits for education and he supports net neutrality. Science adviser are real scientists, not corporate hacks or creationists. There are laws coming up to end tax breaks for overseas sweat shop & to break media consolidation. The GOP is rushing to block these things. Don't help them. He's our man.

http://www.truthout.org/what-getting-dumped-my-girlfriend-taught-me-about-being-dumped-obama56648