Democrats who are unhappy with Pres. Obama - - cited here and here - - need look no farther than the authoritarianism and trickery in the Walker administration - - from fake treasury balances to fake recall candidates to frequent fake ratings on PolitiFact - - and the Tea Party's willful sabotagee of the economy to defeat Obama in the name of Grover Norquist and Jim Crow - - to visualize what life will be like if the Right takes control of the Presidency.
I have my share of complaints, like the slow pace of Afghan withdrawal, the agreement to extend the Bush tax cuts, and the abandonment of single-payer health coverage, but that doesn't mean I'm overlooking the positives of the last three years (national health care, good Supreme Court nominees, real progress on vehicle fuel economies), and I'm not supporting people who want a primary challenge to the President.
If you are progressive, why go out of your way to weaken Obama? Republicans and talk radio do that 24/7, and have been calling for his failure since Day One.
You want Mike Gableman on the Federal bench, or as Attorney General, or Annette Ziegler or Diane Sykes on the US Supreme Court? Don't laugh.
Dennis Smith at Health and Human Services? Robin Vos at Transportation, or Scott Fitzgerald at the Department of Labor?
The Right's think tanks, corporate advocacy groups, plus Tea Party and Republican organizations from Ohio to Alabama to Arizona could put together equivalent nominees' lists in 20 minutes.
It could happen.
I'm not a Democrat, (though I used to be, and my relatives certainly are still blue-dogging their way to happiness) but I'm pretty sure that those angry-at-Obama people have a strong right/obligation to let their feelings be known re: the disappointments they feel in Obama. From "strong-advocate-not", to the banking-buddy, the easiness on corporate environmental disaster, the war-friendliness, the pro-PATRIOT feelings, his constant verbal reinforcements and validations of the rightest of the Right's talking points, his seeming okay-ness and continuation of Bush-type secret prisons and his person bitchiness re:Assange. And more.
ReplyDeleteHis advertising team got that award for their excellence in Product Sales that year or whatever - so many people bought !Change! with a real religious fervor (I was not one) letdown of a serious nature was pretty predictable.
"We'll promise the Moon and then...um...we'll have to think of something once we win I guess..."
pffft. And yeah, McCain would have sucked. Which is ultimately my point. Sucky v. Suckier, that's our choice these days.
Kinda hard to get all dewy-eyed with faith and enthusiasm.
People who are being really mind-raped these days by our ha-ha "leaders" should really be able to vent and spew as much resentment as they want WITHOUT being made to feel guilty.
IF NOT NOW - WHEN !?!
But Democrats can feel pretty sure that Lesser Evilism will still force those same beaten on and miserable Democrats, Independents and Scared People to vote for Obama as opposed to whatever sad sack of crap the Republicans prop up.
I'll make my mark when the time comes. But I'm not gonna be happy about it, I shouldn't have to feel happy about any of this situation. You'd have to be insane. And Democrats are NO victims. Nor is Obama.
Heads up - it's the American public who's being screwed, used, manipulated beyond belief, and has no real way of knowing which end is up that is the real victim here.
Of course your scenario is possible, so is a Democratic "victory" with a long, slow continuing slide into Hell. There's no "deliverance" here and the public knows it. And if I ever see anymore nonsense with political people whining about "voter apathy" I'm gonna scream. How much longer are people expected to take all this crap really. Everyone already is maxed-out on their personal lives, the public drama is overwhelming and there's no lights at the ends of any tunnels.
This mess was not created by the American public. It was not driven by people who were "dumb and voted against their own interests" as they used to say, and any of that crap.
It has been orchestrated for years by people pulling strings behind the scenes and manipulating/staging all kinds of self-serving abuses. THAT is what is becoming obvious now as we watch Fitzwalker and all the others. I suppose the power-broker's positions are established enough now they can be more obvious.
We're screwed dear, and you're smart enough to know it. So people will file glumly and dutifully to the polls to vote for Obama, to try to slow the sinking speed of the USS America by a few feet an hour...yeeha, gimme some confetti.
Why are the Republicans so right-wing those days? Because their senators & representatives are constantly challenged by those even further right. Yet liberals are happy with "at least our candidate isn't as bad as theirs" which shouldn't be the standard used. Producing challenges from the left will lead to more liberal results-even if the incumbent survivies the primary. Right now the frame of conversation and all the talking points are leaning right-just look at how issues are framed-and without a strong and opposite push, they'll continue to be that way.
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm unhappy with Obama, and yes, he'll be better than any other candidate, but at the very least there should be left-leaning challenges in other races.
Sorry to be the supporting/opposing view here, but if Obama is the best candidate for the Democrats in a primary the party is cooked. The only candidate with a winnable platform would be a molded and reincarnated William Proxmire. But if he were here and alive, he would tell you the same thing my father says to me: "This is not the Democratic party I voted for when I was raising you kids." People are tired of the far left, and weary of the corporate right. They want family values, honesty and integrity, and a sense of decency to be restored in something of a value system. They want a future for their children that's been robbed by government debt, out of control obligations for social programs and promises made before their children were born. They're tired of racism and reverse racism. They're tired of government support for illegal immigration. They're tired of being in debt up to their eyeballs after college and not being able to find employment. Should Democrats worry. Yup. Should Republicans worry. Yup. Politics as usual is history. The "Change" our young people have witnessed was from nothing today, to a deeper debt tomorrow. All thanks to Bush and Obama.
ReplyDeleteLook- Obama's failures pale in comparison to the Bush/Cheney/Rove regime.Obama is still cleaning up the tragic messes they created. He did not fabricate reasons to put our men in harm's way. He did not will two wars. We soon forget how he punished BP for their destructive negligence. I admire this man for his calmness and incredibly thoughtful manner in making decisions. No president has faced two incredible forces ( Teabaggers and Republican not to mention the birthers)like Obama has since 2010. No president has experiecd such outward racism. My vote is for Obama in 2012. He has much to do and with a majority predicted in both houses he will succeed. I have great faith in this man.
ReplyDeleteThoroughly enjoying the dialogue... Especially the guy who says it is still Bush's fault.
ReplyDelete"No president has experiecd such outward racism."
ReplyDeleteI guess...
Let's spin that: No Potential Presidential candidate has experienced outward sexism as Sarah Palin.
To Anony: An unneeded tangent and conflation. And I guess you forgot Hillary Clinton's troubles, or Geraldine Ferraro's, too.
ReplyDelete