Criticizing Obama

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Yeah. A year and a half. It's frustrating.

He did get health care passed, though knackered. The Wall Street bill is going well though there's always more that should be done.

If we weren't in the middle of two controversial wars and the worst economic situation since the Depression it would be impressive. There's just too much to do. He better get DADT out of the way before the real election season starts. Don't forget how poorly the banks were handled in the first place...

It's not so much that he's inactive. It's that even with all the good will he came in with and the majority in Congress, Democrats have proven once again that they DO NOT HAVE BALLS.

Team America World Police had it right. Conservatives are Dicks. Liberals are Pu$sies. Fvck them both.

[innerSpaceman]

Rachel Maddow recently did a piece point out that he's had the most accomplishments of any president since FDR, so in balance - I guess I'm not all that disappointed.


But I FEEL incredibly disappointed. As a gay man, he's certainly not been anything like the Fierce Advocate he promised. And as a liberal, most of his accomplishments have been far too conservative or compromised for either my personal taste or what I perceived as the flavor of HOPE he kept trumpeting to get the job.

[Alex]

I must admit that every time I see Tom Tomorrow I feel an urge to join the John Birch society.

I think Obama has been reasonably effective.

Panel 2 criticizes him for not doing something he never said he would do (we are leaving Iraq, though not necessarily as quickly as hoped before he was the one that actually had to get people killed) and he campaigned on making Afghanistan the centerpiece of the war again.

Panel 3 may actually be a triple strawman.

Panel 4 ignores exactly how much we supposedly despised not only Bush's goals but his methods in achieving those goals.

Panel 5 criticizes him for giving up a negotiating point that nobody actually believes could have ever been achieved. Not giving a point equal importance as you do is not the same as ignoring it.

Panel 6 seems to contradict Panel 4 where Obama is supposed to act like Bush in achieving goals but in this panel liberals apparently aren't supposed to act like conservatives in pursuit of goals. He should make up his mind. He also makes it look like he is complaining about a lot of things in that panel but it is actually just listing different aspects of the same thing repeatedly.


But yes, there are plenty of things to be disappointed about if you're to the left of Obama or even in the same spot as him. But there's a lot to be disappointed about if you're to his right as well

[Betty]

Originally Posted by Alex

Panel 5 criticizes him for giving up a negotiating point that nobody actually believes could have ever been achieved. Not giving a point equal importance as you do is not the same as ignoring it.

This is a sticking point with me. The health care bill passed saying I will be required to get insurance - but took out the public option that would have made it affordable to do so.

Obama AND Congress failed and disappointed me. I am still without health insurance. One of my children has it through the state and but they did not approve the other even though it's based on the same criteria. Don't get sick. Don't get a tooth ache. Don't have an accident. Since I'm not a religious person I'm not even on the pray-for-better-health plan - so I guess we're just screwed. 'm mad at my employer for not providing it too by the way - but quitting is not an option at this point.

[Alex]

A public option wouldn't have made anything cheaper, especially out of the gate. As touted, it would merely have applied competitive pressure that over time might have driven prices down. And you'd have been just as required to buy it. If what you wanted was single payer then that was never even on the table in the first place.

[Betty]

Originally Posted by Alex

A public option wouldn't have made anything cheaper, especially out of the gate. As touted, it would merely have applied competitive pressure that over time might have driven prices down. And you'd have been just as required to buy it. If what you wanted was single payer then that was never even on the table in the first place.

What I wanted was affordable health care for my family. Why is that so fricken hard? Something in the hundreds of dollards per month - not in the thousands. Why do so many other countries seem to have a handle on this but the good ol' USA says F you!

[JWBear]

I too am very disappointed with Obama on several levels. But (so far) I've remained patient because it could have been far worse without him.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by Betty

What I wanted was affordable health care for my family. Why is that so fricken hard? Something in the hundreds of dollards per month - not in the thousands. Why do so many other countries seem to have a handle on this but the good ol' USA says F you!

How subsidized will your situation be under the bill? The gross price may not be lowered but most people who don't have insurance because they can't afford it are going to be heavily subsidized.

The system that passed is very similar to other countries that are generally viewed to have reasonably good health insurance coverage.

But regardless, was the only possibility to get you exactly what you want or die trying? Because cheap or free healthcare for everybody was never on the table and never promised. Is it better to stay stuck on 0% of what you want until you get to 100% or is it better to get 70% then fight for the other 30?

Either position is fine, but the former didn't seem to get much done over the previous 80 years of trying it.

[innerSpaceman]

Has anyone addressed the concerns in Panel 6 yet. His craven reversal on habeas corpus, wiretapping, rendition, indefinite detention. I don't think he ever campaigned on predator drone strikes, so I can't quite call that a craven reversal. I can, however, call it craven. These things don't affect me personally, and I also find them unforgivable.

[Alex]

I'm very disappointed by several of those things.