Walter Broadnax Obama's accomplishments aren't very impressive???
http://whatthefuckhasobamadonesofar.com/
Check this link if you think the President has done nothing.
I didn't say "the President has done nothing". I said his accomplishments haven't been very impressive and his policies are largely a continuation of the Bush administration's policies. FYI some of the sources on that site are from blogs and one is from Wikipedia so it like my oped shouldn't be taken as gospel. A lot of the things that site touts are about Obama's Republican health care bill that has just been ruled unconstitutional because of the very unpopular mandate. It's future is uncertain at best.
The drug and insurance companies' stocks went up after the heath care bill passed because they basically wrote it. Obama negotiated a deal that would prevent the government from negotiating drug prices. He failed to even push universal health care, much less deliver it. He said everything was on the table, but Medicare-for-all never was. When it didn't matter he supported single payer and said,
In 2003 he said,
“I happen to be a proponent of a single payer universal health care program.” (applause) “I see no reason why the United States of America, the wealthiest country in the history of the world, spending 14 percent of its Gross National Product on health care cannot provide basic health insurance to everybody. And that’s what Jim is talking about when he says everybody in, nobody out. A single payer health care plan, a universal health care plan. And that’s what I’d like to see. But as all of you know, we may not get there immediately. Because first we have to take back the White House, we have to take back the Senate, and we have to take back the House.”
During his campaign he talked about universal health care or "universality" or something like that.
In 2009 he said,
Obama: I want to cover everybody. Now, the truth is that, unless you have a -- what's called a single-payer system, in which everybody is automatically covered, then you're probably not going to reach every single individual because there's always going to be somebody out there who thinks they're indestructible and doesn't want to get health care, doesn't bother getting health care, and then, unfortunately, when they get hit by a bus, end up in the emergency room and the rest of us have to pay for it.
He didn't even really support a public option.
Martha L. Meacham I think it's a little early to throw the President under the bus. Plus, looking at Walter's link would be informative, IMO
It isn't too early to judge the President's record so far. He's been in office for two years with large majorities. What are we suppposed to do wait until his first term is over to evaluate what he has done? I don't think that is wise. Besides I spoke about his record going back to when he was in the State House. I'm judging his record going back as long as he's been in a political office.
I think his base needs to push and pull him in a progressive direction. The corporations and the Republicans are pulling him to the right 24/7. Citizens should do more than simply vote.
Marc Conter: There are some issues not directly tied to our core message (which is very muddled right now) where we can openly work towards compromise...there are others where we can't and shouldn't. Standing tall on principles is a long term strategy and once violated it takes 10X more effort and money to overcome the sell out than it would have cost to stand strong in the first place.
I agree. Simply compromising for the sake of compromising doesn't move us forward as a nation, especially when both parties are beholden to the corporations and they take issues off of the table by protectively imitating each others positions on the wars and for profit health care etc.
Pamela Zelman Here is my opinion of what I just read: I, too, joined this group believing that the Coffee Party was for people in the middle to have a quiet place to debate issues with manners. I'm disappointed to read that the "debate" is started by op...inions being stated as fact. The editor may believe that President Obama has squandered his opportunities, but that is only his OPINION. Blogs, like statistics, can support or refute any viewpoint.
Perhaps the way forward is to do like Martha did above, and begin by saying "I think" or "I believe" rather than stating their opinion as gospel. This acknowledges the validity of the other side.
Pamela, I don't believe that anything I said was rude or without manners. I think it is pretty clear that my article was an oped, but just because it was an oped doesn't mean that there weren't facts listed to make my overall point which was 'do progressives have a breaking point or will they vote for Democrats no matter what their policies are?'.
I think it is a fair question. I believe the answer for many liberals and progressives is no, they will always vote for the Democrats no matter what they do. The problem with that as I see it is that you allow yourself to be completely ignored and taken for granted and then you get taken everytime. I think we must fight for what we believe in, not make excuses and ignore bad behavior from a party or politician that has betrayed the working class for decades.
Just because an opinion appears on a blog doesn't make it invalid. The purpose of the blog is to have a debate that includes the other side of the debate. The snarky site that Walter linked to certainly isn't unbiased and it doesn't acknowledge the other side yet nobody seems to have a problem with it. It doesn't have a comment section where people can point out some of the problems with some of the statements made on it. This site is different in that regard.
Jim Taylor I thought the Coffee Party Idea was a good one because we can actually discuss the problems, use real facts, and try to come up with the best solutions, most often out of several potential solutions. There is no perfect solution to complex ...things, so compromise and time will tell how good the guess was. One cannot quit because of disagreement. Also, there are those in the political arena that daily tell absolute lies, half truths and are only talking because they have been bought by a corporation or PAC. And boy, they sound like it to any thinking person. THESE are the people we need to bring into the public eye for not defending the best for the country.
I agree and that was the point of my original post. Both parties get massive amounts of coporate cash. You aren't considered a "serious" candidate by the corporate media without it. Therefore you don't get media coverage.
Glenna Allison Well, I can see I have some people who disagree with me. And that's fine. However, maybe some don't realize how Congress works. Our President can't make laws.....or do away with the laws. Congress does....And no matter if the Dems contro...l the congress, many did not support him when it came to a vote. And, by the way, no Republicans did. Now, if we could elect him to be King, he could get his agenda passed. But, as Harry Truman said, The Buck Stops Here. And the person at the top has to take the blame. Fair or not.
Glenna, I am well aware of how Congress works. The Democrats have large majoritites in the House and the Senate. They will maintain control of the Senate when the Republicans take the House and the President still has veto power. The Senate is the place where good bills-which are extremely rare these days-get watered down or buried.
The President has the power to stop Don't Ask, Don't Tell from being used to kick gay people out of the military. He said he would end the policy. He didn't say 'if I'm elected the Congress will repeal it'.
Obama also has the power to end the wars without Congress or the Senate. He hasn't done either. The President also has the power of the bully pulpit. He leaned on Dennis Kucinich who was the only Democrat taking a principled stand for the public option which Obama negotitated away from the begining even though he was still publicly stating he supported it. Obama didn't lean on the conservative Blue Dogs.
President Obama has declared that he can assassinate US citizens without due process. If that's not the power of a King I don't know what is. It is certainly a position that is at odds with our constitution. If Bush had taken the same positiion people on the left would be outraged. Obama can do no wrong as far as some on the left are concerned. That was the point of my article and I stand by that statement.
"Congress does....And no matter if the Dems contro...l the congress, many did not support him when it came to a vote."
I'm not sure what vote you are refering to but it sounds to me like your using this as an excuse for a whole host of issues. The POTUS is the most powerful position on earth, especially when he has a mandate and both Houses on his side. We should be calling on him to lead and fix the problems, not the blame.
Thanks for the comments. I don't intend to respond to every comment on Facebook, but I do think this is an important subject that is being discussed in liberal circles across the country.
Please feel free to comment here at the blog or if you would like to submit an article we would be happy to publish it. Thanks!
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