Kramerguy wrote:I'm no fan of Bush. I actually hated the guy. Everything he did made this country worse.
My issue with Obama although-
1. He promised to revert back to transparency in the white house, including disabling and giving back the prez taking and abusing of powers. Obama has done just as many signing statements as Bush, percentage wise. He's also refused to reign in the justice department and refused to go after corruption within the executive ranks of government. He's done nothing whatsoever but cover-up white house logs and refuse to hold anyone past or present accountable for anything.
That makes him a hypocrite.
2. He allowed and continues to allow the healthcare regime to dictate it's own regulations, policies, and laws.
That makes him a puppet.
3. He promised to execute the will of the people, even when he didn't agree. Then he asked "the people" what was the most important to them, and when decriminalizing pot was the #1 "will" of the people, with over 15 million supporters, he quickly dismissed everyone and moved to #2, healthcare.
That makes him a liar and untrustworthy.
4. He said he would end the wars. He said he would invest in the future, oil independence, wind / solar power, and help the poor and struggling. He's done none of that. He could push congress by speaking to the public about what congress wont do for them, but instead he tip-toes around republicans whimpering about being partisan while they go to the media and scathingly tear him a new one.
That makes him weak and seemingly incapable of action.
Now, I voted for the guy. I'm not hysterical like those "birthers" and the other people who claim he's a raging socialist, commie, or whatever. I'm not teabagging anyone and I'm not waving my gun at town hall meetings.
I'm simply a guy who saw someone campaign on the idea of reversing the bush policies, campaigned on REAL and VIABLE political change. Where's the change??
Just like the last 1,000,000,000 politicians who claim to be campaigning on that platform of change, he lied. Imagine that.
The ONLY difference, and why I'm so vocal about it now is simple:
IMO, this was the last chance that we, as a people, had. We're done. Stick a fork in.
Now, I still have HOPE that something will change. But you know that saying about hoping in one hand and pooping in the other...
For whatever reason, we like to think that a president, once elected, can do whatever he wants. Not so. The art of politics is the art of compromise. The political system created for us by the founders is designed to force compromise. However, we citizens don't really want compromise, we want action and we want it now. This rarely happens, though I note that it did happen after planes flew into buildings and in large measure that is how we have ended up in two wars.
I really could wish for more from the president but to address what you wrote.
His administration is more transparent than most and I've lived through eleven of them to this point.
Signing statements? This is a device for a president to indicate that he believes that a law or parts of a law maybe unconstitutional. They are provided for in the constitution. They have been used more frequently since the presidency of Ronald Reagan but they were always there. What bill s did Obama have issues with? Can you tell me, I would be interested to know.
On health care. I favor a single payer system. I hate the health care debate. Is not about health care reform, its about insurance reform and its all wrong but it was predictable. Over time we have given the status of citizen to entities like corporations. They have rights, such as free speech. I think that as citizens they have more rights than common people do. Politicians pay attention to them because they pay attention to politicians and they have money. How do we compete with that?
On Priorities, such as MJ legalization over health care. I would like to see legalization, I really would for many, many reasons but don't you think that's going to be a hard sell over health care? What poll were you reading because I believe that there is not yet a majority of voters who favor legalization? a Majority of Americans still think its as bad as heroin. Health care on the other hand is a major concern for all, pro or con.
On the wars. The president said he would end the Iraq war. His consistent position on Afghanistan, like it or not was that he would fight there to deny terrorists a failed state to set up in again. We seem to be moving to an exit in Iraq. Good. I think Afghanistan was lost the very day that the decision was taken to invade Iraq for phony reasons.
Investments in alternative energy technology are ongoing. It is happening. Money was provided in the recovery bill for that. Its more than a start and compared to the previous administration. It is indeed a sea change, though it may not be enough progress fast enough for some. I think we need to sell energy independence as a matter of national security. We cannot stay tied to repressive, unstable regimes for our supply of energy
Lastly, and sorry these have been long posts, but all politicians promise more than they can deliver. Their job is dependent on persuading people to vote for them. However, if people really understood how the different branches of government operate, who's responsible for what, then they would be able to realistically be able to filter out the promises that are unrealistic, because either congress will never buy it or the courts will find those items unconstitutional, like campaign reform, which had McCain's name on it but prats of which have been found to be unconstitutional. In addition, if people had a philosophy that informed their vote, one way or the other, then perhaps they would make rational choices instead of emotional ones.
