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Sunday, Nov 8, 2009
I'm sure many people voted for Obama's promise of change thinking he meant from right to left. But many more believed he meant from incompetent to competent...from dumb to smart...from mean-spirited to well-meaning. Just as Bush failed trying to govern this centrist country from the right, Obama would fail trying to govern from the left. Just as Bush failed in his effort to impose his ideology on America, so would Obama. Thankfully, Obama appears to know that...and that is reason to have hope in his Presidency. Punishing Joe Lieberman is something Bush would have done. Good for Obama for not doing it, and for ignoring those who would have his head for being compassionate and practical instead of vindictive.
Barack is not even in office yet but he has done more to help the people in three weeks than Smirky Bush has done in eight years. As the term goes "I serve at the pleasure of my President", I'm sure every member of this cabinet has been briefed on what is expected of them. I'm sure the republican right will do their best to screw up President Obama and if the left is not getting what they want the same will apply. So here's the BIG PICTURE... After 8 years of the rich boys filling their pockets, corperate welfare, and a inept President and his lackies we sure as hell could'nt do any worse!!! You the people have before you the next F.D.R. and the 2.5 million jobs he speaks of are from the F.D.R. playbook. You young folk don't remember the WPA or the CCC ?? I do!!! Find an old bridge from the 1940 era and you'll probably find a stamp in the concrete that says WPA or CCC. That stands for out of work American who F.D.R. put to work building bridges, hospitals, and schools after the Great Depression. The Civilan Conservation Corp and its men rebuilt the inferstructure of America thur putting people on the job and out of the soup kitchens. It gave men pride, a job, and a love of government again. The Tenesee Valley Authority did the same thing in the south. So lighten up on Young Obama, cause you'll see great things happen again!! President Herbert Hoover damd near killed America just like Bush has. Hope is here, change is here, and the pride in America Is coming back very soon!! Hang in there kids cause lightening is about to strike again. Us old people are as excited as ever because HISTORY IS ABOUT TO REPEAT ITS SELF!!! I'm so glad I got to see it before I pass away. So I hope you kids now understand that history is at hand and this old man is so happy for his children and grandchildren!! May God Bless America and have mercy on Americas ememies. WE"RE BACK, Give Em Hell President Obama
Thank you. Well said your own self! Very well said.
I'm extremely heartened by the generally annoyed tone of the letters here. Thank being and/or nothingness! People seem to get it and maybe by now so does Madden.
I salute all the positive negativity here. Speaks volumes about the real change that's only begun. Rave on!
Bravo Old Timer! Obama may be a Mozart. I think we are all tired of cowboys.
I see Madden's point, being a socialist liberal myself (I am still in awe of the article by Michael Lind, "is it ok to be liberal again, instead of progressive?" for its great historical outline and clear perspective) that when many of us voted for Obama we were expecting a clear change, and after all the charges of "same-o" lobed at Hillary by the Obama campaign, seeing some former Clinton policymakers back in the saddle does not seem to be as radical a change as might be needed.
Having said that, I think Clinton surrounded himself with very capable people. To appoint Hillary Clinton to State is a very wise move, as her talent and leadership must be counted upon. But I would like to see Obama reach out to the Democrat left and to the independent left, to Ralph Nader, whose ideas about the crisis and how to solve it are genial, who has proven throughout his career to be a real watchdog for the consumers of the US. I would like to see Obama put the teeth back into the EPA, by naming some of the really committed environmentalists, of whom there are many talented ones. Likewise, I'd like to see a moral stand taken by the appointments to the Justice Dept., CIA and Defense, one that will show us that Obama is really geared to stop the bleeding and torture, physical and financial, brought on by the Iraq war, as well as the Patriot Act's disrespect for civil liberties.
We liberals are proud of it, have always been proud of it, and hope that more people will become proud to be liberals. President-elect Barack Obama,we are with you and ready to help out.
robin_lefay: "Argh, such a shame, for a second there he had the nimbus of Mandela. Turns out he is just another pol."
And thank goodness for that!
A handful of years after white folks gave the car keys to Mandela, South Africa's electrical, water, sewage, police, justice, education and medical systems have collapsed/are collapsing.
We should be thankful that OUR African "nimbus" has been so brief.
We should also be thankful the boy-president and Axelrod recognize their limitations and are getting qualified folks to give them a schooling.
"Change" is exactly what we are getting with the new members of the Obama team. Obama is moving from a ideologically driven administration, with little concern for effectiveness (even a subtle bias against effectiveness when it comes to regulation,) toward a high level of competence as shown from prior experience.
DUH!
As an old flaming liberal that makes me happier than appointments that pass some ideological litmus test.
So far, so good.
The reason Barack was NOT my top choice during the democratic primaries is EXACTLY the reason is most fervent supporters are disapointed now. Did any of them actually LISTEN to his words?
The only reaching across the aisle I wanted to see was when the D's reached across to take a big handfull of the R's yarbles - and then squeezed the beejezus out of 'em. Bipartenship pretty much precluded going throug the Dept of Justice and weeding out all the crummy political appointees and most of the other "change we really, really needed".
Barack ran as a centrist and is now performing as one. IF you wanted a liberal you should have backed one.
NOT that I'm anti-Barack - he just was not my first choice as he is too conservative for my preferences. Still MUCH, MUCH better than anything the Repugs had to offer. But he's doing what he said he would.
Much of the initial coverage about Fort Hood turned out to be wrong. Is there anything wrong with that?
The accountability imposed by another country for the CIA's kidnapping and torture reveals much about our own.
Fox News' morning show plays to type, talking about whether Muslims in the Army should face "special debriefings"
219 Democrats and one Republican join in favor of the legislation, which passed by a narrow margin
The survivor and author is upset about comparisons some on the right are making to genocide
Salon headlines in your mailbox
