Question for the Obama knockers

Ludo

There are a couple of people here who are constantly knocking Obama and everything he does...you know who you are

A question for ye...is there absolutely ANYTHING Obama has done since becoming president that ye agree with or support?

Do ye agree with ANYTHING he has said or ANY of his policies?

I find it very hard to believe that anyone can be 100% opposed to everything someone says or does in politics.

Personally, I agree with some of what he is doing and disagree with some of it. The same goes for Republican policy. I agree with some of their policies but I just find them to be a very unlikable bunch of people in general. I just can't understand people who are 100% in agreement with any political party.

So some on guys...tell me what ye agree with Obama on and give me something positive ye think about him.
People may have more respect for your opinion on matters if they just think you are not disagreeing with something just for the sake of it.

Manic Moran

Sounds like the counter to the 'Bush could do no right' that we've been hearing over the last few years. Indeed, there's a thread on the matter.

First thing that came to mind was that reversing the stem cell research thing.. only as I'm hunting around, it seems he has not actually done so yet, for some reason.

His Iraq policy is certainly vastly improved over his election campaign spiel.

However, I don't know of anything of great consequence that he's actually done yet, other than the stimulus plan on which I'm somewhat neutral. I figure he's still sorting himself out and settling in. I don't see this as a bad thing.

NTM

Pocono Joe

You can’t mean me can you?

I think Barack Obama is a very intelligent individual, a gifted orator, and a crafty politician. I just wish he used his talents for good rather than evil (just kidding… you had to expect something like that from me right? ).

I like that Obama kept Robert Gates on as Secretary of Defense, and that he now is making some changes regarding the war, from his campaign rhetoric now that he is in the job.

But I’ve got to admit not much else. But I’ll try and keep an open mind… really I will .

Ludo, here it is what I think you are really trying to pull out of someone like me. When I originally came to this site, about 95% of the posters condemned everything GW Bush (just like some might say I’m doing to Obama today). I thought it was rather unfair at the time when I saw how most republicans and conservatives were thought of and treated here. And although I try to never walk away from a debate or "fight," I know I have hurt some feelings along the way. I sometimes feel bad when someone leaves this site for possibly some exchange that individual and myself might have had. But I get over it pretty quick, because if someone can’t stand the heat they don’t belong on a political forum. But I digress… Back to the origins of my postings… I said to myself back then that when the tide turns I giving it right back to all of them… the nasty democrats, liberals, lefties, socialists, communists and plain old nut-jobs! I do try to be more reasonable in my replies to those on the other sides of the isle than me - when they are reasonable. So, my question to some of you (and you know who you are), how well do you like being on the other side of the fight… always on the defensive? Not much fun is it? But I feel all my posts are legitimate issues relevant to a US Politics forum. If it is forum is to become a Obama group kum-by-ya sing-along or a Obama Kool-Aid bar… well then you all know how to get rid of me. And I'd like to say - if you didn’t complain back when everyone was trashing the evil Bush and people like me, keep your trap shut now and stop complaining and playing the part of the victim now… but I won’t because I believe in a free society - so complain away all you want.

I wanted to amend this and add an important matter that I missed… One thing I also try to do at times is bring out topics and things that are happening that might not be so favorable to Obama, whicht the drive-by media for some reason even to this day refuses to investigate and report on (other than an obscure line on page 17). Yeah I tend to do it in a rather mean spirited manner at times, but the reporting of the Obama love fest is better left to the others - 95% of the media.

Pocono Joe

And food for thought...
Since we in the US seem to be moving towards a Obama/Louis XIV of France "L'etat c'est moi," (I am the state) attitude, where it now appears that criticizing Obama is becoming downright unpatriotic (see Robert Gibbs’ comments against private citizens like Limbaugh, Santelli, Scarborough and others), I respond with a quote from Theodore Roosevelt… "To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."

Otacon

Pocono Joe wrote: »

...it now appears that criticizing Obama is becoming downright unpatriotic...

Just on this point, I remember a period about 6-7 years ago, when the same could be said of GWB. The difference, in my mind, is Obama hasn't agreed with his 'untouchable' position with a "You're either with us or against us" statement.

Black Swan

Pocono Joe wrote: »

where it now appears that criticizing Obama is becoming downright unpatriotic

The same could be said of criticizing GW Bush following 9/11 up until his last 3 years in office? Or the lack of weapons of mass destruction claimed by the French before the USA started the 2nd Gulf War? Bush wanted to change French fries to "Freedom Fries" in DC for not supporting his war? Or the PATRIOT Act... and the loss of American civil rights? Don't you just love this acronym? If you spoke out against the abuses of the PATRIOT Act, were you "unpatriotic?" What a craic!

I am not pleased with one party rule, be it Republican or Democrat, because it lacks checks and balances and results in abuses.

Trouser_Press

Pocono Joe wrote: »

I know I have hurt some feelings along the way. I sometimes feel bad when someone leaves this site for possibly some exchange that individual and myself might have had.

The self-flattery is uproarious. You over-rate yourself, dear Pocono Joe. Most just tire of reading your dull, comic-book rants and your distress at the prospect of Obama actually doing a decent job. So they leave. Life's too short.

True, Obama doing a decent job would be good for America, but **** America, hey? You'd rather see it depart down the Swanee than be revived by this 'exotic' other-worldly creature.

Chris Matthews felt an Obama-induced tingle up his leg (or was it down?); I suspect you masturbated to the sound of GWB's voice for the last eight years. And then that imbecile Sarah Palin's. And, now, Rush Limbaugh's. Would I be right? Thought so.

Fool. A tedious one, too.

Pocono Joe

Blue_Lagoon wrote: »

Bush wanted to change French fries to "Freedom Fries" in DC for not supporting his war?

LOL... now this I need a source to show Bush wanted this.

Or the PATRIOT Act... and the loss of American civil rights? Don't you just love this acronym?

America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism
I think the results speak for themselves... we haven't been attacked since.

Black Swan

Pocono Joe wrote: »

America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism

Get real! How many Americans would know what the letters of the PATRIOT Act acronym stand for? Where is Jay Leno and his "Jay Walkers" to ask the average American in the street when you need him? But they do know what the word PATRIOT stands for? And to speak out against something labeled as PATRIOT?

Pocono Joe wrote: »

I think the results speak for themselves... we haven't been attacked since.

Yes, it suggested that terrorism works and bin Laden was winning? Millions of Americans sacrificed fundamental civil rights to privacy and due process in exchange for security?

Pocono Joe

Blue_Lagoon wrote: »

Millions of Americans sacrificed fundamental civil rights to privacy and due process in exchange for security?

Please name me one person you personally know that have had their fundamental civil rights violated becasue of the PATRIOT Act... there were millions right?

And you have been pretty incendiary in your comments about Bush. How often have the police, the FBI, the CIA or the Secret Service hauled you in for questioning? I didn’t think so.

Ludo

Trouser_Press wrote: »

The self-flattery is uproarious. You over-rate yourself, dear Pocono Joe. Most just tire of reading your dull, comic-book rants and your distress at the prospect of Obama actually doing a decent job. So they leave. Life's too short.

I strongly disagree trouser. Without Joes presence here (and the two or three others with him) this place would be pretty damn boring to say the least and there would be no one here.

Fool??? heh?

Black Swan

Pocono Joe wrote: »

Please name me one person you personally know that have had their fundamental civil rights violated becasue of the PATRIOT Act... there were millions right?

Me (to start with), when I checked out books last year that pertained to the Middle East from the USC Doheny Library, including a copy of the Qur’an for a bloody contemporary US History class paper that dealt with the US 2nd Gulf War (the tracking list was confirmed by the librarian, who was also a friend). You obviously don't have the faintest appreciation for what it's like to have some huge government looking over your shoulder in Orwellian fashion? A government that not too long ago deported foreign nationals that didn't agree with their Republican Senator McCarthy Era agenda? I was born Galway and am Irish!

More? Students I've met that attended the U of Texas-Austin back in 2004 that protested having their university library books tracked by authorization of the PATRIOT Act (now grad students at USC).

Pocono Joe

Blue_Lagoon wrote: »

You obviously don't have the faintest appreciation for what it's like to have some huge government looking over your shoulder in Orwellian fashion?

Actually I do. I participated in several war protests during the Nixon years. My cousin's husband was chief of Police and informed me there were checks and inquiries on me going on at the time, and to lay low for awhile. I survived pretty well.

Born Galway eh... Familar with Clarinbridge? Mother hails from there, and still got family there and in Galway... Maybe we're related (Oh the horrors).

Overheal

See PJ, if you were just a propoganda machine I wouldve written you off a long time ago, but no, sometimes you show yourself to be a real person with opinions that dont always line up with others, but thats ok.

As far as Obama's plans go, Im neutral on the Middle East though he seems to be getting a decent level of approval for that. As far as this stimulus plan goes I'm glad theres meant to be a lot more to be done in terms of Education, and filling in some of the holes that NCLB left behind (see wiki for critiques).

What I dont agree with is the Immediate drive into Alternative Energy and Healthcare Reform - We are already going to face an uphill battle trying to get out of this crash, why cant we wait 18 months to begin alternative energy plans? We should be taking advantage of $2/gal gas while its there (about 6 months im guessing). And why no Nuclear? Goddamn Hippies.

This should have been recovering out of our Immediate Concerns (the housing and credit markets) and not much else. Though every dollar spent on education gives us a future genius who will go on to cure cancer or invent cold fusion. Or just work at a high tech industry. Whatever. Its all good.

Blue_Lagoon wrote: »

The same could be said of criticizing GW Bush following 9/11 up until his last 3 years in office? Or the lack of weapons of mass destruction claimed by the French before the USA started the 2nd Gulf War? Bush wanted to change French fries to "Freedom Fries" in DC for not supporting his war? Or the PATRIOT Act... and the loss of American civil rights? Don't you just love this acronym? If you spoke out against the abuses of the PATRIOT Act, were you "unpatriotic?" What a craic!

I am not pleased with one party rule, be it Republican or Democrat, because it lacks checks and balances and results in abuses.

Has to be done. Sorry:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IwIRNM5noY

In the wake of 9/11 it was the same story - if you werent Patriotic you were branded like a commie. It wasnt just Billy boy, this attitude was carried around by a lot of people everywhere.

Denerick

There is a breed of person who is opposed to everything popular on the grounds that it is popular. Therefore, they refuse to conform to the popular perception of something. Unfortunately there are so many 'non-conformists' that they themselves form a rather predicatable group of people...

Pocono Joe

Here is an excellent article from today... and might give you an insight from a very good analyst and writer which basically explains how some of us "heretics" feel about the Obama/Democrat agenda.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/03/a_dishonest_gimmicky_budget.html

Nodin

Pocono Joe wrote: »

Here is an excellent article from today... and might give you an insight from a very good analyst and writer which basically explains how some of us "heretics" feel about the Obama/Democrat agenda.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/03/a_dishonest_gimmicky_budget.html

Confused, unable to think clearly, angry, with the urge to lash out?

Pocono Joe

Nodin wrote: »

Confused, unable to think clearly, angry, with the urge to lash out?

No… the Grim Realist

GuanYin

What has me curious is, why you linked to RCP instead of the Washington post. Do you feel it is better received as an RCP link? /suspicious

Pocono Joe

GuanYin wrote: »

What has me curious is, why you linked to RCP instead of the Washington post. Do you feel it is better received as an RCP link? /suspicious

No... That's just where I got it from. Contrary to popular belief, nothing diabolical here.

jank

Ah Charles Krauthammer. I dont think he has ever said a good word about Obama. So he is definately in the obama knocker camp.

Nodin

Pocono Joe wrote: »

. Contrary to popular belief, nothing diabolical here.

...apart from Krauthammer, on a number of levels.

If he gives tips for Cheltenham, I wouldn't go with them, btw.

Pocono Joe

Nodin wrote: »

If he gives tips for Cheltenham, I wouldn't go with them, btw.

The only thing I know about Irish horseracing is that my mother appeared in several of the horse race scenes as an extra in “The Quiet Man.” (John Wayne won that one, btw.)

jonny72

I rarely find any articulate intelligent criticism of Obama. Most of the attacks via comments or on forums seem to be extremely low-brow communist/socialist paranoia. I mean its ridiculous, they are up in arms over the fact that there might be some national health care (communism!!) but don't seem to have a problem with the growing police state, surveillance, secret prisons, etc (communism??).

I think the Obama bashers should be thankful, it could have been Hilary.

Overheal

I dunno about That. Limbaugh has one or too shiny gem arguments that make sense. For instance apparently Obama was at some African American conference telling them they have it tougher than everyone else, Rush asks Why Mr. Hope and Change is giving some people an excuse to be less successful as opposed to telling them they have every chance to succeed because they are Americans too?

Its not All baseless criticism.

Calibos

Gimme an administration that sneakily takes advantage of a Crisis to push forward their agenda of improving Healthcare, education and energy policy over an administration that sneakily takes advantage of a crisis to push forward their agenda of improving their Corporate Oil buddies bank balances.

Overheal

.....touché.

Manic Moran

Manic Moran wrote: »

First thing that came to mind was that reversing the stem cell research thing.. only as I'm hunting around, it seems he has not actually done so yet, for some reason.

I typed too soon. He's now reversed it.

NTM

JohnMc1

Ludo wrote: »

Do ye agree with ANYTHING he has said or ANY of his policies?

I'm glad that he reversed the Stem Cell Research ban. That research could lead to cures for alot of diseases like Cancer [had a bout of lymphoma myself, and just lost my father this past weekend from Pancreatic Cancer] Parkinson's disease, Macular Degeneration and other life threatening diseases.

As far as Obama himself. I don't hate him. I hate his policies but not him. I do hate some of his supporters though. The ones that really do think he's the second coming of Jesus and that they will never have to pay another bill as long as they live because of him.

Pocono Joe

Another recent good piece from the vault of the OKB (Obama Knock Bloc).
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/016/260gvfkl.asp

Overheal

Pocono Joe wrote: »

Another recent good piece from the vault of the OKB (Obama Knock Bloc).
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/016/260gvfkl.asp

you mean.... he's NOT the Messiah? ;_:

Not that I mind people finding flaws in the guy. I've been saying it since election night - that was just too perfect? you couldnt maintain that forever. someone was gonna slip up, or get lazy. Every prez seems to get a little lazy - whether its lots of vacation time or fcuking the secretary. Its just a smidge early isnt it? I await the 100 day review.

Even jon stewart noticed a little (though admittedly his coverage of obama has been starkly low): Privileged Executive - Obama Summons the Power of Earth, Wind and Fire (the band) for a private concert at the WH.
on that note if you havent seen his interview with jim cramer - you must