Do you want to see the Obama Administration succeed?

For me, an Obama Administration success means out of Iraq, closing quantanemo, no more torture, cooperating with our allies to create solutions to Global issues, working for peace in the ME, serious work against Global Warming using real science, an improved economy, better schools for our children, respect and support for unions, Judge appointees who respect the constitution and established cases like Rowe V. Wade. It means equal pay for equal work for women, the end of Don't ask don't tell, and a President who will listen to us, even when he doesn't agree.

So, my question is, why would anyone want to attempt to undermine this Administration other than the Freepers who are against everything that I have listed above and then some?

I ask, because I often get the feeling that not everyone that calls themselves a Democrat actually wants to see the upcoming Obama administration succeed. In fact, I get the feeling that some are actively working to divide us and turn people against Barack Obama and his incoming administration.

What about you?

His responsibility to be president of the whole country and not just those who voted for him.

I'll admit it -- I'm way to the left of Barack Obama on a lot of issues, and a lot of the choices he's making are, in turn, making me nervous.

However, I'm a) willing to give him a long honeymoon because I believe that even a centrist position is superior to the homicidal rightist lunacy that's prevailed for the last 8 years and b) willing to give him a long honeymoon because I think he might just be a truly great president, able to balance the demands of a whole people.

I think some form of your menu of progressive policies is likely to be served during Obama's presidency -- but I don't think the shape of any of these will be exactly what we imagine -- or even desire.

History seems to be on the move and is likely to put up strong headwinds to achieving many of these goals.

through and is still going through at the hands of criminals for eight years I cannot understand why some are already upset. I may not know all of these people he's picked for cabinet positions but I trust that he wouldn't bring in total assholes to help him meet the goals he's set for his administration. If they turn out to be assholes I trust he'll get rid of them. Why would he set himself up for failure? It doesn't make sense to me. He's still no drama as far as I'm concerned, so those joining his administration will hopefully be on the same page.

They've been beaten down so long that they're ruined. Or something.

It makes me sad to think that this is the case, but I'm finding evidence of this each and every day.

I can't believe that after 8 years of having a President that never, ever surprised me by doing the right thing, some are willing not to even give this incoming President a chance at trying.

President and when that didn't happen they just couldn't get past it? I dunno...I was always an Obama supporter but I would think that I would have rallied just as hard for whoever the democratic nominee was. I want Bush and the rest gone!

I can't imagine that real activists wouldn't want the best for this administration. Perhaps I am naive, or perhaps policies that affect our lives each and every day or more important than whether I'm a "Fan" of any given politician.

True that there are some politicians that I admire more than others.....but at the end of the day, I didn't get involved in politics in order to satisfy a crush.

sorry.

the issues he campaigned on and his stated positions --

-- the hope is strong, but watchful.

Also, let's not pretend the concerns begin and end at DU --

the concerns are out there.

“At his announcement of an economic team there was no secretary of labor. If you don’t think the labor secretary is on the same level as treasury secretary, that gives me pause,” said Jonathan Tasini, who runs the website workinglife.org. “The president-elect wouldn't be president-elect without labor."

During the campaign Obama gained labor support by saying he favored legislation that would make it easier for unions to form inside companies. The “card check” bill would get rid of a secret-ballot method of voting to form a union and replace it with a system that would require companies to recognize unions simply if a majority of workers signed cards saying they want one. Obama still supports that legislation, aides say – but union leaders are worried that he no longer talks it up much as president-elect.


http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=14A56161-18FE-70B2-A8A464273788ECC7

:woohoo:

Because the question is not a difficult one....

Really, it isn't.

So I am asking you point blank....and will assume that a non answer is to mean that you are not interested in success for the upcoming administration.

you're either for us or for the terrorists before? I know eight years of bush logic were hard on everyone, but we can overcome simplistic thinking. It does Obama no help to pretend that he is just a liberal version of bush.

Further, the question is not in reference to Obama personally, but about the Obama administration.....meaning the policies that could possibly be enacted.

I am to assume that your answer is No? or that you are ambivilant and don't really care, or that you would prefer success for this administration......? Cause I can't tell.

Just what kind of a poll is this? How about "Do you think we should kill all children?" Yes? No? Don't Care?

How about "Do you want the environment to be better?" Yes, I think that would be good. No. I want the earth to wither and die. Don't know what the environment is?

But yes, I believe that there are some who do not want success for the Obama Administration, and that is why I asked. It is not a question comparable to "should we kill children" at all. The examples you are giving are extreme and ridiculous, while the question that I am asking is not as clear cut as all that. If it were, I wouldn't have asked it.

Now, you certainly don't have to answer the poll, but since you bothered to post in the thread, I figured that it wouldn't take anything away from you if you did.

That is because I believe the poll to be ridiculous. Asking on DU if we want the the administration to fail is no more serious than my "extreme" examples.

You want to cheerlead, go ahead. I might just want to join in. But the pretend that this is a serious matter for a poll is insulting.

Do you have a policy in mind that you would like to discuss? Is there a nomination or legislation that you would like to bring up for discussion? Do you have a position other than "Obama is soooo cool!" that you would like to bring to our attention.

Most Americans regardless of who they voted for want the government to do well. Get over the primaries.

Bogus poll.

here at DU.

My poll is for the purpose of folks thinking about what they wish on a whim, and what they really wish in a long run. I believe that there are some people that are at a cross road still.

Which reminds me of a great quote from Gen. Wes Clark back from September of 2003.

He said, when asked about liberalism...."We live in a liberal democracy....That’s what we created in this country. I think we should be very clear on this. You know, this country was founded on the principles of the Enlightenment... It was the idea that people could talk, reason, have dialogue, discuss the issues. It wasn't founded on the idea that someone would get struck by a divine inspiration and know everything right from wrong. I mean, people who founded this country had religion, they had strong beliefs, but they believed in reason, in dialogue, in civil discourse. We can’t lose that in this country. We've got to get it back."
Interview with Bill Maher, on Real Time with Bill Maher (5 September 2003)

way to your poll? Where does it ask anyone to "talk, reason, have dialogue, discuss the issues"? That is the crux of my posts.

There are some folks here and at other websites that did not vote for Barack Obama. Some freely admit it, and some pretend otherwise. Many of these folks do not want his administration to succeed. And I'm talking about folks who are Democrats and reasonably progressive under normal circumstances. Some of these folks when they post...the goal is to inflame and in their own way to encourage as many as they can to be hostile, angry and frustrated with the incoming administration. I'm not talking about the folks that are making constructive suggestions in reference to what they'd like to see happen in the coming administration.....I'm talking about folks who really just would prefer to have him fail, and to be able to say...."see, told you so".

So I figured that I'd have a poll, and simply ask.....as a reason to discuss as I am doing now.

The "talk, reason, have dialogue and discuss the issues" is exactly what we should encourage as liberals, and so the quote reminds me of what discourse should really be like. But all too often, I run into a lot of damning, blaming, accusing, and name calling instead. That was my point.

does not make your point.

If, as you assume, there are Obama ill-wishers on the board who are hiding their loathing as they work to undermine him, what would make you think that they would respond to your poll in any way that would generate discussion. This is insulting. It's like loyalty oaths. You have a communist cell member working to overthrow the government for years. He is just about to destroy America. Then he is asked to take a loyalty oath. Oh curses. Foiled because he has to admit that he is against America.

Why not post something about your DU anti-Obama conspiracy theories? Just don't ask some ridiculous loyalty poll and then start raging at anyone who calls you on it and start with the "I guess you must be against Obama" crap.

I don't have a problem with that. :hi:

Meanwhile......

I said it was insulting. Trying to pretend you were seeking discourse is just silly. So go ahead and opt out. Fessing up would have been a more honest response.

Somewhere..........

We can agree to disagree as to the tact I chose....but it was my choice.

I'm pretty honest....perhaps as much or more than some others, and not nearly as much as some.

Have a good night.....Honestly! :hi:

Perhaps more than you know.

You have a good night too. .... uh... truthfully. ;n/!)>

that people at DU voted for Obama, but for failure ...

or are here lying anout voting for Obama ...

Based on what but one person's reaction to criticism of cabinet choices

that goes far beond DU --

LABOR is highly concerned, for one --

Did they fail to support Obama -- NO!

Is LABOR hoping for Obama's failure -- NO!

After 8 years of Bush and right-wing agenda, we are all hopeful of

Obama bringing progressive change.

no further conversation is needed.

I must have missed the memo.

do i want obama to succeed -- that's really up to obama.

and your's is a sentimentalist response to my original point.

but if you want his administration to succeed. There is a difference...as one is an individual, and the other is an entire platform.

As for me, I am what I am, just as you are who you are.

The Poll is for those who want to take it, and the thread is for those who want to comment. One can choose to ridicule me or not for asking the question...but it reminds me of something my mother told me long ago; if you don't ask, you won't ever really know.

I think the difference between you and I and the people who seem as if they're opposed to Obama is that under Bush they've lost all hope in government. They have no faith that those could happen, and so they're bitter. When Obama was talking about people "clinging to guns and religion," he wasn't just talking about rednecks in Appalachia. He might as well have been talking about Greens clinging to protests and blogs, for the exact same reason.

well said.

just can't get over the primary race. There seems to be lingering resentment against Kennedy, Richardson, and others who supported Obama early on. At least that is my perception.

The primary races were about individual politicians.
The Obama administration will be about more than about an individual.

I'm wondering if folks get that yet? :shrug:

and it's obvious you can't stomach listening to anyone voice a single concern about Obama, whatever that concern might be.

Having said that, I have very few concerns about him myself and am looking greatly forward to him having a highly successful two terms.

i and i'm sure many, many Americans are still basking in and savoring his victory

when i think back to some rethug conversations i overheard now and then in restaurants or wherever, i feel triumphant that our man won

that's not to say we voted for Obama because we were anti Bush. We were certainly anti Bush but so much more than that, we were fervently pro-Obama.

Now, most of us want his administration to soar, to be transformative.

At the same time, presidents and their administrations are influenced from below---from the populace, from social movements, from protests, from factionalism, from criticism....

I know the fear we all share is we feed rethug hate by being critical; but criticism and activism is the essence of democracy. Our democracy is now fragile, tattered and threadbare, thanks to Bush and crew; but Obama is tough; he can take criticism and become all the stronger as a result.

a while to see what will happen. I did the same during the campaign, and I'm glad I did....because even when in my heart of heart I wanted Obama to pulvarize McCain with all of the shit that could get thrown at him, Obama did it his way, and it appears that his approach worked at getting to the overarching goal in a way that had more honor.

Only now, on hindsight, do I realize that his approach was not only wiser, but it was also more noble than what I had in mind.

That is certainly what will happen.....

“At his announcement of an economic team there was no secretary of labor. If you don’t think the labor secretary is on the same level as treasury secretary, that gives me pause,” said Jonathan Tasini, who runs the website workinglife.org. “The president-elect wouldn't be president-elect without labor."

During the campaign Obama gained labor support by saying he favored legislation that would make it easier for unions to form inside companies. The “card check” bill would get rid of a secret-ballot method of voting to form a union and replace it with a system that would require companies to recognize unions simply if a majority of workers signed cards saying they want one. Obama still supports that legislation, aides say – but union leaders are worried that he no longer talks it up much as president-elect.

http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=14A56161-18FE-70B2-A8A464273788ECC7

Never too early to start thinking about next election --

and losing LABOR wouldn't be helpful --

Obama ran as center left, he'll probably govern from the center right because the corporate interests who allowed him to become the candidate were made certain promises. NO President can ever be Liberal or Progressive again; the MSM and their corporate masters won't permit it. Obama will serve corporate interests over human interests most of the time because he must to stay in office. McCain would have served corporate interests over human interests ALL of the time-that's why many of us fought for Obama. Let's stop kidding ourselves; the Left has zero power in this country. At best we'll have a few scraps thrown our way so that we'll put in 20-30 hours a week on the next campaign. As long as big corporations control all major media sources, things will never truly "change". I hope that I'll be pleasantly surprised by Obama, but I won't be surprised if things don't change from their present course much at all.

The very, very least.

because I can't tell if that is what you are saying.

This is about the future of America.

most important issue. If the people do not cooperate by voting for the pro-hemp candidate, then they deserve to suffer in another disasters that might happen from Republicans.

NOTE: This post is sarcastic.

Just to fuck up your survey?

I did it to your last one.....just to mess it up.


Anyway we have so much to
discuss these days like surveys and cardboard.

I voted yes on this one

Yes, you can!

Because as a Democrat who voted for a Democratic candidate, it would make a lot of sense for me to want him to succeed. So I did the ironic thing.

Nix what this post said earlier. It was kinda mean. :)

in need of leadership. I think Obama is trying to do that and in his own quiet way he's trying to build a permanent Democratic majority. Of course the extreme leftist wing of our party will do every thing in their power to prevent that...as usual. And once they accomplish that they will howl the loudest about how bad things are under republican rule. :eyes:

He is the best hope this country has.

That is the question.

he has alot on his plate right now, after bush screwed up this country so badly.

...namely, the prosecution of Bush administration officials.

that you list and then some. I voted for Hillary in the primaries but am 110% behind Obama after Hillary asked her supporters to get behind him. I have been very happily surprised that I find what he's done so far to be awesome, I honestly couldn't ask for more. He has made my vote not just a partisan vote but it's now a vote of choice. I still want what's best for Hillary and I will always support her but Obama has made a believer out of me.

Some of his supporters however are rude and disrespectful, even after the win. This post is about as divisive as they come. Something happened to DU over the Primary and General elections and it hasn't gone away. Democrats attacking Democrats, not bothering to listen, accusing and ridiculing, it's fucking ugly and it needs to stop.

I guarantee that the OP will ignore this and that rude dismissive comments will come my way. It's a shame because DU had been a haven for a lot of us when the Republicans were serving up the shit sandwiches. Now we don't have to worry about Republicans because we can get abuse right here from our very own. Obama can't do anything about that but I'm pretty sure treating each other this way isn't the "change" he was talking about.