"It is summer 2009, and John McCain is President”

"It is summer 2009, and John McCain is President”

In which the author imagines what America would be like if the GOP's man had won.
Critics of Obama, take note.

By Michael Lind

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2009/06/16/president_mccain/index.html

And there's zero mention of environmental policy.

The only "real" difference the article notes -- and this is probably right -- is in foreign policy.

But we wouldn't have to put up with posts on DU defending it.

states that it has passed in? :shrug:

I think I remember something like that in the Constitution.... right?

I guess.... :shrug:

Jeez, do they teach basic civics any more?

Thank goodness some of us have good memories and understand there would be MAJOR difference if a RWer was in office. Who the hell do you think would have been appointed to the Supreme Court? Sheesh :eyes:

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush endorsed a constitutional amendment Tuesday that would restrict marriage to two people of the opposite sex but leave open the possibility that states could allow civil unions.

"The union of a man and a woman is the most enduring human institution, honored and encouraged in all cultures and by every religious faith," Bush said.

"Marriage cannot be severed from its cultural, religious and natural roots without weakening the good influence of society."

You might want to tell Obama that.

Article V gives the president and the supreme court no role in the process of amending the Constitution. In fact even Congress can be sidelined if two-thirds of the state legislatures hold a constitutional convention and agree to a draft amendment.

http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/constitution/

I think by now we would have bomb bomb bomb bomb bombed Iran. And N. Korea. And we would be increasing the war in Iraq as well as Afghanistan. And possibly would somehow be at war with some other country somewhere else. Syria? Libya? Canada?

I, on the other hand, would have dumped my home at a seriously cut rate to some stoopid freeper, paid off my student loans, dropped out, moved to a cabin in a moderate climate, started a massive garden, be raising some chickens, learning to barter and smoking some weed to pass away the last year of two of my life before some country or other decided to bomb bomb bomb bomb bomb McCain.

Frankly, it would have been much easier to know what to do. Clear cut. Simple. Game over. Enjoy the party after the game before the lights go out.

We just thought Obama would be far better

a feature to mod posts up on DU. Absent such a feature, thanks for the most succint and true summary.

I know it would have been much worse if McCain was in there. That's no excuse for not holding Obama's feet to the fire when he screws up. I'm not worshipping a Messiah, I'm hoping for better from a man.

You'll reverse time and get John McCain elected!!!! :scared:

not criticizing the president..and, yet you make sure to get your digs about the "Messiah" crap.

Hmmmmmmm

put this all into perspective.. and by all means critizize until they're blue in the face but live in reality and don't be smearing President Obama because he did inherit a huge tragic mess to shift through.

to make sure such a thing remained clear.

I understand that President Obama inherited "a huge tragic mess to shift through."

I don't understand why he's contributing to the huge tragic mess. Stacking up more problems doesn't solve the ones you promised to solve. Digging LGBT supporters deeper into their problems doesn't get us out of these holes.

Don't expect me or anyone to fall into line when we're upset with what Obama does. I voted for him three times here in Texas, I've earned the right to yell about what he does.

the world might have stopped in February 2009

McCain is a dipshit and would have been a horrible president. Every single one of us knows that.

That fact however does not make Obama by default right about everything. When he steps in it he is going to hear about it, and conversely when he does something we agree with that should also be noted. Honest, objective analysis is the POTD, not silly comparisons to people we know would have been awful. Hell if you want to do that, compare McCain to Sarah Palin. McCain almost begins to look sane in that light.

I am not by far Obama's biggest critic around here but I do get tired of the absurd rationales being put forth to explain why he shouldn't be criticized.

Not only would DOMA and DODT NOT be repealed, but gays, lesbians and all of us who support them might be in prison!

Or worse.

like yet another bad brother in law.

mccain is what? 80? 97?

and he's not the healthiest maverick on the range

the odds of a palin presidency were just too high

fuck, and that

excuse my french

nt

doing it!" If, under Obama, it's still possible to have people imprisoned forever without being charged with anything, the veil of secrecy over everything the White House does remains in place, both wars appear to be on track to continue indefinitely, gay people are thanked for their money and votes and then pushed under the bus (and still being kicked out of the military when their skills are needed most), single-payer health care advocates continue to be marginalized and forced out of the discussion (even though they're putting up a fight), we cave in to the credit card industry on their blatantly criminal, predatory interest rates...

talks about "giving up on Obama after only a few months." Most people aren't giving up on Obama. The only way to a get a president to do what we want is to criticize him/her. People are angry that Obama hasn't followed through on some things that they thought he would do (ex: gay rights). The author said criticism was good and then seemed to contradicted himself by using this false "people giving up of Obama" argument.

Criticism is good, but it's bad.

what to say or correct him.

be the 45th President of the United States.

And shortly we'd end up with a Fallout 3-like scenario.

Blind supporters of Obama, take note.

Wheeeeeee!!! We've got the good cop now!!! The illegal enemy detentions, warrantless wiretapping, gay bashing, and wealth transfer to Goldman Sachs have such a calmer, smoother touch with Obama at the helm.

Shudder to think, shudder to think. We have it far better than we probably know.

Criticism of Obama has absolutely nothing to do with McCain.

Yes, it would be a complete horror show if McCain were president. But he ain't, so the issue is meaningless.

Obama, however, IS our President. And as such, his actions and policies deserve scrutiny. He even said so when he was elected.

Might I suggest giving some forethought to the criticisms. The last thing any of us should do is give the rethugs any dry ammo.

Sorry, when my team screws up, I'm going to call them on it.

The stress would have killed him. Of course that means we'd have President Palin right now.

that made me shudder and contemplate subversion.

I jest of course, but damn save that sort of thought to "slasher scripts".

It's between Obama and a better Obama.

but he's right on the basic premise. With McCain, we'd probably be at war with Iran (on foreign policy, he's worse than Bush!), in a depression where no one but the banks and big corporations get propped up, and the unitary executive.

They ran with a platform of hate now that agenda will take time to shake itself off but it will a new future is emerging and a safer one. President Obama may not be pleasing everybody, but with the GOPs empty platform they would of pleased nobody. Statistically women and minorities and the LGBT community suffer under conservative governments so do we go back or do we go forward. Forward is where I'm heading making the most of all we've got.