I truly believe that President Obama wants to do the right thing...

He is a long thinker. He does not like to make decisions until he feels it is the right time. He usually has great judgement.

Unfortunately, I think he has been put into an impossible situation in several ways. Not only with the issue of torture, but with the bombings in Pakistan and the re-instatement of the military tribunals in Guantanamo.

He had to weigh whether or not the release of the torture photos would create a backlash in the Muslim countries and possibly cause more deaths to our troops in that part of the world OR whether it was more important to release the photos and let the American people see exactly what was done in their names. In the end, he decided that the former choice was the most wise one at this time. It does not mean that the photos can never be released, just not at this time.

With the wars in Pakistan and Afghanistan and Iraq, he has made a George W Bush-type decision, in my opinion. Much like Bush when he delegated all the responsibility for foreign affairs to his VP, Dick Cheney, President Obama has delegated all military decisions to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and General David Petraeus, along with General Jones of the NSA. After all, they have the experience to handle the situations better than he.

However, unlike Bush, he has his plate full of problems domestically, with the banks and the economy and the loss of jobs, etc. Bush, when he delegated to Cheney, did not have those problems. That is a difference in the presidencies.

But, I do trust our President to weigh all the options and come to a rational decision, whether we agree with him or not. I do believe he is trying to do what is best for our country, not necessarily our Party. But I like to think they are one and the same...

And it is possible pragmatism moves us in the better direction more successfully then the all or nothing approach of big things.

:shrug: Don't know, and the decision is that of elected leaders, and how people chose to petition them anyway.

It took 8 long, dark years of rampant corruption and abuse of power, not to mention 12 years of rushpublican selling out on Capitol Hill and nearly 30 years of "trickle down" deregulation that has all led to the where we are now. Consider this nation having a hangover from all this corruption. The debris is all around.

Yes, President Obama is a long-term thinker and has shown sound judgement time and time again. During the primaries I stayed neutral until I had to vote in my state's primary last February, but was impressed with then candidate Obama's pragmatism...his ability to manuerver through the politics and the spin and still get things done. I've seen it since he's taken office in passing two major economic packages that were desperately needed and have begun the reverse the damage.

Now dare we consider the alternative? Would things have been better had McCain won? :scared:

The biggest problem of the previous regime was that they knew how to campaign, but not how to govern. I believe President Obama operates 180 in contrast. He sees a lot of things he needs to get done and has had to prioritize it...go with what he can with what he has. There's a massive need to fix health care (and we see how polarizing fixing this really is) and other legislation...issues that will have a real-life impact on millions.

Getting to the bottom of the past regime's corruption is important, but that's not what he was elected for.

Kudos, Kentuck...those who are ready to throw the President under the bus should step away from the curb for a few first...

:kick:

the alternative is, uh, BE A LEADER!

Not Superman.

and the clock is ticking on many issues that impact us on a daily basis.

Why is DADT stalled again? Why does this man promote "states rights" on the topic of my marriage because I like the dudes (one in particular, for many many many years), but federal rights for everyone else?

Why does he say photos aren't sensational but shouldn't be released? Why does potential commerce over the northern passage STILL take precedence over the existence of a species of bear when we haven't even had those routes before?

What is up with Darfur? The mark of true leadership is the ability to delegate effectively. That's not a human shortcoming, it's bad management.

If one is president, one must step up the game. Delegate, set expectatiosn, demand accountability, and FOLLOW THROUGH.

Leadership by consensus is representative leadership, not executive leadership. He needs to put down the senatorial training and start being a president of ALL of us, not just the talk the talk.

He is LEADING.... just because it is not in the direction that you want EXACTLY, doesn't mean it is not leadership.

by your dumbass definition. so sorry for you, ferfucksake. Move along.

Step aside in favor of WHOM??? The order of succession is clearly spelled out in the Constitution. It would be Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, etc......... Is THAT what you're dreaming about?

pnormas

Now he is trying to do it, it should come as no surprise that it is as big a mess as we thought it would be while we were living through it over the last eight years.

The decisions aren't clean and clear or easy.

I really can't think of anyone else I would trust more to be weighing these circumstances and making these decisions.

Give the man room to maneuver.
It is a tricky sea he is in.

If we make him do it.

and all our leaders.

He's in a tough position. While I do not agree with his every decision, I think his overall plan is good. Yet, he needs an active citizenship, to participate in the democratic process.

Nominated.

allow this issue to be decided in the courts. It should not be decided in the press. Cheney needs to shut up, but that won't happen until a grand jury is convened. I cannot believe how Cheney is going around admitting his guilt and trying to sell his defense to the public. It's absurd. It will not work. He is not only asking to be indicted himself, but he is taking Bush down with him. Well, good for our side. And by "our side," I do not necessarily just mean Democrats, I mean all who believe in justice and human rights and who oppose torture.