Do we really understand the horror that is the Republican Party?

I don’t know if most Americans “get it.” Do most people understand how un-American the Republican agenda is?

Do most people understand that Republicans are against universal health care, a minimum wage and – literally -- everything else that benefits average Americans?

Do most people understand that Republicans are for the “haves” and are against each and every issue that would benefit the “have nots?”

Do most people understand that every time they vote for a Republican candidate (in most areas of the country) they are voting to screw themselves?

Our political system is badly broken. Obama represents a gigantic stride toward fixing it.

There are those here who fault him for not being aggressive or liberal enough. Well, to them I say you can’t turn the Titanic around in the Central Park lake.

Obama is doing everything possible, in an often subtle way. Give him more time. And let’s put every Dem possible into the congress in 2010.

And please, let’s stop bitching about a man who might just be one our greatest presidents. Be patient. You just may be surprised and pleased at the outcome.

Yeah, I know that history has amply demonstrated that being on the side of "righteousness" doesn't guarantee anything.

Nonetheless, one can hope.

Obama has universal health care at the top of his "to-do" agenda.

But letting the past eight years go unpunished would be as big a crime as -- the crimes committed over the past eight years.

Obama is definitely a president who can walk and chew gum at the same time. And the reason he's not going after the Bush/Cheney mob is that he believes that it will cost the Dems votes, congressional seats and power. And any power the Dems lose goes back to the thugs.

There are still too many people in this country who bought into the Republican propaganda of the past eight years. And they would see any legal steps taken against Bush/Cheney et al as "political retribution."

As far as I'm concerned, Bush, Cheney and their henchmen/henchwomen should be tossed into prison for life. But it just ain't gonna' happen. Steal a pack of gum and you'll go to jail. But commit crimes against humanity, fuck up the world's economy, and bring torture back into vogue? Well, I guess that's just dandy as long as you're some idiot who happened to get appointed to the Oval Office.

The justice we are waiting and hoping for will never happen. And I believe that this failure to hold our homegrown criminals accountable will come back to haunt us -- and perhaps destroy us.

doublespeak from revered Democratic members of Congress that I'm concerned about. It seems the Joe Lieberman faction of the Democratic Party is alive and well and as far as I'm concerned it's time for them to switch to being independents or more honestly Republicans as well.

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Only a few are curious enough to venture into new realms, intential or not.

W Bush could tell stories...but could not articulate on too many subjects...prolly few than most of us....IOW...dumb as a box of toads.

Their Horror bestowed on us by their makings....is a handicapped Nation...in war, in debt, insecure, and in doubt too.
This what the Pubs hath brought us....a destitute Country....

The Pubs legacy is that of FAILURE

Its so bad it stinks...STINKS.....!

That doesn't mean I won't continue to hold Obama's feet to the fire.

:dem:

-Laelth

in holding his feet to the fire, let's not forget that he's been in office for only five months. For most people in a new job, it takes them that long to find the bathroom.

Actually, the amount of damage Bush/Cheney could inflict in five months was astonishing. But then, it's so much easier to destroy than to build.

If a year from now, nothing has changed, I will be among the first to condemn Obama. However, look at the position he's in. He's stuck having to shovel out the eight years of crap left behind by Bush/Cheney while also dealing with every new problem that shows up on a daily basis (i.e. North Korea's very active nuclear program).

The truth is that you don't need to hold his feet to the fire. His feet are in the hottest corner of hell every hour of every day. It's part of the job. (Not the job that George Bush didn't take seriously, but the job of the President of the United States.)

How Obama retains his calmness is astonishing. He seems to be unshakeable no matter what happens. I guess that in some ways we are very fortunate to have the right man at the right time in the right place. We're talking about a man who can swoosh a three-pointer into the basket while the demons of hell are nipping at his heels.

But it gives the President cover if those of us on the left make our displeasure known. It allows him to lead by following.

"There go my people. I must hurry to catch up to them, for I am their leader." Mahatma Gandhi

:dem:

-Laelth

I disagree with you that Obama is the answer. In fact he's simply another symptom of the problem, another member of the two party/same corporate master system of government. While he may make a few cosmetic changes, while he may slow the rate at which we're moving, he's not going to prevent or reverse the march towards a corporately controlled country.

The only way to reverse these changes, to have real change in our country is to eliminate corporate money from all of our elections. Until we achieve publicly funded elections at all levels, from dog catcher to president, we will continue to allow corporations to set our political agenda, no matter if it is a Democrat or a Republican who is elected. And frankly, if think otherwise you are only deluding yourself.

It may come about some day, but the problem is that those who could make it come about hold all the reins of power.

Having said this, Obama is the best possible person we could ever hope to have at the top of the power pyramid.

Having once been a community organizer, he's a man who has seen the real world. He understands that poverty, hunger, lack of health care and total hopelessness can destroy human beings.

In short, he understands the human condition perhaps better than any president we've ever had.

If you, like me, are waiting for some form of earthly paradise, we both need to find a different planet on which to dwell. In the meantime, I'll take Obama over any other president I've seen in my lifetime.

He is not a saint. He is not perfect. He is not a deity. He may not even be able to fix the destruction of the past eight years. Nonetheless, he's the best possible person we could have in power at this particular moment in history.

safer future and it can be done. It always starts with us as evil only thrives if good folks do nothing. We're on the right path now just got to keep pushing and pushing. Democratic party may not be perfect but still the best shot we've got we've just got to make things work with all we have got. The senators executive office all irrelevant all on our shoulders really to make sure congress is moving the right way. Fear can only stop us making this work and work it will, this evolution govt. and society has to happen.

you notice I said Country and not me. Up to this point I see no reason to question what he's done. President Obama has already shown me that he is a great person and that's a big step going forward. All I know for sure is if we all had to be catered to in our own little worlds all the time nothing would ever get done. I love our new President, Vice President and their families and will do whatever I can to help them in the monumental task it is to rebuild our Country back to where we can and should be.
I love America and no amount of hate, bigotry or intolerance can or will ever change that.

The GOOP's worst move was to actually take power. When they were in the opposition, like in the 90's, their rhetoric...finely honed, focused groups and astrotrufed for 20 years made them a potent political party. The corporate media gladly bought into it as it served many different purposes for them and led to the rise of hate radio and Faux Noise. When they got power, that's where the downfall began...the reality never matched the rhetoric and the more the boooshies tried to square the circle the more messed up thigns got. Of course, being a rushpublican, no one dared to admit their failures yet take responsibility for it. If anything it's helped fuel a lot of the denial games being played...and with tragic consequences.

Today, after two devestating losses and repudiations by a majority of the American electorate, the GOOP went from full control to a minority on the verge of obsolences. Their national leaders...Boner, McChinless and Mikey are majorly inept, thus opening the door for others to play boss...from cheney to rushbo to the gnewtmeister to glenn dreck and so on. It's become a "can you top this " match with the basic common thread that now holds this tattered party together: hate.

To those who expect change to happen inside the beltway overnight, they should expect to be let down. However, there is change going on...and I find it far preferable to what we had to endure for the past 8 years.

Cheers...