Like most Americans I talk to, when I see the president on television, I now change the channel the same way I did with Bush. With Bush, I couldn’t stand his speeches because I knew he meant what he said. I knew he was going to follow through with one ignorant, dangerous, or misguided policy after another. With Obama, I can’t stand them because I realize he doesn’t mean what he says — or if he does, he just doesn’t have the fire in his belly to follow through.
I confess, I’m changing the channel on President Obama. Anybody else feel the same way?
UPDATE: Naomi Klein reminds us that President Obama has blown every opportunity to foster a green economy. What good is power if you don’t use it?
#1 by brewski on December 21, 2009 - 8:21 am
Yes, I just felt this way before November of last year when it mattered.
#2 by James Farmer on December 21, 2009 - 8:22 am
There is another way of looking at Obama, especially with regard to health care reform.
The fact that everyone hates the result, means he probably got it correct!
Comparing Obama with Bush is a copout, Richard.
#3 by Richard Warnick on December 21, 2009 - 8:48 am
The insurance companies love the so-called health care “reform.” They get to keep their anti-trust exemption, government is forcing people to buy their product, and they can charge triple for pre-existing conditions.
Candidate Obama campaigned against the individual mandate and for the public option. If he had been for single-payer I might have voted for him.
#4 by sheri on December 21, 2009 - 2:16 pm
I read Westen’s piece this morning and agree with most of what he said. Yes, I too am changing the channel. President Obama seem a far cry from Candidate Obama. I’m holding out small amounts of hope that he is still leading behind the scenes, that there is some method to the madness. But right now, I certainly feel bamboozled by believing the campaign promises.
I find myself longing for that scene from American President where Pres Shepard gives the press conference saying he’s killing the gun bill and he says something like “I’ve been too busy trying to keep my job that I forgot to do my job.” I’d like to feel like the President is LEADING us, but not getting that feeling right now.
#5 by Dwight Sheldon Adams on December 22, 2009 - 1:12 pm
I think that many of us who supported Obama at the ballot (myself included) would like to see him as the unfortunate and inevitable dupe of a corrupt system–he can either be a bully and a power-hog or he can be the opposition’s punk. Is our political system so far gone that presidents must wield their power like brass knuckles or get nothing done? Must the executive be imperialistic to counter the incompetency of modern America’s legislative mire or else risk remaining only a figurehead? It seems We the People and our chosen representatives are forcing presidents to choose between those British monarchs of the past and those of the present to be their role-models.
But is that an excuse for anything? I don’t change the channel, but I’ve many times become frustrated with Bush’s bullying and Obama’s purring, sometimes enough that I’ve futilely voiced my frustrations in expostulations more humble than ever came from the former president, more forceful than we can probably expect from the latter.
The system needs fixing, but I hate to admit that no angel comes in and floats the captain away from a vessel with a broken rudder or an imbalanced keel. Bush shouldn’t be excused from damaging the boat, but Obama accepted the public’s will, and it’s his responsibility to get this country going straight or to go down with the ship. I just wish fewer people changed the channel; I just wish they gave him a chance to get started on the repairs; I wish they showed him the support that might bolster a more courageous, less compromising heart. The final captain of an ailing vessel may restore its former glory, or he may forever bear the shame of its failure, despite the failures and successes of predecessors and his own commanding officers. We’re in a unique position as both his commanding officers and his crew. Maybe we should keep watching and working.
Dwight Sheldon Adams
#6 by brewski on December 22, 2009 - 1:48 pm
James, under your logic that if everyone hates it it must be correct means that since everone hates GWB then he must be a genius.
Keep trying.
#7 by brewski on December 22, 2009 - 2:02 pm
The list of bamboozlements:
Says he wants to change how things are done in Washington and picks Johnson to lead his VP search team. Johnson resigns in disgrace.
Says he doesn’t want insiders running his White House and picks Joe “the king of earmarks” Biden as VP.
Says he wants to eliminate earmarks and signs an appropriations bill with 8,500 earmarks in one bill.
Says he doesn’t want lobbyists in his adminsitration and appoints lobbyists to his administration.
Says he will have the highest ethical standards in his administration and picks a tax cheat to oversee the IRS.
Says he won’t raise taxes “one single dime” on people making under $250,000 per year and then does so.
Says he will open the process of legislation so that everyone will see what is going on on CSPAN, then Reid submits a 1200 page “managers amendment” no one, including Reid has read 38 hours before the vote is scheduled.
Says “special interests” won’t be writing legislation, but now the Longshoremen’s health insurance plan have a special exemption on the tax on Cadillac plans.
Says he won’t sign a health care bill which doesn’t meet his test of bending the curve on costs…and will do so.
The list of bamboozling goes on and on and on.
#8 by James Farmer on December 22, 2009 - 3:40 pm
brew:
So sorry, but last I knew, there still exists that certain 25% of complete and utter morons who still think bush did a heck of a job.
Bush … a genius??? Get off the shit, man!!
#9 by redrover on December 23, 2009 - 5:20 pm
In a perfect circle, there is now a 25% utter moron based minority that feels Obama is doing a heck of a job.
Hillary is his heckuv’a job Brownie.
#10 by redrover on December 23, 2009 - 9:39 pm
Torture as official policy
Electronic surveilance of US citizens
Patriot Act
Escalation in Afghanistan
No action on global warming
no single payer
war without end in Iraq
Bailout bonanzas
mass deficits
federalization of State powers
This all happened under Bush, and is all still going on.
Looking like the utter morons supporting bush have just only switched horses, there is nothing that can be done about 25%. of people that are utter morons that only and always support the figurehead.