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Politics : President Barack Obama -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: koan who wrote (99801)	8/19/2011 9:59:19 AM
From: Wharf Rat	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 149317

From: Asymmetric Read Replies (2) of 169530 Sam, There is much truth in your recent posts. However - the one truth you have not accounted for is an awful truth, and the awful truth that is out there is that where we stand today in history could have all been so different. The second awful truth is that Obama himself bears some important, high measure of responsibility for where we find ourselves today. The difference between Obama the candidate, and Obama the president is so striking that many, including myself are still struggling to understand what the heck happened to him. I believe we are getting a better understanding. Some of the articles on this thread and the other threads have been terrific. One of the most important differences is that Obama the candidate played to "win". Once elected however, Obama the president changed his game plan - where he played not to "lose". The difference in mentality in approach and the resulting difference in end results can be compared to what we sometimes see in sports. A basketball or football team that was playing terrifically suddenly decides to "protect" it's lead and begins to play more conservatively, the other team comes roaring back, and what should have been a victory turns instead into a stunning loss. I'd like to take you back to 3 years ago - to an Obama, and a Democratic Party triumphant. Obama, and the newly energized democrats under Howard Dean's chairmanship, had constructed an army - an army of citizen volunteers ready to do battle - to speak truth to power. You may have been to the house parties, or even have helped organize one or two. Volunteers some old, and importantly many of the young, manned phone banks, went knocking door-to-door, organized an ever expanding group of progressive like minded people to get the United States back onto the right track...to literally take our country back. You say the time wasn't propitious for Obama. My assessment differs. That moment in time was as propitious a time in American history as you could have ever wanted. At that moment in time, the reactionary forces of the rich and powerful, the financial interests of Wall Street were in chaos and disarray. Their "armies" so to speak were reeling from the disasters they had themselves wrought through their own greed, selfishness, and mismanagement. Investment banking firms, the very pinnacles of American wealth and power were falling left and right. Bear Stearns, Lehman, AIG. Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley gasping to stay alive as financial corporate entities. As people surveyed the economic wreckage around them, people were even questioning the very core underpinnings of capitalism. Is this where a free market gets us? The power structure of the right-wing was tottering. What Obama did next was terrible decision making on his part. The decision he made was similar to a one of the greatest mistakes a general on the field of battle can make. He did not pursue a reeling defeated opposing force and complete his victory. Obama had just routed the army of Hillary Clinton in the primaries, and the armies of the Republican Party led by McCain and Palin. His citizen army was ready and anxious to press their advantage. What did Obama then do? Not only did he not press his advantage - he unbelievably dismantled his own forces. Howard Dean was dismissed without so much of even a thank you. The volunteers who had worked their hearts out for Obama's election were left to wither on the vine. Obama could have laid claim to the very most capable among us, to the best and brightest who would not have answered any of the others calls - a similar situation not seen since Jack Kennedy got elected. People were that excited by him, and that willing to serve this nation. Instead - no calls went out. The retreads were called back in - many of the same people whose very ideas and philosophies caused the problems back then and that we still see to this day. The rest is now history. It could all have been so different. And that is an awful truth.