Wednesday Weirdness --- "Owl, I am not embarrassed to be a supporter of President Obama. I am Proud."

I like your article. It's honest and straight forward.

It's clear when then Senator Obama was running for president, he did not plan to inherit the largest, most unmanageable debt in this country's history, thus, setting his priorities aside. One thing for sure, this is the hardest working president in my lifetime (my first vote for POTUS was Jimmy Carter), yet he has been met with more animosity, vitriol, criticism and obstructionism (is that a word?) than presidents who have accomplished much less, with less animosity, vitriol, criticism and obstructionism.

So far as I'm concerned, he's not only the smartest and the most capable man to work this country back in to some kind economical shape. God help us if a Republican gets into the Oval Office.

Owls, I will have to admit that I was impressed with Obama during the 2008 campaign. Very bright, very articulate, very convincing with respect to the need for change. But it was what he said on a few occasions that made that record scratching to a sudden halt sound for me.

For example:

My attitude is that if the economy's good for folks from the bottom up, it's gonna be good for everybody. I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody

First of all, why does he think that those who did not earn that wealth are more entitled to it than those that did? Second, how does taking money from those who grow the economy and produce the jobs, make the economy better for the 50% of those "at the bottom" who pay nearly nothing in the way of income taxes in the first place? And most importantly, why does he believe that the Government should be in the business of "redistributing wealth"? Where in the Constitution is this power granted or even inferred as a proper function of our Federal Government? I have no problem with the idea that to an extent the Government is there to ensure equal opportunity, but NOT to manipulate or force equal outcomes.

I believe that it is this mindset that is killing this country. Many in Government have for decades been sowing the seed in the minds of many Americans that they are "entitled", or have a "right", to a home, an education, a job, a cushy retirement, unlimited medical care, in some cases wages and benefits far above those being paid to other workers around the globe for the same job, and most importantly, that they are entitled to money for which someone else has labored. In my opinion, it is a cancer, implanted and nurtured by politicians for years, that sucks the entrepreneurial spirit, self-reliance, self-sufficiency, and personal responsibility from the souls of the people, but sure makes for a captive block of voters. Hyperbole? Perhaps....but think about it for a bit.

As impressive a person as I believe the man to be, I cannot get past the mindset that he espouses on this issue and some others. And I am equally as proud of my stance, as those who support him. I am proud to put forth the idea that we should put more trust in ourselves than we do in Government, and that we will be happier if we take responsibility for our own lives rather than leaving it to others to do it for us.

If it talks like a Republican and walks like a Republican, it must be a Republican. President Obama has failed our nation too often, in too many important ways, due to his right-wing policies. Behind his smokescreen of being the President "of all the people" Obama has declined to be the President of the people who voted for him.

Most recently he has demonstrated, again, that he's willing to be extorted and blackmailed by right-wing extremists. That will only lead to more of the same behavior cycles.

America has become a fascist nation, and Obama is part of the problem.

These few quotes from the Berlin Speech turned me off pretty quick, including the idea he made a campaign speech in Berlin at all.

"This is the moment when we must build on the wealth that open markets have created, and share its benefits more equitably".

"And this is the moment when we must give hope to those left behind in a globalized world"

"Now the world will watch and remember what we do here - what we do with this moment. Will we extend our hand to the people in the forgotten corners of this world who yearn for lives marked by dignity and opportunity;"

"People of Berlin - people of the world - this is our moment. This is our time."

And from the "Yes we can" speech Jan. 2008 in South Carolina.

"Yes we can repair this world. Yes we can".

"Yes We Can"

I can go one better

"Well, We Better"

I did not vote for the cat. Did not because it was so obvious to me that he was someones protege, puppet. He was too clean politically. You mention the controversy surrounding him. The reaction was always indignation from his camp, if you have ever dealt with other human beings you know what that's about. Frankly, I did not trust the man. Still don't and I would not vote for him today either. And a big reason for that, are the people who so ardently support him now. Those who can cite no wrong in Obama's administration even to this day. They are quick to anger at any mention of Obama being wrong or failing. He has held onto a crowd of supporters that I find frightening at times in their near religious zeal for this man, not the kind of folks one really wants involved in the political process outside of voting perhaps. I see a lot numbers used to describe Obama's success, more of this and more of those and more bills passed, than the previous president, so on. Yet despite those numbers, problems remain, in some cases essentially the same problem that existed before he addressed it. And meanwhile the larger issues spiral out, become national emergencies, crises, and the best we can get is a patch, a band aid. I always thought "Yes We Can" was kind of silly myself, because I would answer in my head...."Duh!! You should be asking "Why Don't We?"

My problems are not mainly with the man. I have strong ideological opinions very contrary to his. To be honest and perhaps selfish a bit I kind of am glad he isn't the man everyone thought he was. Imagine someone with his ideology that was principled and unmoving? Able to work tirelessly and rally the people to him? If he was a good leader and principled (therefore no flip flopping or giving in) and also able to convince America he was right IMO we would be way worse off in the future then what we will be now. I am glad he wasn't a "bizzaro" Reagan that could take it to the people to get what he wanted. Some of it wasn't his fault; he didn't inherit a upward rising booming economy. But he has done nothing to fix it and also demonstrated for the common man just how flawed redistribution and government spending increases jobs and growth. The stimulus taught America this lesson better then years of political debate between fiscal liberals and conservatives. The belief in a larger central government took a big hit with these lessons. There was the part of me that expected; no wanted him to be the next Carter. I rooted for the philosophy to be exposed and the result being a conservative back lash that takes congress and the White House for quite a few election cycles especially since the new found conservative movement would replace old school GOP business as usual in DC. Of course we would have to suffer short term for the long term gain but I thought it would be worth it. Kind of like a bending over for your physical. People hate getting physicals but it is good for their overall health :) So you could say not only I expected a failure a part of me that I am not proud of wished for one even at the expense of short term damage to America. Perhaps the Democrats will learn their lesson finally since they didn't with Carter. Only a centrist Democrat can govern effectively with approval and a chance at re-election. Unless the left wants to get used to guaranteeing a republican presidential victory every time this happens. Unless the democrats are ok with having the White House 4 out of 12 years or so. Then keep picking a liberal that folds; keep looking for your next JFK. Good luck with that :) IMO liberal ideology looks good on paper sometimes and "feels" good but is impracticable and unrealistic. The mindset is more based on advancing "social justice" instead of accepting the realities of life. So they will always be able to gain office with their ideas if they sell them; some of them sound quite fuzzy and warm. However practicing them in the real world and the following results lose them the office. And kill chances for the next liberal president until the nation's memory once more starts to dim.

So I don't hate the man; I somewhat feel sorry for him. He is starting to see the folly in his ideology perhaps and is having his belief structure shaken. The pressure from the far left (which he used to identify himself with) collides with his new gained wisdom and pressure from the people via conservatives. One you question your ideology and your principles are no longer firm then it is difficult to lead.

Good article Owl!!! good morning to you and I am proud not to have supported Obama....lol

Owl,

This article should provide for some interesting discussion. Here is what I said the day after the 2008 election:

I did not vote for Barack Obama, but I hope he is successful. I cannot hope otherwise, for that would mean our country is failing and that is something I can never hope will happen.

The President has done and said some things I like and others I do not like. President George W. Bush did also, as did every President in my adult life. There will be comments from many in this thread that will be completely for the President and other comments that will be completely against him. They will be from the usual suspects on the vine. It is those who deal in absolutes that are usually the most vocal in their opinions and the most vehemently for or against a particular issue.

My hope is that those who can converse in a respectful manner carry the conversations and drive this discussion. And I sincerely hope that the moderates on the vine weigh in, en masse.

I voted for Obama in 2008 because I saw some hope for a politician who might bring some energy and a new sense of direction to Washington politics. We didn't get it. I'm not sure that the president is the reason we didn't get it, although I am sure that he is at least partially responsible.

What has apalled me during the past three years is the vitriol and obstructive behavior I've seen from the other side. While I surely believe in a loyal and steady opposition, I do not believe in an obstructionist opponent. The function of our government is to find common ground. Common ground appears to be a point where all people can agree. We haven't gotten there.

Given that, I plan to vote for President Obama again. I also plan to look carefully at the other candidates running for office. Their campaigns have to be based on working together and not destroying the political fabric of this country. They have to place party and ideology behind them and go to Washington to serve the American people.

Perhaps this was inevitable. The liberals wanted too much too fast. If the country moves too fast in one direction there is almost always a backlash that swings power the other way. Of course this isn't a immediate reversal; it has inertia in both directions. So when the backlash happens it will not stop in the middle it will swing farther to the right before it once again stops and goes the other way. A more moderate slow and steady pace will enable either side to accomplish more. But I believe the left was very impatient. After Carter they did not acquire the White House again until Clinton. He started out pretty liberal but he figured out the deal quickly and returned to his more moderate Democrat roots. So he was able to be re-elected. The main reason dems lost power I believe after Clinton left is they were unhappy with the moderate Clinton and they wanted a "true" progressive. Still, they almost pulled it off with Gore. 9/11 sealed the Bush re-election. So finally they were able to once again get a liberal in the White House; Barack Obama. But once again they felt empowered and wanted to fast foward their agenda to make up for the years they were hamstrung by the White House. They had congress and the White House and went with it. Not a measured thought out approach; more of a mad dash to "catch up" to where they thought we needed to be 20+ years ago. They celebrated and let it go to their heads; the sense of empowerment fueled their recklessness. The backlash was inevitable; the Tea Party formed. They are not the threat everyone says they are. However they are the visible and vocal tip of the iceburg with millions hidden in the general public and both sides know it. A predictable result to a sudden shift in one direction is the tendency to try to acquire the middle. But since there is momentum it will go somewhat in the other direction until it once again moves towards the middle. In this way I believe you can compare politics of the right and left to a pendulum. Gravity wants the pendulum to be in the center. Any sudden force however that swings it too far too fast will result in almost as fast reaction and movement back to center. I think it will be swinging back and forth a while now until it settles; the polarization of the country indicates this. The left should have learned their lesson with Carter. If the democrats want back-to-back presidents they will have to accept putting in a more moderate democrat. Because after Carter and now Obama they have to understand the county is not "liberal". It was not a mandate for a liberal agenda that swept Obama into office; it was disappointment with government as a whole and Bush in particular that helped him get into office. The people didn't vote for a liberal policy; they voted against business as usual. That is what now is best represented by the Tea Party. Obama gets it now; he is trying to channel Clinton. But it just isn't in him. He doesn't have "it". He is an ideologue not a leader. The best a liberal can ask for in my opinion is to elect a moderate that only leans to the left; not camp out there. Because the majority of America isn't liberal.

I remember being excited about Obama when he was running. I let myself hope that maybe he really would be the one to make changes and to be different than all the rest. Sadly, he is not anything, and has done nothing, that he promised.

Owlsview..another great article...and once again real dialouge without all the vitirol...I'm impressed.

How do I feel about the whole Obama thing? Not hopeful anymore and scared of the change...

We are in such desperate need of real leadership. Not a campaign artist or even a good speaker. But someone that can truly lead our country out of this mess. And no I have no idea at this time who that could possibly be.

I really believed Obama was going to bridge the gulf in Congress, create jobs and not just military jobs..I desperately want us out of these expensive wars. I could go on and on but have neither the heart or time at the moment.

just really wanted to stop by and vote another of your articles up..

I stand by my statement. Yellow Dog Democrat.

I am a duplicate. Please erase me :)

The first time I heard him speak, I was very impressed. But then I started hearing echoes I didn't like...the "fundamentally transform America" bit...the "share the wealth" bit (which generally translates in political speak to "raise taxes on everyone so that we can implement social programs that only benefit the few but will buy us votes")...I grew wary.

He lost me when he campaigned against Hilary Clinton on the issue of the individual mandate...and started campaigning to implement it within the first few weeks in office. He took out...yes, HE took out...any idea of a public option (without which the individual mandate becomes merely a tax increase) as a bribe to Big Pharma and the hospital industry...and the remainder of the Obamacare campaign was in direct opposition to his stated principles...bribery and corruption abounded in that bill...and under his leadership the way the bill crafted in back door deals and was forced through Congress turned my stomach. Nothing, not one single thing in that bill makes "healthcare affordable"...it simply makes health insurance mandatory, whether you can afford it or not. As I currently can not...that was a big issue for me.

Since then I have watched him flip flop and lie time after time...and for the first time in my 60 years of life I heard the President of the United States refer to people who opposed his policies as "the enemy". His arrogant, condescending, dismissive attitude towards people who are, after all, American citizens and taxpayers, the people he was elected to serve, who are paying his salary...is not in the least "presidential"...it is the attitude of a community organizer who has found someone to organize against...the American people on the other side of the political divide.

"The man who can smile when things go wrong...has thought of someone to blame it on."

The day he was elected, despite the fact that I didn't vote for him and wasn't really sure at that point if I liked him or not, I was still proud that America had elected a black president...and felt that racial issues were a thing of the past at last, at long last. Much to my dismay, within a few weeks of his election, any opposition to his policies was labeled as "racist"...and since his election I feel that race relations in this country are the worst they have been for decades. As I was a vehement supporter of the Civil Rights legislation, (something that a young white girl in the 60's was violently castigated and abused for at the time by Democrats who opposed it) I take it personally when I am insulted and called a racist for opposition to Obamacare (yes, I know that is not the name of the bill...but I cannot and will not refer to it as "Health Care Reform"...it's all about health insurance, NOT health care).

Since that day, I have watched this nation sink further into debt, and come on, people...he HAD TO KNOW, they all HAD TO KNOW what the debt ceiling was as more and more massive spending bills passed through Congress...WTF were they thinking! The man who referred to raising the debt ceiling as a "failure of leadership" stands condemned by his own words.

Obama is no different from any other lying two-faced politician with a smile on his face as he picks our pockets...but I don't like the direction the country is headed in, I don't like the way he has dealt with just about any crisis...offering no constructive ideas, just criticizing and demonizing the opposition with some of the most divisive language I have ever heard from an American President in all my life.

At this point, he couldn't buy my vote for a million dollars...although honesty compels me to admit that a billion might do the trick, and after all, what is that to a man who spends trillions of other people's money and then complains when they don't want to keep giving him more?

Time for Obama and the First Lady to get some "skin in the game" and start practicing what they preach when they scold Americans and tell them we need to "tighten our belts"…and how they can do that with a good conscience considering the lavish lifestyle we are providing for them I just do not know.

But then my belt is so tight it's cutting me in two...and the depressing economic situation doesn't look as if it is getting better any time soon...so reports of their vacations and parties at the White House are going to get on my nerves no matter who is in office.

We need a leader and we don't have one...and someone who is at least minimally in touch with the lives most Americans lead. I think the final straw for me was when he told some man that he should buy a new fuel efficient car when the man was complaining about not being able to afford gas...it was a "let them eat cake" moment that I just can't forget.

I don't "hate" him...but I'm not wishing him a happy birthday, either...I just want him gone, out of office, history, yesterday's news and someone new in the White House to lead us out of this mess.

I want to remember his administration as if it was all just a bad dream...and let us get back to being "one nation" again...and not the divided partisan mess I see us becoming.

No doubt the President is a good man,so as former President Jimmy Carter.Looking back,Hillary could've been a better choice,but we'll never know that.No offense to the President of the united states,but what happened with the debt ceiling is totally uncalled for.It turned into a media circus,which did not have to be.Have no idea what the President is trying to prove to himself, the people,and his adversaries.That he is a good man at who's standard?In this world there are two types of leaders:One is who follows a set of guide lines,and instructions.Second,a leader is someone who takes charge of any situation that comes his or her way without passing or kicking the can down the road.Unfortunately the President pass the test as an adult,and bipartisan,but who came out on top?But he is a good man,he showed us that he is the mature adult.I'ed like to know where is his integrity,principles,and self-respect?May be he got paid for.I don't know.

When people are on the stump they are told what to say by their handlers. My opinion is that you don't get to see the real person in the campaign. I look for their integrity level prior to the campaign, and you sure as hell get to see it after an election. The real guy pops out....surprise!

I am sick and tired of being told what they think I want to hear during a campaign. I want the truth damn it, but that does not win elections. Sad.

I've been a bit ticked off with Obama lately myself and I too have had a couple of talks with myself. But just as I've not always been happy with some of Obama's decisions, I don't think there will ever be any President in office that doesn't cause me to wonder on occasion. I don't believe any man alive from either party has not caused some eyebrows to raise even within their own party lines.

Being as, we never always get what we want on every issue. I, of course, would be happier if Obama never stepped over party lines. But being a hard-liner is not what makes a good President. When in office you are a President of all the people, not only half the people. A President who will ignore one side of the aisle should not be a President, IMO. I'm almost 70 years old and always been a Democrat but in the same sense have seen some very sensible and caring Republicans that also had good ideas. They worked together.

When Obama "caved in" on the Bush Tax Cuts the first time, I was P*****. I could see this as a bad decision down the road and it has proven to be right. I think caving in on something and then constantly complaining of not enough revenue is a fruitless argument. But we know why he caved in and that was so others could get their unemployment and not thrown into the welfare line.

I also think if he wanted those Bush Tax Cuts to end, that should have been taken care of before this last election but if you think back to that time, not much of anything was being done because everything was being filibustered.

Obama had some great idea's when he was campaigning but all that come to an end in Nov 2008 when we found out we were in the middle of a recession, an economy collapse, a banking and housing crisis. One month before elections, I believe he had the rug pulled out from under him just as it did for all of us. Even Bush said the stimulus was necessary but I believe every banking institution that received money should have had to pay it back and those people prosecuted. What makes them an different than Bernie Madoff?

But I also believe without that stimulus, we'd be in even a worse mess. Going into a total depression, as bad as it is now, would have been far worse. It was necessary to bail out the banks because they were holding the pensions, 401K's and money belonging to millions of people. Bailing out the car companies was a good move, IMO, and kept millions working not only in the car companies but in their hundreds of suppliers.

Obama has put his political career on the line over some of his decisions. I can see a whole lot of people in Washington who have put their own political ambitions first. That to me is not right.

About his birth certificate. I think when he put a copy of it online, he figured that was good enough for every President before him and it should have been good enough for him. I've never seen another President who has had his birth certificate photo-shopped with fake information in the past. Why was it so necessary to lie so much about this man? It had been investigated numerous times, seen by numerous people, verified by the State of Hawaii and the Secretary of State there. It had been investigated by FactFinders.org, CNN and I don't know how many others.

The oil spill? I don't know what he did or did not do during the oil spill. I know he was on the phone with BP constantly wanting to know what was going on, what was being done, etc. I also know he called for stricker deep welling codes and more inspectors and he was rebuked on that in a rush to get more permits issued.

I will not blame Bush for the poor response on Katrina. That was the job of FEMA and they were waiting for the Governors of Mississippi and Louisana who did not respond themselves in a timely manner. But 3 days without even water Bush patted Brown on the back and told him what a good job he had done. NOT!! He did a terrible job and of course was later fired.

But I do blame Bush for starting that war in Iraq that was based on lies. I remember hearing interviews with the weapons inspectors and they were wondering why in hell was Bush moving troops in there when they had told him there were no weapons of mass destruction. NONE!

No President is going to give us all that we want nor all that we think they should. But IMO, Obama will stand up harder and taller for social security, medicare and medicaid than anyone else in the White House right now just as he stood up for unemployment benefits. So to me, what is the alternative? Either vote for Obama again or vote for the Tea Party.

Just my 2 cents.

And I see your point too. We simply can not buy jobs. We lost 58,000 factories that went overseas. How does one ever recover from that? And what we have gotten imported from China has been toxic drywall, lead in children's toys, dog food that was rancid, medications not fit to pass inspections. We even got shrimp that had human fetus in it! It's not like they have great water there! One of my huge gripes with WalMart. Big company that doesn't even attempt to carry anything made in the US.

There's much I don't understand. I don't understand why we give Pakistan 3 Billion a year. I don't understand why we are still in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are there building bridges, roads, wells and schools and here we are closing schools and firing teachers. Hell, one third of our American Indians don't have running water and this country belonged to them. Why aren't we building them wells? The Cut, Cap and Balance Bill even reduces the little they get now for sewage.

Why is everything against the poor and middle classes and nothing from the top? It just seems to me that everything is going against the working man while big cooperate, big banks and big shots are the only ones under any protection. After working 42 years, I'm drawing social security. $9468 a year and even I would be happy to pay a bit more if I had to. But do not take the couple hundred I'm willing to give and hand it up to someone who has it all and doesn't need it and would spend it on one dinner. The total lack of fairness is what has my side of the aisle all up in arms.

Ya know, then these oil companies asked for subsidies, oil was $17 a barrel. When it was $45 a barrel, they said they didn't need it. Now it's over $100 and they fight like dogs to keep it. The more they get, the more they want.

http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/info-STIMULUS0109.html

Here's where some of that stimulus went. We had a bunch of broke States not able to pay workers, pay unemployment benefits, and pay their own debts. As far as I'm concerned, the States could have gotten more and just enough to the banks to save peoples retirements and let them close their doors.

I am also an Obama supporter. I believe he is a good man with high ideals for America. I think he is doing the best he can with what he has to work with.

I could drop a vase and in seconds it would be broken into hundreds of pieces. How long would it take me to put that vase back together? How long would it take to reassemble that vase if there were people obstructing my work?

There is no question that a large part of the support for President Obama was result of the dismal performance of President Bush. There is also no doubt that the fact that he was the first black male candidate to have a serious chance at winning played an important role in it. There is also no doubt that his attractive imager and educational pedigree played a role in it. There is also no doubt that his oratorical skills promulgating a message of hope played a role in it.

I supported him for all of those reasons and am not disappointed by his performance. He prevented economic collapse, passed a healthcare plan, and got Osama bin Laden. All major accomplishments.

His predecessor, George W Bush handed the keys to Obama with active wars in progress, a terrible economy, upwardly spiraling healthcare costs, and a free and loose Osama bin Laden. In the meantime, unemployment numbers start to tank.

Then, there is the question of race. President Obama studiously avoided the subject of race during the campaign. Right wing fanatics like Hannity ,Limbaugh, and Beck(remember him) studiously tried to paint Obama as a racist and radical because of his associations with Reverend Wright and Bill Ayers. Reverend Wright was a flamboyant preacher with a black congregation in a depressed part of the city of Chicago. He eesentially preached a message of self-help(isn't that kind of republican) and lamented the history of racism and its vestiges today. Nothing that Reverend Wright said was racist. He was just critical of his country and how it had treated black people. What went mostly unsaid was that in addition to his constitutional right to speak his mind, he had additional cache by virtue of the fact that he had served in two branches of the armed srvices supporting his country. By the way, Beck, Hannity and Limbaugh never served. Fact:Obama has never expressed any ideas in the way that Reverend Wright has exprtessed them.

So, now the republicans want to essentially blame Obama for Bush's failures. The fact of the matter is that unemployment has been getting worse for a number of years.

Then comes Bill Ayers. Ayers, an aging former radical and fully accepted into democratic political circles by the time he met Obama was far removed from his more militant days in the 60's. While his actual relationship with Obama may remain somewhat unclear, there is nothing to suggest anything sinister about it. Fact:Obama has never expressed any ideas in the way that Bill Ayers has expressed them.

Guilt by association never works for rational people. Does anyone really think that Geroge Bush has never associated with a racist? I am not saying that Bush is a racist, but I find it hard to believe that in all of his associations with the good old boys in Texas he hasn't come across a few.

But, even more debilitating for Obama in my mind is the Jackie Robinson approach he has seemingly adopted in response to his critics. It appears that he is being counseled to augment his normally clam demeanor with more calm. They must feel that the sight of an angry black man will be just too much for the american public to take. I would like to see him be far more aggressive for his positions. He has got to bring his message to the people in a way that will let them know that he is completely confident in what he is doing. That message must be strong. In short, he must see himself as the POTUS and not the first black POTUS.