1. He should have given gays what we were asking for: equal rights in all areas, plain and simple. That way he would have ensured our allegiance and continued support, and gotten it out of the way early so the right-wing idiots would forget (or not want to handle a stale issue) in four years.
2. He should have immediately launched an all-out investigation and prosecution against ALL Bush war criminals, so the world would know there was a new standard of morality in America, and the right-wing would know their dishonesty and criminality were no longer acceptable.
3. Once he ensured his base (and the world) were energized and totally impressed with his chutzpah, then he could have run health care reform up the flag and gotten something done, swift and sure.
As it is, the right hates him and are playing him for a sucker, the left thinks he's a weak promise breaker who's kowtowing to the bastards on the right, and the world thinks he's just one more American warmonger who continues to allow torture and other policies that ignore the Geneva Conventions.
His continued support of Blackwater (or whatever they call themselves now) as hired mercenaries underscores that belief.
So far, on the issues most important to his base--the ones who gave their money and time to get him elected--he's been a huge disappointment. Unlike Republican lemmings, we Democrats do not believe our elected officials can do no wrong.
I give his performance to date a gentleman's C+.
If he wasn't such a likable cuss, it'd be a plain old D.
4 comments:
Props for the "we Democrats do not believe our elected officials can do no wrong."
I hope you follow this post with a "Who Obama voters should have supported in 2008." And Hillary is probably the wrong answer.
That post is easy: Dennis Kucinich.
If not him, then Hillary Clinton.
If not her, then Dr. Howard Dean.
If not him, then maybe Wesley Clark.
Some wild cards--Barbara Boxer, Lawrence O'Donnell, Joe Biden.
Do not start ragging on me about Hillary, anyone. I like her, I liked Bill and I don't plan to be talked out of it.
On the flip side, Obama stepped into a flaming full on Red Alert financial crisis.
Shit was hitting the fan big time. Financial giants were dropping like so many fall leaves.
Every direction he looked, every topic was left in smoldering ruins.
• 2 wars running Trillion dollar tab
• Environmental disaster
• Gitmo torture prison
• Housing Foreclosure meltdown
• Rampant job loss
• Health Insurance Crisis
• Education poorly funded
• Infrastructure neglected
• Failing Banks (80 so far in 2009).
So I am not making excuses for him.
Upholding his promise to deliver change re Gay rights was breached from day 1 @ the Inaugural when the Gay Minister's presentation was slighted and not broadcast, while the hate monger, anti gay "preacher" got air time.
He continues to allow the Military to discharge any soldier who is openly gay.
Those were easy fixes.... he's the damned commander in chief.
But the financial mess.... there are still tons of people out there w/o jobs, burning through unemployment & will be hitting the wall where benefits are no longer available.
We are not out of the woods yet.
Those big gynormic problems were inherited... and so out of control because Bush was busy getting his wars on, that he ignored the needs of the country.
Frankly, I'm surprised ANYONE would have wanted the job, post Bush.
Yes, he did inherit enormous problems when he took office, but he could have dispensed with DOMA and don't ask/don't tell while he was eating a panini at lunch.
Same with investigating war crimes and torture--he should have told General Holder to move forward immediately.
Neither situation would have required much of his attention or time, and he would have looked decisive, strong and not intimidated by the sliver of a minority in both houses.
But he blew it, and it may be too late to woo his base back.
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