Either I am not as progressive as I thought or most people here have a tendency for melodrama, hysterics and/or hyperventilation...
I just came from a wonderful vacation in France..Mon Dieu, but the french actually dare-i-say...like us! I don't think I ve ever been this comfortable and proud to be an American abroad. It's actually a very strange feeling not to have the urge to defend yourself to every person who gives you that look after learning you are American... not having to almost blurt out after every turn " We're not ALL like that texan cowboy" .
I freakin got a high five from a total stranger after saying I grew up in Chicago !!
So now, am back. Home. Yay..?
Home of the birthers.. ha!, the town hall screamers...sad but not totally unexpected, the deathers..uh?. Sarah Palin is still nuts, the republicans are in what looks like the last throws of an agonizing soul searching identity crisis...You know, same old.
Meanwhile, looks like we averted Great Depression Redeux, the Dow is up (ok ok, it's not the reaal economy but I don't think anyone liked it when it was down 6200 ), the Clintons are apparently back and in a good way...
All in all, the republicans I learned to strongly dislike are still disliked and out of touch and the Democrats had a pretty ok 2 weeks.
Wish it were this simple.....
Oh no. We are Democrats, progressives. Liberals...being happy with what we have and be patient? Naah. Too restless, too needy, too anxious, too...defeatist (is that a word?).
I came back... Most of the diaries in the rec list are.." wtf are u doing Mr President? ", "hey Rahm, F U back " etc..
It seems every few months, people go out of their way to see who can trash the administration the most.
If there is one thing I might , emphasis on might, envy the Repubs, they wait at least until their leaders seriously fuck up to start eating their own and even then....
What ? A few crazy old geezers screaming "Get gvmt out of my Medicare" can easily spook us? Remember the election? These are the same people from the Palin rallies that somehow managed to channel their anger in weird conspiracy theories and continue to spew their ignorance loudly like the bullies they are.
During the election, we laughed them out of town. We need to that again.
Instead, we think Obama has sold out. We think he needs to have some PASSION, kick, scream, ram it through, shove it down their throat. Basically act like them ! We think it's more constructive and productive to turn our anxiety/anger toward the people that are trying to get us healthcare. Ah! But What healthcare you ask? Anything Less than single payer, public option, progressive, partisan, exactly the way I want it is UNACCEPTABLE!
We attack the "blue Dogs"... why? They represent pretty conservative districts. If their constituents have reservations about the bill, then by all means, let them work out something they can be comfortable with. Unfortunately, that's how the system works. They probably won't vote the same as your average Bernie Sanders. They managed to vote the adminstration way in most cases (stimilus, sotomayor etc)..
There is a reason no President has managed to reform healthcare in 40 years ! We want Obama to have it done in 6 months??? Without compromise?? Exactly how we want it?
As another diarist said, the Messiah indeed.
Anywho, end rant. I still believe in Obama. He seems like the only adult in the room. Yes, there are some things he should have done differently. He's done so much already yet there is sooo much more to be done. He saved us from Republicans , I don't know if he can save us from ourselves. The thing that will probably doom healthcare and everything on the packed agenda is the lack of political will. And it seems like most here, when the going gets tough.... People say he's not trying hard enough. I don't even know what to say to that... This guy is on tv 24/7. Networks are even starting to refuse airing his press conferences, he does 2 town halls every week, people have been writing articles that he's overexposed for 2 years now...he can't do it alone.