This is mostly a diary I wrote for days. So, it might be sporadic, but I just put everything I thought in.
Let me start by saying first, that I'm a realist. Not a progressive, or a conservative. I think there should be a lobby for a realist party, since I feel that I don't fit in with any ideology 100%. I would probably fail any and every purity test any party would give. I believe in seeing life situations as they are, and how to make it better from that point.
For a couple of days, I have been on here reading the biting comments on the President and the Congress and some of the support. I can list a couple of diaries and link them to here for reference.
Example One
Example Two
Example Three
Example Three
Example Four
Example Five
Some, come from supporters of the disciplined, hardcore supporters of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Some come from people who just thought that others would have been better than Clinton or Obama. But some, are the true blue supporters of President Obama from the time of his speech at the Democratic National Convention in July 21, 2004. These are the ones who damn near gave their soul to this man.
Some people fell in love with the Obamas. HARD!!!! You can sense it from the anger in some of the comments, diaries, and polls on this and other sites. I see that. It was hard not to. I mean, this beautiful family, from the dashing successful senator who came from a hard knock life, the intelligent, elegant, wife of the senator. Hell, I knew ladies who, if they had the opportunity, would just have a girlfriends day at the mall with her. You know, like go to the mall, try on clothes for days, and gossip like crazy. Joke around, talk about life. Don't get me started on the kids, those two we would have spoiled to death like grandparents, whether we were only 21 or 102. People fell hard for them. So, I see in some diaries their disappointment and dejection at politics. These are the people who are not like me. I know, I live with them. My mother looks at politics, but not like me. She looks at it, and gets sick of it after awhile because it depresses her. Its understandable. Many people don't have the stomach for it.
There are gonna be a lot of people out there who will deny being like this. I used to always be incensed at all of the Rush Limbaugh rhetoric about people fawning over Obama, how people were in love with the celebrity of Obama, who were not concerned with his policies and/or politics. I was majorly incensed, since he absolutely loves former B-Movie ACTOR, former Screen Actors Guild President, President Ronald Reagan.
However, we must understand that some people who have never been interested in politics, feeling dejected, turned off from other politicians, actually came out last year, just for President Obama. It was he, who was the driving force for them, who was their hope. I can't say I don't feel those people, or understand them. Right now, its hard, its tough. People in America right now can't pay for college, can't afford their next payment on anything, whether its a mortgage or a car note. People need someone right now, and I believe that Obama was that someone.
Again, I say, I am a realist, more so than an ideologue. I watched some of the senate debates online on c-span's website. As much as I would want to say that the President could do something with people like Lieberman, I don't see how? There are many, in their current fury, who want Lieberman's ass roasting on an open fire for Christmas and want President Obama to be basting. The polls with Democrats and Independents want this. Emotionally, I would love this. Realistically, I don't want my President being impeached for roasting a senators ass, no matter how recalcitrant he is. Realistically, punishing Joe Lieberman, wouldn't be a punishment. Taking away his committee chair, probably would send him to the Republicans, who vote no on any initiative that they feel would help President Obama in any way. That, will mean to get the 60 votes, we would have to work with the two Republican Maine senators who would water down any legislation anyway. Even if we get the two senators who would replace both Sens. Nelson and Lieberman, Sens. Landrieu and Lincoln are not given votes on this legislation. Realistically, we are in some deep crap. This is reality.
Reconciliation at this point, would mean that the initiatives would need to be restarted through all house and senate committees, which means the hell that many here went through with the health care town halls and the Baucus chaired Senate Finance Committee's bill would be just the same. The Republican delay tactics would take hold again, and support for the bill would dwindle further. I have no doubt if this bill fails, that the next Democratic President and Democratic Majority congress would try reconciliation, but it is not a goal that is realistically feasible now, especially during an election year. Realistically, I don't see how, aside from taking his committee chairmanship, that we punish a guy who sided with the Bush campaign during the recount as the 2000 Democratic vice-presidential candidate, as a guy who steadfastly supported, without question, Bush's wars. A guy, who after being ousted from the 2006 Democratic nomination for senator, got Karl Rove's help in retaining the seat. A guy, who in 2008, campaigned for the Republican nominee. A guy who said that President Obama, didn't believe in keeping our nation safe. A guy, who after supporting the medicare buy- in, went against it because Rep. Anthony Weiner was for it. You can't punish an ignorant, arrogant, impotent, heartless, soulless ,droopyfaced, jacklegged, stubborn, stumpy ass. Nothing he could do, would punish him. If anything, it would endear him to conservatives in Connecticut who he is looking to be his brain trust and support in 2012. This guy has a vendetta with liberals right now, and he doesn't give a damn who he pisses off to settle the score.
I'm a political science major and a history minor and I have been interested in history since I was in first grade, around 1995, the first year of the Republican congress and the third year of President Clinton's term. I had a huge book of Presidents, from President George Washington, to of course President Clinton, and I read all of them. Every one. I read about the Monroe Doctrine, I read about Tippecanoe, I read about the slanderous hit job done on would have been First Lady Rachel Donelson Jackson, married to the first Democratic President Andrew Jackson, then a former Senator from Tennessee. Speaker of The House Henry Clay, Franklin Pierce's tragic children, William Henry Harrison's two hour inaugural speech that killed him, John Tyler's libido, I could go on and on and on. Not bad for a 7 year old to be reading stuff like that instead of Curious George, although I did read that.
I've read upon many Presidents, and if there is one thing that I've encountered with each and every memorable one, its that when they were in office, they were butchered for everything connected to them, whether vaguely or inadvertently. President Barack Obama is no exception. There are many problems and disagreements that I have with him. I believe that he should have removed the DADT ban and the DOMA amendment, at least by temporary executive order, though I believe that Congress should shoulder the blame for not allowing a vote. However, I am pleased with him on lifting the AIDS travel ban, as well. His Afghanistan plan, i'm mixed about. I know that there is a danger of nuclear weapons in Pakistan, yet I believe that shutting down everything in an instant is probably not an option, though I would like that. On healthcare, we seen where no healthcare leads us. Our failure in 1993 lead us to this present day crisis, a crisis that Republicans time and time again have ignored and seem to write off as unimportant. I believe this President is trying to pass this bill for political reasons, because, yes, he's a politician. I know this like I knew when he was at the 2004 Convention. I also believe he wants to make this the best deal possible, and with the Congress we have, thats damn near scalding hell. I see that many are annoyed with the President, because they feel like he isn't fighting for this. They want him to be Roosevelt, shaming the politicians in Congress all day, getting the people on his side. That might work, but remember, President Obama is not President Roosevelt. He is not that type of President. He doesn't have that temperament. The guy I voted for is that calm, cool, levelheaded and analytical guy, not the guy with the great balls of fire temperament. He is that guy that believes that every American has a voice that should be heard, whether it is a ridiculous voice or not. He is that guy that will keep trying to reach out to you, no matter how much you swat him down, then turn around and blame him for the polarization. He is that guy, and whether you like his technique or not, I can't help, but admire his dedication.
Barack Obama's temperament can be a blessing, but it is also a curse. There are many people out there who doesn't want to hear the reality, but want someone fighting for them. Right now, thats understandable. People are hurting,as I alluded to above. They want someone to be their voice. Someone big who just yells at them, screams at them. Even when those people themselves know that the President can't do much, even if it accomplishes nothing, they want that. I can't blame them for feeling this way.
When I voted for this guy, I knew that this job would be hard as hell. I don't envy him in this position at all, with everything on his shoulders. I believe, however, that this was and still is the best guy in that chair at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. He isn't the most progressive, but I believe his Presidency greases the skids for a progressive change in this nation. We have to keep the faith and hold out and fight on. We have to keep going. This is our fight. I will not give up this fight. Tonight, I will be watching, after the Vikings/Panthers game of course, the health care vote. I'm going to watch like my life depends on it.