Michael Moore: Obama first term ‘heartbreaking’

[kpete]

Liberal filmmaker Michael Moore told BBC’s Richard Bacon that most of President Barack Obama’s first term had been “heartbreaking” and a “disappointment.”

“He did not come into office like I hoped that he would,” Moore admitted. “To to do what Franklin Roosevelt did in his first few months, where he came in and said, ‘You know, I’m in charge. This is the way we’re doing things. If you don’t like it, throw me out of office.’”

Moore lamented that Obama had spent too much time trying to appease Republicans.


“He spent three years — if we can just go back to the sports analogies — running the ball in the wrong direction,” Moore said. “Now, we are in the last quarter of his first term and he’s actually come alive. He’s actually now standing up and his Justice Department is going after some of the banks. He’s trying to stop a big corporate merger. And he’s putting forth jobs bills that make sense now. I don’t know why he waited until the last year of these four years to do that, but it is somewhat heartening now to see that he’s come around. And let’s hope that he can pull it off.”

MORE:
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/10/26/michael-moore-obama-first-term-heartbreaking/

[Tatiana]

1. Completely agree. Better late than never, but damn... what a waste of 2-3 years. n/t

[ThomWV]

18. I for one have no intention of letting him waste 3 out of the next 4 years - to hell with him.

When will people come to understand, we elected a dud. Now its time to move on and find a Democrat to run for President.

[FarLeftFist]

32. A dud? Do you know how much legislation he passed?!

[lame54]

54. and yet the bowl still swirls

[defendandprotect]

67. Legislation which benefited the right -- elite/corporatists -- !! Immense damage to environment -- !

[TheWraith]

81. That must be why the right fought him screaming tooth and nail the whole way.

Seriously, you have to completely invert the last three years to believe what you just said.

[immoderate]

86. They fought against him implementing their policies! But he won! Not us.

What has Obama done to relieve wealth disparity? :shrug:

--imm

[Enthusiast]

112. Better he had allowed

the Bush tax cuts to expire than anything else.

[CoffeeCat]

121. Yes, but our country is sliding into Fascism...

...and President Obama has done NOTHING but work for the corporations. His
cabinet and adviser positions are stocked with former Goldman boys, GE
CEOs and former corporate lobbyists and assorted corporate hacks.

The non-reform healthcare bill remains a profit-centric model. The health
insurers still make life or death decisions about us--based on what's good
for their bottom line.

Obama didn't restore Habeas Corpus as he said he would. He ran on being
a previous "Constitutional professor" and made assurances that he understood
that he was "Change" from the Bush policies. We still torture. We still
detain people indefinitely. Guantanamo still exists.

Obama continued the lie-based, neocon war machine. Disgusting, really.

I really don't give a shit about "legislation". If we don't even have a democracy
and if our entire government is controlled by corporations--isn't it a moot
point that we've "passed some legislation"?

Yes, Obama may have added a few sprinkles to the cake--but the cake is rotten
and full of mold. Clean it up, or stand aside and make way for someone who
will address the most important issues of our lifetime.

[Name removed]

66. Deleted message

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[ProSense]

2. Moore's comments rank right up there with

“He spent three years — if we can just go back to the sports analogies — running the ball in the wrong direction,”

...say anything.

Whether it's ending DADT or http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/10/21/president-obama-has-ended-war-iraq">ending a war, strengthening labor policies and environmental policies, helping low income communities and families and homeless Americans, establishing the CFPB, and other reforms, more than most Presidents, the policies implemented by President Obama will have a lasting impact on real families for generations.

Even a staunch critic of the misstep on environmental policy by this President can acknowledge that he has move the progressive ball forward in significant ways.

Senator Franken: The importance of the Reocovery Act

<...>

Another vital component of the Recovery Act that is often overlooked is its expanded funding for unemployment insurance that helped keep 3.3 million people, including 1 million children, out of poverty in 2009. Another overlooked but critical program in the Recovery Act is the funding for Head Start. The $2 billion allocation preserved Head Start and Early Head Start programming for 64,000 children across the country-over 900 in Minnesota alone. These programs are helping the most vulnerable kids in our communities.
It's simple-economic analysis suggests that the Recovery Act boosted demand, created millions of jobs, kept families in their homes, and helped the economy start growing again.

Let me tell you what I love about being a Senator. As opposed to being a candidate for Senate. I think most of my colleagues can relate to this. When you're a candidate, you're speaking mainly to your own party. When you're trying to get the nomination, when you're getting out the vote. But as a Senator, you talk to everyone. I travel all over the state of Minnesota and meet with mayors and city council members, and county commissioners, and small businesses.

And everywhere I go, they thank me for the Recovery Act. They thank me for the teachers and firefighters, for the Workforce Investment Act funds, which they used to train people for jobs. For the highway extension or the wastewater plant or the funds for rural broadband or for weatherization of public buildings.

In fact, Michael Gunwald, writing for Time Magazine, said this: "the Recovery Act is the most ambitious energy legislation in history, converting the Energy Department into the world's largest venture-capital fund. It's pouring $90 billion into clean energy, including unprecedented investments in a smart grid; energy efficiency; electric cars; renewable power from the sun, wind and earth; cleaner coal; advanced biofuels; and factories to manufacture green stuff in the U.S. The act will also triple the number of smart electric meters in our homes, quadruple the number of hybrids in the federal auto fleet and finance far-out energy research through a new government incubator modeled after the Pentagon agency that fathered the Internet."

<...>

Health care reform was a huge step in the right direction.

Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer Will Seek Health Care Law Waiver To Establish Single Payer In His State

One Million Young Adults Gain Health Insurance in 2011 Because of the Affordable Care Act

HHS announces record number of National Health Service Corps members

Rate Review: Cutting Costs for Consumers and Small Businesses – Chapter One

Reducing costs, protecting consumers: The Affordable Care Act on the one year anniversary of the Patient’s Bill of Rights

One year after the Affordable Care Act’s Patient’s Bill of Rights took effect, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a report summarizing some of the achievements of the health reform law. In the eighteen months since the president signed the Affordable Care Act into law, health reform has had a tangible effect in the lives of millions of Americans. The report discusses how the law is helping to give hardworking families the security they deserve and the reforms in the Affordable Care Act that have helped hold down insurance premiums, hold insurance companies more accountable and strengthen Medicare.

“The Affordable Care Act has made the health care system better for millions of Americans,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “As a mother, a wife and a daughter, I know how important health coverage is for America’s families. This law is helping to give hard working families the security they deserve and stop insurance company abuses, hold down insurance premiums and strengthen Medicare.”

Recent reports, including the U.S. Census and the National Health Information Survey, have indicated that approximately one million additional young Americans now have insurance coverage due to the Affordable Care Act according to experts. The Patient’s Bill of Rights made it illegal for insurance companies to deny coverage to a child with a pre-existing condition or place a lifetime limit on the care they will provide. Through Affordable Care Act initiatives, 19 million seniors with Medicare have received new free preventive benefits, while efforts to cut fraud and abuse have extended the Medicare Trust Fund by 8 years, strengthening the Medicare program.

To read more about the many accomplishments of the law visit: http://www.healthcare.gov/law/resources/reports/patients-bill-of-rights09232011a.pdf

To read a blog commemorating today by Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Richard Sorian visit: www.healthcare.gov/blog

And the President saved the auto industry.

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

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[Tatiana]

28. I wish you could set aside your talking points and understand that many people are hurting out there

And they are hurting due, in part, to the policies advocated by this administration... whether being "held hostage" by take-no-prisoners Republicans during the debt ceiling phony crisis or outside of this country in places where our drones murder innocent people.

There aren't any jobs, people are losing their homes or "underwater" on their mortgages in record numbers.

Even the President admits most Americans are worse off than they were 4 years ago. Only the 1%ers can say they are doing better.

You have to admit there's a problem before you can solve it.

[hifiguy]

29. +1 nt

[FarLeftFist]

33. Its only been 2 1/2 years. Since when do we believe he possesses a magic wand?

[truebrit71]

61. No-one is looking for a magic wand...sticking to Democratic principles might be a nice place...

...to start from though...you know, like protecting the environment, re-strenghtening civil liberties, minor shit like that, rather than expanding wars, kow-towing to Big Oil you know, REPUBLICAN principles...

[ProSense]

34. What

"I wish you could set aside your talking points and understand that many people are hurting out there"

...the hell do "talking points" have to do with my opinion that what Moore said is moronic?

“He spent three years — if we can just go back to the sports analogies — running the ball in the wrong direction,” Moore said.

"Even the President admits most Americans are worse off than they were 4 years ago. Only the 1%ers can say they are doing better."

Did he admit he wasn't trying in the face of unprecendented obstruction by Republicans?

[Tatiana]

41. He admitted to being "held hostage" and giving in to the hostage takers!

We don't negotiate with hostage takers. We do not negotiate with terrorists.

That is what you call a failure to lead. No matter that the President had good intentions (which I believe he did). He failed to lead, plain and simple. Signing a bill that gave people who did not need a tax break another tax break IS running the ball in the wrong direction. Trying is fine but doing is better. A veto would have been nice. Boehner would have allowed passage on just the middle-class tax cuts as he admitted on Face the Nation.

Now, what Moore has indicated is that the President is now running the ball in the CORRECT direction of late. The government's suit to block the AT&T/T-Mobile merger is one example of that. We should have seen this same type of aggressiveness in the wake of the financial crisis or the real estate bust and ensuing mortgage crisis.

[ProSense]

43. Again

He admitted to being "held hostage" and giving in to the hostage takers!

We don't negotiate with hostage takers. We do not negotiate with terrorists.

That is what you call a failure to lead. No matter that the President had good intentions (which I believe he did). He failed to lead, plain and simple. Signing a bill that gave people who did not need a tax break another tax break IS running the ball in the wrong direction. Trying is fine but doing is better. A veto would have been nice. Boehner would have allowed passage on just the middle-class tax cuts as he admitted on Face the Nation.

Now, what Moore has indicated is that the President is now running the ball in the CORRECT direction of late. The government's suit to block the AT&T/T-Mobile merger is one example of that. We should have seen this same type of aggressiveness in the wake of the financial crisis or the real estate bust and ensuing mortgage crisis.

...what does any of that have to do with Moore's point? He made a broad ridiculous statement about the President's entire term to date.

As for the tax cuts, they also extended unemployment and other aid, including the expansion of Medicaid. There are those who wanted to leave these to the Republican Congress, which would have been a big mistake.

[FarLeftFist]

44. That bill was signed because it included middle class tax breaks. Boehner would have allowed no such

Thing. Now we're believing what THEY say yet we don't believe what they do?

[Tatiana]

57. Yeah, actually. That is one time he told the truth.

In a pre-taped interview to appear on CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday, Republican House Minority Leader John Boehner said that, if approving a bill to extend breaks for middle class income Americans were "the only option," he would support it.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/09/12/ftn/main6858401.shtml

[FarLeftFist]

96. Yeah he's such a trustworthy guy. Surely he would never say anything to make him look good.

Don't believe the HYPE.

[truebrit71]

90. If you look at his record, not talking points, but what he was ACTUALLY done...

Michael Moore's comments are anything but moronic...or do you need to be reminded of his constant caving to special interests and Big Oil and his total lack of transparency??

[JuniperLea]

80. And he said things would get worse before they got better...

Cherry picking is wrong no matter who does it.

There is a problem, it's been admitted, and some are trying to fix it. While others want to heap more rubbish.

My mortgage is underwater by 50%... two of my three adult children are out of work... my boyfriend has some severe health issues and no insurance... I know full fucking well how bad things are. There is a problem? No shit Sherlock.

Tell me who is out there that has more of my interests at heart than Obama. There is a huge difference between advocating policies and being held hostage, yet you use that as a combined description for "part" of the problem.

I just signed up to volunteer for the Obama campaign. I'm going to try to help instead of spouting RW talking points.

Fuck this noise.

[Tatiana]

85. First off, I am very sorry for the situation you are experiencing. My prayers are with you.

Second, I hope you realize that if the President had followed through with half of what he campaigned on, your children would probably have jobs, you'd be covered by either a public insurance plan or some other affordable option, and you would be able to go to a judge with the possibility of getting some of that underwater mortgage debt reduced.

But instead you're struggling, like most of the rest of us. Obama may have your interests or my interests at heart, but we're not seeing much evidence in practice.

Leadership is standing up to the bullies, not whining that you were held hostage and there was nothing you could do. He could have used the power of a Presidential VETO.

[RandomKoolzip]

84. +100000

Seriously. It's time for everyone to wake up and realize the genuine pain out there. just calling Obama critics names just isn't gonna cut it anymore.

[Name removed]

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[Liberal_Stalwart71]

68. More evidence that Melissa Harris Perry was ABSOLUTELY, 100% correct!!! n/t

[defendandprotect]

72. You're "crowing" about bail outs which rescued predatory capitalism again?

While Obama and Koch Bros. DLC Rahm Emmanuel worked together to "preserve the private

health care industry" -- !!

Used sitmulus to benefit corporations with BILLIONS in "lucrative new contracts" -- !!

Obama and Duncan and Emmanuel working together to viciously attack public education, teachers,

unions -- nurses!




Obama didn't so much end DADT as he was forced to act on it after years of foot dragging.

And Iraq is a situation where we've been pushed out by withdrawal of immunity from our troops!



Of course you're overlooking a few things, as well --

Like Obama's back room deals with Big Pharma and the private h/c industry which trmapled

single-payer/MEDICARE4ALL.

Passed three new trade agreements previously pushed by W Bush --


How about "Oil rigs these days don't leak!" -- Or "The Gulf will bounce back!" favorite Obama

wisdom!!! Obama has been a disaster for the environment!


"Helped labor" -- ROFL

"Strengthened environmental policies" --- ROFL


...the policies implemented by President Obama will have a lasting impact on real families for generations.

Agree with that -- we have 66 MILLION now living in poverty in America and 50 MILLION without

health care -- thanks, Obama!!



Keep at it you might strike another goldmine of pink ponies or chess games -- or maybe even

a magic wand!!


Pitiful!

[defendandprotect]

74. Here Rahm Emmanuel tell us what he and Obama really did and how grateful business should be!!

Rahm ... "crowing" about preserving "private health care industry" and how "grateful" business

should be to Obama -- !!!


”In a Thursday interview, White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel argued that rather than recoiling against Obama, business leaders should be grateful for his support on at least a half-dozen counts: his advocacy of greater international trade and education reform open markets despite union skepticism; his rejection of calls from some quarters to nationalize banks during the financial meltdown; the rescue of the automobile industry; the fact that the overhaul of health care preserved the private delivery system; the fact that billions in the stimulus package benefited business with lucrative new contracts, and that financial regulation reform will take away the uncertainty that existed with a broken, pre-crash regulatory apparatus.

http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=B2F85DDF-18FE-70B2-A835FE1E7FA8D74C


Let's make it even clearer re health care ....


the fact that the overhaul of health care

preserved the private delivery system

:puke:

[Name removed]

89. Deleted message

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[truebrit71]

122. All of your cut and paste links prove nothing...

...Obama has been a total disappointment and has failed almost utterly at 'President-ing'...

His capitulation to the gop on EVERY SINGLE IMPORTANT POLICY has been a massive kick in the guts to his base, as well as the Independents that vote so enthusiastically for him...

He was given the ball on the opponents 5-yard line, and as soon as the ball was snapped he ran it into his own endzone instead...

[girl gone mad]

134. You should start your own thread about how uplifting and remarkable...

his first term has been.

If you can make a good case, you'll be voted to the top of the "Greatest" page.

Most people can see dishonest spin for what it is, which is why you have never really been successful here.

[truebrit71]

135. ...and another DU'er gets it...

...hey, I realize that at the end of the day he's 'our guy'...but enough with the rah-rah smoke up my butt bullshit...I ain't buyin'...and fewer and fewer people are..

[Tippy]

3. K&R......The next four years will be much better......

[defendandprotect]

75. For whom? Those Obama has already benefited in his pro-corporate presidency?

[sammytko]

4. m. moore can kiss my butt....n/t

[opihimoimoi]

5. He was a ROOKIE FGS...I think he did the best he could....he went with hat in hand and got robbed

instead by them Boners etc

But these past 6 months has been .... a riot.

His successes and the GOPers weak attempt at recovery...has been spectacular

[Fumesucker]

6. Micheal, you've never heard of a head fake?

To use a sports analogy.

Great Ghu Man! There's an election coming up, the progressive ducks must be lined up in a neat row.

Edited for speling.

[Bake]

27. A three-year head fake?

Are you SERIOUS????

A head fake throws the opponent off so you can go in for the easy score ...

This ain't no head fake, but nice try.

Bake

[Fumesucker]

31. Moving "left" for the election is the fake..

Wait and see..

[Bake]

40. That's what I was thinking ...

And we're the ones getting faked.

Bake

[defendandprotect]

76. +1000% -- and massive crowds at OWS say they're not buying it -- both parties are over!!

So is capitalism -- we just need to bury it now!

[Occulus]

104. That would be one reason I won't vote for him again.

I have many, not the least of which is how he has treated GLBTs. For the record, no- I do not give Obama credit for removing DADT, because he had to be dragged to it kicking and screaming. To me, on that issue, he's more of a vanquished enemy than he is a fierce advocate. His stance toward leaving gay marriage a "state's rights" issue only deepens my resolve in that direction, particularly because it's coming from a black man in 2011. Obama should damned well know better than that; if we were still a segregated society, he almost certainly would not be President in the first place!

I won't be faked out this time, and no, also for the record, I will not take any responsibility for Republicans being in charge (were that to happen). Obama lost me all on his own, I'm to the point of thinking the man's actually a Republican mole, and I won't take the chance of being right on that score and helping him win again.

[Whisp]

109. now now, take a deep breath

and calm down.

it's okay that you don't support Obama and won't vote for him. you are free to choose.

it really doesn't make a huge a difference as you think, your one vote - for your one loss there are many many more out there that will be gained. Rather you keep it than put that regretful stinky thing in the ballot box.

[tavalon]

115. Sadly, some will fall for it

I think even Obama thinks this nasty OWS stuff will quit if he postures just right. But it's not going to. If he gets a second term, it will be under our terms, not Wall Streets. I'm not sure he will be able to tack right again. Then again, without fear of losing his Presidency, I suppose he could, anyway.

[Myrina]

7. ... back under the bus with Mr. Moore ...

... poor guy's probably got road rash from all the times DU has either exalted or reviled him, depending on what he's talking about ...

[orwell]

8. We all wait with baited breath...

...for the arrival of President Moore's first term.

Hey Mikey, ask your auto worker friends in Michigan what they think about the President...

[sammytko]

9. good one! He should jump into the race - lol

[Itchinjim]

10. +1!

[sabrina 1]

11. He never said he could do the job, did he?

What he did was risk his own life by exposing the Bush gang when the media refused to do it. He was threatened, his family were threatened, he had to hire security because the Government wasn't going to protect him, to protect himself from the Far Right Wackos who threatened to blow up movie theaters if his movies were shown. No one was arrested for their violent threats against him. He was on his own.

And when he made Sicko, the Health Care Corps spent millions trying to dig up dirt on him, spying on him, trying to smear his family, lying about him. And it worked to an extent, even on leftwing boards the propaganda showed up.

When Wendell Potter finally decided to become a whistle-blower, he admitted that millions were spent on a campaign against MM and made a public apology to him for the role he played in getting the lies to the media.

This much I do know about him. IF he said he could be president, he would do what he promised, no matter how hard it was.

After he made Capitalism A Love Story, at the end of the movie he said he was not going to do any more of this. Because he was tired of taking the brunt of the attacks alone. And that if everyone else did not stand up, that would be his last movie.

Michael Moore is an American hero. He did his part, btw, what risks did YOU take to oppose the Bush gang? Make any movies digging up dirt that the Bushes had suppressed in the media? Expose the corrupt HC system publicly?

He said he would expose them and he did, at a time when most people, especially our cowardly elected officials were all going along out of fear of being attacked.

He has remained supportive of this president, he has been more than kind to him, giving him the benefit of the doubt over and over again, rather than give the Right any ammunition, but the truth is he is RIGHT and he is not the only one. He cares deeply about this country and sorry but one man is not that important in the scheme of things. The left has enabled this president by remaining silent, to cater to the right and it HAS been disastrous for this country.

[Laelth]

51. +1 n/t

-Laelth

[Bake]

59. Moore is indeed a true American hero!

Frankly, I don't blame him if he never makes another film. He's done more than enough for one person.

But I hope he does. And I suspect he will.

Everyone here at DU LOVED Michael Moore until he dared criticize Obama. Well, he's told the truth all along, there's no reason for him to stop now. But he'll be tossed under the bus by those who defend Obama at all costs.

Bake

[defendandprotect]

78. True -- Moore has done a great deal --- and I think OWS is the response -- !!!

We need to find more ways to support these movements --

E-mails to governors, police departments, etal --

Holidays are coming!! Thanksgiving with OWS?

[CoffeeCat]

125. If Obama had been a leader...

...and had stopped the slide of corporate corruption in this country--OWS would not exist.

OWS exists because our entire political system has failed "We The People". Our government
represents the corporations and not the people. Obama had done NOTHING to ameliorate this.

Our local OWS chapter marched to Obama campaign offices. There is corporate corruption in
both parties.

Either you speak out against it, fight it and take the cause to the American people---or you don't.

It's really that simple.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

99. People have been calling into the Ed Schultz talk show to make an incredibly important point:

Notice that Obama has been able to get things done when it comes to foreign policy and has been quite successful.

And yes, on domestic issues, he hasn't been as successful according to many.

What's the common variable? Let's say it together:

C-O-N-G-R-E-S-S!!!

Where the constitution gives the president the authority to act as Commander in Chief without the obstructionist tactics of Congress (i.e., the Republicans and some Blue Dog/Corporatist Democrats), he has been successful.

Where the U.S. Constitution *REQUIRES* that he work with Congress, he has failed in many ways.

Again, what's the common variable here:

C-O-N-G-R-E-S-S!!!

I'm so happy that you get it. Too bad Michael Moore and many here on DU, as well as the ODSers fail to understand this very important lesson. This is Civics 101. It's not that difficult to understand. One doesn't have to be a political scientist to understand it, either!!

:toast:

[tavalon]

116. Great cover now,

but we ushered him into the White House with a majority in the Congress and collectively, they did a lot of nothing.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

119. If by a "whole lot of nothing," you mean the 400 or so pieces of legislation

that was blocked by the Republicans in the Senate, then you're not being intellectually honest, and therefore there is nothing left for us to discuss.

Off to ignore with you!

[defendandprotect]

77. Would have been better to take over the plants and keep workers on making electric cars!!

We didn't have to bail out corrupt capitalists who have been allied with oil

industry in keeping auto mileage low!

Rather, ask the CEO's of the nation what they think of the president!!!

:evilgrin:

[uponit7771]

12. ***********************FDR HAD AN 83% DEM CONGRESS MIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*********************

FUCK!! I would think this guy would know better by now.....

[redqueen]

17. Precious few people seem to know better. They think if FDR could do it then Obama should too.

History, details be damned.

Doesn't speak well of people's understanding of politics or history, really. Especially considering how much worse things are now. After FDR those at the top started making some changes. Eisenhower saw what was happening and tried to warn us.

Oh well.

[RaleighNCDUer]

42. Obama COULD have had, too.

Only he spent his first two year appeasing the right and dissing the left, so that when the mid-terms came up the millions who put him in office were wondering why they bothered in the first place - and they didn't show up at the polls.

Had Obama acted on JOBS, had he not focused on saving the health insurance industry, Democrats just might have GAINED seats in the House and Senate, not lost them. Had he started an IMMEDIATE draw down of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, rather than increased them...had he followed through with re-negotiating NAFTA, resulting in fewer jobs lost in the US and fewer impoverished Mexicans migrating to the US... How would the mid-terms have looked then?

I guess that Obama is rather like the US as a whole, to paraphrase Winston Churchill - you can count on him to do the right thing, after he exhausted all other possibilities.

[uponit7771]

63. Do you know how the US government works? Thx in advance

[RaleighNCDUer]

95. WTF? I point out how his inaction cost him seats in the mid-terms,

and how he COULD have gained seats had he pursued a progressive agenda instead of a plan of appeasement, and that gain in seats would have given him that unassailable majority, and you ask me if I know how government works?

That is a truly assholish drive-by.

[14thColony]

120. I agree with you

FDR didn't win four straight terms by trying to find middle ground with the Devil. Instead he took the fight straight to the enemy, and the people responded positively.

The difference between President Obama and FDR (in my perception) is that FDR didn't give a god damn what the other side thought of him and took their hate and vitriol as a sign that he was on the right course. President Obama, by contrast, has for too long given the appearance that he lives for their approval.

Whether right or wrong, people respond to strength of conviction and will in their leaders at an instinctive level. I would hazard to submit that if President Obama had taken the fight to the enemy in a very public and aggressive way, even if he'd lost on those same issues, the 2010 elections would have gone quite differently.

[CoffeeCat]

123. Obama doesn't even take up the right causes!

Obama hasn't fought for ending the corporate corruption that is entrenched in our government.
In fact, he's taken millions from Wall Street--and it appears that he's a huge part of the
problem.

Corporations own our government. Obama says nothing about this. He has not addressed the
American people and told them that we have a crisis in America--that we no longer have
a democracy--but a corporate government that is beholden to the military-industrial complex
that wants indefinite wars and the corporations that want to control all legislation and
government agencies. And they do.

Obama is silent.

Our entire system is a fraud. The tanking economy and the disparity in income--between the rich
and the poor--are just a few symptoms of this corporate corruption and fraud.

And Obama says nothing about it. Not a word.

Pardon me, if I'm not all ginned up because of some legislation that he passes. I don't want crumbs.

I want a leader who will fight for us and spearhead an honest, courageous way out of this disgusting
Fascism that our country is sliding into.

[14thColony]

127. Sadly, under the current system what you (and I) want is impossible

I am increasingly of the position that winning a party's nomination for president is virtually iron-clad evidence that a candidate is in no way deserving of the office.

We have a corrupt cronyist system awash in corporate money, yet we somehow expect that same system to be able to deliver a candidate who is willing and able to stand in opposition to the very system that put him/her there. That is illogical on the face of it.

[CoffeeCat]

128. I understand that...

...but I don't believe that Obama was part of the corporatist/neocon plan. Obama's Iowa
win was a shock to their system.

I don't think Obama started out corrupt. I think we have a rotten system and the corporations
are too powerful, to the extent that the Presidency really is a powerless position. Especially
if the President is unwilling to be truthful about how Fascist our government really is.

That's why OWS exists.

Democrats and Republicans all know that the system has failed us.

Maybe OWS is the "change we've been waiting for" and the catalyst that will help Obama to stand up to
these corporate thugs and neocons. He can't do it by himself.

I agree that our system is inherently fixed. You have to take corporate money to win--then you're in the
game.

I'd like to run for office! I'd take there money and then tell them to get bent! :)

[14thColony]

129. I'd support you

And then pray to God you stayed away from grassy knolls and book depository buildings for your entire term...

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

71. See MHP's Nation's article. It's all there. You and I both know it, too! n/t

[Romulox]

13. Notice how he ultimately turns it into a campaign pitch, at the end?

Has Moore been out in front these past 3 years, holding the President's feet to the fire? Cause I missed that part.

[QC]

14. Michael Moore never really loved him!

:cry:

[Major Hogwash]

15. The first 2 years weren't good enough for you Mikey??

Show him "teh list".

And then ask him if he even knows what a filibuster is or how the Republicans called for recorded votes before even discussing a bill in the Senate!!

[ThomWV]

21. another apologist adds the same old bullshit.

"Show them the list" What nonsense. The list includes "97%" of Boner's agenda, and how is that supposed to endear us with this dud of a President we have elected?

Obama committed the one unforgivable offense. He signed into law the Bush Tax Cuts, when he knew full well would destroy our economy. He knew what he was doing but was too much of a fucking coward to stand up to both the Republicans and the asswipes in his own Party.

[Major Hogwash]

100. Are you sure about that?

Blah, blah, blah.

[Tom Rinaldo]

16. You can count me as standing with Mike. n/t

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Tom Rinaldo]

30. So why did Obama wait three years to use Executive Powers then?

Look, Obama has critics on the left, be glad that most of us still support his reelection. That's the bottom line. There are always alternative ways that a President can choose to lead. Bush went to War in Iraq and pushed through his tax cuts in 2002 without having Republican majorities in both houses. Some of it involves how "the bully pulpit" is used or not used. some of it involves how one's supporters are or are not mobilized. With a Democratic President and two Democratic Chambers Republicans used their "Tea Party" assault teams to change the foucus of National political debate onto political terrain more favorable to them. Obama could have channeled the energy that now makes up OWS to promote his agenda earlier in his administration but chose for tactical and political reasons not to. It could have been a movement he had substantial control over.

Nothing has chanbed in Congress since OWS started, but now the national debate isn't over budget cuts anymore suddenly unfair distribution of wealth to the top 1% is being discussed in the media instead. The same inequality of wealth distribution has been in place throughout Obama's entire administration.

[ProSense]

36. Do

"So why did Obama wait three years to use Executive Powers then?"

...you really believe that Executive Powers can trump Congressional action on jobs?

The President expected Congress to do its job. By no measure are the effort by the President the same as bold action by Congress. I mean, they could pass the President's jobs proposal, Lautenberg's bill (the WPA required Congressional approval) or the Progressive Caucus' proposals.


Republicans did everything they could to block action.

[uponit7771]

64. ProSense, I'm really starting to belive well meaning people do NOT know how the US government works

...and that's part of their frustration at Obama

[JuniperLea]

82. That is exactly right...

He's not a King, Emperor, or Magician... yet people expect him to leap tall Constitutional Chinese Walls in a single bound.

They don't understand what a President's role is, or the role of the Senate, or the role of the House of Representatives. Every stinking day I see ignorant comments here that prove the point that people are confused and frustrated BECAUSE they don't understand how government works.

[GOTV]

69. "The President expected Congress to do its job" which shows the president is naive

The GOP made it clear that their #1 goal was hurting Obama and he continued to give them gifts and praise.

[truebrit71]

24. Me too.

...When Bush/Cheney stole the election in 2000 they acted as though they had a mandate...When Obama/Biden won in 2008 by a fucking landlside, they acted as though the vote was 51/49....

He was given the ball on the opposition's 5-yard line, and promptly ran it into his own end-zone...

[kentuck]

22. The President did a lot of good stuff...

but he didn't do what needed to be done. He was not able to tackle the most important and critical issues, for whatever reasons, primarily the Republican Party and some in our own Party standing against him.

He gave too much to the insurance companies. He did very little to restructure the failed banking system, which was at the root of most of our economic problems. In the end, no major changes were done to the insane trading on Wall Street. He did nothing to change the campaign financing system. He finally ended one of the wars, at least most of the soldiers will be withdrawn from Iraq. He escalated the war in Afghanistan and put our troops in even more places around the globe. He piddled on the edges of putting people to work, declaring that he had no intent of doing a WPA-type program. He appeared to totally under-estimate the seriousness of the economic disaster we were facing and still are facing. But, we can get a list of all his accomplishments and they are many.

[PuraVidaDreamin]

25. Thank Gawd for Truth tellers like Michael Moore

n/t

[AngkorWot]

26. When did Moore turn into such a drama queen?

[JuniperLea]

83. Drama sells books and movies...

Plus, if you read the entire thing, he is still supportive of the Prez... and still has hope. But those who want to heap blame aren't going to see that... they will cherry pick,obviously.

[bvar22]

35. In 2008 The American People gave The Democratic Party

*The White House

*A BIG Majority in The House

*A Filibuster-Proof Majority in the Senate

*A Republican party gasping on its Death bed

*And MOST Importantly, a HUGE Popular MANDATE for "CHANGE",
and an ARMY Standing in the Street!

If Obama had ever decided to Take a STAND & FIGHT,
this ARMY would have had his back.
I would have been with them.

Make "the rat bastards" stand up and publicly vote AGAINST the 99%,
in simple, Single Issue, easy to read & understand bills,
then USE the ARMY to take the case to the American People.

I would rather FIGHT and Lose,
than to preemptively quit because
"We might not have enough votes." :cry:

America LOVES Fighters,
especially Underdog, Working Class FIGHTERS.
America HATES Appeasers.

Sadly, The Army is marching without him at OWS.
It may be too late.
He "coulda been a contender".



You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.

Solidarity99!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[redqueen]

37. This filibuster proof majority in the Senate...

are we including Landrieu, Nelson, et. al. in that?

[bvar22]

47. Obama could have put pressure on the Blue Dogs.

He could have directed his Army to their home states.

He could have given them a ride on AF1 like he did with Kucinich.

He could have publicly called them out like he did the CBC a few weeks ago
instead of appointing them to Head Up Committees.

He could have directed DSCC resources and White House support to Liberal challengers in Democratic primaries.

He "coulda been a contender".


...but I agree with you in principle.
The problem has not been the Republican Party.
The real problem has been inside the Democratic Party,
and until THAT problem is fixed, we are destined to more failure.

THAT is one of the reasons I am still furious with the White House's support for Blanche Lincoln in the Arkansas Democratic Primary, 2010.
They even sent the Old Dog back to Arkansas to rescue Lincoln's failing campaign in the Arkansas Primary.
Lincoln actually campaigned on derailing the Public Option in this Primary.
She proudly crowed about it, and her other obstructions to the Democratic agenda...
and THEN still gets FULL & Enthusiastic White House support for her re-election In a Democratic Primary??!!!

The Army is NOT going to march for THAT bullshit.



You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.

Solidarity99!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[redqueen]

56. These aren't excuses.

It's simply more politics, and it's always been like this. We don't know half the horse-trading that goes on behind closed doors.

We are fighting a rigged two-party system, a corporate-controlled media, a poorly-educated public, and an entrenched political organization that's steeped in corruption. I never expected that a new president would be able to change much at all, not with the way democratic *voters* have shifted to the right. Much of this same crap went on under Clinton. Hardly any of this is new. It's an age old battle that will never end... hence the eternal vigilance.

[tavalon]

117. We were promised transparency, not horse trading behind closed doors

Promise number one of many, broken and littering DC.

[truebrit71]

94. Amen..

..totally agree..

[14thColony]

124. In fact he could have put unbearable pressure on them

Given the clout he had coming into office (and which you listed already) his first order of business should have been a Come To Jesus Meeting with Congressional Democrats in which he made it crystal fucking clear that the first one of them that voted against a legislative initiative he supported would see their opponent getting the personal & public support of the President of the United States come next party primary.

Party discipline -- which I'm told is not possible for us for some reason even though room-temperature IQ Republicans manage to pull it off.

Of course now I'll be accused of not "understanding how government works."

[xchrom]

38. ...

:thumbsup:

[ieoeja]

49. We never had a filibuster proof Senate majority.

Even assuming the conservative Democrats would not filibuster, Ted Kennedy was bedridden by the time Franken got sworn into office. And dead a month later.

[bvar22]

58. The American people GAVE a "Filibuster-Proof" Senate to the Democrats.

Were you as surprised as I was that the Democratic Party Leadership didn't fight to get Franken seated sooner? :shrug:
Just like Tea Bagger Summer, our Party failed to field an opposing team,
and allowed the Republicans to publicly dominate the issue and prolong the injustice.


"If we don't fight hard enough for the things we stand for,
at some point we have to recognize that we don't really stand for them."
--- Paul Wellstone

photo by bvar22
Shortly before Sen Wellstone was killed



Solidarity99!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[hfojvt]

39. so even Moore is falling for the speechifying

Obama has made enough progressive noises in the last month, just like in 2008, just long enough to win the primary. The filing deadline in New Hampshire is what - two days away now? Obama made some progressive noises with his jobs bill - talking about taxing the rich, even though in the fine print he talks about "lowering tax rates" and most of the "taxing the rich" that he is talking about is the expiration of the Bush tax cuts which is supposed to happen in December 2012 anyway. And Obama still only talks about reversing the Bush tax cuts for incomes over $200,000, which still gives a ton of money to the rich.

But, in spite of some good speeches, what will finally get passed with the jobs bill is
1. Free trade agreements - already done
2. social security tax cuts
3. business tax cuts

The rest of it - the good parts, will be sacrificed on the altar of "but this was the best deal we could get from Congress". All the good parts were just a little bit of noise to placate the base before the inevitable surrender.

[BlueIris]

45. I hope people start listening to Michael Moore. I am terrified

for those so deluded they still believe this president is "doing a good job." They are in for a bad shock when the corruption, bald faced lies and incompetence pile up, crush him and shame this government (more than it already is, already.)

Beware, True Believers. It's close.

[Douglas Carpenter]

46. kick and recommended!!

[Carolina]

48. K&R! completely agree

completely agree

[Laelth]

50. Ultimately, I agree with Moore. k&r n/t

-Laelth

[krabigirl]

52. I agree, but it's more than that.

[woo me with science]

53. Definitely heartbreaking.

Also outrageous and unconscionable.

[Wind Dancer]

55. Heartbreaking indeed!

I agree with Michael Moore!

[madamesilverspurs]

62. What's really heartbreaking

is the indisputable proof that the republicans are entirely willing to trash the country in order to get the White House. Having grown up in a republican family I find myself frequently nauseated by today's republicans; my mother, 92, is still a registered republican but voted for and ardently supports Obama, and she loathes what the GOP leadership has done to the party. Obama has done far too much, accomplished too much in a relatively short period of time. He hasn't been perfect. But the person doesn't exist who could undo in three years the damage inflicted by W's eight years, much less the depredations of Reagan and Bush senior. So yes, it's heartbreaking that things are as they are. Michael Moore, I love your energy and enthusiasm for this country, but blame the fucking republicans, they're the ones standing in the road refusing to let traffic through.

[Itchinjim]

98. +1

:thumbsup:

[defendandprotect]

65. Come on, Michael -- we need a CHALLENGER for 2012 -- !!! Let's end the heartbreak -- !!!

[L0oniX]

70. I'm not about to be fooled again.

[NoodleyAppendage]

73. Multidimensional chess takes a long time to think out...

...particularly when the real goal of "coming alive" on the chessboard has more to do with getting re-elected and not true reform. But, that said, I'll take what I can get from this President. Better late than never, but paint me skeptical. I'm one of the "retarded progressives" his team derided months ago.

J

[isuphighyeah]

79. That pretty much sums it up. n/t

[ClarkUSA]

87. Michael "I'm voting for Nader" Moore in 2000: Gore = Bush!! Moore was wrong then, he's wrong now.

But hey, Moore makes more money making documentaries and gets way more PR when a Republican is in power, so I understand his agenda in suppressing the vote for a Democrat.

Again.

[truebrit71]

88. We will never know if Gore = Bush...I highly doubt it, but you never know with LIEberman in the wing

...However with Obama actually making it into office we have been able to see that Obama = Bush on many levels...

Say what you will about Michael Moore at least he has admitted he was wrong to vote for Nader...

As to your assertion that his "agenda" is so that he can enrich himself at the expense of everyone else is not only complete and utter horsehit, it is also a comment that is beneath you...

Don't shoot the messenger...he's on our side...

[BzaDem]

92. I think most of us know that Gore would have been much better than Bush. n/t

[truebrit71]

93. I don't "know" that at all...I thought the same thing about Obama and look where we are now....

...However based on his works after leaving office, it certainly seems like a reasonable assumption that Gore would have been nothing like the illiterate vandal that stole his job with his daddies' buddies help..

[hulka38]

132. You're assuming the poster above is on our side.

[treestar]

91. Geez I did not realize he was such a whiny asshole

during the Bush years.

Those movies I've seen may come off in a different light.

What an unreasonable jerk.

[brentspeak]

97. What corporate law firm do you work for, again?

[Major Hogwash]

101. That's all you have??

Really??

:rofl:

[stillrockin]

106. Man, are you in denial.

[Hissyspit]

110. You're calling the filmmaker of "Fahrenheit 911" a whiny asshole?

That is so absurd on so many levels.

[truebrit71]

126. I understand that this place has its fair share of 'true believers'...hell I used to be one of them.

..but I have seen so many cave-ins, so many walk-backs, so many capitulations, not only to the gop who he thought were responsible adults that would actually see reason, but also his craven collapses under pressure from Wall Street and Big Oil...and don't get me started on his total faliure to apply the rule of law to the former administration, or follow through on his campaign promise of "transparency"...so I jumped off the Obama Fan-wagon a while ago...but to see someone like Michael Moore, who literally put his life on the line with films like Fahrenheit 9/11 when EVERYONE else in the media was cowering under threats from the * administration, called a 'whiny asshole' when he dares to contradict Dear Leader and His Narrative, is ridiculous to the extreme...

[Autumn]

102. Yeah and a little nauseating too

I find his endless quest for bipartisanship with the pukes to be :puke:

"Now, we are in the last quarter of his first term and he’s actually come alive." He’s actually now standing up"
My thought is, until when? After the election would be my guess.

[Juche]

103. I don’t know why he waited until the last year of these four years to do that.................

I do. It is because it is election season. For the same reason the candidates pretended they'd renegotiate NAFTA when in office, and once the election was over they forgot about it.

Obama needs liberals and labor on his side to win. Liberals make up nearly 20% of the electorate, and labor is the biggest donor and source of volunteers. So it is all a sham.

I don't know if I'm disappointed in Obama per se at this point myself. He is a fairly weak president who is too concerned with being liked or cooperation for its own sake. But he did get some decent legislation through.

Ended the war in Iraq
Killed Bin Laden
Didn't screw up any natural disasters
Stopped the recession with the stimulus
Affordable care act (not far enough but a good first step)
etc.

[stillrockin]

105. Unmitigated disaster. Broke my heart.

[Mimosa]

107. KPete, thank you for the info.

You're always here for us.

I don't know what i'd do it you weren't.

[Whisp]

108. I like Moore but I just can't figure out why he doesn't know how

government works and that if the Republicans outright defy anything Obama wants to do (along with those DINOs) then what the hell. Plus the media is no help at all, so comparing to Roosevelt and the media in those days, which was pure and honest as the driven snow compared to today, he really is off the mark on this.

Most of the things he says I can agree with, or at least understand where he's coming from, but this is just sort of dumb of him to hoist all of the last 30 years of negligence and supergreed and deregulation onto Obama's shoulders.

[Raine]

111. TOTALLY Agree with MM

THANKS for posting this.

[Enthusiast]

113. I'm with Mike.

All the way. People forget that Mike was very reluctant to criticize the President about anything for a very long time. I remember watching Mike on Olbermann and being disappointed that he wouldn't even suggest Obama was on the wrong track.

[tavalon]

114. I can explain what caused the fire under Obama in three letters

OWS.

[MadHound]

118. Heartbreaking, no, disappointing, most assuredly

The only reason why Obama hasn't been heartbreaking for me is because I've come to expect very, very little out Democratic presidents, especially after Clinton.

I wasn't expecting miracles or ponies or whatever, but even still, Obama managed to set new standards in Democratic ineffectiveness.

[bvar22]

130. With President Obama, it is more than just "ineffectiveness".

He hasn't even been a place holder.
He has been an active agent for "change"...
in the WRONG direction.

Our government is more Authoritarian and Conservative NOW
than the day he was elected. He has actively moved our country to the Corporate, Authoritarian RIGHT.
Even the Supreme Court is more conservative with his picks.
he has replaced Liberals with Centrist Moderates.



You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.

Solidarity99!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Blue_Tires]

131. He also called the GOP field the "biggest bag of mixed nuts I've ever seen"

:crazy:

[TNLib]

133. Call me a cynic but Elections are coming up.

nt