Will the President regret the day ?

[kentuck]

That he decided to keep the Bush holdovers and other Republicans in his Administration? i.e. Gates, Petraeus, Bernanke, and others?

Will he someday regret that he did not take the opportunity for change and use it change our country in a dramatic way? Will he regret that he chose to take a more moderate, middle way?

Will he regret that he followed Gates and Petraeus' advice on Iraq and Afghanistan? Will he wish that he had simply withdrawn our troops from those debacles?

Will he regret the way he handled the banking crisis? Would he wish he had chosen a different direction than the one that Geithner and Summers have proposed? Will he regret that he did not bust up the zombie banks and nationalize them when he had the chance?

Will he regret that he did not push for a single-payer health plan when he had the political capital to do so?

Will he regret his decision to try and work with the radical Republican Party? Will he have missed an opportunity to really change our country by taking a moderate, bi-partisan route?

Will we regret that we did not push him harder to make real changes in our society?

[Captain Hilts]

1. Keeping Gates was the right move. nt

[emsimon33]

25. Explain, please.

[Captain Hilts]

27. First, he is not a GWB toadie in any way. Second, he fired a bunch of generals

and replaced them with admirals - whose service did not benefit from the execution of the war as the Army's did, third, he fired all the right people after the Walter Reed scandal. Rumsfeld and the previous Sec. of the Army fired all the wrong people.

[emsimon33]

28. Thank you for the explanation.

I really appreciate your taking the time to answer. It is hard for me to keep up with all the players!

[Captain Hilts]

31. It ain't you - This one was hard to follow!

[EFerrari]

32. Gates goes way back with BushCo. He was an Iran Contra fixer.

[kentuck]

33. Ex-CIA Director

Gates?

[EFerrari]

34. Gates is CIA since the 60s. n/t

[cali]

2. uh, youre questions would be better put another couple of years down the road

it's impossible to hazard a guess on these questions at this time.

[Deja Q]

24. I must agree.

[polichick]

3. Hope he regrets it asap - he had a mandate for BOLD change...

How sad not to make the most of it.

The sooner he regrets it, the sooner he can turn it around.

[Catch22Dem]

4. We're not even 6 months into it? Why is everything in past tense? (n/t)

[BlooInBloo]

5. Because we're Americans.

[HughMoran]

18. Instant gratification.

[kentuck]

6. What is in past tense?

??

[cali]

8. this is:

Will he someday regret that he did not take the opportunity for change and use it change our country in a dramatic way?

As he's only completed a tiny percentage of his first term, let alone his likely 2nd term, it's kind of premature to assume that he won't change the country in a dramatic way.

[kentuck]

10. That is future tense.

...

[cali]

13. um, actually the

the question will he regret (future) is rooted in an assumption in what he's already done and not what he may do.

[kentuck]

15. Not to quibble but..

what has he not already done, except on single payer? And he has stated that is not a viable option.

[cali]

17. the point is that he's only been in office for a brief amount of time

will he fundamentally change the country? I have no assumptions. I'll just stay tuned.

[kentuck]

19. I understand that he has only been in a short time...

But some folks do not like the direction he is headed on some issues. Since it is still early, he may be able to change directions so that he does not regret it later. But he will not always be so popular and he will not always be as high in the polls as he is today. Just making the point that we might have the vision to look down the road a piece?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. I certainly "hope" so. And, that he "changes" his priorities.

But, I'm not optimistic that he will.

[WCGreen]

9. First of all, he couldn't just fire Petraeus, he can't just fire a general...

And Bernanke is in te middle of a six year term at the FED.

Gates, well I believe that was done so that he could have a little continuity in how the war(s)are being executed. HE will be the first to go.

[glowing]

11. Really, They fired the General presiding over Afghanistan..

[WCGreen]

14. I thought his tour of duty was over....

[dgibby]

20. Wrong! He absolutely can. Military members serve at the "pleasure of the CIC.

They can and have been "fired", ie, removed from their assignments, asked to retire, Courts Martialed, etc.

[WCGreen]

29. But perhaps Obama didn't want to alienate the top Brass...

[suchadeal]

12. No.

He is first and foremost a politician and that is a very difficult profession. Most people spend a great deal of time at their
job fixated on how to keep it - even if it means hoping/helping someone else to lose theirs. Fear of losing one's job is
the primary motivation that drives most people when it comes to their vocation. Why should Obama be any different?

Do you know anyone who is unlikely to vote for him in 2012 - if they voted for him in 2008?

[lpbk2713]

16. He really ought to weed out all the bible school grads hired by BushCo.

It should be fairly easy. Just say they aren't qualified for the position they occupy
simply because they didn't graduate from a real institution of higher learning.

[Festivito]

21. A few years after leaving office the hidden agendas become clear./nt

[Badgerman]

22. I agree completely. k/r

[bvar22]

23. I doubt he will face any regrets.

Bill Clinton doesn't appear to have any regrets for selling out the Working Class and toadying up to the Corporate Masters.
Obama can just join them on the Golf Course and laugh at what fools the American voters are.

[emsimon33]

26. Beginning to look that way.

If the health care reform is not single payer, which is the only logical and cost-effective solution, then we will all crash and burn and it won't really matter, will it.

At least Obama will have his place in the pantheon of U.S. presidents by being the first non-white one.

[Greyhound]

30. No, he will still be rich and then a former US President with continuing income and

services for life. He will always have the means to generate further income if he wishes it and if he leaves this nation a complete shambles, as it looks like he will, he will always have the ability to live elsewhere.