The Campaign Has Started, Now is the Time For the Most Vocal Critique From the Left

[tekisui]

Now is when candidates pay attention. Now is when the entire left is not only valuable, but probably necessary. Now is when promises will be made and debates will be framed. Now is when the parameters of the field are set.

This is really our only chance to push the Administration, the only time they at least act receptive.

Also, criticism from the left strengthens the party and helps to distinguish us from the repukes.

[Hawkowl]

1. Now is when they will lie the most vehemently

And then ignore us when re-elected, again. So, those who talked the talk but failed to walk the walk, will not get my vote.

[jaxx]

2. More vocal than the last 2 years?

Hmmm that will be a new one.

[white_wolf]

3. Are you saying we shouldn't be critical of this administration?

The Left hasn't been near critical enough, this administration deserves protests in the streets, the country is going to hell and our elected "representatives" aren't doing a damn thing.

[jaxx]

4. Criticism loses it's impact when it has become a constant beat.

It is now like a broken record. Criticize at will, nothing has stopped it yet. But the whine is loud and the meaning is not there.

[Tx4obama]

8. GMTA !!! :) n/t

[Kalun D]

32. I'm Going To Constantly Criticize

when the crime is constant

and the crime is escalating. What do you mean the meaning is not there? At least once a week there's a new travesty of justice.

Did you watch "Inside Job" yet?

This country is a farce, it's about time to move somewhere else.

[tekisui]

40. We've been given so much to criticize.

That isn't our fault.

[Donnachaidh]

48. It only becomes a constant beat when it's being actively IGNORED.

Of course, the blinkered chorus are the ones who disrespect other's desires by calling their requests broken records. It's on the same level as Rahm's *fucking retards* comments.

I truly wish I held the market on jackboot polish...:sarcasm:

[ReggieVeggie]

65. It's the disagreement

the "constant beat" comes from criticiing things they don't think you should be critical about

[JackRiddler]

73. Utter nonsense. The only constant beat has been the right-wing politics.

The left went home for two years and gave the field to the tea party. Now they've mobilized a tad and already it's too much for you.

What you may have read on DU has nothing to do with the reality.

[AlabamaLibrul]

85. I find it disgusting the Barack Obama brigade has nothing better to do than tell people to shut up

end of message

[Tx4obama]

6. The problem is that there has been constant bitching about Obama & the Obama administration

ever since he was inaugurated just about every day.
A constant droning of bitching to the point where I just tune most of it out.

When people bitch ALL the time the bitchin' loses its potency.

[villager]

7. perhaps parallel to the constant backpedaling and concessions since the inauguration?

n/t

[Tx4obama]

10. Oh come on ... folks bitch even when Obama does good things.

Nothing Obama does is ever good enough for some folks.

Folks bitch all the time no matter what Obama does, they say: 'it wasn't enough' or 'he didn't do it fast enough' or 'he did it just to get such and such on his side for more votes', etc.

It is disgusting.

[Name removed]

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[jaxx]

17. Why get personal about it?

[villager]

77. You mean like using the word "bitching" when someone disagrees?

:shrug:

[readmoreoften]

12. So much for all the centrists' arguments that we should "make him do it"

You're all so full of it. You just basically want us to shut up and pull the lever when you tell us, offer timid apologetic critiques when Obama does something like--say, hold a US citizen in detention for whistleblowing--but not rock the boat too much because Obama's "got this."

Really. You're sick of the "bitching" of the "loony left"? Well I'm sick of the drooling "stupid centrists" who let the right get their way so much you'd think they actually like them.

[white_wolf]

20. I am so damn sick of these moderates and pragmatic centrists.

Between the Blue Dogs, DLC, New Democrats, and other "pragmatists" the Left barely has a voice at all in the country anymore. I hate to admit, but the moderates seem to be winning the war for the soul of the party. It is the party of FDR no longer.

[LoZoccolo]

21. It would appear that they know something about effectiveness that the left does not.

Maybe you should examine this "pragmatism" a little more closely.

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[libmom74]

25. yeah all that wonderful

pragmatism led to the wonderful election of 2010, oh wait...

[LoZoccolo]

27. Document or retract.

[tekisui]

51. Are you serious? We lost the House in 2010. Almost lost the Senate.

Are you asking them to document that?

lol.

[LoZoccolo]

54. No, not that.

[Name removed]

66. Deleted message

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[Kalun D]

34. Yeah

how to get effectively hosed by the big banks and BP

and Halliburton and GE

[LoZoccolo]

36. The congressional Democrats have a significant voting record in opposition to Republicans.

If you think you know of a legislator that doesn't, feel free to name names. Hint: you may want to look up their voting record before you do.

And the left has accomplished...?

[Kalun D]

38. Yeah

THEY JUST DIDN'T SHOW US ANYTHING OF SUBSTANCE WITH THOSE VOTES

after we gave them the house, the senate, and the presidency

it's corporate business as usual

because the corpadems intentionally laid down

[tekisui]

42. Effectiveness??!!?!?!

LOL! They lost the House after just two years. Every piece of legislation they did pass was watered down quite effectively, too.

[AlabamaLibrul]

86. Like trying to fill a bowl with the last drippings of a can of Campbell's Tomato Soup nt

[Name removed]

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[TheKentuckian]

61. Effective at what, facilitating and abetting the corporate takeover of the country

and the transfer of wealth, resources, and power into the hands of few?

Of getting elected for a term or two, collaborating with the "opposition", and getting sweet corporate gigs?

You are doing victory laps for what, exactly?

[LoZoccolo]

68. It kind-of doesn't matter when you're discussing the raw strategy.

If you truly think this group of people is getting everything they want, and you feel that you are getting none of what you want, maybe you would find reward in finding out how they are doing it.

[TheKentuckian]

70. I know how they do it. How is pretty easy. Unfortunately their means are in opposition to my ends.

So the what is important. You brought up accomplishments and I spit on them and you seem to think they have merit in themselves and you should share what you think are 'things' being accomplished.

[tekisui]

87. YEt, when I say the Dems need to play tough like the repukes do I am scoffed.

We had the power, we blew it. We could have taken the strong arming tactics from the repukes to get some real wins. We could have twisted the blue dogs arms and forced them to come along with real liberal legislation and reward them when they did.

Instead, the Dems rolled over and played dead. They gave up most before real debates even started. And they lost because of it.

[xmas74]

81. I'm a liberal small town girl

and I've noticed a difference in the party, even in a small town. In the past it was the Old Guard at the local monthly Dem meetings or the hippie throwback types, the wannabe future politicians and a couple of people like me. (The type who not only attend this kind of meeting-whether Repub or Dem-but also attend city council, school board meetings, etc.) Over the past couple of years it's been the more moderate types showing up, making a big fuss that they've made it to the meetings, making more demands, etc. People who used to be proud to be Republican are now regulars at the county Dem meetings and have pushed us very close to center, if not a bit right.

I don't like what I see.

[sendero]

50. +1

When Obama actually does something good I will congratulate him.

He hasn't done much - and I'm not stupid enough to believe his "compromises" are any kind of accomplishment.

[JVS]

72. +1

[Kalun D]

33. Maybe We Are Constantly Bitching

because we are constantly getting screwed?

did you watch "Inside Job" yet?

it's on Amazon online for $1.90

this government is a total joke

it is TOTALLY owned by the big banks and corps

the only way to fix it would be to raze it to the ground and start over.

[Tx4obama]

35. So, let's see if I understand you correctly

The tagline for the film 'Inside Job' is:
The global economic crisis of 2008 cost tens of millions of people their savings, their jobs, and their homes. This is how it happened.

2008 it says.

President Obama took office January 20, 2009.

Oh, yeah let's all criticize Obama for everything that happened when Bush was president!

[Kalun D]

37. Watch the Film (are you afraid?)

it lays it out very succinctly with charts and graphs and expert eyewitness testimony. If you can't see it's an ongoing crime that Obama was involved with before becoming president, then you haven't been paying attention. Clue, they don't talk about it on the TV because the TV is one hundred percent corporate owned.

I'll try to condense it just as a word salad exercise

basically all the meaningful laws that curtailed the banking, insurance and mortgage industries got de-regulated during the reagan, bush sr, clinton, bush jr. years.

then the mortgage (predatory) lenders went on a prime lending spree, high interest variable rate loans to high risk people they knew weren't going to last. The Bush boy was on the TV saying every American that wants a home should have one.

they sold all these loans to the banks who bundled and derivatized them and sold them to investors. Some of this was car loan and credit card debt. They backed themselves up by betting against these bundled loans with insurance companies that were in on the deal. They made them look good to investors by getting the rating agencies to lie about their value.

The Fed and all the executives of the mortgage lenders, banks, insurance, rating agencies, knew that it was a bullsh*t house of cards that couldn't do anything but collapse. In fact it was planned to collapse.

So it collapses and all the CEO's escape with their $Billions in bonuses and golden parachutes. But that's isn't enough, they want to be "bailed out" because they are too big to fail.

Here's Obama as a Senator when he was front center pushing the Bush boy's $700 Billion "bailout" for the criminals that intentionally caused the crime in the first place. (side note. the public protested this bill in record numbers something like 80% against, we lit up their phones like never before, including Obama's constituency. Which brings me to the realization that they don't give damn what the voters want.)


Here's the Bush boy with his appointees Bernanke and Paulson, both criminal banker perps that should be in prison right now


Here's Obama flanked by the bush appointee Bernanke that he re-appointed and another of the criminal perps Geitner that should be in prison


So after the largest monetary theft in human history (no exaggeration), the bankers had the gall to ask for a tax payer funded "bailout", and Obama helped them get it.

So what happened? Wasn't there any indictments and convictions if there was such a huge crime? After all there was a similar scam during the Reagan years with the Savings and Loans where over 1000 bankers were convicted and sentenced by the Reagan justice dept.

That wasn't part of the Obama plan, instead he appointed many of these criminal bankers to positions of banking oversight/regulation within his admin including Treasury and the SEC. Consequently exactly ZERO of these criminal perpetrators of the largest crime in history have yet to serve one day in jail.

In fact with the "bailout" money they've bought up a bunch of smaller banks further consolidating the industry. Also there has been no meaningful re-regulation, so they could potentially do the same thing all over again. After all this was the 2nd time counting the S&L scam of the 80's.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

53. Stop the deafening roar of the crickets!

:thumbsup:

[PufPuf23]

60. Nailed it. Good post. Thanks. nt

[libmom74]

71. Exactly! I had this argument with

a Democrat the other night. Just because I worked my ass off to get Obama elected doesn't mean I will support him now when he is defending, aiding and abetting Wall Street criminals, War Criminals and ignoring both the constitution and the Geneva conventions and talking about "compromise" on cuts to Medicare and SSI. If he were a Republican president doing the exact same things we would all be out there together marching in the streets protesting, the only reason we're not now is the D by his name and some people have a sports team mentality when it comes to politics. Sorry I stick to the old small d democratic principles no matter what letter the president has by his name.

[LWolf]

74. If he hadn't started off by making terrible appointments,

clearly outlining the wrong path his administration was hell-bent to head down, there wouldn't have been that level of criticism. As a matter of fact, too many waited a year until it was clear they could no longer pretend this administration was not a disaster before they spoke up.

[LoZoccolo]

19. "aren't doing a damn thing"

Hyperbole like this is why the left is not taken seriously. No matter what the administration does, they will get little to nothing for it from the left, which is why there is more incentive for them to appeal to the center.

[slipslidingaway]

22. Problem is votes are taken for granted, people underestimate their power...

no doubt there might be some short term suffering, but if we just continue voting for our party while they move towards the right then we are to blame.

Sometimes things have to get worse before people take notice and action, a constant and incremental shift to the right and people do not notice it very much.

[LoZoccolo]

28. "no doubt there might be some short term suffering"

I don't understand how this fits in to what you are saying. What will bring about short-term suffering?

[Autumn]

55. We got two choices at this time,

a rapid free fall decent into hell or a slow slide into hell. I'm not sure which is better at this point.

[LoZoccolo]

57. And yet you are responsible for nominating one of the two choices.

[Autumn]

58. Maybe you are right. We were sold a carefully crafted

blank slate.I just voted for the "Democrat" who won the primary,thinking he would put the brakes on the decent,or at least pull us back from the brink ,he hasn't. All he has done is slow the slide down and dragged it out. I will think real hard on that the next time.I think the choice of who is elected is not up to us. The corporations decide that with help from the media.

[slipslidingaway]

84. Yes, not very good choices ...

but after all these years not sure voting for the lesser of two evils is working out very well.

[Bluebear]

26. That is exactly what she is saying.

[Cascadian]

63. That time is long overdue.

We all have to call bullshit on whatever Obama does we don't like. We need a left version of the Tea Party and get out there! We need people with guts and a vision.


John

[Kalun D]

30. Get His Back?

After he stabbed us in ours?

TEACHER SOLIDARITY

[Cascadian]

67. Perhaps we should be more vocal.

Those of us on the left need to call Obama out when he goes against progressivism. He has betrayed us and he must have his feet put to the fire. We cannot be afraid to be more vocal. The stakes are far too high now!


John

[tekisui]

39. Yes, when warranted.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

5. It would appear that the campaign is center right

[jaxx]

9. No, it's center left.

Same as it's always been.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

14. I'm not so sure about that

[jaxx]

18. You can count on it.

[tekisui]

43. It is center center.

And has been creeping right since Inauguration Day.

[EFerrari]

46. Anyone who can talk about "shared sacrifice" when our whole economy

is an elevator moving wealth upward is not of the left.

[Autumn]

56. You hit that out of the park n/t

[xmas74]

82. Wish this could be rec'd. nt

[Cascadian]

69. It's more Center tilted to the right. (n/t)

I'm not convinced enough to have his back.


John

[slipslidingaway]

11. Unfortunately I do not see that happening now, the time to push back from ...

the left was in 2008 when everyone was tired of Bush and HC was such an issue for so many people ... what a missed opportunity.

Besides the debates and media attention are what shape who the contenders will be and they are not too favorable in pushing a more liberal agenda, strongly feel that 2008 was a chance we'll not get for awhile. We'll have Obama and then probably a Repub and the corporations will continue to win, while most people will continue to struggle.

:(

JMHO.

[LoZoccolo]

15. "Also, criticism from the left strengthens the party and helps to distinguish us from the repukes."

Not if it's mendacious and manipulative, such as the canard that there is no difference between the Democrats and Republicans.

[tekisui]

47. I'm talking about honest criticism of bad policies.

I don't conflate all criticisms the same way you do.

[LoZoccolo]

16. Also, criticism is less likely to be responded to favorably if it becomes apparent

that the only reward will be more criticism.

[JoePhilly]

41. +1

[tekisui]

44. Meh. If we ever had a favorable response, you may have a point.

But we don't, so you don't.

[Mulhane]

29. play evocative music

We need a battle cry http://youtu.be/aclbcP_S9Hc

Hurrah for the Unions!
Hurrah,boys, hurrah!
Down with Snot Walker
The whole fascist host

Well, it's the music that counts.

[Kalun D]

31. Hate To Say This

but verbal criticism in any form to anyone at this point isn't going to mean a damn thing

nothing short of a nationwide sitdown strike starting with the truckers, all the Walmart workers, and everyone else except emergency personnel is going to turn this ship around

Goldman Sachs and Halliburton and BP and Exxon own this country

they don't care how many phone calls the peons make to the puppets they own in congress and the white house.

[mmonk]

45. I'm not sure he can be pushed. I haven't seen evidence.

Some of his proposals need to be opposed. Much of the New Democrat Coalition proposals need to be opposed. And without saying, all current Republican proposals need to be opposed. You are right though that the time is now.

[Donnachaidh]

49. sure they listen, then promise the moon, and promptly tells them after the election

(Through underlings of course) - to go f*ck themselves.

There is already a track record of disingenuousness to refer back to.

[Zorra]

59. OK. If nothing else, it's kind of fun to piss off conservatives. nt

[Cascadian]

62. Thank you! Couldn't have said it better myself!

The Democratic Party better not take the left for granted. Why is it that they only pay attention to us come election time and then ignore us or dis us any other time? We don't need to take that and we all must jump on their cases continuously. Make us a thorn in their side to get what we want and need.


John

[Cascadian]

64. What we need is a left version of the Tea Party.

We can no longer be silent nor should we be taken for granted. It must not be enough for us to vote Democratic and contribute every election year. We have to get on their backs as much as they get on us to vote them in.


John

[glowing]

76. The problem is that the teaparty was a manufactured, paid for Koch industry

astro-turf group that is over inflated because it is corporate subsidiary and is covered by the corporate media... There are more liberal and more liberal groups and more protests and more Unions marching in real mainstreet and in the capitals.. However, they are NOT reported on by the corporate media.. So the entire view is slanted right.. and anyone who is listening to media and the bloviator's on the tv are steered into a line of thinking of the propaganda or are made to feel like they are some "lone" wolf in a sheep pack for thinking that the rich should be taxed, bankers should be in jail, foreclosure/ home loss fixed, homeless people fed and sheltered, medicare for all ages would be best, wars ended, education well funded and meaningful, and jobs that pay a living wage for anyone who is willing and able to work... plus a few other things like vacations and disability pay and maternity/ paternity leave w/ pay...etc, etc...

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

75. We need (as a country) a more vocal critique of the presidency from the the Dems in congress.

And, downright defiance when he inevitably caves to the Republicans, corporations, and MIC.

[Cascadian]

83. The trouble with that is that some so-called Democrats don't want criticism of the Pres.

Particularly those centrist, Blue Dog, Vichy Corporatdems who want everyone to stay in lock-step with anything Obama does. Their response would be predictable. "At least he's not a Republican." or "You're either with us or with the Republicans. " It's getting really old really fast!

John

[SoCalDem]

78. The campaign started on Jan 21, 2009 for the republicans

:(

[mountainlion55]

79. no center

If you want to change things may I suggest that you study carefully the summer of 1968. Then take what you learn and get out in the streets!:hippie:

[socialist_n_TN]

80. Yeah, I remember summer of '68........

I wasn't very old, but I was there. And you're right.

Welcome to DU.

[Safetykitten]

88. Well the horse is out of the barn on this one...

Since there is is no way Obama will be re-elected. He will use the "left" in a very sad and destructive way to show his credentials to more "moderate" voters. This of course will be a small market capture/boutique vote capture as the majority has already peeled off with his stunning failures of HC, war, economy and oddly, gas prices.

His door was wide open for a future Democratic rule far into the future, but he instead rejuvinated the republicans and demoralized his own.

So good luck with that being the voice of reason from left field, he will use it as a "see they hate me" moment as a badge of honor to parade before republicans and moderates that hate him and always have.

[VeryConfused]

89. Campaign season is when critiques from the left sever no other purpose

than to help the GOP

[Name removed]

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