Let's just let Obama do his thing.

[Neon2012]

Where is that old trust?
Let's not worry too much now.
TAKE NOTE: He's got this.

[gateley]

1. Agree. And really, what choice do we have?

[pointsoflight]

2. Candidate Obama said he *wants* us to be involved, voice our opinions, and push him.

[nc4bo]

5. Hear Hear!!

We GOTV, we donated lots of time and lots cash some of us couldn't really afford, we stood in 7 hours lines, endured all sorts of voter suppression and, now it's time to make sure we get what we paid for thank-you-very-much.

We did our part now we make sure our investment pays off.

[Le Taz Hot]

3. Obama is accountable

to the people who elected him. This is a Democratic Republic, not a monarchy,.

[Neon2012]

6. Yes I agree.

And I think he'll serve us right.
We need to just chill and know that.

[Le Taz Hot]

9. What part of

accountability aren't you understanding?

[Neon2012]

13. The not-chilling part. I guess.

I trust him. I always have.

Keep in mind what he's up against before you go holding him accountable for too much.

[Le Taz Hot]

18. Hey, he wanted the job.

Don't come sniveling to me after the fact that the job is just too gol darned hard. He assured the nation and the world he was up to it. Now he needs to prove it by NOT selling us out. Again. Keeping Holder is NOT a good sign. We'll see if Geitner, Duncan, Napolitano and Salazar remain.

[upi402]

4. no thanks

he needs a reminder as to who brung him to the dance

remember?

[BlueStreak]

7. I trust him to do, technically speaking, exactly what he says. That's the problem.

The only thing he has been halfway clear about is the top tax bracket. But that is almost entirely irrelevant. The 0.1% simply don't pay any significant taxes under that top tax bracket. Here are the things that need to be addressed, and Obama hasn't said he will do this:

1) Billionaires can shelter most of their income through complex corporate structures and offshore tax havens. It is estimated that the amount of sheltered income if more than TWICE the annual GDP of the entire nation. Is Obama going to do anything about that? Never. He won't touch that. never.

2) For the income they can't completely shelter, billionaires launder the rest of their income through cap gains. Romney paid 14% because he paid no taxes at the top rate. Instead he used the "carried interest" loophole to pay taxes at the billionaire's rate of 15%. Before the Bush cuts, cap gains were 20% and dividends were taxes as ordinary income. Is Obama going to roll that back? I seriously doubt it. Is he going to push to end the carried interest loophole? No, never.

Basically Obama is giving us a line of bullshit. He has no intention to do anything serious about the 0.1% concentration of income.

So go ahead and live in a dream world. But I'm not lining up to kiss his butt when he is selling us out. I'm glad we elected him and I didn't expect much. He has never been a progressive. Let's not delude ourselves.

[Neon2012]

12. It sounds like you expect too much.

I would recommend not doing that. You admit your expectations aren't likely.

Think of the alternative.

[BlueStreak]

15. He is carefully saying "top tax rate"

In other words, he is not committing to roll back the other two items from the Bush program (a 33% increase in the cap gains rate and a ~100% increase in the tax rate for dividends.)

If is bullshit. He knows perfectly well that the top tax rate just doesn't matter. That's like saying he's going to make sure bank robbers never again steal a child's piggy bank, without doing anything about bank robberies.

The whole goddamn media is fixated on that top tax rate and the GOP is sitting there playing Brer Rabbit, "Oh please don't throw me in that briar patch."

We're getting jobbed one more time.

This guy gets out-negotiated every damn time.

[Atticus]

8. I thought the whole point was that he is there to do OUR thing. nt

[Poll_Blind]

10. What kind of inattentive jingoism are you trying to supplant citizenship with, again?

PB

[Neon2012]

22. I like that phrase.

Inattentive jingoism.

Not promoting it as an approach to politics or Philosophy, but it's a great phrase.

[Honeycombe8]

11. I agree. nt

[Bucky]

14. What a terrible misunderstanding of democracy. Obama said the exact opposite a week ago.

I don't trust you, Neon 2012. Your post is flamebait.

[Neon2012]

16. Fine. I trust him to do well in his 2nd term.

I don't care if you trust me and I don't know what "flamebait" is.

It was meant to be a simple encouraging haiku.

[Bucky]

17. A haiku? I don't think so!

It's a senryu, you!
Dammit. What are you hiding
That you conflate those?

[Neon2012]

20. I stand corrected.

Didn't realize my trust
Would be suspicious.

[satxdem]

19. I trust him too but...

You know that's a big no no on here. Obama isn't liberal enough for people on here although he is the most liberal we have had probably since LBJ. People forget we democrats had problems with Clinton and now democrats trust him and love him more than they do Obama. . Nevermind that Bill was a pretty conservative democrat. So I guess it takes time and dealing with George W. Bush to bring us back to earth that democrats must stand united, speak out ofcourse but no need to eat our own. I personally feel Obama has done alright by us, I understand lots disagree.

[Neon2012]

21. Thanks.

I didn't realize Obama was expected to be some kind of magical deity who could overcome all obstruction and finally bring Liberal values to the 'Merican landscape in 8 years.

[satxdem]

25. Your welcome

I didn't realize it either, until 2010. Then after joining DU it was really clear that people expected a lot instead of pressuring the people who actually vote on laws we just complain about Obama. Protesting congress instead of the white house might help. The republicans we're able to drive a wedge between democrats, moderate ones and liberals and I just think that now that they are infighting would be a good time for us to remain united and get these jokes out in 2014. I think Obama generally does what he thinks is right, we must remember he is just one branch of government. Trusting him is actually a pretty safe bet.

[pointsoflight]

23. It's not an issue of trust. If Obama is to move forward with a progressive agenda...

He needs those of us on the left to b*tch and complain just as loudly as those on the right.

[union_maid]

24. Yes, but not attack him

I could not do political media after the last election. He had barely taken office and the attacks from the left started. Not just criticism. Real, electorate depressing, attacks. I don't think that's what caused 2010, but it could not have helped either. Pressure on our congresspeople and senators would probably be much more effective in getting an agenda done anyway.

[satxdem]

26. exactly.

Thank you Union_maid!

[ForgoTheConsequence]

27. How about not?

When you stop taking an active roll you get run over. FDR didn't go left by himself, he was pushed. Obama needs our support but he also needs to be held accountable. I refuse to let any politician just "do their thing".