Obama loses the left: Why his low approval rating may be here to stay

[xchrom]

http://www.salon.com/2014/09/27/obama_loses_the_left_why_his_low_approval_rating_may_be_here_to_stay/


Elizabeth Warren, Barack Obama (Credit: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque/Yuri Gripas/photo montage by Salon)

Except for the brief interregnum that separated the Republican Party’s George W. Bush era from its current Tea Party incarnation, President Obama has never enjoyed the kind of high approval ratings that used to accompany most two-term presidents. Whether it’s due to his race, our growing ideological polarization, the poor economy, or a combination of all of the above, Obama’s rarely known what it feels like to be a president of whom more than half of Americans approve. According to the Huffington Post, it only took until the tenth month of his first year before his number dipped below 50 percent.

Fighting as he is now to keep his approval rating north of 40 percent, November 2009 probably looks to Obama like the good old days. And mindful, perhaps, of how he’s previously looked on the verge of irrevocably losing the people’s faith, only to bounce back to his usual place in the mid- to high 40s, Obama may also believe that this current spate of bad polling will eventually pass. Anything’s possible; the economy could start booming. Unemployment could drop. Wages could rise. Obama could recover.

But I’m starting to think this time may be different, and that when it comes to Obama’s relationship with millions of former supporters, there’s no going back.

What’s got me thinking this way is a raft of new polls showing not only that the president is unpopular, but that he’s becoming increasingly so in the very places, and among the very people, he could usually count on for support. A release from Field Poll earlier this month, for example, found the president to have only a 45 percent approval rating in über-blue California. Most strikingly, the pollster reported that California Dems’ support for Obama dropped 8 percent during just this summer and was down 11 percent in Los Angeles alone.

[cantbeserious]

1. Perpetual War And Protecting The Bankers Will Do That

eom

[madokie]

3. If you're going to use "eom" put it in the subject line

Last edited Sat Sep 27, 2014, 09:36 AM - Edit history (1)

where its intended to be used for those with a slow connection so they won't click on whatever it is you might have to add besides a knee jerk reaction only to fine you don't have anything more to add. JEEZE

The man is damned when he does and damned when he doesn't and it sucks. Yes I'm looking your way

[cantbeserious]

5. You Have Your Opinion - I Have Mine

eom

[DrDan]

12. lol

I see what you did there

[CJCRANE]

13. eom

no text

[DrDan]

15. e

om

[CJCRANE]

17. r

ofl

[cantbeserious]

19. Ad Hominem Attack Is The Worst Form Of Logical Fallacy

eom

[DrDan]

21. yep

[cantbeserious]

22. Glad You Have Agreed To Own Your Behavior - Look Forward To Your Better Behavior

eom

[DrDan]

23. ?

[cantbeserious]

24. Back To Old Habits - Guess The Contrition Did Not Take

eom

[DrDan]

25. you have me confused - (not that it is that rare)

the "ad hominem" comment was directed toward me?

[DrDan]

27. you do realize the ad hominem above was not mine, right?

[Eleanors38]

41. My opinion is this conversation is breaking

wind.

[Peregrine Took]

79. Well said! n/t

[Scootaloo]

126. Actually it's not. Appeal to bandwagon is

Ad hominem actually has valid uses, and is only a fallacy when used against characteristics irrelevant to the topic of the discourse.

Also, there was no ad hominem argument made on this subthread.

[BlueCaliDem]

76. Common courtesy isn't your thing, is it? eom

[99Forever]

31. Do you mean...

*eom*

[bahrbearian]

46. us or use ?

[madokie]

48. OOps

[Marr]

61. It's funny how people only ever seem interested in grammar and etiquette when they disagree with

the sentiment being expressed.

[Peregrine Took]

77. Yes, if only I knew his true feelings BEFORE he was elected

it would have made things (the truth) so much better.

[madokie]

2. Fuck all that I stand with the man I voted three times for

once in the Primary and twice in the General elections. Obama's problem is all caused by day in and day out negative press by our CORPORATE owned news outlets. Nothing more or nothing less. He couldn't go after the bankers for instance because of the 25 or so years of congress and previous presidents deregulating their business to the point to where there weren't laws broken, bent maybe but bent won't get a conviction, all it'll get is scorn. Anyone paying attention, especially here, should be able to figure this out on their own.

[msanthrope]

4. Thread over. This is it in a nutshell. Every single time I ask someone

on this board who should have been prosecuted, and for what, I get a vague "Wall Street Bankers" answer.

The real crime is that most of what happened in 2008 isn't a crime. And we aren't electing enough Democrats to Congress to change that.

[MFrohike]

116. Your answer

MERS. Abacus. Internal controls.

Conspiracy. Fraud. Sarbanes-Oxley.

Or is that too vague?

[msanthrope]

121. Actually....extremely vague. Name a person, an act, a statute....

and not just "Conspiracy!" Be specific.

[MFrohike]

128. Haha

I do love the command to be specific by those who can't do the same themselves when excusing the crimes of 2003-07. It really rings of that old definition of chutzpah involving the boy who kills his parents and asks the court for leniency because he's an orphan.

1. John Thain is the best example of someone who should have been prosecuted under 15 USC 1350. He didn't even know what his fixed income division was doing and Merrill took an $8B loss, largest in history, as a result. Jamie Dimon would be eligible for the London Whale, as well. Rest assured, virtually every CEO or CFO of an institution that required TARP funding could potentially face liability under this section. Their internal controls were clearly shit, as the lot of them went down in a hurry because NONE of them were able to gauge the consequences of their leverage and their interconnectedness.

2. Goldman's Abacus CDO is an example of outright fraud. It was comprised of the worst tranches of the worst MBS offerings of the era, which is a feat considering how bad the average CDO was. They described it internally as a pile of shit. They proceeded to partner with John Paulson to sell it to their clients while they went short on it via CDS.

That's common law fraud. Goldman misrepresented the value of the CDO, the buyer relied on the misrepresentation to his detriment, and the buyer was harmed as a result. The short position simply goes to the knowing misrepresentation on the part of Goldman.

3. MERS. I'll admit this is the weakest of my examples. MERS is the reason for the robosigning scandal. It was unable to keep the documentation straight in its mortgage registry, which directly led to the forging of documents to carry out foreclosures. While bad records are not a crime, I am forced to wonder to what extent MERS was involved in robosigning and whether they used those documents to prosecute foreclosures.

Given that, I don't think I should have included conspiracy as an example of a crime. While that's a bit of egg on my face, the prior examples are solid, so I guess two out of three ain't bad.

[hootinholler]

130. How many municipalities did the MERS system steal from?

Every foreclosure that was supported by MERS should have been thrown out because the mortgage was not recorded in the local folios.

[MFrohike]

131. More of a civil matter

That was really the sticking point for me with MERS. Absent some definitive wrongdoing, like knowingly using forged documents in court, I have trouble seeing criminal violations. Even the gigantic avoidance of recording fees, which was an advertised selling point, is not illegal as there is no duty to record. It would simply affect their priority in a foreclosure, not the borrower's duty to the lender.

Honestly, I think MERS is a gigantic trainwreck that never should have been allowed. I just have trouble seeing actual criminality.

[msanthrope]

135. Okay....first, I think you mean 18 USC 1350? But you undercut the

prosecution there by claiming that Thain "didn't know" what his fixed income division was doing. If he didn't know, you don't have a viable prosecution under that statute.

Second....you claim a common law fraud in Goldman's Abacus. The feds don't prosecute "common law" crimes. Name a statute that they would be prosecuted under.

Third....robosigning....Given that 49 State AGs elected to pursue a 25 Billion dollar settlement, the DOJ effectively had its hands tied on criminal prosecution of nearly everyone involved. I'm not defending the decisions made. But when you have 49 of 50 states deciding this is the track they are pursuing, I think you are pretty much stuck. As for MERS, the DOJ doesn't handle MERS....the Federal Reserve, OCC and OTS are the regulatory bodies...and they've decided that between the AG settlement and the class actions, and the utter lack of oversight by Congress, they can't do anything else. I think that's bullshit....but I also think that's a systemic problem that Holder doesn't begin to have the power to change.

Here's the scary thing....people want the DOJ to prosecute, without realizing that what these assholes have done are not crimes, but allowable actions under the system of deregulated capitalism we have allowed. We are fucked.

[MFrohike]

141. No

1. It was Title 18. That aside, the certification requires that Thain actually know about his internal controls, because he's required to sign the financial statement. The requirement does not allow willful or incompetent blindness. That's pretty obvious if you read the statute. Hell, just look at section 302.

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-107publ204/pdf/PLAW-107publ204.pdf


2. The point of referencing common law fraud was to emphasize how blatant the the fraud was and the fact that it could be understood without reference a highly technical area of law.

Incidentally, I don't believe ANY jurisdiction prosecutes crimes under the common law anymore. If you're aware of one, please share a specific example.

Hell, 1348 seems to be a nice starting point for a prosecution for securities fraud. Section 2 seems to contain a catch-all provision in that it outlaws fraud by an issuer required to file under 15(d) of the 1934 Act.

3. Like I said, MERS could only really be hit if one could show a direct link to the decision to forge documents or the systematic use of them. I made no claim whether that happened or will be shown to have happened.

The regulatory bodies do not prosecute criminal violations. The repeated invocation of deregulation will not change that basic fact. Effective regulation is a combination of civil and criminal enforcement. Witness any prosecution of a ponzi or an insider trading scheme. The simple truth is that Holder, and by extension Obama, chose not to prosecute for a reason that Holder repeated many times before reversing course early this year: they felt propping up the current system was more important than cleaning house. Holder, and Breuer, repeatedly said that they could not prosecute large banks because they felt the risks of economic damage were too great. That argument sounds great as long as you don't note that interconnectedness, the single biggest problem in 2008, has actually increased. Leverage levels aren't where they once were, but the old ABS scams are back, this time as rent streams instead of mortgage streams and subprime auto loans.

So, I answered your questions. Here's my challenge to you: tell me exactly how "deregulation" changed the criminal law to allow a willful blindness safe harbor in Sarbanes-Oxley and to allow an offering like Abacus. For bonus points, explain how DOJ avoided prosecuting the robosigners and their clients, Morgan and friends, when confronted with a conspiracy of national scope. I've heard a lot about how deregulation made everything legal, but I've heard damn explanations of just how that happened. Have at it.

[Historic NY]

6. Its the pony set....

nice way they crafted a montage to try to drive in a stake.

[sendero]

7. You must be unfamiliar ..

... with published evidence from Goldman-Sachs and others that implicate them in FRAUD that any jury would have ZERO problem understanding. The nonsense about "nothing illegal was done" has been thoroughly smashed as ludicrous.

You can stand with the president all day that is fine, but the reason the banksters weren't prosecuted has NOTHING to do with how difficult it would be to get a conviction, that's a ridiculous falsehood.

[madokie]

8. Prove it

[sendero]

10. I know your type..

.. you would ignore any link I sent. Google it yourself. There are emails of Goldman managers joking about how they were fucking their clients with the MBS products. That's FRAUD.

[madokie]

14. I know your type too

[SidDithers]

20. +1...nt

Sid

[BlueCaliDem]

80. +2 eom

[Bobbie Jo]

84. +3 nt

[geek tragedy]

30. How many fraud cases have you tried? nt

[madokie]

37. My guess is a big fat zero

no disrespect intended for using the word fat either

Speaking of fat: I've always been skinny until these last few years (66 YO) and to me I'm just now starting to look right (what I wished for all these years) but I do notice my belt is starting to be worn a whole lot lower around my waist than it used to and am starting to have problems with putting my socks on

I'm thinking I might have to go to a 33 waist size pants. 6ft 170 lbs with a 32" waist with most of my hair yet although its getting mighty grey. Why I'm telling you all this I have no idea just figured since this thread turned into a clusterfuck I might as well add a little more to it

Peace and have a great day

[JEB]

64. +2 nt

[snooper2]

139. There was no +1 so I'm giving a -1 so now we are back at 0

[bahrbearian]

49. First, you need an investigation to prove it.

There was plenty of evidence to be gathered.

[madokie]

51. I believe I read that there is an investigation going on right now

with some charges to be expected shortly. These kinds of crimes takes a long time, sometime, to investigate. Lots of ducks to get in a row, lots of cats to herd etc.

I didn't expect anything to happen quickly to begin with so that might explain my lack of urgency of charges being brought

[SomethingFishy]

93. Griftiopia by Matt Tiabbi.

Lays it all out in detail, easy to understand. That's if you really want the information you are asking for.

[davidpdx]

29. +1

I voted for him in two primaries and two general elections for a total of four times and I don't regret any of those votes.

[emulatorloo]

34. Reality Check: Obama has 79 percent approval from Democrats

See Gallup weekly job approval numbers.

DU is a bubble, with little relationship to reality.

[madokie]

39. Yup, meknowsthat

but please don't burst the bubble so many here live in ok

[tritsofme]

73. Even so, that likely represents a significant decline from 2012 that would impact his approval

rating, and make the point of the article.

Assuming Obama had approximately 95% approval among Democrats in 2012, and assuming Democrats make up 40% of the total electorate, such a decline among Democrats would translate to about 6.5 point decline in his overall approval rating, (if my back of the envelope math is right here) not an insignificant number.

[treestar]

108. +1

[CakeGrrl]

133. And within the bubble

is the claim that the everyone else is the whiny, reality-ignoring problem.

Ironic, that.

How does this work? Perhaps I should go tell someone who has benefitted from the ACA that they're a stupid, delusional sucker. I guess that's how you fight the "Third Way"...

[whathehell]

53. I voted for him five times, once for senator, twice in the primaries, twice in the general,

but I still think he failed us with the banks.

[madokie]

57. If you'll research you will see that not many laws were broken

due to decades of deregulation of their business. I believe it was one day last week, maybe the week before when the AG said that there has been an extensive investigation ongoing and that to expect some serious charges to be brought forth in the near future.
Too may expected immediate results from Obama when anyone with two or more brain cells knows the wheels of justice grinds along slow but grind along they do. Plus there is only so much a President can do anyway concerning laws broken, evidence gathered and charges to be filed.

[whathehell]

60. "not many" laws were broken?...Wow.

Looks like you've lowered your expectations some.

As to the wheels of justice grinding slowly, yes, I agree, but they all but stop when the "grinder"

is apathetic about getting them going at all, and I'm sorry, but I see little enthusiasm for it in Obama.

[madokie]

65. Have you done any research to see exactly what laws were broken?

just reading disgruntled du's have is not research. decades of deregulation for most of what we consider should be crimes is what has happened.
i suppose you want to see Obama jumping up and down throwing a fit

[whathehell]

72. Have you?

You're the one who mentioned them.

[madokie]

98. Not many were

as I said due to the last 25 or so years of deregulations there aren't many that were

[MFrohike]

117. No

Deregulation didn't affect the statutes governing criminal behavior. It was a removal of specific statutory prohibitions (not criminal in nature), a relaxation of agency rulemaking, and an unwillingness to prosecute in favor of cost of doing business fines. It's a common, and wrong, misconception that financial deregulation somehow made naked fraud, conspiracy to commit fraud, or other patently criminal acts legal. It's a distorted talking point used to display a weakness on the part of the federal government that assuredly does not exist.

[BlueCaliDem]

78. Bingo, madokie. But too many posting on this board loathe President Obama

so much that they can't see/listen/hear reason any longer. Although for completely different reasons, their hatred/loathing (same shiite to me) for this president is no different than the GOP's, and it's palpable. President Obama will never do anything good and right in their eyes. To me, they're two sides of the same coin.

[madokie]

99. Spot on

[3rdwaydem]

9. His approval ratings have taken a dive due to

hatred of him from the Right Wing and disapproval from the ideological left. However, those of us in the center, Main Street Americans, still support him whole heatedly. I think he will go down in history as one of our greatest Presidents. He is a man of great honor and integrity who inherited a global war and an economic depression. Yet, he was able to do great things. I will miss him but, I know Hillary will continue his just and forward thinking policies.

[TBF]

18. "just and forward thinking policies" -

Care to elaborate? I'd love to hear some detail on this because all I see is a very happy 1%. That you are in the banking industry and singing his praises is instructive. I hope you get nice bonuses.

[3rdwaydem]

40. Sure...

Policies like his spearheading the passage of the ACA and his stimulus which is responsible for our economic recovery, pushing to ensure that gays can serve openly in the military and many, many more.

It sounds to me that you just don't like President Obama. Well, I do. If your thoughts on the great success of the Obama Presidency are merely limited to your belief that the one percent are doing better, you are seeing the world from an unrealistic prospective.

Why don't you take your Obama bashing somewhere else!

[TBF]

66. FFS - spearheading the passage of legislation

that is a giveaway to insurance companies.

"Pushing to ensure" - yeah those are strong words.



It sounds to me like you've come up with zilcho but you're a proud member of the fan club nonetheless. I guess I would be too if I were a wealthy banker.

Why don't you go into my journal and read the many, many entries that focus on the actual working people of this country.

You know - those folks who don't work for the rigged Street.

You might actually learn something.

[Autumn]

95. You were missed

[Skittles]

103. I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE

[Autumn]

125. We know.

Bless em.

[Doctor_J]

50. I think it means that we'll all be under right-wing corporate rule eventually, so let's hurry

that's the only "forward-thinking" we get from the Turd Way

[still_one]

26. The balancing act this President has had to do, and what he has accomplished is amazing. Some are

upset because we got the ACA but not the public option, yet not one gives a concrete path how a public option or Medicare for all could have passed when you had blue dogs who wouldn't go for it.

The problem is that some from the "ideological" left project that because they take a certain position, most of the country accepts that position. What they fail to come to terms with is that a Democrat from Midwest or South, has different views from a Democrat in the Northeast and West. That was the whole point of Howard Dean's 50 state strategy.

[3rdwaydem]

32. Yes, I agree but also feel he should get some credit for the recovery

[still_one]

58. no question about it.

[3rdwaydem]

59. Thank you for your reply. n/t

[LondonReign2]

75. "those of us in the center, Main Street Americans"

Well, gosh, hi Sarah! Thanks for joining us. Never thought I'd see you at DU.

[winter is coming]

100. And here I was, being so impressed by the verbal skills of the mouse in his pocket. n/t

[BeyondGeography]

11. And where does that get them?

Warren's not going to run; she's going to support Hillary.

The solution is boring and dreary. Fight it out within the system. Win elections. Gain seats. Keep pushing for change, even if it takes more than a lifetime, which it will.

[Township75]

16. It will change once the mid term elections heat up and/or the next presidential campaign

Then there will be repub candidates on the airways constantly and the attention will shift to them and away from Obama. With newly defined "teams" to support Obama will be loved again. Happens every 2-4 years by both right and left wingers.

[geek tragedy]

28. When it's Hillary vs Jeb, the left will be saying

"Four More Years!"

[daleanime]

33. Kick....

[99Forever]

35. They have taken a dive because...

... not just because he didn't deliver what he promised, but mainly because he didn't even make a real try at it.

No one to is blame for those failures but himself.

In his wake he has left a lot of disgruntled and disillusioned liberals and it will cost the Democratic Party if they don't make a hard left turn. Wishing it weren't so, or brow-beating us won't change that. The days of "we aren't as bad as they are" as a primary tool for getting elected are over. You want my vote, you damn sure better earn it.

[woo me with science]

36. Relentless, proactive effort on behalf of the 1% and against the interests of ordinary Americans

will tend to do that.

The record shows aggressive, proactive pursuit of a corporate agenda.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3202395

CUT THE CRAP! Your Month in Review from the most "progressive" administration ever.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025006297

Study: Obama's "Trade" Deal (TPP) Would Mean a Pay Cut for 90% of U.S. Workers
http://citizen.typepad.com/eyesontrade/2013/09/the-verdict-is-in-the-trans-pacific-partnership-tpp-a-sweeping-free-trade-deal-under-negotiation-with-11-pacific-rim-coun.html

Obama’s Latest Betrayal of America and Americans in Favor of the Big Banks: TISA
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/26/1309671/--Obama-s-Latest-Betrayal-of-America-and-Americans-in-Favor-of-the-Big-Banks-TISA-by-Bill-Black

Holder's record under Obama: Trashing the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, and 14th Amendments of the US Constitution and Empowering Corporations
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025586874

[abelenkpe]

38. thousands of entertainment jobs have been offshored in Los Angeles

During the past two years between VFX work and other entertainment jobs. People have been pushing for countervailing tariffs or tax penalties for jobs offshored in the hopes of stopping the exodus of work. It's not far lefties wanting a freaking pony or upset over survaillence or bombing campaigns. It's families who once supported democratic candidates wholeheartedly who have lost work, been screwed out of unemployment due to sequestration and then the cut off, who are still struggling. No one addresses this. There was a report last year that pointed out that something like 22,000 jobs were lost. More have been lost since then.

Eta: add to that the revelation that many of these workers were screwed by having their wages suppressed for decades because the studios illegally agreed not to poach from one another to actively keep wages down.

It's not people buying onto right wing talking points. It's that no politician is offering any substantial policy to bring back these jobs or stop more jobs from leaving. Name one politician offering a real plan or policy to protect jobs in CA or LA. There are none.

[BrotherIvan]

110. It's been a lot more than just two years

The FX industry is just about dead as far as a living US wage. Most of my coworkers are basically retiring because the wages in post production and FX are so low. The producers crushing the writer's, actors and crew unions was the death knell for US production on many levels.

[abelenkpe]

111. I know you are right

My brother spent 18 years doing set construction but a lot of that work left for Canada several years ago. I'm just really focusing on the past few years because so many that worked for the Obama campaign and have always voted democratic and recently lost work really feel burned. I know they won't vote republican but worry they will just not vote at all instead. That's got to be part of why the polls indicate that voters are disillusioned.

Hope all is going well for you!

[ColesCountyDem]

42. The unrelenting hatred spewing 24/7/365 from the RWNJ's in the media hasn't helped.

I've supported President Obama since his primary run for U.S. Senate. I understood then, and still understand today, that he was a moderate Democrat who passed my personal 'litmus test' on the issues that mattered: pro-choice, women's rights, common-sense gun control, opposition to the Iraq War, etc. . While he has disappointed me at times, I also look back and understand that supporting him was the best decision then, and remains the best decision now.

[kelliekat44]

67. I stand with you. We didn't elect God but many did elect a lot of devils in the Congress.

Many will look for any one excuse to not support the President. His accomplishments in the face of unprecedented opposition (and I include FDR-presidency in this) is truly remarkable. But as long as envious, hateful men and women hold the keyboard of history in their hands he will be maligned. And so will departing AG Holder. But I will forever applaud their accomplishments and bemoan what they were not able to accomplish because of who they were in their skin and their soul.

[ColesCountyDem]

68. Well spoken!

[Enthusiast]

43. We just don't appreciate the President as we should.

[BlueCaliDem]

83. Understatement of the century. eom

[Enthusiast]

101. I should have used the sarcasm thingie?

[BlueCaliDem]

113. Nope. Your sig told me enough. eom

[bigwillq]

44. Obama lost me a long time ago

But that's how it is for me with most politicians.

[Peregrine Took]

81. As soon as he started appointing the Wall streeter's and the Clintonistas

-that was his first week in office - I started getting that sinking feeling.

[Le Taz Hot]

45. The excuses are endless.

It's "the pony left," it's because he's Black, it's the right wing, it's everything except the fact that he represents the 1%. His policies reek of it. The Banksters were let off scott free, he's pushing a SECRET TPP deal, he loves fracking, he's PROSECUTED whistleblowers instead of protecting them, he's prosecuted more people for pot than Bush ever thought of, he's marched us into a war with Syria for no other reason than for oil, he's good with ANWAR, he loves the XL pipeline, . . . every time, EVERY TIME he's had a chance to stand up for the poor and middle class he runs to the right. And the "geniuses" on this board have all determined that it's because the Left wants a pony. Either the stupid is strong with them or they're gravely delusional. Personally, I don't care which it is but it ends up hurting the entire nation. And now we're going to do it all over again with Hillary.

I'm a leftist and I'll vote for lefties when and where I can and calls for party unity will go unheard -- as the left has gone unheard by the current incarnation of the "Democratic" Party.

[woo me with science]

52. ^^^^^^ This is the correct answer. ^^^^^^

And the desperate propagandists thoroughly embarrass themselves.

[Kermitt Gribble]

54. +1 n/t

[Marr]

62. +1, I could not agree more. /nt

[leftstreet]

63. +1

[2banon]

71. Yes.Yes.Yes.Yes.Yes. ^^^This Too^^^++++10000 !

[Peregrine Took]

82. But the way he masqueraded as a peaceful man. Biggest joke of all.

I think he relishes his new role of Warrior in Chief - really, really relishes it.

[Skittles]

92. THANK YOU

I am fucking SICK of the apologists twisting themselves with their pretzel logic

[Autumn]

94. Thank you. You said exactly what I have never had the guts to say.

And I would add the way he handled the Gulf spill. I'm bookmarking this thread just for your post. You rocked my day.
,

[WillyT]

96. + 1,000,000,000... What You Said !!! - K & R !!!

[Zorra]

104. Well said. nt

[MuseRider]

105. YES! Loud and clear, very well put.

Perhaps we should all copy this and just keep posting it, or maybe we could just blue link it a lot.

Le Taz Hot, this was the perfect response. Well done.

[LittleBlue]

114. Wish I could rec a post

That's brilliant. Thank you, sir.

[woo me with science]

120. Worth another rec.

The whining of the Third Way gets so old.

[Eyerish]

122. +1000

Thank you for putting into words what I and many of us here have been thinking!

[whatchamacallit]

134. Woohoo, tell it!

[deutsey]

137. +1

[snooper2]

140. If you only had their numbers

[Doctor_J]

47. He decided to act on behalf of those who hate his guts

Instead of those who voted for him. When he retires he'll rewarded handsomely by the bankers and insurance crooks and education "reformers" - maybe even the Bush Crime Family. He has done immeasurable harm to the party (not by himself of course).

[Zorra]

55. It's DLC/Third Way sabotage. Govern from the right,

lose the Democratic base, and destroy the Democratic party forever.

This way the 1% takes complete control of the population and any and all hope of electoral democracy is gone forever.

If Obama and the large Democratic majorities elected in 2008 had done what the left elected them to do and expected them to do, republicans would not have slaughtered us in 2010. By following a pro-democratic agenda, Democrats would have become more popular and increased majorities with each election.

We could have had it all; we could have begun progressing and evolving rapidly, in a safe, sane, clean way. But progressing and evolving is bad for business, and the business of America is Corporations Uber Alles.

Instead, here we are once again, dropping bombs on Hanoi Baghdad Syria, protecting the interests of multinational imperialists in an eternal war they deliberately created.

Because this has been the plan all along.

Doesn't matter though, does it? There is nothing we can do about it. Because republicans are far worse, and no genuine pro-democracy party can arise because the media has turned 75% of the American populace into vapid, sheep like morons, addicted to spending the majority of their free waking time watching idiots say and do idiotic things on television, and then living their lives being who they were taught to be.

The same idiots they watch on television.

A Video Lobotomy.

[2banon]

69. Outstanding rant Zorra!

Succinct - on point - Spot.fucking.on.!

[Zorra]

74. Thanks.

I'm hoping this new episode in the eternal 1% war on humankind and mother earth will cause the peace movement to rise up again, only more effectively this time.

[Le Taz Hot]

70. I love this:

"Instead, here we are once again, dropping bombs on Hanoi Baghdad Syria, protecting the interests of multinational imperialists in an eternal war they deliberately created." (Note: strikethroughs didn't paste)

[Peregrine Took]

85. Again, well said. I've met people like him. Nicer to their enemies, contempt for their friends.

Not the kind of person I can relate to in any way - just an odd duck.

[liberal_at_heart]

88. +1

[WillyT]

97. Most Excellent Post !!!

[woo me with science]

115. Spot on.

Thank you.

[reddread]

124. facts laid bare

if only facts mattered these days.

[KoKo]

136. Yes...after his inauguration the strategy was to focus on

Swing States and he cut his OFA Organization loose, ACORN went down and the Democratic Party abandoned it's activists in the former Dean/Kucinich wing of the party with Rahm Emmanuel and other Obama Organization insider's trashing of the Activist Left.

It became the "Obama Party" and not the Democratic Party. I saw it in my state on the ground. And, we went for Obama in 2008...but not 2012. It was the activists who pulled him through in '08. There wasn't a follow through to get out the vote in 2010. The Tea Party got the big momentum...and there wasn't a strong counter from our own party against them, because Obama Hope was the Focus. But, his early decisions to go with Wall Streeters in his Cabinet, praise Reagan and cozy up to the Republicans & make overtures to the Bushies was noticed out here in the aware activist community. Without Money and Consistent Party Organization/Support we couldn't do it alone in our states with Gerrymandering and Tea Party Organized backlash by Koch Bros./ALEC.

Gonna be a hard time rebuilding our Dem Party--if it can be done. We may just coast through with Hillary and more of the same One Corporate Party with a Tea Party Crazy Fringe and a demoralized Left trying to find some way to build a Third Party from the remnants. Or, Repubs nominate a "Less than Crazy" candidate and squeak through and it's more of the same either way with the 99% of us still getting screwed.

[JoePhilly]

56. Again?

Some one has written this same article every couple weeks for 5+ years.

[treestar]

109. +1

[LostInAnomie]

118. Amen

[wyldwolf]

129. for example...

SATURDAY, SEP 27, 2014
Obama loses the left: Why his low approval rating may be here to stay
http://www.salon.com/2014/09/27/obama_loses_the_left_why_his_low_approval_rating_may_be_here_to_stay/

THURSDAY, MAY 16, 2013
6 reasons Obama is losing the left
http://www.salon.com/2013/05/16/6_reasons_obamas_popularity_is_likely_to_plummet_partner/

06/07/2013
OBAMA LOSES THE LEFT
http://www.wnd.com/2013/06/obama-loses-the-left/

July 23, 2011
No Wonder Obama Is Losing Support from the Left
http://www.progressive.org/wx072111.html


05 Jun 2010
Obama loses the Left: suddenly, it's cool to bash Barack
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/7805775/Obama-loses-the-Left-suddenly-its-cool-to-bash-Barack.html

[grasswire]

86. the tragedy of Obama is this:

He has, by taking the low road to elusive consensus or the lower road to serving the 1% and the MIC, nullified many Democratic issues that have traditionally helped to win elections.

Much of the proud and righteous Democratic defense of the working class, of our earth, of peace, of equality, of fairness, of justice has been lost now. Because Obama listened to advisors who were not on the side of those principles.

He is either weak, a chameleon, or corrupted somehow.

And I voted for him many times. And I wanted him to succeed, badly. And I am a Democrat to the core.

The damage to the Democratic Party by his capitulation to moneyed interests is incalculable.

[whereisjustice]

87. free speech, civil liberties, jobs for the USA , not India or China, endess wars - all just ponies

to the defenders of the 1%. The apologists say the constitution is just a set of guidelines, like the goals of a corporate mission statement, nothing set in stone, works well as a marketing device. To use the language of the torture architect, John Yoo, the constitution is just a quaint set of conventions, like torture is simply a way for folks to express their patriotism.

Just. Fuck. That.

If you want India and China to have US jobs, if you don't think poverty is a priority, if you don't think the justice department should prosecute rich and/or powerful people, if you think that insurance companies should legislate health care policy, if you are comfortable with free speech zones and citizen surveillance, then why are you here?

You clearly have more in common with Republicans, go to them, they are calling you. What's that you say? The tea party scares you so you are seeking advantage here? Cowardly. Go help the Republicans get rid of the tea party. Stop carpet bagging the Democratic Party.

[Drale]

89. I really don't think your ever going to see high approval ratings again

because for the last thirty years, Americans have been trained to hate the government and anyone in it.

[whereisjustice]

90. the 1% trust the government, they own it.

[colsohlibgal]

91. The Current Conundrum

What to do, between a rock and a hard place. The way things are now, with propaganda networks and other things, is it possible to bring about real progressive change, to level the playing field at least a lot better than now, the way it's all set up now?

Democrats so disappoint us. Obama talked like a semi socialist running the first time but dashed straight toward the center right on most things once in. Rahm Emmanuel? Larry Summers? Really? TPP, OMG.

But what to do? Right now we're stuck voting for democrats because the alternative is even worse.

Like Noam Chomsky I'm not sure how we can get anywhere near to where we want to go locked into this two party system.

Of course a real democracy would have IRV, so alternative parties could stand a chance, and voting should be open and easy - we do it with driver licensing, why not with voting? Oh and also public financing of elections, so lobbyists don't run congress.

[Purveyor]

102. It is going to be extremely difficult holding the Senate even before our bombing

in Iraq and of Syria.

Just saying...

[Thinkingabout]

106. He has had the support of many in his base through the campaign and first election and

Speaking for myself he still has my support. The Civil Rights marches went on for years before the Civil rights bill was passed and we still have issues. Voters rights has been passed and we are still having issues with it. There will be more changes in the future on same sex marriages but this nation is evolving, it's time will come. I would like nothing better than to arise in the mornings and have peace everywhere, for folks to get along with others but are hindered by those who wants to have turmoil. There is not any person who can wave the wand, no one.

[Major Hogwash]

107. Obama doesn't give a whit about his poll numbers.

He's not running for re-election.

You would think Salon could do a better hit piece than this bovine excrement!

By the way, they are calling that picture a "montage".
In other words, it never happened, it's not real.
It's photoshopped.

Just figures.

[LostInAnomie]

119. Is Salon just making shit up now? Obama's approval among liberal Democrats is 85%

http://www.gallup.com/poll/124922/Presidential-Approval-Center.aspx

This dumb shit blogger cherry picked a couple polls and pretends like it's honest reporting. You want to know why Obama has a 43% approval rating? Because his approval rating among Republicans is below 10%. When almost 50% of the country absolutely hates Obama it's pretty fucking hard to have an approval rating over 40%. If liberals were actually ditching him his approval would be in the 20's.

[ucrdem]

123. Looks like they've found a replacement for Glenn. nt

[RadicalGeek]

127. But What Options Do We Have

Try and build "Netroots" support for a Warren/Sander's ticket?

[book_worm]

132. Actually the left/ liberals and dems are his highest approval-he has lost independents

that is why his approval is down.

[NCTraveler]

138. While there are many areas where Obama has lost me...

Last edited Mon Sep 29, 2014, 01:18 PM - Edit history (1)

I see no where in the article where the author makes the actual case that Obama has lost the left. If one were to actually read the article, you would find the opposite to be the truth when using their own metrics. This is Fox News writing at its best. Start with what you want to say, use figures that don't align with your thoughts in hopes no one will look any further, and sell the fuck out of their bullshit. Article falls completely flat as it didn't even make the case for its main premise. I say that as someone who can't for the life of me figure why he polls so strongly with the left. Facts are at complete opposition to this article.

[Egnever]

142. I don't think he cares

Nor should he. Running the country by poll is a sure fire way to destroy the country. The american people are easily led by their TV.