General Discussion

Ken Burch

(50,254 posts) Fri Aug 23, 2013, 08:01 PM Aug 2013

Do any other folks here get the feeling Obama is TRYING to drive progressives out of the party? [View all]

The Nixonian secrecy shit.
The brutal persecution of Chelsea Manning.
The refusal to pardon Siegelman.
The continued flirting with war against Syria and Iran.
The continued refusal to defend the poor against right-wing smears on their character and morality.
The refusal ever to stand up against corporate power in any meaningful way.

Yes, the man has some real achievements. I'd never argue that it was worthless to elect him.

But what is the deal with this "f__k you" streak he keeps displaying towards the party's core supporters, the ones who stayed with him and defended him against constant right-wing and racist attacks?

Why does he keep acting like he has no obligation to treat us and what we care about with no real respect?

It's not like we ever did anything to him. And it's not like either the "national security state" or the 1% ever worked with him on anything that matters.

174 replies

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Do any other folks here get the feeling Obama is TRYING to drive progressives out of the party? [View all] Ken Burch Aug 2013 OP

Personally, I don't think he gives a second thought. I don't think he cares if we are here or not. liberal_at_heart Aug 2013 #1

+1000 FirstLight Aug 2013 #3

Full corporate equals full criminal. Enthusiast Aug 2013 #150

Yes, I agree. (nt) enough Aug 2013 #13

This seems to be the most likely LearningCurve Aug 2013 #16

Exactly. nt Demo_Chris Aug 2013 #17

Yep. +1000 GoneFishin Aug 2013 #23

Yup. That's my thought, too. nt City Lights Aug 2013 #29

You got it. 840high Aug 2013 #42

The office is bought and sold. GliderGuider Aug 2013 #46

+1 MichiganVote Aug 2013 #58

You forgot to say Benghazi or some other wingerish crazy shit about what Obama is doing or uponit7771 Aug 2013 #107

There was our first Sieg Heil from the lock-steppers. loudsue Aug 2013 #165

No, not really. I think he's like a bit of flotsam on a sea of awfulness... NYC_SKP Aug 2013 #2

Yep - amazing to me that some Dems want to make an already weak presidency even weaker. blm Aug 2013 #5

It must be Friday. NYC_SKP Aug 2013 #12

Other than every President in the history of ever... Demo_Chris Aug 2013 #18

It went VERY easy on Reagan thucythucy Aug 2013 #43

If he's weakened by an OP on DU, I'm amazed he can find the strength winter is coming Aug 2013 #19

LOL! City Lights Aug 2013 #30

Maybe they got Sunny winter is coming Aug 2013 #39

Zoom.....overthehead.....missed point. blm Aug 2013 #143

The image of President Obama reading DU makes me think... greatauntoftriplets Aug 2013 #155

Exactly! Sometimes, when I watch The Daily Show, I wonder if the President or winter is coming Aug 2013 #157

I want him perceived as weak mick063 Aug 2013 #22

This message was self-deleted by its author thucythucy Aug 2013 #45

+1 Scuba Aug 2013 #113

+1-- Well said. Marr Aug 2013 #121

Flotsam 2012 would not have been a very good slogan. rug Aug 2013 #21

President Flotsam HoneychildMooseMoss Aug 2013 #85

I'm with you - he's been handed a flaming bag of dogshit for his entire time in office abbeyco Aug 2013 #41

He was handed a flaming bag of dogshit... AgingAmerican Aug 2013 #98

Democrats or Progressives? abbeyco Aug 2013 #101

Both AgingAmerican Aug 2013 #102

Most of us, when we're handed a flaming bag of dogshit. actually get rid of the bag. Ken Burch Aug 2013 #171

Yep I got his back too madokie Aug 2013 #48

like a life preserver.. lol fascisthunter Aug 2013 #63

Thank you. I was about babylonsister Aug 2013 #78

I get the feeling some people are trying to stir things up. CJCRANE Aug 2013 #4

K&R DeSwiss Aug 2013 #6

Yes, but I also think it's as if he resents progressives for daring to exist and forestpath Aug 2013 #7

you guys have a wild imagination, a persecution complex, and way too much time on your hands. dionysus Aug 2013 #80

said it much better than I did Hekate Aug 2013 #84

why thank you! dionysus Aug 2013 #86

Yet you have enough time on YOURS to run around forestpath Aug 2013 #103

No shit. Get off your fucking crosses already. phleshdef Aug 2013 #110

Style points for not going with the more traditional "pony" line. Marr Aug 2013 #122

I'm not sure we've had a president even remotely as progressive as he is. JaneyVee Aug 2013 #8

Oh, come on. LBJ and FDR were each more 'progressive' than Obama. For that matter, Ike HardTimes99 Aug 2013 #137

FDR didn't include blacks, minorities, or women in social security, put JaneyVee Aug 2013 #138

You have fallen victim to the sin of 'presentism' (judging the past by the standards of the HardTimes99 Aug 2013 #139

Gee, I wonder who or what could be obstructing his lack of progressive policies? JaneyVee Aug 2013 #140

But chained CPI was HIS PROPOSAL ..... he offered the oldest, most helpless members of society loudsue Aug 2013 #166

I've gotten so I don't know what to think anymore. CaliforniaPeggy Aug 2013 #9

+1. Biggest disconnect between personality and policy, ever. n/t winter is coming Aug 2013 #20

Agree. You'd hardly know it was the same guy. Pretty sad. nt Nay Aug 2013 #38

well it shows you are a thinking gal, Ms. Pegster Skittles Aug 2013 #95

It's not just Obama. It's a 'list'. xchrom Aug 2013 #10

Yes... 99Forever Aug 2013 #11

Nahhhh.. Why would he DO THAT? There's no reason that he KoKo Aug 2013 #14

No. It's just the usual "fuck you unless I want money/foot soldiers" mindset. n/t winter is coming Aug 2013 #15

his big problem is not us, it`s the elections next year madrchsod Aug 2013 #24

^Quite right BeyondGeography Aug 2013 #27

Agree 100% - the 2014 elections are now key abbeyco Aug 2013 #47

Then Democrats had better start... 99Forever Aug 2013 #56

I don't disagree but think about it - abbeyco Aug 2013 #67

There are not just 2 options. 99Forever Aug 2013 #68

Then vote your conscience and do what you need to do abbeyco Aug 2013 #72

Exactly what time will it ever... 99Forever Aug 2013 #73

I don't know and can't answer that - maybe no one can abbeyco Aug 2013 #74

We'll just have to agree to disagree. 99Forever Aug 2013 #145

I totally get where you're coming from and understand your frustration. I also HardTimes99 Aug 2013 #144

so right treestar Aug 2013 #133

2014 is key...WE get that...I'm not sure he does, or that he cares. Ken Burch Aug 2013 #174

Why? So he can pass the TPP? Marr Aug 2013 #123

Who exactly "stayed with him and defended him against constant right-wing and racist attacks?" ucrdem Aug 2013 #25

they never have, never will. some even brag about not voting for him, so... dionysus Aug 2013 #81

Often the same ones regularly defending Assange, Ron and Randy. ucrdem Aug 2013 #89

What you've personally seen isn't of consequence to anyone outside yourself DisgustipatedinCA Aug 2013 #130

And yet they will complain that we support him treestar Aug 2013 #134

For every Livluvgrow Aug 2013 #26

This message was self-deleted by its author bvar22 Aug 2013 #28

why would they need to clean house? all the people are already in place nt SwampG8r Aug 2013 #96

And I am beginning to think 'progressive' is a misnomer. n/t Whisp Aug 2013 #31

I dislike the term because of its baggage. Hoover was a "progressive" Recursion Aug 2013 #55

Hoover was a progressive when he arranged for aid to Russian famine victims HoneychildMooseMoss Aug 2013 #94

Just goes to show how relative it can be treestar Aug 2013 #135

I think economic development makes strange bedfellows. Baitball Blogger Aug 2013 #32

Obama himself specifically trying to push progressives out? burnodo Aug 2013 #33

I got that feeling in 2010... bvar22 Aug 2013 #34

I remember the Halter story full well. Jackpine Radical Aug 2013 #50

Yup, I remember nadinbrzezinski Aug 2013 #92

That really sucked big time Art_from_Ark Aug 2013 #104

I remember that as well, and you're right. It was probably the most blatant, Marr Aug 2013 #124

+1. That was a total slap in the face n/t Catherina Aug 2013 #129

+1 n/t winter is coming Aug 2013 #156

Yes. MotherPetrie Aug 2013 #35

No. JTFrog Aug 2013 #36

I think he has lots of respect for businessmen and Very Serious People and ... dawg Aug 2013 #37

No. And it really depends on what one IDs as "progressive." kelliekat44 Aug 2013 #40

No. CakeGrrl Aug 2013 #44

NAILED IT. Number23 Aug 2013 #65

+1 JustAnotherGen Aug 2013 #151

Awesome reply... SidDithers Aug 2013 #76

Perfection. great white snark Aug 2013 #93

***REPLY OF THE POST*** uponit7771 Aug 2013 #108

That sums it up nicely. liberal N proud Aug 2013 #127

+1 treestar Aug 2013 #136

You honestly don't see a problem with the "legal process?" reusrename Aug 2013 #147

Well said. greatauntoftriplets Aug 2013 #158

No Bobbie Jo Aug 2013 #49

My best guess is political strategy Shankapotomus Aug 2013 #51

No. He wants us to stay in the party and keep supporting him despite his corporate agenda. Jim Lane Aug 2013 #52

Exactly the way I see it - eom dreamnightwind Aug 2013 #112

Ah no iandhr Aug 2013 #53

No, this is just what having the White House is like Recursion Aug 2013 #54

you mean Obama didn't spend his whole life living a lie so he could become president and end social dionysus Aug 2013 #88

More like the Left is following the lead of the Rightwingers railsback Aug 2013 #57

Think it through. Savannahmann Aug 2013 #59

"It could pour rain and animals could be lining up two by two looking around for a big boat, winter is coming Aug 2013 #66

I voted, and voted Democrat Savannahmann Aug 2013 #111

My days of crawling across broken glass for the Party are done. winter is coming Aug 2013 #126

No. But I see lot of folk trying to turn progressive Ds into 3rd party voters struggle4progress Aug 2013 #60

Excellent post Just Saying Aug 2013 #82

No. He just fundamentally disagrees with us on a few important issues. pa28 Aug 2013 #61

Yes fascisthunter Aug 2013 #62

It's the system. There is no stopping it. Taverner Aug 2013 #64

Hell, nevergiveup Aug 2013 #69

Yeah, what you said, my thoughts exactly. mountain grammy Aug 2013 #90

I think he's a college professor, in over his head in dealing with the ''inside the beltway'' crowd. YOHABLO Aug 2013 #70

The president no longer needs us, therefore we no longer matter. n/t 1awake Aug 2013 #71

I think some "progressives" aren't happy... SidDithers Aug 2013 #75

Some cheerleaders are not happy if anyone complains about any dem! nt Logical Aug 2013 #77

Everyone wants to think they are Andrei Sakharov Shivering Jemmy Aug 2013 #116

Or his corporate backers are..... blackspade Aug 2013 #79

No nt Hekate Aug 2013 #83

His alliance is very clear: Fire Walk With Me Aug 2013 #87

No Rincewind Aug 2013 #91

no i dont think its that he is trying to SwampG8r Aug 2013 #97

And THAT is the fault of our Party Leadership.. bvar22 Aug 2013 #161

He endlessly tries to impress Republicans AgingAmerican Aug 2013 #99

86% approval rating among liberal Democrats. sagat Aug 2013 #100

liberal doesn't mean what it used to. Almost everybody on this site self describes as a liberal. liberal_at_heart Aug 2013 #105

Link and quote to the DLC dem part, if you have proof of this I'd like to see it and not just opinio uponit7771 Aug 2013 #109

Why do YOU get to decide Shivering Jemmy Aug 2013 #117

So if Sarah Palin decides to call herself a "liberal"...... socialist_n_TN Aug 2013 #128

Nonsense that has nothing to do with what liberal Dems actually think eridani Aug 2013 #115

No. cali Aug 2013 #106

Clearly, he hates America. JoePhilly Aug 2013 #114

Puppets don't hate mick063 Aug 2013 #142

Congratulations! You are today's first recipient of my ... greatauntoftriplets Aug 2013 #159

My response is reciprocal. mick063 Aug 2013 #160

Actions speak louder than words. Octafish Aug 2013 #118

I definitely think that's a goal of the Third Way/DLC, which he was a part of. Marr Aug 2013 #119

Nothing impresses the fat cats more than ... dawg Aug 2013 #141

No n/t Lisa D Aug 2013 #120

Done upi402 Aug 2013 #125

No I think he just realizes there is no pleasing them treestar Aug 2013 #131

What would be so disasterous about standing up to corporate power? Ken Burch Aug 2013 #170

I think he believes he is doing all of that treestar Aug 2013 #172

It's not about "never being happy"...it's about legitimate concerns. Ken Burch Aug 2013 #173

When he allowed his first chief of staff (Rahm Emmanuel) to keep his job HardTimes99 Aug 2013 #132

I'm convinced it's the party - I don't think he cares either way TBF Aug 2013 #146

^^this^^ Puzzledtraveller Aug 2013 #167

It's most of the party, not just the prez. CrispyQ Aug 2013 #148

Where are we going to go? That's the crux of it. dorkulon Aug 2013 #149

Trying? Who in his cabinet is a liberal or progressive? Rex Aug 2013 #152

Obama is merely a tool of the Bush family and friends in Plutonomy. Fire Walk With Me Aug 2013 #153

I don't know if he's leaning toward war with Syria / Iran. DirkGently Aug 2013 #154

Not him alone tavalon Aug 2013 #162

If he is you don't have a worry! whistler162 Aug 2013 #163

The good cop/bad cop argument needs to go. felix_numinous Aug 2013 #164

Every time we vote for the lesser of two evils, "lesser" becomes more evil. winter is coming Aug 2013 #168

It Is What It Is Right Now colsohlibgal Aug 2013 #169