Obama will have accomplished more in his first year than any president in the history of the world,

[HughMoran]

Obama, the great disappointment?

The Miracle President hasn't actually accomplished much? Wrong

by Mark Morford

...

Did you feel it? Are you noticing? The new has fully arrived to replace the old, and the old is going to have to take a long nap under a tree and watch what happens while the new delves in even deeper and does the best it can under the circumstances.

...

But not so fast. Back here in the dwindling twilight of the '00s, there is much puling from the liberal left that Obama has not done nearly enough, quickly enough, that his list of accomplishments is no list at all and is more of a giant, infuriating shrug. Many are saying he's not all he's cracked up to be because he has yet to completely revolutionize every aspect of human life as we know it by instantly turning everything organic, curing all diseases and setting all gay military personnel free to romp in the fields of boot camp.

Where is the complete ideological overhaul of the entire federal government? Where is the Gandhi-like pacifism? Why are we sending 30K more troops to Afghanistan? What about my new job, my single-payer health care and my tiny car that runs on sunflowers and hemp popsicles? Indeed, rabid impatience has combined with impossible expectation to give many liberals a free ticket to the land of nonstop bitching. Alas.

Conversely, there is all manner of incoherent noise spewing like radioactive urine from the far right, a nonstop wail of childlike panic claiming that, because Obama behaves with unnerving calm, shakes hands with foreign dignitaries and doesn't seem interested in bombing everyone in a turban, he must be a socialist Muslim Nazi hell-bent on banning machine guns and killing all old Republicans in their sleep and replacing them with French-speaking hip-hop jazz musicians.

The good news is, both sides are wildly, fantastically, delightfully wrong. As Slate's Jacob Weisberg rightly points out, Obama has had a very first good year indeed, spectacular even, far better than most in major media acknowledge (but they will, they will). In fact, assuming health care passes, Obama will have accomplished more in his first year than any president in the history of the world, ever.

...

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2009/12/02/notes120209.DTL&nl=fix#ixzz0YY2WrgP7

I agree with this analysis.

[babylonsister]

1. "rabid impatience has combined with impossible expectation to give many liberals a free ticket to

the land of nonstop bitching. Alas."

Ain't that the truth! :thumbsup:

[HughMoran]

2. It's the truth

The early unrecs about an article that is incontrovertibly true say all I need to know. Who knew the "unrec" would become the new "stamp of approval" on DU? :hi:

[freddie mertz]

3. "In the history of the world," or even ON OTHER WORLDS IN SPACE!

Ridiculous, embarrassing, childish, fan-boy hyperbole.

[kenfrequed]

4. From the article...

Honestly, what measurable criteria are we using to ascertain whether he has accomplished "...More in his first year than any president in the history of the world, ever." The author of the article even seemed to indicate that it was hyperbole.



"That might be an exaggeration. But I'm OK with that, because the basic idea is something that needs to be declared a bit more loudly."

[kenfrequed]

5. And yes

I was one of the early unrec's. Why would I bother with pointless, trumpeting hyperbole.

[HughMoran]

8. Hey, at least you admit it

Got something to say? Say it. I don't care if you disagree with me (or the article I posted & agree with it's message) - that's what we do here.

[HughMoran]

6. It's a response to the hyperbole from the "shruggers"

...who say, equally hyperbolic, that he "hasn't accomplished a thing" or "this isn't what I voted for"

It's an appropriate commentary IMO.

[kenfrequed]

22. Eh...

The "shruggers" don't exist. The people who note that he hasn't done something all have particular issues. Most of them were issues that Obama ran on or at least eluded to.

Sadly the Afghanistan thing is one of the things he did run on and seems to be attempting to stick to no matter how bad an idea it is. Internationally and diplomatically this situation could be resolved by cozying with India to put pressure on Pakistan to clean up its act and because strategically it is sensible.

[HughMoran]

25. Did he not try to cozy up to India recently?

Wasn't part of the reason for this to put pressure on Pakistan?

[Posteritatis]

7. Hyperbole's a million zillion times worse than anything else. (nt)

[HughMoran]

9. Yes, and we NEVER see ridiculous hyperbole here

:rofl:

[Posteritatis]

10. Mencadious fiend!! Torrents of it flow from every electron that touches this site! (nt)

[wowimthere]

11. Obama has done A LOT. I just wish he would have ended the war!

What good is reformed health care to dead people who fought a war on the premise of a lie? Ending occupations should be the "more" he should be doing. And I like this president but he lost me on the war compromise.

[HughMoran]

12. I am torn but at least pleased that he's set a date for beginning withdrawl

The date may slip, but it's a commitment that he can't "take back" as it was provided in a nationally televised address.

[tridim]

14. That is exactly what he announced last night. nt

[Dr Robert]

23. He will end the war. He will just do it successfully.

[agentS]

13. According to the constitution, Congress should be doing the heavy lifting

The fact that this POTUS has accomplished more in 1 year than any others is not something to be proud of. He's done a lot of good, some not so good, some bad, some terrible (Summers? Really?).

Congress, in particular congressional republicans, have been dropping the ball and I hope liberals and moderates of all stripes would put MORE pressure on them and less pressure on Obama since Congress is the ultimate party of responsibility according to the constitution.

It's Obama's job to sign the damn bills not to write the damn bills. Congress, where you at?

Personally, I think we need another constitution convention, in which a recall motion should be included so voters can ditch scumbags like LIEbermann and Ensign when they get too corrupt or whiny.

[quiet.american]

15. Not what I'd expected. Damn, I'm glad to see this. Too bad it will sink. nt

[HughMoran]

16. Well, at least a few people will get to see it

It's also posted in GD & had more recs until the people here determined to hide any positive articles figured out that it was a very supportive piece. Good is bad after all.

[quiet.american]

17. I hear you. Thanks again for posting. nt

[avaistheone1]

18. Failure in Afghanistan which is all but completely assured will be quite a feather in Obama's

cap, and quite a tragedy that these much hard earned resources are being poured into Afghanistan and all the lives on both sides which will be lost for absolutely nothing.

[ShortnFiery]

19. So WHAT, he's continuing to act like the MIC's puppet, PROMOTING the bloodshed

of more Americans as well as making Americans at home LESS SAFE every day our foces occupy those two Muslim Countries.

I have ZERO respect for him as long as he allows these Occupations to continue. He's got blood on his hands and it's vile.

[HughMoran]

20. Can the 2 posters above explain how he could have succeeded in fixing the mess he was handed?

I didn't think so.

[Dr Robert]

21. don't expect an answer. they don't think like that.

critical thinking isn't their MO.

They just deal in extremes.

[HughMoran]

24. I know

There is a certain perceived strength in "my way or the highway" thinking at DU, to me it's just cowardice. Anybody can "decide" and not hear any other arguments - just ask George W. Bush.

[HopeOverFear]

26. in the history of the world? wow, that's pretty impressive.

[HughMoran]

27. Sometimes you just gotta love good old fashioned hyperbole used to make a point

I know I really enjoyed the piece :)

[HopeOverFear]

28. I did too :)