Obama's mandate ??????????

[Ringel05]

What I initially posted was after the election Obama claimed to have a specific mandate, not the "everyone now hates Republicans so now we have a mandate to undo everything they did" rhetoric.
We were talking popular, not electoral votes. And while the Republicans lost a goodly number in both houses and in governorships the margins were still not that signifigant (IMHO) for any politician to claim a mandate. (Notice I did not specify party)....

It's funny, for years after Bush won 2000, I was told repeatedly the popular vote didn't count, cause that's not how presidential politics works. The Electoral College was all that mattered. Of course they had to say that cause it must have been damn embarrassing to admit the Boy President LOST the popular vote.

And you're wrong about it not being a mandate.

But let's back up a bit: In 2006, for the first time in history, the Democratic Party didn't lose a single seat it held going into election day--not in the House, the Senate, or any Governor's mansion. A perfect retention rate.

Every single incumbent Congressperson who lost their seat in 2006 was a Republican! And that includes 6 incumbent U.S. Senators having lost their seats in 2006, all Republicans.

In 2008 The Republicans lost every region of the country by double digits except the South, which they won by less than double digits (9 points).

The historic election turned 9 red states blue, and failed to flip a single seat. That's historic. And yeah, that's a mandate.

In fact, those two elections go down in gigantic proportions in the history books: Both instances where a political party failed to take control of a single seat in the House or Senate. The Republicans literally have not won an election against a Democratic incumbent since 2004.

Take that and have a man-date with them apples.

Guess it's a matter of perspective.
What's with the last sentance? Some kind of partisan jab? Was it even necissary?

 

[rightwinger]

The mandate was simple....Republican policies destroyed the country.....Fix it

Could you possibly put that in non-partisan, un-biased, rational and realistic terms?
Regurgiating rhetoric is not discussing the issue. Remember the old acronymn GIGO?

I stand by my original post. Obama had a mandate to undo what the republicans had wrought. republicans fucked up royally and the public elected the Democrats to fix it

 

[Diuretic]

Is a "mandate" like "political capital"?

 

[Ringel05]

The mandate was simple....Republican policies destroyed the country.....Fix it

Could you possibly put that in non-partisan, un-biased, rational and realistic terms?
Regurgiating rhetoric is not discussing the issue. Remember the old acronymn GIGO?

I stand by my original post. Obama had a mandate to undo what the republicans had wrought. republicans fucked up royally and the public elected the Democrats to fix it

I Guess not - GIGO

 

[rightwinger]

Remember the old acronymn GIGO?

Yes, and the American people voted the garbage out

 

[paperview]

Guess it's a matter of perspective.
What's with the last sentance? Some kind of partisan jab? Was it even necissary?

Probably not.

But I felt like being a snarky bart.

 

[Ringel05]

Remember the old acronymn GIGO?

Yes, and the American people voted the gargage out

That's ok. I gargage all the time.....or was that gargle?

 

[rightwinger]

Remember the old acronymn GIGO?

Yes, and the American people voted the gargage out

That's ok. I gargage all the time.....or was that gargle?

Thanks...fixed it

 

[rdean]

Obama's mandate?

Is that like the "mandate" of Larry Craig, Ted Haggard or Mark Foley?

 

[theDoctorisIn]

In 2004, Bush got 50.74% of the vote to Kerry's 48.27% a 2.47% difference.
United States presidential election, 2004 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In 2008 Obama got 52.93% of the vote to McCain's 45.66% a 7.27% difference.
United States presidential election, 2008 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yes I know, I made a mistake in my initial posting, oops.
7.27% is still not a hugh enough margin to claim anyone has been given a mandate.

What would you consider a "mandate" then?

 

[Ringel05]

In 2004, Bush got 50.74% of the vote to Kerry's 48.27% a 2.47% difference.
United States presidential election, 2004 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In 2008 Obama got 52.93% of the vote to McCain's 45.66% a 7.27% difference.
United States presidential election, 2008 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yes I know, I made a mistake in my initial posting, oops.
7.27% is still not a hugh enough margin to claim anyone has been given a mandate.

What would you consider a "mandate" then?

Read the follow up posts.

 

[Spinoza]

I think people seriously believed Obama was different... that he would change things ... that the status quo would be shaken up.

The reality is somewhat different.

I still hope Obama will pull some big save out of his ass. Seriously... I haven't lost hope entirely, but maybe I'm naive.

I often daydream about what would have happened if McCain had been elected and Pailin was the VP. Do any of you think about this? PM me.

I share your opinion......
Regarding much of America's electorate previously believing "Obama was different" while he walked his campaign trail, and would "change things" if given the opportunity to freely roam the oval office.

I share your assessment that the current Obama "reality is somewhat different".
I would go so far as suggest substantially different!

And I too "hope Obama will pull some big save out of his ass"......
While knowing full well that serveral BIG SAVES are currently very much NEEDED, after 8 too long little george years.

But I fear Obama may be squandering a unique opportunity to become a very worthy one term president, by consistently compromising himself in an effort to become a mediocre two term winner.
Sadly......
WINNING, AND WINNING AGAIN appears to remain the goal of most American politicians......
While any semblance of a STATESMANSHIP stance is seldom approached and all too often ignored.

Next......
Some "daydreaming" thoughts.

Cheers.

 

[rightwinger]

Obama needs to stand up and show leadership on healthcare.
His willingness to continually step back, compromise and give up critical aspects of the bill will leave him with nothing.
He needs to sell the American people on exactly what the bill will be, what it won't be and what it will cost. Not just in taxes but what it will cost if it is not passed.

He needs to do a better job of selling what will happen if we "stay the course" and what life under the revised plan would be like

 

[Spinoza]

I think people seriously believed Obama was different... that he would change things ... that the status quo would be shaken up.

The reality is somewhat different.

I still hope Obama will pull some big save out of his ass. Seriously... I haven't lost hope entirely, but maybe I'm naive.

I often daydream about what would have happened if McCain had been elected and Pailin was the VP. Do any of you think about this? PM me.

Were I prone to McCain daydreaming......
I would occupy most such little grey cell activity with thoughts regarding "what would have happened" had McCain (and ANY VP) been elected president in 2000.

I have always liked McCain, and I shall die believing that America would have been much better served if he, AND NOT little george, had been at the helm of STATE in January 2001AND ON 911.
More than once upon a time in American politics, John McCain demonstrated his ability to act as a STATESMAN while playing/pretending politics.

But back to your daydream......
During the little george years, McCain appeared to change.
Personally, I suspect he only "appeared" to change.
I prefer to think of him as an old and wise dog who only pretended to learn new tricks in the hope of eventually getting an opportunity for a GENUINE bite into the big apple of American politics.

The republican party/karl rove killed McCain in North Carolina in 2000 with their black baby smear.
And the republican party killed McCain again in 2008 with SP for VP.

Were I to begin daydreaming casually......
My thoughts would involve McCain and damn near any other VP in 2008.

Were I to begin daydreaming with purpose......
I would ponder what might have been if McCain had won ONE TERM with Ron Paul nearby in the VP's office.

Cheers and good night.

 

[Lumpy 1]

What exactly was this mandate the American people gave to Obama and the Democratic Party in the last election? (according to media and the Democrats)
I thought it could be, get the government working again, strive for bipartisanship, cut spending, get us out of Iraq, get the economy moving again, get the American people employed but now I'm not so sure.
On health care for instance, Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic Party wrote their versions of the health care bills and (blocked) the Republicans from any input at all. While in the Senate Harry Reid is allowing only three Republicans to have any input at all!
All while blaming Republicans for their present state of meltdown and chaos!

You will probably notice that this is the original post, sure, some may question if there was indeed a mandate in the first place. I was just trying to figure out what the mandate or mandates could be and now I wonder if they are being fulfilled to expectations?

 

[Spinoza]

On the topic of political mandates......

Prior to the 2006 congressional elections, the democrat party ran primarily on a one plank platform. They PROMISED an American public that had had their fill of little george's illegal war to nowhere in Iraq, THAT IF ELECTED, they would END THE WAR IN IRAQ and (flag wave) BRING HOME OUR TROOPS.

The American citizens who took the time to excercise their ballot box rights in the 2006 election BELIEVED this democrat party PROMISE, and handed nancy the house and harry the senate in what IMNHO was a clear and obvious ONE PLANK BALLOT MANDATE.

The result......
In each of their two subsequent years of CONTROL in congress, the democrats voted to give little george the BORROWED DOLLARS he needed to CONTINUE the war they had so vociferously PROMISED to speedily END.

AND......
The democrats then PROMISED a second time for the 2008 election, THAT IF ELECTED AGAIN with a fellow democrat in the oval office, they would absoltely positively END the Iraq War.
More than six months have now passed since the democrats convinced the American electorate to give them EVERYTHING they could possibly NEED to END little george's DUMB and IMMORAL WAR.

The result......
The Iraq War continues!
American troops remain in harm's way in Iraq!
And...... The majority of the American troops who are no longer in danger in Iraq, are now in harm's way in Afghanistan. AND NOT HOME!

The ILLEGAL "shock and awe" war against the WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION that were propagandized so dramatically and intentionally in Colin's little george administration slide show at the UN (BUT DID NOT EXIST)......
Made Iraq little george's and big dick's WAR.
UNTIL......
The democrats IGNORED a clear BALLOT BOX MANDATE, and continued PLAYING POLITICS...... AS USUAL!

IMNHO......
EVERY American soldier who has become FOREVER DEAD in Iraq......
And EVERY American soldier who has been maimed in Iraq......
And EVERY innocent Iraqi citizen who has suffered a similar fate......
And EVERY tax dollar wasted in Iraq......
AFTER the END THE WAR MANDATE was ballot box delivered in exchange for a democrat PROMISE......
Is BLOOD and DEBT on the hands of the democrats who LIED twice for votes, but have not yet delivered on THEIR PROMISE.

The fact that little george and big dick remain responsible for MOST of the DEATH and MISERY and DEBT and DISGRACE that has resulted from the Iraq War may matter to
relativists who routinely place PARTY allegiance above ethics.
But count me not amongst any such hypocracy!
And I doubt that many (any?) of the Americans or Iraqis who have suffered severly since THE PROMISE......
Care a rat's arse that they have become the fewer victims of a lying democrat majority, rather than the cannon fodder of a prior little george/big dick/republican majority.

IMNHO......
Modern American politics has demonstrated that political MANDATES count at the ballot box......
AND NOWHERE ELSE for a minimum of 2 political years!

Cheers.

 

[Spinoza]

Obama needs to stand up and show leadership on healthcare.
His willingness to continually step back, compromise and give up critical aspects of the bill will leave him with nothing.
He needs to sell the American people on exactly what the bill will be, what it won't be and what it will cost. Not just in taxes but what it will cost if it is not passed.

He needs to do a better job of selling what will happen if we "stay the course" and what life under the revised plan would be like

A succinct and logical missive......
And when Obama finally learns what he DOES NOT KNOW NOW......
(how congress will eventually slice and dice any final version of the bill)
I sincerely hope he will heed your advice.

Cheers.