Truth, I have a lot of respect for you, but is arguing he's better than Bush really any kind of endorsement?
Among informed and reasonable people, it's clear that Obama is an improvement over Bush in a variety of significant ways and many of the problems we face are primarily the responsibility of the last administration. But, when Obama retains the bulk of Bush's aggressive militarism, surveillance state, repudiation of the rule of law, and cozy corporatism (not passively but actively adopting and advocating these policies), can he really be said to even be trying to make things better?
He sold out the progressives before he was even elected and despite all the cries of Marxism from idiots, has essentially continued to serve the same elite, monied interests he was elected to eradicate.
Smart, moral people try to hold ourselves to a higher standard than Al Qaeda and don't fall back on "Well they're worse, so atrocities we commit are justified!" So too should we hold the President to a higher standard than "He's better than the record-breakingly awful last guy, so he deserves our support!"
With a few exceptions, Obama's young presidency has been a complete failure. Not just because an obstructionist Republican Congress has tried to prevent the adoption of any new policies, but because Obama has squandered a supermajority by proposing and adopting policies that are terrible in their own right.
I understand frustration at the self-serving hypocrisy from most conservatives on this, but bigger picture, do you really think Obama warrants defending?
Among informed and reasonable people, it's clear that Obama is an improvement over Bush in a variety of significant ways and many of the problems we face are primarily the responsibility of the last administration. But, when Obama retains the bulk of Bush's aggressive militarism, surveillance state, repudiation of the rule of law, and cozy corporatism (not passively but actively adopting and advocating these policies), can he really be said to even be trying to make things better?
He sold out the progressives before he was even elected and despite all the cries of Marxism from idiots, has essentially continued to serve the same elite, monied interests he was elected to eradicate.
Smart, moral people try to hold ourselves to a higher standard than Al Qaeda and don't fall back on "Well they're worse, so atrocities we commit are justified!" So too should we hold the President to a higher standard than "He's better than the record-breakingly awful last guy, so he deserves our support!"
With a few exceptions, Obama's young presidency has been a complete failure. Not just because an obstructionist Republican Congress has tried to prevent the adoption of any new policies, but because Obama has squandered a supermajority by proposing and adopting policies that are terrible in their own right.
I understand frustration at the self-serving hypocrisy from most conservatives on this, but bigger picture, do you really think Obama warrants defending?
Last edited: