As the 2012 election season kicks off in earnest, we have to ask: exactly what is the difference between President Obama's actual policies and those of centerist Republicans? To be honest there is ZERO difference!
Here are the president's three centerpiece accomplishments:
1. Ending the war in Iraq.
2. Ending the Armed Forces' policy of "don't ask, don't tell".
3. Passing healthcare reform.
If we examine these accomplishments, we find that moderate Republicans were equally capable of passing such lukewarm reforms. The war in Iraq was deeply unpopular, acceptance of gays is increasingly mainstream, and healthcare reform had been on everyone's agenda for years.
If we were to take a more objective view, stripped of phony ideological parsing, what exactly is the difference between Obama's policies and those of moderate Republicans? We can get a better grasp of this by asking a few key questions:
How many bloated weapons systems has he cancelled? (ZERO)
How many overseas bases has he closed? (NONE)
Who runs his financial policies? Wall Street CRONIES.
I think you get the idea here: there is literally no difference between Obama and a moderate Republican when it comes to the truly important policies governing the nation's insolvent finances, its predatory financial sector, its corrupt and fraudulent sickcare system or its sprawling Empire.
Obama's policies have all aided and abetted existing Status Quo cartels and fiefdoms. He has changed absolutely nothing of import except further eroding civil liberties.
As the 2012 election season kicks off in earnest, we have to ask: exactly what is the difference between President Obama's actual policies and those of centerist Republicans? To be honest there is ZERO difference!
Here are the president's three centerpiece accomplishments:
1. Ending the war in Iraq.
2. Ending the Armed Forces' policy of "don't ask, don't tell".
3. Passing healthcare reform.
If we examine these accomplishments, we find that moderate Republicans were equally capable of passing such lukewarm reforms. The war in Iraq was deeply unpopular, acceptance of gays is increasingly mainstream, and healthcare reform had been on everyone's agenda for years.
If we were to take a more objective view, stripped of phony ideological parsing, what exactly is the difference between Obama's policies and those of moderate Republicans? We can get a better grasp of this by asking a few key questions:
How many bloated weapons systems has he cancelled? (ZERO)
How many overseas bases has he closed? (NONE)
Who runs his financial policies? Wall Street CRONIES.
I think you get the idea here: there is literally no difference between Obama and a moderate Republican when it comes to the truly important policies governing the nation's insolvent finances, its predatory financial sector, its corrupt and fraudulent sickcare system or its sprawling Empire.
Obama's policies have all aided and abetted existing Status Quo cartels and fiefdoms. He has changed absolutely nothing of import except further eroding civil liberties.
has doubled down in Afghanistan actually spending more money than Bush,, and exponentially expanded the drone attack policy and it's now leaking into local police departments for surveillance. We still have significant troop presence in nearly 50 countries. Why would be a great question. Does Romney the draft dodger number his sons as among the projected 100,000 increase in troops? Saxby Chambliss the draft dodger his son? Cheney the draft dodger his girls and son-in-law? Didin't think so righties aka FBR "Fuck Board Righties."
Glenn Greenwald: Obama Has Maintained Indefinite Detention, State Secrets Powers
http://my.firedoglake.com/kgosztola/2011/07/06/glenn-greenwald-obama-has-maintained-indefinite-detention-state-secrets-powers/
Bush 2.0: 100 Ways Barack Obama
Is Just Like George W. Bush
http://www.humblelibertarian.com/2011/08/bush-20-100-ways-barack-obama-is-just.html
Obama promised to end Bush tax cuts, but has not succeeded in doing that yet as we come into the end of his first term and the beginning of his second term.
As the 2012 election season kicks off in earnest, we have to ask: exactly what is the difference between President Obama's actual policies and those of centerist Republicans? To be honest there is ZERO difference!
Here are the president's three centerpiece accomplishments:
1. Ending the war in Iraq.
2. Ending the Armed Forces' policy of "don't ask, don't tell".
3. Passing healthcare reform.
If we examine these accomplishments, we find that moderate Republicans were equally capable of passing such lukewarm reforms. The war in Iraq was deeply unpopular, acceptance of gays is increasingly mainstream, and healthcare reform had been on everyone's agenda for years.
If we were to take a more objective view, stripped of phony ideological parsing, what exactly is the difference between Obama's policies and those of moderate Republicans? We can get a better grasp of this by asking a few key questions:
How many bloated weapons systems has he cancelled? (ZERO)
How many overseas bases has he closed? (NONE)
Who runs his financial policies? Wall Street CRONIES.
I think you get the idea here: there is literally no difference between Obama and a moderate Republican when it comes to the truly important policies governing the nation's insolvent finances, its predatory financial sector, its corrupt and fraudulent sickcare system or its sprawling Empire.
Obama's policies have all aided and abetted existing Status Quo cartels and fiefdoms. He has changed absolutely nothing of import except further eroding civil liberties.
-- Modified on 8/26/2012 11:15:34 AM
OK, I'll stipulate to your examples. But, for me I have a fundamental and unmovable disdain for a liar. Particularly when it comes to policy liars where the lies told hurt large segments of the voters. Obama lied on the most fundamental promises he made to get elected last time and worst, he shows no remorse whatsoever. In deed, he thumbs his nose at us. Remember open and televised debate on healthcare. Remember televised debates on important issues so America could see exactly how their representatives behaved. Remember no tax increases for the middle class. Remember the complete absence of compromise on important legislation despite his promise the unite America... Sorry, but their two people running for POTUS, both have track records, both are making policy promises. Yes, in some regards they are similar in terms of their parties. But, one has a track record of doing exactly what he says he now wants to do. The other has a track record of making promises and breaking most of them. And, those broken promises come despite his knowledge that he wanted to have a second term. I can only imagine how he would behave knowing that he didn't have to worry about re-election again. No way I could risk supporting Obama.
the last 4 years. None of the righties here talk about 4 years of obstructive Congress and don't bring up 2008-1010 because the filibuster in the Senate was used in record numbers--the graph from the 1970's goes straight up to 72% of the time to block nearly anything Obama tried to pass and McConnell expressly admitted to doing just that so Obama wouldn't get a second term.
There's a jobs bill that has been stalled now for over a year. GOP has a clear track record of voting against the best interests of the 99% because they think it's the pragmatic path to the WH, and they now have 2 candidates who are ginning up with an economic plan that not only does not balance whatsoever, it destroys Medicare completely in ten years for a voucher system with lipstick on that pig called "premium support." LOL I don't see the righties here ever parading that Medicare voucher system on here because they know the economics that they are not going to buy a provider's time for a nickle, nor would they be able to buy a coronary bypass for 15 grand, and that would be only one illness they might have to pay for with that one time voucher. There are all kinds of projections and stats out there as to how much it costs medically to stay alive for x number of years whether you are male or female.
None of the righties here talk about the huge percentage of right wing extreme social issues that have been voted on by the House the last two years that luckily never saw the light of day in the Senate because the Dems narrowly control it.
None of the righties talk about the 72% use of the filibuster by the GOP in the Senate.
None of the righties here ever post the word Medicare voucher or the raw numbers that give lie to Romney and Ryan every day when they lie that Obama is cutting Medicare to the tune of $716 billion.
.Patients Would Pay More if Romney Restores Medicare Savings, Analysts Say
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/22/us/politics/costs-seen-in-romneys-medicare-savings-plan.html?_r=1
The problem with Romney’s Medicare chart: It’s not true
Comments
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/08/24/the-problem-with-romneys-medicare-chart-its-not-true/
Also, how come no outrage about George W Bush lying us into the Iraq war ?
At least when Obama "lied", nobody died.
Well, actually I didn't feel the need to mention flip flops of Romney because I "assumed" that folks had examined the record and knew better. Do yourself a favor and examine the campaigns of Romney as he sought to be a republican governor or a hugely democratic State. I'll save you a bit of time here by summing it up with Romney claimed he would unite the parties in Mass., he would support the will of the people as manifest by the State Congress even if doing so went against his personal politics. His election was accomplished by gaining a lot of dems, and indys, and his promise to represent the people and not party lost him some repub votes.
If you'd stop regurgitating that damn liberal press and go investigate the facts yourself and apply a little open minded common sense, you just might discover as I have that Obama is a douche bag liar, and Romeny is a pragmatist who has a demonstrated track record of supporting the electorate and not his own personal vendetta.
As for Bush.... who gives a crap... he is not running for POTUS. You'd be wise to forget about dem vs repub, and instead focus on the track records of the two guys who are running... they are the only things that matter. And goes without saying, ignore all these pundits... ever gone back and compared what they said about an issue, and then see how that issue actually turned out...? Wake up and do the right thing ... you'll be a better person for it.
financed by the same Oligarchy. It certainly doesn't sound like democratic government "By and for the People" to me!
In respect to purchasing power, quality of life, and actual say in current government the 99% is not much further ahead than centuries ago when under feudalism, aristocracies, and monarchies.
Somehow the BIG MONEY always finds a way to keep firmly on TOP of the masses, and manipulating those masses for its own gain.
"The Democrats have moved to the right, and the Republicans have moved into a mental hospital."
Obama is a moderate conservative. He always has been.
Obama has used this to his advantage. The nutty GOP likes to portray Democrats as the most left wing lefties who ever leftied.
Since Obama has adopted many of their platforms, they're left with calling their old positions treasonous, and that it's destroying the country.
What this country has been free of, for decades, is real genuine liberals and progressives enacting liberal and progressive policies. It simply doesn't happen anymore. And while that has ceased to happen, the country has also declined. That's not a coincidence.