A question for "Moderates" on the perfomance of President Obama/

A question for "Moderates" on the perfomance of President Obama/ (Full Version)

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corysub -> A question for "Moderates" on the perfomance of President Obama/ (3/6/2009 1:11:50 AM)
On another thread a "moderate" poster made the rather fair observation that liberals and conservatives have all the "fun" here, and that most of the threads were either right or left, but not much in the middle. I don't think Obama could do anything short of resigning that would make me happy, and I don't think liberals will rest until George Bush is tarred and feathered, put in a cell and the door sealed with bricks. However, the basic 1/3 of people more in the middle of the political spectrum really do decide elections, and I wonder if anyone who would classify themselves as moderate (not to be confused with "Moderated")_ and voted for Obama would want to comment on whether they are still as enamored of the man or have "buyers regret". I also wonder if those who did not vote for Obama would change their vote today if possible since they are delighted with the direction we are taking?

VanessaChaland -> RE: A question for "Moderates" on the perfomance of President Obama/ (3/6/2009 1:22:14 AM)
What were our options? A senile old rich white guy (Bush 2.0) and God forbid something happened to him an ignorant religious right wing crank? Really, we had no option. Buyers regret? I mean the guy has been in office for about 6 weeks. He hasn't even had time to find the light switches yet. Sure some worship Obama and are disappointed that he hasn't cured cancer, solved the economic crisis and resolved the occupation of Palestine yet, but they need more meds. Time will tell, but of any viable candidate that had a snow balls chance in hell of winning, from either party, Obama is the right guy at the right time.

StrangerThan -> RE: A question for "Moderates" on the perfomance of President Obama/ (3/6/2009 4:35:37 AM)
I voted for Bush the first time around. I mean, give me a break. Al Gore? By the second election, the RNC couldn't have bought my vote. By last year, I had the feeling that the Dems could run Homer Simpson or Adolph Hitler and win. It didn't matter. The pendulum had swung towards them and they knew it. I don't hate Bush. What I've always said is something I'll stand by still. It's not Iraq, even though I believe we had no right and no reason to invade. It isn't his foreign policy at all. It is his policy here, essentially that of stomping on the Constitution and law repeatedly that I'd like to see him answer for. As for Obama, I didn't vote for him. Honestly, I didn't vote at all. I'm willing to give most anyone a fair chance. He ran on an empty platform, that of change, but it's one that resonated with the American public and the swing voters. He's a great speaker, and I believe has integrity. Past that, I see little change and a lot of the same pork. I don't see anything visionary in the bills that have been passed, nor the budget that's waiting to be passed. Both are and were rife with pet projects. Both increase spending and the deficit. Neither display change nor fiscal responsibility. He has surrounded himself with the status quo even if he doesn't want it. I don't know. I want him to succeed, for the country if no other reason. I think we need a visionary at this point in history, and while we may have gotten one, the old guard that surrounds him will begin to shape his thoughts and actions. Unfortunately, that old guard is comprised of some of those hanging off one end of the political spectrum. The Republicans made that mistake on the right. Dems can't seem to understand it's a mistake on the left as well. Shrug. I'm at the point where I'm just going to ride it out and if the chips fall, well, they fall because no one side is really wanting to fix things. Most constitutents are too busy screaming at each other to understand that both sides are to blame and the whole mess needs to go. But they won't. We'll keep voting for the same things, over and over and over and over.

Termyn8or -> RE: A question for "Moderates" on the perfomance of President Obama/ (3/6/2009 7:32:10 AM)
fr I would have to say as expected. Sure I liked a couple of his speeches "WE DON'T DO THAT HERE" and things like that. But I never became enamoured in any way. I also liked how Bush said "We don't need a special law, we'll execute them" (in reference to the dragging death that occurred years ago while he was governor of Texas). Obama is a democrat, and like it or not he is going to do what democratrs do. As long as it is within the constraints of those really in power. They don't much care if he takes our guns, blows our tax money and so forth, as long as he operates within their agenda he will not go the way JFK did. I am now anti republican as well as anti democrat. Does that qualify me as a moderate ? T

Owner59 -> RE: A question for "Moderates" on the performance of President Obama/ (3/6/2009 8:17:00 AM)
Not sure you would recognize a moderate if one fell on you,cory. For Limbots/neo-cons,most everyone and everything`s to the left,seemingly. And I mean everything,our culture,the media, judges and the judicial system,the teachers,and on and on. Perspectives are rooted in where one stands. http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/obama-preferred-over-reagan----in-fox-news-poll.php But people are.where they are and most fall in the middle,politically. Pretty much like the respondents answering the Fox poll I linked to,indicating they preferred Obama to Reagan. To the conservative,that poll is automatically suspect.Cons are just not going to accept things like this and it`s because they are so far to the right (in their own POV) that their perspective won`t allow them to. I`m moderate leaning left(tho I`ve voted for republicans) and a proud liberal. My biggest intolerance is for bull shit.Since 9/11 and the Iraq mess,even more so.That sometimes makes me look super liberal ,but it`s only b/c of the juxtaposition to whom I`m debating/debunking. I think what most folks want,are less extreme characters involved in running things.Conservatives could get away with a lot of shit and get by pretty much unnoticed. They could exploit tragedies like 9/11 and create new ones,like Iraq.But it was when they went and fucked with people`s money,that folks turned and took notice. Moderate folks.

LaTigresse -> RE: A question for "Moderates" on the perfomance of President Obama/ (3/6/2009 1:36:00 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: VanessaChaland What were our options? A senile old rich white guy (Bush 2.0) and God forbid something happened to him an ignorant religious right wing crank? Really, we had no option. Buyers regret? I mean the guy has been in office for about 6 weeks. He hasn't even had time to find the light switches yet. Sure some worship Obama and are disappointed that he hasn't cured cancer, solved the economic crisis and resolved the occupation of Palestine yet, but they need more meds. Time will tell, but of any viable candidate that had a snow balls chance in hell of winning, from either party, Obama is the right guy at the right time. This reflects my personal feelings.

lronitulstahp -> RE: A question for "Moderates" on the perfomance of President Obama/ (3/6/2009 3:55:57 PM)
i believe i am the poster to whom the OP was referring, i guess i should put in my two cents. Buyers regret? Not at all...since i never "bought" anything. i was never "enamored" of President Obama....but the thought of Sarah Palin having any chance at being President....that was just too hellish for me to imagine. (just the thought STILL makes my flesh all goose-pimply[:'(]) So far in 6 weeks, i think our President and his administration are in a situation i wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. It's like being the clean-up crew of 5 people assigned to something akin to the Jonestown massacre...with people expecting it to be all picked up and perfect the next day. Do i think some of his plans are far-reaching? Yes. Do i think it's fair to blame him for the mess we're in? Definately not. i think he will learn pretty quickly that the American public is ravenous for some sort of quick fix. Let's face it, the average American doesn't understand much about how government operates, or what a sub-prime loan is....but they still want to see the economy improve. i want to see our President succeed because it is good for the American people if his plans succeed. But if he were to start a war based on suspicious grounds, or to limit rights to privacy, or speech, if he tried to set women's rights back into the 19th century, if his policies favored a sort of welfare state, while he expanded government or if he used patriotism as a means of setting up some sort of "thought police" you'd never find a more staunch Obama critic than me. i am enamored of this country...and i think extreme partisanship is quickly becoming one of the major things that could harm it. That worries me. ~moderate slut

popeye1250 -> RE: A question for "Moderates" on the perfomance of President Obama/ (3/6/2009 4:25:37 PM)
I guess you could call me a "moderate". I didn't vote for Obama or McCain as I really don't care for Dems or Repubs. I prefer to call myself a "Lou Dobbs Populist." I think that if something is good for "The People" then it's "good" period. I really do hope that President Obama does a good job and I am certainly willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. But, if he tries to do something stupid like come up with any type of "amnesty" for illegal aliens in this country I'll drop him like a hot potato! He'll be garaunteed a "one-termer" if he tries that! He should know better after Senators reporting calls against that running at "80 to 1 against." That's not worth expending any "political capital" on anyway. Obama needs to close the loophole in the 14th Amendment (if there even is one!) and "grandfather" it back to 1986. Now Healthcare for U.S. Citizens is an idea I would be supportive of comming from the Obama Whitehouse! And of course I'd support getting out of these "outsourcing" deals that they call "Free Trade Deals."

DomKen -> RE: A question for "Moderates" on the perfomance of President Obama/ (3/6/2009 4:26:55 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: popeye1250 I guess you could call me a "moderate". Only if Genghis Khan is an extreme liberal.

popeye1250 -> RE: A question for "Moderates" on the perfomance of President Obama/ (3/6/2009 4:59:44 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: DomKen quote: ORIGINAL: popeye1250 I guess you could call me a "moderate". Only if Genghis Khan is an extreme liberal. Well gee DomKen, I believe in a woman's right to choose, gay marriage, legalising marijuana, equal pay for equal work, and National Healthcare for all U.S. Citizens. What ever do you mean?

kdsub -> RE: A question for "Moderates" on the perfomance of President Obama/ (3/6/2009 5:58:20 PM)
I am a moderate..or at least I have always voted for the man not the party. Cory just because I am a moderate does not mean I can't think Bush a good man but bad president. It doesn't mean I have to be undecided about abortion, gun control, capital punishment, or the economy. Being moderate does not mean someone who does not have opinions..it just means someone who looks at issues outside the part lines. Even if all my views aligned with a particular party at any one time does not mean I cannot be a moderate. I base my decisions on the issues. I am a moderate that decided to vote for Obama... his appeal is that he truly does represent the middle.. the moderates... That is why he is President. Butch

OrionTheWolf -> RE: A question for "Moderates" on the perfomance of President Obama/ (3/6/2009 6:40:37 PM)
I classify myself as an independent conservative. I use the word conservative to explain my political position, such as smaller government and responsible fiscal spending. I am also a social moderate or liberal, which means I do not feel we should legislate anything that violates personal space or lifestyle, as long as their actions do not violate someone else's rights. Now that being said...... I am willing to give Obama more time to form an opinion of things. So far it seems the status quo for any politician. I will say that he now owns the economy. If it turns around then he gets the praise, right? this also means that if it continues to tank he shares the responsibility. As far as Iraq, I want our troops out ASAP and I do not support more troops in Afghanistan. If we really want a secure nation, then that money and manpower can be used to secure our borders and ports. More technology, special ops, and create a multi-national force if something needs to be in Afghanistan. If he keeps things more transparent in the government, I am all for that and support him. The problem I have is that even within government agencies there is no transparency. Where did all the AIG money go? If I were President, there would not be an option to not tell me or the oversight sub-committee where it went. I do not like the obfuscation he did on the assault weapons thing. It is a feel good effort since assault weapons are a very, very small percentage of gun crimes. I do not like political shit like this that wastes efforts and money that could be better put towards things that will have a wider positive effect. More time will tell for me. quote: ORIGINAL: corysub On another thread a "moderate" poster made the rather fair observation that liberals and conservatives have all the "fun" here, and that most of the threads were either right or left, but not much in the middle. I don't think Obama could do anything short of resigning that would make me happy, and I don't think liberals will rest until George Bush is tarred and feathered, put in a cell and the door sealed with bricks. However, the basic 1/3 of people more in the middle of the political spectrum really do decide elections, and I wonder if anyone who would classify themselves as moderate (not to be confused with "Moderated")_ and voted for Obama would want to comment on whether they are still as enamored of the man or have "buyers regret". I also wonder if those who did not vote for Obama would change their vote today if possible since they are delighted with the direction we are taking?

DomKen -> RE: A question for "Moderates" on the perfomance of President Obama/ (3/6/2009 8:40:40 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: popeye1250 quote: ORIGINAL: DomKen quote: ORIGINAL: popeye1250 I guess you could call me a "moderate". Only if Genghis Khan is an extreme liberal. Well gee DomKen, I believe in a woman's right to choose, gay marriage, legalising marijuana, equal pay for equal work, and National Healthcare for all U.S. Citizens. What ever do you mean? You've claimed repeatedly to support an ultra right wing theocratic party. That party has specific planks against choice and gay rights (and kicked out state parties that moderated those planks even a little). So your actions speak a lot louder than your words.

Jeptha -> RE: A question for "Moderates" on the perfomance of President Obama/ (3/6/2009 8:46:13 PM)
I'm probably more liberal than moderate, though in some ways I might resemble a "fiscal moderate"...by which I mean, I don't think you can solve problems by throwing money at them, which I'm afraid is happening to some degree right now. I voted for Obama, and I like him. I'm not sure if I have confidence in all of his economic strategy. Some, hopefully, will be like an investment that bears fruit. A big part of the problem, I'm afraid, is that the economy is going through a "balancing out" process, and is far from done yet. Trying to prop it up with investments in risky places (like hopelessly out of date or inept companies) doesn't appear to be a good gamble.

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