what are barack obama's flaws?

Holy shit.

that is some serious bullshit

although seeing it is Holder and not Obama slightly lowers my urge-to-kill reflex towards Obama and redirects it towards Holder

still: serious bullshit

i'm not defending this, but AmericaBlog is lying when it says Obama is lying about what it's doing. the fact that the four previous Presidents had their DOJ oppose the law on the books does not mean that Obama has to believe that's an appropriate use of the DOJ. it's not news that the dude thinks change comes legislatively.

I'm boiling.

also, crickets from John 'n Morbs re "CHANGE" on the whole Israeli settlements thing

agree with gabbneb, which unfortunately is not lessening my urge-to-kill

Does Barack Obama care too much about his wife's clothing?!

http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/huggett/090611

crickets from John 'n Morbs re "CHANGE" on the whole Israeli settlements thing

whatever nuanced words he's issued lately, pardon me for not caring any more right now than the heavyweights running Israel do.

(you may eat the crickets)

lmao

<3 morbs

crickets! the shrimp of the air! /mark s

Woman who offers Michelle Obama fashion crit should maybe look in a mirror sometime IMO

http://www.renewamerica.com/images/columnists/huggett.jpg

eddie izzard, after a religious experience, now writing right wing screeds

Cleve Jones (you know, Emile Hirsch in the movie) confirms there'll be a gay rights march on D.C. in October:

http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2009/06/cleve-jones-we-have-permit-march-on.html

We should be marching, engaging in nonviolent civil disobedience every day. We have a window, but it's already starting to close. If you think you're going to get anything out of Obama in the second half of his term, you don't know anything about political history. In a year, he'll be in full re-election mode."

Referring to today's DOJ-DOMA news, Jones closed with this: "It's so clear that Obama and the Democratic leadership are turning their backs on us. If we don't go for it now, we'll get nothing. It's beginning to smell a lot like Clinton."

whatever nuanced words he's issued lately, pardon me for not caring any more right now than the heavyweights running Israel do.

maybe if you were better at following the coverage you'd know that more than words are involved, but keep talking about "heavyweights" "running" things

andrew sullivan's got comprehensive coverage of the legalities and complexities, and the whole issue is sort of complicated. but the bottom line seems to be that even if this wasn't the right case to challenge DOMA on, the administration's brief went farther than it needed to to satisfy the justice dept's obligation. and of course the context is of a rising sense of impatience and disappointment on gay issues more generally. obama obviously is going to have to be pushed on gay rights, and maybe he's made a strategic decision that he won't move until he's really forced to. that's not an honorable position even if it's politically safe (and i'm not even sure it's politically safe). but anyway, time to see some action.

the bottom line seems to be that even if this wasn't the right case to challenge DOMA on

as Larry Tribe argues

the administration's brief went farther than it needed to to satisfy the justice dept's obligation.

so they shouldn't have made their case zealously? the brief was written by a Bush admin holdover as would be typical in the early days of a new admin

I certainly hope Obama comes out forcefully in favor of same-sex marriage soon, but perhaps it's understandable that he wouldn't want to use his political capital on this issue in his first 6 months in office. His agenda is a bit ambitious already, ya know. Considering that he is basically trying to reshape the role of government in American society and create a new social contract, perhaps he is wise to prevent wedge issues from hurting the chance of success for his MAJOR policy initiatives. This issue could hurt him politically, and in terms of actual policy, there isn't really all that much the Executive branch can do.

I can live with Obama pushing the status quo on same-sex marriage for a year if it mean passing comprehensive health care reform and universal health insurance.

But that's just me, and I'm not personally effected by this issue. I sure as hell would like to see my state do what is right.

i disagree w that logic, kinda

http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/index.asp?document=100

I must make two honest confessions to you, my Christian and Jewish brothers. First, I must confess that over the last few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White citizens' "Councilor" or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direst action" who paternistically feels that he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by the myth of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait until a "more convenient season." Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.

i mean, this court case may have just been the wrong one, then its the wrong one. but as a rule the "take it easy, it'll happen" kinda thing is ... not true. the reason that things like civil rights 'happen' is bcuz ppl dont take it easy, they agitate for change (i.e. why i voted obama --> 'hes never going to be president' well yeah if everyone has that attitude ... u have to actually get out there & make that shit happen & that means agitating for change when you know it needs to happen)

Cleve Jones (you know, Emile Hirsch in the movie) confirms there'll be a gay rights march on D.C. in October:

SPEED RACER IS GAY?!?!?!?!?!?

cant believe it took u this long to figure that out

http://renwl.org/2009/06/13/everyone-calm-down-on-obama-doj__s-doma-brief/

oops -- http://renwl.org/2009/06/13/everyone-calm-down-on-obama-doj%e2%80%99s-doma-brief/

yeah, I thought someone would call me out on the 'just wait, it'll happen' sentiment. That's not really what I am saying though. I'm all for people going ape shit over this issue and putting all kinds of pressure on their elected officials (I wrote several politicians for what its worth). What I'm saying is that it may in fact be shrewd and wise for Obama not to push this issue. It's a political calculation aimed at getting things done.

You quote MLK, but Johnson, the ultimate political operator, got the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts passed.

You all sound like bill maher tonight, I don't want a democratic politician! I want a benevolent dictator! yeah, well, keep voting for nader or what the fuck ever. Obama bears half a resemblance to goddamn Nixon, and compared to four before him, that's fuckin high fives

johnson was also spent his whole career proving that democrats suck at foreign policy

btw (love the man, he put FOIA through, too - the job has many aspects)

You quote MLK, but Johnson, the ultimate political operator, got the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts passed.

You think this just happened with LBJ getting up in the morning and thinking, "Shit! Gotta do somethin' about civil rights today!"? He acted after a decade of consistent pushing.

from Jake Tapper's blog:

Justice spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler said that President Obama “has said he wants to see a legislative repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act because it prevents LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) couples from being granted equal rights and benefits," she said. "However, until Congress passes legislation repealing the law, the administration will continue to defend the statute when it is challenged in the justice system."

corroborating MLK:

We want the world and we want it now
We're gonna take it anyhow

corroborating?

You think this just happened with LBJ getting up in the morning and thinking, "Shit! Gotta do somethin' about civil rights today!"? He acted after a decade of consistent pushing.

You misunderstand me. I'm saying that effective public policy making involves making calculations and using political capital in the right way at the right time.

Yes, the Civil Rights Movement had been going on for 10 years, but it took the combination of LBJ's politic maneuvering and cajoling, plus the political capital gained in the aftermath of JFK's assassination to get the thing passed. If you look at the progress of the bill, there were several points when it nearly got killed. Would the bill have passed in 1960? With a newly elected, 43 year old president who won the election by less than 1% of the popular vote. I don't think so. Effective politicians make calculations and think about timing and prevailing winds.

Maybe some people didn't know what they were getting when they voted for Obama. He's a pragmatist and a political gamer. Personally, I'm totally fine with that, because that's how things get done in government. If Obama thinks that he has a short window of opportunity to make huge, sweeping, vitally important changes in our government, and he believes that same-sex marriage could hurt his chances of success, then staying on the sideline on this issue is shrewd and good politicking. By the same token, if he is calculating that weighing in too early on same-sex marriage will make his play less effective, then I'm glad he's making that calculation too. Considering that the executive branch has little direct say over this issue, and the president's role is basically symbolic, maybe he's right to sit back now. Poll numbers on this issue are shifting, more states are changing laws. If Obama has decided to let things develop and then make a stand at a crucial tipping point, then that's shrewd and probably will be more effective then getting out in front on this issue. If you want a politician who takes principled stands at the expense of actually getting things done, then you should have voted for Nader.

what if these purported calculations are wrong?

Super Cub, you're repeating every argument we've had here and the political threads for the last three years. All your points are noted. I didn't vote for Obama, in large part because I suspected where he'd come down on this; and yet, and yet, as Law Dork notes, the DOJ didn't need to use such strong language:

It’s offensive, it’s dismissive, it’s demeaning and — most importantly — it’s unnecessary. Even if one accepts that DOJ should have filed a brief opposing this case (and the facts do suggest some legitimate questions about standing), the gratuitous language used throughout the filing goes much further than was necessary to make its case.

Fair enough. I definitely believe that Obama needs to come out strongly on this issue, if not now, sometime in the not-too-distant future.

Super Cub, you're repeating every argument we've had here and the political threads for the last three years. All your points are noted. I didn't vote for Obama, in large part because I suspected where he'd come down on this;

― Bud Huxtable (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, June 13, 2009 3:51 PM (33 minutes ago) Bookmark

are u serious

YEAH, HE'S SEEN DEMOCRATS BEFORE

what if these purported calculations are wrong?

Well they very well might be, but Obama seems to have a pretty good feel for this stuff. He's played most everything right so far.

Okay so I got sortof out of hand at the local Starbucks. Yes I'm drunk, but I yelled at a woman going in "WE TORTURED PEOPLE AT GUANTANEMO!" and I saw the look in her eyes. She wanted to wince, she could see the truth in my eyes.

Obama can really suck it, man. I'm ashamed to be an American. You hear me? If there's one subject in this world I feel strongly about it's fucking torture and I am ASHAMED. Go to freaking hell if these goddamn mother fuckers aren't brought to justice. I won't stand for it. Not for a fucking minute.

INNOCENT PEOPLE TORTURED BY THE UNITED STATES IN MY LIFETIME

OBAMA CAN SUCK IT

AND THAT GODDAMN MOTHER FUCKER FROM IRAN TOO

goin in ^^^

are u serious

― autogucci cru (deej),

Fuck yeah.

Saw David Simon in some sort of Q&A. Said Obama wasn't the answer, but that he'd mean things got bad less quickly. Is that the case or not?

Well they very well might be, but Obama seems to have a pretty good feel for this stuff. He's played most everything right so far.

Oh for god's sake shut the fuck UP. No he hasn't!

is "go vote for nader" going to be thrown at every obama critic for the next four years? i voted for the guy (obama, not nader) and i think excusing every single political maneuver on the grounds of "pragmatism" or "that's just what you gotta do to get things done" or whatever brand of beltway bs is fashionable that week is a recipe for disaster. i mean, i don't think people like us were sitting around in 1964 saying "don't worry, lyndon will take care of those segregationists." i'm way more worried about liberals sitting back and "trusting" in obama to take care of everything than i am about liberals abandoning him in a principled huff.

Libs will never abandon Obama, not if he becomes Joe Lieberman (and it's not that long a trip). They have a dream. It was sold to them, but it's theirs. This is why the Dems take every voter to the left of Limbaugh for granted.

Look, the Democratic Party is a centrist party, because this is a center-right (maybe shifting center) nation. That's the reality. No politician can get elected and reelected by appealing to the 15% of the country that has political beliefs far to the right or left of the mainstream (ala the Republican Party right now).

Dismissing politics as "inside the beltway bs" misses the point. The necessity for compromise and quid pro quo and whatever, is fundamental to democracy. It's not some parlor game, it's the way our government functions.

I find Obama's stance on Guantanamo deplorable. I still support him, because he may actually achieve universal health coverage, and that's incredibly important. Pragmatism has its merits.