Talking Points > Disappointed in Obama

When someone tells you they are disappointed in President Obama here is my response.
It's unfortunate you are disappointed. Perhaps from your view point it looks like Obama betrayed working people.

From my perspective, he rescued the country from a Great Depression, saved the auto industry, passed health care reform, strengthened financial oversight, ended the war in Iraq, ended Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, reversed eight years of anti-labor and anti-environmental regulation, expanded student aid to millions of young people, made the largest investment in clean energy in our history, and started enforcing our civil rights laws again. And this all in the face of hysterical opposition from the Tea Party  and mainstream Republicans.

Have I gotten everything I wanted when he was elected? No. But that’s not how a democracy works. So rather than give up hope, I’d encourage you stay involved and keep working with like minded folks to bring about a fairer, more prosperous America.

source of response from this blog posting

President Obama doesn't fight hard enough for causes Democrats believe in.
President Obama is a master at outmaneuvering the opposition. When President Obama reaches out to the Republicans, some view it as a sign of weakness. The political center, those who actually decide elections – HATE infighting in the government. They want to see politicians working toward solutions. When Obama  reaches across the aisle, what those voters see is someone who is trying to do the right thing, and an opposition that wants to bite his hand off for doing so. He’s actually courting voters to his side by doing that. He’s not “kowtowing” or “caving,” he’s actually working for the progressive cause. 

response adapted from this article

President Obama "gave up" on the public option for Health Care Reform.

I am also disappointed that Health Care Reform did not include the public option. I direct my  disappointment at the state of Massachusets for electing Scott Brown to fill Ted Kennedy's seat,  and at  Joe Lieberman and other moderate Democrats who abandoned this option. 

President Obama's strategy on health care was nothing short of perfect, which is why it passed for the first time ever. If the Republicans had Obama on record as saying “The public option is a must” for a health insurance reform bill in the current climate, the GOP would have gathered the troops together and used that statement to launch a billion-dollar campaign against Obama’s attempt to force “socialized medicine” down our throats. It would have made it even more difficult to pass than it was, and it might have killed any sort of reform for at least another 10-15 years. 

response adapted from this article

President Obama does not support Gay marriage

He HAS declared repeatedly his belief that gay couples should have the same rights as everyone else; he’s just not going to go on record. If the current president of the United States would come out in favor of gay marriage here is what would happen. You know the split that’s happening between the nuts and the extreme nuts in the Republican Party? Kiss that goodbye. That would crystallize the opposition, and they would have a common theme to run against in the next election. 

While some may think that if the president says something and tens of millions of people will suddenly throw their hands up and say, “Oh YES! He’s right! I have to give up everything I have ever been taught by my religion and accept gays as equals!” But in the real world we live in, presidents don’t have that influence.  

response adapted from this article 

President Obama hasn't done enough for the LGBT community

I can understand your frustration with the oppression imposed on the LGBT community,  however from my point of view President Obama has been a strong advocate for LGBT causes.  Obama decided   that DOMA is unconstitutional, signed DADT’s repeal into law last year, set policies for government employees that allow same sex partners to be covered by employees’ health insurance, and  is undoing much of what our last Democratic president did. Rights for the LGT community may not  be fast enough, or sweeping enough for others, but I remain convinced that the President supports equal rights for all Americans. 

response adapted from this article

President Obama caved to Republicans over the budget and Bush tax Cuts in Dec. 2010 I wanted the tax cuts to expire in 2010 also and so did the President.  On the other hand, it’s difficult for me to toss unemployed folks under the bus when the tradeoff was 13 months of extended Unemployment Insurance benefits, which is stimulative to the economy and which makes a huge difference to the long-term unemployed. The suspension of the  payroll tax has also helped working families take home extra money every month. Rather than blame President Obama, lets turn up the heat on the Republicans who are defending the Bush tax cuts.

response adapted from this article

Generic response to any issue where the person is "disappointed"

President Obama realizes that he has to pick and choose his battles, and that HOW he fights the battles matters. He’s getting more stuff done than anyone in the last 40 years or more, and we need to support him.