Why Obama's poll ratings keep dropping

I'm still going to give him the benefit of the doubt. You can't expect no human being to fix eight years of crap in one year. However, I am disappointed that he is not taking more leadership when it comes to the health care bill and the economy. The health care bill is probably the most important bill of his presidency.

Obama, along with the democrat controlled Congress, took the wrong approach to getting a good Health Care Reform/Health Insurance Reform bill passed. They should have started out with the reconciliation process where you only need 51 votes in the U.S. SENATE instead of 60 votes. The bill would have been passed and signed by now. But Obama (stupid man), wanted to be able to say he had "bipartisan support" for the bill. He didn't realize how much Republicans HATE him and want him to fail. His naivete about what Republicans (and the majority of white Americans) think about him has led to his undoing. As this process has dragged on over the months (trying to get a bill that 60 Senators will vote for), Obama's approval rating has declined sharply and will probably decline even further as time goes on. What this means for the rest of Obama's "agenda" is anybody's guess.

Initially, I gave the President one year before becoming outright critical of his performance. Now, I am extending that time in all fairness to him because he did inherit an out right mess. However, my extended time will be with a critical eye and like many posters I want to see a firmer stand on issues that "change" stood for.

Elg, I agree but will add something else. Barack, his fervent supporters and stupid democrats have been the start and end of this whole problem with healthcare. Now they want to go after Dean when there are current members of the democratic majority who have roadblocked any sort of real change.

This is not change. This is lacking the spine god gave man.

Because he has allowed the blue dogs and Lieberman to punk the American people by punking him. He has not stood up to be the voice of the people or reform. He has grown comfortable in the Washington Bubble and lost touch with his base. We voted for change and the only change and sympathy he appears to have is for the blue dogs and republicans. It all began with Rick Warren as a slap in the face and has gone downhill every sense. We were willing to fight with him for what was right, the dream of a more just and fair society. He inspired us to love and in believe in him and to fight for him .We believed he connected to the "better angels of our nature.” Yet his people appear to attack his friends who supported him and appease those who attack. This not allows appears stupid when silence could have sufficed. This is just dumb and wrong. Yet they remain quite as the republicans Lieberman, Limbaugh, and Fox News who inspire revolution, insurrection, and riots and just lie. Dr. King always maintained his integrity even when it meant losing the support of the Establishment. Johnson maintained his integrity even when it meant he would have to stand against his friends and neighbors on civil rights. Kennedy maintained his integrity even when it meant he would have to go before ministers to let them know that his Catholic Faith would not threaten the separation of state and church. President Obama appears either not be a fighter for the people who elected him believes in the Republican Agenda. We, suffers the attacks of the Fox and the conservative media with him and are afraid of what they are doing to our country. It is a whole segment of the population that stands with him and suffer these outrages. His lack of leadership on Healthcare, which was the primary contributing factor of him wining ever debate during the campaign, makes him appear less then genuine and weak. We want the old Barak back.

To be fair to the reader this will be a two part message. I was just as ecstatic as the rest of you the night Obama won the election, as expected, but one hour later reality hit me like a ton of bricks. What too many people do not understand is the amount of irreparable damage that Bush caused. How do you fight two wars at a cost of $20 billion dollars a month with no plan for withdrawal from either, allow jobs that paid a living wage to vanish forever with no plans for the now displaced workers and then have no plan to cover the expenses of an ALREADY overburdened social security system that IS NOT TECHNICALLY SOLVENT? I'll tell you how you do it. You look at the educational level of the minions that are effected by your decisions and then simply say F'em, let the next poor bastard whose fantasy has come true by being elected president of the united states worry about it.

You see people, we all sit around now and talk about what is not being done. And we are right. It does appear that nothing is being done but ask yourselves this: WHAT CAN HE DO TO JUMP START THE ECONOMY AND PUT PEOPLE BACK TO WORK WHEN THERE IS NO CONFIDENCE,MONEY, NOR AVAILABLE JOBS TO DO IT WITH? Are you going to tell people who have studied chemical engineering for 6 years they are to report at 8am on Monday morning to the GW Bridge and start swinging a paint brush? What is he (Obama)going to do? And better yet what do you suggest he do, and be realistic in your answer. What few jobs left are paying less than the person who had the job before them and even then no one has the confidence that the job will last long enough to retire from. Until confidence is restored there will be no way out of this hole of hopelessness the entire country IS now in. We are going to have to get off of the present monetary system we are on because it is no longer matters how much money you accumulate, the possibility of it vanishing without you being able to do anything about it has now become all too real. If you don't spend money in my store then I can not pay my workers and they can not pay their bills which now drags down the life time savings of the stockholders in my company which will cause the banks to not lend me money to keep the whole shabang going. Make sense now? We all know a monumental problem exists. Now we have to find a way out of it instead of sitting around crying about what one man is not doing with a problem he inherited.

First let me say I never supported him, I was a Ron Paul guy. But from an objective stand point, here is Obama's problem: All of his promises were vague. He let people imagine what they meant. He didn't set specific goals. So how can he live up to the imagination of a wide range of voters? Different people thought his campaign promises meant different things. It was inevitable that his presidency would be a failure - it was all emotion and vague goals. But that's what gets you elected.

Stop blaming Bush! The texas dude is over. If Obama wants to be a President. Dammit! then fix the stupid problem. All executive transitions has problem. There is no smooth transitions, margarine to butter maybe. Stop f%%#@ng whining. Fix it! If he can't do it, let's go to the next person who can do better. Simple as that.

I knew it was only a matter of time before someone played the "Bush" card in defending Obama. I'm glad more people are starting to see how President Obama is a completely different person from candidate Obama. Obama has been Washingtonized! He has become one of them! Candidate Obama warned us not to listen to the fear mongering of the Republicans but President Obama recently stated that if a healthcare bill isn't passed, the country will go bankrupt. Why the fear mongering, Mr. President? This healthcare bill has become more about Obama's legacy and less about the American people. Obama has sold out his democratic base and the American people. Hold this flip-flopper accountable!

@Jamiee Jamiee: Co-sign!!! No one forced Obama to run for the presidency. This is what he signed up for. Yes, he inherited a mess, but Obama and his administration need to stop crying and whining about who created the mess and focus on fixing it!

It's a wrap for Obama. He's one and done!

Inherited a mess? What mess? As Jamiee said, there is no presidential transition that was smooth. Everything was like swallowing a liver mixed with dong. It's always been painful. Most were able to handle it. Why Obama can't do it? Obama created twice problem in what Bush did in 8 years. Within a year, Obama made a wrong approach to the tarmac. His wing verged too much to the left. He can talk and jive but zero action. He keeps doing it, unaware people were laughing & knew he was a bu$Sh*8ter.

Independent thinker would you PLEASE share with us your solutions to the problems facing the country and where the resources are that he is going to use to get us out of this problem? I think if there were a solution to these problems he INHERITED FROM BUSH it would have gotten McCain/Palin elected by a landslide despite Ms. Palins numerous shortcomings. You were on the money when you said that Obama is done. He was done before the final tally of all the votes were in because there is no solution. No one ever asks why, if the republican rants are really studied, were they not put in place by that imbecile Bush. The reason being they too would not have worked HAD THEY EVEN EXISTED. Imagine if Obama came clean and told people to be afraid, and be very afraid. Because that is just the situation at hand now. When middle-aged people who had $100k's invested in their company's 401k are wiped out (remember Bear Sterns,Enron,Lehman Bros just to begin with)in the blink of an eye and now have to look for a new job or career and compete with younger workers who know nothing of value (credit cards and an overpriced mortgage are false senses of financial security)what you are looking at is a collapsed financial system that is being propped up because if it were not people would be rioting in the streets. We are printing and spending money on a scale that would make the late Idi Amin of Uganda blush. The country is BANKRUPT. Case closed.

Hobo-- Obama gave himself a "B-plus" grade, just shy of an excellent "A" Do you think that is fair to the American people? He hasn't done no zhyte. American people has no faith in his ability to handle our sinking economy. His partisan healthcare program is slap in American people. His crazy spending will cost my, your children and their children a deep hole. I can go on and on and tell you all the controversal issues he started & can't finish. Let's stay in our sinking economy. People needs work. I'm no Republican nor a Democrat - I simply encourage everyone to avoid voting for any candidates who went to Harvard or Yale. We have too much lawyers in the house in congres. We are convoluted with small prints. Next time, try a teacher, engineers, doctors, scientist, or simply a housewife. My mother handled my family while my dad was away. Twice better & controlled than what he did. Obama has to go. Sad but true. This is the year of independent.

@Jaimee-Jaimiee let me be absolutely sure I am hearing what you are saying correctly. You said his "partisan healthcare plan" is a slap in the face. And your alternative plan is?? You said that our children and their chidren are in a deep hole. Caused by whose policies? And what was the alternative if he chose to let the banks fall flat on their face? You and several others who jumped on the Rush Limbaugh bandwagon of "kill blackie"(Limbaugh said when Obama ran against everyone favorite pic-a-ninny, Alan Keyes, that Obama had to be stopped at all costs from getting into the senate)don't look at the fact that Japan, Germany, S. Korea, France, Great Britian and Sweden all sell cars here, have plants here but also have national healthcare for their workers in their home countries. How is it that their car companies are not only free of the burden of healthcare for their workers (in their home countries)but the companies are also more or less profitable too? Here in america they do not pay their workers the same wage they pay their workers back home. The workers in their home countries are actually paid more than their american counterparts, especially in Germany. Go on, please explain how that is possible? The very people who would benefit the most from a national healthcare plan, the white folks, are too stupid to look at the overall picture and see that it is time to look at what is better for the benefit of the entire country and not just the individuals who think they have it made because they still manage to have enough left over to pay the MINIMUM balance of their credit card bills. Only a fool would not have asked by now where are these badily needed jobs going to come from and what types of jobs would they be. Guessed it by now? Here, let me help you. Those jobs are not coming because they don't exist. We are in for a big change in our social environment in this country whether we like it or not and only an idiot can not see it coming. There are not enough workers left to keep social security going and the millions of people out of work, race be damned, are going to get restless VERY soon. The only thing they lack now is an effective organizer. The last thing Obama needs now are millions of misguided Timothy McVey's running around unorganized but with a common, murderous hatred for our black president, who can do nothing because the white elected politicians are afraid to do what is best for the overall populace. Just think for a minute before you respond to what you just read but by all means respond. It really does help you, me, and others to understand just what has happened overall to the country and the world by taking race out of this equation and substituting it with common sense.

" And your alternative plan is?? " Competition - no hands out. "You said that our children and their chidren are in a deep hole. Caused by whose policies? " Barney Frank and Senator Dodd "Japan, Germany, S. Korea, France, Great Britian and Sweden all sell cars here. The workers in their home countries are actually paid more than their american counterparts, especially in Germany. Go on, please explain how that is possible? " Because Europeans and Asians spend time in schools, prepare themselves to compete. Can you compete with Asians and Europeans? How much schooling your people spend in school? Seventy percent of black children in the US has no father. How can we compete? Even Obama's father left him. I don't mind to be with you as a team, but please upgrade yourself. Still, I have hopes. Only those low lifes believes America in the downturn. I don't dream---I know dreams a lot. "Those jobs are not coming because they don't exist. We are in for a big change in our social environment in this country whether we like it or not and only an idiot can not see it coming. There are not enough workers left to keep social security going" Yes, not enough workers because that darn Obama's diciples just introduced to legalize gazillion of illegals who didn't even reach elementary. Add the uneducated blacks and latinos to the equation, you will have a society who can't support the social security. Kiss it goodbye. So, whose fault? I'm no white by the way...nor republican or democrats.

Because he keeps on wasting time with the GOP who as anyone with a clue knows will NEVER sign onto anything that the black guy in charge says or proposes since he's black and not even ther real guy in charge according to them since he's not a US citizen. And he has no backbone to get the so called Democrats in line. he had better shape up and quick, next November's elections will tell if he is the one term guy at the WH or not. And, he needs to let this silly health care reform go, there is not one word of reform in what they are talking about now.

@hobo: Obama was done when Rahm Emmanuel, Timothy Geithner, Larry Summers, and Robert Gates joined his administration. Obama's public support of Henry Paulson and Ben Bernanke should be troubling to you and everyone else. The problem is that Obama has surrounded himself with people who helped get us in this mess. Obama didn't demand reform when when the financial industry received a government bailout, but he demanded and received reform when the auto industry received a government bailout.

Isn't it strange that the Obama administration is publicly attacking Howard Dean for his criticism of the healthcare bill, but yet they have said nothing about the criticism of Joe Leiberman or Ben Nelson or the Republican party? Why the double standard and double talk?

@hobo: Gobalism is going to make it difficult for our country to fully recover. So many of our jobs have been exported to India and China and so many of our goods are being imported from China. Chinese businesses are buying American businesses. China is purchasing our debt. The value of our currency is weak. At the rate we're going, China is going to own our @ss and then what? Short-term stategy: end the two wars (which is draining the country's budget), repair the country's infrastructure (which will create jobs), focus on manufacturing energy efficient products and services (which will create jobs), and lend money to small businesses. These are the things that will turn the economy around. Healthcare reform is ver;y important, but the focus now should be on creating jobs.

I love this discussion, but let me inject a bit of truth? President Obama is suffering the same problem that former VP Al Gore faced when dealing with the Clinton Team. He is becoming a "Shrinking Violet." In the shadow of the Clintons, Obama has not developed into "His Own Man." We've got Bill and Hillary and their team intact sitting inside thw White House with their own power almost planning a coup. Why all the fuss over healthcare? If Obama doesn't do enough, it creates an internal controversy speeding up the clock for the Clintons. A bad bill blames Obama and Hillary could swoop in and take over the Party with a Woman's Movement. Obama shut out those who helped him defeat the Clinton machine in his inaugural speech. Obama took credit for the "Winning Slogan" and ideas that were not his own without giving proper credit. The media is laughing as we have the discussion in code. We don't know Obama. He looks a lot like Bush. The Clintons want to beat him. Divided the Democrats fall. With a bad healthcare bill only Obama gets blamed and we change to Hillary?

Hillary is waiting at the side like a HYENA looking for an opportunity to grab the prized meat from the Messiah. We have a saying "Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer". Unfortunately, Obama's treatment to Hillary will backfire. Hillary, an opportunist & a splinter in Obamas circle still in the ballgame. Watch out Obama, you planted a monster! Back to ailing economy, if you can't improve and put the people from work -- you outta go. All your Harvard schooling means nothing. Lawyers are sucky people to run this country.

It amazes me when people expect this man who has been in his job almost a year to over turn and clean up a problem that took 8 yrs to create. No matter what President Obama does will be good enough for everyone. We allowed Bush to do whatever he wanted to do for 8yrs in our faces and we couldn't so one damn thing about it. Here we are with a man who's intelligent and can get the job done and all we do is complain. AS soon as the economy turns around and people start getting jobs people will change their tune and then President Obama will be a hero again. I pray for my President daily and with the help from God he will make the right decisions and be elected another 4 yrs.

Donnell - Economy is self fix. Sooner or later, economy will get better or bad without interference from any messiah. Economics is a human behavior. How people or consumers react to the condition will drive the economy for good or for bad. He who regulates and forbid does not mean anything, he could be the hindrance. So far, Obama's approach to the ailing economy is a work of a stupid man. If I were you,I will stop using & pointing finger on Bush. Another Yale stupid clown. F*#king just do the job. If he can't, GTFOH. There is no waiting period or probitionary time needed when people are out works. Stop fabricating that this guy is an intellegent dude. So far he was the worse I've ever seen in executive branch. Worse than Carter, the peanut head.

The only thing I have to say is I'm glad he didn't got my vote. It's true he did inherited a hell of a mess that fool Bush created. But he's in the big chair now. He needs to man up and do what he needs to. And if he and a Democratic controlled congress can't get healthcare done or fix the economy,then they deserve to lose their majority in 2010.

the messiah? you're joking right?

If there's one thing I would say to anyone reading this is that while it's important to focus on the person we elect as president, it's even more important to focus on the people that are appointed into the president's administration. Those individuals will give you an idea of what types of policies that administration will be pushing and selling to us. The president is a spokesperson, who's job is to sell whatever policy his administration creates to the American people. Emmanuel and Geithner are creating Obama's policies and he's trying to sell them to us. This is the process for any administration.

Because Conservatives hates him more and more, and Liberials is losing patience for he didn't push harder on some issues (ex: Gay Equality), and Blacks are being differentiated by Republican. Easy.

Gay issue? That's the least issue compare to the economy and people losing jobs. If Gay issue doesn't know what an exit vs an entrance, it should be thrown in the sewer.

Tommy: That's the point. Everyone wants him to solve every problem, big or small, the result is everyone disappointed. And he caught in the middle, too. He wants to help gay rights, while Blacks hate gays. But both communities are his supporters. So he is losing support from both sides. At the same time, Conservatives hates him more and more and more.

Can somebody explain to me what exactly has Obama done to appeal to the right? And anyone that blames Bush alone for this mess is either ignorant of the way our federal government works, or recent history, or both. Oh and I love the way folks like hobo extol the virtues of the quasi-socialist state capitalism practiced in western europe. How about you go experience it firsthand. In exchange, send back a freedom loving independent thinker who respects our constitution and wants to contribute to our society rather than be subsidized by it. Hobo was right that we are in trouble, but for a far simpler reason. We're in trouble because too many expect too much from Washington and not enough from themselves.

jsean: Socialism, the president is not a socialist. Capitalism is state supported; it was even before we bailed out the banks. No social system exists in reality. Perhaps the wealth of slavery and the tyranny of the inquisition is what the present conservatives are asking for. A country ran by evangelicals, theocracy like they have in Iran, which keeps the sinful nature of man especially and women in line. With no taxes and in that way that only the rich would be free. They would probably live in quasi socialist Europe so that they could have civil liberties and a country with a working infrastructure.Also the constitution really only gave rights to landowning and educate class.

I'd be more than happy to explain what Obama has done for the Right. He has given them the hope of winning the next election big by screwing up. He bailed out Bank Ceo's and that defied logic. He took over GM and gave a stimulus package for selling cars that would have sold anyway. He continued Bush's endless war against ghosts. He changed "Access to Care" to "Access to Insurance." Care and insurance are two different things. Insurance is paying something for nothing. If you need to use it they don't want to pay. On race, he has reduced a serious discussion to drinking a beer. Obama has done more to raise the hopes of the GOP than to stimulate his army of youths to remain active. Obama was the messenger, but he clearly doesn't believe in or understand the message. The confusion is helping Rush defeat him. His policies are Clinton's and Bush's. Nothing changed and people are defending him for all Bush's mistakes when Obama is making them.

Joni writes, "No one expected 40 acres and a mule...."

I will take 40 acres and a mule over Obama without hesitation; land and a plow mule is of much greater value than Obama.

Been a year or more since I have written here at the Daily Voice. I elected to leave because of so many fanatical Obama mindless minions who worship Obama as if he is a messiah. Pointless to debate those who wear mule blinders.

There should be no surprise Obama is now considered amongst the worst of American presidents. Millions of us, self included, truthfully wrote Obama would behave precisely as he is. We warned Obama would not keep his promises, warned Obama was lying, warned Obama would bankrupt American families along with bankrupting America as a nation. We also warned Obama would impose socialist tyranny upon our nation. There should be no surprise.

Rather than listen you folks became an angry torch carrying, hanging noose waving mob out to lynch anyone who dared to criticize Obama.

There should be no surprise; you are receiving precisely for which you voted.

Okpulot Taha
Choctaw Nation
Puma Politics

Okpulot Taha -Purl Gurl you are back. Great this will do more to revive the president’s polls than anything the White House could do. Thanks for the painful reminder of what we went through to fight to get him elected. All the tricks, race baiting and fear mongering. We still believe in his message and abilities. He will deliver.

Ramsis: "All the tricks, race baiting and fear mongering. We still believe in his message and abilities. He will deliver." I'm sure he will. Tomorrow, the healthcare will be passed by democratic dominated House & Congress. Then OBAMA will suck it to the American people. If that's the way he delivers (by hook or by crook), him and his stupid diciples will be history. Obama..... nothing different than HITLER.

UGH. Look like'um injun woman drink'um too much firewater and no think'em with strait mind. Squaw need'um list plans for right(?) direction to turn'um country in. Sqaw need list'um methods (which no exist'um) of her idol, HRC, instead of ignorant rants (which is all she/it was ever/will ever be good for)for what mighty negro need'um do to get palefaces back to work. Before sqaw disappear'um forever (or let's simply pray spirits take'um fingertips away)please tell us what would keep'um economy going without'um biased, political b/s mixed in? Me bet'um sqaw can't. How bout rest of you'um out there? Sqaw need'um turn off magic box and lay'um ass down or go make bangie/bangie with pale faced husband since sqaw still speak'um with forked tongue.

LOL (while pounding the desk and stomping my feet and I dare not say at whose comments)can we please get back to the 'spirit" of the article itself and leave the personal politics and obvious attacks out of this. I had this sinking feeling that if I waited a few days before commenting again on this article NO ONE would have come up with a solution to the problem(s)INHERITED by Obama. For those of you who HATE Obama so much why is it you can do nothing else but rant on and on about his short-comings but offer none of YOUR ideas about what can/should be done to set things strait? I knew the "elected" republicans can't but surely "we" armchair presidents/dictators could offer out solutions. Surely, regardless of how preposterous it might sound, you have some ideas to share with us and not just personal attacks. I think things are so messed up now that the point of no return has been reached. Right after Obama's speech on Afghanistan FOX Noise interviewed a republican leader (whose name was convieniently not included in captions) about the economy and he, a republican, said that it IS time to start looking into NOT taxing those whose salary is now under $30k per year in certain areas of the country because of the cost of living in that particular. That sounds like an admission that there IS now a slave wage worker class in places such as NYC and DC. Please offer solutions or simply refrain from commenting. This is getting ugly and ignorant.

I've got to cut him some slack,but it is getting increasingly hard.I am currently doing a study relating to health care reform here in NE Ohio and it reveals facts thatlets us know that NO-ONE is REALLY dealing with the problem at hand...THAT OLD MONEY POLITICAL MACHINE in the form of the AMA and the INSURANCE COMPANIES underwrite their lobbying efforts.Thereinlies our problem!!!

I've got to cut him some slack,but it is getting increasingly hard.I am currently doing a study relating to health care reform here in NE Ohio and it reveals facts that let us know that NO-ONE is REALLY dealing with the problem at hand...THAT OLD MONEY POLITICAL MACHINE in the form of the AMA and the INSURANCE COMPANIES underwrite their lobbying efforts.Therein, lies our problem!!!

I supported the Democrats in getting them elected and Obama won the election. My problem is simple...Obama is acting like a Republican and giving them everything without a fight. His policies are in favor of Bush's Base and the status quo. Nothing changed. If you all remember, Democrats were forced to stand in opposition to President Bush. We did some heavy lifting as Obama continued to run and run away from the problems like saving social security, ending the war, fighting the Patriot Act ect ect. We expected help from the White House not more Bush Crap. The people who fought for America and freedom were told "You Need Not Apply." Remember the Childish Things and Petty Grievances Speech? This is why Obama is screwing up. More people are starting to understand what Change means to Obama. Spare change or short change for Blacks.

"Spare change or short change for Blacks." Why blacks are always in the equation? What have they done to upgrade themselves? Ok...ok, use the race cards. When you go to school and stay together (not fatherless), we will give you a spare change. Ok, Oby while your gang dominated the drug house & senate, shove us the healthcare. Why vote? waste of time...you got everybody in your favor. Do it now, you guys are history in the next election.

They passed the healthcare bill at 1:00 am? Wow, that's something else huh? Our government are so corrupt like the Chicago mob gangsters. They paid off/bribed a bunch of senators to accept the bills. Why is this happening to my country? I never invisioned my country to be this way. My heart bleeds. Obama, what did we do wrong to deserve this? Our forefathers works hard to get us going, to be the best in world, you ruined it in one note?

KaylaIt is obvious you know a lot about Hitler most of his followers do. If this were Hitler regime the tea baggers, Fox and Republicans would already be in concentration camps preparing for their end. I have too much respect for the victims of the holocaust and the victims Pot and Stalin to use the terms of their oppressors. You and those who make these comparisons lessen the darkness and evil which Hitler, Stalin, Lenin and Pot did to humanity. You throw words around to shock the populace while you engage in the very techniques that Hitler and rest used like racism, intimidation and fear mongering. Your constant use of these names leads to a paradigm shift in which their deeds are no longer shocking but as ordinary as the seniors death panels lie. You are cheapening the moral character of the nation with disappointment in having a Black Family living in the White House not just cleaning it.

Mamma it is a little too late for this kind of talk. I said this over and over during the democratic primaries and by the time we got to the two presidential candidates; it was about choosing the lesser of two evils for me. During the democratic primaries being both black and gay I was for Hillary. Due of my Political Science major and some internships on the City level, I had an opportunity to speak with blacks from all walks of life in New York City. I was surprised at how many educated blacks where voting for Obama purely on the fact that he is a "black man". One of my colleges, who hold two masters degrees could not ever clearly articulate what issues she was passionate about; all she could focus on was the fact that Obama was black. Don't even get me started on my Gay Black brothers in Harlem, that I had the miss fortune of watching one of the primaries with. Let me tell you when I pointed out that Hillary was for gay marriage and Obama cleared stated that he was for civil unions; child, I thought I was about to get a beat down. Now everyone wants to take issue with Obama. Well I say this is what happens when people vote based on Race and not on the issues. While we are on the issue of race, the man was raised by his middle class white family and went to an Ivey league college. Black folks give me more grief for being raised in a middle class neighborhood with two black parents and going to a private college than they gave our half black brother Obama. Who, I might add, was afforded all the opportunities as his white counter parts. NO! What we as a people should do when it comes to politics is: define clearly what issues effect us as a people, measure each candidate for elected office against our issues, and vote collectively on whom we believe would be the best candidate to move our agenda forward. We should not vote for a candidate based on the color of his/her skin.

Granted part of Obama's poll numbers were riding on idealism and unrealistic expectations that:

1) Obama-charisma could or would replace backbone in the Democratic congress.

2) Change coming to Washington was enough.

It's frustrating that Obama can't or wills not to undo nearly 30 years of bad government (Regan, Regan, Bush, Clinton, Bush, Bush) in a few months.

In fact in some very important ways he has started some very important undoing of the evil in the empire.

HOWEVER, Real Change has to not only come to Washington but go through Washington and through every state and community. Obama as the good teacher that I'm sure he was at university is right to conduct this real life class for us all.

As an example, people cry health care and climate change while raising and eating as much farm animals as possible. That's fake change.

The change we need must surpass Obama and as Cornell West and Tavis Smiley among others have said, we must not only surround Obama with support but encamp round about him, pushing him to real greatness where it matters most for the masses who need it most.

Very interesting comments. On my part, I have no regrets and look forward to voting for him again come 2012!

"Very interesting comments. On my part, I have no regrets and look forward to voting for him again come 2012!" !!! You are one of the fool !!

Love your comments M, but you've got to read this thing "Daily" to keep up with the facts. Democrats did support Obama by building an encampment around him and doing whatever it took to protect and defend him from the political attacks. Some of the things we did were childish like using Nursery Rhymes to undercut Hillary's growing movement. Democrats had an internal struggle for power where we had to choose a Black or a Woman first. We chose the Black first because he wrapped himself in the anti-war policies, anti-Bush strategery, and he took as issues as his own. Obama's winning message "We Can" was taken from the "Little People" acting inside the DNC and DCCC. Rahm was in tune with these people, but he stopped listening after it came time to share credit. Yes We Can, the Youth Movement, Oprah's politization and so much more was orchestrated from inside the Party establishment. Obama's rise was no accident. He won and stopped listening. Slammed the doors on anyone who did a "Childish Thing" or had a "Petty Grievance."

Cecil, I agree. And this points to my conflicting feelings about what strategies this administration might be taking. Axelrod was the campaign guy, but Emanuel is the guy on the hill.

Maybe it was avoiding the boogeyman, maybe it was keeping your enemies closer than your friends.

For better or worse, a decision was made to avoid stepping into the "Socialist" boogeyman trap that the GOP/corp media/bank/insurance crooks... had created toward the end of the campaign. The trap was created because GOP insiders knew the DEEP DOO we were in at the same time that the front guys were talking "economic fundamentals are good/strong". It was high holy BS, as we now understand.

GOP/corp media/bank/insurance crooks... created the Socialist boogeyman to give re-birth to the Tea Bags (previously known by other names), to intimidate, silence and to scare off deep fundamental change.

Change still have to come from the ground up. Ironically, that truth never changes. Our job isn't finished. If we are simply still just the entertained consumers and spectators, then we're hurting ourselves in a most serious way.

We have to meet with others, think innovatively and generate true changes in our own families and neighborhoods.

rjt: "Very interesting comments. On my part, I have no regrets and look forward to voting for him again come 2012!" !!! You are one of the fool !! And you're a Republican RIGHT WING LOSER!!!

The so called "Socialist Movement" is a knee-jerk response to the "Populist Movement" that dominates the agenda of the Democrats. John Edwards set the agenda from the inside. Obama took those messages and defeated the Clintons by rejecting the status quo. Obama instead became the status quo. His messages won the election and the Nobel Prize. His policies have created rankor and they stink as if Bush were still in office. This Health Insurance Stimulus bill is a payoff for and to the status quo under the urgency of now. It crap and the bill shows the worst of us as leaders acting in a political way. Nothing changed. We must change the players and the tired old rules of self-prese

rjt: "Very interesting comments. On my part, I have no regrets and look forward to voting for him again come 2012!" !!! You are one of the fool !! And you're a Republican RIGHT WING LOSER!!! Nope, I'm a registered Democrat with common sense not a sardine brain democrat like you. You must free yourself inside the can. Wake up & smell the Obama garbage brings in the table.

I voted for him myself, and I reserve judgment about his presidency until more time passes. As a direct contradiction to those who feel he didn't reach out enough to Republicans, I feel that he was only too willing to deal with people who openly expressed a desire that he fail. What THEY fail to take into account is that if the president fails, so does the whole country. That tells me the party of NO is only interested in regaining dominance, not in helping people. Their idea of bipartisanship is to have it all their way. They have had at least 8 years to make their case, and they did a poor job of it. There are things he has done that I disagree with, but others that I do agree with. He has been president less than a year, and there is still a lot of work to do.

I miss GWB!

The bumbling puppet? You being facetious or showing bad character? :D

As critical as I have been of President Obama, I will never call for the return of a Bush or Clinton ever again. I've been harsh for a reason that hasn't been discussed yet in public. I've done some "Childish Things" and it was a "Petty Grievance." We made history impeaching a popular president and we held our politicians accountable to some degree when it was easier to shatter the Constitution in fear of the unknown. It will take time to repair it. Obama is trying his best. He's a better person when he listens. Why did God give him such big ears. Listen and then decide. Happy New Year. I love you all.

Strange, I don't remember 8 years of crap but the last year of crap I can't forgot. Dang I miss Bush. That man could at least make a decision. Mr. waffle-in-chief can't do didley squat. If this is Obama's best we are in big, big trouble. Lead or get out of the way. How long will people stick with someone and ignore the obvious and blame it on others. Apparently for the some the answer is forever. So stimulus obviously didn't work but ignore that. North Korea is still a problem, but ignore that. Iran is getting worse, but ignore that. Chicage didn't get the Olympics compliments of Obama, but ignore that. Global warming is not being blamed for the cold weather, but ignore that. What in heavens name has he solved? Anything? It's the economy stupid but he hasn't figured that out after a year and appears he has no clue, but ignore that.

Hatch! Orrin Hatch, is that you? lol

Because he has had some tough decisions to make. The white folk just don't want him to succeed. SAD

"I'm still going to give him the benefit of the doubt. You can't expect no human being to fix eight years of crap in one year." Blaming GWB for the colossal failure of the Obama presidency is beyond tiresome.

Deena Rockefeller - Because he has had some tough decisions to make. The white folk just don't want him to succeed. SAD" - yeah, that's it Denna, blame the white folk that Obama's a terrible president. It really makes black folk look intelligent.

"President Obama recently stated that if a healthcare bill isn't passed, the country will go bankrupt." Wow, he really said that? Increasing spending will somehow make the country NOT go bankrupt? And who is ignorant enough to fall for such total insanity?