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Georges Ugeux

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The Obama Campaign Is Unworthy of a Democratic President

Posted: 07/20/2012 5:51 pm

As a Democrat and a staunch support of Barack Obama, I am completely disgusted by his campaign. Are we talking about the President of the United States? Are we talking about a principled man who has boosted our ideal for a fair and equitable America? Does this have anything to do with the American people?

1. A harassing campaign

Everybody takes turns to bombard us with e-mails, phone calls to chip in for one reason or the other. Even those of us who asked to only receive selective information.

To that "presidential" harassment one needs to add what the Democratic Party does: strangely enough they only call and e-mail to collect money. Never to tell us what are the important causes for the Party.

Last but not least, the individual candidates do the same: we have not heard from them either for the previous four years.

This creates an impression of frenetic nervousness and not the strength that we expect from the President and incumbent candidate.

2. It's all about money while this is a Republican weaponry

The subjects for whom we are approached are generally a teaser to get to money. If we want to wish Happy Mother's day to the First Lady, a link to the payment process is attached.

The e-mail from the President "I will be outspent" is disgraceful. Is that how Barack Obama judges his campaign? Does he truly believe that he will lose his reelection on the fact that it might be outspent? "We can win a race which the other side spends more than we do. But not this much more".

Oh yes? Is that what we expect to hear from the President of the United States? Is this the way the democrats are judging themselves, using the weaponry of the Republicans to self-flagellate? Is our yardstick of value the money we collect and the money we spend?

Mr. President: stop sending those mercantile messages. Tell us that our ideals and objectives are worth more than the difference of spending. Tell us why what really matters. Be a President who cares about the American People. Not about money.

3. Is the function of a presidential campaign to become an advertising machine?

The people you are using all have one characteristic in common: they are unable to imagine a Presidential campaign without narrow solidarity with the advertising industry and the media. Are they really brain-dead?

Why do we need to respond to the most disgusting Romney direct or indirect TV ads by other TV ads? Why don't we take the high road? And answer to those ads in a different way. Responsibly. And stop feeding Madison Avenue.

Television is making sure that the political debate is as dirty, as filthy as possible. They make money on dirt and contention. They exacerbate the debates. They ignore the substance...and we finance them to do this dirty work.

Have we become so unconscious of the real concerns of the American People? Talk to us on the way we will continue to be a respectable nation in the eyes of the world, refuse to constantly go to war to support the hawks of the so-called defense industry, rebuild the ethics of the financial services industry and stop them from harassing the consumer, reduce our dependency on oil, and make sure that the dignity of the human being is restored.

That is what we expect to hear from you, Mr. President. Defend your legacy and your achievements. Don't bother about money and dirt. The movie "the American President" should remind you that you are "way above their league." It is that hope that we need from you and that you promised to give us.

Not dirty politics. The dogs bark, but the caravan goes on.

 

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12:19 PM on 07/29/2012
Sorry, but this election needs to be won by any means necessary: there's simply too much at stake, especially the likelihood of three Supreme Court nominations. The GOP knows this, and is playing for blood, as they always do. If we're not willing to do the same, we'll have four years of sitting on the sidelines consoling ourselves that at least we have the moral high ground.
01:49 AM on 07/29/2012
"Defend your legacy and your achievements. Don't bother about money and dirt."
_____________

I don't think that's a wise strategy. It's hard to brag about 8% unemployment, 16 trillion in debt, GDP growth at an anemic 1.5%, consumer confidence at its lowest point in 4 years...... His only hope to win a second term is to change the subject of the campaign to anything but the economy.... Money and dirt is what he is trying to use to distract voters mind away from the economy.

Unemployment ticks up? Romney has a cayman bank account... Reaching the debt ceiling again? Mitt was bully in high school... More people filing for unemployment than last week? Mitt put his dog on the roof of the car.
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Georges Ugeux
09:44 PM on 07/23/2012
Thank you for those lively comments.
I gather the issue will not resolve itself easily.
Georges
04:17 PM on 07/23/2012
Think of all the folks getting rich of of this light show. But after all the fireworks have exploded and the ooohs and ahhhs are gone, the show is over, people go back to their lives and political operatives get their plum jobs and prepare for the next go around. We're being played and we like it.
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09:47 AM on 07/23/2012
I disagree! It's a new world with Citizens United! If the President did what you suggest, he would lose! Good for him for standing up and fighting fire with fire. You are blaming the wrong person for these problems. Our election process is corrupt- the amount of money being spent is disgusting and wasteful. We need serious campaign reform and attacking a Democratic president won't help with that.
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truthsayer4ever
Veritas In Caritate
10:26 PM on 07/22/2012
Well, aren't you just the voice of purity and light! The Democrats for decades have turned the other cheek, taken the high road, played deaf, played dumb. We now have a President and his team that have stood up to the Karl Rove Isanity Train and is fighting fire with fire. This President is smart, streetsmart, able to think on his feet, make good decisions. Good for Obama! Good for the Obama Team!
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notmoderate
There's always money in the banana stand
09:04 PM on 07/22/2012
Agreed. Anyone can vent, but I expect a more elevated commentary from liberal voices. The author should save it for dinner parties. It's as though he missed everything the GOP has done (and NOT done) since McCain announced his running mate.
07:49 PM on 07/22/2012
Of course the campaign is all about money. His campaign reflect who he really is & who Obama surrounds himself with.
All this pres has done since the start of election season is fly around the country fund raising . More in fact then any incumbent / candidate before him . Why would Dr Ugeux think there would be any substance in the Presidents message since he (Obama) has not displayed substance or character since day one of his tenure?
05:37 PM on 07/22/2012
With you on this. It's one of the MANY reasons I've switched to Romney.

________________
Romney Democrats
http://www.facebook.com/romneydemocrats2012
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danceswithtrees
02:55 PM on 07/23/2012
I'll bet there is not a single "Republican for Obama" this time. We've seen his act.
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wayoutleft
my nano-bio coded in a period: .
10:41 AM on 07/24/2012
Actually some Northeast "moderate" Republicans may be onboard. These are the moderates who supported nationalizing bakeries, and supported Trotsky against Reagan in 1980. This wing continues to advocate total redistribution of income and absolute dictatorial powers for Goldman-Sachs. It is believed that they will settle for a Goldman dictatorship.
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sssteverrr
Bound to be, who we are
05:15 PM on 07/22/2012
Tell that to John Kerry. You play the game according to the rules, or you lose.

The Obama campaign has not been untruthful, just tough as nails AND I LIKE IT.

Now let's push the republican congress over the cliff on Jan 1 and then we can get some stuff done.
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urbancitygirl
Making it through the world as a moderate...
07:35 PM on 07/22/2012
Thank you!!
07:27 AM on 07/23/2012
Agreed. I hate that the ads have to be so nasty, but it is apparently what voters respond to. I totally aree with your comment, sssteverr, whoever you are. thanks for posting
12:56 PM on 07/22/2012
Here are a couple of the Obama campaign's fundraising ideas:

1. You can win the opportunity for Barack to be in one of your family photos!

https://contribute.barackobama.com/donation/family-photo-with-the-president-closed/07/ovf.html?source=em12_20120719_js_s3&utm_medium=email&utm_source=obama&utm_campaign=em12_20120719_js_s3&amounts=35

2. The Bridal registry. You can ask your wedding guests to donate to Obama instead of getting you a wedding gift!
12:50 PM on 07/22/2012
Obama was fine in 2008 when he was raising tons more money than McCain. Now that Romney outraised him for one month, he acts all in a panic. I don't believe that Obama will be suffering for money though, I just don't. He will have plenty.
07:59 PM on 07/22/2012
Over all Obama has & will continue to have far more money. Thats not his problem. Being the worst pres in American history is his problem.
People will not be fooled again ,& money will not win him re election. Come November Obama loses convincingly!
12:07 PM on 07/23/2012
Agreed! And hope you are right about Obama losing in November!
12:38 PM on 07/22/2012
Luckily for Obama, the Republicans have nominated such an odious candidate that there is little if anything he could do to lose. Also luckily for Obama, the Republicans are keeping their claws sheathed. If you remember the insane viciousness with which they attacked Clinton, you'll realize that the corporatist puppetmasters are only generated a superficial anti-Obama campaign, because they are very pleased with their control over Obama. Romney is a scarecrow, a boogieman, and while we are all pointing trembling fingers at him, Obama is going to preside over another regressive term, which will include further tax breaks for the rich and big corporations, continuing economic panic mode strategies, further erosion of the American economy, and the privatization of Medicare.

And still, Romney would be worse. On this point, I have to agree. Although Obama is absolutely terrible.
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HHGodd
We will move FORWARD without you!!!
12:28 PM on 07/22/2012
This is politics in the era of Citizens United. Let Obama sit back and be the good Democrat (Democrats like George like think they're the good guys) while Mitt and his rich friends and Super PACs buy off the election. Block the emails if you don't like them but we're in a (sad) new era of American politics. It's going to be an overtly cash driven arms race. I don't like it, you don't like it, but you play the game or you lose the battle.
12:40 PM on 07/22/2012
Yeah, but the problem is, all the smoke and mirrors Obama is generating are being substituted for an actual policy. He has no plan, no ideas, no strategies. If he does, NAME ONE, and don't give me "raising taxes on the rich", because he has NO intention of raising taxes on the rich.
01:57 AM on 07/29/2012
Repeal the 17th amendment.... Money controlling congress is actually quite new. The 17th amendment took away the states ability to choose their Senators. Once Senators were chosen directly by the people, Senate campaigns started needing money, thus selling votes to the highest bidder in the Senate was born.... Repeal the 17th Amendment and the senators will have to face state legislators instead of the goers directly, thus removing the need to raise money from corrupt individuals.
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1johnf
What would Studs say?
12:25 PM on 07/22/2012
In the wake of the Citizens United ruling, the Romney campaigns agains Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, the fact that Sheldon Addleson alone proped up Gingrich for longer than the electorate wanted him, we are confronted by evidence that the methodology of conducting political campaigns has drasticlly changed. What you are asking for is one candidate to fight using the Marquis of Queensbury rules, while the other will use street brawling techniques.

In Wisconsin, we had that happen with Russ Finegold. Russ didn't take large contributions, spoke on the issues, and ran on his record. Johnson took Koch brothers money and let the outside PACs run ads that lied. Finegold was soundly defeated by a Bircher in "liberal" Wisconsin.

I do not want that to happen in this Presidential year.
02:01 AM on 07/29/2012
I keep seeing fingers pointed at the Koch brothers, but the amount they donate to political causes is pretty miniscule compared the hundreds of millions George Soros donates to political causes every cycle.... The Koch brothers are pretty harmless in their beliefs... They are libertarians, heck if both of the two major political parties adopted just a few ideas from the libertarian party, this country wouldn't be in the hand basket that we find ourselves in..... Is the reason why the left keeps bringing up the Koch brothers but completely ignoring Soros is because Soros donates to far left political parties?