massimo1's Comments (478)

“BINGO!
You said it all and then some. Obama is probably a one-term president. Bush would have been except he created the War on Terror and parlayed it into being a "wartime" president. No one is gonna buy that sort of thinking from Obama in 2012. Sadly, Hillary would have been as bad a waffler, I think.”

“Obama either lied or backed off. Neither bodes well for him or the nation. As for the Senate, the voters are speaking and they are not listening. The good news, the traitorous bastards can be replaced, starting next November.”

“He is afraid or unwilling (for who knows what reason) to really use the power of the presidency. Bush2 used it. Reagan used it. LBJ used it. FDR used it. Either you got it and flaunt or you don't. So far, Obama don't.”

“Why is this so friggin' hard? The voters are talking. The insurance and pharma companies, for all the money they pay off to the senate and house members, do not vote. They don't elect. They can't recall. The voters do and can. And they won't forget in 2010 after they were promised reform, voted for candidates for reform (including Obama), and then nothing that even smells like reform. Any democrat against real health care reform and a public or medicare option is simply against the American people. I expect that from republicans. Their negativity and "I've got mine, screw you" attitude speaks for itself. But democrats should be ashamed for being spineless traitors to the aspiration for a better America. And they should kick Lieberman and Nelson to the curb for good measure. Nelson, especially. If he wants to act like a republican, he should save us the grief and change parties. Lieberman - he knows this is his last term, that is why he is blatantly representing the insurance companies as if they were voting constituents. After the debacle at his feet, he won't be re-elected as an independent and he will lose as a republican. Undoubtedly, after he's out of office, he will have a seat waiting on the board of directors for an insurance company. Too bad he can't come down with a condition for which his insurance would deny coverage. That kind of karma would teach him a big fat lesson.”

“And in one measly year, as you put it, no matter how you shape the story, Obama has backed off the campaign pledges that got him elected - and he was not elected in a any squeaker, either. It was with the support of a broad coalition. So, yes, he is a wimp. He is the President. He has plenty of power to arm twist his own party's members --- if he wants to use it, a la FDR and LBJ.”

“I can't bear the happy face the senate demogogues (oops, democrats, I mean) are putting on what's left of the heathcare reform bill. I disIike Reid for caving ---- again. I despise Joe Lieberman for condemning the rest of us and wish on him an incurable, painful disease his publicly paid for healthcare can't cure. And, I see the hand of Emmanuel yet again steering the Obama ship of hope onto the rocks of cruelty, misery, and despair. He is truly Macchiavelian, which we don't expect from democrats. He deserves the same disease I wish on Lieberman, only sooner.”

“No worries, Wall Street, your boys in the Senate will sink this bill, too.”

“Gee.... does anyone feel let down and betrayed yet? Enough to kick all these chickens out on their asses in 2010?”

“Transparency? We'll see about that ... no pun intended. Obama and crew certainly aren't being transparent about their handling of Wall Street or Healthcare. They are telling us only what they want to tell us. How is that different than the Bush crowd? Oh yeah, they told us nothing. Though in this case something isn't necessarily better than nothing.”

“The big question that we should be asking Obama is this: if the Afghan government really doesn't meet expectations, if the army and police forces really can't stand up, will you honor your commitment to get out and stop throwing good money after bad? Or does "situation on the ground" really mean an indefinite commitment. I, we, need to know that Obama intends to keep his promise to leave, whatever the chickenhawk republicans think about that. As if they have any ethical ground to stand upon.”

“It's a different Rush when he can't sit at the top of the hill. He actually has to defend not attack. Bravo Denny Crane.”

“I will repeat what I've written before. Everyday, Obama steps farther to the right. The noise about deadlines, containing the Taliban, and denying Al-Qaeda is just that - noise. The people for whom Obama is a tool want war - be they the military, the contractors, the multinationals. Maybe if we (the West, not just the US) weren't trampling all over their land, intimately involved with extraction of their resources, saying we like a certain brand is Islam that suits our perspective, people in those countries might not be inclined to bother with attacking at some points. In other words, Obama is pretending we are a neutral, aggrieved party (what did we do? after all - we were just sitting at home watching TV, minding our own business) . Not the case. This war will be a disaster. And unlike Bush, who was able to ignore anyone and everyone and still survive into a second term, Obama will become a one term president because of the war. The worse news is that when the republicans take back the white house in 2012, the war will still continue and the country's slide into pain on all fronts will accelerate.”

“Obama's war plan can be summed up in two unfortunate words: Mission Accomplished.
3 years will turn into 5, then 8, then 10 - especially if the GOP ever regains power. Wait and see.”

“as I understand our history, the president asks for a declaration of war and normally gets it. I don't think congress ever made the first move. but the point is good. debate needs to happen before and after the request is made. nevertheless, this congress will not speak up, despite many in it having been elected precisely to end our involvement in iraq (and by extension, similar foolish ventures). why? among other reasons, no one wants to look like a coward back home. better to posture than face reality. regardless of the fact that no foreign helper/invader/occupier/nation rebuilder has lasted very long in afghanistan.”

“Every day Obama takes another step further to the right. Somebody, PLEASE, remind me why we voted for him. He used the progressives and still takes us for granted. It's time for us to fight back for the heart and soul of this president. Start by demanding the dismissal of Emmanuel, Geithner, and Summers.”

“Poor America. So afraid of its sexual shadow. Time to grow up and not fret over things like this. We got wars to end, deficits to reduce, jobs to create, civil liberties to restore, banks to break up, and healthcare reform to pass. Oh yeah, and the rightwing GOP to destroy :).”

“What a crock. Any observant person realizes that Afghanistan was lost long before Obama got handed it. Just ask the Russians and the British.”

“Simple, sound advice. Of course, we all know Reid hasn't the balls. He's all show, no go. Too bad for us, America. We will get fake reform and the insurance and pharma companies will get a windfall aided and abetted by Congress (not the people they represent) and the White House. Bravo.”

“"We Will Fight House Health Care Bill" -- that's a perfect reason to push harder than ever for reform. These big pharma and insurance companies are plainly and openly evil and immoral.”

“It is not at all amusing that conservatives who oppose social spending at home are happy to support a waste of lives and money in what is a foreign civil war. If Obama really proceeds with this folly, it will be the straw that breaks America's back. We will not recover from it, economically or socially. I was badly disappointed that under Bush there was no organized anti-war movement. But it's time to get one going now in order to save America from its leaders. Obama the President is nothing like Obama the Candidate and has proved to be generally all talk, no balls. The first things he should do are fire Emmanuel, fire McChrystal, fire Summers, fire Geithner, and start listening to people who have good advice. Then maybe America will survive Obama. Somehow, I doubt it will. It is beyond sad. It is sickening.”

“At first glance, the thought of voting the constituents' will is great, but what if the constituents are wrong? What if they want war in Afghanistan (creates defense industry jobs), oppose gay marriage and civil unions (preserves comfort zones and beliefs), prayer in schools, and so forth? Do you still want to require a representative to do the constituents' bidding? It leaves no room for judgement. Of course, the opposite is patronizing and pernicious, politicians --- I mean representatives, sorry -- deciding what's for our own good.”

“this is a very sad story. but I am glad to know that our President is not playing footsie with wall street - as if. I think it's time to impeach Obama if he doesn't start delivering.”

“Remind us, Senator, how many insurance companies are headquartered in Connecticut?”

“White House press statements about the public option are meaningless. The only statement that matters is one that comes out of Obama's mouth. He needs to publicly and openly and fully support the public option (which the majority of citizens want).”

“If Obama does not stand up firmly for the public option, he will become irrelevant to progressives and will be someone to rally against, as was Bush2.”