Michelle Goldberg: The Case Against Liberal Despair

[catscradle72]

While I think we are better off with Obama than we would have been with McCain, and we cannot expect Obama to undo 8 years of the Bush Administration in 3 years, I also do not think we can dismiss the criticisms against Obama and the congressional Democrats either. Both parties are entrenched in corporate money and nothing will change that until we demand election reform that takes money out of politics.

[Raikenbolai]

@catscradle72 "Both parties are entrenched in corporate money and nothing will change that until we demand election reform that takes money out of politics."

We can disagree about what should have been expected from Obama, but we most certainly agree on campaign reform.

[Raikenbolai]

@kaydenpat since when is wanting a president not to sign an act into law that allows the indefinite detention of american citizens without trial, expecting perfection

[kaydenpat]

I absolutely love this video. Thanks Michelle. You always speak common sense.  Of course, President Obama is not perfect, but he's done a whole lot of good and will continue to do so if he is re-elected. Four More Years.

[Raikenbolai]

@maelich32 i suspect the Obama campaign is experiencing a significant drop in campaign volunteers from 2008 to 2012. Obama might get the liberal vote because he only has disasterous competition, but he can't expect the kind of volunteer numbers he once had. The kind of people that volunteer are the kind of people that are politically aware, an that means they have seen how Obama is just another establishment tool who has no real intention to change how washington works. Lack of results can be e

[Raikenbolai]

@maelich32 this is already bush redux. That is part of the reason that your "liberal" is having so much trouble getting other liberals to be enthusiastic about voting for him.

[maelich32]

For anyone who is disappointed/angry at Obama for not keeping all of his promises or for not having ushered in the Age of Aquarius as you may have naively hoped, I suggest you read "The Obama Memos" by Ryan Lizza at the New Yorker and get a reality check on how complex and difficult his job has been in a country that is more ideologically divided than at any time in history plus a congress that is the most obstructionist and uncompromising in history.

[maelich32]

If you're a liberal and you fail to vote come November then you're the problem, not the solution and a hypocrite to complain. If the G.O.P. wins and we go back to Bush redux it will be on all the cynical, despairing losers that are too cowardly and resigned to keep fighting for progress and it will be an embarrassment to all those privileged enough to live in a democracy. "...politics only works for those who stick with it and show up again and again and again, even when the ecstasy is gone."

[vh8282]

Obama's a joke. He's a war criminal at best. 

[mattdawg83686]

@vh8282 Dude, are you stupid? War criminal? Really? I think you're getting our President mixed up with George W. Bush and Dick Chaney. Pull your head out of your ass and stop being a sheep.

[Gunnabee]

you can't expect obama to fix some of the biggest fuckups in US history - created by both dems and repub administrations ...

[audibleburp]

while there are parts I see as true, mostly about the christian extremist takeover of the repugnican party, OB,, i would have to class as a good 60's republican. The whole of the USA has, through the disemboweling of the schools and the rise of true selfishness, been reduced to the point of disintegration. capitalized on by the continued rise of the corptocracy.. We can look forward to the rise of of an evil empire here at home.

[Viracocha711]

THANK-YOU!!! My fellow Liberals simply can't stand it when they don't get what they want overnight! They say this is not the case but it is & always has been! If we all remained focused & willing to fight through more than just one term of a President then we might start getting what we want...Otherwise NOT! This is reality that many on the left will object to & so NOTHING will change! SAD!

[Raikenbolai]

The christian right did not choose the republicans. The republicans chose the christian right. Progressives aren't giving up on obama because he wasn't quick enough. They are giving up because they realise he had no intention to bring change to washington. And quite clearly neither do any of the potential next guys. There is your reason for liberal despair and exploration of non electoral politics.