STILL WAITING

When the right began attacking Obama on his first day in office (actually it was going on before then, but the "daily message" on target coordinated anti-Obama campaign began that first day in earnest) they immediately blamed him for everything that the previous administration (Bush/Cheney, lest we forget) had caused, especially the disastrous economy.

They blamed him for the stock market's continuing decline in his first months in office, for instance, and the unemployment rate going up (and for the bank bailout even though that initially occurred under Bush/Cheney, and for the auto industry bailout).

What's telling about the right's arguments and attacks is it never has anything to do with reality because, as we have seen, the stock market has not only rebounded robustly and is now ahead of where it was pre-Obama, but have we heard anyone on the right now praise Obama for fixing what they were criticizing him for not fixing? I'm still waiting.

The unemployment rate went down this month and has never reached the heights it did under Ronald Reagan, so the right should be happy about that right? I'm still waiting.

The bailouts turned out to be successful, the American auto industry was saved and with it thousands and thousands of jobs were kept here in the USA instead of going overseas and as with the banks most of the bailout money has been paid back. Any congrats for Obama on that rightwingers? Still waiting.

Et-endlessly-cetera.

[Oh, and as for his Obama's critics on the left, they are rightfully dismayed over many Bush/Cheney policies Obama has not been successful in reversing, but he promised to end the war in Iraq and for all intents and purposes the war in Iraq is over for U.S. troops. There is still unfortunately violence there, but U.S. casualties are almost nonexistent, especially compared to where they were when Obama took office. And over half the troops that were there when he came in have been withdrawn and if he keeps his promise the rest will be gone by the end of this year. Any kudos from the left for that yet? Still waiting. And a lot of GBLT folks I know were totally pissed off at Obama when he didn't just write an executive order to get rid of "Don't Ask Don't Tell" but he said his strategy was to get the support of the military first and then get it passed through Congress so it would be much more difficult to attack and repeal, which he has accomplished. Most of these same GBLT folks have yet to tell me they're grateful to Obama for getting something done that no one else seemed able to before him, though I'm sure they are, but how about letting the world know that? Still waiting. And so on.]

[PS: And just to make it clear, there are a host of things I believe Obama could have done and be doing better, but nobody's perfect and he sure beats the alternative(s).]