Obama the Sellout

[sgreger1]

I am hearing a lot of frustration on the internet over Obama caving in to the republicans and allowign the rich to get their tax cuts. Many people are claiming he is a sellout for allowing the tax breaks to continue, but I must ask: "Why is this such a big sellout?" He has been a sellout from the beginning, and frankly republicans should be happy with most of what he's done. Here is a list of some other things he has sold out on. Not sure why the tax breaks seem to be the straw that broke the camels back and caused democrats to throw him under the bus.




Obama was a sellout when he backed off on closing Guantanamo.
Obama was a sellout when he backed off of his promise to keep lobbyists out of his administration.
Obama was a sellout when he protected the Bush administration from prosecution for torture.
Obama was a sellout when he authorized the assassination of U.S. citizens abroad.
Obama was a sellout when he rescinded on his promise to not prosecute marijuana users in states where it is legal, and pushed for a 5 year prison term for a California-legal medical marijuana dispensary operator.
Obama was a sellout when he prosecuted child-soldier Omar Khadr using evidence gained through torture.
Obama was a sellout when he granted 27 waivers to oil companies drilling in the weeks following the Deepwater Horizon disaster.
Obama was a sellout when he fought for, and won, the right to deny habeas corpus to detainees.
He was a sellout when he blocked UN human rights investigations at Guantanamo.
He dropped charges against the CIA for destroying videotapes documenting torture of detainees.
He deported record number of undocumented immigrants.
He continued rendition of alleged terrorists to countries where they could be tortured.
He continued indefinitely detaining alleged terrorists, WITHOUT TRIAL.
He extended the PATRIOT Act, with no reforms.
He dramatically increased government secrecy, denying more Freedom of Information Act requests in 2009 than Bush did in 2008. So much for open government.
He cut a secret deal to kill the public option, while still campaigning on its behalf.
He defended Don't Ask Don't Tell from legal challenges.
He reaffirmed his opposition to same-sex marriage.
He granted waivers to 30 companies, including McDonalds, exempting them from health care reform.
He announced the single largest arms deal in history, of $60bil worth of arms, to Saudi Arabian dictatorship.
He gave permits to BP and other oil companies, exempting them from environmental protection laws.
He appointed Monsanto executive Michael Taylor to the FDA.
He appointed a former Monsanto lobbyist as Chief Agriculture Negotiator.
But NOW, he's a sellout, when he extends Bush's tax cuts? Oh no. Obama has been a sellout since day one.

[tom502]

Worst president in history.

[precious007]

Worst president in history.

He's just a Muppet of the whole masonic game.

It's always been about interests and never about the people :-\

**** all the presidents worldwide and the corruption

That's why I will never get involved with politics ....

[sgreger1]

Worst president in history.

Not the worst president, but at least equally as bad or worse than most. It's hard to say, following an act like Bush's kind of raises the bar as far as what constitutes "the worst"

[raptor]

I'm not happy about Obama either. The whole tax cut deal was a compromise to secure extended unemployment benefits but the Reps made no promises. I really think they're going to backstab the extension.

But he's hardly the worst in history.

[sgreger1]

I'm not happy about Obama either. The whole tax cut deal was a compromise to secure extended unemployment benefits but the Reps made no promises. I really think they're going to backstab the extension.

But he's hardly the worst in history.

Yah, wouldn't say worst in history. Just another bad one in a long time of bad ones. I think hyping up his compaign is what did him in. He got a lot of people actually believing he could come in and change government, when in reality I think that is beyond the scope of any president.



As far as Obama's biggest setback (republicans), I don't see what the issue is. They have controlled congress and the executive branch for about 2 years now, they can hardly blame the republicans. I noticed they have been compromising on things, like getting rid of the public option, then blaming republicans as though the republicans had the power to actually stop it (which they didn't).




It's funny though, the republicans pushed for tax cuts and now that Obama is like "okay, seems legit", they will probably now campaign AGAINST the tax cuts just because Obama approves of it now. It could be part of a genious plot on Obama's part, lol.



EDIT: If democrats were smart, they would have let the Bush tax cuts (for all income brackets) expire, and then introduce new legislation for a middle class tax cut only. Then the republicans would be forced to oppose a middle class tax cut in order to serve their rich constituents, which should in theory make them look like dicks to all of middle America. But instead they just caved and gave the reps everything they wanted. lol.

[raptor]

Yah, wouldn't say worst in history. Just another bad one in a long time of bad ones. I think hyping up his compaign is what did him in. He got a lot of people actually believing he could come in and change government, when in reality I think that is beyond the scope of any president.

Yep, definitely empty promises well out of his scope.

As far as Obama's biggest setback (republicans), I don't see what the issue is. They have controlled congress and the executive branch for about 2 years now, they can hardly blame the republicans. I noticed they have been compromising on things, like getting rid of the public option, then blaming republicans as though the republicans had the power to actually stop it (which they didn't).

It is a problem with the Democratic party. The Republicans have always been able to goosestep together, but because of the conservative nature of the current Dem party they can't form a cohesive bloc. There's Kucinich on one end and more conservative Dems on the other, and they won't necessarily agree on every issue.

It's funny though, the republicans pushed for tax cuts and now that Obama is like "okay, seems legit", they will probably now campaign AGAINST the tax cuts just because Obama approves of it now. It could be part of a genious plot on Obama's part, lol.

EDIT: If democrats were smart, they would have let the Bush tax cuts (for all income brackets) expire, and then introduce new legislation for a middle class tax cut only. Then the republicans would be forced to oppose a middle class tax cut in order to serve their rich constituents, which should in theory make them look like dicks to all of middle America. But instead they just caved and gave the reps everything they wanted. lol.

Naw, it won't be a good idea to call Obama out for giving in so quickly by opposing the cuts. The money the right-wing rich will save will be funned back to the Reps for the 2012 campaigns.

I have no clue on what the history of tax cut bills in this recent era. That would make sense (who would oppose relieving the middle class?), but Congress on the whole represents the rich and it wouldn't garner enough support from the Dems.

[LaZeR]

3 cheers for Obama! Finally doing some good.

[tom502]

I think he has destroyed any future "black" candidates from winning.

[raptor]

I think he has destroyed any future "black" candidates from winning.

Maybe for racists who see that as an important characteristic.

[sgreger1]

Yah I doubt this will harm "black" candidates any more than Bush harmed white ones lol. I don't really think it's an issue at this point, all this racism stuff is made up. I have yet to talk to anyone who feels obama sucks cause he's black. I think the amount of people who are racist like that are very small relative to most americans.

[tom502]

No, it's the racists that voted for him because he is "black", and there are many, and many who did, for that one reason. It was hype hype hype, hype and crunk. It was all about race, and that's all you ever heard. If Obama was Obama, just like he was before election, but a white guy, McCain would have been the winner.

[raptor]

No, it's the racists that voted for him because he is "black", and there are many, and many who did, for that one reason. It was hype hype hype, hype and crunk. It was all about race, and that's all you ever heard. If Obama was Obama, just like he was before election, but a white guy, McCain would have been the winner.

Blacks are what? 10% of the total population? And if you're saying race was a factor in that manner, your hypothesis would need almost all of them to vote McCain. And given that McCain is a crotchety old conservative that sort of swing just won't happen.

@sgreger: racism is still alive and well here in the US, but if you're referring to it not being an impact on the 2008 election you're right.

[sgreger1]

Blacks are what? 10% of the total population? And if you're saying race was a factor in that manner, your hypothesis would need almost all of them to vote McCain. And given that McCain is a crotchety old conservative that sort of swing just won't happen.

@sgreger: racism is still alive and well here in the US, but if you're referring to it not being an impact on the 2008 election you're right.

I know racism exists, I mean i've lived in the south, i'm just saying that people don't give Obama the credit he deserves when it comes to the elections. Black people threw him under the buss, remember the whole "not black enough" crap? For the most part, America is white. We make up some 70-80% of the country, and latinos take a big chunk of the rest. Like you mention, black people make up like 10% of the population, and saddly only maybe 10% of them actually vote. (This isn't a racist comment, it's just that so many don't vote according to various research conducted on the subject).

So to claim racism ( voting for Obama just because he's black) was the deciding factor seems illogical. I mean if even 1% of whites were racist and voted against him based on race, it would have easily negated the entire black vote that was pro-obama. Then factor in that many black people I talk to don't like Obama and we see that of the 10% of african americans, maybe only a small percentage actually voted for him.


So really if anything, him being black meant the odds were against him, even assuming blacks voted 100% Obama (which they did not).


He won because he ran a flawless campaign. The guy is spotless, talks great, managed to bring hope to a nation of people that were utterly jaded after 8 years of Bush, and had a platform which many could agree on (trnsparency, the middle class, anti-lobbying and big business etc). The problem is that he marketed himself as the ANTI-BUSH, yet the cold realities of being a leader in America (read as: selling out to corporations) has forced him to do a lot fo the same things as bush, hence people hate him.




tl;dr: Racism exists, but I think it's actual influence on the elections was marginal. If 5% of whites were racist and voted against him based on color, he wouldn't have won by the landslide that he did. Whites still make up the majority of voters, and they voted for him in droves. I hate him but i'm not willing to overlook the facts to claim he got elected just because he is black.

[Roo]

I feel ya aiight Tom, on election night I got so fuggin crunk yo, and err'yone around me was juss straight mashin! An' gettin' STOOPID hyphy yo, it was like a "black" thing yo.... but I hear you though, check dis out it's like dis: next time some "black" foo be try'na run for office, e'ybody gon' be like: "Hell Nah! **** that shit, yo! We already been seein' that "blacks" can't be President!! Na'msayin'?? Yo. Holla atcha boy. Word is bond.

Edit: should have quoted your nonsense to make it clear to others that I'm not racist, but rather, just making fun of you. **** it though.