The new slogan for the Democratic party:

"Vote for us; we don't suck quite as much as the other guys."

That should rally the base!

I have been so sad for so long about what has taken place, or NOT taken place, in "our" government. Cynical about "hope" and what was that saying...oh yeah..."yes you can"...wow do I get mad about that stuff. Public option, someone actually caring about the people, fairness, truth hah!, and open dialogue bla bla bla etc. I am one of those who needed to be convinced to ever in my lifetime vote again.

But I am convinced. Because I don't like the way it was with Bush and his gang more than I don't like the way it is with our present President, Obama. More than that I do remember how frightening it was with Bush and Cheney, wire tapping, wars without reason, constant lying about everything, the opening of Guantanamo and other "secret facilities", war crimes, feeling fearful to express an opinion openly in public for fear of some fanatical retribution, or being reported, the hateful and distrustful way we were rightly viewed by the whole world, the propaganda and the outrage of being marked as unpatriotic or even as a traitor if you disagreed with President Bush, the Republicans and the Evangelical so called Christians.

So, yes, I am going to vote. For the lesser of two evils. Because though Barrack Obama broke my heart and spirit, the difference between the two governments is pronounced and vitally important to note. And to do something about. For, as you said clearly, self preservation. Sadly, I AM going to vote for that reason. And so should everyone else. Sending a message to these guys only ends up in the shredder anyway, so swallow our pride and just do the one thing we can do. Until we can't do it anymore.

The problem for a lot of people, including me, is that none of the candidates provides any excitement whatsoever. Voting for any of them allows me to believe that things are going to continue to go on as before, only justified because as long as people vote for them, they can feel they have some sort of mandate to be mediocre. The whole "you can't complain if you don't vote" argument becomes weakened by the fact that voting doesn't change the problem that we're treated like sheep by whichever side gets elected into power. Sure, we can "vote to change" that, but the problem is more involved with the system than it is the people. But changing the system doesn't change the clout of the people who will fill in the gaps as they're already doing.

Just my thoughts from someone who has a Ph.d in political science, which was just enough education to reveal how sad it all really is.

Duane is right. Every four years we trot out to the voting booth and put our "x" on the candidate of our choice, and we do the same thing with our representatives and senators, in the mistaken belief that by doing so we're part of a democracy. The truth is that this country isn't a democracy; if it ever was, those days are long gone. Living as we do in a profoundly corrupt, two party system in which the two parties are corporatist mirror images of each other (read plutocracy), we have almost no say in the affairs of our government. In fact, by buying into the notion that we do have a say, we merely make it easier for the oligarchs. From the standpoint of those supporting the status quo, one of the purposes of the whole charade in November is to keep the electorate mesmerised with the belief that they have a stake in a system which views regular people as nothing more than money cows. I'm not saying that we shouldn't vote, that only serves to further disenfranchise ourselves. My point is more that we need to be utterly realistic and clear-eyed, in the hope that if enough people look behind the curtains at the man pulling the levers, we'll actually get pissed off enough to do something about it.

If I don't agree with any of the choices presented to me, then not voting is my vote.

Well stated. There are problems, there are disappointments, but if you expected everything to magically be fixed in one election cycle, you were delusional. I remember the times not so long ago when I was so angry and so ashamed at my country and my government. Obama changed a lot of that for me, he showed me faith and hope in the rule of law again, and as much as I would love for him to be a miracle worker, I know he is but one man....I know that he is far from the worse we could have in that office, because I remember when it was so much worse. Thank you for saying this.

I would have bust a vessel drafting this. You ARE the man! And don't forget the big lie, oft-repeated. A story line these days does not a reality make, though there are all too numerous exceptions. The disaffected liberal may be a case in point. (I'm current and "early-voting" the moment they open the doors.)

Thanks for your passion, Dennis. (r&a)

"Do you remember just a few years ago when speaking dissent against the ruling party was inviting investigation and even arrest?

Do you remember an administration and a Republican controlled congress that showed utter disregard for the Bill of Rights, using national tragedy as a way of instituting xenophobic control over its citizens while systematically stripping away their liberties?

Do you remember how America went from receiving nearly global post 911 sympathy to being despised and distrusted, as a result of our arrogance and cavalier disregard of human rights, the U.N. and the Geneva Conventions?

Do you remember just how close we were to having a moral, “us against them” Theocracy rule this land?"

And these conditions have changed in what ways. Are you aware of the FBI raids on dissident american voices and organizations this Friday night?

Have you been following the machinations of the obama "justice" department?

I am not fighting You. Heck You are one of the people I am proud to have on my favorites list.

I just can't see how much worse things could be under mclame/palin.

guantanemo open
2 and 1/2 wars active and more on the drawing board.
new and increased renditions.
increase in mercenaries - oops contractors.
iraq "military' actions over???
increase in defense budget.
same old/same old 3 billion footsy with israel
resumed settlement activity that never really ceased.
continued erosion of the constitution and bill of rights.
government monitoring of internet neutrality laws being debated in congress.

etc. etc. etc. etc.

And so it goes (K. Vonnegut).

I am going to vote a straight democratic ticket and encourage everyone I know to do the same, not because I think the Democrats are so great, but because I fear what the other guys will do if they get their hands on the throttle again. It is said that evil you know is better than evil you know not, but that's not really true. The truth is that we already know exactly what the Conservatives will do....and I believe that hitting the reset button will tip us into chaos.

If the newbies were actually calm and reasonable people....if they had an agenda based on common sense rather than conservative cant....I might think otherwise.

As it is right now, my feeling is that those who don't vote to maintain this miserable status quo may find what replaces it much, much worse.

Anyone who thinks that righting the wrongs of the previous administration was going to be a cakewalk is delusional. I'm voting straight Democratic, with bells on.

Nice to see you Dennis. That last sentence usually rings true. But when it comes to elections we can only hope the polling stations are not rigged in the first place. Wishing you all the best. There's a lot at stake.

i've been saying this for months now too. it was naive to think obama was going to be the savior. it was clear from the campaign that he was a politican, not an ideologist. watch: you will discover diehards as I have who won't budge. political reality means nothing to them. they want it all now and if they don't get it they do their childish "fuck you" routine--all politics are dirty and I'm not playing. they're the jerks.

I'm a proud civil liberties voter. I voted for Obama mainly on those grounds. And now--
Obama's "state secret" assasination policy is worse than any civil liberties outrage in the Bush administration. And noone in the Democratic caucus is raising hell about it. I'd see them in hell before I vote for them this time.

Obama is fond of the saying that insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. By this measure, voting for this crowd again would be madness.

You are so true with this post. I'm with you 100%. Progressives should not give up the fight just because things are not changing overnight. Change is not easy and life is not fair. Anyone who thinks otherwise is living in a fantasy world.

Rome was not built in a day, people! When Obama gave his acceptance speech the night he was elected, he specifically told his supporters, "I need your help." That's what he said. Obama is only one man, not a million supermen!

"And now--
Obama's "state secret" assasination policy is worse than any civil liberties outrage in the Bush administration. And no one in the Democratic caucus is raising hell about it. I'd see them in hell before I vote for them this time.

Obama is fond of the saying that insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. By this measure, voting for this crowd again would be madness."

Yes. What Libertarius said.

Dennis,
I'm one of those who has divorced the Democratic party. But I can't, because right now, the Democrats are the only ones standing between the natural gas companies' destroying my area (on top of the Marcellus Shale) with their fracking, and their Republican counterparts who want to drill, baby, drill.

I agree with you.....I'm definitely voting.....straight ticket democratic party which is more an anti-GOP and anti-tea party vote than anything else....I actually am enthused about making sure the tea party doesn't gain widespread support to wreck the economy from above.

those who thinks government doesn't work probably shouldn't work in government.

!

also: a criticism that comes from the right wing is that the left expects too much from government....is too utopian and utopias may not be possible on earth....

I disagree that the left is too utopian. It's not utopian to ask that our government be better than it is. but not voting does seem suicidal to me. it's true that the democratic congress was disappointing...but I can't imagine being an ounce less disappointed once boehner and company take over (which they're supposed to any day now).

Grow up! If we do not vote our country will be run by the likes of Rep. Spray Tan and Sharon Angle, and Christine O'Donnell. Yes, Democrats haven't set the world on fire, but they prevented more misery than their Republican counterparts-whose motto is-every American for themselves, unless you are a multi-billion dollar corporation! I only wish that the Democrats would really call out these tea party types, whose sole purpose is to dismantle government, and have market rule only. Think what a mess it was with Newt and Co. running things-they have already promised to tie everything up with investigations and subpeonas! R

"If you can’t vote with the same eagerness you felt in 2010"

Somehow I doubt that such a blatant typo would have been made and overlooked by a chorus of conservatives.

Just to clarify, the 'grow up' was directed to those who would stay home. You are not excited-get over it. We need to keep the Democrats in power, as having the self-serving Republicans would be a mess for our country!

Thank you, Dennis. I've never looked at it that way.

President Obama’s mistake is that he thinks people are so much smarter than they are and that they remember their Civics lessons. Congress legislates, not the President, so no matter what he promises he can’t deliver unless he has a compliant Congress. People behave as if he could go kick some ass and everything would be okay.

Congress cut off the funding and passed a bill blocking the closure of Guantanamo; same with the terrorist trials in Civilian courts. Again, Congress legislates and controls the purse strings. What do you expect him to do?

Regarding healthcare…despite claims to the contrary, he never promised a public option. More importantly, those who are disappointed at the outcome need to be reminded that when Social Security passed in 1935 most women and minorities were excluded from the benefits, along with government employees, many teachers, nurses, hospital employees, librarians and social workers. The first benefits were not paid until 1940.

Medicare was signed into law in 1965. Prescription drug coverage wasn’t added until 1980. There’s plenty of time to tweak and amend healthcare and there’s plenty of time to add a public option. Had healthcare not passed in some form when it did…it would have never passed.

Regarding Iraq, it is foolhardy to expect him to overturn an agreement made by the Bush administration. Afghanistan is another matter. During his campaign he called it “the right war” and everyone cheered. But everyone cheered about everything he said then. They voted and then went home and allowed the opposition to drown their dreams in tea.

There are people who have commented here, who are so filled with hate that nothing he will do or say will be right. He’s right about one thing…Democrats need to buck up…a little growing up won’t hurt either.

Wow Mr Knight your vitriol against the Republican party is based in negative Liberal spin (aka untruths) and is quite astounding coming from a thinking man.

Chey - yours is the saddest thing I have read about this. Many join you in your disillusionment. I heard today that the President labels the atmosphere now in DC "toxic". This has been a divisive, blantantly corrupt administration. The back room deals, the bills voted on but not read, the character assasinations, the projection of blame, and the utter incompetence. Every one should vote this November but it should be an informed and reasoned vote, not a "just because I am a X" I will vote that way. The much maligned Tea Party members feel the same disillusionment with their members that you do with your President, and they are doing something about it, in the face of vicious push back. Frankly m'dear we do need to rally ourselves to give a damn and do something about it. But that something has to be a sane, based in reason not vitriol something.

American politics is of the coporations, by the corporations, for the corporations. The American People are SUCKERS who get hoodwinked into believing their "vote" constitutes a say in how things are run. Barry's "Rolling Stone" interview shows hos he feels abotu those of us who ahve the cojones to speak up about all this. He's determined to get a Black Belt in Hippie-Punching.


Well FUCK HIM!


http://fablog.ehrensteinland.com/2010/09/28/hommage-a-william-gaddis/

Nicely said. I really don't understand the whole not voting thing. Many people complain that "it doesn't matter," but isn't voting supposed to be a civic duty? What happened to duty?

My thanks to each of you who have contributed to the discussion and those who pointed out needed corrections.

The intent of the post was to nudge those who are disappointed in the Obama administration, thus far, to realize the peril of not voting in the upcoming midterms.

It is absolutely true that the separation of powers prevents the Executive branch from doing everything on their own. The Legislative branch bears huge responsibility for what has not been accomplished.

Our Democratic majorities in Congress have blown chances of a lifetime since the President was sworn in.

But dealing with Congress and their inept, self concerned, inertia would require another article altogether.

I believe the White House misspent much of the capital that the election of 2008 gave them, through a series of compromises with opponents who never intended to change and with special interests who were more than eager to strike self serving deals.

Much of the nation gave the President a mandate. He promised change we can believe in. It is not too late to seek those kinds of changes.

Compromises can be reached to effect ideals. But genuine ideals should never be compromised as a means to any end.

It is better not to promise change than to allow loyal supporters to believe that what was promised was perhaps a means to an end too similar to the standard it replaced.

Nevertheless, to allow those who have proven they harbor disdain for human rights and personal freedoms to gain power once again is a fate too terrible to surrender to.

Please vote.

Those scary Republicans! if they get back in will they claim the right to assassinate Americans with no due process and no possibility of judicial oversight? will they claim the right to have a wide open "back door" to allow them to eavesdrop on anybody's electronic communications at any time without a pretense of a warrant? will they issue blanket pardons to anybody who tortured "in good faith", while slamming the door on any attempts to win recompense for torture victims? will they claim the right to try alleged terrorists in whatever type of "court" that offers the best chance of conviction, hold them forever without trial if there is no chance of conviction, or just have them snuffed without even indicting them? Really scary, all right, and that's what I'll be supporting if I vote Democrat too.

You are right, Dennis. Damn it. You are always right.

I've always been planning to vote. Thanks for reminding me to care.

So glad you're here. Rated and appreciated, slanty bold exclamation point.

"I would prefer not to."

yes but Rahm told us to get F--ked and to Gibbs we are all whiners. the Prez was soo busy appealing to the Repubs and independents but now at the 11th hour he remembers the progressives. see how many of the independents pony up their cash and time to get Dems elected. keep doing what your doing O and see how many rally to you in 2012. like that lady said at the town hall it gets tiresome defending the Administration especially cause you have so little to show for it. the Tea folks are throwing out the RINOs maybe we should toss out the DINOs. think it really makes a difference if your being screwed by a Dem rather than a Repub?

I agree that it's time to buck up. For all that is wrong, there is also a laundry list of good that Obama has accomplished. If someone wants to throw in the towel after only a few months, then they deserve what they get and I'd bet they ain't gonna like it.

You have to fight to retain power, the thugs sure aren't going to give it to anyone. Look how they've done nothing but obstruct progress. Like it or not, whining isn't very becoming of anyone. Shangrai La is a myth. I say grow up, get off your ass, hold your nose and get out there and vote! I mean really, how long could it take? It's not like they are asking you to build a log cabin from scratch. Sheesh.

Anyone who isn't going to vote because they didn't get everything they wanted in a few short months is a whiny-assed loser. The term Progressive means a little change at a time. That's how it works, but if you don't fight, you don't get no change!

Washington, as corrupt as it is, works on a different clock than the rest of us and the Thugs have made that clock turn even slower over the last few months. The lesser of two evils is still less evil. If the Thugs take over, you will really have something to whine about.

Dennis:

This is America.
We have a two party system.

At least look at the candidates for the House in your district.
Vote for the person closest to your beliefs.

In my district, we have a very solid guy who aligns with my thinking on most issues. His opponent is a right to lifer and favors privatizing social security.

I'm voting. I'm donating. I'm campaigning.

If the left is too angry to vote, remember that the angry right pulls the lever with a sense of indignation and not much else.

I'm disappointed in some things. Other things have been much more successful than generally appreciated now, but take time to evaluate.

The overall conditions were so difficult and grim -- and history will prove that the decisions were directionally correct.

And, a lot of complaints regard the fact that Obama didn't use crisis and catastrophe to push some people's pet agendas, but rather did a rather solid job of simply digging us out of some real holes.

I don't expect ANYONE on OS to agree with my characterization, but anyone that can't see the difference between Obama and Bush is blind.

It is the lesser of two evils but one of them is truly horrible, for the reasons you enumerated Dennis. I was just reading in the New Yorker how most voters now believe that the stimulus package did nothing, or next to it. How can so many people forget that we were on the edge of a 30s style depression?And while the health care deal that emerged is a sprawling mess, it's still an improvement over the status quo and will likely be amended into something better over the years. I doubt that this was Obama's preferred option but politics is the art of the possible. The polls are disheartening but let's hope enough folks come to their senses over the next few weeks.

The President said tonight in Wisconsin that now is precisely NOT the time for apathy. We cannot afford (literally & figuratively) to sit this one out. Otherwise obstructionism becomes the new normal.

Thank you for this. Obama saved my business. Obama has done more for Native Americans than any president in history. He has gotten many things done and kept multiple campaign promises. The Daily Kos type progressives do not know how the world works. They bitch and moan about things that they think he should have done while ignoring the many things he has done. "Principled losers" is my own term for them. There is this totally false belief in the equivalency of bad of either parties. This is an ignorant belief. The Right is more radical than at any time in my life. To allow them a victory this November would be devastating not to just this country but the world. Those who stay home as some sort of silly protest are not paying attention. The Neo-Cons lead by Fox News is waiting for the Left to fall apart, as they always do, and then the real action will start. The drumbeat to war against Iran will start. The programs for the poor will be cut and more people will end up in prison. They will eventually come after the National Parks and National forest land. But there is no talking to some. We will lose as we always lose. The rich will grow more powerful and people will wonder what happened. If people realized how many great things the House has passed only to be stalled in the Senate they would have a different view of things. But they won't. I will vote, I will work like I have done for years. I am used to losing. The people who cry and moan are really the ones who don't care in the end. That is sad and discouraging. Policies have real life consequences and I see them. Here's one--a quad-guy I know needs plenty of help to live independently in his own home. He gets 56 hours of help per week. It has been proposed by the Republican dominated state that his hours be reduced to 44 which is unworkable for him and may end up driving him into a nursing home and probably an early death. It is not a game to me.

Dennis, I think this is a great analysis. The desire not to vote is what I think they are counting on. This is the same message, though much differently expressed, that I was trying to get across in my recent post, The Stakes. I think we all have to really get out there and get rational people to realize what the stakes are and make sure they vote, even if they vote without that fuzz of idealism they had. For all the disappointments many of us have had under Obama, they were largely that he didn't do as much as we wished, not that he did too much. The Republicans want to spin all that disappointment into one neat bundle, so their cause looks bigger, but it's really two distinct things and I wish the pollsters would stop mixing it... Or maybe I wish someone would just poll it in a way that shows that.

You may argue that November represents a choosing between the lesser of two evils. So be it.

If memory serves me well, Mr. Knight, this scenario plays out nearly every four years in November in your country. Politics being what it is, the selection is always a balancing act between evils both lesser and greater.
Thus is the nature of the beast. But the vote, that is the voice of the people. Is it not?

Myself, I'd prefer to have my voice heard.

A very good post.

You make some very good points. However, many, many of the people you are calling to action, have, over the many months of Obama-ism, have come to realize there is very little difference between his true political allegiances and those of the previous laggarts. Scary but so true. Once the highest office in the land is obtained, there is an induction into a much bigger good old boys club than any major reporting network or American citizen could imagine.
Afflect and Damon. Marriage made in heaven. They rise from nothing and become the kings of the hill. What's so different about how we bring our prized candidates into office? In there lies the rub.

The country is going in the toilet now because Obama and the Democratic Congress are following the same right wing policies as Bush and Co. Why continue to vote for these losers. Socialism is getting a bad name because people actually think Obama is one. If we vote for the Democrats we will continue to slide into the abyss all the while empowering the loonies on the right who can then blame the Democrats for our decline. I say let the Right wing crazy Tea Party win and run this country into the ground. Then maybe we can build a strong Progressive movement with some spine. Perhaps even a viable third party, The Anti-Corporatism Party.

So why, exactly, should I vote for someone who doesn't support anything I believe? As a Green Party supporter and as a socialist, I am for universal health care, labor reform and ending the wars abroad. My incumbent in Mississippi opposes Obama's health care bill and also single payer AND abortion rights and he's voted to continue to fund the military industrial complex. Sorry, but your argument in favor of the corporatocracy is unconvincing.
And by the way, many liberals (myself included) don't think Obama is any better than Bush. I wouldn't say Clinton and Carter were all that great, either.

Those of us who are truly independent don't see one of the two major parties as the "lesser" of anything.

And as so often in the past has been the case, I agree TOTALLY with Alaska Progressive. We, who voted for him should have known before the election, when he stabbed us in the back over FISA that he really wouldn't be quantitatively or qualitatively better than the other two idiots.

The other two were part of the mindless mob, who are trying to take over OS, but truth be told, I think we'd be better off with mindlessness than out and out lying.

Lance the wound. F*ck obama -- let the idiots run the insane asylum which THEY created.

Honestly, I think the press is making much about very little. It's not the liberals/progressives staying home that the Democrats have to worry about. They'll show up at the polls. They always do. The problem is the Democratic party needs to make it's case clearly and simply for the less political types who are being bombarded by cable crap. The Dems need to keep it simple: If you want the government to keep it's hands off your medicare, if you want what you put in to social security, if you think not having your health insurance canceled due to a minor pre-existing condition is a good thing -- then vote for the Democrats.

A few smart candidates are beginning to run on this especially appealing to the elderly on the social security issue. With about five weeks left, they need to keep hammering it home.

stop voting for them. voting for them gets you what you've got. time for a new plan.

when their share of the vote hits 20%, you'll be amazed at how progressive they can be.

Yes, I will vote, and I do remember. But would it be so hard for Obama to reach out to LABOR?!! It would score him some huge points. This talk about available credit and small businesses is bullshit. Credit is for suckers and small businesses are getting creamed. I'm not sitting out the election this year, and I do not believe it's going to be the republican landslide pundits predict. I just do not.

Thank you for your sane and very true sentiments. One can also add that Obama inherited way more of a mess than anyone could reasonably be expected to fix in only two years. I'd rather live in the country we're in now, flawed as it is, than in one run by the Christian Taliban and the Tea Party.

So right you are. Shout it from the roofs. Thank you. r 4 RIGHT ON!

Couldn't agree more. Remember Yeats. We must all get impassioned, not just teabaggers and extremists!

Well said, Dennis. I'm deeply disappointed in Obama. But if we stay home, we turn over the government to the likes of Christine O'Donnell. Yikes!

I despise Obama. That said, I will go to the polls in November, hold my nose and vote for the democrats. That said, it is time for progressives to grab the democratic party by the balls by having serious progressives run in the primaries. I want the Green Party to take a cue from the Tea Party only insofar as having the Greens run their people as Democrats. A three way contest in general elections typically hurts our interests.

Great post! Well-written! I actually fully understand and even support those who have decided that they just can't vote for another Democrat after the disappointments and frustrations we've had to endure, going back to the elections of 2006 through today. There's a part of me that even thinks, well...when it all falls COMPLETELY apart with Republicans in control again then maybe, maybe, maybe the Democratic party will actually develop some backbone and principles and stand up for working and middle-class folks like they used to - so long ago now, I can hardly remember. Still...I will vote this year and hit all the Democratic "choices." But, I won't be happy about it.

I've not given up on Obama and agree with the posters that do identify many of the things he has been able to accomplish. I believe that part of the "change" that Pres. O. ran on was the end to.....or an attempt to end....the bipartisan rancor that has held the US in a virtual death grip for too long. Perhaps he should not have reached across the aisle to the extent he did or compromised on some of the things he did, but I think I get what he was trying to do. I still have hope and faith in the man. He inherited a big mess. Clean-up is not immediate.

"You may also resent being lectured by the President when he says, “People need to shake off this lethargy. People need to buck up”—especially when it is his administration’s compromises that have helped fuel the malaise." DK

Most of the posts here reflect the contempt progressives have for Obama and, from their perspective, this view is quite valid. In just the first twenty months of his Administration, Obama has learned that there is the “campaign world” of the "community activist", and the “REAL” world of the President of the United States.
It’s easy to wax elequent and beat up George Bush, his Iraq strategy, attacked Bush for not getting Usama, Gitmo housing terrorists against the wishes of..the world, FISA, renditions, and on and on…,
you know, what Obama has been doing on his latest "tour" for dems.

So Barack is sworn in and our troops are leaving Iraq on the time schedule arranged by Bush, Usama is still sending messages to the world, but now. he is supporting the democrats, Gitmo remains open, and this week dozens of FBI agents in several cities INVADED the homes of anti-war families. Could you imagine the "break in news" announcement from CNN and MSNBC if the Bush Administration had done this deed.
Actually, I haven’t seen much in the “main stream media” about these Justice Department “home invasions”…I wonder why the story has been spiked? As Tom Eley reported, “according to Fox News of Chicago, one of the raids invaded a house “that property records link to the director of the Arab-American Action Network.” Ross Rice, spokesman for the FBI, refused to provide details on what took place in Chicago. http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/sep2010/raid-s25.shtml
So, frankly, I can understand the disappointment in Obama, the losss of hope for change, by so many progressives. I would,however, disagree with the constant refrain here that the President has compromised with the republicans. The numbers don’t seem to add up to justify such a statement.

The key pieces of legislation passed in Obamaland had minimal if any republican support...
The STIMULUS was rammed through the House by Pelosi by a vote of 244 to 188, with ALL of the Republicans voting NO, joined by 11 Democrats.
The CAP &TRADE tax scheme was rammed through the House by Pelosi by a vote of 219 to 212.
Eight Republicans did switch over to make the final margin possible, which I don’t thing you could say was “bi-partisan " support with Waxman compromising to the Republicans…can you? These eight are going to be part of the “unemployment” statistic come January, 2011.
Bono Mack
Castle
Kirk
Lance
LoBiondo
McHugh
Reichert
Smith (NJ)

Obamacare passed the House 220 to 215 with all but one republican voting AGAINST passage. Again, show me the compromise?
From my point of view as a conservative, I am looking at Obama’s record coming into this midterm as one of the most radical socialist ideologues to ever sit in the Oval Office, a man about little is known, hell bent on transforming America into his “dream” of Utopia.
Unfortunately, to achieve his goal the America I know and love must first be destroyed, I see a huge, out of control, big spending Administration and democrat controlled Congress voting massive pieces of special interest laden legislation, written by people 99.9% of Americans never heard of..and passed, UNREAD by the very people we sent to Congress to represent us.
My own Congressman is not serving me or the rest of his constituency, but nods "aye" when told by Nancy Pelosi, the “Party Boss” and Speaker of the House. Millions of dollars of “stimulus” money has bee directed in grants to a university that he once served as “assistant director”….and my guess, where he will be working in 2011.
Pelosi actually holds the America people in such disregard that, with respect to questions on Obamacare, she famously said, “we have to pass the Bill so you will know what is in it.” Really, Nancy?Most people here, including myself, and my Congressman, have no idea what is in those 2,000 pages, what power has been turned over to the Secretary of HUD, to the buureacrats empowerd to write rules and regulation, assign penalties and even making violations “criminal offenses”.. Every day more and more of this legislation is put out into sunlight, and the people overwhelmingly want this unconstitutional legislation repealed. For the first time in the history of our country, a temporary government has positioned the IRS over the heads of citizens to ensure that “mandated” healthcare is purchased.
The republicans are accused of lying…but Obama lies when he says repeatedly, “if you like your present insurance you can keep it”. Really, Mr. President? I haven’t heard you or Mr. Gibbs comment about McDonald possibly cancelling all healthcare plans for 35,000 employees unless they are granted a waiver. You see, guys, it’s much cheaper for a corporation to pay the fine than the thousands of dollars per/employee for healthcare. And with todays unemployment so high, what recourse to employees have…NONE! Thank you Obama, Pelosi and Reid.
Is this freedom? Is this America? We have turned our country over to faceless, paper pushing bureaucrats, paying them double, on average, what the American worker earns “producing” value for the economy. Does anyone really believe that life will end on earth if the EPA was shut down tomorrow, if the government halted their intrusions into every aspect of our personal lives?
This is what people are angry about..why people who never left the couch are now driving to Town Hall meetings to confront phony politicians who have become the “royalty” Americans fought to eliminate over 200 years ago.
Of course the weak economy is the number one issue on everyone’s mind…the weak economy, unemployment close to 10%, total unemployed at depression levels 15%..and a business community paralyzed by the uncertain outlook for yet higher taxes and costs. The cost to business from the requirement to report every transaction over $600 will be huge. And yet no one asks..who is the idiot who had that brainstorm??…Another of those unelected, faceless bureaucrats.
The people have always rated Congress low in the polling…but voted for THEIR Congressman or Congresswoman. This year it’s out with all the lying, scheming bunch of “professional” politicians, and in with the uncouth, unfiltered, “citizen politician” that the Founders always had in mind for the future government of our country.
Everyone should get out and vote for the person that best represents their interests. Me, and tens of millions of people like me will be in that booth on November 2nd. If the democrat party loses big as is currently projected, shame on Obama, Pelosi and Reid. If the democrat party loses big in November, shame on you. Personally, I hope every liberal decides to go skiing in Switzerland or Austria….or goes to visit the “great wall of China”.

God to see you back, Dennis!
I always vote. Preceding generations worked so hard for my right to do so, and it's a privilege and a duty I take seriously.
“Decisions are made by those who show up.”

Thinking about our government just makes me sigh. I hope we could cope up with all this problems. I think Obama is still the deserving one to win the election. Positive changes can’t be done with just a blink of an eye. It takes some time. I’ll definitely vote this November. We have to. We should at least try, right? I’ll just try to be a good citizen, carry on with my life, enroll on an online MBA program and vote. Let’s just hope that this would be going somewhere, that there would be deserving candidates. This is a very interesting post by the way. I agree that people should still vote whether they hate or love the current administration.

The 2010 Democratic Party Platform:

FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR VOTE DEMOCRAT FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR VOTE DEMOCRAT FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR VOTE DEMOCRAT FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR VOTE DEMOCRAT FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR VOTE DEMOCRAT FEAR FEAR FEAR VOTE DEMOCRAT FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR VOTE DEMOCRAT

The Democratic Party lost my vote permanently with this Congressional session, where they allowed DADT to stand, tax cuts for the wealthy to remain (they'll go along with making them permanent after the election, mark my words), illegal detentions to stand, Gitmo to stay open, courts to be demeaned, the rights of states weakened...

I could go on, but I'm about to throw up, knowing that I responded to the Democratic Party CALL OF FEAR in 2008 and helped elect some of this people.

Never. Again.