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I believe he's doing exactly what he wanted to do. He had both houses and could have reversed the TSA, cancelled the PATRIOT act, closed guantanimo, ended warr

by nika 16y ago

I believe he's doing exactly what he wanted to do. He had both houses and could have reversed the TSA, cancelled the PATRIOT act, closed guantanimo, ended warrantless wiretapping and spying on americans, etc. But he has done the opposite. I am curious why you think that he would do better if he got re-elected?

danenania 16y ago
I don't really think he would, it's just a vague hope that maybe he'll remember he has a soul or something and actually try to be what he portrays himself as instead of a politically motivated con man. Maybe it's possible he'll come around. I feel like Egypt has changed him in some way. He actually took a minor stand against the establishment. It was timid, but first steps often are.
- anamax 16y ago
  > I don't really think he would, it's just a vague hope that maybe he'll remember he has a soul or something and actually try to be what he portrays himself as instead of a politically motivated con man. http://www.lyricsfreak.com/w/who/wont+get+fooled+again_20146855.html http://www.lyricsfreak.com/w/who/wont+get+fooled+again_20146... > I feel like Egypt has changed him in some way. Which stand was that? The official white house statements were all over the map and didn't become close to coherent until after Mubarek left. > He actually took a minor stand against the establishment. He is the establishment.... We'll see how it ends out. Meanwhile, there's Tunesia and Algeria. And then there's what Obama did wrt Iran.
  - danenania 16y ago
    Look, you're preaching to the choir. He is part of the establishment, but there are a lot of parts to the establishment, and a lot of others with enough power to challenge his. Not that I find this anywhere near a valid excuse for his frankly criminal abuses and negligence, but he doesn't have a free hand. He got where he is by pleasing the powerful. It's probably difficult in our time and perhaps any other to find a ruler of a powerful country who hasn't committed criminal abuses and negligence. That's the sort of person who achieves those positions. Now he himself is one of the powerful, but still risks a lot by going against the line, even as president. Is it unlikely that he will change? Yes. But it would still be nice if he did. I believe it's possible, to some extent, though not very probable. Stranger things have happened.
    - anamax 16y ago
      > but [Obama] doesn't have a free hand. And yet Bush did.... > Now he himself is one of the powerful, but still risks a lot by going against the line, even as president. Oh really? What? Be very specific. You've "confused" Obama with your wishes and are now inventing excuses because the alternative is acknowledging that he isn't what you wanted him to be. Or, as Glenn Reynolds puts it "They told me if I voted for McCain {insert bad thing} would happen." when he points out what Obama has actually done.
fakelvis 16y ago
Do you honestly believe that the president has the power to reverse the TSA, cancel the PATRIOT act, close Guantanimo, end warantless wiretapping and spying on Americans, etc.? He can raise the issue, make public statements, try and push through legislation, etc., but he can't just do all that as simply as you're making out. He desperately wanted health care reform and he didn't have the power to do that in the way he wanted. What makes you think the president can do all this if he wanted to? It's nowhere near that easy.

by nika 16y ago

danenania 16y ago

I don't really think he would, it's just a vague hope that maybe he'll remember he has a soul or something and actually try to be what he portrays himself as instead of a politically motivated con man. Maybe it's possible he'll come around. I feel like Egypt has changed him in some way. He actually took a minor stand against the establishment. It was timid, but first steps often are.

anamax 16y ago
> I don't really think he would, it's just a vague hope that maybe he'll remember he has a soul or something and actually try to be what he portrays himself as instead of a politically motivated con man. http://www.lyricsfreak.com/w/who/wont+get+fooled+again_20146855.html http://www.lyricsfreak.com/w/who/wont+get+fooled+again_20146... > I feel like Egypt has changed him in some way. Which stand was that? The official white house statements were all over the map and didn't become close to coherent until after Mubarek left. > He actually took a minor stand against the establishment. He is the establishment.... We'll see how it ends out. Meanwhile, there's Tunesia and Algeria. And then there's what Obama did wrt Iran.
- danenania 16y ago
  Look, you're preaching to the choir. He is part of the establishment, but there are a lot of parts to the establishment, and a lot of others with enough power to challenge his. Not that I find this anywhere near a valid excuse for his frankly criminal abuses and negligence, but he doesn't have a free hand. He got where he is by pleasing the powerful. It's probably difficult in our time and perhaps any other to find a ruler of a powerful country who hasn't committed criminal abuses and negligence. That's the sort of person who achieves those positions. Now he himself is one of the powerful, but still risks a lot by going against the line, even as president. Is it unlikely that he will change? Yes. But it would still be nice if he did. I believe it's possible, to some extent, though not very probable. Stranger things have happened.
  - anamax 16y ago
    > but [Obama] doesn't have a free hand. And yet Bush did.... > Now he himself is one of the powerful, but still risks a lot by going against the line, even as president. Oh really? What? Be very specific. You've "confused" Obama with your wishes and are now inventing excuses because the alternative is acknowledging that he isn't what you wanted him to be. Or, as Glenn Reynolds puts it "They told me if I voted for McCain {insert bad thing} would happen." when he points out what Obama has actually done.

fakelvis 16y ago

Do you honestly believe that the president has the power to reverse the TSA, cancel the PATRIOT act, close Guantanimo, end warantless wiretapping and spying on Americans, etc.? He can raise the issue, make public statements, try and push through legislation, etc., but he can't just do all that as simply as you're making out. He desperately wanted health care reform and he didn't have the power to do that in the way he wanted. What makes you think the president can do all this if he wanted to? It's nowhere near that easy.