This is a good, solid post about Bernie Sanders, and his explanations, from his informed vantage point, about what was wrong with the Obama presidency.
The state of politics here in the United States today is a sorry mess. Johnny Depp famously likened the political climate in this country to playing with a dumb puppy, and that it cannot be taken too seriously.
In such a climate, what we have are people who hate President Obama, no matter what he does, and people who love President Obama, no matter what he does.
Both seem to air their opinions a lot, particularly on social media.
We see a lot of opposition to Obama from the right, from an obstructionist Republican Congress, and from idiotic talking heads on Fox News and neocon pundit radio stations. If you listen to them, they would have you believe that Obama is a socialist, bordering on communist, who is literally trying to become the dictator of this nation. They cite Obamacare and his emphasis on trying to pass environmental legislation as examples of this, and they rely heavily on conspiracy theories to back up their points, with the whole emphasis on the question of his producing a birth certificate, as well as insinuating that he is, at least secretly, a Muslim.
We see a lot of love for Obama from Democrats, who are so relieved to have him in office, that they seem to forgive an awful lot. Either that, or they are simply not paying attention, or willfully turning their heads, from some of the things that he does which are detrimental to this country. He seems entirely too willing to cater to corporate America, and has largely continues so many of the worst excesses and abuses of the Bush administration. In fact, he has expanded some of these abuses, particularly with spying. He waited out his entire first term before getting serious about the environmental priorities, which suggested that they were not really priorities at all. On many levels, his presidency was much more disappointing precisely because of the idealism that his campaign generated in 2008, and which got him to the White House in the first place.
It would be nice if the legions of people who feel so strongly, one way or the other, would have a little more objectivity, and see Obama more for what he is, then what they want him to be, one way or the other.
A fairer assessment, I believe, if given by Senator Bernie Sanders, who is a candidate for president on the Democratic side. In a recent poll, he shocked many people by being within ten points of Hillary Clinton in one poll, and basically tied with her in two others. Again, after not just years, but decades of purely establishment, corporate friendly individuals in the White House, maybe enthusiasm for such candidates has dampened as quickly as conditions in the country have deteriorated.
Here is the link to the article:
Bernie Sanders Explains What He Thinks Obama Did Wrong As President by Jessie Rifkin, Posted: 03/09/2015
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