So he largely avoided cultural issues except for one of the most wharrgarbl'd about cultural issue we have?

Ok, so is there some point you wanted to make ?

"By LIZ SIDOTI."

Liz Sidoti, Liz Sidoti...from where do I know that name, hmmm..



/shut up, uninformed subby

This is what we want....isn't it?

How does somebody possibly make this a bad thing? I mean, christ...the first paragraph talks about doing things exactly the opposite of Bush...I'd chalk that up to a big victory considering the past 8 years.

Yes, because with the economy in the crapper and most of the world hating us, he should be concentrating on handing out free abortions and throwing Christians in jail, right subby?

"Wishy-washy" is now a virtue.

DarthBrooks: "Wishy-washy" is now a virtue.

After eight years of a President who acted boldly and with certainty, it sure is.

smooshie: DarthBrooks: "Wishy-washy" is now a virtue.

After eight years of a President who acted boldly and with certainty, it sure is.

I don't know, there's something so easy to understand about the bull in a china shop approach to every single problem. Also, you should tackle everything at the same.

Neutral? Really? Is the PITA broken again?

Somehow I think Conservatives wouldn't prefer he go balls-to-the-wall with his actual opinions.

He's threading the needle.

DarthBrooks: "Wishy-washy" is now a virtue.

Yeah, he sure is wishy-washy on Gitmo, secret prisons, torture, ethics reform, the Mexico City Policy...jeez, won't this guy take a stand on something important?

His wishy-washyness is clearly reflected in his tanking approval rating:



12% disapproval? Wow, that means even some 23%ers aren't hatin' on the guy.

OMG A HEADLINE CRITICAL OF THE SAVIOR -1 -1 -1 -1 -1

DarthBrooks: "Wishy-washy" is now a virtue.

What, exactly, has he been wishy-washy about? From what I can tell...he has pretty much jumped at the chance to make strong policy decisions on every major issue currently available. And, amazingly, he's not getting bogged down in silly ideological battles over the various wedge issues that keep our politicians from solving other problems.

I would think that's a good thing.

0bambi didn't get rattled during the oath? He spoke over Justice Roberts and caused the entire thing to get mucked up by rattling Roberts.

One thing is for sure, he was rattled over Rush Limbaugh yesterday!

The color of the sky in your world must be a fantastic orange.

bulldg4life: I would think that's a good thing.

On a certain level I agree, but on another level some part of me worries that Obama's way of doing things ignores the reality that people really do disagree. On abortion, for example - there' s a very serious and profound difference between the positions.

I appreciate Obama's linguistic abilities and desire to cut the crap, but there's a worry that in an effort to compromise you end up giving up what you actually believe is important.

Now, he hasn't yet done this and I hope he won't. I just think we should keep him accountable.

Cog: OMG A HEADLINE CRITICAL OF THE SAVIOR -1 -1 -1 -1 -1

Sometimes, accusations made against our President will be false. Sometimes they will be on point. Most of the time they will probably be a bit of both.

The only guarantee is that you will stride in and claim that any position aside from total acceptance of the accusation is cheerleading.

You have no interest in debate or opinion that differs from your own. You don't care if he is right. You don't even care if his opinion may be complementary to your own.

You just want to hate something.

SouthernManDunWrong: One thing is for sure, he was rattled over Rush Limbaugh yesterday!

You are talking nonsense and it has nothing to do with this thread.

So, par for the course for you.

DamnYankees: On a certain level I agree, but on another level some part of me worries that Obama's way of doing things ignores the reality that people really do disagree.

I would think that the last 8 years showed us what happens when people ignore the reality that people do disagree. Obama seems to be the polar opposite of that and it has seemingly been apparent in every speech/interview/debate that he has been in.

And, that would also seem to be exactly opposite of being wishy-washy.

I appreciate Obama's linguistic abilities and desire to cut the crap, but there's a worry that in an effort to compromise you end up giving up what you actually believe is important.

This seems to be the opposite of what you just said in the first paragraph.

How does one act in a way that ignores the idea that people disagree but also forces compromise to such a point that you give up what you actually believe?

DamnYankees: bulldg4life: I would think that's a good thing.

On a certain level I agree, but on another level some part of me worries that Obama's way of doing things ignores the reality that people really do disagree. On abortion, for example - there' s a very serious and profound difference between the positions.

I appreciate Obama's linguistic abilities and desire to cut the crap, but there's a worry that in an effort to compromise you end up giving up what you actually believe is important.

Now, he hasn't yet done this and I hope he won't. I just think we should keep him accountable.

In all fairness, the policy he reversed gets reversed every time a different party takes the Executive. It's a given. I believe it started with Reagan, reversed by Clinton, re-reveresed by W, re-re-reversed by Obama. Next time an R wins, it'll be re-re-re-reversed.

At each time the WH flips, the policy changes, and some people are pissed off, and some are happy.

Lionel Mandrake: At each time the WH flips, the policy changes, and some people are pissed off, and some are happy.

I get that. Like I said he hasn't yet done this and I actually don't think he will.

On a side note - why the hell doesn't Congress codify this law if they know the next President will just re-flip it?

vartian: Cog: OMG A HEADLINE CRITICAL OF THE SAVIOR -1 -1 -1 -1 -1

Sometimes, accusations made against our President will be false. Sometimes they will be on point. Most of the time they will probably be a bit of both.

The only guarantee is that you will stride in and claim that any position aside from total acceptance of the accusation is cheerleading.

You have no interest in debate or opinion that differs from your own. You don't care if he is right. You don't even care if his opinion may be complementary to your own.

You just want to hate something.

They're acting all offended that after deliberately creating hundreds of BS headlines instead of actually waiting for something they have an opinion about... nobody cares to listen anymore.

All the "conservatives" had to do was wait for Obama to make a real bad decision, which he certainly will. But they couldn't wait.

DamnYankees: why the hell doesn't Congress codify this law if they know the next President will just re-flip it?

Codifying how the US spends its aid as it relates to abortion education is a pretty big step for the legislature to under take...I would think.

DamnYankees: Lionel Mandrake: At each time the WH flips, the policy changes, and some people are pissed off, and some are happy.

I get that. Like I said he hasn't yet done this and I actually don't think he will.

On a side note - why the hell doesn't Congress codify this law if they know the next President will just re-flip it?

Good question. An almost-certain filibuster might be the answer.

FTFA:It's as if Superman stepped out of a phone booth and became Clark Kent," said Fred Greenstein, a Princeton University professor emeritus of politics.

And people claim that Conservatives are responsible for the Messiah Meme.

And whipping out approval ratings on the guy's third day in office isn't exactly proving anything. As the article stated, he hasn't had to face a crisis yet. Even Bush was highly liked prior to 9/11.

We'll see if the cape and tights are truly strong enough to weather a storm eventually.

CanisNoir: Even Bush was highly liked prior to 9/11.

It's actually the opposite of this. He was pretty average before 9/11 and then his ratings skyrocketed.

DamnYankees: On a side note - why the hell doesn't Congress codify this law if they know the next President will just re-flip it?

Because abortion is an election-winning issue for BOTH parties. As long as blame rests in the White House, no congressional incumbent will lose a seat over it.

CanisNoir: FTFA:It's as if Superman stepped out of a phone booth and became Clark Kent," said Fred Greenstein, a Princeton University professor emeritus of politics.

And people claim that Conservatives are responsible for the Messiah Meme.

Also FTFA: "He's beginning to put aside the rhetoric in favor of listing the policies and doing the checklist. He's not going out of his way to show a lot of flash. It's much more lets-get-down-to-work."

Metaphor and context are important concepts. Learn them.

DamnYankees: It's actually the opposite of this. He was pretty average before 9/11 and then his ratings skyrocketed.

You are correct, my point, was that Bush was liked at one point in time so let's not jump to waving the O-Man's approval ratings around like they mean something.

Lionel Mandrake: Metaphor and context are important concepts. Learn them.

Superman? Metaphor? How about "Hyperbole" as a concept eh? Not showing a lot of 'flash' and 'getting down to work' is pretty much the same as every other President in their first few weeks; it does not make him Superman; claiming it does explains the Messiah Meme and just proves that some people are far to quick to cream their pants at the mention of his name.

/Mayhaps you should do a Crotch-Wetness check yourself?

CanisNoir: Bush was liked at one point in time so let's not jump to waving the O-Man's approval ratings around like they mean something.

Pretty dumb argument. This is essentially the same argument Bush himself says about Truman - "this other guy was also hated, but now he's liked, so I'll be liked too!"

The point is both that Obama is liked compared to his predecessor (something Bush can't say), and that Obama's approval is very high historically.

CanisNoir: Superman? Metaphor? How about "Hyperbole" as a concept eh?

You seemingly don't understand what any of those things mean, so I'm not sure why he would take your advice.

CanisNoir: /Mayhaps you should do a Crotch-Wetness check yourself?

If you believe in a bell curve of human personalities, have you ever wondered what the opposite of that which you denounce would entail? I mean, just asking.

CanisNoir: Lionel Mandrake: Metaphor and context are important concepts. Learn them.

Superman? Metaphor? How about "Hyperbole" as a concept eh? Not showing a lot of 'flash' and 'getting down to work' is pretty much the same as every other President in their first few weeks; it does not make him Superman; claiming it does explains the Messiah Meme and just proves that some people are far to quick to cream their pants at the mention of his name.

/Mayhaps you should do a Crotch-Wetness check yourself?

*checks* Nope...dry.

This thread confuses me...is he "wishy-washy" and "voting present" or is he "getting down to work" like every other President?

/metaphors can be hyperbolic, I'll grant you...but it was still just a damn metaphor, dude.

CanisNoir: /Mayhaps you should do a Crotch-Wetness check yourself?

Dude, it is actually possible for you to act any more like a dick?

bulldg4life: How does one act in a way that ignores the idea that people disagree but also forces compromise to such a point that you give up what you actually believe?

It's not ignoring that people disagree, but minimizing the importance of that disagreement. If you believe that political argument are essentially petty, partisan, and personal and can always be resolved by mutual understanding then you are implicitly arguing that people don't really care about the issues as much as they care about the fight.

And if you think people don't *really* care about the issues that much, it can lead you to giving in to the other guy in the name of getting along.

DamnYankees: If you believe that political argument are essentially petty, partisan, and personal and can always be resolved by mutual understanding then you are implicitly arguing that people don't really care about the issues as much as they care about the fight.

I would say in the grand scheme of things, abortion education as it relates to providing aid to other countries is exactly one of those essentially petty things. This is especially true when you look at the scope of things that he has tackled in this first week.

And if you think people don't *really* care about the issues that much, it can lead you to giving in to the other guy in the name of getting along.

I haven't seen that in any of Obama's speeches

bulldg4life: I would say in the grand scheme of things, abortion education as it relates to providing aid to other countries is exactly one of those essentially petty things. This is especially true when you look at the scope of things that he has tackled in this first week.

I don't disagree. Like I said, Obama has not fallen victim to this yet.

bulldg4life: I haven't seen that in any of Obama's speeches

Me neither. He seems to have a pretty strong will. I think his philosophy of governance only really works if you have a man of great conviction and confidence. With someone like Bush, insecure and ignorant of many things, it will never work.

Lionel Mandrake: /metaphors can be hyperbolic, I'll grant you...but it was still just a damn metaphor, dude.

Agreed, it was just a metephor, however it's not the first time a metaphor has been hyperbolic with regards to Obama, and my contention is, that's where the Messiah meme originated, not from so called "Butthurt" conservatives.

Bring the Metaphor's back to earth and I won't have anything to point to, but as long as the "Intellectual" supporters continue to liken him to Superman, I'll keep poking people with a 'Messiah' reference or two.

CanisNoir: Bring the Metaphor's back to earth and I won't have anything to point to, but as long as the "Intellectual" supporters continue to liken him to Superman, I'll keep poking people with a 'Messiah' reference or two.

Wait... Superman? But I thought he was the god-damn Batman.

I'm so confused....

CanisNoir: Lionel Mandrake: /metaphors can be hyperbolic, I'll grant you...but it was still just a damn metaphor, dude.

Agreed, it was just a metephor, however it's not the first time a metaphor has been hyperbolic with regards to Obama, and my contention is, that's where the Messiah meme originated, not from so called "Butthurt" conservatives.

Bring the Metaphor's back to earth and I won't have anything to point to, but as long as the "Intellectual" supporters continue to liken him to Superman, I'll keep poking people with a 'Messiah' reference or two.

Hyperbolic metaphors are not new, nor are they partisan. Instead of mocking Obama with your silly memes, why not just say "Fred Greenstein uses stupid metaphors." Hell, I'd even agree with you.

But you appear to be more interested in justifying your future use of a stupid trope. So be it. As long as you do, I shall feel justified in calling you and your ilk "butthurt."

BKITU: CanisNoir: Bring the Metaphor's back to earth and I won't have anything to point to, but as long as the "Intellectual" supporters continue to liken him to Superman, I'll keep poking people with a 'Messiah' reference or two.

Wait... Superman? But I thought he was the god-damn Batman.

I'm so confused....



Sounds right.

SouthernManDunWrong: 0bambi didn't get rattled during the oath? He spoke over Justice Roberts and caused the entire thing to get mucked up by rattling Roberts.

One thing is for sure, he was rattled over Rush Limbaugh yesterday!

Why don't you join your fellow freepers in their intellectual discussion on this topic? I am sure you will feel more at home there. Link (new window)

CDP: Why don't you join your fellow freepers in their intellectual discussion on this topic? I am sure you will feel more at home there. Link (new window)

Followed the link looking for paranoid, uninformed opinions expressed in simplistic, often misspelled English...

...left satisfied.

I only wish people were applying this level of scrutiny to Bush and Co. when they took office.

So because he's not doing a dance and saying "Suck it, cons!", he's casting present votes.

Wow.

I have no idea how to feel about this, so here's a link that puts the image of a slice of bacon over fark.

http://bacolicio.us/http://www.fark.com

Gangway Fathead: I have no idea how to feel about this, so here's a link that puts the image of a slice of bacon over fark.

http://bacolicio.us/http://www.fark.com

http://bacolicio.us/http://www.aipac.org

lulz