The whole idea of President Obama being elected was to stop all of the inane crap the Bush administration set into motion. War on Terror? Stopped. Patriot Act? Round-filed. Tax cuts for the wealthy made on the backs of average Americans? Over and done with. No more torture, no more military adventures in Iraq and Afghanistan, no more of the insane policies of the previous administration and no more vice-presidents shooting their hunting partners in the face. Barack Obama was supposed to be a sensible leader for a new sensible era where everything simply...made sense.
It's four years later and not much has changed for many people. Barack Obama's acting sensible, but it's Congress that's lost its mind thanks to the political equivalent of distemper and a growing desperation from the GOP to secure what practically amounts to one-party rule throughout all three government branches.
I could post examples of President Obama getting things done, but those things are often overshadowed by the things he didn't do at all or did do to the objections of many:
- He pulled off a withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq and is slowly doing the same for Afghanistan. Except he's continuing the War on Terror with drones.
- He signed the NDAA into law, fueling fears of ordinary Americans being pulled off the streets and tortured for any reason whatsoever, nevermind how it's a practice that's committed by law enforcement on a regular basis.
- Instead of going after the Bush administration for its various acts of malfeasance, the Obama administration decided to "look forward," thereby avoiding accusations of petty vindictiveness but allowing key Bush-era officials to skate with little to no punishment. It's something that pisses off a great deal of liberal folk.
- Instead of regulating Wall Street so it wouldn't continue to hurt ordinary Americans, he's seemingly cozied-up to them. Citizens United tends to put this in a whole new perspective.
- He hasn't done enough to help Americans get well-needed healthcare reform and new jobs. The things he's done seemed counterproductive and in some cases, designed to fail.*
- Instead of being tough with conservatives and telling them to kiss his black ass every so often, he's spent time and energy trying to work with them, to no avail.
- He hasn't been paying much attention to the needs of the black American community.
- He has yet to put an end to the Bush tax cuts.
- He's stood by while the GOP disenfranchises Democrat voters, sabotage the economy and take the legs from under the feminist movement.
I can understand these concerns, but anyone who hasn't had their heads under sand could see the sheer amount of resistance the president had to go through to get certain things done. People see him as deliberately picking and choosing what he wants to go through, using the GOP majority in the House and opposition elsewhere as an excuse.
On the other hand, people are focusing on the things the president didn't get done while largely ignoring the things he did get done. If it wasn't for the general arrogance and incompetence of Mitt Romney, the president would be in far greater danger from his own supporters of not having a second term than he is right at this very moment. It just had to be said.
*Although with the recent Supreme Court ruling on the Affordable Care Act, it seems things are actually getting done. Somewhat.
