Frank Schaeffer- Obama Is Now and Will Be a Great President

from Frank Schaeffer:

Monday, April 18, 2011
Obama Is Now and Will Be a Great President

The "disappointed" left says president Obama sold out. The racist-laced Medicaid-mugging, billionaire-codling right staggers under the weight of terminal "birther" mythology (now trumpeted by moron-come-lately Donald Trump). Meanwhile president Obama continues to bide his time and looks down the road to the post-2012 reality when his patience with an impatient country, his thoughtfulness in the context of a sound-bite-entertain-ourselves-to-death era of short attention spans and historical amnesia will be vindicated.

If you think that president Obama played the Republicans in the last lame duck congress like a violin just wait until after 2012 when the rotten Tea Party will be about as relevant as 1930s hate monger radio priest: Charles Coughlin (the "father" of hate radio), is today.

President Obama has met the vile far right (and religious right lynch mob) and also met the disappointment of the shrill impatient left with a calm smile and good humor. He's even reached out to what remains of the Republican Party languishing hock deep in the quagmire of their own frightened and wholly imagined paranoid "victim" status. President Obama has also played chicken with each new crisis and -- invariably -- pulled last moment hair raising victory from what critics said would be defeat...

Before he'd served a year president Obama lost the support of the easily distracted (bitter?) left of the Left and also became the target for the white hot rage of the hate-filled right of the Right. But some of us, from all walks of life and ideological backgrounds are sticking with our president.

I happen to be a white fifty-eight-year-old former Republican. In my new book I explain why I left (fled!) the right and religious right movement my family helped found Sex, Mom and God: How the Bible's Strange Take on Sex Led to Crazy Politics--and How I Learned to Love Women (and Jesus) Anyway. (In this book I deconstruct evangelical "thinking" about politics and the Bible in a way that I hope entertainingly exposes the religion-created sexual dysfunction that has been the only actual motivating factor for the so called culture wars.)

.................

How about this: Given the racist state of American politics and the lack of steadfast lefty support not to mention morale-destroying lefty jilted lover carping (and the critique-for-profit members of the left who now define themselves by opposition to president Obama and thus have their egos tied to presidential “failure”), and the hate-filled mythology of the right, president Obama has done incredibly well to get anything done at all.

Maybe there are some on the left who (besides selling anti-Obama screeds) suffer from some sort of psychological problem of denial and are unable to deal with the reality of what America has become and actually is: A place where progressive ideas are routinely crushed beneath the weight of the corporate state and entrenched bigotry. But THAT reality is where president Obama must function.

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President Obama also keeps proving that compared to the talking-heads he knows how to get things done that actually change lives and matter-- health care reform, gay rights (instead of mere slogans), actual education reform, ending a war, restoring America's image worldwide.

We Americans are very lucky people. A sane and compassionate president is in charge. Over an 8 year period he will change American history for the better. Only president Obama's dimwitted and/or hate-filled opponents are unlucky: they are betting against a political genius who also happens to be a very good human being.

Read the article in its entirety at the link above.

President Obama Takes It to Ryan and the GOP

The President gave a speech today and he took it to Rep. Paul ' I WANNA KILL MEDICARE AND MEDICAID' Ryan and the GOP. He hung Ryan and his plan around their neck like a noose.





Part of the President's Speech:

It’s a vision that says America can’t afford to keep the promise we’ve made to care for our seniors. It says that ten years from now, if you’re a 65 year old who’s eligible for Medicare, you should have to pay nearly $6,400 more than you would today. It says instead of guaranteed health care, you will get a voucher. And if that voucher isn’t worth enough to buy insurance, tough luck – you’re on your own. Put simply, it ends Medicare as we know it.
This is a vision that says up to 50 million Americans have to lose their health insurance in order for us to reduce the deficit. And who are those 50 million Americans? Many are someone’s grandparents who wouldn’t be able afford nursing home care without Medicaid. Many are poor children. Some are middle-class families who have children with autism or Down’s syndrome. Some are kids with disabilities so severe that they require 24-hour care. These are the Americans we’d be telling to fend for themselves.

Worst of all, this is a vision that says even though America can’t afford to invest in education or clean energy; even though we can’t afford to care for seniors and poor children, we can somehow afford more than $1 trillion in new tax breaks for the wealthy. Think about it. In the last decade, the average income of the bottom 90% of all working Americans actually declined. The top 1% saw their income rise by an average of more than a quarter of a million dollars each. And that’s who needs to pay less taxes? They want to give people like me a two hundred thousand dollar tax cut that’s paid for by asking thirty three seniors to each pay six thousand dollars more in health costs? That’s not right, and it’s not going to happen as long as I’m President.

The fact is, their vision is less about reducing the deficit than it is about changing the basic social compact in America.

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The difference with the House Republican plan could not be clearer: their plan lowers the government’s health care bills by asking seniors and poor families to pay them instead. Our approach lowers the government’s health care bills by reducing the cost of health care itself. ... Let me be absolutely clear: I will preserve these health care programs as a promise we make to each other in this society. I will not allow Medicare to become a voucher program that leaves seniors at the mercy of the insurance industry, with a shrinking benefit to pay for rising costs. I will not tell families with children who have disabilities that they have to fend for themselves. We will reform these programs, but we will not abandon the fundamental commitment this country has kept for generations.
That includes, by the way, our commitment to Social Security.

The Democrats need to take the points made by POTUS and run with them. Come on Congresswoman Wasserman-Shultz!!


Full text of the President's Speech is HERE

The President Speaks About Libya

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The First Family - onto El Salvador

The First Family leaves Chile and continues onto El Salvador.


US President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama along with daughters Sasha and Malia, upon arrival on Air Force One in San Salvador, El Salvador, March 22, 2011.
----SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images






U.S. President Barack Obama and members of his family board Air Force One as they depart Chile March 22, 2011.
---REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque




U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama wave as they depart from Chile in Santiago March 22, 2011. -----REUTERS/Luis Hidalgo


Sasha Obama, youngest daughter of U.S. President Barack Obama, is seen as they depart from Chile in Santiago March 22, 2011.
----REUTERS/Luis Hidalgo




US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama greet young school children upon arrival on Air Force One in San Salvador, El Salvador, March 22, 2011.
---SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images


U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama take part in an arrival ceremony with El Salvador President Mauricio Funes (2nd R) and first lady Vonda Pignato (R) at the Casa Presidential in San Salvador March 22, 2011.
----REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque



U.S. President Barack Obama (2nd L) and First Lady Michelle Obama (L) take part in an official arrival ceremony by El Salvador's President Mauricio Funes (2nd R) and his wife at the National Palace in San Salvador, March 22, 2011.
----REUTERS/Jason Reed


US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama walk past an honor guard upon arrival on Air Force One in San Salvador, El Salvador, March 22, 2011.
---SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images


US President Barack Obama (R) and First Lady Michelle Obama (C) arrive at the National Palace in San Salvador, El Salvador, March 22, 2011.
---JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images



President Barack Obama, third from left, accompanied by his wife Michelle Obama, left, and his daughters, Malia, second from left and Sasha, fourth from left, partially hidden, walks upon his arrival to the international airport in San Salvador, El Salvador, Tuesday March 22, 2011. Obama will end his Latin America tour with a two-day visit to El Salvador.
---Dario Lopez-Mills




U.S. President Barack Obama is welcomed by school children upon his arrival in San Salvador March 22, 2011.
---REUTERS/Edgard Garrido


US president Barack Obama (L) smiles while listening to his Salvadorean counterpart Mauricio Funes (R) during a joint press conference at the Presidential Palace in San Salvador, on March 22, 2011. US President Barack Obama arrived in El Salvador on the last leg of a three-nation tour of Latin America.
---YURI CORTEZ/AFP/Getty Images


US president Barack Obama gestures during a joint press conference with his Salvadorean counterpart Mauricio Funes (out of frame) at the Presidential Palace in San Salvador, on March 22, 2011. US President Barack Obama arrived in El Salvador on the last leg of a three-nation tour of Latin America.
----YURI CORTEZ/AFP/Getty Images


The president of The United States Barack Obama (2nd R), his wife Michelle (C), their daughters Sasha (L) and Malia and Salvador's Foreign Minister Hugo Martinez pose for a picture with Sherlyn Artiga and Diego Carpio -- both students of The United States of America School -- upon their arrival at the airport in San Salvador on March 22, 2011. US President Barack Obama arrived in El Salvador Tuesday on the last leg of a three-nation tour of Latin America.
---Jose CABEZAS/AFP/Getty Images


Salvadorean children present gifts to President Barack Obama, right, First Lady Michelle Obama and daughter Malia, left, upon their arrival at the international airport in San Salvador, El Salvador Tuesday March 22, 2011. President Obama will end his Latin America tour with a two day visit to El Salvador.
----Dario Lopez-Mills



The president of The United States Barack Obama (C), accompanied by his wife Michelle, receives the keys of the city of San Salvador from Mayor Norman Quijano (R), upon his arrival at the airport in the Salvadorean capital on March 22, 2011. US President Barack Obama arrived in El Salvador Tuesday on the last leg of a three-nation tour of Latin America. ----Jose CABEZAS/AFP/Getty Images


President Barack Obama, right, First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha, left, and Malia, arrive at the international airport in San Salvador, El Salvador Tuesday March 22, 2011. President Obama will end his Latin America tour with a two day visit to El Salvador.
---Dario Lopez-Mills

US President Barack Obama (2nd L) speaks with President of El Salvador Mauricio Funes (C) as First Lady Michelle Obama (R) speaks with El Salvador's First Lady Vanda Pignato during an arrival ceremony at the National Palace in San Salvador, El Salvador, March 22, 2011.
---JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images


El Salvador President Mauricio Funes (2nd R) and First Lady Vanda Pignato (R) stand with US President Barack Obama (2nd L) aand First Lady Michelle Obama (L) during an arrival ceremony at the National Palace in San Salvador, El Salvador, March 22, 2011.
---- JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images


U.S. first lady Michelle Obama and her El Salvadoran counterpart Vanda Pignato unveil a plaque during a visit to Ciudad Mujer Center in San Salvador March 22, 2011. Ciudad Mujer is support center for single mothers.
---REUTERS/Edgard Garrido


U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama shake hands to her El Salvador's counterpart Vanda Pignato during a visit at Ciudad mujer Center in San Salvador March 22, 2011. Ciudad mujer is an attention to single mothers.
----REUTERS/Edgard Garrido


U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama paints a mural during a visit to a youth assistance program known as "Superate" in San Salvador March 22, 2011.
---REUTERS/Edgard Garrido


U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama smiles as she paints a mural next to her daughter Sasha (C) during a visit to a youth assistance program known as "Superate" in San Salvador March 22, 2011.
---REUTERS/Edgard Garrido


U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama and youths paint a mural during her visit to a youth assistance program known as "Superate" in San Salvador March 22, 2011.
----REUTERS/Edgard Garrido


First Lady Michelle Obama poses with young students after helping them paint a mural at the site of a USAID project called °SupÈrate! in San Salvador, El Salvador, Tuesday March 22, 2011. The first lady and her daughters helped 30 °SupÈrate! students complete their community service project by painting a mural to decorate the centerís health clinic which will open next month.
-----Dario Lopez-Mills




U.S. President Barack Obama (2nd L) looks at a limited edition print with images of Archbishop Oscar Romero, which has been given to him as he tours the Metropolitan Cathedral in San Salvador March 22, 2011. Standing with Obama are: El Salvador's President Mauricio Funes (R), Archbishop of San Salvador Jose Luis Escobar Alas (L) and a translator. The structure on the right is the tomb of Archbishop Oscar Romero.





U.S. President Barack Obama (2nd L) tours the Metropolitan Cathedral with El Salvador's President Mauricio Funes (L) and Archbishop of San Salvador, Jose Luis Escobar Alas (2nd R), in San Salvador March 22, 2011. The woman on the right is an unidentified translator.
----REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque


US President Barack Obama (R), alongside Monsignor Jose Luis Escobar Alas (L), Archbishop of San Salvador, lights a candel at the Tomb of Archbishop Oscar Romero, who was assassinated in 1980, at the Metropolitan Cathedral in San Salvador, El Salvador, March 22, 2011. ----SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

Even Some Conservatives Think Glenn Beck is Nuts

Conservative Stalwart Bill Kristol has called out Glenn Beck on his nonsensical rantings about the situation in Egypt. I have been amazed by the Republican media's talking points over the past week. Basically, the Republican media establishment has come out in support of dictator Hosni Mubarak & his government, all in the name of undermining President Obama. Republican Supreme Leader Rush Limbaugh, along with Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, and much of Fox-Non-News have been leading the way in this particular anti-Obama effort. But in the process, they have come away looking absolutely ridiculous.

Finally, some Conservatives are beginning to speak up, unable to deal with the level of crazy coming from their own ranks.

And despite all of this...what does Obama do? He legitimizes Fox-Non-News (a political organization) by appearing on their network over the weekend. This is the kind of nonsense that gives me a headache about Obama & Co.


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