Why are so many people terrified of President Obama?

[gazhekwe]

Paying equally for a job is Socialism? How is that common sense? It is unfathomably illogical.

[Papasito]

The concept of socialism, for right or left, is a serious issue.
Because some in power embrace it, does not mean all Democrats should lock step in with the ideas.

The USSR was unable to take care of their people's every need, and self destructed.
That will be our fate, too, as we simply can not afford to do these things proposed, when our government as it stands runs out of money in the first quarter, and has to borrow for the rest of the fiscal year.

[cheddar bob]

Socialism is a great idea!
Look how well it went for the USSR


They had a nice principle -
if the government could not take care of everyone, they just eliminated a few million people to take care of!

http://markhumphrys.com/soviet.html#soviet

And now this country is being ruined by the socialistic principles of King Obama. How does that make you feel?

[ccbatson]

Not good, but with the hope that a revolution will follow bringing back our American way of life.

[Lorax]

You Rethuglicans here are one bunch of twisted sisters.

Russia was a communist nation, not a socialist one. There are varying degrees of national political affiliation, which falls on deaf ears with the either/or, black/white, have and have not social views of Rethuglicans.

I realize it was titled the USSR, but in reality was a far left communist regime, much as the Bush Crime Family was a fascist, far right regime.

The only thing that kept the Tushies from further corrupting our Constitution was the quick slide into economic oblivion, and the vastly unpopular war, much as Russia found itself a nation in decline after Afghanistan in the early 80's, coupled with out of control cold war spending to keep up with us adding to their economic collapse in 1989.

A true working, socialist democracy would include a number of European Union member nations including all of Scandanvia, Belgium, France, Holland, Germany, Spain, etc.

It works well for them, and having spent much time in all of these places, they really don't get the Rethuglican's pattern of obstruction when it comes to nationalized health care, banks, etc.

Corporations are viewd largely as they should be viewed, as an enhancement to the enconomic engine of the nation, not the sole purpose for it's existence. Free market, free wheeling capitalism will never be allowed, since Europeans put the wellbeing of their people first. Something the far right in this country could learn from.

[Gannon]

The USSR was unable to take care of their people's every need, and self destructed.
That will be our fate, too, as we simply can not afford to do these things proposed, when our government as it stands runs out of money in the first quarter, and has to borrow for the rest of the fiscal year.

Do you remember Econ 101?

The chapter that introduced the concept of guns versus butter? Priorities in government spending and restrictions?!


The Soviet Union failed because Ronnie's threatened Raygun caused them to ramp up their military spending to keep up!

They could spend more on the Cold War and the active one in Afghanistan OR they could continue to take care of their citizens.


They chose poorly, as have our leaders recently...getting involved in the same damned area of the world, too! What a bunch of idiots...but hey, they are creating wealth!


For themselves at the expense of our sons and daughters lives...and countless Iraqi and Afghani citizens...along with our reputation around the world.

[firstandten]

A week does not go by without seeing some person on TV screaming and even crying about Obama? What are they so afraid of? Normal people do not cry in public about such things.

And does anyone know what they mean when they scream that they "want their country back"?

Lets narrow the question a bit. Why is it that white people are afraid of Obama. I don't see too many of people of color[[maybe Allan Keyes is fearful) or progressive thinking whites that are afraid of Obama. They may disagree with some of his policies, thats to be expected but this irrational fear of everything Obama is due in large part to right wing groups and media highly organized to mislead, discredit and hopefully "take back the country" from Obama or code speak for those black and brown people who are taking political and economic power away from us. These right wing groups are masters of deception and fear-mongering knowing that they can play on fears that already exists of blacks by whites.


Professor Robert Jenkins of the University of Texas offers this perpective

"The first, and perhaps most crucial, fear is that of facing the fact that some of what we white people have is unearned. It's a truism that we don't really make it on our own; we all have plenty of help to achieve whatever we achieve. That means that some of what we have is the product of the work of others, distributed unevenly across society, over which we may have little or no control individually. No matter how hard we work or how smart we are, we all know -- when we are honest with ourselves -- that we did not get where we are by merit alone. And many white people are afraid of that fact."

"A second fear is crasser: White people's fear of losing what we have -- literally the fear of losing things we own if at some point the economic, political, and social systems in which we live become more just and equitable. That fear is not completely irrational; if white privilege -- along with the other kinds of privilege many of us have living in the middle class and above in an imperialist country that dominates much of the rest of the world -- were to evaporate, the distribution of resources in the United States and in the world would change, and that would be a good thing. We would have less. That redistribution of wealth would be fairer and more just. But in a world in which people have become used to affluence and material comfort, that possibility can be scary"

The crazy thing about that is because of Bushes policies and the policies of the last 20+ years we lost the middle class and wealth has been redistributed... upward and overseas.

"A third fear involves a slightly different scenario -- a world in which non-white people might someday gain the kind of power over whites that whites have long monopolized. One hears this constantly in the conversation about immigration, the lingering fear that somehow "they" [[meaning not just Mexican-Americans and Latinos more generally, but any non-white immigrants) are going to keep moving to this country and at some point become the majority demographically. Even though whites likely can maintain a disproportionate share of wealth, those numbers will eventually translate into political, economic, and cultural power. And then what? Many whites fear that the result won't be a system that is more just, but a system in which white people become the minority and could be treated as whites have long treated non-whites. This is perhaps the deepest fear. "

Behind all this fear-mongering the right wing puppetmasters are afraid that if Obama is successful with his domestic agenda and can get a second term with some political capital left, he will have Eric Holder go after Bush and his gang of thugs which if successful would radically change the face of American politics

So what we are seeing from the campaign until now are a series of pre-emptive strikes designed to make you afraid, and put doubt in your heart. And its so much easier to accomplish when that target is a black man.

[oldredfordette]

The media is whipping this into something bigger than it really is. Most Americans are confident of the choice they made last November, but that doesn't make good television. White trash on bus tours, crying about socialism, that's good tv.

[Lorax]

Couldn't agree more with the last two posts.

Inciting the ignorant to violence, using Hitler metaphors, chanting "baby killer" and "socialist", "Maobama", etc, just hammers home the truth about these Astroturfers, who are simply drive-by dissenters, brought to you courtesy of the Rethuglican right.

All major right wing lobbyist groups have been complicit in dumbing down their electorate by carpetbagging only Democratic town hall meetings.

This goes way beyond free speech and civil discourse. It is fear of all things Obama, pure and simple. It is designed by big insurance companies to shut down debate on health care reform.

[vetalalumni]

Lets narrow the question a bit. Why is it that white people are afraid of Obama. I don't see too many of people of color[[maybe Allan Keyes is fearful) or progressive thinking whites that are afraid of Obama. They may disagree with some of his policies, thats to be expected but this irrational fear of everything Obama is due in large part to right wing groups and media highly organized to mislead, discredit and hopefully "take back the country" from Obama or code speak for those black and brown people who are taking political and economic power away from us. These right wing groups are masters of deception and fear-mongering knowing that they can play on fears that already exists of blacks by whites.


Professor Robert Jenkins of the University of Texas offers this perpective

"The first, and perhaps most crucial, fear is that of facing the fact that some of what we white people have is unearned. It's a truism that we don't really make it on our own; we all have plenty of help to achieve whatever we achieve. That means that some of what we have is the product of the work of others, distributed unevenly across society, over which we may have little or no control individually. No matter how hard we work or how smart we are, we all know -- when we are honest with ourselves -- that we did not get where we are by merit alone. And many white people are afraid of that fact."

"A second fear is crasser: White people's fear of losing what we have -- literally the fear of losing things we own if at some point the economic, political, and social systems in which we live become more just and equitable. That fear is not completely irrational; if white privilege -- along with the other kinds of privilege many of us have living in the middle class and above in an imperialist country that dominates much of the rest of the world -- were to evaporate, the distribution of resources in the United States and in the world would change, and that would be a good thing. We would have less. That redistribution of wealth would be fairer and more just. But in a world in which people have become used to affluence and material comfort, that possibility can be scary"

The crazy thing about that is because of Bushes policies and the policies of the last 20+ years we lost the middle class and wealth has been redistributed... upward and overseas.

"A third fear involves a slightly different scenario -- a world in which non-white people might someday gain the kind of power over whites that whites have long monopolized. One hears this constantly in the conversation about immigration, the lingering fear that somehow "they" [[meaning not just Mexican-Americans and Latinos more generally, but any non-white immigrants) are going to keep moving to this country and at some point become the majority demographically. Even though whites likely can maintain a disproportionate share of wealth, those numbers will eventually translate into political, economic, and cultural power. And then what? Many whites fear that the result won't be a system that is more just, but a system in which white people become the minority and could be treated as whites have long treated non-whites. This is perhaps the deepest fear. "

Behind all this fear-mongering the right wing puppetmasters are afraid that if Obama is successful with his domestic agenda and can get a second term with some political capital left, he will have Eric Holder go after Bush and his gang of thugs which if successful would radically change the face of American politics

So what we are seeing from the campaign until now are a series of pre-emptive strikes designed to make you afraid, and put doubt in your heart. And its so much easier to accomplish when that target is a black man.

Great monikor you have firstandten. It indicates context. First [[down, out of 4) indicates a fresh new start. Ten [[yards to first down - progress), indicating environment. Where you are, and where you need to go.

More importantly, thanks for your post quoting Professor Robert Jenkins. Comfort with the status quo has often squashed or ridiculed this kind of dialogue. Subject is worthy of further discussion.

[Sstashmoo]

Quote: "but this irrational fear of everything Obama is due in large part to right wing groups and media highly organized to mislead, discredit and hopefully "take back the country" from Obama or code speak for those black and brown people who are taking political and economic power away from us."

It saddens me to read something so pathetically ignorant [[and I didn't write it). You really think the country's outrage has something to do with race? The man has borrowed a Trillion dollars to "stimulate" the economy. I'm not sure who's economy he was referring to, but it hasn't helped one bit. Thanks to his piss poor performance so far, we are now in much worse shape than when he took office. This BS about people protesting because he is black is nothing more than that. His whole campaign was nothing more than brush-arbor sensationalism, setting grandiose goals that he isn't even attempting to achieve. Where were these protesters when he was elected? Are you saying they just figured out he's black? They figure now is a good time to start protesting because a black man is President? These people gave him a chance, like I did, and like any reasonable individual would under the circumstances. Now it's time for him to make good on his sales pitch.

Cut the racism angle, it ain't working. Stop making excuses for poor performance.

Quote: "facing the fact that some of what we white people have is unearned."

Fu*k off Professor Robert Jenkins. Racist prick.

[Gannon]

You really think the country's outrage has something to do with race?

Absolutely.


Who made any peeps about W wasting $900,000,000,000 and untold American [[and Iraqi and Afghanistani and our allies) lives making a few of his buddies rich beyond belief?


This last trillion is a drop in the bucket, so fuck it and stop your complaining.


Obama's team is doing the best they can with what they were served...just like the messes that Jimmy Carter [[and perhaps even Bill Clinton) had to mop up. I think Jimmy Carter was our last real president, anyways, the rest have been dupes...including the current guy.


Cheers

[gazhekwe]

We are worse off than when he took office? How so? He is doing his best to stop the downward skid we are in, that he inherited from his predecessor. Although I don't agree with everything being done, there are indications we may be bottoming out now. Do you think another eight months of the same old same old would have done any better? The maverick would be fighting his own side to make any progress at all, and I don't see that succeeding.

[rb336]

Quote: "but this irrational fear of everything Obama is due in large part to right wing groups and media highly organized to mislead, discredit and hopefully "take back the country" from Obama or code speak for those black and brown people who are taking political and economic power away from us."

It saddens me to read something so pathetically ignorant [[and I didn't write it). You really think the country's outrage has something to do with race? The man has borrowed a Trillion dollars to "stimulate" the economy.

it absolutely does. it is interesting to note that polls where people openly admit racist ideas show almost the same as the number of republican die-hards. it's interesting to note that the right-wingers keep throwing around terms like "lynching" and that right wingers are hanging effigies.

It saddens me to read something so pathetically ignorant [[and I didn't write it).

why? do you think you have the sole franchise on writing pathetically ignorant crap?

[Sstashmoo]

Quote: "it is interesting to note that polls where people openly admit racist ideas"

Make it up to fit your opinion. They have polls on racism? Someone would actually go into a booth and proclaim, yes, I am a racist, in this day and age? Is there a parallel universe I'm not aware of? This is like the claim that employers differentiate pay based on sex and race. Yeah, like ANY employer is going to make that claim, or even hint to express such a discrimination. Employers tread softly in that arena, they know how vulnerable they are. There isn't an assistant group leader or floor foreman in the country that isn't aware of the laws on discrimination. Or unaware of the implications of treating people unfairly based on sex or race. Lily Ledbetter and her cohorts worked one over on her boss. Plain and simple.

[Sstashmoo]

Quote: "there are indications we may be bottoming out now."

I hope that's right, but I'm not seeing that from my vantage. What I'm hearing and seeing are two different things. Pesky media.

Quote: "Do you think another eight months of the same old same old would have done any better?"

Absolutely not, but I don't look back. I look to the present and forward and consider the promises our current President made. All his wasted words about outsourcing, which in my opinion is arch nemesis one in this country, he is doing nothing. All his tough talk about NAFTA, he's absent. All his fist pounding about China, crickets. It is and will be our ultimate undoing.

[EXDETROITER2]

People hate Obama because his skin color is different from that of anyother president whom has held office and people have a hard time with CHANGE.

[rb336]

Quote: "it is interesting to note that polls where people openly admit racist ideas"

Make it up to fit your opinion. They have polls on racism? Someone would actually go into a booth and proclaim, yes, I am a racist, in this day and age? Is there a parallel universe I'm not aware of?

stop acting stupidly. of course they do not ask "are you racist" they ask about beliefs, would you agree with comment x and how much, etc.

This is like the claim that employers differentiate pay based on sex and race. Yeah, like ANY employer is going to make that claim, or even hint to express such a discrimination.

those results are not obtained by polls.

Lily Ledbetter and her cohorts worked one over on her boss. Plain and simple.

just to show you how ill-informed you are, she lost that case, and not because there was no pay discrimination found, but because the statute of limitations had expired [[the ONLY time the SC has found that the statute of limitations starts at the beginning of an ongoing situation rather than at any other time during the duration of the wrong doing. It was like saying to a kidnapper "well, you held your victim captive past the time the statute ran out for the initial kidnapping, so we can't charge you"

[Sstashmoo]

If Obama can fix our economy, I don't care if he's green, I'll rally behind him 100%. I think I echo the rest of the country on this point. He got elected somehow, are you folks implying that only those of his race elected him? You can check my posts of eight months ago, I was supporting him, had the faith so to speak. And I haven't totally given up on him yet. If he starts making the changes that need to be made, I'll have both feet back in his camp.

[bailey]

From the Article....

The GOP recently notched its lowest approval rating in half a century, notes John Cook, who also compiled this graph.

It's interesting to compare this figure to the evidence I recently found that CNBC's viewership declined as market volatility eased. It's best to think of channels like Fox News and CNBC as more like the Weather Channel and less like NBC. National disasters bring viewers in torrents, which means their fortunes rise and fall with a sense of crisis -- and for Fox News' core viewership, it's clear their party is crisis-mode. I'm sure that if you looked at profit margins for mags like National Review and the Weekly Standard, you'd find a similar profit bump

As the article goes on to point out, what is created is a feedback loop of insanity. Which is where the fear is generated.

Unfortunately for Republicans and fortunately for Roger Ailes, a feedback loop has been created: As disaffected conservatives turn increasingly to Fox News, Fox News caters its programming to keep them coming back, turning, for instance, the Tea Parties into a daylong televised festival of rage. But given Fox's well-earned brand identification with the Republican Party, and vice versa, that programming serves to promote a view of Republicans as angry white people who hate Puerto Rican judges. Which turns off independent voters, which further isolates the diehard rejectionist wing of the party, which increases the importance of Fox News in their lives as a reassuring voice telling them to be strong in the face of the barbarian hordes—or, as Glenn Beck puts it, "We surround them."

Pretty soon one of these true-beleivers is going to act out violently after hearing the absurd lies of Sarah Palin about "death tribunals" and killing babies. But again, the Glen [["Obama is a racist, ..but I'm not saying he's a racist, he just hates white people") Becks of the world will simply deny their culpability.

[oladub]

I think that President Obama is sincere in his failing attempts to fix the economy. From a keynesian economic perspective is is doing a good job. Unfortunately, as Hoover and Roosevelt proved, keynesian economics have limits. "Austrian economists" predicted all this would happen years ago while Geithner and crew recently admitted "we didn't see this coming". Austrian economics explain that governments must live within their means and money must have intrinsic value. Otherwise, government will continually devalue its currency. Expanding policies that haven't worked is not a workable solution. Expanding the powers of the mega-bank owned Federal Reserve, for instance, will only exasberate the problem we now have with the banks' foxes guarding our economic henhouse.

Barry Ritholtz, author of the forthcoming book, Bailout Nation, gave an estimate of United States bailout costs so far: $4.6165 trillion. Compare this with -
“•Marshall Plan: Cost: $12.7 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $115.3 billion
•Louisiana Purchase: Cost: $15 million, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $217 billion
•Race to the Moon: Cost: $36.4 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $237 billion
•S&L Crisis: Cost: $153 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $256 billion
•Korean War: Cost: $54 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $454 billion
•The New Deal: Cost: $32 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $500 billion ,
•Invasion of Iraq: Cost: $551 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $597 billion*
•Vietnam War: Cost: $111 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $698 billion
•NASA: Cost: $416.7 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $851.2 billion
TOTAL: $3.92 trillion� [[inflation adjusted)
http://islamicpost.wordpress.com/200...-expenditures/

And our economy is still in decline but we are told that the good news is that it is not declininag as fast. Uh-huh, good news. Anyone for calling the Islamic Post 'racist'?

[Sstashmoo]

Oladub, shocking summary...

The "Austrians" have it spot on.

[bailey]

Made me laugh and is pretty apt for this thread.

Paul Krugman has twenty-four words that will cause a collective rightwing head explosion:

So it seems that we aren’t going to have a second Great Depression after all. What saved us? The answer, basically, is Big Government.

[oladub]

Bailey, Numbers make a lot of libs giddy. Don't feel bad. Roosevelt successfully got the unemployment numbers down to 14% by 1938. If that is your measure of being saved, go for it.

more laughing gas http://www.usdebtclock.org/

[firstandten]

Oladub, shocking summary...

The "Austrians" have it spot on.

The Austrian school of economics like the other schools of economic thought has its good points. It is basically the school of economic thought for the libertarians on the board and it has some good points. My problem with this school of thought is that there big on the lassez-faire form of capitalism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austrian_School