An Obama Critique

Ok, after all this gushing, perhaps a bit of perspective?  A more realistic approach?

Whatever it is, I think it needs to be prefaced by an acknowledgement that Obama was never, never claimed to be, the leftist-radical candidate.  He's essentially a Democrat, which means centrist.

Second preface: As much as people are upset with him for the following critiques, for the most part they are issues that really should be harder pressed by the American people.  As he said in the beginning: this isn't about him, it's about us.  He's going to (have to) govern more or less from the center.  Where that center is will determine what is feasible for him to do.  Some 90% of Americans want some kinda "single-payer" healthcare system, but do you think 90% of Americans have called up their Senator/Rep and told them that if we don't have single-payer in the next four months then their Senator/Rep should start looking for another line of employment?  Somehow I don't think so.

Okay, so what are my critiques (besides the larger affirmation of capitalistic means of production and social structuring which I can hardly fault him for as he's been pretty much up front about that since day 1 and is a non-starter in America these days, but yet, ironically, is at the root of many of the following critiques, even if most Americans don't recognize it as such).

In no particular order . . .

1) healthcare . . . we need single-payer, we need it now and it looks like we'll probably get enough "reform" that everybody can go home to their constituents, but not nearly enough to fix the fundamental problems.

2) Honduras.  It's not being played completely wrong, but I worry . . . the rhetoric doesn't seem forceful enough (though that's not really his thing)

3) "Terrorism" Detainees . . . it seems like political expediency is trumping justice here.  Not particularly surprising, but disappointing, and well, really a major moral failing.

Over all though, I still think he's worth supporting and on some level we need to support him because he's "our guy" at the moment.  He's not perfect, and we should tell him when he's not living up to our expectations, but we also need to remember that it isn't just about him.  It's also about us.  And we shouldn't mistake our own rhetoric and opinions for real organizing and action.  A lot of yelling and righteous indignation don't make change.