No, it's not that we forgot what's been accomplished. It's what hasn't been accomplished in the backdrop of what's happened.
Yes, Obama and the Democrat controlled congress has passed some good things. And I imagine in a normal era, like that of the Clinton era, that'd be great. It'd be freaking fantastic. But what has he done in the backdrop of 2 failed wars, thousands of dead Americans, tens of thousands more crippled, and possibly the next great depression with possibly millions of Americans permanently unemployed?
In the backdrop of 9/11, George W. Bush (whom we all agree, I think, was massively incompetent) was able to start 2 wars, spy on our own citizens, commit torture and war crimes, outing undercover spies as retaliation, all while presiding over a massive distribution of wealth to his friends. Give aways to pharmaceuticals as Medicare reform. No bid contracts. What wasn't he able to accomplish on his agenda?
What has Obama accomplished? Instead of real health reform, a give away to insurance companies that are part of the problem. Instead of real financial reform, a give away to the financial institutions that are part of the problem. Even though everything we read said stronger reform would save us money and would be better for the country. Instead of a real stimulus, he caves to the same people that brought about the disaster we're in. And now that we're almost out and the economy is still in the bin. Where's the second stimulus?
So I'm still supposed to be excited?
I was excited in 2008 because I thought Obama would be the exact opposite George W. In the back drop of what has happened, 2 failed wars, the next great depression, global hatred for our country, I thought that we would be able to push the country as George W. used his backdrop to push the country. After all, Obama is supposed to be that much smarter, that much more prepared. He had a heck of a mess to fix but he was willing and able and he could use the backdrop of those disasters to push the country in the right direction.
That's what I remember. That's my reality.
I guess I was wrong and that's why I'm no longer excited.
I don't think what Obama has accomplished will move us out of the hole we're in. The stimulus was too small, health care reform is too weak. Instead of a out of control free fall, we're in a slow slide to oblivion. Excuse me for not thinking instant death is worse than a slow lingering one.
I may be wrong. I hope I'm completely wrong. But it doesn't matter if I was wrong then or I'm wrong now. Just like it doesn't matter that millions of Americans are wrong for thinking President Obama is not a natural born citizen or is a Muslim. And calling me an idiot won't change my reality; I think the country is still going in the wrong direction and the man that's supposed to fix it has caved to the people that screwed it up in the first place.
Come November, I'll vote for those "D"s but don't expect me to be excited for more of the same when that idiot George W. was able to accomplish so much more.
I'm not afraid of Republican regaining congress. Obviously the country hasn't been messed up enough for the rest of the people to see how bad the right is. Maybe then the rest of the US will wake up and we'll also have a President that can take advantage of the backdrop the the US in a death spiral to really fix the country.
So excuse me for not being enthusiastic this election. Excuse me for not fearing the Republican come back. Excuse me for not being grateful for all that's been done. I'll not be grateful for the crumbs when I thought it was supposed to be my cake.
So go ahead, call me a fake Democrat or an idiot in the face weak health reform where I can never ever think about changing jobs because I need the health insurance. Tell me that I'm working to hurt the party and the country in the face of the Wall Street handouts and billion dollar bonuses and my upside-down mortgage and my stagnant income. Tell me we've gotten some much great things accomplished in the face 9 percent unemployment and the stimulus is running out and I'm worried about being laid off tomorrow. Go ahead, tell me how I should be excited this November because they've accomplished so much for people LIKE ME.
Update for people missing the point:
According to most of the comments so far, I think I wrote that I'm going to be voting Republican in November, that I want healthcare reform repealed and that I'm leaving the Daily Kos and the Democratic party.
Apparently I'm also going to be visiting Democrats in their homes and raping their women and killing their children.
But I thought I had wrote about my thoughts on the "enthusiasm gap" between Republicans and Democrats but I guess it's just another thing I'm wrong about and that no one else cares about.
It is not so funny that I've now been told that a.) I'm (possibly) a fake Democrat and b.) that I'm hurting the party. I also appear to disgust many readers because I'm not satisfied. Since I'm so wrong about all of my comments, I can't possibly understand why there's a enthusiasm gap at all.
Since when did the Democratic party become the Republican party in that we can't possibly have different thoughts or any thought at all? When did voicing my thoughts become the same as becoming a traitor to the cause?
Instead of explaining how Obama strategy will work in the future, how things will be better only if Democrats are allow to continue, you attack those that aren't excited. Because this is how you make those that disagree with you see the light. This is how you bridge the enthusiasm gap. I'm a traitor to the cause because my mortgage is still fucked up, my healthcare is still fucked up, all those things that I worry about is still fucked up and doesn't seem like it will get better at all even after November no matter who wins. I'm attacked because I'm awake at night worried about all those things and I'm not excited about voting. For me, I feel that it doesn't matter who wins in November and I have thing that worry me, that effect me immediately than who wins in November.
And I'm an idiot?
I'm the one that disgusts you?
It's so much easier to attack than to explain isn't it?
But if I wanted easy, I'd really be a Republican.
To those that got the point, thanks.
But to those that completely missed the point, fuck you too.
Update 2:
For those that are offended by the last sentence above, sorry but I don't like being accused of doing the work of Nazis and fascists. But maybe I should have said, "I know you are but what am I?"