What do Democrats have against Obama?

Why Not Obama

I know that I'm going to get hooted off the page for this one but I just don't get why Democrats don't like Barack Obama. I understand that Republicans don't like him even if I think they are wrong but I really just don't understand the 47% of our fellow Pulaski County Democrats who chose the uncommitted spot rather than cast a vote for the President. To me, the only thing that makes sense is that he has not championed the traditional Democratic causes in a loud enough voice but I get the feeling that is not it either. For crying out loud, he is to the right of Bill Clinton on everything and Kentucky went for Bill Clinton handily. Twice.

When Bill and Hillary fell on their faces with the health care bill Democrats still loved him. When he promised to end welfare as we know it and then did it Democrats howled but they still voted for him. Barack Obama gets the health care job done in what was likely the only way it could be done and Democrats don't lionize him for it? What is the deal with that?

President Obama has played to the hawks on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Rather than precipitously pull out all troops as many in his party wanted he charted a middle course and removed the troops from Iraq on a previously agreed timetable. He agreed to the surge in Afghanistan which most Democrats and, indeed, most Americans disagreed with and is now engaged in establishing a timeline for troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. Kentucky is not a state known for its anti-war sentiment so I really don't see this as a negative for Democratic voters in Kentucky.

The economy has been a negative even though the problems that President Obama has had to deal with were largely not of his making. The damage was done during the past administration and the Troubled Asset Relief Plan (TARP) was passed by the Bush administration so I don't see any negatives for Democrats there. He did buck the trend with the GM and Chrysler bailouts but his actions have proven to be wildly successful which saved hundreds of thousands of jobs and put those US manufacturers back on a profitable footing. Democrats should not have a problem with that.

The deficits and the national debt are a real problem. However the leadup to them was created by two tax cuts and two wars on the credit card during the previous administration. Shoot, President Bush did not even include them in the budget or that would have really looked bad for him. Then in 2008 the economy fell off the cliff knocking a big hole in revenue. To his credit, President Obama has included the wars in his budget which makes the deficits appear larger but not really. Now, I can see where a Democrat could see this as a negative but only if he had buried his head under a rock for the past eleven years.

The Obama administration funneled billions of dollars into state budgets that had been shocked by the economy. Most states used the money to cover up holes created when they cut their budgets. Kentucky used the money two years in a row to shore up its budget keeping teachers, cops and firemen on the payrolls up until now. With a Democratic governor in this state how in the world does this come off as a negative. Now the federal assistance is over and school districts are laying off people right and left and people are howling as if they just can't figure it out. The President has held to Democratic principles as much as this “no-way” Congress will allow so exactly what is it that Democrats don't like?

Now, the Republicans want to cut taxes, again, and cut regulations, again, so that business can just do its thing and then everything will fall into place and jobs will be plentiful again. Now, we have already seen how that works out and now the 1% has the gold mine and the 99% has the shaft. Democrats don't agree with that and the President does not either. So, Democrats! What's not to like?

As I said, I understand why Republicans don't vote for Barack Obama. Well, I don't really understand it but I accept it but I just don't understand or accept what the deal is with Democrats. Of course, there aren't really that many in the Fifth District and in recent times even the Democrats have taken to acting like Republicans so maybe that is the answer. But, for Democrats the only reason I can fathom is that he is just not liberal enough.

That's my take on un-Democratic Democrats. You know who you are. As usual, I desire your comments. Let the mayhem begin but please keep it civil if possible. If you can't, go ahead and write but I will have to put gloves on when I read it.