I don’t care what anyone says; President Obama is exactly the president “candidate Obama” said he would be. The problem is people don’t know how to listen. He isn’t big on party politics because he didn’t spend that much time in the national arena before ascending to the top. That’s why he is constantly looking for Republicans with whom to work. He thinks that is natural and logical in D.C.
Of course, the GOP leadership dares their members to seriously dialog with the White House—let them fail so the Red Team can take the presidency in 2012. Can any good American really say “let them fail”? “I hope Hurricane Katrina kills thousands so the Democrats can win in ’08.” “I hope BP’s oil reaches Key West, turns and goes up the East Coast so we can get the White House back.” How sick can someone be to think those thoughts?
I don’t know the plans of the Democrats or Republicans but we Obamacrats still believe in changing the way Washington works. (Okay, this is just me thinking out loud.) First, we must remember that Obama is not Superman or the second coming. He is a very smart person and I think he is malleable. The president would come toward the center if it produces results and keeps decent conservatives from drifting into radical ranks on the far Right The center is mandatory to lead in America–belive that.
The situation with Mrs. Shirley Sherrod shows what I have always known: Obama is not familiar with the plight of southern Blacks because he thankfully has not been through our troubled past. I am glad the brother grew up around sweet people and it reflects in his considerate nature but is he mean enough to scrap like Clinton—Bill and/or Hillary. Mrs. Sherrod’s Baker County, Georgia, is similar to Hope, Arkansas so Bill knew how nasty things could get. Speaking of nasty, we should discuss the fact that thuggish youth of all colors are more of a domestic terror threat than the Klan and the Taliban put together. In the public policy arena, one must have a certain amount of nasty in them.
How can we help our community during this election season? We should support our traditional candidates but develop a line of communication/dialog with a select group of reasonable conservatives (wrestle them from the Far Right.) If a candidate is lock-step with the far Right’s approach of misinformation and hate-speak, they should be defeated for pitting Americans against each other and scaring folks for political gain (the same applies to the far-Left.)
In the 90s, our community overwhelmingly supported the Democrats. When Newt Gingrich and company took the Congress, we were toast. Conservatives vote when the only election on the ballot is a run-off for dogcatcher but our community is fickle about hitting the polls.
Obamacrats (Republicans, Democrats, and Independents) should dialog on understanding, policy and logic. Personally, I could trade a few anti-Obama Blue Dogs for conservatives who are about dialog with the whole community. Senator Johnny Isakson would be the best example of such a Member of Congress and moderates should have as much influence with him as the Far Right. Those conservatives would be essential for this White House over the next two years and the people will decide in 2012.
President Obama is one of the smartest people in American history but he can’t know everything. We remember governing without our community’s input and must work to ensure that it doesn’t happen again. The African American community is very diverse and our conservative brothers and sisters believe in a limited government than in many ways makes good common sense. They should talk with their other family about the questionable methods and techniques of the recent past because maybe we can make progress or at least peacefully function.
I still believe in the version or incarnation of Newt Gingrich that simply stated that the limited role of the federal government was to foster an opportunity for children to grow, learn and achieve if they focus, work hard patiently and keep it clean. If not, the life they get will be the life they made. I can live with that.
I can’t live with people who benefit from the Obamacrats but ignore us or worst slam the White House. Obama is a nice guy but the rest of us grew up with these scrappy Tea Party people. Scrapping and calling someone out is nothing new to us.
Project Logic Ga 
Dude, take off the rose-colored glasses. Obama is “one of the smartest people in American history”? Based on what?
His major achievement is proving that a man of mixed race can be elected President, but he is no David Palmer. He is governing faaaar to the left of expectations and is pursuing a statist agenda that is not consistent with what made America the richest and free-est nation in the world. He barely got healthcare passed, not because of Republican opposition in the minority, but because of his failure to lead his own party in the majority. Contrast that with Reagan’s legislative miracle when he got a Tip O’Neill House of Representatives to support his fiscal policy in 1981.
Perhaps there will be an African American who serves his country with distinction, but this ‘aint the guy, not by a long shot.
The problem with the so callled center, is that its filled with extremists that dont fit in with the dominant ideological cultures of the Democrats and Republicans, or a bunch of wishy washy numbskulls, who are just morons, or have had intelligent thought drummed out of them in the education system and media reinforcement. You arent going to lead with the Center. The first group isnt following you anywhere, and the second group are sheep.
WT:
I have been reading your blog for some time now.
This post is the most disturbing that I have ever read.
Here is the central statement that I would like to base my rebuttal upon:
[quote] We remember governing without our community’s input and must work to ensure that it doesn’t happen again[/quote]
Brother WT – the most obvious occasion in which our community was “consulted” for input is with regards to the MACHINE THAT RUNS OUR COMMUNITY!!!
WT – I am an observer and critic of the Black Establishment. They and other “favorable people” (of other races as well) control every single institutional seat in our community.
I cannot logically disconnect President Obama from this machine since they both work collaboratively in the retention of their power and the expansion there in.
How can I logically expect that President Obama is going to radically improve the education for Black Americans nationally, for example, when the policies that this same administration is putting forward are in place already in “Chicago” and elsewhere?
For me I take the opposite approach that you do. I can learn more from the LOCAL success that these governance theories have. Again – in as much as this machine has the control they must stand accountable.
You explicitly put forth the notion that the “intractable conservative” is problematic to the Black Community’s interests. What is your opinion about how the “intractable PROGRESSIVE” just the same? Does the abundance of progressives in our midst provide you will enough information for you to render an indictment against them in kind?
QUOTE: I don’t care what anyone says; President Obama is exactly the president “candidate Obama” said he would be. The problem is people don’t know how to listen.
Incorrect. There is no exactness between “candidate Obama” and president Obama. For example. “Candidate Obama” was evasive, vague and disingenuous about his campaign theme of Hope and Change.
If a candidate is not forthright, and the media is not forthcoming with accurate information, the people have no choice but to listen to the inaccurate and incomplete information that is presented.
Once the candidate such a candidate is elected however, he’s the one who has to change to make his presidency a success.
Richard M. Nixon had similar candidacy as Obama (except he had better name recognition) of “Law and Order” and “I have a plan to end the war”
I love it; thanks for the comments and pointing out where my logic “needs improvement. CF: you know I always like bouncing things off you and you have no problem bouncing them back with red ink. I have been reading your comments on Booker Rising and you keep us on our toes.
I have no idea were we are heading politically this year and please remember that we view things differently in the rural south. But, “exactly” is hella wrong because nothing in politics and policy is exact.
Ripama: you are right about candidates changing and I hope that Obama pullls toward the center and what I like in a manner similar to Clinton after the mid-term hits. He should move now and I still have a feeling that he is a reformer who promised Mrs. Obama that he would only seek one term if things aren’t going great.