Emanuel, I believe, is irretrievably bad.

Thuggish? Right.

I’ve gotta give Obama more props in this example than Rahm “fucking retarded” Emanual.

Obama’s action actually changed things for some people, Emanual’s “call for” action hasn’t, and could be as sincere as Obama’s “call for” a public option in the health care debate. Words are cheap. I’ll reserve congrats to Emanual for when he SIGNS an ordinance resulting in decriminalization.

They did “it” to… PLAY PEOPLE FOR THEIR VOTE…!

Just like they did before the last election.

As soon as the election is over… they will go back to being the same scoundrels and corrupt politicians they were before the election.

Lies… fake promises… fake statements of their “intentions” and fake things they claim to be “for”… ALL to hoodwink and PLAY voters for their vote.

WHY DO PEOPLE KEEP FALLING FOR THIS STUFF….?

You’re being played… again. Wake up.

But… but… this author wishes us to not notice we are being played… hopes for us to be fooled again.

Sorry… people who can think for themselves are no longer fooled by this game.

Interesting policies. In the anecdotes we had an illegal alien valedictorian not getting deported becoming a productive member of society on the one hand, and acceptance of a pot smoking U.S. citizen on the other. Could be a wash.

Obama’s evolution on marriage equality didn’t get announced because Uncle Joe Biden strayed from Team Obama’s orthodoxy on a Sunday morning show. Obama ‘evolved’ because Moneyed Gay Bundlers started rumbling about boycotting the DNC in Charlotte, a singularly horrid convention site choice. Since the convention couldn’t be moved, logistically, at this late date despite North Carolina’s union rules and adoption of Amendment One, Obama threw the LGBT community a worthless bone: his personal endorsement of marriage equality while providing a “state’s rights” opt-out.

Talk is cheap, and Obama’s learned that his supporters will rejoice at anything thrown their way. If I were a DREAMer, I’d wait to see what compromises are implemented in this Executive Order. Things could end up very differently than they expect.

I agree that we should acknowledge and celebrate ACTIONS even from politicians we otherwise challenge and disagree with. But I don’t think simple WORDS should be applauded; they should be followed with the question, “Okay, when? How? How soon?”

Vigilance.

OK, that’s always part of the deal. Now is the time to threaten Obama. It worked a couple of times. It’s likely to work again for a while. There’s no downside to this, if you agree that he is “evolving” in the right direction. Nobody should conclude that with any of these moves, it’s OK now and Obama has got these things in hand. It’s never over, even when we win. We know the right plays a long game, just how long is illustrated by the issues at the heart of this year’s campaigns: social security, union organizing rights, contraception, corporate domination of election finance, and the fundamental issues underlying the Dred Scott decision. I only hope that when it is my grandchildren’s turn to struggle with the power of corporations, theocrats, plutocrats, and the hopelessly stupid, they still have the right to take their struggle to the streets, to the courts, and to the polls.

I only hope that when it is my grandchildren’s turn to struggle with the power of corporations, theocrats, plutocrats, and the hopelessly stupid, they still have the right to take their struggle to the streets, to the courts, and to the polls.

Sorry, but that’s already been rescinded (see NDAA).

I’m afraid your grandchildren could be arrested and detained, forever, without charges and/or a right to counsel, if they get to eager in their struggle in the streets, courts, and polls.

And that passed with majority “Democratic” support and was signed into law by a “Democratic” President, Obama himself.

Part of WHAT DEAL…?

I reject, I REFUSE your scummy “deal”. The “deal” of lying, fake promises, fake misrepresentations is what is destroying the country.

You shills for corrupt politicians would love for the rest of us to “accept” your crooked “deal”. No Way…!

“The “right” plays a long game”…?

BOTH parties are playing the exact same slimey “game”… I REFUSE your crooked game. All the issues you mention… are under attack by the Democrats just like the Republicans… you aren’t fooling anyone.

Both the Democrats and Republicans are corrupt to the core… equally… and they continue to play the same election year scams… over and over and over and over. We are not falling for it any longer.

I refuse to be played by your crooked politicians.

Is it still the “right thing” if you disagree with the edict? The left’s willingness to ignore the rule of law
whenever it enables a favored policy is offensive. Immigration laws are the purview of Congress not a
tool for Obama’s campaign. When the other party is in control, I doubt they will be so fond of unilateral
presidential actions.

In fairness all indications are that the city council will now approve the ordnance in the very near future. This was a pending measure which was endorsed not a vague idea.

You should always acknowledge when politicians do something positive, but then you need to find out why they did it so you know how to pressure them to do the right thing again.

But it’s so much more fun (and takes less actual effort) to pretend that nothing can be done and to try to drown everyone you know in reflexive and unthinkingly cynical lassitude!

Good thought.

The amazing and somewhat infuriating thing is that his move — which nobody expected to have any real effect, coming as it did after the Amendment One vote — has actually moved people in favorable directions nationwide. Because he finally spoke out, he’s now moved both African-American and Latino populations towards backing marriage equality.

Case in point: Minnesota’s anti-marriage-equality amendment was already teetering on the brink, and Obama’s announcement was worth another five points for the pro-equality side, which means that come November, Minnesota is likely to be the first state to reject an anti-marriage-equality amendment to the state constitution.

Who knows what would have happened if Obama had actually come out in full-throated favor of equality before the Amendment One vote? True, it still would have likely gone down in flames (and of course the establishment media would have blamed the loss on Obama’s injecting himself into the situation), but it might have had an even more salutary effect outside of North Carolina, as it would have been seen as the word of someone who, wonder of wonders, was actually willing to risk some of that precious political capital he keeps hoarding — not understanding that a brave and principled stance can generate political capital like nothing else, even (perhaps especially) with one’s enemies.

I do not disagree with Jon Walker – it is something for which I am forever grateful to Jane Hamsher – Policies, not Personalities !

but my dearest Teddy, do I ever agree with you ! the last bone thrown to Latinos was a promise to review the scattershot deportations implemented in DHS’s Secure Communities – don’t know if D Dayen has written on it yet, but it appears there is very little change, and the numbers of deportations has only gone down a fraction.

Policies subject to Vigilance – works for me

fondest regards to you and Badger – c

When will FDL inform its readors if it believes Obama should be reelected? Here’s an interesting utube video of one of Obama’s former Harvard Law Professors arguing it is NOT in Progressives interest to reelect Obama.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZPJ8hltDYA

So here is Jon Walker, die-hard Dem, larding praise on Zero and Rahmbo for, in the case of Zero, a blatant election ploy, and Rahm for a token shift that I suspect has more to do with lowering the strain on Chi PD resources than anything else.

Why should FDL state a position on the election? People here are quite capable of making their own decisions.

Thank you.

We already know the answer.

100% of what is written here by staff writers… and writing by other “bloggers” etc…

Is favorable to the Corrupt Democrats.

Even though many here and a majority of the country are totally fed up with both corrupt parties.

Do you ever worry about your blood pressure?

No… I exercise daily… eat a great diet… lots of humor… a love of nature… and I have things that I care deeply about.

Caring about important things… does not give you high blood pressure.

Yelling at us just might however.

I yell sometimes… but always with facts and common sense.

Sometimes I give a calm reasoned factual comment… as in @20.

Sometimes I say as much as I can in just a few words…

Whatever the situation.

No credit from me for the crumbs that were offered in more Obama pandering for votes, and even if Rahm gave me all of his ill gotten gains my opinion of him wouldn’t change. Emanuel is a POS. By the way, I don’t support a “Dream Act” that rewards anyone for serving in the corporate killers armed forces, as it’s an affront to those of us who condemn illegal, unjustified warfare.

Just to make things clear…

You and anyone else is free to go to my comments history and see for yourself. My thing is common sense reasoned and factual commnets… with a little humor now and then…

Very rarely do I yell… but after reading the same nonsense over and over and over…

Sorry, Jon but amnesty (even temporary) for illegal immigrants is not a progressive agenda. There is nothing progressive about it.

Jon, I always enjoy what you write but I’m afraid this is much ado about nothing. Obama is using a typical get-the-vote ploy and Rahm hasn’t signed anything into law yet. Prince Rahm is a useless excuse for a human being and I doubt if he would ever actually do something for the people (unless he was paid very well for it). Obama is similarly useless and completely malleable where the Bilderberger types are involved.

Well, at least with Rahm’s sphere of influence officially restricted to Chicago, he’ll have less direct influence on the rest of us, though I’m sure Obama still consults him.

Thank you.

It really get fucking old how people think either of these guys has anything other than their own political interests at heart.

Fuck Obama. He is NOT a Democrat, he is a neo-con, playing his audience for fools, quite well I might add, as this piece shows, on his way to duping another round of gullible voters into re-electing him.

I have spent the better part of two days arguing with a couple D friends who I keep asking for an AFFIRMATIVE argument for re-electing Obama, and all I get is, “but Romney and the R’s are so bad!”

Moral relativism is wearing me the fuck out. You front pagers here at FDL can keep trumping the little bullshit in the big O’s favor, but there’s no way in hell I’d vote for the guy. I held my nose last time, and I feel bad enough for that.

Obama is a known quantity, and of poor quality and moral fiber. He violates his oath to the US Constitution on a daily basis.

Stop pimping this guy already.

I don’t know, why would FDL promise to campaign in Nevada against Harry Reid’s reelection bid? Oh I remember, maybe I expect FDL to take a stand because I thought it cared? Maybe it’s because Obama is a DISGRACE to Progressive ideals and the WORST Democratic Party President ever? Maybe because FDL knows better than most how many times Obama’s sold out Progressives and Democrats and working class Americans? Maybe because the ONLY only hope & change promises Obama’s delivered benefit corporations and the wealthiest 10% of Americans? Maybe because Obama the “Constitutional lawyer” repeatedly shows disdain for the rule of law, unless it benefits the powerful who’ve flaunted it? Maybe because Obama is a corrupt politician who said he should not be elected if he didn’t deliver on his promises? Or, maybe it’s simply that we gave him control of the House and the Senate and expected him to use his elequence and bully pulpit to address the terrible wrongs of the last twenty years aginst our country by greedy power hungry individuals who repeatedly demonstrate they care little for democracy?

I’d ask them to list 3 major policy differences they would expect from Romney and why the are more afraid of what one might do than more of what Obama has done? Do they really believe, after what Obama’s done, that he will will defend SS or Medicare? If so, me read is you’re talking with “true believers”, a waste of time.

You feel bad for holding your nose and voting for him? I believed him! How sorry is that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brilliant post. He didn’t support anything. he ‘affirmed’