And now Obama wants to shift responsibility for stem cell research to Congress?

I can get really annoyed with Obama’s seeming caution, and in many ways I’d like to see him just ax any number of Bush’s executive orders.

On the other hand, I think Obama may be approaching this from a different position. While he can reverse the executive order on stem cell research, he probably believes (with some justification) that it will be much more effective if there is a bipartisan expression of support for reversing Bush’s order.

On a host of issues in the last few years decisions that have been made unilaterally (by Bush, for example) or by courts (generally seen as unelected even in cases where they are) have come in for tremendous criticism and been deemed undemocratic by many. On social issues that have been emotionally fraught, I suspect that Obama thinks that in the long run it will be a lot better to have Congress play a prominent (even pre-eminent) role in setting the course. And he’s probably right.

He should certainly have a short timetable for Congress to act, but if he can get substantial margins in both houses to openly support expanded embryonic stem cell research, then it is probably a very smart thing to do.

Although I disagree with Obama on a wide range of issues, I think he operates with a much wider view of things than most people do. It remains to be seen whether that will prove effective, but so far he’s been quite successful. He won election by a substantial margin (by the standards of recent presidential elections) and the vast majority of the American people currently appear to be very supportive of him and his policies. Since he faces problems of great complexity and severity, he’s going to need that good will to continue.

As has been noted, Obama is now directly responsible for what happens in his administration. The thing to do now is to let him be president and see how things turn out. That doesn’t mean unquestioning silence, but it does mean giving him some space to govern. We’ll know soon enough how effective his approach is.

Larry is right about the hate. I don’t hate Barack Obama; I don’t trust him. He has gained no more character in my eyes since he was elected than before he was elected. And, while he is an old style politician, let’s not forget how the media was was part and parcel of the fraud by hiding these character flaws from the public.

Where was this piece months ago when you and your rabid hounds were throwing all manner of crap against the wall against Obama? Where was your vision and even-handedness when you were heralding the “Whitey” tape! Face it Larry, you have fostered the environmentthat created these “monsters” and fed the fury that ensued. You did not say much (initially) when the racists spewed their garbage, you were silent when they made the worst comments, racial and otherwise, about Michelle Obama. Only now that President has taken the helm, do you try to tighten the leash on these lunatics. Shame on you and what you have done, these lunatic fringers are partly YOUR responsibility. All the livestock is out, why are you closing the damn barn door? Good grief, Larry

The works of fiction comment sounds unfounded, to me, but since I never read his books, I didn’t concern myself with their veracity.

Re: Pelosi, the Democrats in Congress don’t hold anyone accountable. I should think that would be obvious at this point.

As for people like me, it’s not about which party they’re from, it’s what they do. For example, I think no-bid contracts to a company the VP used to be a VP of (one of the lesser high crimes, I think) is a bigger deal than a B.J. You may differ, but I don’t see that as holding Cheney to a higher standard than Clinton. And the GOP stack from the past eight years goes much higher than that.

The majority of negative Obama stories, IMO, lacked anything beyond guilt-by-association (which any politician has; he meets with other politicians!). I researched Rezko, Ayers, and the birth certificate as best as I could because I found those stories disturbing. I didn’t find that Obama committed any crimes. Frankly, the whole furor over the first and third of those stories reminded me of Whitewater and Lewinsky, which were also nothings. Ayers is still troubling (primarily because he never paid his debt to society), but I don’t believe out new POTUS is a terrorist. And the primary espouser of the birth cert story also thinks Bush/Cheney were behind 9/11. He goes into the tinfoil hat pile.

And it bothers me that there are people (most of them young) who quote him like they’re quoting the Bible. But does that say more about him or them? Getting our apathetic youth (lowest segment of turnout for voting traditionally) interested in politics IS an accomplishment.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t vet people when they’re running for office, I’m saying you can’t condemn an entire four-year term that hasn’t even happened yet. That’s not a false flag.

Actually, kgirl, according to Paul Krugman among others, spending money on social programs — even from a position of serious existing debt — is exactly what we need to do right now. Krugman is, in fact, worried that Obama’s plans in this regard are far too timid.

Note: The Krugman piece at Rolling Stone that I linked to is one of his lengthier recent onces, but you can read more of his economic discussions at his usual digs at the NY Times blog.

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/

Not that it should matter, but Krugman was a strong supporter of Hillary over Obama during the primaries. Not to mention a fairly well-respected economist. Just sayin’.

….even if you ask your average black person you will find that although they are encourage that Obama was elected, they do no think he will change much over night or make everything better or is the messiah.

I am African American, and I can tell you that you are full of s— as far as this remark goes.

Many Obamabots in my community DO believe that Obama is their “messiah.” This idea is not a product of NQ bloggers’ imaginations. Most Obamabots of all races (especially Black people) have bought Obama’s crap – hook, line and sinker.

They’re in for the shock of their lives.

And as for this…

And I serious doubt Obama is as you say a closet socialist. Where is there absolutely any proof of this.

There is PLENTY of online evidence to support this truth about Obama. The Socialist club that he belonged to in Chicago years ago endorsed his run for the Illinois state senate.

Look it up.

You Obamabots should have done your research on this man, instead of running off of MSM hype. We here at NQ have done our homework on this guy well over a year ago. So we’re not talking out of our asses. We don’t allow the MEDIA to do our thinking for us.

I have a right to respond to the comments just as much as you. There is no policing going on here.

I am asking where people are getting these interpretations from out of Larry’s writing?

I don’t have hatred for Barack Obama, but I also never hated some of the piss poor managers I’ve known over the last 20 years. Very kind people have been managers and done a lousy job at it.

His treatment of Alice Palmer, Hillary Clinton, and others, does show a disconnected hubris that is only going to grow with adulation.

A great friend of mine in Chicago told me he just saw a clip from the mid 90s and said he remembers that ‘humble’ Obama. He says he was quite real at the time, probably green. Now he doesn’t see the same person at all.

But let me ask you a very simple question–if he is such a bad guy why do his daughters think he’s so great?

Cause his daughters don’t know Alice Palmer and don’t understand caucuses.

I do think Barack is probably a very good father. I will give him that. I really do think he has resentment towards his own father not being there for him, and he has spoken out about dead-beat dads. His children are adorable, and I’m sure he is very proud of them and loves them very much.

I know a lot of great fathers that would make lousy presidents.

Most of what you just said above is meaningless, why is that different?

all you guys need to chill a little.

I’m keenly aware of what “is so upsetting to people”

It’s race baiting. It distracts from real racist issues that do still exist.