Obama Already Running for Re-Election

[White Eagle]

As Barack Obama builds his administration and prepares to take office next week, his political team is quietly planning for a nationwide hiring binge that would marshal an army of full-time organizers to press the new president's agenda and lay the foundation for his reelection. ...

In what would be another unprecedented step, Obama's political staff is deciding whether to create a service organization that would use the vast corps of its grass-roots campaign supporters. As described by one source knowledgeable with the discussions, this nonprofit arm would be used to help victims of natural disasters, but would do so under the Obama umbrella while continuing to build the overall network's massive e-mail database. ...

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedi...,4545116.story

From what I read it's his team doing all the work. Let him get into office before you start whining.

 

[Kulindahr]

Sounds like a sort of politicized version of Jimmy Carter's efforts -- except Carter waited till he was out of office.

 

[Glafna]

Sounds like a sort of politicized version of Jimmy Carter's efforts -- except Carter waited till he was out of office.

Not so much politicized as forced out, as there is the "quietly" part of the quote from the story.

 

[NickCole]

This really does not bode well.

He announced yesterday he's calling it Organizing For America.

Except it's not organizing for America. It's organizing for Obama.

To keep from posting too much text of the article, I've exerpted below, but a link to the article is at the bottom [emphasis mine0:

... [T]he organization, as it grows, will be well-positioned to be used as a vehicle for his reelection campaign, to bolster the campaigns of Obama-friendly Democrats in the 2010 midterm elections, and to pressure those in his party who do not agree with him. ...

... But sources familiar with the planning say Organizing for America will employ a full-time staff of hundreds of professional organizers -- possibly an average of between one and two workers per congressional district in certain politically important states. One source said that Obama aides have discussed an annual budget of $75 million -- an unprecedented standing political army that will await orders from a president.

The network also has the potential to cause tension within the Democratic Party, because Obama is expected to mobilize the organization to target Democratic lawmakers in Republican-leaning districts who might hesitate to vote for his agenda when it comes to universal healthcare, for example, or imposing limits on carbon dioxide emissions.

Some state-level party strategists have expressed worry about donors being asked to contribute to a new network that would be focused on Obama's needs. They fear the group would overshadow the party's traditional job of getting local officials elected, including Democrats who may not always agree with the president but can appeal to a more conservative district. ...

http://www.latimes.com/la-na-obama-network18-2009jan18,0,2815566.story

 

[chatolandia]

So, President Elect Obama is using technology that was unavailable, say twenty years ago.

To make his work easier for himself, and to gather support from the American People.


and this is evil.


Hmmm


He can e-mail me all he wants, if I don't agree with him, I won't support him.


and if I agree with him, I will, simple as that...



The irony of this is that using e-mail is inexpensive and way greener than almost anything else.


It's also easier to ignore.


I think it's good that PE Obama is using any tools that he has available to gather support from the American People.

Of course there are people that will follow him blindly, but I doubt that that's the majority anywhere.

 

[Kulindahr]

Not so much politicized as forced out, as there is the "quietly" part of the quote from the story.

I meant organized for political purposes.

 

[Kulindahr]

Organizing for America has the potential to be beneficial for a lot of people, and there is no reason to conclude it is just for Obama... and I'd not be surprised if those are the reasons Kaine supports it and why it is being housed in the DNC. I'm certain members of the DNC are thrilled to have a proactive Democratic president looking to keep their party relevant and in power, instead of being a collection of failures for so long.

Ah, potential!

I remember on Babylon 5 that an organization called NightWatch had great potential....

 

[chance1]

Maybe not where you live. Here, it's quite common for the cops to stop someone, arrest them, then decide what they arrested them for. The D.A. in the next county over has cops arrest people for whatever they can dream up or fabricate, just to provide his assistants with courtroom practice -- and, of course, justify his increasing budgets.

And the apparatus to make it national builds apace.

u need to move

 

[NickCole]

So, President Elect Obama is using technology that was unavailable, say twenty years ago.

To make his work easier for himself, and to gather support from the American People.

Nonsense.

New technology is not what makes it possible for a President to head a national organization that has offices and maintains "ground troops" in every state to be used for a perpetual campaign and to pressure/propagandize people into doing what he wants.

He can e-mail me all he wants, if I don't agree with him, I won't support him.

and if I agree with him, I will, simple as that...

Not as simple as that.

The nature of what's described is not the simple dissemination of information, that could be done with speeches, news-show appearances, press conferences and news releases; it's, instead, a continuation of the Obama campaign. Bullying and propaganda from those in centralized power is never "simple as that."

 

[Kulindahr]

u need to move

Working on it.
If I hadn't had to spend the down payment I'd saved for getting a new(er) truck to save my dog, I might be there already.
Of course, the economy isn't helping this handyman's income at all.

Sorry, I tried watching Babylon 5 and couldn't stand it. DS9 for me! Care to explain your reference?

NightWatch was an organization started by the president of EarthGov to help keep people aware of policies and encourage people to volunteer to benefit everyone. In not too long a time it also became eyes and ears for "orthodoxy", and then for loyalty, and then for dirty work.

 

[Yuki Sohma]

I see Barack as an opportunist...............although a successful opportunist...............

...............I in no way mean that as a slight against Mr. Obama...............I wish the President and his administration all of the best and will continue to pray for their successes...............at least President Obama is willing to try and help Americans as well as all of our worldwide partners ...............

...............please, let us not forget that Barack is also a politician and a politician's main goal in life is to get elected, elected and elected agen'...............

...............so agen', please, let us not place Barack on too high of a pedestal where he could fall and get hurt...............

...............as of this evening Barack has yet to reach the stature and success of men and women such as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi), Karol Józef Wojtyła (Pope John Paul II), Lhamo Döndrub (his Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama), Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Agnesë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu (Mother Teresa), Desmond Mpilo Tutu, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, Lech Wałęsa, Dr. Albert Schweitzer and Oskar Schindler..............

...............the best I hope for is that Barack can build a team strong enough to overcome so many obstacles that "we the American people" continue to endure...............

...............Mr. President, as I implored George for so many years to do, please, please, please (that is 3 pleases so you know I'm serious) I implore you and your administration to bring our troops home soon, very, very soon...............thank you sir...............

 

[Yuki Sohma]

John Paul the Tooth and the dinner-roll-face hag weaken that argument.

Well, I see it as a matter of perspective as to what degree John Paul II and Mother Teresa hurt or helped humankind..........

..........I imagine an argument could be made for and/or against the impact of any or of all of the names I mentioned in my previous post..........

..........some will also argue that athletes are heros as in "Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio" (by the way who in the world is Joe DiMaggio)..........until sometimes they fall from their pedestals..........

..........geezzzzzzzzzz I sometimes wonder "whether we should consider those men who harnessed the power of splitting the atom as heros or villains"..........

 

[Yuki Sohma]

Run a search of

"mother teresa" "no saint"

As for any pope, what's left to be said about those soul-destroying, hateful SOBs?

I have never really bought into all of that "Sainthood" dogma but I do see in MT and PP2 two humans who tried to the best based on their individual abilities and beliefs to make a difference................I would never ever defend "their dogma" or "100% defend their actions" (my personal "no one is perfect" belief would never allow me to do so)................

................but I think that among those world-wide prominent figures in recent memory who have held sway over or have had an impact on how we as humans collectively treat each other................that MT and PP2 truly tried to do their best and many of our fellow humans are grateful to them (for whatever reason)................

................geeezzzzzzzzzzz, quite truthfully, I know that the so many nameless faces and names of all of us who selflessly reach out to others...............helpful shopping market employees, educational instructors, medical employees, civic servants, military personnel................I could go on for a long time................

................are today's true heros!

 

[NickCole]

................geeezzzzzzzzzzz, quite truthfully, I know that the so many nameless faces and names of all of us who selflessly reach out to others...............helpful shopping market employees, educational instructors, medical employees, civic servants, military personnel................I could go on for a long time................

................are today's true heros!

No they are not heroes. Those are people living their lives and doing what they're supposed to do. And that's good. But it's not heroic.

Calling people heroes when they're not leaves no word for people who are true heroes.

This is a hero:

 

[mbamike]

Well Nick, that is just the nature of the beast call politics. To be successful, one must continually campaign and raise money. Besides, Presdent Obama is not doing anything that George W., George H. W., Clinton, or any other president did not do. They all entered the presidency with an eye on re-election.

 

[mbamike]

He was a complete unknown, discovered at Schwab's lunch counter by a Hollywood talent scout and plucked out of obscurity to voice Mr. Coffee commercials on television.

Joe DiMaggio was a baseball player in the 1940's-50's. He is best known for his 56-game hitting streak and his marriage to Marilyn Monroe. He did the Mr. Coffee commercials after he retired from baseball.

 

[Yuki Sohma]

No they are not heroes. Those are people living their lives and doing what they're supposed to do. And that's good. But it's not heroic.

Calling people heroes when they're not leaves no word for people who are true heroes.

Yes Nick you make a good case for in the sense of public adulation you may very well be right..........

..........but for you see for me the..........

..........the single mom or dad who tirelessly work two jobs to buy milk for their children..........are heros to me

..........the parents who hug and tell their children how very much they love and respect them and that they always will love them..........are heros to me

..........the soldier, sailor, marine, airman or coast guard personal who take that blast to save a comrade or another..........are heros to me

..........the fire or police personnel who endure hours of tedious training and do not hesitate to roll when needed..........are heros to me

..........the teachers who wake every morning ready to teach knowing full well that they may spend most of their day policing instead of teaching those students who may be disruptive in the classroom..........are heros to me

..........the medical professionals who wipe up the blood, heal the wounds, and try their damndest to save our lives..........are heros to me

 

[Yuki Sohma]

Hey, I'm so sorry but I forgot to add and I really, really, really (yes, I know that's three reallys) have to say this............

............youse JUBers who for year after endless years are willing and ready to reach out to other JUBers in their times of distress and need (and don't be shy for you know who you are) are heros to me............

 

[NickCole]

He's not a hero then using your own rather bizarre logic either then.

He was doing what he was trained, paid for, and expected to do. He did his job. In the process he saved his own skin.

Why is he a "hero" to you, and you can twist logic to declare the others "non-heros"?

He's a hero because when a crisis --danger and adversity-- suddenly presented itself he responded with quick decisive action that not only saved everyone on his plane but also protected those on the ground, which speaks to concern for the greater good and moral excellence. And, for those same reasons, he's a hero because as the plane sank into the Hudson River he made sure every last person got off the plane safely before he left it.

I didn't say those mentioned are "non-heroes," I said they're not heroes. "Non-hero" seems to imply a negative. My point is heroic action, like that of a pilot who saves the lives of passengers during a crisis, ought to have a word that's reserved for extreme courage and calm and competence, and leadership, during a crisis -- and since ancient Greek times that word has been "hero."

 

[NickCole]

Came across an Obama quote from one year ago that showcases his hypocrisy vis a vis the topic of this thread:

"What I think people are persuaded about is that it's not enough just to change political parties in the White House, that there's something deeper that ails us, that our politics has gotten out of touch, that it is too sharply partisan, and it's too tactical, and it's obsessed with the perpetual campaign as opposed to governance."

February 2008
http://www.usnews.com/articles/news.../15/obama-explains-his-campaign-strategy.html