tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2083200247132907218.post7250792587470026190..comments2024-03-23T08:51:09.577-08:00Comments on Progressive Alaska: Obama at the End of One Year - A Boxing MetaphorPhilip Mungerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14601488767955084836noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2083200247132907218.post-85625628117262772782010-01-23T21:55:33.428-09:002010-01-23T21:55:33.428-09:00How 'unwise' does one have to be to not be...How 'unwise' does one have to be to not be able to comprehend that announcing a plan to end the war in Iraq, refocusing our strategic plan in Afghanistan and Pakistan, bringing about consensus among the world's economic leaders to agree to a plan to avert economic collapse, shifted away from Bush era policies on defense sharing in Europe vis a vis missile defense, helped to arbitrate between Turkey and Armenia resulting in their normalizing relations, committing the US to strengthening non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, pushing for ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, announcing with Russia a plan to begin new START treaty talks, reset Russian US relations, directly addressed Iran's people, agreeing the US will participate in UN talks with Iran, proposing a progressive military budget that prepares the Pentagon for revision, cut funding for the unnecessary F-22, the DDG-100 destroyer, and Future Combat Systems, vowing to bring the budget for war in Afghanistan and Iraq into the budget process, committing to funding more money to vets and medical coverage for vets, offering the largest increase in veterans funding in 30 years, elevating diplomacy as the key tool in US foreign policy, restoring the UN Ambassador to cabinet level positioning, engaging the Muslim world and announcing the US is not at war with Islam, inviting Syria's ambassador to meet and sending two representatives to Syria along with the Secretary of State, pledging 900 milllion in aid at the Gaza conference to foster conditions in which a Palestinian state can be fully realized and recognized, improving relations with Cuba, removing travel bans on Cuban Americans, improving relations in Central and Southern American nations by making commitments at the Summit of the Americas, pushing for a treaty to end small arms trafficking in the Americas, beginning the creation of a national climate policy, providing significant funding for clean energy R&D, committing the US to the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas, repealing the gag rule which withheld US funding for organizations that discussed or provided family planning services abroad, resumed funding for the UN population fund for family planning, committing US aid to Haiti, pledging half a billion to vulnerable populations and a billion to food safety at the G2 summit, urged the Sudanese to allow aid workers back into Darfur, announced support for the International Criminal Court, increased funding for the UN peacekeeping force, supporting the UN declaration urging nations to decriminalize homosexuality, creating an Ambassador for Global Womens Issues, established a White House Council on Women and Girls, announcing the US will run for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council.<br /><br />Should I go on? Do I need to go on? There is much much more, these are just representative of moves and initiatives in more of the foreign policy realm, domestically, there are many more achievements I could list, but I grow tired of doing research for people that ought to do some for their own selves.<br /><br />I can add, that nearly all of these initiatives and moves by the Obama administration would not and could not be accomplished by previous administrations. In fact, many of them we have been compelled to act on to reverse the damage previous administrations have done.<br /><br />Instead of just looking for what everyone else might focus on, try to get a bit of a comprehensive view of your world so you don't get trapped into the narrow view of others.<br /><br />Yep, that's an unshielded slap at Phil's trite and narrow reporting.<br /><br />freeperanon.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07310880418290446894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2083200247132907218.post-2859502996128153632010-01-23T18:20:57.013-09:002010-01-23T18:20:57.013-09:00freeper, maybe you can enlighten me, I'm not t...freeper, maybe you can enlighten me, I'm not that wise... Explain some of the positive accomplishments in simple terms. Not trying to be snarky here, just wishing for some positive input about the path that we seem to be traveling as a country.flying fishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08144624768712581413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2083200247132907218.post-23421271479660157872010-01-23T10:51:15.721-09:002010-01-23T10:51:15.721-09:00If you don't understand that a political party...If you don't understand that a political party is and can be definitely an entrenched enemy of progressive policy there's little reason for you to imply you're writing a blog for or about progressives, or progressive ideals in Alaska.<br /><br />And beyond that, you didn't address my point at all. I didn't call for obedience. <br /><br />Either you're a bit testy this morning and just trying a diversionary tactic, or your comprehension is diminished to the point that you see only what you want to think you see.<br /><br />I'd appreciate if you can address what I said, and not what you'd like to infer I might have said.anon.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07310880418290446894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2083200247132907218.post-50681185443076034032010-01-23T06:45:33.388-09:002010-01-23T06:45:33.388-09:00freeper,
He got my support, my time, my money and...freeper,<br /><br />He got my support, my time, my money and my vote. He didn't get unconditional obedience. Nobody deserves that.<br /><br />I am more anti-war than he is, and I knew that from the beginning. My avowed enemies are greed, corruption, stupidity and superstition, not political parties, though.Philip Mungerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14601488767955084836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2083200247132907218.post-2342621081304790072010-01-22T22:39:45.892-09:002010-01-22T22:39:45.892-09:00Obama would probably appreciate someone who better...Obama would probably appreciate someone who better understood the constraints placed on Obama from the start.<br /><br />You supported Obama with your vote, Obama will continue to need your support if he's to be able to advance both his and your agenda.<br /><br />Keep up the imbalanced and impatient harping, and you'll only assist your opponents in their quest to take us back to another Nixon, Reagan, Bush clone.<br /><br />I'm not saying we or you need ignore any issue but a fairer perspective of both criticism and a recognition of Obama's accomplishments would help balance out your increasingly unbalanced and biased view.<br /><br />I'd like you to take equal time to recognize the positive accomplishments of the Obama administration which have been unprecedented and which have resulted in adoption of long fought for rights and policies.<br /><br />As it is, only emphasizing your pet negatives without providing any of the other side of the scale for perspective seems petty and extremely short-sighted if you're intent is to lend support to the advancement of a truly progressive agenda.<br /><br />Sure you feel you should hold his feet to the fire, but you and the rest of us would be well served if you also exercised your responsibility to add a much deserved perspective that your harping lacks.<br /><br />It's your choice, continue to only aid and abet your avowed enemy, or acknowledge the whole of both the positive and negatives conditioning the task that lies ahead for progressives.<br /><br />freeperanon.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07310880418290446894noreply@blogger.com