The Stock Democrat Response

philpotc@bellsouth.net: "I am really puzzled by the attitude of many. The vast majority of Americans set silently by and watched as Bush literally ran our Country into a depression and boldly called it a recession. Now the same public that remained passive for 8 years as America went down the tubes, are expecting that a President who has been in office for approximately 6 weeks will perform miracles and make everything better immediately. This mess was inherited by the current president and those wishing him to fail need to question if their love for their country outweighs their mean-spirited mentality. Even many in the news media cannot pass up a chance to take shots at the performance of our president. Where was this zeal when former President Bush was sending our Country on a suicide mission and our economy was spiraling out of control?"

http://www.dcexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/TapscottsCopyDesk/Obama-is-in-trouble-40864502.html#comments

We could call that, the standard mainstream Democrat response to criticism of President Obamas policies.

Lets Fisk it.

First, there is absolutely no mention of the policies themselves, what the policies are and what the persuance of those policies will result in.

Secondly, the situation inherited by President Obama is presented as being 100% engineered by President Bush, as though the Senate, the House of Representatives, the Supreme Court, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the Community Redevelopment Act, securitised derivatives and a dangerous intransigent Saddam Hussein had no influence on events and outcomes.

Thirdly, it is supposed that the vast majority of the American people sat supinely by while the invasion of Afghanistan and the Iraq intervention occured because they were stupid and neglectful, rather than the much more likely explanation which was that they understood the necessity of those actions and agreed with them.

Fourthly, it conflates supporting President Obama with patriotism- after eight years of blood-curdling viciousness about President Bush...

Fifthly, it creates the straw man argument that the criticism of President Obama is that he has failed in six weeks to fix all the things in US society which are broken; whereas the pertinent criticism is that his policies have in no way ameliorated the existing situation, but have loaded an intolerable extra burden on the US economy and taxpayers.

Sixthly, trying to maintain that the media are against Obama is laughable- most of them still have man-crushes on him.

Seventhly, if the Iraq intervention was suicidal, how come the US won?

Eighthly (I don't think I've ever got up to Eighthly before), the US economy tanked right at the very end of President Bush's presidency. His personal or official contribution to the great credit crisis/economic meltdown? The Dumbocrats keep on saying the the reason for the cc/em was deregulation, but they get very vague when you ask them which specific regulation they are talking about. But they can count on most electors never getting quite that specific, sadly.

Lastly (or Ninthly), this commenter is not puzzled- he is enraged. He can't get his head around the fact that President Obama is now president, and that when he does things, they had better work, or the criticism will be loud and intense. Neither the commenter nor Obama can just waft along for the next eight years droning 'but Bushitler was SOOOOOOOOOO terrible, and he ate children, and murdered old ladies for fun etc'. You have to say bye byes to that drivel now, and get on with governing.

And trust me, after Bush Derangement Syndrome and its vile excesses, you'd better hope Obama gets everything right.