re: #7 iceweasel

Have to agree wholeheartedly with your whole comment, but this stands out because many progressives and civil libertarians did not expect Obama to continue to take the Bush line with respect to the expansion of powers of the executive branch that happened under Bush. But of course he has. That’s the nature of power, we always think we or our side would only ever use it for good. It’s only when the other bastards are in charge that we start worrying.

This is true, but I also think some on the left are upset with him for the ways in which he hasn’t acted like Bush, but they want him too. Remember the DADT fight? They wanted an executive order, whether or not it was possible or politically smart. The president believed it was bad law and that it should be done away with by the institution that created it in the first place. His way, in the end worked. The same with Gitmo. I want Gitmo gone closed, but the detainees have to be moved somewhere and Congress won’t approve of it or give him the money. This is something that his critics on the left seem to overlook or don’t understand (John Stewart, I’m looking at you). When people don’t understand the separation for powers and the limits they put on a president, they get mad about things that aren’t completely in his control. President Obama has a right flank that thinks his a power mad dictator and a left flank that doesn’t think he’s dictatorial enough. Each could be cured with a little civics education. Admittedly, I’d be more upset with Obama over some things it I hadn’t been required to take a law and a politics and policy class for my degree. I have a better perspective on what he can and can’t do in this political environment.