You don’t have to trust politicians, but don’t spread lies about them

I am disgusted with all the negativity toward President Obama. I have always considered myself proud to be an American despite my differences with some of our political leaders. When President George H. Bush lied and said, "No new taxes," I wasn't upset. When George W. Bush lied about the weapons of mass destruction, I was unaffected. I expect politicians to lie. But, when I hear lies about our president, I see red.

Rush Limbaugh is spreading lies. Representative Joe Wilson is spreading lies. What bothers me the most is the American people believe these lies. I think they want to find fault in our president. People are looking for any excuse to hurl accusations at Barack Obama. President Obama wants to provide health care for Americans who cannot afford it. People call him a socialist. President Obama wants to abolish torture and nuclear bombs. People say he isn't tough. Most recently, President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize for his actions prior to his presidency. People call him a fraud.

I have never really trusted politicians. But I see a man who is not afraid to shake things up and make a stand for what he believes is right. Why can't other people see that? I think it is because they are afraid. They are afraid of a black president. They are afraid of change. And mostly, they are afraid of being wrong.

Wake up, America! This is really happening. You can fight it and deny it for the next four to eight years, but it is not going to go away. There is a change in the air. President Obama is merely the voice of Americans who are ready for that change. Stop listening to all the lies and leave the man alone.

— Kent Purser
Cullowhee

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34 thoughts on “You don’t have to trust politicians, but don’t spread lies about them

  1. Asheville Dweller

    If we are ready for change why hasn’t he delivered it, or started work on it? Where is all the Transparency he promosses? So far All lies and Talking out of both sides of his mouth. No people are not making stuff up they are saying the truth, and our Popularity contest winner can’t take the critisim.

    Wake up, stop listening to NPR or other AM nonsense and do the news research yourself its not that difficult to see the truth.

  2. Mike Yelton

    When/if Obama starts to shake things up and make a stand, I’ll be right there with my support. Thus far, he’s pretty much been running the third GW Bush term. All that “socialistm” nonsense is just that. He’s not a socialist by any stretch, he’s just another coporatist, and there are a lot of shiny objects being waved and angry voices yelling to keep you from seeing that. And no, I’m not a racist. Please retire that worn-out label that gets thrown at anybody that doesn’t like Obama.

  3. GoodGrief

    I like how so many people think that Obama was going to be like Santa Claus and the ‘Ho-ho-Hope and Change Express’ would roll down their chimneys the day after he was elected and ‘poof’ we get all these nice new presents and peace of Earth. No, Obama isn’t Jesus either, but it doesn’t hurt to believe in him. He WILL bring that ‘change’ that he talked about, but it won’t happen for years and everyone needs to step up and do their part, instead of bitchin’ all the time about him! Gawd, I hate Republicans. Go back to Canada Asheville Dweller!

  4. Piffy!

    I am so mad at Obama right now. He promised change, … and yet, still no hover-Car, still no immediate transition to a carbon neutral society…

    Where’s my hover car?!?! Where’s my mud hut? You Lie!

  5. Mike Yelton

    Referencing the comment above about the hover car, etc:

    If snark is all you have to contribute to the conversation, it shows us that you aren’t prepared to do much examination of recent events or to offer a reasoned counterpoint to any of the remarks here.

    The fact is, no one said anything about a hover car or an immediate transition to a carbon-neutral society. Let me give you a few real issues to discuss so you won’t have to wander through fantasy land to pluck out ridiculous examples to make your “point”:

    DADT could have already been done away with with one stroke of the presidential pen. Nope.

    JOBS. Unemployment continues to rise, and Obama is not addressing it. He said “Well, employment is always a lagging indicator”.

    The promised Iraq pull out has been continuously walked back. Now we’re talking about keeping tens of thousands of “advisers” there indefinitely. Remember, “advisers” was supposedly all we were sending to Vietnam for years.

    The first week Obama was in office, drone attacks killed civilians in Pakistan. The drone attacks continue to this day. He could stop this at any time.

    Obama, following the lead of GW, has cooked up and is practicing a groovy concept called “preventive detention” that allows the US to imprison whoever it wants without ever charging them with anything.

    The health care reform debate has been a debacle. Obama nixed single payer from the get-go even though he supported it on the campaign trail. And he has acted as a bystander, allowing congress to make a royal mess. Obama has never clearly stated what he wants in the bill other than vague words like “competition” and “participation”. What will he accept or veto? We don’t know.

    And hows about his hiring a bunch of Wall Streeters to oversee Wall Street? Why no major financial reforms after last fall’s economic debacle?

    That’s just for starters. Maybe if the President started to address the issues that he was elected to deal with, one day we would have those hover-cars that seem so important to you.

    • Kent

      We are out of Iraq and unemployment is down and we are out of the recession…I’m just saying…

  6. Asheville Dweller

    Not from Canada sorry to dissapoint and if I was wouldnt I be worshiping the ground the big President of do nothing walks?

    And Mike Yelton points out ALOT of important facts that Obama could of implemented his Change but hasn’t.

  7. travelah

    Mike, didn’t your name used to be Dick or am I thinking of somebody else?

    What were the issues he was elected to deal with? It seems that is the big question. It’s probably wiser to state that he was elected because any Democrat could have been elected President in 2008 except Joe Biden of course. The vote was a negative against GWB and Republicans rather than n endorsement of Obamunist policy.

  8. jeff turner

    you mean like the little lie printed about me yesterday,first i just won an election,,im not a political person,,,per say..im no back patting party going lying drinking s o b,,,im just jeff turner,i serve the entire buncombe community,it is a four year term,i look at everything objectively and then i make decisions based on the facts im in no-ones pocket…

    i made no promise other than to be diligent and do what i was elected to do,,i continue to do so,3 years into it..im proud of my voting record,whereas it benefits the citizens of our area,….ive missed one meeting in three years due to illness..i participate in area events..i know the residents,they know me,i believe in god,all this and more such as being a four year lung cancer survivor,my television show on urtv is sucessful,im a grandfather x2,a disabled veteran of the navy 1976-1979..

    all this but ive never appeared on a national radio show and called folks vile names
    ,especially davyne dial,
    ,her statement in the blog section mtn xpress
    ,yesterday october 28,falsely accused me of doing so,
    i was elected by the voters of buncombe in 2006 ,this was due in fact to the voters wanting change,we our department at bcswcd,have many many accomplishments so far during my tenure,,,yes sir james wilson,i pay attention to everything,,i just cant control a very vocal minority who are hell-bent on destroying ashevilles free speech facility..urtv..
    it would be a cold day in hell and i still wouldnt resign my post or ever quit my job…this is the true jeff turner,the man who didnt bilk you out of donations,the same man who spent no-money to be elected,yet i received 19,404 votes,thankyou voters i made no promise i couldnt keep nor did i ever curse anyone…just what type of person do you want if this isnt enough
    my term ends next year,if someone can take my boots and do better for the public..run for office yourself,see if the voters believe in you,,

  9. Piffy!

    [b]If snark is all you have to contribute to the conversation, it shows us that you aren’t prepared to do much examination of recent events or to offer a reasoned counterpoint to any of the remarks here[/b]

    Nothing of substance has been said. Just vague references to disliking ‘hope and change’, and blaming obama for things far beyond his immediate control.

    offer up a criticism worth responding to and you will get it.

    I can think of many valid criticisms of Obama, but the majority of ones listed this far are just plain stupid and only deserve snark.

  10. Piffy!

    [b]That’s just for starters. Maybe if the President started to address the issues that he was elected to deal with, one day we would have those hover-cars that seem so important to you. [/b]

    My god, you thought i was serious didnt you? you poor thing.

    [b]I can think of many valid criticisms of Obama, but the majority of ones listed this far are just plain stupid and only deserve snark. [/b]

    Okay, i read you last post and retract this statement. Your criticism are very valid, and dont deserve to be lumped in with the nonsense character assassination from trav and dweller and mrs mcgraw.

    At the same time, though, many of your points are still too much of a simplification in my book, and dont take into account the reality of politics, IMO. Personally, i’d love all the drone attacks to end, and for many combat troops to return home.

    But i also know that to do so would be political suicide and only precipitate terrible disaster that would lead us into a far more terrible administration in the future. Qucik, radical shifts in policy are generally not good for anyone, and i tend to think that these things take more than just a few months to implement.

    If we do really indeed agree on these points, i suspect you know what i am talking about. But if we don’t, and you aly are listing these points as a trojan horse, then i expect you will pretend to want it ALL NOW, and wont accept anything less. That doesnt sound effective to me in practice at all.

  11. Piffy!

    [b]The vote was a negative against GWB and Republicans rather than n endorsement of Obamunist policy. [/b]

    By the way, phrases like “Obamunism” are exactly what i mean about nonsense, if there is any question.

    In addition, travey, isnt the Democratic nothing more than the “not a Republican” Party anyway? They are more of a semi-united front against the Republicans than an actual political party in their own right.

    Anyway, the letter writer makes good points. The “you Lie” crap is stupid. Prove it, or shut up. Of course, they can’t prove it, because that would require a long, detailed explanation that doesnt fit into the simplistic catch-phrase culture they like to promote. So, now substantial critique, no constructive suggestions, just pandering to the most ignorant, angry, and fearful among us.

  12. Piffy!

    [b]The health care reform debate has been a debacle. Obama nixed single payer from the get-go even though he supported it on the campaign trail. And he has acted as a bystander, allowing congress to make a royal mess. Obama has never clearly stated what he wants in the bill other than vague words like “competition” and “participation”. What will he accept or veto? We don’t know.[/b]

    I agree about single-payer, but yuou are ignoring the obvious and well-known fact that if he was more ‘pro-active’ in his role with health care, the Right would claim he was ‘steamrolling’ it through. Damned if you do, damned if you dont.

    Where the hell were you people for the past 8 years? really. And dont claim you were actively protesting bush and his administration’s polices, because i dont believe that for a second.

  13. Asheville Dweller

    Who cares where they were for the past 8 years, disliking and protesting Bush is NOT a requirement to be upset with the goverment, get over yourself.

    We are free to protest when ever we want, its a two way street I suggest you get used to it, just because some drank the Bush kool-aid now others (yourself) have drank the Obama Kool-aid don’t make you right.

    His facts maybe too simple for you, but they are facts that you chose to ignore. You just picked out the easy target to attack and failed at that as well showing you have no argument except for what Am radio and NPR tells you.

  14. JWTJr

    Can’t we all just get along?

    Typical comment from those who were not in power but are now.

  15. J

    Dancing over Delta,

    Re: prove the lies or shut up. Ask and ye shall receive: http://tinyurl.com/da6zyk

    No one’s perfect, and I hardly the the failed promises thus far creates a failed presidency. But you’re setting up an infallible Obama. Saying that he’d be criticized for being more proactive in the health care debate doesn’t really hold water. Yes, yes he would be criticized, but he’s also the voice of change, and the speaks with a mandate from the people, remember? Not wanting to be more proactive because someone might yell at you is a poor excuse.

    Besides, he gave a joint speech to Congress, has carried the message on national television, pressed for deadlines prior to August, and gave a joint speech to Congress. That’s about as proactive as you can get.

    I agree with you regarding the radical shifts in foreign policy. If he ordered the troops home tomorrow, no Democrats would be elected for years. Nonetheless, he gave an impression that when he was President, withdraw would be soon, swift, and nearly a full withdraw. He spoke of submitting plans for a full withdraw by the end of 2009.

    When you say he can’t withdraw because of the politics of it, then why wasn’t he honest from the get go? Essentially, he ran on platform he knew he would never implement. You’re saying that’s OK, because of the politics of it.

    If that’s the case, that’s a two sided coin. And I think a lot of the critical comments of Obama are, merely politics. Sure, they’re overstated, crass, and sometimes inaccurate, but the R’s have a lot of frustrations built up.

    They were hammered constantly, and heavily over the last four years running. Frequently deservedly so, but not always. Bush was mocked so much that he just flat out gave up the game of golf. R’s were yelled at for FISA, the Iraq War, civilian deaths in Afghanistan, pork spending, exploding deficits, only having three day work weeks in Congress, using the White House for politics, being unfriendly to gays, and much more.

    Now that the Democrats run everything, we have:
    FISA still intact.
    Nothing anywhere has changed legally for gays.
    Democrats quit having high profile votes to cut off Iraq war funding (surely it wasn’t just a political stunt last year knowing the vote would fail, surely not).
    Civilian deaths in Afghanistan by drone attacks.
    Pork spending is as vibrant as ever.
    Exploding national deficits.
    Three day work weeks in Congress
    Code Pink, the anti-war group, now condones the Afhganistan war.
    Democrats who run Congress have not reinstated the Congressional ban on drilling on the outer continental shelf, nor has the Executive ban been reimplemented, (on top of that, we’re underwriting Brazil’s offshore oil exploration); but remember, offshore drilling is bad, it hurts the environment…unless it’s off Brazil’s coast?

    What’s the point? Is this post far too long? Probably. I think a lot of R’s who endured criticism for years now look around and see that very little has changed, and wonder what all the fuss was really about. Hence, the anger and repeated reference to lies. Things take time, I agree. If Obama acts on all of the things he stands for, he will be called a socialist by many of those on the right. Being called a socialist is like getting hit in the face with a pillow after the the invectives the left hurled at Bush.

    You ask where people were over the last 8 years. Were you running around yelling at Bush’s critics trying to set the truth out?

  16. Barry Summers

    the Travelah puppet said:

    “Michelle makes Barry wear pants.”

    That’s ‘Mister President Barry, Sir’ to you.

  17. Barry Summers

    Wow, a genuine ‘Man Without a Country’ (or Puppet Without a Country – whatever). Impressive.

    Why do you hate America?

  18. travelah

    I think the time is getting close to where the relevant bumper slogan is “YOU voted for this mess, not I!”.

  19. all this but ive never appeared on a national radio show and called folks vile names
    ,especially davyne dial,
    ,her statement in the blog section mtn xpress
    ,yesterday october 28,falsely accused me of doing so,

    Jeff,
    This summer you came on the live chat room section of Don Yelton’s Monday night radio show on http://www.uswebtalkradio.com. You were cussing and calling me and others vile names. You were obviously in your cups. Perhaps you were in a blackout. Anyway whether you just don’t remember or were in a blackout there are several witnesses to this event, and a transcript of the words you spoke.

    And that disabled veteran card you keep playing for status might work on a few folks, but many of us have many more Vet cards than you have, that we could play. We just have more respect for the experience to throw it out to gain something from people.

  20. Piffy!

    [b]I think the time is getting close to where the relevant bumper slogan is “YOU voted for this mess, not I!”. [/b]

    Sez tha guy who predicted McCain would win by a landslide.

  21. Rick Daggett

    Telling “lies” about Obama? Huh? There’s enough ptrue stuff about Obama no one needs to “lie”.
    1) Obama declared his candidacy for political office in the livingroom of the unrepentent domestic terrorists Bill Ayers and Bernadette Dorhn. 2) Obama attended a church for 20 years and listened to a preacher spew hatred for white people and this United States of America. 3) A bagman for the Chicago democrat “machine”, convicted felon Tony Rezko, helped Obama get his mansion in the exclusive, wealthy, Chicago neighborhood Hyde Park. Rezko was also close to disgraced Illinois former governor Bagdonovich. 4) Obama has over 20 “czars” who have not been vetted by Congress. Two of them should have never been appointed. The school “safety” czar is friends with, and admires, an icon of the Man-Boy Love Association, NAMBLA. His other czar, Van Johnson, was asked to resign after it was revealed that he was way too radical for most Americans, including mainstream democrats.

    These are just a few that come to mind. There are plenty more. Obama sure keeps company with people who most Americans would NOT even want to meet on the street, let alone buddy up with them. Obama is a one term president. He is inexperienced, can’t make a decision decisively, has not kept his campaign promises. Wasn’t he supposed to end the Iraq and Afghan Wars right after he took office?

    Obama is a good speaker and is charismatic. But that is all. Hum,1930s had a charasmatic leader who could speak with a golden tongue. But that didn’t turn out well now did it? We need an experienced, decisive leader. Hopefully wewill get one in 2012 when Obama is sent back to his Hyde Park mansion.

  22. travelah

    Sez tha guy who predicted McCain would win by a landslide

    Of course you wouldn’t quote me predicting a landslide, would you?

    How about those GOP players, eh? Five times The Obama pulled for Jersey and he claims he didn’t pay atention to the returns ….

  23. Piffy!

    [b]Of course you wouldn’t quote me predicting a landslide, would you? [/b]

    You and I both know you wrote that, only to come back in mid november and change it. But you did forget the part where you predicted McCain would win North Carolina. And then there are all the posts of you supporting Bush. I suspect that’s why you left the Forums side of things, because nearly ANY argument you make about Obama could have been said about Heir Bush.

    [b]You folks need someone to bring you back to reality once in a while. North Carolina is likely to vote for McCain, especially western NC. WNC overall voted for Clinton and not Obama. WNC overall is far more conservative than your small enclave of leftist, liberals, misguided youthful idealists and transplanted geezer activists.[/b]

    for those unfamiliar with travelah’s political predictions, and biases, here’s a great thread:

    http://www.mountainx.com/forums/viewthread/422/P30/

  24. travelah

    Well phhtit, help me explain how my vote for the Republicans and predicting McCain would win NC is extrapolated to predicting a landslide win? Looking at my comment you will note I stated “likely” to win NC and if mt tired memory serves me well, McCain DID win western NC. You should be able to do better than this.

    The reason I stepped away from the forums is two fold …. the discussions were getting just flat out boring and second, I put my decision in the hands of the sycophants and you made it for me … no mystery there.

    Oh, before I leave off, here is a uote from one of my posts in that thread that shines a much more illuminating light on what I have actually stated rather than your mischaracterization of it.

    Hopefully, we realists can offer the same condolences to you in November 2008 as well. If not, we can sit back and watch what happens when the American people realize what they will get having elected the Obamensch. On the other hand, if the radicals in Congress get enough seats to override Senate filibusters, it will not matter who is President. Then, we can watch the polorization magnify and observe the destruction of the Democrat Party … winners all around, we are. ..

  25. hal

    oh. my. god. This article makes me want a cigarette. If this “change” you were expecting has actually come, it’s in the form of government tyranny and increased oppression. As was once said by a very smart man, “A government big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take everything you have.” -Thomas Jefferson

    People need to quit asking the government to solve all their problems, unless they want a bureaucratic excuse for a corporate-run agenda-laden group in their lives. Think twice before you ask the government to run everything!

  26. Barry Summers

    Why is it that when conservatives or business interests want something, they turn to government, but when folks on the left want to level the playing field, it’s unfair to ask government to step in?

    Want to tell a pregnant woman what she can do with her own body? Turn to government.

    Want to be bailed out after your investment bank set up a giant ponzi scheme that collapsed on itself? Turn to government.

    Want to make sure people can’t buy lower-priced drugs from Canada? Turn to government.

    Want subsidies to build nuclear power plants? Turn to government.

    Want to create a system of federally subsidized Health Maintenance Organizations to funnel insurance buyers towards? Turn to government.

    But if that system has turned against people to the degree that one in 7 Americans can’t afford or even qualify for insurance, don’t ask government to fix the mess they made. You’re on your own…

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