Bursting Obama’s Balloons

Typical for Newsweek to be back pedaling for the liberals so quickly, now that Obama is elected it is time to lower the expectations, even though he promised to do everything for everyone during the election. At least Newsweek stays true to your real liberal roots!!!!!!!!!

What never ceases to amaze me is the neverending naivete of the American voting public. Each presidential election cycle the contenders from the major political parties in this country make promises that no mortal human could hope to fulfill and we (the voting public) cast our lot for the one we feel will best deliver on predetermined failure. The founders of our nation, in all their divinely inspired wisdom, saw fit to divy up the available governmental powers so that no one person would have the sole ability to either giveth or taketh away. Personally, I feel that President-elect Obama is going to find himself so much under the proverbial microscope, that after four years he will probably be more than willing to return to private life regardless of the outcome of his administration. Perhaps it is not the incoming President who should lower expectations, rather we as a nation should lower our expectations to a more practical level and perhaps we could begin to elect some public servants at all levels who are more in touch we as a nation need to do to survive and progressively prosper.
Or we could just anoint King Obama and let the chips fall where they may!

HA! Newsweek never ceases to amaze me! After raising his expectations without tire, now they advise him to lower them...what a crock.

Disgusting...the guy got elected on the expectations he created on his own and the myths the media perpetrated (hope! Change! Parting the waters!). Now we want to lower expectations? Looks like we got duped people. We may as well have elected Clinton.

<b>Not even in office yet and showing job stress! Since this guy hasn't had even so much as a lawnmower at his command, I don't expect he'll be able to withstand the pressures of the position for very long.</b>

The sky is falling, the sky is falling !!!

Harleyboy, keep in mind that this HUGE ASS KICKING you keep yacking about( rudely I'll add), has been the product of a 5%, (five percent,) swing in the voting history of the electorate. I'm hoping that BO truly can make the "Oceans Receed" and the sun to shine brighter, but nation has not suddenly become united, there is still 47% of Americans who oppose his plans, and we will reorganize to become more effective in the comming elections, have no doubt.

Having gone to see what posters had to say first, I thought some of the criticisms might have actually related to this article. I don't see any of the things Fineman actually said as a basis for the typically virulent complaints and accusations about bias, etc. Each of Fineman's points seemed cogent, insightful and on target to me.

The circumstances we are in impel me to not have high expectations about substantive things that might be accomplished. The Bush administration is not responsible for all the reasons, but it is for most of them.

My expectations about Obama's capabilities, wisdom, judgment, clear focus, intellectual intergrity and integrity of principle have only been raised by what I have seen him do since the election.

Should be interesting to see Hope and Change formally meeting Reality. Despite the author's caveats, Obama himself set the bar as high as it is and he should be held accountable for the results. Mainstream media and the entertainment industry helped propel him into office and will undoubtably develop high- octane Obama apologetics. We'll almost certainly be hearing much from the aforementioned camps about patience and realistic standards. If the guy can accomplish his own goals, fine but if he isn't up to the job, there will be another hiring opportunity for the electorate in four years.

The media is having the "honeymoon" before the "wedding". It will be interesting to see how the meida will go against him when he is unable to "change" the greed, irresponsibility, and corruption in this country. By this time next year, Obama will not be able to change this country, and if by a small chance things do change, it won't be because of him alone.

all the remedies so far by the government to stimulate the economy was to lower the cost of lending to no effect. why not not try to cut all the taxes we pay in half and all elected officials to forego their salaries. anyway, their purpose in running for public office is to serve the public. that means when they ran for the office, they are made already a la bloomberg

'm so sick of hearing re-tardicans complain about liberal bias in the media. Are Howard Stern, Don Imus, Fox... liberal? No they are conservative. Most talk radio is conservative to the point of being assinine.

It is simply amazing what name calling, insults and courage is shown from the anonymity of posting. When faced with a physical being right in front of us civility seems to come into existance...or perhaps a health dose of fear. After all, freedom o speach is freedom from PRIOR restraint. Nowhere does it claim freedom from consequences. In these posts there are no consequences, so I see no reason to respect the sincerity or depth of the commentors' convictions. Many would not dare to say these things face to face or even if their true identity were known. I thing of it as cowardly courage. Thank goodness there are those who can argue policy and point of view in their posts as well as they would in a face to face debate. Fore those people I am truly thankful.

I have always elt Obama was a big bag of wind in an empty suit that was using children and blacks to get elected, promising the sky just so he got elected. Pure politician to the bone but poor presedential material. Sadly, it takes a glib politiician to get elected in this country. That is why we have so many poor presidents. We don't look for presendential material, we look at how well they can make us believe the fairy tales they stuff into our feather brains. We deserve what we get because it is what we ask for!!

I wholeheartedly agree with this assessment. I voted for O and he has some lofty ideas; however, having been in the Senate he knows how sluggish it is, and that's why he's trying to bypass it with czars. A smart move. He has to hit the ground running and get his programs off right away. I don't believe the stimulus package will be much help, because Americans are scared. They are holding tight to their money and being very cautious. Don't expect the consumer to pull the country out of a recession.

I rarely comment on liberal blogs like this but I have to say that Pia1981, lisarae38 & HarleyisHere are three of the stupidest, most vapid people I have ever read. Wake Up! You are living in a delusion. People like you are the reason this country is in the shape it is in. You think you are intellectual elites but you are woefully uninformed and your blind ignorance is dangerous to my children, the USA and even to yourselves.

Fineman is a joke. Obama promised the world in order to get elected. 50% of the population are idealists and living in la la land. Obama will be a huge failure, and the unrealistic expectations are his and the liberal MSM's doing. Sorry, no going back on your promises, you are held accountable.