Obama's astounding success ... considering

There's "Hell yes," and then there's an equally aggressive answer to the "Are you better off?" question, which Barney Frank bestowed on CNN last night, although Erin Burnett didn't exactly ask the question: 

George Bush came to us on the Democratic side in late '08 and said, we're in a crisis, we need your help--and we gave it to him, very openly, very fully. Then Obama comes in to try to deal with the terrible situation he inherited from Bush and the Republican media went into full partisan attack.... The Republicans weren't prepared to be cooperative no matter what.

For average Americans, what the Obama administration has accomplished economically--private-sector job growth, an 11-point turnaround in GDP, an upswing in real wages, a doubling of the Dow, the rescue of millions of auto-industry jobs--is nothing short of extraordinary, especially when considered in the unfolding context of the Great Recession's afterwash and a hostile, bomb-throwing, monkey-wrenching, utterly disloyal congressional opposition.

Even sharp-tongued Frank understated his indictment: "Republicans weren't prepared to be cooperative." Indeed, as emerging histories of the early Obama administration have revealed--histories that stand uncontroverted by any Republican denials--the once Grand Old Party slammed into partisan hyperdrive and conspired to sabotage America's recovery.

All to destroy one man.

I don't know how Republicans live with themselves. I really don't. But then again, I can't crawl inside their minds, since I've never been diagnosed with sociopathy.

Comments

[Robert Lipscomb]

Romney should watch "Law & Order". There is a recurring courtroom plot twist. The judge rules that the DA cannot enter certain into trial. Either the defendent of the defense attorney, inadvertently mentions something about that evidence. The DA seizes upon this as an opportunity to enter the evidence. The judge responds to defense's objection with, "You opened the door counselor."

It has beenan article of faith that Obama and the Dems cannot remind everyone that Bush and the Republicans destroyed the country because it would sound "defensive" or as an attempt to shift responsibility or just sound "whiney". But Romney has opened that door with, "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?"

Now, Obama and especially Big Dawg Clinton get to say, "Well, I didn't want to go there, but since you asked, let's talk about where we were four years ago."

Clinton will mop the floor with this concept tonight. Then he will trumpet Obama's accomplishments. finally, he will do what he does better than anyone. He will explain the mainutae of Obama's current and future legislation. It will be done in such a way that everyone will understand it and like it. As Clinton said last week, "You have to put the corn where the hogs can eat it."

[AnneJ]

And health care. Don't forget health care, something that presidents since Teddy Roosevelt have tried and failed to pass. And Osama bin Laden dead. Imagine what he would have been able to accomplish on domestic policy had he had as much leeway as in foreign policy. And I don't know how republicans live with themselves either. To so easily be able to put not just the livelihoods but the very lives of so many people in such peril just so one man can lose his job, even the people that voted for THEM. It's sick is what it is. Just plain sick. I have mental problems of my own, but I hope that I am never a dangerous sociopath like they seem to be.

[Jim Milstein]

I'm here to help, PM. You need a diagnosis of sociopathy in order to investigate GOP minds. It's dirty work, but someone has to do it.

Here is your diagnosis: You are a sociopath.

No need to thank me.