The threat of misinformation, conspiracy theory and social media to our democracy

[Eric the Green]

(04-23-2022, 09:33 AM)David Horn Wrote:

(04-22-2022, 01:08 PM)Eric the Green Wrote: Obama, any more than any other president, was not perfect in his decisions and actions. But this was mostly because he was not given support from young people who decided Obama was not perfect or change did not happen fast enough, and then gave up, as well as independents and moderates who decide to blame the president for everything that happens. He says what we need to hear now, and we need to listen rather than blame the messenger. We need to move away from conspiracy theory, misinformation and the misuse of social media.

Obama made one strategic error: going for healthcare first.  He then went cautious on everything else (perhaps, understandably so).  Unfortunately, that was the window that needed a leader with real teeth.  He had his army behind him, but picked the wrong issue to advance, then compromised on that.  He needed to do FDR's 100 days, and didn't.

If a do-over was possible, here's the strategy:

1. Pick easy wins and pass them
   
2. Promote those wins as a new dawn in America
   
3. Negotiate with the Senate Dems of the time, and kill the filibuster
   
4. Pass healthcare the way all but one or two Dems wanted it passed
   
5. Go for higher taxes on the rich and corporations and lower taxes on everyone else.
   

From that point on, the GOP would have been in full defense mode, and the attacks would have diminished because they would have been highly unpopular.  

But unfortunately, do-overs are impossible.

Obama could not have killed the filibuster; he had too many Manchins. In our house are many Manchins. If it were not so I would have told you.

Obama only went cautious because he knew how much he could pass. Pelosi passed his agenda; the Senate could not. He had zero margin for error, and even that only for 7 months. His army was not behind him. After that, young voters gave up on him, first in Massachusetts, and then in the midterms. He lost his congress, and so his administration was effectively over. That's just not enough time to do all the things you propose above, and I favored too. The nation is too divided to accomplish anything. The other side is implacable. This is the cold civil war and stalemate rules. But if his young voters who had elected him had stood with him, he could have kept his congress and become the next FDR. There is the do-over. It looks instead like we will do-over the error.