Well i never expected anything from Bush. He never came across as bright or capable, though his cronies sure helped him take advantage of public fear. Obama on the other hand is the great disappointment of my life so far. I'm not sure he's worse at governing, pretty much the same really. He campaigns on the left, telling them what they want to hear, while governing on the center-right. The governing is what matters. The one thing he did that made any difference, that wasn't compromised to near oblivion was ending DADT, and even that came at the expense of extending tax cuts for the wealthy. He's had to deal with a congress that's so shamefully unworthy and self-serving that I could not overstate their uselessness, but still he rarely takes the position i voted on him for from the onset.
Hearing that story of his mother having to spend her final days haggling with insurance companies, I thought for sure he will fight to end them. Instead we get a mandate to give them more business! He should have started with single payer, something worth spending so much time and political capital for. Instead we got town halls and "death panels" and senators acclaiming the "best health care system in the world," that thoroughly humiliated and exposed the country and for what? 50 million are uninsured, costs keep going up and his damn bill may get struck down even. The point of him not being king to instantly remove Gitmo and Patriot Act etc is correct, but he certainly has authority to end Afghan/Iraq wars that have become too ridiculous to comment on. He certainly could at least attempt to reverse Bush policies or lash into them with his mesmerizing speaking ability. I question that he really wants to though, which is disappointing. He didn't want to look bad if after repealing them we were attacked...May as well wave a white flag right now.
Making the Repubs look like fools in filibuster sessions would be far more admirable than bowing down to this new 60 votes to pass anything. The filibuster of the Civil Rights bill sure made them look like hateful asses, and some of this might have then actually passed. If Obama of all people, considering his massive popularity in 08, cannot pass anything worthwhile then why do we have a president? Or senate? Why go through the motions anymore? He could have taken a real stand on so many things at this critical time that already have popular support: SSM, wealth inequality, tax loopholes, college costs. In 08 i thought he was a genuine leader who might transcend politics. The real shame will be when like 30% show up to vote because he's let so many down and the Repubs are even worse.