Don’t Blame Obama: Only 6 Democratic Senators Voted To Fund Closing GITMO

[There Is No Spoon]

July 16, 2011
By Jason Easley

Far left progressives constantly bash Obama for not closing GITMO, but a closer look at the facts reveals that their blame has been misplaced.

On January 22, 2009 as one of his first official acts in office, Barack Obama signed an executive order to close GITMO within one year. On that day Obama said, “This is me following through on not just a commitment I made during the campaign, but I think an understanding that dates back to our founding fathers, that we are willing to observe core standards of conduct, not just when it’s easy, but also when it’s hard.

In May 2009 only 6 Senate Democrats voted NO on the amendment to, “To prohibit funding to transfer, release, or incarcerate detainees detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to or within the United States.”

...

Fast forward to December 2009, Obama signs a presidential memo ordering Attorney General Holder and Defense Sec. Gates to acquire the state prison in Thompson, IL as a replacement for GITMO.

In May 2010 the Democratically controlled House Armed Services Committee votes unanimously to prohibit the opening of any GITMO replacement facility in the United States, and the dream of closing GITMO was dead.

This timeline is important because it demonstrates that the Obama bashing far left’s retelling of “Obama breaking his promise and not closing GITMO” bears little relation to reality. The president tried repeatedly to close GITMO only to be stymied by a Democratic Congress who saw its numbers bolstered in 2008 based on their vow to work with Obama. After the election, congressional Democrats took their gain of 21 House seats and 8 Senate seats, and promptly put their own political survival ahead of the Obama agenda

...

Read more here: http://www.politicususa.com/en/don%E2%80...sing-gitmo

_______________________________________________________

Just another case of misplaced aggression by the idiot idealists who serve no other purpose than to

[Willinois]

I've seen many attempts to label Gitmo as another broken promise by Obama. If those voices were interested in closing Gitmo they would place the blame where it belongs and encourage people to target those in Congress who are responsible for it staying open. That would be productive activism.

But the point isn't to point people in a productive direction that would get Gitmo closed. The point is to spread cynicism and disillusionment so that people will give up on Obama and the Democratic party. They're willing to fudge the facts to advance that goal.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

(07-17-2011 08:47 AM)Willinois Wrote:  I've seen many attempts to label Gitmo as another broken promise by Obama. If those voices were interested in closing Gitmo they would place the blame where it belongs and encourage people to target those in Congress who are responsible for it staying open. That would be productive activism.

But the point isn't to point people in a productive direction that would get Gitmo closed. The point is to spread cynicism and disillusionment so that people will give up on Obama and the Democratic party. They're willing to fudge the facts to advance that goal.

I've challenged Polifact on this (and other) points since they labeled this "broken" on their "Obama-Meter but they seem to be holding firm on it simply because it's not likely to happen (which it won't) with the current makeup in Congress. However, my issue with their rating is that a promise shouldn't be considered "broken" IMHO unless the person making the promise actually changes their position (which Obama hasn't).

[Treestar]

Interesting - why isn't Feingold blamed? No they just blame the President for not exercising "leadership" which they take to mean some sort of total power over others.

[Cha]

Is that why Feingold got voted out? Because he voted with the republicons so much? What a faux progressive leader the suckers had who were so excited they were frothing at the mouth because he was on President Obama's czar case.

[SeattleGirl]

Everytime I read something stating that Obama broke his promise on closing Gitmo, I want to scream! How convenient for the people suffering from Obama Derangement Syndrome to pin the blame on him for something that Congress did.

Haters gotta hate, and I am beyond disgusted with them.

[OptimistesMaddie]

(07-17-2011 01:05 PM)SeattleGirl Wrote:  Everytime I read something stating that Obama broke his promise on closing Gitmo, I want to scream! How convenient for the people suffering from Obama Derangement Syndrome to pin the blame on him for something that Congress did.

Haters gotta hate, and I am beyond disgusted with them.

When I read that argument I attach the Congressional vote...they never respond back

[KonaKane]

I am simply flabbergasted at the number of people I encounter, both on the right AND the left, who think the president is a dictator who can make decrees and wave a sceptor and all is done. There are procedures in place in our system, that have to be reckoned with and adhered to. Especially this president, who everyone should know by now particularly likes to stick to the rules of procedure. That's how he operates. That's how a president SHOULD operate, otherwise we have no functioning system.

We didn't like the idea of a tyrant George W Bush, why would we want a tyrant on our side?

[SeattleGirl]

(07-17-2011 01:18 PM)KonaKane Wrote:  I am simply flabbergasted at the number of people I encounter, both on the right AND the left, who think the president is a dictator who can make decrees and wave a sceptor and all is done. There are procedures in place in our system, that have to be reckoned with and adhered to. Especially this president, who everyone should know by now particularly likes to stick to the rules of procedure. That's how he operates. That's how a president SHOULD operate, otherwise we have no functioning system.

We didn't like the idea of a tyrant George W Bush, why would we want a tyrant on our side?

Those on the "left" who want Obama to behave like a dictator aren't interested in our system's procedures. They are seeking revenge against the Right, and expected Obama to be the Revenger in Chief. And they're pissed as hell that he won't fulfill that role for them.

[jaxx]

Not in MY backyard!! The battle cry of the wimps who wouldn't close Gitmo. That's a great idea to direct them to the vote on the bill OptimistesMaddie.

IL wanted that prison in Tompson for the detainees, but the rats won out. We need the jobs and can take the heat....but we never got the chance.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

That "NIMBY" stuff really gets me. We house serial killers, rapists, and other assorted really baddies in the exact same prisons- IN EVERY SINGLE STATE OF THE COUNTRY- and yet when it comes to "terrorists", we're told BY OUR LEADERS (in both parties, unfortunately) that the big bad imperial world power ass-kicking exceptional US of freaking A can't handle a few captured terrorist suspects in our SUPERMAX prisons- or that they're suddenly worried they'll become rallying points or targets for terrorist attacks? A rallying point worse than Gitmo? Huh? No mention of the fact that we have, as long as there have been "terrorists" attacking us we've ALWAYS incarcerated and tried them on the mainland in civilian courts BEFORE Gitmo without any ill effects. WTF????!!!!! *Ugh!!!!!*