Now that I am done fapping over the DNC, let’s take a look at its seedy underbelly:

• The Obama administration’s annual deportation record set an all-time high, nearing 400,000 in 2011. Members of Riders for Justice were arrested as they protested several blocks from the convention. Actress Rosario Dawson joined the protesters, calling them ‘inspiring’ and heroes.
• Even after the Affordable Care Act, roughly 26 million will continue to go without healthcare coverage, a population the size of Texas that includes illegal immigrants and those who exceed the income requirements of the Act but still can not afford coverage one their own.
• In what was undoubtedly one of the more memorable speeches of the convention, former President Bill Clinton did not mention Afghanistan even once. On the whole, foreign policy was limited to the ‘end’ of the war in Iraq and death of Osama bin Laden. 
• Little talk of Libya, which was most likely a good idea considering the Obama administration’s actions violated the War Powers Resolution.
• President Obama has largely expanded the use of drone strikes, using unmanned missiles in Yemen, Pakistan, and Somalia. It is estimated that for every militant killed, ten civilians, women, and children will die during the attacks. The list of victims also includes a 16 year-old American boy. Think very carefully about what that means, whether you’re okay with Office of the Presidency having that kind of reach, and how you would feel if George W. Bush had been in office with that sort of precedent in place.
• Members of World Can’t Wait took to the street protesting the use of such strikes, carrying a drone replica and pictures of Samir Khan, a former Charlotte, NC resident killed in Yemen.
• They were joined by protesters from the Occupy movement and Veterans for Peace. Both groups included anti-drone messages along with calls for the release of US Army intelligence analyst and Wikileaks whistleblower Bradley Manning.
• From inside the convention, Rep. Dennis Kucinich said he had ”been one of the strongest spokespersons in Congress to end the drone attacks… It’s unconstitutional. It’s extralegal, extrajudicial killings, creates more enemies. It makes it easy to go to war… I can support the president, but I can object to those programs. And I do.”

If you support the President (as I ultimately do) you must be able to look past the packaged and orchestrated performances at the DNC, address his first term critically, and demand that his second term (fingers crossed, vote!) be better.