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What is your opinion of Barack Obama now?

What is your opinion of Barack Obama now?

  • I'm glad I voted for him.

    Votes: 20 39.2%

  • I'm glad I didn't vote for him.

    Votes: 27 52.9%

  • I wish I had voted for him.

    Votes: 2 3.9%

  • I wish I hadn't voted for him.

    Votes: 2 3.9%
  • Total voters
    51
I'm glad I voted for him, he has done a much better job then McCain would have IMO. Though he has disappointed in several areas, and hasn't brought the change I voted for.
 
Khayembii Communique said:
That's completely irrelevant regarding powers the administration does have.
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Representatives in Congress have formed political networks centered around advancing the plans and interests of Wall-Street, some of which are quite old and have lasted across generations, or at least, taken over from where other networks left off. They have every advantage over Obama; there is nothing he can do to break up those networks. The only people who can do that are the American people (by hunting down and voting out every politician with a hint of money ties), and the American people aren't hungry enough for it to make it happen.
 
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SPC said:
:lol::lol:


I do find it interesting that the libs try to tout how great a President they think Obama is, but not one of them can come with one thing Obama has done to fix the economy or describe what that one thing did to fix it.
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What is more interesting is that the "conseratives" tout how bad Obama is but then fail to recognize or refute arguments showing how Obama is basically Bush. Ikari is dead on the money. It's hilarious to watch Bush Backers suddenly reject the same policies of their own former President.
 
I honestly didn't vote in the last election. It was a choice between McCain and a Chicago politician... I didn't trust either.

My confidence in government is fairly low at this point, especially the office of POTUS. I agree with the general sentiment of this thread, that we are seeing an emerging aristocracy that is gradually not accountable to the people. The only thing sort of balancing things out right now is SCOTUS but that is slowly eroding as more cronies are added to the bench. And congress? Forget it.

I try to remain hopeful, but every time I watch our politicians speak I can't help but feel like our nation is doomed.
 
I was worried before the election that his agenda was too radical; now I am just concerned that we cannot afford the continuation of Bush's policies.
 
Obama was pretty much everything short of a constitutional amendment that I disliked about Bush and then adds a whole heap load of additional crap on top.
 
Your Star said:
I'm glad I voted for him, he has done a much better job then McCain would have IMO. Though he has disappointed in several areas, and hasn't brought the change I voted for.
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So you must have liked G.W. Bush then too, as Obama has primarily done the same thing as G.W. Bush (2006-2008) as Obama is doing from 2008-2011.
 
I like him better now.

1. Heathcare was watered-down.
2. Push for gay rights in the military happened.
3. Handled Iraq and Afghanistan reasonably.
4. Kicked ass in Libya.
5. Killed OBL, and some pirates.
6. Michelle is great, especially her attention to food and gardening.

I could come up with other things, but I've had plenty of pleasant surprises this presidency. I really didn't like the bailouts or the bowing routine, but I'll get over it.

7. Didn't close Gitmo.
 
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Ockham said:
So you must have liked G.W. Bush then too, as Obama has primarily done the same thing as G.W. Bush (2006-2008) as Obama is doing from 2008-2011.
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Except he drew down troops in Iraq, intensified action in Afghanistan, got rid of DADT, passed some version of universal healthcare and entered Libya WITH NATO not making this a US endeavor, all things Bush didn't do and wouldn't have done.
 
Morality Games said:
Representatives in Congress have formed political networks centered around advancing the plans and interests of Wall-Street, some of which are quite old and have lasted across generations, or at least, taken over from where other networks left off. They have every advantage over Obama; there is nothing he can do to break up those networks. The only people who can do that are the American people (by hunting down and voting out every politician with a hint of money ties), and the American people aren't hungry enough for it to make it happen.
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Obama has no interest in breaking those up because his administration is complicit in furthering those interests. Nor can the American people do anything about it as it is inherent in the structure of the electoral system itself.

Except he drew down troops in Iraq, intensified action in Afghanistan, got rid of DADT, passed some version of universal healthcare and entered Libya WITH NATO not making this a US endeavor, all things Bush didn't do and wouldn't have done.
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The Iraq troop drawdown was to intensify intervention in Afghanistan, Pakistan and other regions. That's certainly in line with Bush policy. He didn't get rid of DADT, nor did he pass anything close to resembling universal healthcare.

Libya was a NATO affair because it primarily concerned French and Italian imperialism attempting to exploit the destabilization of the country due to the popular opposition to Qadaffi. The US is playing a complementary role to the French/Italians, not a commanding role.
 
theplaydrive said:
Except he drew down troops in Iraq, intensified action in Afghanistan, got rid of DADT, passed some version of universal healthcare and entered Libya WITH NATO not making this a US endeavor, all things Bush didn't do and wouldn't have done.
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I never claimed Obama and Bush were 100% the same, just 99%.
 
And , this time, I will support him.
The last thing our nation needs is a right-wing extremest isolationist trying to push our country into the 16th century.....
Obama is, IMO, a moderate.
 
earthworm said:
Both are moderates, more or less.
Maybe 90% is closer
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Really? I seem to remember G.W. Bush painted as a neo-con during his tenure in the White House. Is the opinion now, after 2 1/2 years out of office that G.W. was a moderate?
 
Ockham said:
Really? I seem to remember G.W. Bush painted as a neo-con during his tenure in the White House. Is the opinion now, after 2 1/2 years out of office that G.W. was a moderate?
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neocon =/= extremist, just imho.
 
Ockham said:
I never claimed Obama and Bush were 100% the same, just 99%.
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I pretty much described 80% of Obama's main actions in office and they are different from Bush, they're not 99% the same.
 
theplaydrive said:
I pretty much described 80% of Obama's main actions in office and they are different from Bush, they're not 99% the same.
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Yes, I'm sure you do.
 
Ockham said:
So you must have liked G.W. Bush then too, as Obama has primarily done the same thing as G.W. Bush (2006-2008) as Obama is doing from 2008-2011.
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What? Don't you realize this comment...

obvious Child said:
What is more interesting is that the "conseratives" tout how bad Obama is but then fail to recognize or refute arguments showing how Obama is basically Bush. Ikari is dead on the money. It's hilarious to watch Bush Backers suddenly reject the same policies of their own former President.
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...only works one way Ock! Conservatives who tout Obama is bad but don't speak poorly of bush are obviously hypocrites, but those who bash/bashed Bush but tout that Obama is good are completely legitimate.

theplaydrive said:
Except he drew down troops in Iraq, intensified action in Afghanistan, got rid of DADT, passed some version of universal healthcare and entered Libya WITH NATO not making this a US endeavor, all things Bush didn't do and wouldn't have done.
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1. He drew down troops in Iraq in accordance with the generalized time table, plan, and policy put into place by George W. Bush

2. He intensified action in Afghanistan modeled after the Surge strategy presented by George W. Bush, and regardless increased/maintained the large number of U.S. forces abroad and continuing the engagements in the middle east similar to Bush

3. Yes, he did end DADT

4. With NATO or not, Barack Obama has continued the policy of using the U.S. military as the worlds police, interjecting itself into further middle east region conflicts with U.S. soldiers. Regardless of whether or not US is in the lead, he's still pushing for our men and women to be over there.

5. Yes, he did do health care reform and further worked to expand government, similar to when Bush did medicare reform and his continued actions of expanding the government.

They may at times have taken similar roads but many of their destinations have been the same.
 
Zyphlin said:
1. He drew down troops in Iraq in accordance with the generalized time table, plan, and policy put into place by George W. Bush

2. He intensified action in Afghanistan modeled after the Surge strategy presented by George W. Bush, and regardless increased/maintained the large number of U.S. forces abroad and continuing the engagements in the middle east similar to Bush

3. Yes, he did end DADT

4. With NATO or not, Barack Obama has continued the policy of using the U.S. military as the worlds police, interjecting itself into further middle east region conflicts with U.S. soldiers. Regardless of whether or not US is in the lead, he's still pushing for our men and women to be over there.

5. Yes, he did do health care reform and further worked to expand government, similar to when Bush did medicare reform and his continued actions of expanding the government.

They may at times have taken similar roads but many of their destinations have been the same.
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1. Obama's timetable got combat troops out of Iraq a year earlier than Bush's timetable. That's pretty significant in terms of who wants to end the conflict more quickly. Difference #1.

2. Bush and Obama did agree on the surge, so I concede the point.

3. He supported its end and pushed for it to end - which is what president's do and what I was referring to. Did Bush? No. Difference #2.

4. There are huge differences between Libya and Iraq in time, money and personnel committed and they matter. How you conduct military affairs does, in fact, illustrate significant differences. Difference #3.

5. Did Bush support Obama's healthcare reform? No. Moreover, Bush's Medicare reform was not even close to the level of change created by Obama's healthcare reforms. Difference #4.

You can obviously twist and spin anything any president's ever done to make him look similar to every other president, but that's not an accurate picture. Most presidents are going to work towards similar ends, but it's about HOW they get there that measures the difference. For example, our foreign policy goals in the ME are consistent, but one president chose primarily unilateral action that cost us too much money, time and men. The other chose primarily multilateral action with minimal US involvement. Bush and Obama are not that similar at all.
 
theplaydrive said:
I'm sure I do what? I didn't make any claims about what I do in the post you quoted.
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I'm sure you do think that... but what I was thinking while I posted that was:

obama-kool-aid.jpg
 
Ockham said:
I'm sure you do think that... but what I was thinking while I posted that was:

obama-kool-aid.jpg
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I haven't had that in a while actually, but now that you mention it, I'll probably pick some up the next time I go to the store. Thanks.
 
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