In this thread, I list all of Barack Obama's Senate accomplishments

[RightinNYC]

*crickets*

 

[Thorgasm]

*crickets*

He won Iowa!

I would expect a thread like this from NavyPride or Jamesrage, not a Mod.

 

[bhkad]

He won Iowa!

I would expect a thread like this from NavyPride or Jamesrage, not a Mod.

He's telling the truth. What's wrong with that?

 

[aegyptos]

He's just pointing out Obama's thin resume. You aren't claiming that he has tons of legislative accomplishments are you?

He sure made a good speech after winning last night and he's got momentum and money. Without Hillary's baggage he should go far but he still has to beat McCain in the final.

 

[UtahBill]

He's just pointing out Obama's thin resume. You aren't claiming that he has tons of legislative accomplishments are you?

He sure made a good speech after winning last night and he's got momentum and money. Without Hillary's baggage he should go far but he still has to beat McCain in the final.

The most qualified candidate ever can still lead us in wrong directions...
Look at the first Bush.
The most sincere and honest candidate can be inept.
Look at Carter.
And most of the old party favorites have debts owed to the party itself or to special interests.
I am pleased with the turn of events, so far. I like all 4 of the current front runners, and hope to see Hillary and Rudy get hammered in NH.

 

[Kandahar]

The most sincere and honest candidate can be inept.

And this is exactly the apprehension I have about Obama. He seems like a decent, honest guy who can give a great speech, but that isn't enough to be president. Every time I hear him talk about "a new kind of politics" and "a bipartisan era," I cringe. For the first time in over a decade, the public seems truly ready to embrace a progressive agenda (or at least to elect progressives because they're mad at the GOP). If we elect a president who compromises just for the sake of compromising, we will blow a huge opportunity to bring about real change.

This is the main reason I prefer Clinton. She actually knows how to work well across party lines without being a pushover.

 

[ReverendHellh0und]

I think he has "abstained" from more votes than any other...



Wait, that might not be a bad thing for a democrat!

 

[UtahBill]

This is the main reason I prefer Clinton. She actually knows how to work well across party lines without being a pushover.

Pushover she isn't, it is the bulldozer in her that I don't like.

 

[the makeout hobo]

And this is exactly the apprehension I have about Obama. He seems like a decent, honest guy who can give a great speech, but that isn't enough to be president. Every time I hear him talk about "a new kind of politics" and "a bipartisan era," I cringe. For the first time in over a decade, the public seems truly ready to embrace a progressive agenda (or at least to elect progressives because they're mad at the GOP). If we elect a president who compromises just for the sake of compromising, we will blow a huge opportunity to bring about real change.

This is the main reason I prefer Clinton. She actually knows how to work well across party lines without being a pushover.

You also have to ask, how much of that is pandering and fluff to get elected.

 

[RightinNYC]

He won Iowa!

I would expect a thread like this from NavyPride or Jamesrage, not a Mod.

In all honesty, if you can correct my misconception I'd appreciate it. I'm just completely unaware of anything he's done and haven't found anything to change that view.

 

[RightinNYC]

And this is exactly the apprehension I have about Obama. He seems like a decent, honest guy who can give a great speech, but that isn't enough to be president.

This is exactly my impression. I think Obama is an incredibly intelligent and personable guy. I'd probably consider him one of the smartest candidates, right up with Romney and, (sigh), Hillary. I bet he has plenty of ideas that are supported by some of the best advisors in existence.

I just don't like the ideas, and don't see anything in his resume that would lead me to believe they'll get any better.

 

[UtahBill]

In all honesty, if you can correct my misconception I'd appreciate it. I'm just completely unaware of anything he's done and haven't found anything to change that view.

Maybe instead of looking at just accomplishments, we should also be looking at screwups. Not just what he has done, or not done that would benefit the majority, but what he has done, or not done, that would hurt us..

 

[Doremus Jessup]

109th Congress
Obama sponsored 152 bills and resolutions brought before the 109th Congress in 2005 and 2006, and cosponsored another 427.[57][58] Obama took an active role in the Senate's drive for improved border security and immigration reform. Beginning in 2005, Obama co-sponsored the "Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act" introduced by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).[59] He later added three amendments to S. 2611, the "Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act," sponsored by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA).[60][61] S. 2611 passed the Senate in May 2006, but failed to gain majority support in the U.S. House of Representatives.[62] In September 2006, Obama supported a related bill, the Secure Fence Act, authorizing construction of fencing and other security improvements along the United States–Mexico border.[63] President Bush signed the Secure Fence Act into law in October 2006, calling it "an important step toward immigration reform."[64]


Senate bill sponsors Tom Coburn (R-OK) and Obama discuss the Coburn-Obama Transparency Act.[65]Partnering first with Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), and then with Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), Obama successfully introduced two initiatives bearing his name. "Lugar-Obama" expands the Nunn-Lugar cooperative threat reduction concept to conventional weapons, including shoulder-fired missiles and anti-personnel mines.[66][67] The "Coburn-Obama Transparency Act" provides for a web site, managed by the Office of Management and Budget, listing all organizations receiving Federal funds from 2007 onward, and providing breakdowns by the agency allocating the funds, the dollar amount given, and the purpose of the grant or contract.[68][69] In December 2006, President Bush signed into law the "Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act," marking the first federal legislation to be enacted with Obama as its primary sponsor.[70]

As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Obama made official trips to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In August 2005, he traveled to Russia, Ukraine, and Azerbaijan. The trip focused on strategies to control the world's supply of conventional weapons, biological weapons, and weapons of mass destruction as a first defense against potential terrorist attacks.[71] Following meetings with U.S. military in Kuwait and Iraq in January 2006, Obama visited Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian territories. At a meeting with Palestinian students two weeks before Hamas won the legislative election, Obama warned that "the U.S. will never recognize winning Hamas candidates unless the group renounces its fundamental mission to eliminate Israel."[72] He left for his third official trip in August 2006, traveling to South Africa, Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Chad. In a nationally televised speech at the University of Nairobi, he spoke forcefully on the influence of ethnic rivalries and corruption in Kenya.[73] The speech touched off a public debate among rival leaders, some formally challenging Obama's remarks as unfair and improper, others defending his positions.[74][75]


110th Congress
In the first month of the newly Democratic-controlled 110th Congress, Obama worked with Russ Feingold (D–WI) to eliminate gifts of travel on corporate jets by lobbyists to members of Congress and require disclosure of bundled campaign contributions under the "Honest Leadership and Open Government Act", which was signed into law in September 2007.[76] He joined Charles Schumer (D-NY) in sponsoring S. 453, a bill to criminalize deceptive practices in federal elections, including fraudulent flyers and automated phone calls, as witnessed in the 2006 midterm elections.[77] Obama's energy initiatives scored pluses and minuses with environmentalists, who welcomed his sponsorship with John McCain (R-AZ) of a climate change bill to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by two-thirds by 2050, but were skeptical of his support for a bill promoting liquefied coal production.[78] Obama also introduced the "Iraq War De-Escalation Act", a bill to cap troop levels in Iraq, begin phased redeployment, and remove all combat brigades from Iraq before April 2008.[79]

Later in 2007, Obama sponsored with Kit Bond (R-MO) an amendment to the 2008 Defense Authorization Act adding safeguards for personality disorder military discharges, and calling for a review by the Government Accounting Office following reports that the procedure had been used inappropriately to reduce government costs.[80] He sponsored the "Iran Sanctions Enabling Act" supporting divestment of state pension funds from Iran's oil and gas industry,[81] and joined Chuck Hagel (R-NE) in introducing legislation to reduce risks of nuclear terrorism. A provision from the Obama-Hagel bill was passed by Congress in December 2007 as an amendment to the State-Foreign Operations appropriations bill.[82] Obama also sponsored a Senate amendment to the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to provide one year of job protection for family members caring for soldiers with combat-related injuries.[83] After passing both houses of Congress with bipartisan majorities, SCHIP was vetoed by President Bush in early October 2007, a move Obama said "shows a callousness of priorities that is offensive to the ideals we hold as Americans."[84]

Not too bad for a freshman.

Barack Obama - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[RightinNYC]

Barack Obama - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Let me summarize what you just copy/pasted:

-He followed along with McCain's immigration proposal (which eventually failed)
-He followed along with Specter's border fence proposal (which eventually failed)
-He followed along with someone else's border fence proposal (which passed)
-He sponsored two minor name bills which failed
-He sponsored a bill to send aid to the Congo, which was his first one to pass (Yay!)
-He took three whole trips overseas where he uttered platitudes that did nothing but irritate other Senators.
-He followed along with Feingold's government reform proposal
-He again followed another McCain bill which failed
-He supported two or three other minor bills which immediately failed and were only proposed to give him media play.

Not too bad for a freshman.

You're right, it's not. But it's pretty ****ing shitty when you compare it to everyone else. There's a reason why freshman Senator's don't get much done - cause they don't know ****.

 

[Doremus Jessup]

And because they're at the bottom of the ladder.

 

[RightinNYC]

And because they're at the bottom of the ladder.

You're not offering a very compelling argument for Barack's experience and accomplishments.

 

[Doremus Jessup]

First of all, I really don't know anything about the man, but he sure as hell has got to be better than Hillary. Can you name any freshman senators throughout history that made a huge impact and changed anything? He has been outside of the country, which should be a requirement after seeing what has happened the last 7 years. If you're looking for somebody to argue with, you have the wrong guy. I was just trying to point out some things that were left out, like the fact that he is a freshman.

 

[RightinNYC]

First of all, I really don't know anything about the man, but he sure as hell has got to be better than Hillary.

I think you're probably right, but "better than Hillary" is as bad a policy as "anybody but Bush"

Can you name any freshman senators throughout history that made a huge impact and changed anything?

No, and I can't name any freshman Senators who would have made good presidents either.

He has been outside of the country, which should be a requirement after seeing what has happened the last 7 years.

I've been out of the country more times than Barack in the past 4 years.

If you're looking for somebody to argue with, you have the wrong guy. I was just trying to point out some things that were left out, like the fact that he is a freshman.

My point is that that's not a mitigating factor. A first term congressman might accomplish far more than the average first term congressman, but that doesn't mean they're suddenly qualified to be President. There's an objective standard, not a subjective one.

 

[jfuh]

He's been able to make voters actually have something to look forward in the presidential campaign and made Hilary's job of running hella difficult. All this in itself is enough an accomplishment for him, not to mention that we've only just gone through one primary and he won that one. Quite an achievement for someone with "crickets" accomplishment.
I second what has been said for "compromise for the sake of compromise alone" comment.
What other accomplishment has Obama had? Raised the bar of expectations from the conservatives. I mean seriously, what accomplishments did Jr. have before running? I'm glad the conservatives are starting to going back to setting higher standards for candidates other than just preaching to the choir.

 

[disneydude]

*crickets*

I see you have your Republican talking points down....I guess this is going to be the spin that the GOP spin machine attempts to take....

Problem is.....GWB didn't have any more experience....nor did Ronald Reagan for that matter.
What experience does Giuliani have....he's only been Mayor....not even a statewide office.

 

[Zyphlin]

He's been able to make voters actually have something to look forward in the presidential campaign and made Hilary's job of running hella difficult. All this in itself is enough an accomplishment for him, not to mention that we've only just gone through one primary and he won that one. Quite an achievement for someone with "crickets" accomplishment.
I second what has been said for "compromise for the sake of compromise alone" comment.
What other accomplishment has Obama had? Raised the bar of expectations from the conservatives. I mean seriously, what accomplishments did Jr. have before running? I'm glad the conservatives are starting to going back to setting higher standards for candidates other than just preaching to the choir.

I see you have your Republican talking points down....I guess this is going to be the spin that the GOP spin machine attempts to take....

Problem is.....GWB didn't have any more experience....nor did Ronald Reagan for that matter.
What experience does Giuliani have....he's only been Mayor....not even a statewide office.

Using "talking points"?

The only people I see using republican talking points is...well, you two.

"Um...yeah, well, Bill Clinton didn't [x] either!"

becomes

"Um, yeah well...George W. Bush didn't [x] either!"

 

[jfuh]

Using "talking points"?

The only people I see using republican talking points is...well, you two.

"Um...yeah, well, Bill Clinton didn't [x] either!"

becomes

"Um, yeah well...George W. Bush didn't [x] either!"

I don't believe I've even gotten into talking points. So if you'll be so kind as to retract that statement against me it'd be most appreciated.
TO be really anal, I said Jr. Not W so there - ha.:mrgreen:

 

[Zyphlin]

I mean seriously, what accomplishments did Jr. have before running?

Not going to retract the statement.

Its the same tired means of debating that so many republicans on this board have used for the past 8 years. They get questioned on something GWB does and go "But, but clinton!"

If a Dem gets elected and does stupid stuff it already seems we're going to be hearing "But...but GWB!"

 

[128shot]

...

Problem is.....GWB didn't have any more experience....nor did Ronald Reagan for that matter.

I'll give you GWB, but Ronnie had loads of experience in politics and running things in California well before his bids for president.

14 years as governor of California is nothing to shake a stick at.

 

[The silenced majority]

He won Iowa!

I would expect a thread like this from NavyPride or Jamesrage, not a Mod.

Perhaps you'd like to point out something he missed?