Barack Obama - Year 1 Review

[Suneeboy]

When Barack Obama won the election in 2008, I cried. I cried tears of joy because I was happy to see America accept change, and accept that we are in fact one people and the color of your skin does not mean that you cannot achieve what you set your heart out to do.

We are now about one year removed from his inauguration, and there still seems to be some excitement, but we are now more concerned with accomplishments, and actually getting work done. So what do you think about the President thus far? Do you think it is still a little off to criticize him? He was untouchable this time last year as far as criticism goes.

I feel he has done the best that he can with the resources he’s given, yet part of me feels that more could’ve been done. There appears to have been more rhetoric than action during the 1st year. Does this mean that he hasn’t been able to get things done, or that there are other factors slowing his progress? Maybe it’s a combination of both. Congress must vote on certain issues that he presents to get them through. Certain Bush policies are still present that need to be adjusted. But the sore thumb for me is the Afghan war. Now the war itself is a different topic, but Obama’s handling of it has been lackluster to say the least. He has kind of worked it on the “fly”, and hasn’t really outlined a clear plan that we are going to follow. I could be misconstruing information, but I don’t like the “play it by ear” approach.

Back on topic….what do you think of the first African-American President after his 1st year? Yay or Nay, and why?

 

[klunderbunker]

I'd say it's been in the middle. It's been far from great but it hasn't been a disaster. Now it's true that he hasn't gotten to a lot of his campaign promises yet, but it should be noted that some of them are beyond his control. If he said that he will pass a law or something and Congress shoots him down, I have an issue with saying he didn't live up to that promise. Now he didn't so what he said he would do, but I wouldn't call it lying. That seems to be the main issue that people have had with him and that's a legitimate complaint. I think with Obama the key thing to remember is a lot of the stuff he's done has been stuff that won't actually occur until a few years down the line. For instance, the Afghanistan timeline. Nothing has really come of it at this point, but for argument's sake let's say everything goes according to plan and the troops come home at the end of the summer. All of a sudden, he looks great. (Note: I don't think it's going to work due to a variety of reasons.

Like I said though, he's not terrible but not great. He inherited a lot of problems and he's trying to work us through them. The economy has steadied and it's not in a free fall anymore which is a huge step in the right direction. the TARP money that's coming back going to a jobs program is a great idea and should pump it up even further. The key for me is that a lot of the stuff if for the future, not for right now. That's the right thing to do, although it doesn't make voters happy. There's still a long time before 2012 though so the first year means very little indeed.

 

[Suneeboy]

Like I said though, he's not terrible but not great. He inherited a lot of problems and he's trying to work us through them. The economy has steadied and it's not in a free fall anymore which is a huge step in the right direction. the TARP money that's coming back going to a jobs program is a great idea and should pump it up even further. The key for me is that a lot of the stuff if for the future, not for right now. That's the right thing to do, although it doesn't make voters happy. There's still a long time before 2012 though so the first year means very little indeed.

You raise a good point about TARP. I work in finance so I am directly affected by the TARP situation. Although that was Bush, he continued the program, and while he was in office, he gave my bank a decent amount of money. If it wasn’t for that I probably would’ve lost my job.

Now I know you cannot define a presidency by the first year, but do his detractors from the years past still have a gripe with the guy’s administration? I think not. After one year I think we can see that we have a very competent man in the White House and possibly the best is yet to come.

I don’t know if he will usher in a golden age, but it appears we are going to begin to show some economic growth again. Judging by the trend in the markets that seems very realistic.

 

[Razor]

Now. There are those of us who say that Obama is a failure because he hasn't reached his campaign promises yet. Well, he's had a year. He still has another 3. Some say he's a failure because he hasn't fixed the WORLD ECONOMY. Guess what? He's had a year. If anyone could have fixed the economy in a year, it wouldn't have been a global recession. It would have been a hiccup in the grand scheme of things. Then, there are others who would call Obama a dismal failure because they hate Obama's policies. Fair enough.

I, however, would grade Obama in the D+/C- range. He has done what he does as a Democrat and spend his ass off. At least the spending has been aimed at one thing, the economy. He's at least trying.

Then, Obama focused on Healthcare. Waaay too much, by the way. I myself believe Healthcare should have been tackled, and tackled in the way it was going to be tackled.

I grade Obama so low because he lost control of his own party. Democrats are running away from him, some going too far and some retreating. Obama had complete control of his party in the first months, but he's lost control to the Pelosis and Liebermans of the Congress. His veiled attempts to say "Oh, thanks Congress. I like that you held to my deadline" won't trick me or the American public. He's holding on to the seat of his pants and only showing any real ability in his foreign policy agenda, which he has managed to keep all his own.

Obama is a C- president so far because he's lost his domestic policy to those who aren't himself. He has to gain it back for himself.

 

[Aversion]

If you look at his approval ratings compared to Bush's approval ratings, you can see that Obama is worse than Bush was in his first year, which I agree with. Not only did Bush not do anything wrong until late into his second term, but Obama seriously did 3 things in his first 100 days: "Change", Stimulus Package, and "Yes we can!".
I don't know if it is because of him, but I'm starting to turn Republican/Conservative. The Stimulus Package failed, the economy got better on its own, and now people will never elect a black President again. When I think of Presidents worse than Obama, I think Warren G. Harding, Calvin C. Coolidge, and Herbert C. Hoover.

After 9 months in office, he golfed a total of 24 times, which took Bush 2 years and 10 months to accomplish. I can't leave alone the fact that one day in December, he flew to New York to have lunch with his wife. He also spent weeks in Hawaii.

Obama did 2 things in the last 3 months: Propose the health care bill for universal health care, which I don't know why the Senate and House of Reps passed, and extended COBRA from 9 months to 15 months. COBRA is something where if you suddenly lose your job, you still get benefits for a certain amount of time. This will make the economy and national debt even worse than it already is.

If I give Bush a C- rating, I'd give Obama a D-.

 

[Razor]

If you look at his approval ratings compared to Bush's approval ratings, you can see that Obama is worse than Bush was in his first year, which I agree with.

What did Bush do in his first year? Oh, yeah. He was coasting off of the 9/11 push in approval ratings that he grabbed up. He was also pushing the War on Terror to full steam, and prepping us for the War in Iraq with oodles and oodles of propaganda.

Yeah, if his approval ratings weren't higher than Obama's, then something really fucked up.

Not only did Bush not do anything wrong until late into his second term,

PATRIOT Act and the whole invading Iraq thing come to mind.

but Obama seriously did 3 things in his first 100 days: "Change", Stimulus Package, and "Yes we can!".

He engaged the Muslim World, trying to make them not hate us quite as much. You know, years of wars in the Middle East kinda had them throwing bombs at us and burning our flags. Now they aren't burning our flags quite as much. Hurray.

He appropriated money for transportation, funding for car battery research, health care, put another 2 million acres of forest under national protection, set forth funding for urban areas in need, and tried to help Pakistan with their whole "Almost losing their country to the Taliban" thing they had going on.

Not only that, but he also had a whole global economic meltdown to deal with.

I don't know if it is because of him, but I'm starting to turn Republican/Conservative.

Blame it on Obama. All the cool people are doing it.

The Stimulus Package failed,

That's why you went Republican? You remember Bush's Stimulus Package? It did about just as much good.

the economy got better on its own,

Bullshit. If the economy got better under Bush, everyone would be shouting his praises. Either give both men the same treatment, or don't. But don't sit there and try to say the economy didn't get fixed because of Obama's attempts.

Not only that, but you have no way of proving that statement. Way to go and make ludicrously unprovable statements.

and now people will never elect a black President again.

You need to think before you type stuff. Oh, and I want you to change your name to "Obama snorts cocaine off my ass" when Obama gets reelected.

When I think of Presidents worse than Obama, I think Warren G. Harding, Calvin C. Coolidge, and Herbert C. Hoover.

Lulz. And you only gave Obama a D-? What did Hoover get, a H-?

After 9 months in office, he golfed a total of 24 times, which took Bush 2 years and 10 months to accomplish. I can't leave alone the fact that one day in December, he flew to New York to have lunch with his wife. He also spent weeks in Hawaii.

How dare he not go crazy from the stress of fixing a national and global economy. How dare he try to unwind when the entire nation is at his throat, and his own political party is running wild on him. Fuck. He should have kept it all inside, popped an ulcer, and hung himself in the Oval Office. At least then we'd have Biden as President, right?

Obama did 2 things in the last 3 months: Propose the health care bill for universal health care,

Actually, Obama can't propose bills. The Senate and House have to do that. The President can't even hint at the wording in bills he wants passed. Sure, he might say "Hey, how about some health care reform?" But he can't go to teh Senate with a 200 page, typed out bill ready for them to sign.

which I don't know why the Senate and House of Reps passed,

Because, oh...I don't know...the insurance companies need to be brought in? I'll give you an example. In Arkansas, there are two major insurance companies. They can legitimately work with each other to raise rates and completely monopolize the insurance industry in Arkansas. And guess what, they have. Too bad they're exempt from monopoly indictments, huh?

..Oh, wait. That's what the Senate and House bills stop. Silly Democrats. Let the insurance companies hold America by its diseased balls even longer.

and extended COBRA from 9 months to 15 months. COBRA is something where if you suddenly lose your job, you still get benefits for a certain amount of time. This will make the economy and national debt even worse than it already is.

Yeah! Let those people who were suddenly laid off and have no where to eat because the economy is literally eating away jobs starve! Fuck them. That's more money the government has to spend, right?

If I give Bush a C- rating, I'd give Obama a D-.

Yeah, because Healthcare reform is totally worse than Gitmo and the PATRIOT Act. Seriously?