Lame Duck Pres

[hornetrider]

So the Democrats have been wiped out. I'm no lefty but I do remember vividly the optimism which swept Obama into office 6 years ago. I even thought it was a bit of a good thing myself.

Where has it all gone wrong? Was it just the health reforms or has it been a complete fk up?

[extraT]

I cannot comment on the cause of his unpopularity (although health care, a weak foreign policy, and for some reason an economy which is actually getting better...), but I can tell you, if there is a Republican President, we can expect another war, and lots of profits for our friends at Lockheed.

Of course, the irony being the speaker attempting to sue the Pres. because he has signed so many executive orders to circumnavigate a Republican controlled house, which has consistantly refused to ratify anything put forward. I wonder how many more executive orders he will sign in order to improve his legacy.

Edited by extraT on Wednesday 5th November 07:52

[CamMoreRon]

extraT said:

I cannot comment on the cause of his unpopularity.. ..but I can tell you, if there is a Republican President, we can expect another war, and lots of profits for our friends at Lockheed.

Plus a load more blanket surveillance, a massive step back in Green progress / social progress, and absolutely no hope for gun control. Do you think it's the Middle Eastern events and the constant "threat" of terrorism that has swung things back towards red?

[Elroy Blue]

He did what all Politicians is power do and went for the easy votes. He targeted 'poor' America (including giving hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants citizenship) and abandoned 'middle America'.

It hasn't gone well for him.

[Blib]

CamMoreRon said:

Plus a load more blanket surveillance, a massive step back in Green progress / social progress, and absolutely no hope for gun control. Do you think it's the Middle Eastern events and the constant "threat" of terrorism that has swung things back towards red?

What 'green progress' has he made?

[prand]

Good politician or not, I always felt that republican opposition to Obama was based on thinly veiled racism, plus the Senate majority meant they could oppose and block out of principle, making his government impossible. I am not surprised he is not being seen as a success.

[hornetrider]

Elroy Blue said:

He did what all Politicians is power do and went for the easy votes. He targeted 'poor' America (including giving hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants citizenship) and abandoned 'middle America'.

It hasn't gone well for him.

I'm interested to hear what Jon Stewart thinks this week.

[andymadmak]

CamMoreRon said:

extraT said:

I cannot comment on the cause of his unpopularity.. ..but I can tell you, if there is a Republican President, we can expect another war, and lots of profits for our friends at Lockheed.

Plus a load more blanket surveillance, a massive step back in Green progress / social progress, and absolutely no hope for gun control. Do you think it's the Middle Eastern events and the constant "threat" of terrorism that has swung things back towards red?

You guys sound like the BBC this morning. Practically crying was our Mr Naughtie. And the bloke from the USA who said that in the event of any change to the US supreme court it would be a disaster and set America back 70 years. Plagues and pestilence, death of first born, etc etc etc - the standard mantra of the Left when it loses.

The plain fact in that Obama came in on a wave of hype carrying a huge burden of public expectation. With his rhetoric and speaking skills he had appeared to break the mould of standard dull, slightly thick US presidents that had served since the end of the Reagan era (Note I am not saying Reagan was a super brain, but he DID manage to connect with the people in ways in which no subsequent candidate or president managed until Obama came along)
It was impossible for Obama to live up to the hype and the expectation. Surprisingly though he has not even managed to live up to even the realistic, modest expectations of him that some more cautious observers of US politics had.
What came across on the campaign trail as a passionate, convincing and pragmatic man with the intellect to make the right decisions manifested itself in office as a weak, vacillating individual who seemed to be paralysed by global events.
The cardinal sin was to make it appear that America was weak internationally. US citizens, be they Democrat or Republican do not warm to the "rabbit in the headlights" look when it is adopted by their President on the International stage. - it makes them feel vulnerable.
Obama simply did not walk the walk, despite having talked the talk. That being said it is far from certain that the Republicans will win the White House next time out. There is a Clinton waiting in the wings and she is adored by many in the country, even mores than Obama was. The thought makes me shudder, but I feel no better looking to the other side of the divide. The simple fact is that there is so far no stand out Republican candidate who does not come over as a fruit loop or as thick as porridge.

Interesting times in the next 2 years..

[andymadmak]

prand said:

Good politician or not, I always felt that republican opposition to Obama was based on thinly veiled racism, plus the Senate majority meant they could oppose and block out of principle, making his government impossible. I am not surprised he is not being seen as a success.

Crikey. It did not take long for someone to play the R card. Face it will you... Obama just was not very good!

[London424]

Blib said:

CamMoreRon said:

Plus a load more blanket surveillance, a massive step back in Green progress / social progress, and absolutely no hope for gun control. Do you think it's the Middle Eastern events and the constant "threat" of terrorism that has swung things back towards red?

What 'green progress' has he made?

What gun control progress has he made!?

ETA: After the Sandy Hook school shooting he came out and spoke lots of big talk...since then there has been around 70+ school shootings and nothing done.

Edited by London424 on Wednesday 5th November 09:57

[Fishtigua]

The loony Bible-Thumpers will have powers over Women's Health Rights too. No abortions, even for rape victims. No contraceptives on work based health insurance.

http://www.nwlc.org/resource/states-must-close-gap...

Very little hope of Obama-Care staying alive for the poorer workers. Immigrants being rounded-up for being a bit dark and not having ID on them.

Hopefully, as a rag-tag party of many factions, the GOP will slowly strangle itself and not get a lot done.

[paranoid airbag]

Blib said:

CamMoreRon said:

Plus a load more blanket surveillance, a massive step back in Green progress / social progress, and absolutely no hope for gun control. Do you think it's the Middle Eastern events and the constant "threat" of terrorism that has swung things back towards red?

What 'green progress' has he made?

Similarly gun control?

In fact for that issue, a Republican govt might actually be more effective. Measures from them are more likely to be seen as reasonable compromises by moderate gun owners - from the Democrats, they're gubbermint diktats. Meanwhile out of power the Democrats can take a step back and learn from their mistakes.

[CamMoreRon]

andymadmak said:

You guys sound like the BBC this morning.. <snip>

This:

prand said:

Good politician or not, I always felt that republican opposition to Obama was based on thinly veiled racism, plus the Senate majority meant they could oppose and block out of principle, making his government impossible. I am not surprised he is not being seen as a success.

The reason Obama didn't "walk the walk" is that the Republicans would block pretty much anything deemed to "radically left" (or rather anything even remotely reformative) that was proposed. Remember the ststorm about "Obamacare"? He was president, sure, but the actual government of the country was pretty much permanently in stalemate; Republicans have deliberately dug their heels in over some issues - not for the good of the country, but to make Obama seem incompetent. Then the right-wing press would go berserk over it and the public lapped it up. It's pathetic!

[Fishtigua]

Guam said:

Fishtigua said:

The loony Bible-Thumpers will have powers over Women's Health Rights too. No abortions, even for rape victims. No contraceptives on work based health insurance.

http://www.nwlc.org/resource/states-must-close-gap...

Very little hope of Obama-Care staying alive for the poorer workers.

Why should an employer pay for contraception, surely that should be a personal matter, should I as an employer over here in the UK be required to put a free contraceptive dispenser into the bogs at my facility?

I dont understand why that factor is even up for debate in the US. It seems to me to be a classic piece of govt over reach?

Getting a prescription from the doctor is hardly paying for it, it's part of the healthcare package. They want stop even that. Heaven help them if they then fall pregnant.

[Jimbeaux]

extraT said:

I cannot comment on the cause of his unpopularity (although health care, a weak foreign policy, and for some reason an economy which is actually getting better...), but I can tell you, if there is a Republican President, we can expect another war, and lots of profits for our friends at Lockheed.

Of course, the irony being the speaker attempting to sue the Pres. because he has signed so many executive orders to circumnavigate a Republican controlled house, which has consistantly refused to ratify anything put forward. I wonder how many more executive orders he will sign in order to improve his legacy.

Edited by extraT on Wednesday 5th November 07:52

Wrong: the House has passed hundreds of bills, the Dem controlled Senate leader has only let 19 bills to even be voted on.
Harry Reid has tabled everything, not even allowing a vote. Now things will go to Obama's desk, he will have to sign or veto and answer for his decisions. His puppet Harry Reid will not be there to act as a buffer.

[Jimbeaux]

prand said:

Good politician or not, I always felt that republican opposition to Obama was based on thinly veiled racism, plus the Senate majority meant they could oppose and block out of principle, making his government impossible. I am not surprised he is not being seen as a success.

Dems use racism all of the time. They constantly pull the race card. An increased number of minorities have been elected by the Republican Party. They faced insults of "Uncle Tom" and other racist terms blacks use for those minorities that fail to vote along Democratic lines.

[Jimbeaux]

Fishtigua said:

The loony Bible-Thumpers will have powers over Women's Health Rights too. No abortions, even for rape victims. No contraceptives on work based health insurance.

http://www.nwlc.org/resource/states-must-close-gap...

Very little hope of Obama-Care staying alive for the poorer workers. Immigrants being rounded-up for being a bit dark and not having ID on them.

Hopefully, as a rag-tag party of many factions, the GOP will slowly strangle itself and not get a lot done.

Not immigrants sir, illegal immigrants; it's that little illegal part that sets people off. It especially sets off those immigrants waiting in line doing it the legal way. Get it?

[Regiment]

I always thought it was a case of

1. Barack Obama elected president on promises...
2. ...the promises took a little longer to be implemented than quite a few people were hoping, so they...
3. ...then voted for Republicans at the mid-term elections...
4. ...meaning it was much harder for Barack Obama to carry out any of his promises, especially with the Republicans fighting tooth and nail again anything and everything Barack Obama had promised.

Call me cynical but the only thing wrong with the Democratic political system is the average voter.

[Digga]

One of the promises Obama was elected on was the closure of Guantanamo Bay. We all know how that went.

One big fib/failure to deliver on promise [delete as appropriate] is a significant setback for the sort of politician he was trying to be.

I also think he was a very convenient figurehead for some of the most audacious US foreign policy, a prime example of which was the Bin Laden raid.

[scherzkeks]

Elroy Blue said:

He did what all Politicians is power do and went for the easy votes. He targeted 'poor' America (including giving hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants citizenship) and abandoned 'middle America'.

It hasn't gone well for him.

I don't think so. He did what all politicians have done since the Reagan era. Prop up his donors and allow private business interests to dictate domestic and and foreign policy. The country is an oligarchy, there are no meaningful differences between the two major parties, and I believe we are watching the great experiment that was America come to an end.