Anyone else think Obama is an okay president?

[fisharmor]

Oh, I'll admit it. Obama has done some things I like.
I like that he's opening up Cuba relations.
I like that he's dialing back the unconstitutional immigration policy.
I can't say I like the way he's doing either of those, but I've long since given up on officials following official process.

If we're comparing to W... well, the only thing W did was give me the money I needed to buy a TV. And the only reason I was shopping for a TV is because the federal government made my old TV worthless when they cut off the old VHF/UHF broadcasts.
I bought a 32" 720p television for around $750, using the "stupid check" that W sent out.
Think about that, and go look at similar televisions and what they cost just 5 years later.

I would rather have waited.


I get the point, though. I thought at the time - and still think - that Clinton was a horrible president. But I'm able to see that he's not as bad as W, or any of the other R team offerings.

It's all moot, though, as this thread is just a case study in why I'm never going to vote again.

[heavenlyboy34]

In a nation of 300 million+ if the best we can do is "okay" regarding the presidency we need a reset.

Well, on paper "okay" is all that's needed to make a "good" POTUS. (as you can see in the requirements for POTUS in the CONstitution, the standards are ridiculously low)

[Henry Rogue]

Increased Drone strikes, embargo on Crimea, obamacare. No, i don't think he is an Okay president. I think he is a F'ing bad president.

[willwash]

I voted for Obama. But only to keep the door open for Rand in 2016...couldn't have Romney screwing that up

[Origanalist]

This thread is so bad I had to give it a rating.

[enhanced_deficit]

I can't say I'm a fan of him, but compared to W he's a lot less scary. I find myself agreeing with him more often then not when it comes to anything other than economic policy. I imagine the country would be in a much worse place if any Republican won, other than Paul, in either of the past elections. Thoughts? Am I alone here?

Not alone.. but you are probably among the 4.85% here who see good in disgraced dronegangsta puppet of moderate neocons:

Poll: Do you respect Obama?

[Christian Liberty]

Oh, I'll admit it. Obama has done some things I like.
I like that he's opening up Cuba relations.
I like that he's dialing back the unconstitutional immigration policy.
I can't say I like the way he's doing either of those, but I've long since given up on officials following official process.

If we're comparing to W... well, the only thing W did was give me the money I needed to buy a TV. And the only reason I was shopping for a TV is because the federal government made my old TV worthless when they cut off the old VHF/UHF broadcasts.
I bought a 32" 720p television for around $750, using the "stupid check" that W sent out.
Think about that, and go look at similar televisions and what they cost just 5 years later.

I would rather have waited.


I get the point, though. I thought at the time - and still think - that Clinton was a horrible president. But I'm able to see that he's not as bad as W, or any of the other R team offerings.

It's all moot, though, as this thread is just a case study in why I'm never going to vote again.

I can understand not wanting to vote for Rand, but if there were to be a genuine Ron Paul quality candidate would you really not vote for him? Let's face it, anarcho-capitalism is a longshot to ever be implemented. I'd like to be more free...


As for Obama, I wouldn't call him "OK", though I tend to agree he'd be better than Romney or McCain. He's still awful.

[PaulConventionWV]

I can't say I'm a fan of him, but compared to W he's a lot less scary. I find myself agreeing with him more often then not when it comes to anything other than economic policy. I imagine the country would be in a much worse place if any Republican won, other than Paul, in either of the past elections. Thoughts? Am I alone here?

It really doesn't matter who wins. There's no practical difference between Democrats and Republicans anymore. They may talk about different issues, but they all do exactly the same thing when wielding power.

[PaulConventionWV]

In a nation of 300 million+ if the best we can do is "okay" regarding the presidency we need a reset.

Lol, don't throw him a bone. Obama is far from "okay."

[youngbuck]

In no way, shape, or form is Obama an "okay" president. He's merely Bush on steroids with a progressive image. His cabinet (as a whole) is probably the worst there's ever been, and America is gotten worse in every way since he's been president. The ramifications of his actions will take many years to fully pan out, and we've surely yet to feel the worst of it.

[RonPaulIsGreat]

Ima like dis masta better, when he beat on me, and take me stuff, he no talk mean to me. He shows respect to us slaves. Oh lordy, when bush was the master, he'd tell you he was da "decider" right to all the poor slaves. Obama do now, he is smoother, he don't go shoving it in all mean like, he get a slave going with sweet promises, and lovely lies. You bleed the same but obama is so much better.

[Suzanimal]

Anyone else think Obama is an okay president?

[nobody's_hero]

George W. Bush was a dumbass who was drunk half the time when he did the things he did.

On the other hand, Obama, in a sober state of mind, is one of the most narcissistic, power-hungry presidents we've had since perhaps FDR.

When I'm evaluating presidents, I try to consider personality as well, and when you measure up which of those two is most likely to become the next Adolf Hitler, do keep in mind that George W. Bush was just an easily-manipulated drunk.

[69360]

Anyone else think Obama is an okay president?

No

[Zippyjuan]

Under Obama you got Obamacare, under Bush you got Bushcare (Medicaid D). Which is worse? I'd have to run the numbers, one of them being how much each contributes to the national debt. Did payroll tax go up as a result of Bushcare, and if so - how much? If no increase, Bush gets the upper hand because you are forced to buy insurance or pay the penalty under Obamacare. But at least there was a temporary payroll tax holiday under Obama

Debt - Obama has added more to the debt than Bush. Advantage: Bush

War - Bush started Iraq and Afghanistan. Obama attempted to extend Bush's withdrawal from Iraq and also attacked Syria and Libya though to my surprise - not Iran. Syria and Libya don't seem as big a deal as Iraq and Afghan, but does anyone think he wouldn't have invaded them if he was president from 2000 to 2008?

Economics - Obama's stimulus was much larger than anything carried out by Bush to my knowledge. Both were bad about bailouts

Civil liberties - Obama has expanded the atrocities started under Bush, drone strikes against American citizens for one. So I guess Obama is worst

tone - that's about the only thing I can think for sure Obama is better at. He doesn't go around saying "I'm the decider", "mission accomplished", etc and he's a more eloquent and down to earth speaker.

If you can name some key areas where Obama was better, I'd like to hear them.

Specsaregood makes a good point in that Obama could have been even worse with more years of a Democrat controlled Congress (not that McCain with a Republican dominated Congress would have been better - probably worse than Obama's actual performance I'd guess)

Debt- in percent terms, more under Bush. Dollar terms- Obama but a note on both- Congress writes the budget, not the president. Deficits declined while Obama has been president.

Economics: Stimulus- again, Congress but the Congressional stimulus and bailouts were passed while Bush was President. True there was more QE by the Fed while Obama has been president, but again, nothing a president has any control over.

Presidents are neither as great as their followers think they are and not as terrible as their opponents think they are. Often they are reacting to circumstances. Obama did have control over pushing Obama Care and Bush had control over invading Iraq and Afghanistan though.

[kcchiefs6465]

Debt- in percent terms, more under Bush. Dollar terms- Obama but a note on both- Congress writes the budget, not the president. Deficits declined while Obama has been president.

Economics: Stimulus- again, Congress but the Congressional stimulus and bailouts were passed while Bush was President. True the was more QE by the Fed while Obama has been president, but again, nothing a president has any control over.

Presidents are neither as great as their followers think they are and not as terrible as their opponents think they are. Often they are reacting to circumstances. Obama did have control over pushing Obama Care and Bush had control over invading Iraq and Afghanistan though.

And Obama had control over assassinating a few American citizens.

And dropping cluster bombs on pregnant women and young children in Al Majalah to name but an instance.

And the imprisonment of Abdulelah Haider Shaye.

And the killing of mediators in Yemen.

And the raid in Khataba.

And the torture at various black sites from Mogadishu to Camp NAMA as well as Guantanamo Bay.

[Warlord]

Here comes Zippy to dole out the pro-state spin

[Natural Citizen]

Seems like he's just a glorified secretary for multi-nationals. Of course, they all seem to be.

[ChristianAnarchist]

So I went to:
http://www.acronymfinder.com/OK.html
and I'd have to say the Obama can be said to be "OK" (overkill)...

[TheCount]

On an absolute scale, no.

But if compared to (only) Bush, McCain, and Romney? $#@! yeah, he's GREAT. I can't even imagine what the world would be like right now if McCain had gotten elected.

[kcchiefs6465]

On an absolute scale, no.

But if compared to (only) Bush, McCain, and Romney? $#@! yeah, he's GREAT. I can't even imagine what the world would be like right now if McCain had gotten elected.

They'd probably be conducting missile strikes in Somalia if McCain was elected. And there's no way McCain would have closed Guantanamo.

[helmuth_hubener]

Is Guantanamo finally closed?

[Zippyjuan]

More prisoners were released today (Congress has been withholding funds to close Gitmo).

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014...om-guantanamo/

Pentagon returns four Guantanamo detainees to Afghanistan

The Pentagon said Saturday it has released four Afghan detainees at the Guantanamo Bay detention center to their home country, President Obama’s most recent effort to reduce the detainee population toward his goal of closing the facility.

They will be given to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, reducing the number of Guantanamo detainees to 132, including eight Afghans.

The four were released after the interagency Guantanamo Review Task Force conducted a comprehensive review, including whether they were a security risk, as directed by the president's Jan. 22, 2009, executive order.

U.S. officials said the release of the detainees is an indication of improved U.S.-Afghan relations and a sign of their confidence in new Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.

There is no requirement that the Afghan government further detain the men, identified as Mohammed Zahir, Shawali Khan, Abdul Ghani and Khi Ali Gul.

The facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, was opened in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks.

Administration officials, speaking on a condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, say more transfers are expected in the coming weeks.

Those remaining include 64 approved for transfer.

Before Obama can close Guantanamo, he faces the challenge of working out what to do with any detainees who aren't cleared for transfer -- either because the United States wants to prosecute them or continuing holding them because they are considered too dangerous to release. Congress has passed legislation blocking detainees from coming to the U.S. for detention or trial.

More at link.


That brings to 98 the total released since Obama became president. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timelin..._Bay_detainees

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...n_3438347.html

Guantanamo Bay To Stay Open As House Blocks Bill To Close Infamous Prison

WASHINGTON -- A worsening hunger strike and a fresh plea by President Barack Obama to close the Guantanamo Bay prison fell on deaf ears in Congress Friday, as the House of Representatives voted to keep the increasingly infamous jail open.

The House voted to make it harder for Obama to begin shifting inmates, adding a restriction to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2014 that bars any of the roughly 56 prisoners who have been cleared by military and intelligence officials to be sent to Yemen from being transferred there for one year. Some 30 other Gitmo inmates of the 166 kept there have also been cleared for release.

"The Defense Department should not transfer detainees to Yemen because they represent some of the most dangerous terrorists known in the world," said Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.), who sponsored the fresh ban on shipping anyone out of Gitmo.

Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), who offered a competing amendment to create a plan to close Gitmo, found the new restriction especially ironic, noting that federal authorities believe the Yemeni detainees are safe enough to be set free.

"Not everybody that we rounded up and took to Guantanamo, unfortunately, turned out to be the very dangerous terrorists that we thought they were," Smith said, adding that continuing to hold them -- at a facility costing $1.6 million a year for each inmate -- was not sensible.

"Determining that if there is any minimal threat whatsoever we're simply going to hold them forever is, well, quite frankly, un-American. That is contrary to our values to say we're going to hold somebody indefinitely -- I gather forever -- because we think there might possibly be some risk," Smith said. "That's not the way the Constitution is supposed to work."

[kcchiefs6465]

Is Guantanamo finally closed?

That was my point.

People will speak of what McCain would possibly have done as president, when what Obama did do as president (or did not do) is perfectly evident for all to see.

Helicopters and drones are very much over Somalia firing missiles at suspected jihadists, as well.

[kcchiefs6465]

More prisoners were released today (Congress has been withholding funds to release more).

Good to hear, Zippy. You are on top of it today.

At this rate, come 2150, Guantanamo will be a thing of the past.

[Carlybee]

No. Just another puppet as are 95% of everyone else in Washington including Congress.

[helmuth_hubener]

That was my point.

Ahh, well played.

I had no idea the DC swamplords were bombing Somalia. Again. They seem to never tire of that.

[TheTexan]

Obama is a great President. He is executing the duties & responsibilities of President as is intended for the position.

[Brian4Liberty]

Obama is a great POTUS, if you like Marxism, socialism, favoritism, race baiting, power grabbing, Constitution shredding, free market economy destroying, debt piling, pork spending, war-mongering, drone killing, crony corporatism, big government and Big Brother.

Perhaps we need a thread title change:

"But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother."

[Brian4Liberty]

I dont really care too much about obamacare. Yea its stupid, but giving cheap insurance to the poor isnt exactly an atrocity.

LOL. And I have a bridge to sell you...