Barack Obama is an awful president

[Thumpalumpacus]

Well he sure as hell isn't a great president, but the American people really need to grow up and get over the idea that presidents have to be great men.

Is Obama an awful president? Maybe, but first you're going to have to define "awful" as you're using it in this context.

What are some of the common criticisms of Obama?  Where has he zigged where he should have zagged?

I would like to see him "redact" the "Patriot" Act, and he should be more forceful about gay rights.  Also, Gtmo is still open.

Thus far into his term, on a 1-10, I'd give him a 6.5, maybe 7.  Maybe.

[Tom62]

I think that the main problem is that many Americans expect their president to be a kind of superman, capable of solving all problems with a snip of the finger. Unfortunately things don't work that way. It will take years for America (perhaps even decades) to get out of the shithole that they are in right now, building off its enormous debts, dealing with the Afghan and Iraqi legacy, restoring international relationships, etc..

Yes, Obama promised too much, but so does every politician. Obama is now faced with the reality of being a president instead of the "Messiah" that many people hoped him to be. I wouldn't call Obama an awful president, but I hope to see him become more assertive and statesman's like. I also hope that the Republican Party come more to their senses; throw out all the ultra-right and super conservative religious dimwits and get back to reality.

[SSY]

Graph.

Post hoc ergo propter hoc

[Sophus]

Graph.

Post hoc ergo propter hoc

I'm all ears.  

[epepke]

Graph.

Post hoc ergo propter hoc

That would be a more effective rejoinder if everything post hoc that is bad or not good enough were not also considered propter hoc.

[ZachsMind]

Had McCain won, we'd be saying he was an awful president. Whoever's president gets reamed a new orifice. That's standard procedure for being an American. But I'll tell you this much. If McCain were president right now? We'd still have more than 50K troops in Iraq. In fact by now the stress woulda killed McCain, and Sarah Palin would be our first female president. Obama sucks alright, but it could far worse. It's what they call the Lesser of Two Evils, but in the big picture it wouldn't make a lot of difference. One of many reasons why I stopped voting. It just doesn't matter.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Had McCain won, we'd be saying he was an awful president. Whoever's president gets reamed a new orifice. That's standard procedure for being an American. But I'll tell you this much. If McCain were president right now? We'd still have more than 50K troops in Iraq. In fact by now the stress woulda killed McCain, and Sarah Palin would be our first female president. Obama sucks alright, but it could far worse. It's what they call the Lesser of Two Evils, but in the big picture it wouldn't make a lot of difference. One of many reasons why I stopped voting. It just doesn't matter.

Actually, Sarah Palin is the reason why I urged everyone I know to vote for Obama.  I'd like to think that those votes mattered; a McCain heart attack in the next two years will justify my argument here.

[Sophus]

url=http://www.slate.com/id/2266020/]Slate[/url]"]Before his vacation, he warned Republicans he's going to start. "They've forgotten I know how to politick pretty good," he said before leaving for vacation.

What's Obama up to?

[KebertX]

I'm a bit disappointed in Obama as well, but I'm just relieved we don't have bush at the wheel anymore.

He's actually got an exit strategy for the wars. They're all supposed to be out by, (what was it?) July 2011? I'm too lazy to look that up at the moment.

And the REASON the stimulus package was too slow was because it didn't create ENOUGH Government spending to cause the GDP to increase at a rate of 2.5%. Instead (thanks to an insane level of Republican opposition in Congress) it hovered around 1.6%. So GDP continues to increase, but it's decreasing the unemployment rate too slowly for people too consider it successful.

In OTHER WORDS: The Stimulus Package should have been more expensive. It's like we needed to buy something for $100, but ended up giving the Cashier $50. We don't get all of what we aimed for, and it is just perceived as a waste of money.

Obama's failure is in NOT getting much done, where Bush's failure was in doing awful things that fucked the economy over.

[Martin TK]

Having been around since Kennedy was President, I think I'm pretty qualified to say that Obama is no better than some, but certainly not as bad as a number of Presidents we've been forced to endure.  NO President can do everything he wants, hence the three branches of government, and thankfully so because I shudder to think what Bush would have "accomplished" if given free reign during his eight years in office.

I think to call his Presidency aweful at this stage is unfair, Bush had eight years to screw up, and Obama has had to use the past two to fix a lot of Bush's mistakes, including the war in Iraq, the economy, taxes, just to name a few.  The next two may be the test, but I hope he is re-elected and uses his second term to really shake things up.  Remember, he's had to "deal" with a LOT OF CRAP from the Right from day one, crap like the Birthers and the Muslim accusations, that have NOTHING to do with leading this nation in what I think is one of the toughest times since the Great Depression.

No, I like Obama, not as much as I liked Clinton, but he's moving some things in the right direction, like taking tax cuts from the RICH, and NOT cutting social programs, and at least doing something about healthcare (right or wrong, it's better than doing NOTHING).  Anyway, my two cents, ten dollars with inflation.

[notself]

No, I like Obama, not as much as I liked Clinton, but he's moving some things in the right direction, like taking tax cuts from the RICH, and NOT cutting social programs, and at least doing something about healthcare (right or wrong, it's better than doing NOTHING).  Anyway, my two cents, ten dollars with inflation.

Obama put Alan Simpson on his Deficit Commission.  Simpson wants to dismantle social security.  Simpson want disabled American Vets to give up their disability payments because the Vets are a drain on society.  The Deficit Commission is meeting in total secrecy just like Obama's commission on Health Care.  Obama promised a transparent process and an open government yet he has done a 180' on that promise.  

I give Obama a C-.

[Big Mac]

I think that the main problem is that many Americans expect their president to be a kind of superman, capable of solving all problems with a snip of the finger. Unfortunately things don't work that way. It will take years for America (perhaps even decades) to get out of the shithole that they are in right now, building off its enormous debts, dealing with the Afghan and Iraqi legacy, restoring international relationships, etc..

Yes, Obama promised too much, but so does every politician. Obama is now faced with the reality of being a president instead of the "Messiah" that many people hoped him to be. I wouldn't call Obama an awful president, but I hope to see him become more assertive and statesman's like. I also hope that the Republican Party come more to their senses; throw out all the ultra-right and super conservative religious dimwits and get back to reality.

Obama acted like he is a superman (pic related)




He's not, he's a naive little boy who has never had a real job, has no idea what it's like to struggle to make ends meet, and is a teenager of a president.

He whined about conservatives talking shit about him, Bush never did that and he got it way worse than Obama. He cries when people just won't let him do whatever he wants and that the end justifies the means. He can't handle the presidency and it's showing. Obama should have stuck to being some obscure and nobody senator. Probably would be better for his health, look at how much he's aged.

[Asmodean]

Compared to the former disaster story, Obama is quite a big step in the right direction. He is no Clinton, but I think he is doing his best given the circumstances he's dealing with.

[humblesmurph]

Obama acted like he is a superman (pic related)




He's not, he's a naive little boy who has never had a real job, has no idea what it's like to struggle to make ends meet, and is a teenager of a president.

He whined about conservatives talking shit about him, Bush never did that and he got it way worse than Obama. He cries when people just won't let him do whatever he wants and that the end justifies the means. He can't handle the presidency and it's showing. Obama should have stuck to being some obscure and nobody senator. Probably would be better for his health, look at how much he's aged.

I take exception to you calling President Obama a "..little boy".  As I understand it, he was a civil rights attorney before he got into politics.  If you don't deem that a real job, explain why.  What does financial struggle have to do with being president?  Who was the last US President to grow up poor?

[Big Mac]

Obama acted like he is a superman (pic related)




He's not, he's a naive little boy who has never had a real job, has no idea what it's like to struggle to make ends meet, and is a teenager of a president.

He whined about conservatives talking shit about him, Bush never did that and he got it way worse than Obama. He cries when people just won't let him do whatever he wants and that the end justifies the means. He can't handle the presidency and it's showing. Obama should have stuck to being some obscure and nobody senator. Probably would be better for his health, look at how much he's aged.

I take exception to you calling President Obama a "..little boy".  As I understand it, he was a civil rights attorney before he got into politics.  If you don't deem that a real job, explain why.  What does financial struggle have to do with being president?  Who was the last US President to grow up poor?

He's a boy to me. Never served his country, never had to struggle for anything. His life has been nothing but opulence. At least the other presidents didn't have the gall to act like they understood what it's like to be poor. I don't mind that, but don't talk to me like you know what it's like to struggle.

So yes, he's a boy to me. I don't see him as a man at all. That's what's wrong with this country, they elected a little boy and we needed a man to do this job.