A poll on President Obama

How do you feel Barak Obama is doing as President of the United States?

1. Excellent
31
31%
2. Terrible
17
17%
3. OK
20
20%
4. He is so much better than Bush that I think he is OK
31
31%
 
Total votes: 99

YardenUK

Re: A poll on President Obama

Post by YardenUK »

I am not an American citizen, but obviously followed the long drawn out election campaign that saw Obama win. He was inspirational. He is truly a great communicator. And, from a "global" perspective, I do think the perception of the USA improved with his election to the presidency.

I still think he is in many ways an inspirational leader, and I appreciate his world view. However, my gut instinct - judging by the success of the Tea Parties and the genuine misfortune of inheriting such a pernicious "in-tray" (Afghanistan, Guantanamo, global economic crisis, Iraq......the list goes on) - is he will be Jimmy Carter Mark 2 - a one-termer who will go on to do greater things once the 'straight-jacket' of power is removed.

Sad in many ways because I remember (again I speak as a non-American), of how the USA was revered and looked up to across the globe until Goerge W Bush arrived in the Oval Office. That Presidency totally altered the majority view of the USA to something often very negative (I cannot speak with any authority on domestic issues/politics, but simply in terms of global perceptions). I do think Obama's inauguration gave the world a real sense of optimism that the USA was once again taking its place as the true leader of the "free" world and the values that entailed.

So, perhaps Barack Obama will find his true calling following any defeat in a future election. No one can criticise the sterling work the Jimmy Carter Center has done across so many areas - and his leadership has brought hope, health, peace and freedom to so many people across the globe.

I guess some "leaders" and dare I say it "visionaries", operate at a more optimal level once they are out of office, and not bogged down with mandanities of everyday executive power.

Shame the same can't be said for Tony Blair who must be one of the least successful (but best paid), peace envoys in living memory ;)
lvdkeyes
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Re: A poll on President Obama

Post by lvdkeyes »

The problem with Obama, as I see it, is he inherited a huge number of pressing issues to try to deal with. No one could possibly accomplish this huge undertaking in such a short period of time.
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Re: A poll on President Obama

Post by Maple »

HOW IS OBAMA DOING?

Some of the posters on this thread who do not think that Obama has accomplished much must be watching too much Fox News on Pattaya's Sophon Cable.

Let's look at the facts. Obama already has two huge legislative accomplishments:

* Universal health care coverage so that 40 million Americans that were not covered under the status quo now have coverage.

* Comprehensive Financial reform to regulate Wall Street firms and "too big to fail" banks. For the first time, it also creates a consumer protection agency which many pundits predicted would never pass because of the massive power of the banking lobby.

Note that both bills passed Congress only because Senate Democrats cobbled together 60 votes in order to overcome a Republican filibuster. Also note that no Senate Republicans voted for either bill.

Obama has also appointed two pro-gay Supreme Court justices: Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. Under "President McCain", there would have been appointments of two anti-gay justices in the mold of Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas!

Obama has also overturned Bush's limits on stem cell research, something Bush did to placate the religious right. This will allow new research on combating diseases such as AIDS.

On the economic front, The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up from a low of 6500 to 10600. And unemployment has held at 9.5%; at this point in President Reagan's first term, unemployment was at 10.8%! Both Bush (in 2008) and Obama (in 2009) passed stimulus packages. Even ultra-conservative Sen. Tom Colburn (R-OJ) acknowledged on the Senate floor that the stimulus has helped stabilize the economy.

Finally, on Gay issues, Obama is working to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" military policy as well as the "Defense of Marriage Act" (DOMA) while facing intense opposition from the Republicans. "President McCain" would have kept the status quo.
YardenUK

Re: A poll on President Obama

Post by YardenUK »

I agree that he has managed to do a huge amount in such a short space of time, but already the Fox News/Palinites seem to have already contaminated the domestic view of Obama, or am I wrong? My partner of 3.5 years is an avid online gamer and invariably his "guild" is all American - even he said that the amount of negativity against Obama in "middle ONLINE America" is scary, verging on the racist, and as current news shows even his place of birth continues to be questioned. Sadly mud sticks easily and that is the great tragedy for anyone, US President or not.

Personally I think he is amazing, but as lvdkeyes says, he inherited a lot of crap that will take time to unravel, and I applaud the huges changes he has made already not least in foreign policy and health care reform

I hope he is a 2 termer, but somethings suggest he could go the way of Carter. And, like I said maybe that isn't such a bad thing - we don't have to be Presidents to do great things for humanity. Sometimes the limitations of being a Head of State, stifles the visionary powers of great men and women, and the freedom from the trappings of executive power enables them to think and act outside the box .

OK should we go back to all things gay and thai now?! :P
Rin

Re: A poll on President Obama

Post by Rin »

Americans are an impatient group, they want everything right now. Most Americans have trouble balancing their checkbooks, probably why there was a financial meltdown, never mind really understanding much about economics. Most know little of their own history, particularly the time it took to get out of the great depression. While the republicans have a great propaganda machine in Faux news, the noise machine isn't always successful in fooling all of the people all of the time. No doubt the democrats will lose some seats in house and senate, however, that is usually the case in midterm elections. When unemployment begins to come down, and if that is before 2012 Obama has a good chance for a second term.
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Re: A poll on President Obama

Post by Gaybutton »

Rin wrote:Americans are an impatient group, they want everything right now.
Is that so? I'm American and I don't want everything until February 26, 2017. As a matter of curiosity, where do you come from? Do we get to stereotype the people who come from your country?
Rin

Re: A poll on President Obama

Post by Rin »

GB, you can stereotype my countrymen if you want to as I am an American as well. However, I do not wear rose colored glasses. I, like most Americans feel that gives me the right to criticize my government or my fellow countrymen, ha, ha.
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Re: A poll on President Obama

Post by Gaybutton »

Rin wrote:I am an American as well.
You sure had me fooled. Your perception of Americans is a little different from mine.
Khortose

Re: A poll on President Obama

Post by Khortose »

Gaybutton wrote:
Rin wrote:I am an American as well.
You sure had me fooled. Your perception of Americans is a little different from mine.
Yes, it is a generalization, but one that I do not find all that hard to accept. GB how do you explain the religious right and the talk show morons?
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Re: A poll on President Obama

Post by Gaybutton »

Khortose wrote:GB how do you explain the religious right and the talk show morons?
You might as well ask, "How do you explain Hitler to a six year old?"
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