What do you think of Obama ?

[J70]

On the spending... What SHOULD Obama have done when he took over with the economy in a tailspin?

Taxed the f**k.out.of the 0.1%

He raised their taxes a few years back when the Bush tax cuts expired.

Given GOP opposition, what else could he have done?

This is a party where all ten odd candidates in a 2011 presidential primary debate rejected a hypothetical 10:1 spending cut to tax increase proposal.

[muppet]

Pope Francis has recently moved ahead of him as the world's most popular leader. Outside of the US he is very well regarded. Only Bill would rival him in that regard of the last few Presidents.

Obama is a top class orator, but didn't really succeed at home in a country where half of the people refuse to be ruled unless their man wins. The bilateral crap means one side always wants to raise taxes and increase spending/provide better services, while the other always wants to lower taxes and cut spending/scrap services. But the crazy political reality means that they ended up constantly increasing spending without raising taxes.

This has lead to borrowing at an unbelievable rate and a truly terrifying mountain of debt, on top of the mountain that Bush had already left behind. When this debt bubble inevitably pops the GOP & Dems will blame each other, but they are both to blame. However, Obama will have to shoulder his share of the blame.

In this regard his fans can reasonably say he was streets ahead of Bush, but Bill had managed to balance the books despite the GOP/Dem nonsense, so he is way behind Clinton. Obama's legacy will have been to leave the finances in an even worse state than his predecessor. Despite his foreign policy successes with Bin Laden, forcing Iran & Cuba into deals, shafting Putin's economy, not pandering to Netanyahu, he will probably ultimately be judged on the crisis yet to happen.

But in the strictly bilateral cocoon which the US abides, the alternatives Romney to him was McCain. If the latter had won the finances would probably have been worse, without most if any of the foreign policy successes. There would probably have been greater US involvement in the various wars. So in that regard, he was a Godsend. (I have to admit I have no idea what Romney would have been like).

Clinton broke up Glass Steagal even if he did reduce the deficit. History will not be kind to him. All the left of centre pols of the late 90s like Clinton, Blair, Schroeder even Bertie say ran the same programme. Redistribution of short term profits of neoliberal speculation. The model crashed in 2008.

Was it not obsolete anyway?

As for Clinton, he is the only President in yonks to balance the books. The rest lumped up the debt, which will now lead to probably the biggest crash yet.

[Dubh driocht]

A great President http://theweek.com/articles/597635/extraordinarily-complicated-successes-president-obama

[seafoid]

Pope Francis has recently moved ahead of him as the world's most popular leader. Outside of the US he is very well regarded. Only Bill would rival him in that regard of the last few Presidents.

Obama is a top class orator, but didn't really succeed at home in a country where half of the people refuse to be ruled unless their man wins. The bilateral crap means one side always wants to raise taxes and increase spending/provide better services, while the other always wants to lower taxes and cut spending/scrap services. But the crazy political reality means that they ended up constantly increasing spending without raising taxes.

This has lead to borrowing at an unbelievable rate and a truly terrifying mountain of debt, on top of the mountain that Bush had already left behind. When this debt bubble inevitably pops the GOP & Dems will blame each other, but they are both to blame. However, Obama will have to shoulder his share of the blame.

In this regard his fans can reasonably say he was streets ahead of Bush, but Bill had managed to balance the books despite the GOP/Dem nonsense, so he is way behind Clinton. Obama's legacy will have been to leave the finances in an even worse state than his predecessor. Despite his foreign policy successes with Bin Laden, forcing Iran & Cuba into deals, shafting Putin's economy, not pandering to Netanyahu, he will probably ultimately be judged on the crisis yet to happen.

But in the strictly bilateral cocoon which the US abides, the alternatives Romney to him was McCain. If the latter had won the finances would probably have been worse, without most if any of the foreign policy successes. There would probably have been greater US involvement in the various wars. So in that regard, he was a Godsend. (I have to admit I have no idea what Romney would have been like).

Clinton broke up Glass Steagal even if he did reduce the deficit. History will not be kind to him. All the left of centre pols of the late 90s like Clinton, Blair, Schroeder even Bertie say ran the same programme. Redistribution of short term profits of neoliberal speculation. The model crashed in 2008.

Was it not obsolete anyway?

As for Clinton, he is the only President in yonks to balance the books. The rest lumped up the debt, which will now lead to probably the biggest crash yet.

I don't think it was obsolete. There were strict barriers between utility banking and 1% casino activities that saved the financial system for over 40 years from the carnage that brought down UBS, RBS, etc in 2008
Bush's wars were the biggest influence on the debt growth. After 2008 nobody was spending money in the private sector so the govt had to step in.
the crash won't be about govt debt. the private sector cannot price tail risk and put almost every dollar of QE into speculation .

[omaghjoe]

Talked a good talk to start with but what politican doesnt?

But lets face it he..

bailed out the gambling addicts on wall st
failed to produce universal healthcare and his appeasement fudge made healthcare more expensive
Guantanamo Bay still open for business
Still in Iraq
Still in Afghanistan

Lectures and condescends to much and thus polarised his political opponents, although he is probably right on most issues, but you have to take most people with you to some degree or another
National debt increase although thats not really his doing.

Pretty shit job when all is said and done but its not likely that anyone else would have done any better

He is doing a great job providing for his kids tho, which should be his no.1 priority

[seafoid]

8 years on from hope and change. He could never be as transformational as the media portrayal. What do you think of his 8 years ?

He was portrayed as a radical type character. Big business America would never allow such a character get the highest office. America needed a President with an up beat message after Bush jr. Obama on appearance made America look less aggressive.

Chris Hedges said if elections were that efficient they would be made illegal

[muppet]

Pope Francis has recently moved ahead of him as the world's most popular leader. Outside of the US he is very well regarded. Only Bill would rival him in that regard of the last few Presidents.

Obama is a top class orator, but didn't really succeed at home in a country where half of the people refuse to be ruled unless their man wins. The bilateral crap means one side always wants to raise taxes and increase spending/provide better services, while the other always wants to lower taxes and cut spending/scrap services. But the crazy political reality means that they ended up constantly increasing spending without raising taxes.

This has lead to borrowing at an unbelievable rate and a truly terrifying mountain of debt, on top of the mountain that Bush had already left behind. When this debt bubble inevitably pops the GOP & Dems will blame each other, but they are both to blame. However, Obama will have to shoulder his share of the blame.

In this regard his fans can reasonably say he was streets ahead of Bush, but Bill had managed to balance the books despite the GOP/Dem nonsense, so he is way behind Clinton. Obama's legacy will have been to leave the finances in an even worse state than his predecessor. Despite his foreign policy successes with Bin Laden, forcing Iran & Cuba into deals, shafting Putin's economy, not pandering to Netanyahu, he will probably ultimately be judged on the crisis yet to happen.

But in the strictly bilateral cocoon which the US abides, the alternatives Romney to him was McCain. If the latter had won the finances would probably have been worse, without most if any of the foreign policy successes. There would probably have been greater US involvement in the various wars. So in that regard, he was a Godsend. (I have to admit I have no idea what Romney would have been like).

Clinton broke up Glass Steagal even if he did reduce the deficit. History will not be kind to him. All the left of centre pols of the late 90s like Clinton, Blair, Schroeder even Bertie say ran the same programme. Redistribution of short term profits of neoliberal speculation. The model crashed in 2008.

Was it not obsolete anyway?

As for Clinton, he is the only President in yonks to balance the books. The rest lumped up the debt, which will now lead to probably the biggest crash yet.

I don't think it was obsolete. There were strict barriers between utility banking and 1% casino activities that saved the financial system for over 40 years from the carnage that brought down UBS, RBS, etc in 2008
Bush's wars were the biggest influence on the debt growth. After 2008 nobody was spending money in the private sector so the govt had to step in.
the crash won't be about govt debt. the private sector cannot price tail risk and put almost every dollar of QE into speculation .

They were obsolete and were being completely ignored. That was the norm then. See our Financial 'Regulator' for a comparison.

[seafoid]

TBTF only started after GS was abolished. The history of US capitalism in the last 35 years has been about taking away all the structures that made the system safe in order for the 1% to capture more and more income. Doing away with GS was the equivalent of selling the fire brigade. The Clintons were bought by Wall St a very long time ago.

[stew]

History will record him as a great president. The right will look at him and see the complete opposite of everything he actually did, because the right has abandoned reality-based politics and their inherent racism meant they were never ready for a black president.

Muck from start to finish you write some shire! He is a mealy mouthed weakling who is completely out of his depth,  he is being led by the nose in Syria and he is the worst president in generations, more people are homeless on his watch and the middle class is worth less than they were before this clampett took office. An absolute bomb scare is Bo.

[Milltown Row2]

Who gives a feck?? Its like asking or starting a thread about every leader of a country.... What immediate impact have they got on you're life?? World keeps on turning and the rich keep getting richer....

Politicians do what the money men tell them what to do..... Why have politicians at all?? They are told mainly what to do by their aides....

[stew]

Pope Francis has recently moved ahead of him as the world's most popular leader. Outside of the US he is very well regarded. Only Bill would rival him in that regard of the last few Presidents.

Obama is a top class orator, but didn't really succeed at home in a country where half of the people refuse to be ruled unless their man wins. The bilateral crap means one side always wants to raise taxes and increase spending/provide better services, while the other always wants to lower taxes and cut spending/scrap services. But the crazy political reality means that they ended up constantly increasing spending without raising taxes.

This has lead to borrowing at an unbelievable rate and a truly terrifying mountain of debt, on top of the mountain that Bush had already left behind. When this debt bubble inevitably pops the GOP & Dems will blame each other, but they are both to blame. However, Obama will have to shoulder his share of the blame.

In this regard his fans can reasonably say he was streets ahead of Bush, but Bill had managed to balance the books despite the GOP/Dem nonsense, so he is way behind Clinton. Obama's legacy will have been to leave the finances in an even worse state than his predecessor. Despite his foreign policy successes with Bin Laden, forcing Iran & Cuba into deals, shafting Putin's economy, not pandering to Netanyahu, he will probably ultimately be judged on the crisis yet to happen.

But in the strictly bilateral cocoon which the US abides, the alternatives Romney to him was McCain. If the latter had won the finances would probably have been worse, without most if any of the foreign policy successes. There would probably have been greater US involvement in the various wars. So in that regard, he was a Godsend. (I have to admit I have no idea what Romney would have been like).

Clinton broke up Glass Steagal even if he did reduce the deficit. History will not be kind to him. All the left of centre pols of the late 90s like Clinton, Blair, Schroeder even Bertie say ran the same programme. Redistribution of short term profits of neoliberal speculation. The model crashed in 2008.

Was it not obsolete anyway?

As for Clinton, he is the only President in yonks to balance the books. The rest lumped up the debt, which will now lead to probably the biggest crash yet.

Don't mask the fact this fuckhead has added more to the national debt than every other president combined, he is a complete and utter miserable failure.

[J70]

History will record him as a great president. The right will look at him and see the complete opposite of everything he actually did, because the right has abandoned reality-based politics and their inherent racism meant they were never ready for a black president.

Muck from start to finish you write some shire! He is a mealy mouthed weakling who is completely out of his depth,  he is being led by the nose in Syria and he is the worst president in generations, more people are homeless on his watch and the middle class is worth less than they were before this clampett took office. An absolute bomb scare is Bo.

Yes, the f**ker should have done something about the 750K jobs a month being lost when he took over.

Oh wait... there's been 72 consecutive months of job growth under him in a worldwide ecomony gone to shit.

[stew]

History will record him as a great president. The right will look at him and see the complete opposite of everything he actually did, because the right has abandoned reality-based politics and their inherent racism meant they were never ready for a black president.

Muck from start to finish you write some shire! He is a mealy mouthed weakling who is completely out of his depth,  he is being led by the nose in Syria and he is the worst president in generations, more people are homeless on his watch and the middle class is worth less than they were before this clampett took office. An absolute bomb scare is Bo.

Yes, the f**ker should have done something about the 750K jobs a month being lost when he took over.

Oh wait... there's been 72 consecutive months of job growth under him in a worldwide ecomony gone to shit.

Yet the people are worse off than they were before the useless bastard took office, he is just another patsy pandering to the mega rich to the determent of the middle class, each sure let all and sundry in because they will vote for us and work for feck all, a bombscare presidency of a presidency.

Innovation is curbed under this president, Americans are bogged down with red tape and bureaucratic nonsense, the man is all about big government and pandering to special interest groups, he has bent over for those bastards in the bra and he has weakened the countries military, the national parks are crumbling, the man is both a foreign and domestic policy nightmare, that is a fact, low paid jobs are aplenty, manufacturing jobs are declining as are jobs in the building sector but hey, if you want to be a short order cook Bo us your man.

[seafoid]

History will record him as a great president. The right will look at him and see the complete opposite of everything he actually did, because the right has abandoned reality-based politics and their inherent racism meant they were never ready for a black president.

Muck from start to finish you write some shire! He is a mealy mouthed weakling who is completely out of his depth,  he is being led by the nose in Syria and he is the worst president in generations, more people are homeless on his watch and the middle class is worth less than they were before this clampett took office. An absolute bomb scare is Bo.

Yes, the f**ker should have done something about the 750K jobs a month being lost when he took over.

Oh wait... there's been 72 consecutive months of job growth under him in a worldwide ecomony gone to shit.

Most new jobs are crap paying barely more than minimum wage or else in parasitical sectors like healthcare. Real unemployment is higher than 15%.
Wage inflation is almost dead so the Phillips curve is broken and the US is stuck, unable to generate general inflation. The economy is broken. 

[stew]

History will record him as a great president. The right will look at him and see the complete opposite of everything he actually did, because the right has abandoned reality-based politics and their inherent racism meant they were never ready for a black president.

Muck from start to finish you write some shire! He is a mealy mouthed weakling who is completely out of his depth,  he is being led by the nose in Syria and he is the worst president in generations, more people are homeless on his watch and the middle class is worth less than they were before this clampett took office. An absolute bomb scare is Bo.

Yes, the f**ker should have done something about the 750K jobs a month being lost when he took over.

Oh wait... there's been 72 consecutive months of job growth under him in a worldwide ecomony gone to shit.

I hope you get to raise a family with an Obama created job, actually I don't because your kids would starve.