Obama Critics Speak Out!

[soundhound]

in reading through the posts here, i've come to the conclusion that there aren't too many here who are satisfied with obama. yet a lot of the criticisms i've read don't offer reasons for the lack of enthusiasm.

i think he's done a pretty fair job so far, all things considered. he had mega problems to deal with from the start. but i can't speak only praise for the man myself, there are a few things i've not cared for.

i don't believe we should have bailed out all those corporations. sure, it's been said that we couldn't afford as a nation to allow those businesses to fail, but to me, that dog don't hunt.

i also don't like that he seems to have done a 180 on his stance towards the no child left behind act. i remember him saying during his campaigne that he wanted to repeal the act because it was noble in concept, but a failure in action. as a public high school teacher, i agree with that totally.

i don't like all the pork that he signed in the budget bill. he said over an over that he wanted a bill with no pork, but sign it he did.

and i'm not happy with the amount of national debt he's running up.

on the other hand, there are some things that i've liked, and have high hopes for some other issues.

i like the change of direction in his dealings with foreign affairs. for too many years now, we have bullied weaker nations. that plan is backfiring! obama is taking a more friendly approach. you'll catch more flies with suger....

i really hope that something can be done about healthcare. i'm strongly for socialized medicine. i have health insurance, pretty darned good coverage. however, between all the deductibles, copays, and the 20% i have to pay out of pocket, i'm hesitant to seek medical attention. at around a 35k salary, a few doctor visits could really put a dent. and god forbid i need something major! 20% of several hundred thousand dollars of medical expenses (a tab very easily run up) would ruin me financially for years to come.

to sum up, i don't agree with everything obama's done, but i don't really see where he's all that bad either. i invite ya'll to enlighten me.

let's keep this civil! constructive criticisms only please!

[merrylander]

To begin with it was Paulson and Bernanke who started bailing out the big banks, so let's not dump all of that in his lap. Unbridled allowance of corporate mergers by the FTC has led to "Too big to fail" and I would be all for breaking up many of them.

He inherited two wars, a massive financial screw-up, and Boehner and McConnell, about as much as any single human being can manage at one time.

He also inherited our assinine system of presidential appointees so he still has not staffed many, many departments of the government.

The idea that we can 'give' (impose?) democracy to other nations indicates a total ignorance of our own history - no one gave us democracy - well we are actually a republican democracy and not with a capital R, although they did appear to believe they ruled by divine right.

I would imagine that items such as No Child are pretty low on the list of things needing to be done, but I agree it was a failure.

Hey, I am from Canada, you won't get an argument from me regarding Single Payer (and that is not socialism, it was implemented by the Conservative government at the time), most Americans would not recognize a socialist if one bit them on the arse. You are right to worry as 65% of personal bankruptcies are caused by catastrophic medical expenses.

I am quite satisfied with what he has done to date, the pork part was beyond his control as passing the budget was important and he got no help from his own party, Pelosi and Ried are more of a hindrance than help. As are many Democratic Congress critters and senators.

[Grumpy]

I think hes up there with some of the other moronic politicians of past and present. Will say I do not care for his socialistic leanings nor his appointment of queen hillary.

[Twodogs]

Carter 2, I just hope "Americans" get it before 2012.

[soundhound]

Originally Posted by Twodogs

Carter 2, I just hope "Americans" get it before 2012.

elaborate?

[Twodogs]

Originally Posted by soundhound

elaborate?

Take from the rich, give to the poor socialist ideas, and an inability to "see" the big picture.

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by Twodogs

Take from the rich, give to the poor socialist ideas, and an inability to "see" the big picture.

As opposed to take from the poor and give to the rich and the narrow minded lot we just got rid of?

[soundhound]

Originally Posted by Twodogs

Take from the rich, give to the poor socialist ideas, and an inability to "see" the big picture.

can't see the big picture? you mean that the rich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer?

i find it difficult to understand anyone who would be against taking from the rich and giving to the poor, unless they were rich themselves.

or perhaps they bought the bullshit about "trickle-down ecomonics". i must admit that, at one time, it sounded very feasible to me. but after twenty or so years of seeing those economic principles in action, and after seeing the recent meltdown, my eyes have been opened. it's all been polished poison to feed the poor so that the rich can keep getting richer. don't pallet the propaganda!

very few of the rich actually earned what they have by hard work. most of them either got their wealth through inheritance, or by taking it from someone else (legally of course). they have WAY more than they need, while WAY too many have nothing.

and many of those who have nothing are working their asses off. it's high time that the wealth got re-distributed. if it doesn't happen soon, it's going to happen violently like it did in france so many years ago.

there are people in this country who have never worked an honest day in their lives that have it all, and there are people in this country who have worked there fingers to the bone all their lives that have little or nothing. there's something wrong with this picture.

i agree with alvin lee of ten years after who said, "tax the rich, feed the poor, till there are no rich no more."

[Charles]

In politics in general, and American politics in particular, I never cease to be amazed at what boils to the top of the pot.

Being president is like being a cop, anyone who really, really wants the job shouldn't be allowed to have it.

Chas

[cabinover]

Originally Posted by Charles

Being president is like being a cop, anyone who really, really wants the job shouldn't be allowed to have it.

Chas

We're in the same boat Charles. I've said that exact statement for years, adding that they should also have a psychiatrist check 'em out as well.