Obama?

[XemaSab]

35 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Great president!
	3 (9%)
	Good president.
	9 (26%)
	Okay president...
	2 (6%)
	Crushingly disappointing president.
	17 (49%)
	I'm not disappointed because my expectations started out low.
	4 (11%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[bigtree]

1. I'm seriously considering pulling out of his 2016 campaign

[sharp_stick]

5. Yup, I'll never vote for him again

I've been noticing a real lack of action at the Obama-16 locations. I wonder if he'll get primaried?

[dawg]

2. I voted okay President.

I'm extremely disappointed, but my disappointment isn't just with Obama. It lies with a huge faction of Democrats, many of whom would have made the same choices as Obama or worse.

[ProSense]

3. Compared to

which President: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023453489

[uponit7771]

7. Damn, pro...you got to...got to throw in some Benghazi or something to get these guys to listen

...or those fact crap isn't going to work

[Arctic Dave]

4. A more articulate bush.

He was a Trojan Horse filled with epic failure.

[uponit7771]

9. Obama = Bush = bullshit

[Arctic Dave]

10. I said a more articulate bush.

That is not equal.

But Obama is still an epic failure, no less.

[uponit7771]

13. ANY comparison is still bullshit, right wing bullshit at that. You can see that crap all over

...winger sites

[Arctic Dave]

14. The camparison is more then fair and accurate.

Maybe if wasn't such an epic failure, and by that I mean by Democratic Principals (If your are the Elite then you love you some Obama), he wouldn't be bush's brother from another mother.

Obama = bush's fourth term.

[uponit7771]

17. For wingers PERIOD end of story, there's no COMPARISON against a war monger who broke the law

...and Obama who didn't REGARDLESS Of whether you think what was done was right.

BULL


SHIT

[Arctic Dave]

22. For anyone who can add two plus two.

I can't help it he is a failure. He did to himself.

[geek tragedy]

23. Anyone who says "Obama=Bush's 4th term" is a stupid asshole who

doesn't know shit about policy.

[Arctic Dave]

27. I'm sorry you have a blind spot for the obvious.

One day your affliction may heal and you can see the truth clearly.

[geek tragedy]

32. No, I'm an actual Democrat not some stupid ass troll. nt

[Arctic Dave]

35. I'm not doubting your party affiliation.

But I think it is clouding your vision with too much "team spirit" and not letting you see the truth. Sorry about that.

[geek tragedy]

39. No, I pay attention to policy instead of indulging in personal hatred

of the President.

Labor, environmental, immigration, Latino, African-American groups all say he's a big upgrade over Bush.

As opposed to some crazy ass white guy from Sarah Palin's Alaska.

[Arctic Dave]

51. I am a halfbreed thank you.

More people have been deported under Obama then bush.

Learn something about immigration before you come back please.

[geek tragedy]

55. Oy. You seem to think that arguing Obama has to be perfect to avoid

being exactly the same as Bush.

That's a sign of a childishly simple mind.

[Arctic Dave]

58. I am not looking for perfect.

Just someone who is more in line with Democratic Principals then currying favor from the 1%.

[CBGLuthier]

49. I am NOT a democrat and never have been one but I think you are nuts

if you think President Obama is merely another iteration of that shit stain GWB.

[Arctic Dave]

52. Explain how you came to that conclusion.

Are you a Socialist?

[CBGLuthier]

60. More or less

In my state we register as R,D or I. I am an I. Independent. I would never support any party. I choose from the men and women available. I have also never voted for a R as they are an anathema to my sensibilities.

How about YOU explain why you believe what you believe. I can only state that just as the sky is blue ANYONE who directly equates BHO to GWB is nuts.

[Arctic Dave]

63. I actually voted for Obama twice.

The second time only to vote against Romney, not that Alaska matters at the national level.

Obama has been a disappoint for numerous reasons. Drones, Wall Street, expanded militarism, marijuana/drug policy, spying, complicity on coups, oil drilling in sensitive areas to name just a few.

[1awake]

38. No way is Obama = 4th term of Bush...

but in some areas, it's damn close.

[DJ13]

12. So ultimately that becomes

Obama = Bullshit

[sharp_stick]

15. No where near as epic

as the fail in this reply.

I love the Obama = Bush bullshit, it sweeps away any unnecessary subtlety in the poster and reveals them clearly right away.

[Arctic Dave]

16. You haz sad?

Stand by most post.

Not my fault Obama is such a disappointment, it's his.

[sharp_stick]

18. Holy shit n/t

[geek tragedy]

21. Only a complete moron would say he's just a better spoken Bush.

Either that, or a racist.

[Arctic Dave]

26. Anyone who can add two plus two sees the comparison.

I can't help it he and bush are failures. At least they only failed the 99%, the other 1% are making due nicely.

[geek tragedy]

29. I can't help it if people are too stupid or lazy or ignorant

to appreciate the very real differences in policy.

Obama=Bush is something said by fringe kook haters too lazy to look at actual policies.

[Arctic Dave]

33. The isn't any real difference.

Even the blind see that.

[geek tragedy]

36. No, only his racist asshole haters say that kind of shit.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/20100415obama-reverses-bush-environmental-policies.html

WASHINGTON - For eight years, environmentalists cried foul as President George W. Bush used his executive power to weaken clean air and water regulations, open public lands to increased oil and gas drilling and block action to fight climate change.

Now, President Barack Obama is exercising that same authority to reverse course, and business groups are the ones yelling.


Obama has moved to improve the fuel efficiency of cars, halt uranium mines near the Grand Canyon, strengthen anti-smog rules, protect endangered species and regulate global warming emissions from power plants, factories and cars.

That litany of pro-environment actions was interrupted on March 31 when the president, in a rare split with conservation groups, opened to offshore oil drilling areas of the East Coast from Delaware to Florida, the Gulf of Mexico and the north coast of Alaska. But he also disappointed industry groups and congressional Republicans by blocking any drilling along the West Coast, the Northeast and Alaska's environmentally sensitive Bristol Bay.

Despite their anger at the oil drilling announcement, environmentalists were praising Obama again just a day later as the EPA finalized a rule reducing greenhouse gas emissions for cars and some trucks by 30 percent and requiring new vehicles to average 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016.

"Under the Bush administration, it was good news for polluters, bad news for the public," said Anna Aurilio, director of the Washington, D.C., office of Environment America. "Under the Obama administration, it is good news for people who breathe the air, drink the water, and want America's treasures preserved for future generations."

Business groups say the Obama administration's stronger environmental protections could also be bad news for the economy by imposing costly regulations on industry. The National Association of Manufacturers, the American Petroleum Institute and other industry groups have filed a court challenge to try to stop the EPA from going ahead with regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

But, i guess you don't give a shit about the environment

[Arctic Dave]

48. Fracking under Obama has exceeded anything under bush.

Obama also opened up the eastern shelf for drilling.

Learn something about oil development before you come back please.

[geek tragedy]

50. Which is why every environmental group vastly prefers his policies over Bush's.

Oh wait, that's because they actually care about the environment instead of caring only about finding an excuse to hate on Obama.

You don't care about issues. Just hate.

[Arctic Dave]

56. Obama opened up the Arctic Ocean for drilling.

Which environmental group thinks that is a good idea?

[clarice]

34. So any intelligent critique of Prez Obama is racist ?????!!!! nt

[geek tragedy]

40. Intelligent critiques, no. Saying he's no better than Bush is proof that person

is judging him based on something other than policy.

[clarice]

46. Perhaps, but not necessarily racism.nt

[geek tragedy]

47. I provided an alternative explanation to racism, that the person

is just profoundly stupid.

[clarice]

57. Could be. nt

[forestpath]

30. +100000

[upaloopa]

6. Most of what was promiced in both campaigns

I really hoped would come to pass. It doesn't look like it will. Not all Obama's fault for sure. The stuff I didn't expect to happen like the NSA and trade deals and assaults on safety net issues to get a deal that bends toward right wing ideology really is negetive I think.
Adding it all up, Obama's term in office will note make great history. History will record the first African American President and leave it at that.

[leftstreet]

8. Mediocre CEO n/t

[Cali_Democrat]

11. Crushingly disappointing?

You should have used the term "Soul crushingly disappointing to the nth degree."

[geek tragedy]

24. The whiny emoprogs on full display here. nt

[geek tragedy]

19. Proof that DU is not representative of the Democratic party, or even the liberal wing of the

Democratic party, but rather more representative of the Green and Libertarian parties.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/124922/presidential-approval-center.aspx

Approval amongst Democrats: 80%
Approval amongst all liberals: 75%
Approval amongst liberal Democrats: 86%

[MFrohike]

64. You sure?

What if DU is representative of the 14% of liberal Democrats who do not approve of the job the president is doing?

I really hate this appeal to polls because it's lazy and dishonest. It's lazy because it's a poll of surface emotions with no depth. It's dishonest because appeals to poll are almost always an example of cherrypicking when it comes to claiming their authority. You want Gallup to be the authoritative word? Fine. Bush was polling 48% among Democrats and 71% overall within 3 days of invading Iraq. Was that sentiment a reflection on the job he was actually doing?

Note: I dislike dishonest arguments. I am not going after you for defending Obama, I'm attacking the method you used.

[geek tragedy]

65. Reuters Ipsos:

74% approve, 24% disapprove (Democrats)

http://www.ipsos-na.com/download/pr.aspx?id=12953

Economist/Yougov:

79% approval amongst Democrats, 80% amongst liberals

http://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/72lizrwyjq/20130812trackingreport.pdf

Sorry, citing actual data is not dishonest just because you personally don't like what the data says.

[MFrohike]

66. Outstanding

Using your logic that polls reflect the reality of performance, then Bush's numbers in March 21-22, 2003 show that the invasion of Iraq was the right move. Bravo.

I'm sure you will claim you didn't say that but you heavily implied that the polling was reality in your claim that Gallup polls show that most of DU aren't really Democrats, but are evil Greens/Libertarians in sheep's clothing. It's a cute connect-the-dots strategy, but you have to live with the reality that if your data is going to be authoritative, you have to take all the consequences of it. So, thanks for showing us that Bush was right to invade Iraq. It's good we finally cleared that up.

[geek tragedy]

67. Um, just stating the simple, undeniable fact that DU does not represent Democrats, liberals,

or liberal Democrats when it comes to Obama job approval.

the data all shows this.

That is not a judgment as to whether those opinions are valid or correct.

Just that DU represents a non-mainstream portion of the electorate.

[MFrohike]

74. It does and it doesn't

DU is full of people who will defend their team against outsiders, however they define outsiders. Some view outsiders as outside the amorphous left, some view it as outside the Democratic party, some as outside their point of view, and some as anyone who questions the team at all. That is as mainstream as it gets.

The difference here is that in what's supposed to be a safe place for Democrats and the like-minded to chat is that you get in-house fighting precisely because it's a safe place. Part of the problem with a safe place is that it closes off other points of view and tends to create and reinforce circular thinking. It often leads to ideas being defended past a reasonable point and repeated denials based not on policy but personality. It also reveals the shallowness of thinking in American politics because every boring political manta is trotted out at some point. "You don't understand politics", "you're not a true xyz," "the enemy of the good is the perfect," and every other boring political aphorism you can name. There's a lot of the typical superficial thought that is typical of mainstream politics like name calling. I see the word neo thrown around quite a bit, but I highly doubt more than a handful of people were familiar with the terms neo-conservative or neo-liberal prior to the Bush regime. Neo has become a perjorative that really doesn't mean anything specific, sort of like calling someone un-American.* It's a bit tiring and reminiscent of high school, though I've come to realize that high school is a preview of life.

It's not representative because politics is a passing interest for most people. They think voting is the extent of citizenship. That kind of boggles the mind, but that's another story.

*I personally think the only un-American thing someone can do is accuse someone else of being un-American. There's a paradox in there that I've never bothered to think out, but it's just a saying to shut up idiots so I haven't bothered with it.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

20. An ambitious centrist politician who protected the establishment and politics-as-usual.

[Puzzledtraveller]

25. politicians are politicians

[Yo_Mama]

28. I would have been in the "good" segment up until six weeks ago

I'm struggling with several things.

[Xyzse]

31. I didn't have much expectations so I can't be disappointed

That has always been how I stand ever since he won the primaries.
Didn't see the big deal about him, still don't.

I used to be more upset about it during his first term, but I eased up and just said que sera sera.

[a kennedy]

37. I voted for "think he's doing a good job".....

and I would vote for him again, if it was possible.

[ProSense]

41. Obama's second term: A productive six months.

Obama's second term: A productive six months.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023482199

FYI.

[MineralMan]

42. Show Usernames

DU Transparency Features are good!

[Marr]

43. I started with low expectations, but he's still managed to disappoint me.

I can't believe how far to the right the party has slid. DLCers are just Reagan Democrats.

[Cali_Democrat]

44. Obama has actually exceeded my expectations

He's accomplished much more than I had imagined.

I'm very happy he was elected, twice.

If he keeps moving in this direction, I will consider him a great president.

[Marr]

54. I'm sure you're very happy with his work. /nt

[Cali_Democrat]

68. He's done a very good job so far

He also drives certain folks crazy, which I absolutely love.

The teeth gnashing from them is a plus.

[Carolina]

45. I only wish

I could vote multiple times for the multiple times and ways that BHO has disappointed

Also, disappointed is putting it mildly... so many good D words: dastardly, deceptive, deceitful, deficient, deleterious, delinquent, deplorable, depressing, destabilizing, destructive, detestable, devastating, diddling, disastrous, disdaining, disgusting, dismal, dismaying, dismissive, displeasing, disquieting, disruptive, dissembling, distressing, disturbing, divisive, doodling, double-crossing, double-faced, double-talking, duplicitous

[quinnox]

53. Let's just say I'm looking past Obama at this point, I don't have any expectations

If there is not another war started, and the police state-ism, which seems to be in retreat a bit, which means probably there won't be forward movement on that front either, and the economy doesn't crash, if all this is the case before Obama leaves office in what is rapidly coming up to 2016, then I will be pleased.

[Aerows]

59. Okay.

He's done some good stuff, he's done some bad stuff.

[Faygo Kid]

62. Props for what he's had to put up with from the GOP

Wasted too many years trying to actually govern with them instead of using the bully pulpit.

[LittleBlue]

69. Mediocre at best

When all is said and done, I doubt he'll crack the top 30 presidents. His legacy will be corporatism and surveillance.

His only major accomplishment will be the bait-and-switch insurance scheme instead of universal healthcare. I think he's done for black presidential candidates what Margaret Thatcher did for the prospects of another female prime minister in the UK.

[quinnox]

70. I think you are right, unfortunately

The other thing he will be known for, of course, is being the first black president.

[trumad]

71. Troll flypaper?

[Liberal_in_LA]

72. Obama! We have your back!

[one_voice]

73. I happy with some stuff...

disappointed with other...

I didn't/don't think he's a dictator/king. I know there are limits to what he can do. I also know he should have done a little more when had the chance.

I wish, for example, with healthcare, he started with single payer, and pushed till he turned blue, maybe we would have ended up with a public option.

I wish he would, in not so many words, would tell the republicans to fuck off once in a while.

I also wish the bankers who fucked everything up were punished.

A lot of other stuff has more do with other dems and the pukes.

I strongly disagree with that this is the fourth term of Bush.