Two months out of office, Barack Obama is having a post-presidency like no other

[dalton99a]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/two-months-out-of-office-barack-obama-is-having-a-post-presidency-like-no-other/2017/03/24/6b4d1c05-f4a8-462b-ad7f-664ac35d0c06_story.html

Two months out of office, Barack Obama is having a post-presidency like no other
By Krissah Thompson and Juliet Eilperin | March 26 at 6:00 AM

... So far, Obama is trying to approach his post-presidency in the same way as his cocktail-hosting duties — keeping things low-key, despite clamoring from Democrats for him to do more. “He is enjoying a lower profile where he can relax, reflect and enjoy his family and friends,” said his former senior adviser Valerie Jarrett.

But the unprecedented nature of this particular post-presidency means his respite could be brief. Even while taking some downtime at a luxurious resort in the South Pacific last week, Obama put out a statement urging Republicans not to unilaterally dismantle his signature health care law.

Not only are the Obamas still young and unusually popular for a post-White House couple, their decision to stay in Washington while their younger daughter finishes high school has combined with the compulsion of the new Trump administration to keep pulling them back into the spotlight.

President Trump has repeatedly invoked his predecessor to blame him for the “mess” he says he inherited: “jobs pouring out of the country,” “major problems” in the Middle East and North Korea. A post-election show of camaraderie has ended; the two have not spoken since Trump took office.

[Cha]

1. "Not only are the Obamas still young and unusually popular for a post-White House couple, their..

younger daughter finishes high school has combined with the compulsion of the new Trump administration to keep pulling them back into the spotlight."
So Well Loved!

Ha.. ".trump dropped any veneer of politeness.. " fascisttrump has one gear... asshole.

Mahalo, Dalton!

[dalton99a]

3. Yes, he's gearing up to help:

while other recent ex-presidents have devoted their retirement years to apolitical, do-gooder causes, Obama is gearing up to throw himself into the wonky and highly partisan issue of redistricting, with the goal of reversing the electoral declines Democrats experienced under his watch.

[Cha]

7. Thank you... that was an interesting article.. feel like

I know more what they've been up to now and future activity.. instead of just the little snippets in the spotlight we see here and there.

[DK504]

21. And I love him even more,

he has always had a strong knowledge of policy and laws and progressive ideas that move us forward into the 21st century. He has always been "wonky", he understands the Constitution more than any one of these fools in Rump's cabal.

[Jonny Appleseed]

2. Can Obama run for Senate again?

Thinking about it, if we win the house in 2018 they could appoint Obama as speaker. I know it won't happen but it would be hilarious. The GOP would be fuming. If Pence and Trump got impeached Obama would be a three term president (well 2.5).

[karynnj]

10. The speaker is in the House

I think the house he bought is in DC, which means he can not run for Senate. That is clearly his residence, not his Chicago home.

[Jonny Appleseed]

11. Nah mate, little known fact but it CAN be anyone.

Although the Constitution does not require the Speaker to be a Member of the House, all Speakers have been Members. When a Congress convenes for the first time, each major party conference or caucus nominates a candidate for Speaker. Members customarily elect the Speaker by roll call vote.

[Cooley Hurd]

12. I think he's renting the house in DC, but still owns his Chicago home

[avebury]

18. I thought that the Obamas were renting that house and that they

did not buy it.

[Scruffy1]

13. John Quincy Adams served many years in the house after he was President.

However, I don't think Obama wants any part of that sordid institution.

[justgamma]

4. The righty"s believe

that President Obama stayed in Washington because he's running a shadow government trying to undermine 45. I've heard that several times. Saw an ad on TV for some book that explains how he's doing it.

I worry about some nutcase taking that seriously.

[mcar]

5. Redistricting is such an important issue

to President Obama for taking it on.

[kentuck]

6. He's been really busy running the "deep state"...

[madokie]

8. If all of a sudden the people of the world decided they wanted a King

Barack Obama would be the man.
That you can drink your coffee too this fine morning.

Its not every generation who has a great President but we just did. I love him like he was family

[El Mimbreno]

9. "Jobs pouring out of the country"

Like making trump-branded products?
Consider this: A corporation could dump one $10 million executive and hire 200 American workers to build products or provide services right here at $50k each. Radical concept, huh? Instead, the executive sends the jobs overseas and gets a big bonus for it.
Stinks.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

15. Simplistic and counter-productive to our points

Those kinds of false equivalencies can be shot down so easily that they are counter-productive to our points.

1) A $50 K salary means $100 K when you include the burdened costs: benefits, plant amortization, heat, lighting, etc.

2) "200 workers" need to be managed. They don't manage themselves. You have to hire managers.

3) You don't just hire workers and expect there to be orders for products for them to produce. You have to hire marketing people, sales people, product development engineers, and factory engineers.

The key problem is inequality of wealth and income. It's very bad, even now. It's getting worse. It must be addressed and solved before the coming big wave of automation makes it even worse.

Firing CEOs is not going to solve the problem and it is not going happen.

Please be rooted in realism.

[bhusar]

14. We did have a great President....

that alot of people didn't appreciate, even on our side of the fence. I had my disagreements with him on things, but that will always happen. He saw the big picture, and he wasn't in it for ego. When he walk back out to see the crowd during his second inauguration and said "let me take one more look, I'll never see this again", I don't think we ever had anyone that humble.

And even now the pundits on Fox take shots at him. Didn't Meghan McCain say that he will be the most bitter ex President? Eat your words, he is not even trying to seek the spotlight right now.

[onetexan]

16. That pic of him in the leather jacket & dark jeans

makes him the COOLEST, CALMEST, MOST POPULAR and HIPPEST ex-POTUS ever!

[sarge43]

19. Remove the shades and the goody bag and that's his official WH portrait.

So cool.

[Moostache]

17. Had Hillary won, Supreme Court Justice Obama would have been PERFECT! (n/t)

[Botany]

20. Leather Jacket, twill shirt, no fucking tie, levis, and shades .. Big Daddy Cool!

Damn I miss him along w/the Bidens, Michelle, John Kerry, and all the other
smart talented people who really loved America and its people.