Obama's legacy has already been established...

[kentuck]

He stopped the nation from going into a 2nd Great Depression. We may not like what he did or how he did it, but in my opinion, that is how history will record his legacy.

However, it depends on whether or not we slide back into a deep recession or depression? That is not out of the cards just yet. The Republicans are doing everything within their power to make that happen, it seems?

But if we can somehow pull out of this joblessness and begin to recover, the President will get most of the credit, in my opinion. That would be his legacy. He prevented the Second Great Depression. That is something he must fight for and not let the Republicans take it away from him.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. Nope.

[n2doc]

2. Did he really? Time will tell

He may have only delayed it somewhat, at great expense.

[abelenkpe]

6. He did delay it

with a luke warm stimulus bill. He should have gone bigger, started a WPA style jobs program and not used 1/3 of his original stimulus on tax breaks to "encourage" business to hire.

[n2doc]

9. I'm actually thinking more of TARP and the other bank bailouts

I think the stimulus bill helped while it lasted, but the bank bills were sold as the ones needed to 'prevent a second depression' I am thinking they only delayed it, as the banks are still insolvent. They needed to be allowed to go out of biz and be replaced. And I think it will happen, even if Geithner and boys don't want it to, because they won't be able to throw trillions at it this time around.

[abelenkpe]

14. completely agree

BofA has started dumping a lot of foreclosures on the market in CA. That plus the recent downgrades, it won't be long before the banks are shown to be insolvent.

[emulatorloo]

30. Let's be clear. TARP was Bush.

I know you know that, but revisionist " historians" are trying to claim it was Obama's.

Similar to how some try to imply 9/11 happened under Clinton.

[n2doc]

37. It was Bush' plan, but Obama fully supported it n/t

[Myrina]

19. +100

n/t

[Paper Roses]

3. I respectfully disagree. He is failing us, in my opinion.

On a lot of fronts, he has fallen short of his promises. I cannot forgive that.

Heck, I cannot forgive most of our current politicians.
Too many Americans believed, only to be let down by those in Washington who pretend to act in out interest,only to let us down.
I'm too old for this baloney. My poor kids and yours!

[abelenkpe]

8. He's been disappointing sure

does this mean you're not going to vote though? Cause if dems don't win and reps take over that is waaaaaay worse.

[emilyg]

17. +1

[abelenkpe]

4. Better not just depend on that because the country is slipping back into

recession/depression and the globe as well. Any chance he had of introducing programs to fight that disappeared the second the reps took back the house. They will do everything they can to make matters worse.

No dems need to remid voters that the next six years will see a great re-set in society as the entire globe deals with the economic crisis. And who do they want leading the country? Reps who offer even harsher versions of the same failed policies that got us into this mess or the president supported by more dems in congress? We need to win the house back and maintain the presidency and senate.

[hulka38]

27. Next time will be different huh?

Please stop the bologna peddling.

[abelenkpe]

35. Yeah it will.

You have completely lost your mind if you think giving up on Obama and letting republicans win will not make matters far worse. In order to push Obama further to the left we need to elect more liberal and progressive democrats. If things turn worse for the economy they will be better situated to enact solutions helpful to the people vs corporations.

[hulka38]

42. If the Republican candidate unseats a Democrat,

whichever office that is, it will be because the Democrat backed unpopular moderate Republican policy that favors corporations over people. It's time for enablers like yourself to realize this group of party leaders pulled up the entire GOP off the canvas, gave them water, a rub down and a pep talk since 2008. The GOP was sub 20% approval. The leadership of the Democratic Party needs to be shoved back in their clown car and run out of town. I will not support these fools, ever. How can anyone?

"In order to push Obama further to the left we need to elect more liberal and progressive democrats. If things turn worse for the economy they will be better situated to enact solutions helpful to the people vs corporations." - It's as if the past three years never happened.

[abelenkpe]

46. Then why on earth are you posting anything on democratic underground?

How on earth could democrats get anything through when their every effort is blocked by the gop and the house is controlled by them?

[hulka38]

47. Backing moderate Republican policy no matter the excuse

makes you a moderate Republican.

[H2O Man]

5. While I have not

been pleased with a number of his actions as President, I find myself thinking that he can win back people like myself, if he fights hard for the middle class. (I include fighting for the poor, too.)

Timing is obviously important. Most US Presidents -- including those who serve two terms -- tend to accomplish the majority of their most important and lasting things early on. But Barack Obama is unusual.

[theoldman]

7. His legacy so far has been that he is an appeaser.

In 10 to 20 years from now we will find out if it was a successful strategy. I have my doubts based on the pass history of other presidents.

[Marr]

10. History doesn't tend to define presidents by what *didn't* happen on their watch.

I suspect Obama will be remembered for being the first black president, and nothing else. He's shown himself to be a corporate, establishment stooge at every opportunity.

[Bandit]

11. IMO the ones he has tried so hard to win over are abandoning him

in large numbers.. I am talking about the so-called independent voter..I think his great desire to bring America together is going to be his biggest downfall.

[asjr]

12. I have faith in Pres. Obama. I was

an early supporter of Hillary Clinton but did not find it difficult to vote for Obama. He is a most unique human being. It amazes me how he can hold himself above the nattering of the media outlets and the Republicans and their cronies. Even with so much flack coming from his own party he seems to be able to hold his temper. But he realizes he is not just president to Democrats but to the entire nation. If he is not reelected in 2012 for another term I fear for all of us. The media have become a barrel of buffoons thinking about their own paychecks and will use any road available to them to get publicity for themselves.

[Bragi]

13. His legacy will be as the first African-American President

Unfortunately, beyond that, he will likely be seen as a one-termer who presided over an economic collapse he was unable to prevent due to his own poor political skills.

[Kolesar]

15. Sounds like something a Republican would say...eom

[abelenkpe]

16. Better hope not.

Reps take over and it will get a lot worse for everyone but the top one percent.

[Bragi]

23. If I could will it away, I would

I just don't see how he can be re-elected with the economy as it is, with people having been so fucked over, with almost nothing to show for his first term.

Hard selling of the odiousness of his GOP opponent may be the only thing that could work, and I can't see him doing that successfully after spending 4 years publicly claiming them to be "reasonable".

Yes, I think everyone with a vote should use it and vote for Obama. I'm not confident that will happen.

[abelenkpe]

36. Yeah me either

Which is why I feel a renewed need to encourage people to take an honest look at what giving up on Obama and democrats will really cost us. Believe me, I have been very disappointed with the administration. But check out this article that someone posted here earlier:

NOURIEL ROUBINI: New great depression — that is what we risk now
http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=154035

(snip)

Sixth, the reasons for advanced economies’ high unemployment and anaemic growth are structural, including the rise of competitive emerging markets. The appropriate response to such changes is not protectionism. Instead, the advanced economies need a medium- term plan to restore competitiveness and jobs via huge new investments in high- quality education, job training and human-capital improvements, infrastructure, and alternative energy.

(snip)

The risks ahead are not just of a mild double-dip recession, but of a severe contraction that could turn into a second Great Depression. Wrong-headed policies during the first Great Depression led to trade and currency wars, disorderly debt defaults, deflation, rising income and wealth inequality, poverty, desperation, and social and political instability and eventually the rise of authoritarian regimes and the Second World War. The best way to avoid repeating such a sequence is bold and aggressive global policy action now.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do you think we'll get infrastructure spending, high quality education, or advances in alternative energy from a republican white house or congress? Seems to me republicans actively want a severe contraction and all the bad stuff attached to such a disaster.
Anyway, interesting article. Check it out if you have time.

[Ikonoklast]

18. Too early to call on the avoiding a Depression thing.

Republicans at the state level are trying their utmost to lay off enough people to crash the economy for political reasons, and they just might yet succeed.

[joeybee12]

20. Nope...nt

[SammyWinstonJack]

21. Guess a double dip recession sounds better than a 2nd Great Depression.

:shrug:

[abelenkpe]

22. Yep nt

[ixion]

24. stopped? Delayed, perhaps,

but not stopped. The problems that caused the initial meltdown still exist today. They were simply triaged by the daring daylight robberies of TARP and the so-called "Stimulus."

[Bragi]

25. 'the daring daylight robberies of TARP and the so-called "Stimulus"

Very nice!

[DrunkenBoat]

26. I think his legacy will be presiding over the 2nd Great Depression.

We supposedly recovered 2 years ago & unemployment is still above 9%.

Big business is making money, no one else is.

Obama is presiding over cuts in the public sector simultaneouly.

[zipplewrath]

28. He inherited TARP

The books will probably acknowledge that he inhereted the TARP program from the previous administration. What he'll get "credit" for is how alot of it was spent. This will be especially true of the Auto bailouts. Presuming they "come back", he will probably be the "guy that "saved the auto industry".

He won't be around long enough to get the kind of credit that FDR got, because he hasn't started those kinds of iconic programs and he'll be out of office long before any real strong recovery starts. Truth is, he'll probably get the Clinton treatment. They'll ignore most of his accomplishments, blame him for a few items that indure long after his presidency, and credit whomever follows for any economic recovery that does occur.

[jwirr]

29. I hope you are correct and it does seem that way on Wall Street

but those of us down here on main street and worse in alleys of the world of the poor do not see it that way. Nothing has changed for us except now they are threatening to take away our big 3. What is most important those main streeters and back alley poor are the ones who vote Democratic.

Note: I am calling people like me "back alley poor" not because we live in alleys but because we are a fringe of the main street economy.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

31. Clearly a bit premature to make that kind of call

Not sure history will agree with you and the others on this thread until it is nearer the end

[kentuck]

33. I'm sure you are correct ...

and I did add, "However, it depends on whether or not we slide back into a deep recession or depression? That is not out of the cards just yet."

It is Barack Obama's responsibility to see that we do not slide back into a recession or depression. That is his job and his legacy, in my opinion.

I would agree it is too early for history to make that judgement. This was only stated as an opinion. I hope the President is up to the challenge and it is a big one.

[Major Hogwash]

32. On this we agree because the facts are overwhelming, Bush bankrupt America in just 8 short years

And started 2 never-ending wars with no exit strategy at all.
Tha was just one of the tools he used to bankrupt America.
So we would not be able to afford a national healthcare plan.

If that doesn't piss you off, then nothing ever will.
Bush lied about WMD's in Iraq and started a war based on rumors, lies, and innuendo and now he and Cheney are selling books to tell us their stories of how they did it!!

[badtoworse]

34. Don't spike the ball on the 5 yard line

This is far from over. It's not clear to me that Obama's policies have done or will do anything to fix the underlying problems - lack of hiring in the private sector.

[TheKentuckian]

43. The same structural problems that led us here are still in place and probably worse.

I think the long term legacy will be a refusal to address the underlying issues, Hoover II.

[bvar22]

38. Obama's legacy?

He will share a page in the History Books with Neville Chamberlain.


You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.

Solidarity!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[DCBob]

39. Totally agree. This needs to said over and over and pounded into the heads of the American people..

because Faux and the rest of RW media are saying just the opposite.

[kentuck]

40. It's not over until it is over...

and the President has had some difficult times and some difficult decisions. I am hoping and I believe he will make the right decisions going forward. I think he will push the Republicans to the wall on the need to create jobs. We have to put people to work. We need to rebuild America.

Today, the President called out Boehner and McConnell by name. I think we tried it their way and it didn't work. Yes, a lot of valuable time and effort was lost in the process but we can go forward from today and I believe the President is ready to lead the way. That is my sincere hope and desire.

[Johonny]

41. Its not much of a legacy

if your still in office and like your legacy has peaked. Clinton to Bush transition shows how fleeting economic legacies can be. Bush administration pissed away Clinton's economy inside of 1 year. All we were left from Clinton was DOMA, don't ask, don't tell and some deregulation. I think Obama will fair a little better than that and might end his first term of presidency at least fighting for more economic equality.

[crazyjoe]

44. nice dream, what other president in history is remembered

for what didn't happen on their watch?
OK, back to reality....

[Odin2005]

45. We are in a 2nd Great Depression RIGHT NOW.