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The First Year of the Obama Administration: Facts, Opinions and Discussions

Discussion in 'Archive: The Senate Floor' started by J-Rod, Aug 9, 2009.

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  1. Fire_Ice_Death

    Fire_Ice_Death Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Feb 15, 2001
    Veznerz, our country is controlled by corporatism and the Democrats and Republicans both practice this. So I think you should be against that instead of any sort of 'socialism' in this country. Anyway, go by how I live when considering any candidate: set your bar low that way you'll never be disappointed
     
  2. LtNOWIS

    LtNOWIS Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 19, 2005
    So much for Hope and Change, eh?
     
  3. Ramza

    Ramza Administrator Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 13, 2008
    Because surely no one voted for Obama because they didn't like McCain, who is a terrible senator and an opportunistic shill.
     
  4. Fire_Ice_Death

    Fire_Ice_Death Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Feb 15, 2001
    It's one win. Yeesh...you'd think they just slept with Ronnie Regan's corpse or something
     
  5. DeathStar1977

    DeathStar1977 Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 31, 2003
    It's been a while, I hope everyone is doing well. I had to come in and comment on such an interesting night.

    I think this serves as a warning against incumbents. People who were frustrated with Republicans and threw them out may do the same to the Democrats. On top of this, I'd say it's the perception, real or not, that good governance is not getting done. The health care bill, good or not, is a compromise that seems to have truly pleased no one. Again, this is not a comment on the quality of the bill, rather on the politics.

    Some broad generalizations...of course much hinges on the economy. If the unemployment rate drops a bit, people will be more forgiving, especially if the Democrats can get health care reform and some sort of financial reform through. If none of that happens, they will be seen as just as incompetent as the Republicans were. Where the Republicans were/are seen as hypocrites on fiscal discipline, the Democrats have likewise seen as 'more of the same', being too cozy with Wall Street/Banks while accusing the Republicans of doing the same, instead of being the 'party of the people/Main Street'.

    It's one election, granted one that should've been a lay up. I know that the GOP has refused to compromise, but the Democrats need to figure out how to get around that and make progress on health care and financial reform, or they shall lose quite a bit come November.
     
  6. DeathStar1977

    DeathStar1977 Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 31, 2003
    And I can't come back without giving J-Rod a hard time. [face_mischief]

    They will not fine a person for not having health insurance.

    As they do in Massachusetts, under the health care reform that Scott Brown voted for and was signed by Mitt Romney...who I think was the guy you supported in 2008, and am fairly confident you'd do the same in 2012. We can argue about deficits and transparency another day, certainly they are recent concerns of Republicans, particularly deficits.

    I will say I commend Bush for his willingness and conduct in regards to assisting with the Haiti relief. He gave a good interview the other day.




     
  7. J-Rod

    J-Rod Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 28, 2004
    Why are comments like this allowed? Isn't this trolling?

    And DS77, I didn't know that Mass. fined people for not having insurance. The constitutionality of that is highly suspect. And with the way Massachusetts' health care is running in the red I don't think that approach works very well.

    As far as Romney goes, yup I'd still support him. I have yet to know a law maker of any expirience who didn't have his name tied to a bad piece of legislation at some point.

    Good to hear from you again!

    EDIT: Also, I may have been wrong about Jim Webb.

    In many ways the campaign in Massachusetts became a referendum not only on health care reform but also on the openness and integrity of our government process. It is vital that we restore the respect of the American people in our system of government and in our leaders. To that end, I believe it would only be fair and prudent that we suspend further votes on health care legislation until Senator-elect Brown is seated.
     
  8. Fire_Ice_Death

    Fire_Ice_Death Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Feb 15, 2001
    [face_laugh] I'm posting through a phone. Eloquence isn't possible. The point of the comment was in response to the people calling this the death of the Democratic majority after one win. Which is amusing itself. Or a rebuke by the people who don't want 'socialism'. It was anything but. Bad candidates lose on principle and Coakley was a bad candidate.
     
  9. Jedi Merkurian

    Jedi Merkurian Future Films Rumor Naysayer star 7 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    May 25, 2000
    With this also being the anniversary of his inauguration, I've started a new thread on the 2nd year of the Obama presidency.
     
  10. DeathStar1977

    DeathStar1977 Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 31, 2003
    And DS77, I didn't know that Mass. fined people for not having insurance. The constitutionality of that is highly suspect. And with the way Massachusetts' health care is running in the red I don't think that approach works very well.

    I'll take a look at that article in a bit, but you do know it comes from a group that advocates the single-payer insurance? I'm not immediately suggesting bias, rather wanted to make sure you knew where it comes from.

    As far as Romney goes, yup I'd still support him. I have yet to know a law maker of any expirience who didn't have his name tied to a bad piece of legislation at some point.

    Would it be a mark against him in a Republican primary for you? Just curious, because IMO since he will probably be flogged relentlessly by his fellow candidates.

    Good to hear from you too.
     
  11. JediSmuggler

    JediSmuggler Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jun 5, 1999
    It's good to hear from you, DS1977.

    Will it be a mark? I think he needs to explain to the GOP primary electorate that he was dealing with a veto-proof legislature. He can point to the abortion funding veto that was overridden as part of that debate.

    It'll be hard to criticize, and playing off the recent experience with a Dem supermajority, it probably immunizes him for the most part.
     
  12. J-Rod

    J-Rod Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 28, 2004
    It opens the door, sure. But a candidate must be taken as a whole instead of one or two parts. And as a whole I really like Romney.
     
  13. Obi-Wan McCartney

    Obi-Wan McCartney Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 17, 1999
    I would just like to re-iterate what Jon Stewart said the other night about the possibility of losing the supermajority. After going on a rant about how inept the Democrats are at keeping power, he said somethng like:

    "Oh wait, so now the Democrats only have a 19 seat advantage over the Republicans in the Senate. That's still 18 more seats than the Republicans had back when GEORGE W. BUSH DID WHATEVER THE F@($ HE WANTED!"

    So true. Democrats are so bumbling.
     
  14. saturn5

    saturn5 Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 28, 2009
    I think Obama is a good guy doing his best in a bad situation although you could say that of virtually any president/PM. I'd say;

    1. Defence policy; actually increased drone strikes and kept Guantanamo open (once he had access to CIA intel and realised how dangerous the inmates really were). Eventually authorised the surge in Afghanistan. Has pretty much stuck with most of George W's policies but with less fanfare.

    2. Foreign policy; his open hand gestures have really had very little impact and he's been snubbed by Israel, Iran North Korea and China.

    3. Economy; again, continued most of George W's policies and they've largely borne fruit, the trickle down affect into the jobs market will eventually happen but slowly.

    4. Health care; has done a pretty good job getting it off the ground, far from perfect but even Richard Nixon with the huge majority he enjoyed in the early 70s wasn't able to accomplish this.

    Gaffes? Bowling in the special Olympics, Air Force One buzzing New York, Austrians speaking Austrian. Sometimes you wonder if he's actually George W in disguise. Forgiveable enough though.

    All told I'll give him 7/8 out of 10
     
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