Obama Legacy

[Bapestar]

"it's all Bush's fault" and "you're a racist"

Both were true.

[Deleted]

Mixed on this. I feel he could have been more 'progressive' in his own country, where Wall Street flourished and the middle class suffered in his eight years and more 'hawkish' in the fight against Terror, not just doing a drone strike here and there, but going more aggresively after the financers and poster boys of muslim terrorism. Also him and Holder going 'black' on autopilot whenever a young thug got hurt by police or whoever was pretty unpalatable.

In the end however, his legacy will be defined by bringing health insurance to millions who didn't have it before. Predict history will remember him as clearly above average, but not great.

[Slant]

Well, he greatly improved America's standing/reputation/image in the world and helped repair a lot of the damage Bush did to your country's standing/reputation/image.

Yeah mate, as you can see in my previous post I agree with you, but I think... just between you and me, I think they really don't give a fuck what everyone else thinks about them.

So that probably means he was the worst fascist black nazi president IN THE WORLD! Or something.

[Ghostpanther]

That he said he would unite the country and instead he has divided it more than ever. ( with the exception of in 1861. )

[nextormento]

From the outside, looking in: first black president.
Anything else wears down quickly and pales in comparison.

[Mentia]

Dividing the country.

[Detritivores]

For international relations, as an outsider I can tell you that he mended a lot of the fissures and cracks that his predecessor created in the rift between EU and the US. Vote Trump, and you'll rip those wide open almost instantly again. Not that any of you may care, because the US doesn't need anyone, of course... but perhaps think about it.

That is a viewpoint that I admit I don't understand. Europe gave him Nobel Peace Prize for crying out loud. Do you guys really care that much if our leader is a moron or not? It doesn't seem to effect our actions. Is it just that he talks the talk you want to hear or what? I really can't distinguish between him and Dubya internationally.

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When it comes to politics, there are often so many layers behind the facade, that even though it seem like he could have done something, he might not have been able to. Every politician wakes up to an entire new world when they are elected into office. You have to try your best to be reelected, you have to be at peace with your party(even when you are elected in, if your own party does not agree with you, they can do stuff against you, if you are against them) and you have to make sure the system works. So even when things seem simply, there might have been many things going against something being implemented, maybe even commend sense, when you see all the small factors.

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There is atleast one thing, which you can thank him for; He made the USA a lot more popular then Bush did. He did his best to promote the country and he did quite a good job, trying to show the best of the USA in himself. I don't know how Trump is going to handle that, but i expect things to go in quite another direction.

Can anyone tell me why? What exactly did he do to make us popular that Bush didn't? His foreign policy is essentially the same. Is it just that he's a better public speaker?

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Well he is being called a dictator (ignoring the other names ) every other day for no reason at all. If he did do everything he wanted in the 2 years he had his chance he what do you think Republicans would do, probably secede.

Also reason why politicians don't do everything when they can is that without the input of the other side is that when your side loses power you want that policy to last beyond your term. Thats why Obama tried (for to long) to work with republicans and to compromise.

Overall Obama did do well, he made changes to the country that will probably outlast him (ACA) and he was at the forefront (thanks to Biden) with gay rights.

Doesn't matter if you believe these are good changes, they are changes that has a long lasting impact on his legacy.

Overall democrats can be proud, the last GOP president the republicans can be sort of proud is Saint Reagen (and the only one)

So? In my opinion, the people don't hand you a historic bullet-proof legislative majority so that you can be cautious and wring your hands over what your opponents think. If American's supported Republican ideas in those numbers we'd give them a filibuster-proof majority and you can bet your ass they wouldn't think twice about passing the most insane shit they've ever promised their electorate.

[Vyxn]

Check corporate taxes now. Check them in 1977. Check Trump's proposed tax plan.

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/02corate.pdf

If you are under the impression America was great. Please realize that Trum's tax plan is following the exact trend that saw corporate taxes drop, coincide with such American staples as single income homes, booming manufacturing and the space race disappearing.

two of the largest economic booms last century happened when what was done? I will give you a hint one was right after JFK did something and the other happened right after Reagan did something can you tell me what they did?

[Deleted]

I actually liked Obama, but that's more because I absolutely despised GWBush and America's foreign policy and religious zealotry in the Bush era, and I think Obamacare has issues but is also not as bad as some make it out to be

I am not a fan of Trump or Hillary, but I actually think Hillary is worse

She'll be like another GWBush whereas Trump will just be a bit of a media-celebrity-president who will moderate his views when in office out of necessity and due to checks and balances

EDIT: The fact that Obama is black is a good thing, but I'm more interested in a president's actions and policies than race/gender, voting for someone because of race/gender is racist/sexist

[Detritivores]

Most racially divisive President in history?

If by racially divisive you mean he's black and our remaining racists can't handle that, I agree. But don't worry. They'll all die out soon.

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Yeah mate, as you can see in my previous post I agree with you, but I think... just between you and me, I think they really don't give a fuck what everyone else thinks about them.

So that probably means he was the worst fascist black nazi president IN THE WORLD! Or something.

It's not that we don't care. It's that we don't understand why. Our actions internationally didn't change perceptibly between W and Obama. Yet everyone thinks he's totally tits. Why?

[Vyxn]

You want to know Obamas legacy he will be The First President Ever to Not See a Single Year of 3% GDP Growth

[Deleted]

You want to know Obama legacy he will be The First President Ever to Not See Single Year of 3% GDP Growth

I agree though that is not his fault, the global economy is failing to recover - if anything the fact that he did so little probably helped a bit, the USA is at least in a better position than EU / Japan / etc

You can definitely blame the Fed and central banks around the world, as well as the cash-hoarding of companies and investors

[Detritivores]

I actually liked Obama, but that's more because I absolutely despised GWBush and America's foreign policy and religious zealotry in the Bush era, and I think Obamacare has issues but is also not as bad as some make it out to be

I am not a fan of Trump or Hillary, but I actually think Hillary is worse

She'll be like another GWBush whereas Trump will just be a bit of a media-celebrity-president who will moderate his views when in office out of necessity and due to checks and balances

EDIT: The fact that Obama is black is a good thing, but I'm more interested in a president's actions and policies than race/gender, voting for someone because of race/gender is racist/sexist

I hate to break this to you, but we're still like 50% religious zealots. In one of our 2 political parties, any given candidate for any office is likely to claim that God Himself told them to run. And our foreign policy hasn't changed as far as I can tell. The most you got from Obama was him frowning at our foreign policy rather than wearing a flight suit and cheer leading it. But the end results haven't been terribly different.

Edit: I guess we didn't start an unwinnable war in Syria? But don't worry. Hillary will fix that.

[Deleted]

The most you got from Obama was him frowning at our foreign policy rather than wearing a flight suit and cheer leading it.

Honestly, I'll take what little frowning and tutting I can get out of Obama

It's better than Bush grinning smugly about the whole thing

Anyway, I'm starting to sound like an Obama fan, I don't really care as I'm British, I just like presidents who do as little as possible

[Underverse]

He did a good job. There have been some sticking points, but overall it certainly isn't comparable to the mess of the Bush presidency.

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You want to know Obamas legacy he will be The First President Ever to Not See Single Year of 3% GDP Growth

Growth slows as countries become more developed. And growth isn't the only measure of a successful nation. So this is less important that I think you pretend it is.

[Reeve]

Unfortunately, and I don't think this is necessarily Obama's fault, it seems he's leaving a legacy of increased divisiveness in the country, both racial and political.

[Vyxn]

I agree though that is not his fault, the global economy is failing to recover - if anything the fact that he did so little probably helped a bit, the USA is at least in a better position than EU / Japan / etc

You can definitely blame the Fed and central banks around the world, as well as the cash-hoarding of companies and investors

Reagan inherited as great or greater of a mess then Obama and by his 4th year he was having GDP growth as high as 6%
so what is Obamas excuse?

[Lenonis]

While I agree, I have to push back a little. He had a filibuster-proof senate majority and both houses. He could have done absolutely anything.

No, he really couldn't have. Blue dog democrats and independents were part of that super majority (which only lasted...90 days?) This concept that he could have just done whatever he wanted is completely ignoring the political reality of the spectrum of views in that super-majority.

OT -- I'm pretty confident he'll go down as a fairly middle of the road president. He'll be known for facing unprecedented obstructionism. He'll be known as the president that got gay marriage around. Might be known for Bin Laden, but I have to be honest -- I'm not sure how much that will stand out in the history books compared to the general war on terror that has dragged on and on and on.

He oversaw a very tepid recovery from a horrible economy. Can't imagine that'll win him many points in the history books. Depending on how things go from here the racial issues in the US he might be known for that as well.

But, for sure, first black president, gay marriage, and facing unprecedented obstructionism. Those for sure.

[Vyxn]

He did a good job. There have been some sticking points, but overall it certainly isn't comparable to the mess of the Bush presidency.

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Growth slows as countries become more developed. And growth isn't the only measure of a successful nation. So this is less important that I think you pretend it is.

GDP is the gold standard used to measure economic strength and success

[Kallisto]

Everyone keeps repeating this, but I'll say it again. He had a democratic house and a filibuster-proof democratic senate. It wasn't a question of the president being limited. He could have passed literally anything he wanted. This isn't just about Obama either. The DNC could have passed anything it wanted and Obama would have had to sign off. Pelosi, Reid, ANYONE could have taken up the progressive torch and ran with it. But no one did. Why? Everyone just wants to gloss over this. He had the greatest opportunity since FDR to change this country, but he chose not to. Which seems morally reprehensible to me given the circumstances. And I'm trying to square that with the likable, seemingly moral guy I see on TV.

This festering question remains the reason I yell at everyone who says third party votes are wasted. Because I watched my party have the chance to do all the things they claim they want to do, but just not do them for reasons no one has ever explained.

Because and I will say it clear as day. To say his first two years were filibuster proof is a very known outright lie. Democrats never had the needed 60 senators or large enough lower house numbers. Republicans were playing the filibuster card day one and their governors were playing NIMBY with GITMO prisoners too.