The biggest mistake Obama made as president was trying to work with Republicans..

[Merkava]

As great a president as he was, his biggest downfall was trying to compromise and work with Republicans. It didn't work, it didn't save his party from losing control of Congress, and it didn't cause the next Republican president to offer Democrats the same courtesy.

I'm assuming you're referring to his first term, and more specifically the ACA?

[TexasRules]

Outside this forum echo-chamber, roughly half of voters voted for Trump. To disregard everything they believe and label it as wrong and racist and such, with no regard for any form of understanding, is not how you end the polarized partisan nature of US politics.

You are on the wrong forum. You are correct that this is an echo chamber, and anything remotely outside what they throw in to their circle jerk will not be tolerated or even given a chance. You will always be wrong because you do not support them. No one on here has an open mind, you can not show them anything different because they will look past it and ignore it. This is like a written version of the tv show The View, with most of them playing the Joy Behar character. Your best bet is to troll people and make them more mad.

[Fugus]

You are on the wrong forum. You are correct that this is an echo chamber, and anything remotely outside what they throw in to their circle jerk will not be tolerated or even given a chance. You will always be wrong because you do not support them. No one on here has an open mind, you can not show them anything different because they will look past it and ignore it. This is like a written version of the tv show The View, with most of them playing the Joy Behar character. Your best bet is to troll people and make them more mad.

Actually, I have been on this forum for a while and while it does lean left on many issues, it does listen to and tolerate outside opinions rather well. The problem is when the posters refuse to accept criticism against their views and refuse to listen to facts that they start claiming they are hostile.

Overall, the right leaning posters just seem to be more confrontational and resorting to personal attacks more often resulting in bans and more likely to ignore facts and rely on opinions and emotions, they are quite literally the snowflakes they claim liberals to be.

Not saying that all conservatives are like that, but many are and can not rationally defend their view and instead tried to defend it emotionally.

[LaserSharkDFB]

Also it's not our fault the conservatives on this forum can't control themselves and keep getting themselves banned for breaking the rules. Also they lie a lot. A lot. And refuse to admit their lies even when shown the evidence. Just like Trump!

[Dontrike]

In New Jersey?

His biggest mistake was supporting and endorsing Hillary and commenting Trump would not get elected.

Have a source that Obama said Trump wouldn't be elected? Oh who am I kidding, when was the last time you had a source?

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Besides the ACA and dropping hundreds of bombs what did he do that was "great" in your opinion.

Years of economic improvement, not vacationing every weekend, staying off of twitter, not being a racist, not being incredibly corrupt, not working with foreign governments to get elected, and not being a terrible person in general.

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No one on here has an open mind,

So glad you admitted you don't have an open mind.

[Powerogue]

When we are at a point where the two parties cannot compromise on anything we have failed completely as any form of democracy and might as well burn the whole thing down.

It was never supposed to be a damned competition, it was supposed to ensure people were adequately represented. Between the fighting and the nonstop bribery I'm not sure what's there to salvage.

[kail]

As great a president as he was, his biggest downfall was trying to compromise and work with Republicans. It didn't work, it didn't save his party from losing control of Congress, and it didn't cause the next Republican president to offer Democrats the same courtesy.

I hope the next time Democrats control both Congress and the presidency the Democrats learn from this and shun the Republicans from everything, and ram through everything they can without even the slightest bit of compromise. Because they know next time Republicans have control after that they're just going to do the same again.

Just like how you don't negotiate with terrorists, you also don't try to negotiate with right wing lunatics.

It's wrong to think that Republicans are right wing lunatics and it's not smart to make enemies of roughly half the population. Obama's presidency felt mostly like a cleanup job. In that respect alone, results show he didn't do a bad job. RvD is holding this country back and so long as people judge based on w/e color or letter that politician has, we go nowhere.

[Priestiality]

This is guaranteed to happen. On top of that, Trump is being an idiot and calling for the removal of the Filibuster Rule again, and trying to expand his own powers, because he's too stupid to realize that those changes apply to the positions, not the people, and any changes he makes to consolidate Republican power would also apply to Democrats.

[Endus]

You are on the wrong forum. You are correct that this is an echo chamber, and anything remotely outside what they throw in to their circle jerk will not be tolerated or even given a chance. You will always be wrong because you do not support them. No one on here has an open mind, you can not show them anything different because they will look past it and ignore it. This is like a written version of the tv show The View, with most of them playing the Joy Behar character. Your best bet is to troll people and make them more mad.

If you had an ounce of self-reflection in you, you'd be able to realize your ability to post exactly that is proof positive that what you just said is completely wrong, on the facts.

Not sure why you'd want to prove your own claim wrong in the same breath as you make it, but there you have it.

[breadisfunny]

Oh, there was definitely a reason. It was because he was black.

and that he was a democrat.

[Endus]

When we are at a point where the two parties cannot compromise on anything we have failed completely as any form of democracy and might as well burn the whole thing down.

It was never supposed to be a damned competition, it was supposed to ensure people were adequately represented. Between the fighting and the nonstop bribery I'm not sure what's there to salvage.

The issue is that this is a complaint you can pretty much lay solely at the feet of the Republicans. The Overton Window in the USA has shifted so far to the right over the years precisely because the Democrats have been willing to compromise. Even in Obama's Presidency, they were reaching across that aisle and trying to work with their opposition.

And the Republicans took the stance that anything but complete and utter submission to their principles was untenable, and refused to consider compromise at all.

So sure; confronted with that kind of obstructionism, the only responsible move is to stop trying to compromise. Push things so far in the other direction you make them panic and come to the table to start making deals. That's the only option they've left you. Is it an objectively shitty option? Sure. But you play the hand you're dealt, rather than whining that it's not the hand you want.

[Breccia]

Just because it didn't work doesn't mean it was a mistake to try.

The real world thrives on compromise between realistic ideals. Not, for example, meeting a Nazi halfway.

[Endus]

Just because it didn't work doesn't mean it was a mistake to try.

To better phrase what I was trying to say in light of that, my point at least is that the Democrats should be open to compromise, but they shouldn't bother seeking compromise. Do your thing. Pull everything as close to your ideals as you can, if you win both houses again. Ram it all through. Wait for the Republicans to approach you.

I would argue that Obama's Presidency demonstrates the negative outcomes that derive from trying to seek compromise with a recalcitrant opposition who won't participate in good faith. The ACA, for instance, could have been a concrete single-payer system. They tried to base it off Romney's healthcare plan to make it have cross-party appeal, and it didn't get them any benefit or advantage whatsoever.

Maybe it's how I'm getting older, but increasingly, politics looks like a game. It isn't a zero-sum game; everyone can win, if they work together. But if someone's going to keep stabbing other players in the back, play to win, and make them lose. If you didn't pick this fight, you should still do your damnedest to win it, as long as your opponent(s) keep swinging.

[NED funded]

Pretty much. Its all about power, Republicans understand this and play accordingly, democrats need to step up their game if they want to win.

[Priestiality]

Pretty much. Its all about power, Republicans understand this and play accordingly, democrats need to step up their game if they want to win.

Or the Democrats have the foresight to understand that expansion of power applies to positions, not party or people, and any expansion of powers can backfire horribly if their party ever loses power. I'm sure Republicans anticipated holding power indefinitely due to a combination of electoral college on a national level and gerrymandering at the state and local levels giving them something like 5x the voting capital of Democrats, but they fucked up and took it too far and now the courts are pushing back.

[Celista]

It's never a mistake to act like an adult and seek compromise.

[breadisfunny]

It's never a mistake to act like an adult and seek compromise.

*spit* we don't tolerate your kind round these parts....best keep on walking missy.

[Celista]

*spit* we don't tolerate your kind round these parts....best keep on walking missy.

..except for compromise with blood elves, obviously that is a waste of time and we should just keep them penned up in concentration camps.

[breadisfunny]

..except for compromise with blood elves, obviously that is a waste of time and we should just keep them penned up in concentration camps.

your thinking of draenei. they belong in goat pens where they should be sent on trains to go to special processing camps. good old veal DELICIOUS.

[Realitytrembles]

Oh, there was definitely a reason. It was because he was black.

Absolutely right.

Look at Tea party rallies back then, look at the makeup of the GOP in Congress.

Then look at Obama.

Notice the difference.

And watch the racist f's try to backpedal.