One year today.

So Obama has been in office for one year. What are everyone's thoughts and opinions.

Personally I still like him, I wasn't stupid enough to expect him to work miracles on his first day and I'm not naive enough to expect him to sort out all of America's problems in just a year.

I also think it's unfair to expect him to have turned around the health care system when there are so many arrogant and selfish people (and idiot republicans who like to lay into the NHS (which is a good institution IMO, despite being horribly/tragically mismanaged by the labour government)) trying to block his reforms. Despite the fact that it would probably save the lives of thousands of poorer Americans.

I can't really say what he has done in terms of economy, but since he delivered a stimulus and pulled America out of depression; compared to my government throwing billions at the banks, letting the banks carry on as usual, not really having any plan for getting the money back, and pretty much bankrupting the country with astronomical borrowing; I'd say he's done pretty good.

I did expect him to have closed guantanamo sooner though.

I think he is going after the banks too hard. People on all sides were greedy pigs. There was a case, where a woman took out a 100k loan with a adjustable rate, to remodel her kitchen. She was then shocked that her rate shot through the roof.

100K for remodeling a Kitchen.....


well at least she got what she ask for with the rates and shit

I dunno. I still favor him although I'm beginning to get annoyed. He is too hands off for my taste, I wanna see him on the hill with his hands wrapped around Joe Lieberman's neck squeezing until one of their faces turn purple. Im very disappointed he let Lieberman strip out most of the reform from the bill and I'm mad because its not Obamas fault. Lieberman is a backstabbing twit and Obama gambled by letting him keep his chairmanship and the gamble failed. Im livid that the public option is gone (for now) and people seriously think multi billion dollar companies (both financial and medical) are going to police themselves, lower their profits, generally work for the greater good instead of shareholders. Its just stupidity. Obama needs to stop being a whisper in the dark and more of a light in the abyss. Internally he may be the idealistic man we elected, but publicly his constant compromising is starting to piss me off.

Hes on my good side for now, but after two more years if its the same stuff then... :\

For some one who lives in NYC. You of all people Steal, should know how important financial companies are to this city. New York City makes tons of the taxes of those wall street guys. There will always be greed. Becoming a fricking socialist country would screw America. Does everyone need health care? Yes, they do. The people who really need it, get it.

Healthcare is important and I don't think it should be for profit. Wall Street needs to be left alone, for NYC's sake.

Obama's not an asshole, so that gives him a couple of points in my book. On the other hand, he's a right-winger like the rest of them so the only real argument for supporting him is that he's better than the far-right alternative. But on the third hand, his political views nothwithstanding he at least seems to have some human empathy and actual intelligence. Basically he seems like a decent guy, again unlike the far-right alternative.

Of course the US political system is completely screwed up anyway, so the same old bullshit still goes on. The problem really isn't who is the president or who controls congress, the problem is that the whole system is fundamentally ungovernable in its current state.


Furthermore, I find it extremely ironic that somebody actually defends the bankers and babbles on about the dangers of socialism, when the same bankers were able and willing to fuck us all over precisely due to the lack of government regulation. Of course such instinctive right-wing framing of the debate is yet another part of what makes US politics so dysfunctional. People act as if the mere mention of socialism is some kind of poison, when they don't understand what socialism actually is or how it works.

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Originally Posted by Henchy432

I think he is going after the banks too hard. People on all sides were greedy pigs. There was a case, where a woman took out a 100k loan with a adjustable rate, to remodel her kitchen. She was then shocked that her rate shot through the roof.

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Greed is a problem endemic of humanity, it will never go away. We elect our leaders to maintain some order of control and to clean up the mess when the shit inevitebly hits the fan. Sadly people are dumb and when the good times are in we elect the leaders who are most likely to propagate greed since we don't need the responsible ones. Hence boom and bust. This isn't the first recession, I guarantee it won't be the last.

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Originally Posted by Saizou

People act as if the mere mention of socialism is some kind of poison, when they don't understand what socialism actually is or how it works.

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Is it even socialism? As far as I see it, Obama is looking out for the best interests of his country as a whole not its individuals (in some cases looking out for certain individuals is in the best interests of the counrty), so in my mind he fits the remit of being the leader of the country. Where do you draw the line? IMO its single minded republicans and greedy middle classes who are crying to try and selfishly sabotage his reforms for their own political/financial benefit.

Ok, then why are most world powers moving to a capitalist idea?

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Originally Posted by 98abaile

Is it even socialism? As far as I see it, Obama is looking out for the best interests of his country as a whole not its individuals (in some cases looking out for certain individuals is in the best interests of the counrty), so in my mind he fits the remit of being the leader of the country. Where do you draw the line? IMO its single minded republicans and greedy middle classes who are crying to try and selfishly sabotage his reforms for their own political/financial benefit.

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Oh no, there isn't anything even remotely resembling socialism in US politics. In any european country, Obama would clearly be considered a right-wing liberal and any claim that he's a socialist would be laughed at. Hell, what kind of socialist would throw money to bankers with no strings attached?

No, the real problem is twofold, and the first part is that Washington D.C. is owned by big money. There are literally over sixty lobbyists for every congressman and billions spent every year to ensure that big money stays in charge. It leads one to wonder if all the bullshit we're seeing is simply incompetence or a deliberate robbery of the people.

The second part of the problem is that a large part of the voting public are ignorant morons who basically vote against their own interests every time. Part of this is the absurd knee-jerk reaction towards socialism, which manages to keep the right wing opinion as the default position. You literally have people demonstrating in the streets in support of the same policies that screw them over every single day.

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Originally Posted by Henchy432

Ok, then why are most world powers moving to a capitalist idea?

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Who exactly of the world powers are moving towards capitalist ideas, and in what ways?

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Originally Posted by Saizou

Oh no, there isn't anything even remotely resembling socialism in US politics. In any european country, Obama would clearly be considered a right-wing liberal and any claim that he's a socialist would be laughed at. Hell, what kind of socialist would throw money to bankers with no strings attached?

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Wth are you talking about? The banks are paying money out their asses and Obama is still trying to kick them while they are down.

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No, the real problem is twofold, and the first part is that Washington D.C. is owned by big money. There are literally over sixty lobbyists for every congressman and billions spent every year to ensure that big money stays in charge. It leads one to wonder if all the bullshit we're seeing is simply incompetence or a deliberate robbery of the people.

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You have a point there

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The second part of the problem is that a large part of the voting public are ignorant morons who basically vote against their own interests every time. Part of this is the absurd knee-jerk reaction towards socialism, which manages to keep the right wing opinion as the default position. You literally have people demonstrating in the streets in support of the same policies that screw them over every single day.

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Ok, I will give you that one too.

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Who exactly of the world powers are moving towards capitalist ideas, and in what ways?

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China and Russia. The EU is going broke trying to be socialist. Countries like Spain are a fricking joke and are dragging the rest of the EU with them.