President Barack Obama - his performance thus far

[levendis d'orange]

All I can see is a bunch of politicians drowning the country in debts.

But really the country is on Obama's watch now. He should be man enough to take blame (but he's not.)

I don't understand this point ........... what exactly should Obama take the blame for? Surely you don't mean the debt incurred prior to his administration?

And seriously JamesG, do you actually oppose to regulations that would prevent another asset bubbles build up and shady derivatives trading by hedge funds and i-banks?

[jiang bao]

It's funny because I heard Obama explicitly say that he has to take blame if he can't fix this mess, yet here you have another Republican claim he's not "man enough" to take blame.

I guess to Republicans, the economy should be fixed by now if Obama is any good.

[Happy Kadaw]

Yes its also funny with people on this board and their republican labeling. Both party sucks.

[JamesG]

I don't understand this point ........... what exactly should Obama take the blame for? Surely you don't mean the debt incurred prior to his administration?

And seriously JamesG, do you actually oppose to regulations that would prevent another asset bubbles build up and shady derivatives trading by hedge funds and i-banks?

Oh comon now! You’re twisting my comment about ‘Tiny Tim’ which was about him wanting to oversee non-financial businesses. The US Governmeny can’t even run the Post Office properly [it’s nearly broke].
The financial sector needs to be tightly regulated and more importantly, the regulations need to be applied stringintly.
I noticed your lack of comment about the campaign donations and I suspect you know the answer is…of course not. When you get older you’ll learn that politicians can’t be trusted, regardless of party. I’ve only really respected 3 politicians in my life and all 3 could not stomach a second term. They weren’t willing to trash their integrity by all of the deal-making needed to get anything worthwhile done.

[Trien Chieu]

It's too early to tell.
Let wait a few years and see whether Obama is a good president or just an empty suit. The democratic party now control both the congress and senate plus the presidency. They no longer have Bush to blame.

[Grifis]

I don't understand this point ........... what exactly should Obama take the blame for? Surely you don't mean the debt incurred prior to his administration?

Obama is not the first to inherit something from the former administration. He's part of the system. He knows damn well what he was getting himself into. The country is on his watch and he was and is making decisions ever since he stepped into the White House. This Obama fandom thing is getting out of hand. The bias makes me sick. I mean if McCain steps into the White House and the dow drops 200 points they'll trample all over him but when it was Obama, I didn't hear a bleep. (Btw, I'm neither a Rep or a Dem.)

I take it back that I don't have confidence in him. I'm actually shaking in my boots (for my future) right now.

[jiang bao]

How do you know that McCain would have been trampled to death?

No President is going to change the economy in a blink of an eye by himself. All we want to see is the President working hard and looking to get stuff done, which is what Obama has been doing. The toxic assets on banks’ balance sheets was piled up on someone else’s watch when there was easy money to be had and people were going crazy leveraging up, no new president is going to just make it vanish and get banks to start lending again. What do you want Americans to do? Attack Obama, say he sucks, and lose faith that things CAN get better?

Republicans now want to nullify the spending in the stimulus plan and change to a tax cut approach. Basically, they want little federal attempt to stimulate the economy but that will still build up the deficit. Whether you are spending more or taking in less income, the deficit is still gonna go up. In this economy, nobody is going to go out of their way to spend just to try to get the economy going, nobody is that selfless (stupid). The government has to take the initiative.

[JamesG]

You’ll lose your youthful political idealism in time, so enjoy it while you can. Government ineptness created the problem and will just as ineptly try to solve it while mouthing heaps of praise on itself for having the answers. BS is BS no matter which party is speaking. Governments only rarely have the right answer to huge problems and its lack of real expertise leads to massive over-reaction. Don’t just blindly trust your government, question everything it does. Your future depends on it getting it right.

[jiang bao]

Well, whatever your political stance, you can't deny that Obama is more intellectually and temperamentally qualified to be POTUS than Bush Jr.

[JamesG]

Let me see… bonuses for people in bailed out private businesses are bad, while bonuses for people in bailed out government sponsored businesses [Fanny and Freddie] are ok. Seems like only a lawyer could find enough weasel holes to justify that!
I’d place lawyer politicians about two rungs below prostitution on the ladder of professions.

[Trinie]

Let me see… bonuses for people in bailed out private businesses are bad, while bonuses for people in bailed out government sponsored businesses [Fanny and Freddie] are ok. Seems like only a lawyer could find enough weasel holes to justify that!
I’d place lawyer politicians about two rungs below prostitution on the ladder of professions.

WOW, you seem to really look down on politicians if you place them below the prostitutes. Why do you seem to hate politicians so much? They get a lot more prestige than prostitutes for sure. I once read some articles about the most prestigious jobs and I don't remember if politicians were on the list or not. But I think they weren't ranked with the highest prestigious jobs which were ones from the medical field and education.

[oGaKirA]

WOW, you seem to really look down on politicians if you place them below the prostitutes. Why do you seem to hate politicians so much? They get a lot more prestige than prostitutes for sure. I once read some articles about the most prestigious jobs and I don't remember if politicians were on the list or not. But I think they weren't ranked with the highest prestigious jobs which were ones from the medical field and education.

I dunno. When I give a prostitute money, I usually get something in return. Politicians on the other hand, just empty promises.

[jiang bao]

Prostitutes really aren't that bad. Like I have posted before, lawyers, politicians, doctors et al., the so-called professionals, screw over more people than prostitutes ever do.

PS, I am not a fan of prostitution, but I am just trying to be objective here.

[remember_Cedric]

Let me see… bonuses for people in bailed out private businesses are bad, while bonuses for people in bailed out government sponsored businesses [Fanny and Freddie] are ok. Seems like only a lawyer could find enough weasel holes to justify that!

I’d place lawyer politicians about two rungs below prostitution on the ladder of professions.

I dunno. When I give a prostitute money, I usually get something in return. Politicians on the other hand, just empty promises.

Prostitutes really aren't that bad. Like I have posted before, lawyers, politicians, doctors et al., the so-called professionals, screw over more people than prostitutes ever do.

PS, I am not a fan of prostitution, but I am just trying to be objective here.

With the above, I rather see the point here. Though, oGaKirA seriously simplified the comparism !

Some professionals, and some white collars (Banks, or finance services especially!! I wouldn't include Doctors here. What did they do to screw civilians? Pray tell!) It's like peeling off the sheep's skin, you get a hungry wolf sitting quietly and waiting for its prey!

[JamesG]

I’d like to see the end of the professional politician and the only way to do it is to make the job a one term only position. This would remove them from government just when they’ve learned how to wheel and deal and vote buying pork would be all but ended.
Too bad this is only wishful thinking.

[Trinie]

Prostitutes really aren't that bad. Like I have posted before, lawyers, politicians, doctors et al., the so-called professionals, screw over more people than prostitutes ever do.

PS, I am not a fan of prostitution, but I am just trying to be objective here.

Doctors, lawyers and politicians get a lot of admiration, especially doctors! You should see in my family, IF anyone claims to be a doctor or will become one gets worshipped like a god or goddess. However, me who will be a teacher does not get any admiration at all since teachers don't get paid much. I wonder why teachers are so looked down on and paid less while doctors, lawyers and politicians get so much admiration and big bucks??

[Ken Cheng]

I wonder why teachers are so looked down on and paid less while doctors, lawyers and politicians get so much admiration and big bucks??

There's a (misguided) attitude held by many that teaching is "easy" and that "anybody" can do it.

Granted, teaching isn't as technical as medicine or law, but to suggest it's "easy" or that "anybody" can do it is just dead wrong.

Anybody can teach, perhaps, but not just anybody can teach WELL.

[Trinie]

There's a (misguided) attitude held by many that teaching is "easy" and that "anybody" can do it.

Granted, teaching isn't as technical as medicine or law, but to suggest it's "easy" or that "anybody" can do it is just dead wrong.

Anybody can teach, perhaps, but not just anybody can teach WELL.

I really agree!! I think teaching is one of the hardest skills to master just like any skill. Anyone can do something, but can they do it WELL??? Like singing, anyone can actually "sing", but can everyone sing well like a professional??? I don't think so.. If that was the case, anyone can make big bucks...

[jiang bao]

Doctors rip off patients too. (Or the insurance companies) It may be due to the doctor segment I am exposed to, but good doctors who are 1) competent and 2) caring about patients are definitely in the minority.

[Trinie]

Doctors rip off patients too. (Or the insurance companies) It may be due to the doctor segment I am exposed to, but good doctors who are 1) competent and 2) caring about patients are definitely in the minority.

I agree since my family has had a lot of bad encounters with some of those imcompetent doctors. Good doctors are so hard to find these days... My mom had a good doctor but he is now retired. Doctors generally still get treated like gods and goddesses these days by those old asian folks though...