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Evaluating Obama's 8 years

Started by Hamilcar, October 30, 2016, 01:23:18 PM

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Hamilcar

Obviously we'll have a better perspective in 5, 20 or 100 years, but now that the Obama years are almost over, how do we assess his legacy?

Personally, I'm struck by the absence of any personal scandals, and the low count of political ones. The worst he did was the surveillance of journalists a while back.

But this is languish, so have away!

The Brain

Women want me. Men want to be with me.

Valmy

He entrenched alot of the bad things Bush did so far as the War on Terror and so forth. But he has largely been alright besides that. The fact he couldn't get any legislation done was a bit of a downer.
Quote"This is a Russian warship. I propose you lay down arms and surrender to avoid bloodshed & unnecessary victims. Otherwise, you'll be bombed."

Zmiinyi defenders: "Russian warship, go fuck yourself."

Martinus

The funny thing, given how he is hated on the right, he should be the favourite president of any libertarian and small government conservative. He didn't do a lot.

The Brain

Women want me. Men want to be with me.

Admiral Yi

#5
History will be kind to his stimulus and unkind to his handling of international

:hmm:

affairs, with exceptions such as the Cuba opening.  The Red Line was a disaster and most of his foreign moves have turned out badly.

How history treats Obamacare will depend on whether the previously uninsured young feel happy or angry about being compelled to buy insurance.

Other than that, he sparred with the GOP over the budget.

Hamilcar

Quote from: Admiral Yi on October 30, 2016, 02:10:09 PM
History will be kind to his stimulus and unkind to his handling of international affairs, with exceptions such as the Cuba opening.  The Red Line was a disaster and most of his foreign moves have turned out badly.

You don't see the pivot to Asia as moderately successful?

grumbler

Quote from: Hamilcar on October 30, 2016, 02:34:50 PM
You don't see the pivot to Asia as moderately successful?

I think the results of the pivot are mixed right now, and won't be seen for a decade or so.  Vietnam's status/attitude ten years from now will be the barometer.
The future is all around us, waiting, in moments of transition, to be born in moments of revelation. No one knows the shape of that future or where it will take us. We know only that it is always born in pain.   -G'Kar

Bayraktar!

Admiral Yi

Quote from: Hamilcar on October 30, 2016, 02:34:50 PM
You don't see the pivot to Asia as moderately successful?

I don't see any improvement in either the South China Sea or North Korea.  And it could be argued that the timing of the pivot contributed to the FUBAR situation in the ME.

CountDeMoney

I have healthcare, so fuck all of you.  You want me dead, you fucking cunts come find me and let's square it up right then and there.  You fucking pussies.

11B4V

Quote from: CountDeMoney on October 30, 2016, 02:46:21 PM
I have healthcare, so fuck all of you.  You want me dead, you fucking cunts come find me and let's square it up right then and there.  You fucking pussies.

But will it survive?
"there's a long tradition of insulting people we disagree with here, and I'll be damned if I listen to your entreaties otherwise."-OVB

"Obviously not a Berkut-commanded armored column.  They're not all brewing."- CdM

"We've reached one of our phase lines after the firefight and it smells bad—meaning it's a little bit suspicious... Could be an amb—".

CountDeMoney

Quote from: 11B4V on October 30, 2016, 02:56:13 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on October 30, 2016, 02:46:21 PM
I have healthcare, so fuck all of you.  You want me dead, you fucking cunts come find me and let's square it up right then and there.  You fucking pussies.

But will it survive?

The fuck do you care.  Fuck off, welfare queen.

11B4V

Quote from: CountDeMoney on October 30, 2016, 03:00:11 PM
Quote from: 11B4V on October 30, 2016, 02:56:13 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on October 30, 2016, 02:46:21 PM
I have healthcare, so fuck all of you.  You want me dead, you fucking cunts come find me and let's square it up right then and there.  You fucking pussies.

But will it survive?

The fuck do you care.  Fuck off, welfare queen.

:moon:

"there's a long tradition of insulting people we disagree with here, and I'll be damned if I listen to your entreaties otherwise."-OVB

"Obviously not a Berkut-commanded armored column.  They're not all brewing."- CdM

"We've reached one of our phase lines after the firefight and it smells bad—meaning it's a little bit suspicious... Could be an amb—".

Monoriu

Obama seems to be an improvement over Bush II.  Passed Obamacare, presided over an economic recovery, killed bin Laden, reduced troop commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan, rebuilt the US brand over the world, etc.  He faced an obstructionist congress, so he couldn't get too much done, particularly on gun control.  Wasn't too effective in containing Russian aggression. 

Overall a decent president, but isn't a really great one.  I rank him around 15 in the historical ranking of all US presidents. 

grumbler

Quote from: Monoriu on October 30, 2016, 05:10:15 PM
I rank him around 15 in the historical ranking of all US presidents.

Interesting, and from an outside viewpoint.  As a matter of curiosity, and so i can get a feel for your metrics, between which two presidents would you sandwich him (roughly)?
The future is all around us, waiting, in moments of transition, to be born in moments of revelation. No one knows the shape of that future or where it will take us. We know only that it is always born in pain.   -G'Kar

Bayraktar!