Grading Obama: First 100+ days of Obama

[elvis]

Obama has done a good job stabilizing the economy

Pray tell.... When did the economy become stable?

That's just chrissy being a moron again.

 

[Munin]

I grade him a B+ because I don't see which other political candidate could have done better then him right now ...... I don't think there are many other politicians that could have outperformed him.

Well, there's logic for ya.... Maybe our educators should grade on that basis....

They do that somethimes (with oral exams for example), but in real life this happens all the time: companies do not compete with each other on "grades", the compete on performance: if they do better then the other companies then they are graded high: If you have the best company, you probably won't be graded with a D.

 

[DamnYankee]

I grade him a B+ because I don't see which other political candidate could have done better then him right now ...... I don't think there are many other politicians that could have outperformed him.

Well, there's logic for ya.... Maybe our educators should grade on that basis....

They do that somethimes (with oral exams for example),

Of course they do.... When they grade on a curve because EVERYONE screws up!

but in real life this happens all the time: companies do not compete with each other on "grades", the compete on performance: if they do better then the other companies then they are graded high: If you have the best company, you probably won't be graded with a D.

Sorry, but a lemon is a lemon, regardless. PERFORMANCE is what earns the HIGHER grade -- not the other guy's lack thereof.

 

[txlonghorn]

I grade him a B+ because I don't see which other political candidate could have done better then him right now ...... I don't think there are many other politicians that could have outperformed him.

Well, there's logic for ya.... Maybe our educators should grade on that basis....

They do that somethimes (with oral exams for example), but in real life this happens all the time: companies do not compete with each other on "grades", the compete on performance: if they do better then the other companies then they are graded high: If you have the best company, you probably won't be graded with a D.

So...you're suggesting that we grade on the curve now? Holy christ!!!! In other words, because he loused up, nobody could do better??? Kinda of presumptuous, don't you think? Who's to say that another person...any person...would have had a better approach to this economic implosion we're experiencing. Do you not realize that Chrysler is walking out on almost 800 dealers? In effect killing nearly 50,000 jobs in one fail swoop? And now, GM is skipping along behind them, prepared to do the same thing? HOW THE HELL IS THAT PROGRESS????

BILLIONS were wasted on those two companies alone and we were assured that their bailout would basically "SAVE" the auto industry from disaster. Well....ta da!!! Talk about a magic trick!!! He really pulled that furry lil' rabbit out of his hat didn't he?

No...this man is out of his comfort zone where the politics are concerned. Don't get me wrong...he's GREAT on the oral exam...just as long has it's an open book test and he can read the answers.

You should be greatful that you're getting the passing grades you're getting for this clown.

Limbaugh or no Limbaugh, he's not passing on many subject in my grade book. In other words, he's already failing as president.

 

[DamnYankee]

Well, there's logic for ya.... Maybe our educators should grade on that basis....

They do that somethimes (with oral exams for example), but in real life this happens all the time: companies do not compete with each other on "grades", the compete on performance: if they do better then the other companies then they are graded high: If you have the best company, you probably won't be graded with a D.

So...you're suggesting that we grade on the curve now? Holy christ!!!! In other words, because he loused up, nobody could do better??? Kinda of presumptuous, don't you think? Who's to say that another person...any person...would have had a better approach to this economic implosion we're experiencing. Do you not realize that Chrysler is walking out on almost 800 dealers? In effect killing nearly 50,000 jobs in one fail swoop? And now, GM is skipping along behind them, prepared to do the same thing? HOW THE HELL IS THAT PROGRESS????

BILLIONS were wasted on those two companies alone and we were assured that their bailout would basically "SAVE" the auto industry from disaster. Well....ta da!!! Talk about a magic trick!!! He really pulled that furry lil' rabbit out of his hat didn't he?

No...this man is out of his comfort zone where the politics are concerned. Don't get me wrong...he's GREAT on the oral exam...just as long has it's an open book test and he can read the answers.

You should be greatful that you're getting the passing grades you're getting for this clown.

Limbaugh or no Limbaugh, he's not passing on many subject in my grade book. In other words, he's already failing as president.

That's exactly what's being suggested. Interesting that this past election was pretty much decided on the basis of the economic issue, since the turning point was in September and most seemed to believe that Obama was going to save us from the current disaster and prevent any further erosion.

 

[editec]

That's exactly what's being suggested. Interesting that this past election was pretty much decided on the basis of the economic issue, since the turning point was in September and most seemed to believe that Obama was going to save us from the current disaster and prevent any further erosion.

Oh, I don't think so.

I think that Obama didn't win because anybody thought he could prevent the disaster that had already happened.

I think Obama won because Bush II had screwed up so badly on so many fronts, that the American people were sick to death of the Republican incompetence.

Remember that the Republican nominant was so clueless that even as the economy is melting down, he told us:

"The fundamental of the American economy are sound"​

?!?!​

Given that even as the economy was going south, this kneejerking cheerleading Republican nitwit didn't recognize it?​

Given that, Obama certainly looked like the better choice to most of us.​

 

[DamnYankee]

That's exactly what's being suggested. Interesting that this past election was pretty much decided on the basis of the economic issue, since the turning point was in September and most seemed to believe that Obama was going to save us from the current disaster and prevent any further erosion.

Oh, I don't think so.

I think that Obama didn't win because anybody thought he could prevent the disaster that had already happened.

I think Obama won because Bush II had screwed up so badly on so many fronts, that the American people were sick to death of the Republican incompetence.

Remember that the Republican nominant was so clueless that even as the economy is melting down, he told us:

"The fundamental of the American economy are sound"​

?!?!​

Given that even as the economy was going south, this kneejerking cheerleading Republican nitwit didn't recognize it?​

Given that, Obama certainly looked like the better choice to most of us.​

Would you please re-read what I wrote? Thank you.

 

[PubliusInfinitum]

President Obama was handed a total pile of crap from the last administration. Takes a while to turn total failure, in domestic and foriegn policy around.

Ok... Let's just cop to that one, for the sake of argument...

But OR... the 'pile of crap' to which you're referring came to pass by virtue of a given set of economic and foreign policies... The Lord of the Idiots course change amounts to a tiny bump of the wheel, tying said wheel down and THROTTLING THE ENGINES TO FULL POWER!

Now do you agree that President Hussein has doubled and moving towards TRIPLING DOWN on the same policy which placed the US economy in such dire straights; and his only action since taking office is to lock the wheel, setting the course directly for DEPRESSION REEF??

To those who believe that the economy has bottomed out, it should be noted that this chorus was repeated throughout the 1930s... "the worst is over..." which was true... the economy had not continued to spiral into ethereal evaporation... what was NOT true, was that the policies which were being given credit for stopping the fall, were leading the economy towards recovery... at least in the sense which 'recovery' is usually intended... 'economic prosperity, rising markets, statistical full employment and so on...'

What WAS true and vociferously noted at the time; but which was DENIED by the purveyors of Progressivism (Left-think, socialism...) was that the Progressive economic policies were exacerbating economic malaise and had turned a fairly moderate recession; which if the Government had NOT implemented those policy failures; thus inducing the ever present 'unintended consequences common to left-think initiatives... the cycle would have returned the economy to committed growth within 24 months and NOT realized a global DEPRESSION which lasted more than a DECADE...

Which is, FTR, where we're presently headed... only as presently charted... things COULD get much, MUCH WORSE.

 

[txlonghorn]

That's exactly what's being suggested. Interesting that this past election was pretty much decided on the basis of the economic issue, since the turning point was in September and most seemed to believe that Obama was going to save us from the current disaster and prevent any further erosion.

Oh, I don't think so.

I think that Obama didn't win because anybody thought he could prevent the disaster that had already happened.

I think Obama won because Bush II had screwed up so badly on so many fronts, that the American people were sick to death of the Republican incompetence.

Remember that the Republican nominant was so clueless that even as the economy is melting down, he told us:

"The fundamental of the American economy are sound"​

?!?!​

Given that even as the economy was going south, this kneejerking cheerleading Republican nitwit didn't recognize it?​

Given that, Obama certainly looked like the better choice to most of us.​

I will agree with you that America didn't want another 4 years with a republican in office. However, I think alot of voting was done due to a racial issue. And if you can argue that, then you need to go back and look at the reports that showed the overwhelming increase in African American voters numbers. If the race had been between Hillary and McCain, I can honestly say that those numbers would have been significantly lower and who knows who would have won that race. Also, let me point out that John McCain wouldn't have helped any either.

That being said, at some point, Obama supporters have GOT to stop pointing a finger backwards to the past and start looking real hard at what's going on right now. Accountability falls on the one who is making the policy changes. Bush didn't approve all that money for GM and Chrysler and take control of the auto industry. Bush didn't sign the line for all that wasted money that we were promised wouldn't get through.

For some of you to say that Obama is doing a good job at stablizing the economy is simply outrageous and laughable. If this economy is stablizing, then maybe you'd like to have a talk with the Chrysler employees who are about to be unemployed...or the Chrysler dealership owners who are about to be stuck with MILLIONS of dollars worth of inventory that will put them in bankruptcy. I guess the foreclosure rate will continue to rise....along with unemployment.

While it's true that there was a financial crisis already waiting for Obama, I think there were things that could have been handled much better. It's just like if I walk into my kitchen and my kids have started a grease fire...I can either put the fire out with a fire extinguisher or I can pour water on it...sure, water will put out a fire, but it's not the best way to fight a grease fire. It makes it much worse before it starts to work the way you want it to. The fire extinguisher, on the other hand, does the job right and with much less damage. So the kids started the fire and ran out of the room...(BUSH) but when I come in, I can either stand there and blame the kids or I can use the BEST solution to put the fire out with the least amount of damage. Inexperience would tell you to go with water... but if you have some understanding of how to fight a grease fire, you know to go a different and better route. We've been dowsed with water and the fire is NOT going out.

 

[PubliusInfinitum]

That's exactly what's being suggested. Interesting that this past election was pretty much decided on the basis of the economic issue, since the turning point was in September and most seemed to believe that Obama was going to save us from the current disaster and prevent any further erosion.

Oh, I don't think so.

I think that Obama didn't win because anybody thought he could prevent the disaster that had already happened.

I think Obama won because Bush II had screwed up so badly on so many fronts, that the American people were sick to death of the Republican incompetence.

Remember that the Republican nominant was so clueless that even as the economy is melting down, he told us:

"The fundamental of the American economy are sound"​

?!?!​

Given that even as the economy was going south, this kneejerking cheerleading Republican nitwit didn't recognize it?​

Given that, Obama certainly looked like the better choice to most of us.​

Well without defending McCain... at the time he said that, the fundamentals of the economy were sound... Employment was 95%, interest rates were hovering at historical lows, home ownership was hovering at historical highs...

The only real negative economic issues which we on the table at the time were the price of gasoline and the Real Estate market had just receded from an unprecedented cycle of growth, which was initiated by leftist policy that set aside sound actuarial lending policy... Leftist policy which was founded upon the same shrill cries for "FAIRNESS" that have and will ALWAYS result in the 'unintended consequences' of CATASTROPHE...

Had the Progressives (which include GW...) been prevented from implementing left-think economic policy failures which, as they always do, sought to soften the blow of a down cycle, then the market would have by now absorbed the oversupply, converted it into a marketable product and would presently be trading those marketable products, in what would now be known as the Recovery of 09...

Instead... 2009 has and will continue to realize economic catastrophe, spiraling employment and the Progressive printing MASSIVE, UNPRECEDENTED, INCOMPREHENSIBLE amounts of money, which CAN IN NO WAY, EVER result in an economic positive...

Now what's WORSE is that there is now a species of reasoning which says that the only way to pay off this CATASTROPHICALLY INCREASED DEBT... is to devalue the currency to near worthless and to use that worthless cash to pay the debt off at rates of 10,000:1...

Meaning that they want to promote inflation to levels where the value of todays dollar will require 10,000 of those deflated value dollars to buy the same products or services...

Of course, the REALLY bad news there, is that EVERYONE at THAT point, will be "RICH" most earning "MILLIONS!" ... So if one is paying attention, you'll note that the present hue and cry from the left is focused upon getting even with the rich... those nefarious MILLIONAIRES... and all these freebies will be funded by your sorry asses, who will be realizing MILLIONS of DOLLARS in annual gross revenue, with exponentially fewer items being deductable from your cost column and DESPITE a loaf of bread costing 25 grand... you'll be getting taxed at a marginal rate of what will likely be 75% of the majority of that gross revenue...

GOOD TIMES... Yeah BABY we'll be ROLLING ON DOUGH! THE RECOVERY IS ON THE WAY!

yeaay...

 

[editec]

That's exactly what's being suggested. Interesting that this past election was pretty much decided on the basis of the economic issue, since the turning point was in September and most seemed to believe that Obama was going to save us from the current disaster and prevent any further erosion.

Oh, I don't think so.

I think that Obama didn't win because anybody thought he could prevent the disaster that had already happened.

I think Obama won because Bush II had screwed up so badly on so many fronts, that the American people were sick to death of the Republican incompetence.

Remember that the Republican nominant was so clueless that even as the economy is melting down, he told us:

"The fundamental of the American economy are sound"​

?!?!​

Given that even as the economy was going south, this kneejerking cheerleading Republican nitwit didn't recognize it?​

Given that, Obama certainly looked like the better choice to most of us.​

Would you please re-read what I wrote? Thank you.

Okay I reread it.

No I do NOT think, as is the current Republican myth, that most Americans thought that Obama was the savior.

I do think that most Americans realized that Obama was a better choice than McCain.

See the difference in our positions?

 

[Munin]

While it's true that there was a financial crisis already waiting for Obama, I think there were things that could have been handled much better. It's just like if I walk into my kitchen and my kids have started a grease fire...I can either put the fire out with a fire extinguisher or I can pour water on it...sure, water will put out a fire, but it's not the best way to fight a grease fire. It makes it much worse before it starts to work the way you want it to. The fire extinguisher, on the other hand, does the job right and with much less damage. So the kids started the fire and ran out of the room...(BUSH) but when I come in, I can either stand there and blame the kids or I can use the BEST solution to put the fire out with the least amount of damage. Inexperience would tell you to go with water... but if you have some understanding of how to fight a grease fire, you know to go a different and better route. We've been dowsed with water and the fire is NOT going out.

I disagree. Bush was the one who had to put out the fire (not a kid that ran out of the room after he started the fire: the kids that started the fire and ran out of the room were the unregulated banks), Bush was the one with the wrong tools. His method of laisez-faire economics assumes that the market will correct itself ... guess what some fires don't go out by themselves: he had to use a different methode (when he started bailing out companies: the banks for example. That was about the time when the right started calling him a socialist/democrat, what proves the failure of the economic policies of the right). If this is the start of the recovery (green shoots of recovery), then it will prove that this current method is the fire extinguisher because of the efficiency and the speed that this economy recovered. I m glad that we will never know what would have happened if Mccain got the chance to use his method, we probably wouldn't have survived it.

 

[Munin]

So...you're suggesting that we grade on the curve now? Holy christ!!!! In other words, because he loused up, nobody could do better??? Kinda of presumptuous, don't you think? Who's to say that another person...any person...would have had a better approach to this economic implosion we're experiencing. Do you not realize that Chrysler is walking out on almost 800 dealers? In effect killing nearly 50,000 jobs in one fail swoop? And now, GM is skipping along behind them, prepared to do the same thing? HOW THE HELL IS THAT PROGRESS????

BILLIONS were wasted on those two companies alone and we were assured that their bailout would basically "SAVE" the auto industry from disaster. Well....ta da!!! Talk about a magic trick!!! He really pulled that furry lil' rabbit out of his hat didn't he?

No...this man is out of his comfort zone where the politics are concerned. Don't get me wrong...he's GREAT on the oral exam...just as long has it's an open book test and he can read the answers.

You should be greatful that you're getting the passing grades you're getting for this clown.

Limbaugh or no Limbaugh, he's not passing on many subject in my grade book. In other words, he's already failing as president.

No he deserves a better grading because he was the only one who came up with a solution, the other idiots (republicans) only stood by watched and said NO. They were probably thinking what Limbaugh said out loud "I hope he fails", so they could save their policies of failure for the next election.

Saving Chrysler and GM is progress in the sence that we re not destroying the whole economy, their failure would have kickstarted the 2nd great depression (depression is 10% unemployment or more). A price that is much lower then what would have been payed by all of us if we got into a great depression. You need to look at the big picture, not looking at the big picture is what got us into this mess (banks that are only looking for their own profits, while they are unaware that their greed has almost killed the moneycow they were milking) and it sure isn't going to get us out of this mess.

 

[Midnight Marauder]

Country was doing OK when the republicans took over in 2000

The country was in the throes of the Clinton recession, I guess you either forgot that or are too young to remember. Our military was stripped bare, and our intelligence community muted, bound and gagged. Oh yeah, that's "OK" right?

 

[editec]

That's exactly what's being suggested. Interesting that this past election was pretty much decided on the basis of the economic issue, since the turning point was in September and most seemed to believe that Obama was going to save us from the current disaster and prevent any further erosion.

Oh, I don't think so.

I think that Obama didn't win because anybody thought he could prevent the disaster that had already happened.

I think Obama won because Bush II had screwed up so badly on so many fronts, that the American people were sick to death of the Republican incompetence.

Remember that the Republican nominant was so clueless that even as the economy is melting down, he told us:

"The fundamental of the American economy are sound"​

?!?!​

Given that even as the economy was going south, this kneejerking cheerleading Republican nitwit didn't recognize it?​

Given that, Obama certainly looked like the better choice to most of us.​

I will agree with you that America didn't want another 4 years with a republican in office

.

Good choice.

However, I think alot of voting was done due to a racial issue.

Yeah, probably true ...if you were Black you were probably voting on skin color.

But I think it's a mistake to think that many White voters voted for skin color.

Now I know how comforting that myth is for many loyal Republicans, but I don't think it's true at all, really. Obama lost as mnay votes based on skin as he won, I'll wager.

And if you can argue that, then you need to go back and look at the reports that showed the overwhelming increase in African American voters numbers. If the race had been between Hillary and McCain, I can honestly say that those numbers would have been significantly lower and who knows who would have won that race. Also, let me point out that John McCain wouldn't have helped any either.

Yeah, I think we're on the same page...Black voters voted overwhelmingly for a Black candidate. White voters, OTPOH, voted for the NON REPUBLICAN.

That being said, at some point, Obama supporters have GOT to stop pointing a finger backwards to the past and start looking real hard at what's going on right now.

When the issue at hand has to do with history, then it behooves us to pay attention to how a problem started.

When the issue has to do with events of the NOW, then of course bitching about Bush II is a waste of time.

Accountability falls on the one who is making the policy changes.

Agreed.

Bush didn't approve all that money for GM and Chrysler and take control of the auto industry.

Agreed.

Bush didn't sign the line for all that wasted money that we were promised wouldn't get through.

I'm not sure what money you're talking about.

For some of you to say that Obama is doing a good job at stablizing the economy is simply outrageous and laughable. If this economy is stablizing, then maybe you'd like to have a talk with the Chrysler employees who are about to be unemployed...or the Chrysler dealership owners who are about to be stuck with MILLIONS of dollars worth of inventory that will put them in bankruptcy.

I don't think a whole lot of people on this board are actually saying that. I know I'm not.

I guess the foreclosure rate will continue to rise....along with unemployment.

No need to guess, foreclosure rates and unemployment are rising and they will continue to rise for some time, yet.

And that would be the case no matter WHO won that last election, too.

Do you deny that?

While it's true that there was a financial crisis already waiting for Obama, I think there were things that could have been handled much better.

I quite agree.

For example, there was not a single banker hanged in front of the NYSE building. That would have done wonders for our economy, I suspect.

And continuing this trickle down system (bailing out banks) instead of trying a trickle up system (bailing out mortgage holders) would have been the path I might have taken.

It's just like if I walk into my kitchen and my kids have started a grease fire...I can either put the fire out with a fire extinguisher or I can pour water on it...sure, water will put out a fire, but it's not the best way to fight a grease fire. It makes it much worse before it starts to work the way you want it to. The fire extinguisher, on the other hand, does the job right and with much less damage. So the kids started the fire and ran out of the room...(BUSH) but when I come in, I can either stand there and blame the kids or I can use the BEST solution to put the fire out with the least amount of damage. Inexperience would tell you to go with water... but if you have some understanding of how to fight a grease fire, you know to go a different and better route. We've been dowsed with water and the fire is NOT going out.

Well we can agree on how to deal with a grease fire.

But a greasefire is not an ideal metaphor to describe how the national macro economy is in trouble, I think.

I think a better metahoir might be how one deals with somebody going into schock from the loss of blood.

And what does one do when that happens?

One REPLACES FLUIDS, immediately in order to keep the patient alive while the corrective surgery is taking place which closes the wounds.

Now I think Obama is replacing fluids only he is NOT closing the wounds that lead to the shock to begin with.

America is still bleeding out and will continue to do so as long as American workers cannot find decent paying jobs.

Because that problem is the REAL SOURCE of the problem even though that problem manifested int he real estate crises.

There would not have been a real estate crises if Americans hadn't been losing purchasding power for the last 40 years.

 

[Oddball]

I grade him a B+ because I don't see which other political candidate could have done better then him right now ...... I don't think there are many other politicians that could have outperformed him.

Well, there's logic for ya.... Maybe our educators should grade on that basis....

They already have been grading on that basis for quite some time now.

That's why we have outcome-based edumacation, social promotion, and graduates who can't read the diplomas that they've been issued.

Kinda pathetic, ain't it??

 

[Toro]

B-, c+

 

[Meister]

I gave my grade. You missed it.


The president is doing fine. Even with the mess left behind.

You have to define "fine". What has he accomplished that is "fine"?

You don't know the meaning of the word "fine"? I don't think it's my help you need.

Nice deflection

 

[Hillbilly]

I give him an F, as in Freakin' corrupt as all hell.

 

[DamnYankee]

Oh, I don't think so.

I think that Obama didn't win because anybody thought he could prevent the disaster that had already happened.

I think Obama won because Bush II had screwed up so badly on so many fronts, that the American people were sick to death of the Republican incompetence.

Remember that the Republican nominant was so clueless that even as the economy is melting down, he told us:

"The fundamental of the American economy are sound"​

?!?!​

Given that even as the economy was going south, this kneejerking cheerleading Republican nitwit didn't recognize it?​

Given that, Obama certainly looked like the better choice to most of us.​

Would you please re-read what I wrote? Thank you.

Okay I reread it.

No I do NOT think, as is the current Republican myth, that most Americans thought that Obama was the savior.

I do think that most Americans realized that Obama was a better choice than McCain.

See the difference in our positions?

No, because you don't yet understand what my position is.

I don't believe it's "a Republican myth", as you put it. I believe that most Americans thought that Obama was "the best hope we have". Why? Because of the number of people who said exactly that. Why did they say that? Because McCain made the blunder of saying "The fundamantals of the economy are strong" when the fundamentals were collapsing.

Anyone who took the time to review the written plans/platforms of both candidates, and had an ounce of comprehension and objectivity could see that they were not significantly different -- except on national security and the "wedge" issue of choice.

Personally, I chose none of the above. No one, including Obama himself (after listening to every speech he gave) convinced me that he was the better choice -- nor did McCain.