Why is a President who has, by any objective measure, had a successful tenure... so unpopular, even in his own camp?

Are we all mad?

Yes, we are... 

Why is a President who has, by any objective measure, had a successful tenure... so unpopular, even in his own camp?

Because those who will accuse me of "playing" the race card … live the race card, and, when Rush Limbaugh spoke for them … saying, "I hope he (Obama) fails," wink and a nod aside, it wasn't about Obama's policies, it was about his skin color.

Any schmuck who wishes the President to fail even before, and, as he takes office, is also hoping his country fails.

After years of Tea Party/Republican efforts to sabotage Obama, nevertheless FAILING TO MAKE OBAMA FAIL, the same schmuck-and-schmuck devotees rally around the current schmuck-du-jour, Donald Trump … who claims he's "going to make America great again."

All the schmucks who tried to make America less great by saying and doing all they could to hold America back for the purpose of hurting Obama's legacy … now want to "move it forward" … with an angry white guy who panders to the brainless.

Other than that, I have no answer as to "why?"

But this one's pretty f'n good!

NOTE: Don't you hate it when some schmuck pisses in your face and tells you "it's raining"?

Her come the thumbs, here come the thumbs …

Badges of honor boys.

I agree with everything you say here, Mac.

I think there's something more that is happening, too. The Fox echo chamber / feedback loop has rendered "unspoken racism" acceptable. It is acceptable to deny that cops kill Black men vastly more often than White men. It is acceptable to blame poor people (a euphemism for Black people) for being poor. And so on. 

"If it's OK to think / talk that way on TV, it's OK anywhere... righr? "

No. 

 The Fox echo chamber

Hmmm and the following is the B. Nelson echo chamber :

I agree with everything you say here, Mac.

It's because we all know how much better things would be if he followed the Reagan post recession model instead of what he did.  

We'd be even better off if he did what Harding and Coolige did to end the depression of 1920.  Obamas so called recovery is the worst of all time.  

we all know...

Then you should be able to present proof. Your opinion is of no interest.

Excellent article, Bob.

Thank you, K. 

Having spent some time assembling all the links, I'm a bit disappointed by the lack of response. 

Having spent some time assembling all the links, I'm a bit disappointed by the lack of response. 

No sweat, Bob. Every thumbs down is a response.

Bob, and everyone, I know the answer to these questions.  It is both obvious and self-evident to those who have eyes to see and understand the history of black America and of the country. 

Barack Obama considers himself a historic President, for obvious reasons, but many of his constituents don't, or lack awareness of the historic significance as the years have gone by. Obama himself has never lost sight of it. 

The most important thing to President Obama is how history will judge him. Narcisssistic? Ego driven ? Perhaps, but the true answer is that he is the first black President of the United States, and that has always been upmost in his thinking. 

He was NEVER going to have the first black president be out of the mainstream, be "revolutionary" , or be reactionary. The first black president , by his choice, and I am sure after consultation with many black historians and intellectuals, was going to be a figure that would be respected and admired by mainstream historical judgement. And he is going to get what he wanted. 

I , like you, wish he had gone much farther to the "left" about economic issues in particular. But Obama did not want to take that chance. Ultimately, knowing his reasons, I don't have as much problem with it as I would of had he been a "typical" president instead of an historic one. 

He was NEVER going to have the first black president be out of the mainstream, be "revolutionary" , or be reactionary.

Excellent point, John. 

Things would be a heck of a lot worse if not for the Republican obstructionism. The bubble is about to pop on Obamas stock market bubble artificially inflated with quantitative easing and we will soon fall into a global depression. The harmful effects of Obamacare are are now hitting home with the working man and he is paying a heavy price to fund the democrats free crap for the lazy. The national debt has skyrocketed under Obama we are looking at another 6 trillion on top of that because of Obamacare. The Middle East is in worse shape now than when he came into office due to his foriegn policy. What he did with the auto companies and bank bailouts is facism. The man is an epic failure. 

The bubble is about to pop on Obamas stock market bubble artificially inflated with quantitative easing and we will soon fall into a global depression. 

10% corrections occur periodically and when a commodity like oil dips below $30/barrel, countries whose economies are pegged to oil, tank; then there's China (which has bitten all you Globalization lovers in the ass). 

The Saudis continue to produce oil even as demand wanes and prices drop THAT TO FUCK OVER IRAN and d the same to the frackers. They may put some folks out-of-business while also screwing themselves.

I'll give you the Fed's raising of interest rates looking at models rather than economic circumstances … that hasn't helped.

If it's "global depressions" you fear, where were you when Bush's regulators looked the other way as the banks were doing the sub prime shit and breaking up mortgages into derivatives that weren't sustainable?

Overbought markets get adjusted downward, sometimes to capitulation, that until they're oversold. Panic selling often happens during corrections exacerbation and accelerating the corrections themselves.

The Blame-Obama crap often reveals the subjectivity and zeal-without-knowledge-hatred that spawns it!

Any questions?

Google Carl Icahns warning of the coming economic collapse it you want to see some zeal with knowledge from the legendary investor. 

Google Carl Icahns warning of the coming economic collapse it you want to see some zeal with knowledge from the legendary investor. 

Dean,

I didn't take a position one way or the other on whether or not a collapse is imminent; I took issue with where you ascribed the blame … and did so specifically.

@dean-moriarty :

Things would be a heck of a lot worse if not for the Republican obstructionism.

That's the absolute truth of the matter Dean.  Obama hasn't done a thing to pull this country together, but has divided it more than it has been during my years on this earth.  People have to eat, businesses want to survive and most of them can't wait until he is out of office, not because of his skin color as I noticed A Mac saying with his race card.  He also tells others they pick and choose, like he doesn't. 

For example take all these people:

Herman Cain (b. 1945), businessman, media personality, and former candidate for President of the United States in 2012. (The Democrats unscrupulously tried to ruin his life, while turning a blind eye to people like Bill Clinton.  I don't think any Republican ever accused them of racism though.  We were smart enough to realize it had nothing to do with his race, but his party.  If you are a Democrat and walk the Socialist Line you can do whatever you want.  You can be rich and earned your wealth through unscrupulous means.  You can have any number of women accuse you of rape and sexual assault and it will not matter.)

Ben Carson (b. 1951), political commentator and pediatric neurosurgeon (Even though I don't support Carson for President, the Democrats have done everything they could to make this man appear as a corrupt businessman and a dumb surgeon.)

Larry Elder , talk radio host and commentator (He's a Conservative talk show host, need I say more.  I'm sure they love him.  No they don't.  Are they racist?  Not according to them because there are two sets of rules, one set for the Republicans and one set for the Democrats.  If a Democrat doesn't like a Conservative Black, it is for any reason other than Racism, but turn it around and it is always because of his or her skin.)

Alan Keyes , member of the Republican party and nominee for the U.S. Senate (Alan Keyes told us up front after Obama and Axelrod were able to eliminate Obama's competition in Illinois for State Senate.  Even though they weren't suppose to be able to get the information they did, they were able to do so in Illinois or should I say Chicago, which has a long history of corruption.  As I remember both of the people who ran against him dropped out of the races.

Colin Powell , 65th United States Secretary of State (Oh they loved him, but only after he seemed to come over to their side, not before.

Condoleezza Rice (b. 1954), 66th United States Secretary of State (There is no Black who has been treated worse in recent years than Condoleezza Rice by the Democrats and Colleges in the United States.  Was it because the Democrats were Racist.  I don't recall any Republicans accusing them of it.  If she had been a Democrat and the Republicans had treated her the same way, it would be because of her skin color.

Thomas Sowell , economist, writer and commentator (Thomas Sowell is a brilliant economist, writer and commentator, but not to the Liberals or Democrats.  He's a nut.  But no one has accused them of being racist from the other side, have they?

Michael S. Steele , political commentator, former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, former candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2006 and former elected chairman of the Republican National Committee (2009–2010) (Another sweetheart of the left, but not until he seemed to be on their side.  Does anyone remember before that happened how the Republicans called the Liberals racist.  That's right, they didn't

Clarence Thomas , associate justice of the United States Supreme Court (How many of you phony Liberals like Clarence Thomas?  None!  That's right none!  How many times have you seen anyone call you racist?  Another none.

Allen West , former U.S. Representative from Florida (Allen West served his country and saved his men from death, but he is hated by the Liberals.  Have we called them racist?  A simple no.

Professor Walter E. Williams – Author of More Liberty Means Less Government (Not only is he a Professor, he is a great talk show host, but the Liberals hate him and consider him a far right winger.  No one has called anyone racist, have they?

Now let's look at Obama.  It doesn't matter if we disagree with his polices, it's always we're a bunch of racists.  People I consider pretty intelligent on here just can't seem to throw that race card away.  I wonder if they even know where it originated or the PC they seem to support.  Well, let me tell you.  It's not from around here.  It's straight out of Communism.

I don't know any of the people mentioned above who searched out Radical Students or Marxist Professors, do you?  But I do know Obama did and was raised by a Fellow Traveler, married to two Muslims, comes from a family of Muslims, associated with Communist, mentored by a card carrying Communist and in fact appointed one of them to his Cabinet, not to mention the other one who had Mao Zedong, translated to Mao Tse-Tung, as one of her favorite authors.  Guess she liked reading about the 70 million people he knocked off.  Don't blame her for reading about him, but it was like a love affair.

You see the big difference folks is we were not blinded by his hypnotic abilities and it didn't have a thing to do with his skin color, but you just keep believing that as Yuri Bezmenov, an ex-KGB agent said you would be brainwashed and it is proving to be true.

You even have a Socialist running for president and he is doing very well.  He may be your only choice, if the government hasn't been infiltrated to an extent we are over the line with no way back.

Obama hasn't done anything but hinder us.  If he hadn't had the resistance he has faced, our National Debt would be trillions of dollars more than it is now, our culture would be completely destroyed and within a few years our Constitution would be abandoned completely.

Six,

I'll nail these one-by-one.

Herman Cain

Ben Carson

Paying cash for Ben Carson

I found a place to reply to you A Mac and there is no need for you to nail each one of those people.  The fact is Obama hasn't done everything right, would you not agree, but how many times has the race card been used?

So you don't like these people I listed above for various reasons, I ask you how many times has the race card been used?  And I say not one time by the Republicans or any of us. 

No offense, but I've already nailed it and will not expend any more energy on it.  The facts are the facts, every time someone disagrees with Obama, it's the color of his skin and not one time have we accused the Liberals of racism for disagreeing with us when they didn't go along with a Black Conservative.

Have at it if that makes your day, but I have said all I'm going to say about it. 

The fact is Obama hasn't done everything right, would you not agree, but how many times has the race card been used?

Has anyone you know or know of done everything right?

I can post examples of the race card being used both overtly and via buzzwords and red meat.

But I prefer to nail individuals with specifics rather than use the blanket indictment or summary dismissal. Give me one particular at a time and I'll gladly respond with particulars; if I agree with something, I'll acknowledge it.

Fair enough?

every time someone disagrees with Obama, it's the color of his skin and not one time have we accused the Liberals of racism for disagreeing with us when they didn't go along with a Black Conservative.

"Every time"?

And a "Black Conservative" is a different ideological critter from any liberal of any color. Be happy to have that discussion with you at length. 

Typical  crackpot rightwing jackassery. Why don't you post a few more of the dozens of birther and other lying videos you have posted over the years Six ?

Virtually no one but me has ever confronted you on your extremist beliefs on this site, so you are in the clear. 

PLEASE, John! Not on my articles... PLEASE!

I agree 100% that there is a double standard.  Some of the individuals you cite I don't really know enough to form an opinion on while others I am familiar with.  From your list there are a couple that I do not care for because of their moral standings and not because of their political position......okay there is at least one I think is nuts and the other I think is "special".  There are segments of people that are racists on both sides of the political spectrum and sadly they tend to set the tone and become the stereotype for their respective parties because these are the people that are given the most attention.  That's why forums like this one are so important.   

PJ, your fairly constant "both sides do it" mode is tiresome. 

The people that he lists as blacks who have been criticized by liberals are people who have taken public positions that contradict the most widely accepted pro-black positions. 

Sixpick has been on an anti-communist conspiracy kick for years. He is not remotely reasonable, although his "good nature" makes him friends on sites like this. 

Sorry you don't like my position John.  I'm an Independent and I'm able to see how absurd both sides are.  Without people like me nothing would get discussed.  We bridge the parties when too many dig their heels in and won't budge.  I'm just getting to know the personalities on Newstalkers.  I can’t help that I just don’t bulldoze people over and I’m not flashy enough for you.  I can kick ass when I want to and I’m not going to let you try and make me feel bad because I’m not reacting the way you prefer. 

My love letter to John:

I believe that this President has been treated very differently from previous Presidents.  Racism has been a contributor and anyone who claims differently is not being honest with themselves.  With that said, there are a number of extraordinary actions that Republican leaders have taken against this President that I find disturbing and unprecedented:

·        Sending a letter to Iran against the President of the United States

·        Ignoring protocol and inviting a foreign dignitary to the United States to speak in front of Congress

·        The number of filibusters invoked

·        Shutting the Government down (although not a new tactic an absurd and stupid one costing tax payers millions of dollars)

·        Not passing a budget for 6 years

·        Debt ceiling standoff resulting in the first credit rating downgrade in the history of the United States

 We can ignore racism all together and still show how much damage Republican leaders have done against our country because they refused to work with this Administration and fellow lawmakers for whatever reason they wish to allude to.  Some of these acts I would consider treasonous.

The items I list above are my reasons why I'm so unhappy with this President.  It wasn't because of any law or policy that he wanted and didn't get it; it was because of his lack of action against the leaders when they were damaging the country with their theatrics and temper tantrums.  Understanding that there was probably very little he could have done but no one likes to see their leader bend over and take it.

Not passing a budget for 6 years

How many years has it been where Obama did not submit a budget to be passed ?

Good evening Petey – I was hoping you’d stop by and chat this evening.  President Obama has been horrible when it comes to meeting the budget submission deadlines but he has always submitted a budget to my recollection.  If Congress doesn't pass the budget the President can't sign it into law.  But President Obama, as I said, has the worst record for violating budget deadlines and adding to the existing contention between the White House and Congress.

it was because of his lack of action against the leaders when they were damaging the country with their theatrics and temper tantrums.  Understanding that there was probably very little he could have done but no one likes to see their leader bend over and take it.

swampland.time

salon

washingtonpost

vox

ft

Obama still managed the following  despite the sabotage efforts …

Returned The Executive Branch To Fiscal Responsibility

Within his first week, he signed an Executive Order ordering an audit of government contracts, and combating waste and abuse.    1.usa

Created the post of Chief Performance Officer, whose job it is to make operations more efficient to save the federal government money.    n.pr

On his first full day, he froze White House salaries.   on.msnbc

He appointed the first Federal Chief Information Officer to oversee federal IT spending. cio

He committed to phasing out unnecessary and outdated weapons systems. To that end, he also signed the Democratic-sponsored Weapons Systems Acquisition Reform Act, which attempted to put a stop to waste, fraud and abuse in the defense procurement and contracting system.   bit.ly bit.ly

Through an executive order, he created the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform.  bit.ly

Prevented a Bush Depression and Improved the Economy

Pushed through and signed the Democratic-sponsored American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, otherwise known as “the stimulus package.” The bill passed, even though only three Republicans voted for it. In a major departure from the previous administration, he launched recovery.gov, a website that allows taxpayers to track spending from the Act.    1.usa 1.usa

The Bush-led Great Recession was costing the economy nearly 800,000 jobs per month by the time President Obama took office. But by the end of his first year, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act created and sustained 2.1 million jobs and stimulated the economy by  3.5%.   reut.rs

Not only did he completed the massive TARP financial and banking rescue plan, he also leaned on the banks and others, and recovered virtually all of the bail-out money.  1.usa bit.ly

He created the Making Home Affordable home refinancing plan.   1.usa

Oversaw the creation of more jobs in 2010 alone than Bush did in eight years.  bit.ly

Along with Democrats, and almost no Republicans, implemented an auto industry rescue plan, and saved as many as 1 million jobs.   bit.ly  Many are of the opinion that he saved the entire auto industry, and even the economy of the entire Midwest.   bit.ly This resulted in GM returning to its place as the top car company in the world.   lat.ms

Doubled funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, which is designed to improve manufacturing efficiency.   bit.ly

Signed the Democratic-sponsored Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act giving the federal government more tools to investigate and prosecute fraud in every corner of the financial system, and create a bipartisan Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission to investigate the financial fraud that led to the economic meltdown.   abcn.ws

Signed the Democratic-sponsored Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act, which was designed to to protect consumers from unfair and deceptive credit card practices.  1.usa

Increased infrastructure spending after years of neglect.  bit.ly

Signed the Democratic-sponsored and passed Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, expanding on the Making Home Affordable Program to help millions of Americans avoid preventable foreclosures. The bill also provided $2.2 billion to help combat homelessness, and to stabilize the housing market.  bit.ly

Through the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009, he and Congressional Democrats provided tax credits to first-time home buyers, which helped the U.S. housing market recovery.    bit.ly bit.ly

Initiated a $15 billion plan designed to encourage increased lending to small businesses.  1.usa

Created business.gov, which allows for online collaboration between small businesses and experts re managing a business. (The program has since merged with SBA.gov.)    business

Played a lead role in getting the G-20 Summit to commit to a $1.1 trillion deal to combat the global financial crisis.    nyti.ms

Took steps to improve minority access to capital.  bit.ly

Signed an Executive Order instructing federal agencies to review all federal regulations and remove any unnecessary and/or burdensome regulations from the books.   1.usa

Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, saved at least 300,000 education jobs, such as teachers, principals, librarians, and counselors that would have otherwise been lost.   1.usa

Dismantled the Minerals Management Service, thereby cutting ties between energy companies and the government. nyti.ms

Along with Congressional Democrats, provided funding to states and the Department of Homeland Security to save thousands of police and firefighter jobs from being cut during the recession.  bit.ly

Used recovered TARP money to fund programs at local housing finance agencies in California, Florida, Nevada, Arizona and Michigan.    on.msnbc

Crafted and signed an executive order establishing the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability to assist in financial education for all Americans.  bit.ly

China’s largest manufacturer, Foxconn, is building a large plant in Pennsylvania  cnnmon.ie

Worked with Apple Computer to get them to build more product here, and thecompany is building two large plants to manufacture products here; one in Texas  zd  and one in Arizona  bit.ly

Oversaw increase of manufacturing jobs by more than 500,000 since 2010, and created an institute to invest in more manufacturing jobs in the technology fields of the future.  nyti.ms

Ordered all federal contractors to pay a minimum wage of $10.10 per hour, leading the way to a national increase.  wapo.st

Ordered the completion of the International Trade Data System, a digital trade record book, by 2016. This move will streamline and simplify the process through which small- and medium-sized businesses set up the export of US goods.   bit.ly

Created a climate in which there have been 55 consecutive months of job growth, totaling more than 10 million jobs, which is roughly 10,000,000 more jobs than Bush created in eight years.    1.usa This is also the longest stretch of private-sector job growth in US history.  wapo.st

Led the country to 64 consecutive months of economic expansion, eclipsing Saint Reagan’s record, by far.   onforb.es

Oversaw a reduction in the dollar amount of the federal budget deficit by two-thirds since taking office.  bit.ly

Reduced the federal budget deficit from 9.8% of GDP in Fiscal Year 2009 under Bush, to 2.9% of GDP in FY 2014.   cbo

Under Obama, the stock market has reached record highs, restoring most of the economic losses felt during the Bush Recession, when it reached record lows, adjusted for inflation.    bit.ly

Consumer confidence rises to its highest level in 10 years.   reut.rs

Brought the housing market all the way back from total collapse, to create a rally for housing starts.  reut.rs reut.rs

Brought airline industry back to their highest profitability since before the recession.    lat.ms

Blocked a monopolistic merger of Staples and Office Depot, to preserve at least some competition.   bit.ly

Brought Much-Improved Transparency and Better Government

Signed an order banning gifts from lobbyists to anyone in the Executive Branch.   bit.ly

Signed an order banning anyone from working in an agency they had lobbied in previous years, and put strict limits on lobbyists’ access to the White House.    nyti.ms

Held the first-ever first online town hall from the White House, and took questions from the public.  bit.ly

Became the first to stream every White House event, live.   1.usa

Established a central portal for Americans to find service opportunities.   serve

Issued an Executive Order on Presidential Records, which restored the 30-day time frame for former presidents to review records, and eliminated the right for the vice president or family members of former presidents to do the reviews. Provides the public with greater access to historic  White House documents, and severely curtails the ability to use executive privilege to shield them.  1.usa

Improved aspects of the Freedom of Information Act, and issued new guidelines to make FOIA more open and transparent when processing FOIA requests.   1.usa

Proposed rules that would streamline the Department of Education’s procurement policies and make them more transparent.  bit.ly

Provided the first voluntary disclosure of the White House Visitors Log in history.  1.usa

Signed a law to completely reform NSA Data Collection program and keep phone records in the hands of the phone company.   bit.ly

Wall Street Reforms and Consumer Protection

Ordered 65 executives who took bailout money to cut their own pay until they paid back all bailout money.   huff.to

Along with Congressional Democrats, pushed through and got passed Dodd-Frank, one of the largest and most comprehensive Wall Street reforms since the Great Depression.   bit.ly bit.ly

By signing Dodd-Frank legislation, created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau  1.usa

Created rules that reduce the influence of speculators in the oil market.   bit.ly

Fashioned rules so that banks can no longer use YOUR money to invest in high-risk financial instruments that work against their own customers’ interests.   bit.ly

Supported the concept of allowing stockholders to vote on executive compensation.  bit.ly

Endorsed and supported the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act of 2009 that would close offshore tax avoidance loopholes.    bit.ly bit.ly

Negotiated a deal with Swiss banks that now permits the US government to gain access to the records of criminals and  tax evaders.   bit.ly

Signed the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act, which closed many of the loopholes that allowed companies to send jobs overseas, and avoid paying US taxes by moving money offshore. 1.usa

Established a Consumer Protection Financial Bureau designed to protect consumers from financial sector excesses.   bit.ly

Oversaw and then signed a Democratic bill constituting the most sweeping food safety legislation since the Great Depression.   thedc

Through the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act, extended the False Claims Act to combat fraud by companies and individuals using money from the TARP and Stimulus programs.   bit.ly

Set up rules for banks in handling legal marijuana money.  nyti.ms

Signed Executive Order to add a number of further protections to consumer financial transactions, to further limit instances of identity theft.  1.usa

Took steps to prevent pirate fishing and protect fish populations, and ordered stricter labeling requirements on labeling of seafood products in stores.  1.usa

Enhanced Civil Rights and Anti-Discrimination

Along with Congressional Democrats, advocated for and signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which made it a federal crime to assault anyone based on his or her sexual orientation or gender identity.   bit.ly

Pushed through, signed and demanded the Pentagon enact a repeal of the discriminatory “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy that forced soldiers to lie in order to be eligible to fight for their country, and put our troops at risk by disqualifying many qualified soldiers from helping.   bit.ly bit.ly

Extended benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees.   1.usa

Appointed more openly gay officials than anyone in history.   bit.ly

Appointed first openly transgender Cabinet Official in History.   bit.ly

Changed HUD rules to prohibit gender and sexual orientation-based discrimination in housing   bit.ly/9RxEnP

Changed his mind and publicly expressed support for same-sex marriage.  bit.ly

Issued a Presidential Memorandum reaffirming the rights of gay couples to make medical decisions for each other.  1.usa

Wrote and signed an Executive Order establishing a White House Council on Women and Girls to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies evaluate the effect of their policies and programs on women and families.  bit.ly 1.usa

Signed the Democratic-sponsored Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which restored basic protections against pay discrimination for women and other workers. This was after the GOP blocked the bill in 2007. Only 5 Republican Senators voted for the bill.    bit.ly

Signed two executive orders that mirror provisions of the Paycheck Fairness Act, because the GOP Congress refuses to pass it. It makes is possible for employees to talk about their salaries without retaliation, and orders salary data collection. These measures will make it harder for employers to pay women less.    huff.to

Expanded funding for the Violence Against Women Act.  1.usa

Under his guidance, National Labor Relations Board issued final rules that require all employers to prominently post employees’ rights where all employees or prospective employees can see it, including all websites and intranets.   1.usa

Advocated that United Nations adopt a policy supporting gay rights worldwide.   lat.ms

Issued an order requiring hospitals to allow visitation by same-sex couples.    reut.rs

Appointed Kareem Dale as the first ever Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy.  1.usa

Helped Democrats in Congress pass and signed the Civil Rights History Act.  bit.ly

Established the White House Council of Native American Affairs, to improve government-to-government relations with Native American nations.  1.usa

Formed a commission to examine and make recommendations for fixing the broken voting system.  wapo.st

As soon as the Supreme Court invalidated the Defense of Marriage Act, he moved to extend federal benefits to same-sex couples.   ht tp://wapo.st/1avDjue

At a press conference August 9, 2013, gave up a small measure of executive power, promising to create adversarial process in FISA regarding NSA surveillance.   1.usa

Proposed new HUD rules that would enhance Fair Housing Laws, to give HUD and other enforcement agencies more teeth in enforcing them.  bit.ly

Shattered another glass ceiling by naming Janet Yellen chair of the Federal Reserve beginning Feb. 1, 2014.  usat.ly

Appointed several prominent gay athletes and others, and plans to show US government’s commitment to gay rights to anti-gay Russia.  on.cpsj

Ordered a review of capital punishment policies after several botched executions.  nyti.ms

Obama’s Department of Agriculture propagated new rules designed to better enforce nondiscrimination when it comes to USDA investigations. These rules also extended nondiscrimination to gender identity.    bit.ly

Obama’s Equal Employment Opportunity Commission clarified and strengthened rules prohibiting discrimination against pregnant workers.   alj.am

Banned all federal contractors from discriminating against gay workers.   1.usa

Created a requirement in which companies who bid on federal contracts of more than $500,000 must publicly disclose all previous violations of labor law, including unpaid claims for back wages.   1.usa

Made it illegal for federal contractors with more than $1 million in contracts  to force employees into arbitration to settle workplace discrimination accusations.  1.usa

The Obama Department of Justice made significant reductions in drug sentencing guidelines for current prisoners, thus releasing thousands from US prisons. This is the first step in 30 years toward reducing the US prison population, which is the highest in the world.    n.pr

Thanks to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, inflation in the healthcare sector dropped to its lowest point in 50 years.   on.wsj

Through a Presidential Memorandum, changed the rules to concentrate immigration enforcement on those who commit crimes, and voed to stop breaking up families.   1.usa

Through another Presidential memorandum, President Obama streamlined the visa process, to make it more responsive and humane for those who want to be here legally.  1.usa

Took steps to tighten the reins when it comes to providing local law enforcement agencies with military-style equipment and exercising more control over the equipment they receive.    1.usa

Oversaw the first drop in the federal prison population in 32 years.  bit.ly

Vetoed Republican bill that would have blocked new NLRB rules that were designed to speed up the time it takes workers to unionize.    reut.rs  He also added a Memorandum of Disagreement to make his reasons for the veto clear and made a major statement in support of unions.    1.usa

Persevered with his campaign to turn “gay marriage” into “marriage” and won in the Supreme Court.  cbsloc.al

Plans to broaden his use of clemency to release thousands of non-violent drug offenders from prison.   nyti.ms

Created new rules to improve fair housing rules and make more affordable housing available to more people.   cnn.it

Signed the RAISE Act, which should encourage more people to open small businesses and help improve the economy.     bit.ly

Signed a bill that allows low-volume vehicle manufacturers that will increase entrepreneurship among small car manufacturers, who often build replicas of classics but who often build green vehicles.    bit.ly

Major Improvements in Foreign Relations, American Status around the World

Visited more countries and met with more world leaders than any previous president during his first six months in office.    bit.ly

As he promised, he gave a speech at a major Islamic forum in Cairo early in his administration.  nyti.ms

Helped to restore America’s reputation around the world as a global leader that does the “right thing” in world affairs, at least according to the rest of the world.    bit.ly bit.ly

Re-established and reinforced our partnership with NATO and other allies on strategic international issues.   1.usa

Closed a number of secret detention facilities.  nyti.ms

Improved relations with Middle East countries by appointing special envoys.  1.usa

Pushed forward the first realistic Middle East peace strategy in more than a decade, without abandoning the two-state solution.  wapo.st

Pushed for military to emphasize devlopment of foreign language skills.  bit.ly

Offered $400 million to the people living in Gaza, called on both Israel and the Palestinians to stop inciting violence.   bit.ly

Refused to give Israel the green light to attack Iran over their possible nuclear program, and thus avoid another war that Republicans wanted.   bit.ly

Ordered the closure of the prison at Guantanamo Bay. It was Republicans (and, unfortunately, progressive Democrats) who prevented follow through.   bit.ly

Ordered a review of our detention and interrogation policy, and prohibited the use of torture, or what Bush called “enhanced interrogation.” He ordered interrogators to limit their actions to the Army Field manual.   bit.ly

Ordered all secret detention facilities in Eastern Europe and elsewhere to be closed.  bbc.in

Released the Bush torture memos.   bit.ly

On his second day in office, he signed a detailed Executive Order that banned torture, reversed all  Bush torture policies, and put the United States in compliance with the Geneva Convention.  1.usa nyti.ms

In response to the emerging “Arab Spring,” he created a Rapid Response fund, to assist emerging democracies with foreign aid, debt relief, technical assistance and investment packages in order to show that the United States stands with them.  bit.ly

Ended the F-22 program, saving $4 billion. Though the single-seat, twin-engine, fighter aircraft cost $358 million each, and the military had 187 built, the F-22 never flew a combat mission.  slate.me

Passed the Iran Sanctions Act, to prevent war and encourage the Iranian government to give up their nuclear program.  1.usa

Ended the Iraq War.  tgr.ph

Worked to keep our withdrawal from Afghanistan on track, despite GOP opposition. reut.rs Reiterated that commitment in 2014.  nyti.ms

Authorized and oversaw a secret mission by SEAL Team Six to rescue two hostages held by Somali pirates.  bit.ly

Through United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice, helped negotiate a peaceful split of Sudan into two countries, this allowing for the creation of an independent South Sudan.    reut.rs

Worked with Democratic Congress to make donations to Haiti tax deductible in 2009.  huff.to

Established a new U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue.    1.usa

Issued Executive Order blocking interference and helping to stabilize Somalia.  1.usa

Established new, more reasonable policies in our relations with Cuba, such as allowing Cuban-Americans to visit their families and send money to support them.   n.pr      nyti.ms

Negotiated the framework for an agreement with Iran that would end their nuclear weapons program.  bit.ly

Became the first US President to visit Jamaica in more than 30 years and worked to restore relations with the country, and signed a natural gas distribution agreement with the country.   bit.ly

Opened the first Embassy in Cuba in more than 55 years.   abcn.ws

Negotiated a deal with Iran that will prevent them from getting a nuclear weapon anytime soon, without firing a shot or invading the country.    cnn.it

A More Realistic Approach to “Defense” and National Security

Created a comprehensive new strategy for dealing with the international nuclear threat.  1.usa

Authorized a $1.4 billion reduction in Star Wars program in 2010.  1.usa

Restarted nuclear nonproliferation talks and built up the nuclear inspection infrastructure/protocols to where they had been before Bush.    lat.ms

Signed and pushed through ratification a new SALT Treaty.   bit.ly

Negotiated and signed a new START Treaty that will lst until at least 2021.   1.usa

Through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), reversed the Bush Administration and committed to no permanent military bases in Iraq.    bit.ly

Developed first comprehensive strategy with regard to Afghanistan and Pakistan designed to facilitate the defeat of al Qaeda and the withdrawal of most troops, as well as the rebuilding of Afghanistan.   wapo.st

Returned our focus to Afghanistan, stabilized the country, and began the process of withdrawing our troops from the country.  bit.ly

Negotiated a deal with Afghan govenment, to withdraw troops and military support, while assisting in rebuilding and modernizing of the country.   bit.ly

Took steps to severely weaken al Qaeda and limited their ability to terrorize the world.  yhoo.it

Negotiated and signed a nuclear nonproliferation treaty with India.   1.usa

Took decisive action to use NATO to limit the slaughter of innocents in Libya, so that the Libyan people could topple the despotic Khadaffy government and determine their own fate.  aje.me

Got Egyptian President/dictator Mubarak to leave the Egyptian government to the people, to determine their own fate.     f24.my

In 2011, reoriented American focus from the Middle East to the Asian-Pacific region by simultaneouly engaging China and crafting new alliances with Asian countries uncomfortable with Chinese behavior.     bit.ly

Restored federal agencies such as FEMA to the point that they have been able to manage a huge number of natural  disasters successfully.    bit.ly

Authorized Navy SEALS to successfully secure the release of a US captain held by Somali pirates and increased patrols off the Somali coast.  nyti.ms

Increased border security  bit.ly

Ordered and oversaw the Navy SEALS operation that killed Osama bin Laden.   bit.ly

Established the Homeland Security Partnership Council, which will attempt to enhance the nation’s ability to “address homeland security priorities, from responding to natural disasters to preventing terrorism, by utilizing diverse perspectives, skills, tools, and resources.”  1.usa

Signed agreement with Afghanistan to end war, turn security over to Afghans.  nyti.ms

Breaking with presidential tradition, especially recent tradition, instead of just attacking Syria in the wake of chemical weapons attacks on Syrians, Obama ordered a full report on the decision-making process, should he decide to order one.   cbsn.ws

Instead of holding hearings and trying to create a political football, quietly captured a suspect who actually committed the Benghazi terrorist attack.   wapo.st  He is also getting a lot of useful information from the suspect.   nyti.ms

Signed an executive order allowing sanctions against individuals and groups that threaten national cybersecurity.   1.usa

Limited local police acquisitions of military-style equipment, to reduce the likelihood of overkill.    n.pr

Signed Blue Alert Law, which provides police officers with more information when they are threatened.    bit.ly

Returned Government to Treating Soldiers and Veterans with Dignity and Respect

Provided active combat troops with better body armor.   bit.ly

Created Joint Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record program for military personnel, in order http://abcn.ws/1ghLrEshttp://abcn.ws/1ghLrEsto improve the quality of their medical care.   1.usa

Put an end to the Bush-era stop-loss policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan beyond their enlistment date.  nyti.ms

Along with Congressional Democrats, supported and signed Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act, which made more money available to enable better medical care for veterans.  1.usa

Along with Congressional Democrats, ushered through largest spending increase in 30 years for Department of Veterans Affairs, with money to go to improved medical facilities, and to assist states in acquiring or constructing state nursing homes and extended care facilities.     1.usa

Created the Green Vet Initiative, which provided special funding to the Labor Department to provide veterans with training in green jobs.   bit.ly

Initiated and signed a recruitment and employment plan to get more veterans into government jobs.   bit.ly

Oversaw a $4.6 billion expansion of the Veterans Administration budget to pay for more mental health professionals.   bit.ly

Signed the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act, which ensures that spouses of military personnel who are forced to move because their spouse is posted for military duty will be able to avoid state taxes in their temporary residence.    bit.ly

Issued an Executive Order to improve access to mental health care for veterans, military personnel and their families.   1.usa

was able to get Syria to dismantle its chemical weapons without military firing a single shot or dropping a single bomb.  nyti.ms

Along with Congressional Democrats, not only reauthorized families of fallen soldiers to be able to visit when the body arrives at Dover AFB, but also provided funding for it.  Ended the media blackout on coverage of the return of fallen soldiers.  http://nyti.ms/glqN66   bbc.in

Funded Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with an extra $1.4 billion to improve veterans’ services.   1.usa

Signed into law a bill that provides support, counseling, and breastfeeding supplies to military moms who are covered under TRICARE, the health insurance provided to veterans.    bit.ly

Signed into law a bill that makes it easier for military dogs to retire at home with their handlers.    bit.ly

Refocused the Federal Government on Education, Made Rational Reforms

Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, invested heavily in elementary, secondary and post-secondary education.    1.usa

Created the Race to the Top program, which encouraged states to come up with effective school reforms and rewards the best of them.    bit.ly

Oversaw major expansion of broadband availability in K-12 schools nationwide.    bit.ly

Oversaw major expansion in school construction.   bit.ly

Also through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, he put $5 billion into early education, including Head Start.  1.usa

Signed the Democratic-sponsored Post-9/11 GI Bill, also known as GI Bill 2.0   bit.ly

Oversaw expansion of the Pell Grants program, to expand opportunity for low and middle income students to go to college.   bit.ly

Along with Democratic Congress, passed and signed Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which provided an extra $12.2 billion in funds.   1.usa

Took major new steps to protect students from ineffective for-profit colleges through “gainful employment” measures, whereby schools have to demonstrate that its students actually find work to get federal aid.   1.usa

Repeatedly increased funding for student financial aid, and at the same time cut the banks completely out of the process, thus us creating greater accountability.    http://bit.ly/gYWd30   bit.ly  bit.ly

Reformed student loan program, to make it possible for students to refinance at a lower rate.   nyti.ms

Created a rating system for colleges, so that those applying for student financial aid know better what they’re paying for.    bit.ly

An Adult View on Science, Technology and Health Care

Created a Presidential Memorandum to restore scientific integrity in government decision-making.  1.usa

Opened up process for fast-tracking patent approval for green energy projects.  bit.ly

Eliminated Bush-era restrictions on embryonic stem cell research, and provided increased federal support for biomedical and stem cell research.    bit.ly ti.me

Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, committed more federal funding, about $18 billion, to support non-defense science and research labs.   nyti.ms

Signed Democratic-sponsored Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, the first comprehensive attempt to improve the lives of Americans living with paralysis.   bit.ly

Expanded the Nurse-Family Partnership program, which provides home visits by trained registered nurses to low-income expectant mothers and their families, to cover more first-time mothers. bit.ly

Obama EPA reversed research ethics standards which allowed humans to be used as “guinea pigs” in tests of the effects of chemicals, to comply with numerous codes of medical ethics.   bit.ly

Conducted a cyberspace policy review.    1.usa

Provided financial support for private sector space programs.  bit.ly

Oversaw enhanced earth mapping, to provide valuable data for agricultural, educational, scientific, and government use.    bit.ly

Along with Democrats in Congress, ushered through and signed a bill authorizing FDA to regulate tobacco.   on.msnbc  As a result,  the FDA has Ordered Tobacco Companies to Disclose Cigarette Ingredients and banned sale of cigarettes falsely labeled as “light.”

Through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, provided $500 million for Health Professions Training Programs.   bit.ly

Increased funding for community-based prevention programs.   bit.ly

Oversaw a 50% decrease in cost of prescription drugs for seniors.  bit.ly 1.usa

Eliminated the Bush-era practice of forbidding Medicare from negotiating with drug companies on price.  bit.ly

Two weeks after taking office, signed Democratic-sponsored Children’s Health Insurance Reauthorization Act, which increased the number of children covered by health insurance by 4 million.   bit.ly

Urged Congress to investigate Anthem Blue Cross for raising premiums 39% without explanation. Democratic Rep. Waxman responded by launching a probe, and Anthem Blue Cross put increase on hold for two months.     yhoo.it

Ushered through and signed Affordable Care Act, which expanded health insurance coverage to at least 30 million more people, ended many common insurance company practices that are often detrimental  to those with coverage.  He also established healthcare.gov, so that taxpayers could keep up with developments.   healthcare

Through ACA, allowed children to be covered under their parents’ policy until they turned 26.   nyti.ms

Through the ACA, provided tax breaks to allow 3.5 million small business to provide health insurance to their employees, and 29 million people will receive tax breaks to help them afford health insurance.  nyti.ms

Through the ACA, expanded Medicaid to those making up to 133% of the federal poverty level.  nyti.ms

Through the ACA, health insurance companies now have to disclose how much of your premium actually goes to pay for patient care.   nyti.ms

Provisions in the ACA have already resulted in Medicare costs actually declining slightly this fiscal year, for the first time in many years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The increase in 2011 was 4%, which is very low compared to the average 12% annual inflation rate during previous 40 years.  1.usa

Since passage of the ACA, health care inflation is at its lowest level since 1960.  1.usa

Created the HIV Care Continuum Initiative, to strengthen the government’s ability to respond to the continuing domestic HIV epidemic, after years of Republicans weakening the government’s ability to deal with the crisis.   1.usa

Expanded space exploration and discovery options to include more players.   1.usa

Through the Connect America Fund, pushed through and received FCC approval for a move of $8 billion in subsidies away from telephone landlines to assist lower-income rural families in accessing broadband.    lat.ms   bit.ly

In the wake of the West Fertilizer tragedy, in which an entire small town was devastated by an explosion at a fertilizer plant, in part because Republican negligence let the company do whatever it wanted, formed the Chemical Safety and Security Working Group, to work on measures to prevent another such event.   1.usa

By 2014, the Affordable Care Act dropped the number of uninsured Americans by 22.3%, which amounts to more than 10.3 million people with insurance who didn’t have it before. Only 13.9% of Americans are uninsured, a drop from 18.9% in 2013.   on.msnbc

The Affordable Care Act has increased the life expectancy of Medicare greatly.  on.wsj

Established a Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center, a recommendation made by the 9/11 Commission, to coordinate efforts to fight cyber-crime and terrorism.     1.usa

The Obama FCC, with his leadership, adopted strong net neutrality rules, to keep the Internet open and equal for everyone.    fcc.us

Signed bill that will provide health insurance premium support to workers who lose their health insurance due to foreign competition.   bit.ly

In response to the confusion triggered by the asinine Hobby Lobby decision, which essentially declared that corporations could have “religious rights” and lord them over employees, created new rules to give all women with insurance the right to free birth control.    on.wsj

Implemented the National HIV/AIDS Strategy for 2015-2020, which is a follow-up to the first such strategy in US history, which he implemented in 2010.     1.usa

Set up a National Strategic Computing Initiative, to “maximize benefits of high-performance computing (HPC) research, development, and deployment.”     1.usa

Strengthened the Middle Class and Families, and Fought Poverty

Worked to provide affordable, high-quality child care to working families.   bit.ly

Cracked down on companies that were previously denying sick pay, vacation and health insurance, and Social Security and Medicare tax payments through abuse of the employee classification of independent contractor.    nyti.ms

Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, cut taxes for 95% of America’s working families.   bit.ly

Tax rates for average working families are the lowest since 1950.   bit.ly

Extended and fully funded the patch for the Alternative Minimum Tax for 10 years.  bit.ly

Extended discounted health coverage under the COBRA health insurance law for the unemployed from 9 months to 15 months, and he’s also extended unemployment benefits more than a few times.   aol.it http://nyti.ms/emrqKJ  bit.ly   bit.ly

Provided  a $20 billion increase for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps).  nyti.ms

Signed an Executive Order that established the White House Office of Urban Affairs.  wapo.st

Included the Buffet Rule in his 2014 budget proposal, thus trying to fulfill a campaign promise, to make sure tax rates are fair between the rich and the middle class.  1.usa

Used the fiscal cliff negotiations to extend for five additional years the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which provides tax credits to families for college-related expenses, thus saving those families up to $10,000.   onforb.es

Increased protections for those who are unemployed and are seeking a government job.    1.usa

Updated and modernized overtime regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)   1.usa

With First Lady Michelle Obama, passed the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, which will improve nutrition in schools and make children healthier.    1.usa

In his continuing effort to make college more affordable and accountable, will begin rating colleges with regard to affordability and value.  bit.ly

Initiated a reform of federal job training programs, to make them more relevant to the current economy and the job market.    1.usa

Under Obama, the bottom 95% of taxpayers are paying lower federal income taxes than at any time in the last 50 years, including under Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43.   bit.ly

Signed a presidential memorandum authorizing six weeks paid leave for all federal employees with a new baby, and encouraged Congress to do the same for all workers.    bit.ly

2014 marked the first time since 1984 that unemployment dropped in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.    1.usa.gov/1E25u0C

Took steps to improve workplace safety by creating an Advisory Board to study workers’ exposure to toxic substances.  1.usa

Changed overtime rules to make it far more difficult for employers to avoid paying overtime to workers.  politi.co

Changed rules for federal contractors, guaranteeing that all workers earn paid leave; this should affect about 300,000 workers.   1.usa

Negotiated a law to finally replace “No Child Left Behind” and remove much of the onerous government “oversight” that caused children to stagnate, not improve, academically.    bit.ly

Scolds Congress and gets passed a $305 billion highways bill, which will have the added benefit of created hundreds of thousands of new jobs and creating incentives for green cars.    bit.ly

Concrete Steps to Improve the Environment and Address Our Energy Needs

Doubling federal spending on clean energy research.  bit.ly

Pushed through a tax credit to help people buy plug-in hybrid cars.    bit.ly

Created a program to develop renewable energy projects on the waters of our Outer Continental Shelf that will produce electricity from wind, wave, and ocean currents.   1.usa

Reengaged in the climate change and greenhouse gas emissions agreements talks, and proposed one himself. He also addressed the U.N. Climate Change Conference, officially reversing the Bush era stance that climate change was a “hoax.”   http://bit.ly/dX6Vj3  bit.ly nyti.ms

Fully supported the initial phase of the creation of a legally-binding treaty to reduce mercury emissions worldwide.   bit.ly

Required states to provide incentives to utilities to reduce their energy consumption.   bit.ly

Under Obama, our dependence on foreign oil has dropped to its lowest rate since 1985, and continues to drop.  http://1.usa.gov/1p6kTUy  Meanwhile, consumption is way down because of reduced driving and higher mileage standards.  ti.me

Improved siting, review and permitting stations for power plants, in an attempt to seriously improve the nation’s electric grid.    1.usa

Following the neglect of Bush’s eight year reign, he reengaged in a number of treaties and agreements designed to protect the Antarctic.   bit.ly

Created tax write-offs for purchases of hybrid automobiles, and later he and Democrats morphed that program into one that includes electric cars.    bit.ly

Established a quadrennial review of our energy infrastructure, to encourage a modernization of the grid, and to encourage the transition away from fossil fuel use.   1.usa

Mandated that federal government fleet purchases be for fuel-efficient American vehicles, and encouraged that federal agencies support experimental, fuel-efficient vehicles.    bit.ly 1.usa 1.usa

Got BP to cough up $20 billion to establish Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, to reduce the need for taxpayer funds to be used for compensation and clean up.    wapo.st  (Note: it took 20 years to get $1.3 billion for the Exxon Valdez spill. )

Oversaw and pushed through an amendment to the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 authorizing advances from Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.   1.usa

Actively tried to amend the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to eliminate the liability limits for those companies responsible for large oil spills.  nyti.ms

Became the first President to simply say “Climate Change is a fact,” and set up the first federal government protocols for dealing with the impacts of climate change.   1.usa

Initiated Criminal and Civil inquiries into the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.   nyti.ms

Asserted federal legal supremacy to bar Texas from authorizing new refinery permits on its own. bit.ly

Set up new, stricter standards limiting power plant emissions.   1.usa

Strengthened the Endangered Species Act.   bit.ly

Strengthened protection for wildlife, and expanded enforcement of laws against wildlife trafficking.   1.usa

Obama EPA improved boiler safety standards to improve air quality, and save 6500 lives per year.  bit.ly

Through the EPA, attemped to take steps to severely limit the use of antibiotics in livestock feed, to increase their efficacy in humans.  bit.ly

Through new EPA regulations, he created a pretext for closing the dirtiest power plants in the country, by limiting emissions of mercury and other toxic gasses.   bit.ly

Increased funding for National Parks and Forests by 10%   bit.ly

Announced greatly improved commercial fuel efficiency standards.   1.usa

Announced a huge increase in average fuel economy standards from 27.5mpg in 2010 to 35.5mpg starting in 2016 and 54.5 starting in 2025    1.usa

Issued an Executive Order to facilitate investments in industrial energy efficiency that will help create jobs, while strengthening US manufacturing. Increased efficiency could save businesses $100 billion over the next decade.   1.usa

Through an executive order, set up the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council, which will to oversee Gulf Coast restoration efforts in the wake of the 2010 BP oil splll. The money to fund the restoration efforts comes from fines against BP.   1.usa

Through executive actions and bypassing the ineffectual Republican Congress, announced the most comprehensive plan to combat climate change in a generation.  bit.ly

Ordered energy plants to prepare to produce at least 15% of all energy through renewable resources like wind and solar, by 2021.  reut.rs  (Republicans are trying hard to kill it.)

Oversaw the creation of an initiative that converts old factories and manufacturing centers into new clean technology centers.  bit.ly

guided the country into a 418% increase in solar power capacity between 2010 and 2014.   bit.ly

Bypassed Republican opposition in Congress and ordered EPA to begin regulating and measuring carbon emissions.    bit.ly

Oversaw a tripling in the use of wind power to generate electricity. For the third year in row, the United States led the world in increased wind power capacity.  worldwatch

Ordered the federal government to incorporate climate resilience and climate science into all international development in which the United States engages.   1.usa

Fast-tracked regulations to allow states to enact fuel efficiency standards that exceeded federal standards.     nyti.ms

Fast-tracked increased fuel economy standards for vehicles beginning with the 2011 model year. It was the first time such standards had been increased in a decade.    politi.co

Oversaw establishment of an Energy Partnership for the Americas, to create more markets for American-made biofuels and green energy technologies.  bit.ly

Obama EPA reversed a Bush-era decision to allow the largest mountaintop removal project in US history.   bit.ly

Ordered the Department of Energy to implement more aggressive efficiency standards for common household appliances.     1.usa

Obama EPA ruled that excess CO2 is a pollutant.  bit.ly

Closed a deal with China to limit carbon emissions to perhaps slow down climate change.   nyti.ms

Blocked all oil and gas drilling in Bristol Bay, Alaska, one of the most pristine environments in North America   lat.ms

Signed an Executive Order to improve environmental efforts in the Arctic region and to combat climate change by better coordinating the efforts of the 23 federal agencies operating in the area.    usat.ly

Vetoed a bill to fast track construction of the parallel Keystone XL pipeline.  nbcnews.to

Expanded clean water regulations to more stringently protect all of the nation’s waterways, even when states fail in their duty.    bit.ly

Signed an Executive Order committing the federal government to lead the way in building a sustainable economy. It’s his fifth doing just that.   1.usa

Banned the use of antibiotics in food served in US Government-run cafeterias and ordered agencies to only use antibiotic-free meat.   bit.ly     bit.ly

Developed new rules to address climate change and to create a significant boost to clean energy.    bit.ly

Negotiated and signed a virtually Republican-Proof global agreement on climate change, with 190 countries signing on.     bit.ly

But That’s Not All…

Nominated Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. Sotomayor is the first Hispanic Justice in the court’s history, and the women represent only the third and fourth women to serve on the court, out of a total of 112 justices.   huff.to bit.ly

Appointed the most diverse Cabinet in history, including more women than any other incoming president.    bit.ly

Eliminated federal funding for abstinence-only education, and rescinded the global gag rule.  http://bit.ly/eCFAI1  bit.ly

Loosened the rules and allowed the 14 states that legalized medical marijuana to regulate themselves without federal interference.    huff.to

Signed national service legislation, increasing funding for national service groups, including triple the size of the Americorps program.    bit.ly

Signed an Executive Order that will speed up deployment of a more comprehensive broadband infrastructure.   1.usa

Signed an Executive Order creating jobs immediately by instructing them to reduce the time needed for review and permitting of infrastructure projects.   1.usa

Signed a bill that provided $4.3 billion in additional assistance to 9/11 first responders.   bit.ly

Signed an Executive Order pledging support for efforts to end the global problem of violence against women and girls.   1.usa

Signed the Claims Resolution Act, which provided $4.6 billion in funding for a legal settlement with black and Native American farmers who had been cheated out of government loans and natural resource royalties in the past.   1.usa

To help those communities devastated by Hurricane Sandy, issued an executive order setting up the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force, and asked Congress to approve $60 billion in supplemental assistance to aid in storm recovery.  1.usa

Produced 23 Executive actions designed to make it easier for law enforcement to identify those who shouldn’t have guns, thus helping them enforce the law.    on.wsj

Expanded trade agreements to include stricter labor and environmental agreements such as NAFTA.   bit.ly

Oversaw funding of  the design of a new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History, which is scheduled to open on the National Mall in 2015.  He protected the funding during the recent budget negotiations.    http://on.fb.me/fD0EVO  bit.ly

Oversaw and passed increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts. bit.ly

Took executive action to promote smart gun technology, to make them safer.   1.usa

After a failure by Congress to act, proposed executive orders to create more background checks and to fully staff the background check system.   cnn.it

And Did You Know?

Despite the characterizations of some, Obama’s success rate in winning congressional votes on issues was an unprecedented 96.7% for his first year in office.  Though he is often cited as superior to Obama, President Lyndon Johnson’s success rate in 1965 was only 93%.    n.pr

NOTE: I fully expect that there will be those who summarily dismiss the list in total … without dealing specifically with anything.

It's their Rule of THUMB.

A Mac deserves a "Thumbs Up" if for no other reason than the work he put into his comment.

Now for the question I asked and I'm wondering if it is invisible, when anyone criticizes Obama because they disagree with his policy or policies, it is always because of his skin color and they are called racist, but when someone disagrees with a Black Conservative it is not.  Why is that?

Six, that is a great question.  Why do liberals who assume all opposition to Obama policies is motivated by race and then say and act like racist bigots when dealing with or discussing minority conservatives?  

XX,

Six, that is a great question.  Why do liberals who assume all opposition to Obama policies is motivated by race and then say and act like racist bigots when dealing with or discussing minority conservatives?  

If you think it's a great question, then feel free to discuss it in an article that you post. it is not the topic here. The topic here was written in BIG letters so no one would miss it:

Objectively, Mr Obama has done quite well. So... Why is no one happy with him?

You may discuss either part of this:
  -- give evidence (not just opinion) concerning Mr Obama's performance,
  -- explain why no one is satisfied.

Please stay on-topic.

Now for the question I asked and I'm wondering if it is invisible, when anyone criticizes Obama because they disagree with his policy or policies, it is always because of his skin color and they are called racist, but when someone disagrees with a Black Conservative it is not.  Why is that?

Sixpick,

Black conservatism  is a political and social philosophy rooted in communities of African descent that aligns largely with the  conservative  ideology around the world.

It often emphasizes  traditionalism ,  patriotism , independence and self-sufficiency,  Free market  capitalism, and strong  cultural  and  social conservatism   within the context of the  Black church . In the  United States  it is often, but not exclusively, associated with the  Republican Party .

Having given the formal meaning, the quality and fairness of life for Blacks in America has been anything but a priority of today's Conservatives/Tea Party/Republicans. In fact, the current Republican Party, etc., has come from its Dixiecrat-Anti Civil Rights origins.

Dathan  ( Hebrew :  דָּתָן ‎  Dāṯān ) was an  Israelite  mentioned in the  Old Testament  as a participant of the  Exodus .

He was a son of  Eliab , the son of  Pallu , the son of  Reuben . Together with his brother  Abiram , the Levite  Korah  and others, he rebelled against  Moses  and  Aaron .

In Rabbinic literature  Dathan, together with his brother Abiram, belonged to the quarrelsome and seditious personages in Egypt and in the wilderness who sought, on every occasion, to place difficulties in the way of Moses. 

Among those who join ranks with their traditional enemies may do so for altruistic and sincere reasons … but then there are those who cross over to feather their own nests so-to-speak, that by not only giving aid and comfort to the "enemy," but becoming part of its "face" (both literally and figuratively).

My two cents.

Anyone who wishes to discuss/debate this … I'm ready to roll.

The worst places in the country for blacks to live are in Democrat controlled areas like Detroit. The worst thing we can do for them is to create government dependentcy where they loose all self respect and desire to be self reliant. The damage the Democrats have done to black communities in this country through welfare programs is devastating. Each time the government steals the earnings of a productive person and hands it over to another it further perpetuates the downward spiral of our country. 

The worst places in the country for blacks to live are in Democrat controlled areas like Detroit. The worst thing we can do for them is to create government dependentcy where they loose all self respect and desire to be self reliant.

Poverty and discrimination in the work place, under resourced schools and neighborhoods are what create ghetto-type environments.

"Dependency" arises from such situations and the creation of welfare systems are a tactic of the oligarchs as a way of dividing and conquering. The intent is to get middle class folks to blame the underclass folks while the rich "trickle down on" PISS ON us.

Why The Republican’s Old Divide-and-Conquer Strategy – Setting Working Class Against the Poor – Is Backfiring
THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2014

Mac,

The topic here is

Objectively, Mr Obama has done quite well. So... Why is no one happy with him?

Please don't participate in a derail to Black conservatism.

The topic here is

Objectively, Mr Obama has done quite well. So... Why is no one happy with him?

Please don't participate in a derail to Black conservatism.

OK. 

A black conservative like Cain or Carson would have or would do a much better job with our economy than the worst recovery ever that the present president has "achieved".  

Please post on-topic. 

Sending a letter to Iran against the President of the United States

How do you feel about Obama bypassing Congress PJ?  Seems many Democrats didn't like it either when he did that.  They are going off their sanctions and have already broken the rules of the unconstitutional agreement.  Let me tell you a good book PJ.  Read the book "A Nuclear Iran" and then you may understand Iran's most prized ability is their ability to deceive.

·         Ignoring protocol and inviting a foreign dignitary to the United States to speak in front of Congress

How do you feel about Obama's men going to Israel and trying to undermine Natanyahu?

·         The number of filibusters invoked

You probably don't realize it PJ, but this country has been hijacked by both parties which are basically the same party in so many ways.  If there weren't as many filibusters as there were we'd be in a much worse shape than we are and owe a whole lot more money.  Obama's practicing the Cloward-Pivien's strategy with the USA.

·         Shutting the Government down (although not a new tactic an absurd and stupid one costing tax payers millions of dollars)

Why wasn't that Obama's fault?  Are Republicans suppose to do everything Obama wants just because?  He's the one who came up with the Sequester originally anyway and the Executive Order Amnesty right before the Debt Ceiling decision to raise the ceiling.  Obama built that one up didn't he, but in the end it wasn't anywhere near what his scare tactic predicted.  You do know that was a 10% decrease of the increase.

·         Not passing a budget for 6 years

Do you know when the last budget was passed PJ?  What about the one before it?

·         Debt ceiling standoff resulting in the first credit rating downgrade in the history of the United States

Didn't seem to hurt too much.  The Debt ceiling was around $14 trillion then and is now over $18 trillion.

Criticism

Both Democratic and Republican politicians criticized S&P's decision, as well as placing blame with the other party. Few blamed themselves despite bi-partisan Congressional responsibility for passing budget deficits from 2002 onward ^[16] and significant deficits for the 2012–2021 periods in U.S. President Barack Obama 's 2012 federal budget . ^[17]

en.wikipedia

Anyway that's all I have PJ.

Sorry A Mac, but I can't go over all the things you put up which are probably 6 full screens.  I've about had my fill anyway.

Good morning Six.  Let me preface my response to you by saying my comments highlighted some of the actions I hold the Republican’s responsible for.  That doesn’t mean I don’t hold Democrats responsible or that I don’t acknowledge that they have advocated policies and laws that have hurt the country.  Side note: I’m changing the format on how I respond to show just the bullets without your comments for space and length purposes only.    

• Sending a letter to Iran against the President of the United States

There is nothing in my mind that justifies the actions of fellow lawmakers going around the President of the United States and actively working in union with another country against an ongoing negation for the purpose of sabotaging it, nothing.  So I think your question is a deflection on the real issue which is mutiny and conspiring with Israel against America's interest.  I’m not happy that President Obama has bypassed Congress and when we look at all the times in which he tried to work with Congress to no avail it’s easy to recognize a losing battle.  I'm not saying it justifies it.  Let’s keep this in perspective, Republican presidents have, on average, invoked more executive orders than have any Democratic president, which again isn't a justification but just a fact.  

• Ignoring protocol and inviting a foreign dignitary to the United States to speak in front of Congress

Full disclosure – I cannot abide Mr. Netanyahu so there is very little anyone could say to me that would put me on the side of Mr. Netanyahu.  If I could ensure that none of my money that I pay towards taxes went to Israel I would take whatever actions necessary to make that happen.  Mr. Netanyahu is a manipulative money hungry piece of shit who laughs all the way to the bank as he’s cashing America’s check.  I can generally keep my cool on just about any subject BUT Mr. Netanyahu.  If I could strip away the Jewish heritage in my family, I would because of my absolute hatred I hold for that man.  I’m American first unlike other Jewish Americans whose allegiance is to Israel before America.  You really got my blood pumping on this question.  I’m taking deep breaths so that I answer.  Inhale…..exhale inhale…..exhale

 I don’t think either Party including the President should be circumventing any branch of Government.

• The number of filibusters invoked

Six, I agree that both Parties misuse certain parliamentary procedures.  I hope you can at minimum acknowledge that the amount of filibusters that the Republicans have conducting is historical and a record that I hope future lawmakers going forward will NOT try and break.

• Shutting the Government down (although not a new tactic an absurd and stupid one costing tax payers millions of dollars)

Out of all the questions you’ve asked me so far on this is the one I’m most defeated to hear you pose.  I don’t think there is anything I can say that would change your view if you don’t already recognize the efforts Congress went to for the purpose of shutting down the Government.  I am going to respectfully ask for a pass because I'm enjoying getting to know you too much (sometimes retreat is the best option).

• Not passing a budget for 6 years

I do know when every budget is passed because I’m required to submit reports to Congress on how some of the appropriations are obligated and to ensure that the stipulations set forth by Congress are met.  I take this responsibility very serious.  I’m a steward for the American people.  No money will get mismanaged or misused under my watch.  We’ve been running on a CR for many many years (although it is not considered a “budget” in the sense of the word, Congress does appropriate funds based on previous fiscal year funding).  A budget was finally passed this fiscal year.  My favorite activity is when I receive a deadline from a staffer to provide historical funding data going years back years because some spoiled Congressman wants it “right now”!  as he jumps up and down, face turning purple, fists clenched.  Everything is stopped to focus on these bogus requests and the tax payers once again lose money.

• Debt ceiling standoff resulting in the first credit rating downgrade in the history of the United States

Six! ….men, as she rolls her brown eyes and shakes her head.  Your comment isn’t a rebuttal but a brush off.   Silly Six.  By the way, I was trying to think up a name for you and a couple of your band of brothers here on NT.  Kinda like the Jesse James gang but better!  I’ll get back to you with some names for no other purpose but to entertain you.

Accepted pro black positions?  Really?  Are all blacks supposed to think alike?  Are they not entitled to be as politically and ideologically diverse as white people are.  I'd say they all have every right to be anything party and have any ideology they want and to be free of being called race traitors if they choose anything other than democrat and liberal.  

Accepted pro black positions?  Really?  Are all blacks supposed to think alike?  Are they not entitled to be as politically and ideologically diverse as white people are.  I'd say they all have every right to be anything party and have any ideology they want and to be free of being called race traitors if they choose anything other than democrat and liberal.  

Had I taken any of the positions you rail against, you'd have a point or two … and I gave specifics as to why I question "Black Conservatism" being synonymous with Republican/Tea Party/Conservativism … it's not … and that's why I defined it at the top of my comment. There's a gap existing between the prototype "Black Conservative" and a Black Republican/Conservative of today.

• How many ELECTED Black Republican members are part of the current Congress? 

• Since so many Blacks are among the underemployed and held back in much of the upper echelons of corporate America, why do Republicans fight raising the minimum wage, fight food stamps for the WORKING poor, kiss corporate ass … push for voter-suppression laws aimed at Blacks (et al) … open your eyes my friend … Black Republican so-called Conservatives are no friends of their Black brothers and sisters in "Black America".

Two congress persons.  One from an almost all white district in Utah and another from a majority Hispanic district in Texas.  Then there is a U.S. Senator elected state wide in South Carolina which also has an Indian American governor also elected state wide.  There are more at the state and local level. 

Please post on-topic. 

@pj :

John is going to put a "Wiki" article on Wikipedia titled "Sixpick - All You Ever Needed To Know".

Please John. 

Please Six.

On-topic, OK??

May I try a different approach, Six? Let's try to be precise. Which of Mr Obama's actions -- very precisely -- do you consider wrong, and why, and what would you have done instead? Name one or two examples, and let's examine them  -- calmly and together -- in detail.

I can hear your dislike in "Obama hasn't done a thing to pull this country together"... but since you supply no precise detail, there can be no discussion.

I purposefully began this article by recalling the fact that Mr Obama tried to recruit quite a few Republicans for his cabinet, and did in fact enroll a few. That was a concrete effort "to pull the country together". You can say that he has done nothing... but I have already given proof that he has... 

If we want a conversation that is better than "Did so! Did not! Did so! Did not!" then we must be factual.

There is a virtual flood of information, statements and actions that indicate widespread racism against President Obama over the past 8 years. We have seen much of it related on these very Newstalker pages. 

Still, Sixpick promotes the fantasy that no one or very few people opposed Obama because he was the first black president. This level of disassociation from reality cannot be reasoned with. 

STOP IT, John.

Bob, you do not want to address people who come on and trash your premise. Your premise is that Obama succeeded to an extent and he is still not praised by his own party's base. 

Sixpick, Cerenkov, Petey , etc are not interested in your premise. So what is the point of all this? I'll just leave the thread.

I gave you all the answer anyway. Obama is a moderate in practice because that is how he wants the first black presidency portrayed. 

because that is how he wants the first black presidency portrayed.

So ... it's all an act ??

Apparently JR sees black men differently than white men. 

He thinks they have (Removed at author request/Off Topic - Fero)

Quit blaming his poor performance on his skin color. I suspect he would have sucked just as badly had he been white. 

Quit blaming his poor performance on his skin color. I suspect he would have sucked just as badly had he been white. 

Check the list of his accomplishments I posted; they came despite the efforts to undermine him.

You righties demagogue your asses off; "poor performance" is one of the right-wing anti-Obama mantras. No one's blaming his skin color for a poor performance … I FOR ONE AM BLAMING THOSE WHO WANTED TO SABOTAGE HIS TIME IN OFFICE ON THEIR SKIN COLOR!

It's not skin color that is the issue . (Removed at author request/Off Topic - Fero)

The irony of course is that he's as much white as he is black. 

A fact that the racists detest even more than being all black.  It represents a tainting of their gene pool.

@bob-nelson :

I know you started this article as a loving reminder of how Obama did everything he could and the racist were against him.  And I nailed it when I put just a few names up who have been attacked by the Liberals and not one time has the race card been used by us.

I've made my point.  If everyone wants to step around the truth, so be it.

Six,

There are 350 million people in the USA. Ten percent are Black -- that's 35 million people. With numbers that big, individual cases are not very significant. If only one tenth of one percent of the Black population are wingnut wackos... that is still thirty five thousand individuals.

You listed a dozen people. What do they prove? That among the thirty-five million Black in America there are some people who think "X"?

Please, Six... 

Let's talk cases. Specific actions. Who did what, with what result... and from there, what should have been done to get what other result...

IMNAAHO, the Middle East is a great example of non-conversation. People never take the time to talk things through. Nobody is happy with the situation. But "resolving" the mess is not a matter of waving a magic wand. There must be a long-term strategy for the region, and then each "situation" must be treated according to that strategy and the situation's specificities. "One size fits all" is childish nonsense. ... And yet most "conversations" on the subject are nothing more than exchanges of epithets.

Don't bother, Six. The left sees racism everywhere except in the mirror, where it actually resides.

Please, Cerenkov...

The topic is neither the left nor racism. It is very explicit in the article:

Objectively, Mr Obama has done quite well. So... Why is no one happy with him?

Please stay on topic.

I was on topic. Your article claims opposition was due to racism. If you don't want racism to be the topic, revise your article.

Off-topic. Last warning.

On topic.

There are no Mods available right now. I will request deletion of this thread as soon as one becomes available.

Sounds like fun. Censorship is often effective.

Cerenkov ; . 

Which of Mr Obama's actions -- very precisely -- do you consider wrong, and why, and what would you have done instead?

Personally I am concerned with results . Obama seems to have just given up on trying to get the labor force participation rates back up to where they were . Also the average wages paid . Dropping unemployment is good but its only half the story . Why are liberals not holding his feet to the fire about that ?

My question was addressed to Sixpick, Petey... but if you want to answer, that's fine with me. I asked, 

... and what would you have done instead?

Your response:

Obama seems to have just given up on trying to get the labor force participation rates back up to where they were .

... does not answer my question. What would you have done instead?

Please understand, Petey, that this is not a gotcha. If we want to discuss seriously, then we must both be precise . Saying "I'm not happy!" does not help us to understand why, nor how to correct the situation.

What would you have done instead?

That's above my pay grade ... but not above Obama's . How about answering my question :

Why are liberals not holding his feet to the fire about that ?

C'mon Petey... We've done this before. If you don't want to talk about the subject I offer, that's OK... but you don't get to substitute a different one.

I expressed myself as clearly as I can . You OTOH choose to ignore perfectly reasonable back issues that I bring up . What a cowardly dodge ...

Great article, Bob! Thanks!

What was the source of the seeded article? 

President Obama was very aware his decisions would be viewed first as a black man’s decisions and not as a democrat or liberal; just as he was aware his accomplishments, successes, and failures will impact Presidential bids for future Black Americans.  As far as his ego goes, any truly successful person has to be very self-confident.  I am curious to see how history captures his Presidency and how the leaders and voters that supported and opposed him will be remembered.   

I can't act as a moderator in this thread because I've commented as a member, so please, as one member to another, stay away from the insults and personal stuff.

"There's some straightforward racism, of course. My father once looked me in the eye and said, "I don't like Obama 'cause I don't like Black people!" He was a nasty critter... but he was hardly alone."

I don't believe opposition to Obama's radical agenda is based on racism. I think that a convenient canard of the left.

Cerenkov,

I don't believe opposition to Obama's radical agenda is based on racism. I think that a convenient canard of the left.

If you actually read the article, then you must have seen this, immediately following the text you quoted:

Still... it would be an egregious exaggeration to attribute too much of Mr Obama's lack of popularity to the crazy "Kenyan socialist" fringe.

My point was that saying "all opposition to Obama is based on racism" is too simple. To understand the ambient racism that most definitely does exist, and most definitely does account for much of the President's unthinking right-wing opposition, one must understand the Fox Nation echo chamber / feedback loop.

Where do you get your "news", Cerenkov? I would bet that you watch Fox almost exclusively. So -- inevitably -- you are gradually borged by Fox's incessant message, "Obama is evil!"

Fox doesn't give a horse's ass about anything... except selling airtime. Racism is an easy button to push, so they push it. But they must not be too obvious, so they hide behind code-words like "inner-city". They do this constantly... and as a result, constant watchers are drowned in "inner-city". Constant watchers become accustomed to this "easy racism". Hey! It's 24/7 on Fox, so it can't be bad, now can it?

And racism is so-o-o-o easy! If I can condemn a guy just on the basis of his color... then I don't have to think! There are a lot of people, Cerenkov, who don't like to think.

So... Let's get off "racism"... which we agree is not the interesting answer to the question, "Objectively, Mr Obama has done quite well. So... Why is no one happy with him?"

I don't watch any fox news. Your prejudicial assumptions do not surprise me though. It's easy to paint all conservatives with simple strokes, eh?

Alright, then... where do you get your news? 

Local newspaper websites, news aggregates like Google, Yahoo, etc. I can't stand to watch TV news any more. This way I get to see a variety of sources.

Which newspapers?

Charleston Post & Courier, ABQ Journal, NM Tribune, etc. I use those mostly for local news.

I took a look at their editorial pages -- that's the quickest way to see how they fly.

The Post & Courier's analysis of the State of the Union is a Republican laundry list. The Journal subbed the topic out to Charles Krauthammer, a far-r-r right wacko, and (more importantly) a very dishonest man, intellectually. A rock-ribbed hypocrite. Googling "NM Tribune" takes me to... the Journal...??

These papers appear to be inside the Fox Nation echo chamber / feedback loop.

That's a pretty fast judgment, Bob. Are you aware that the P&C won a Pulitzer last year for their series on domestic violence? Dismissing them based on one editorial is pretty shallow.

In any case, I said I use those for local news.

So what do you use for national and international news? 

Google and Yahoo. They provide a wide spectrum of sources.

They are "wire service" news sites. They have no "Opinion" page. Not much in-depth analysis. Where do you go for those? 

I don't need external sites to feed me opinions. I can generate those myself.

I don't need external sites to feed me opinions. I can generate those myself.

Fine. What about in-depth analyses? Where do you get those? 

"Objectively, Mr Obama has done quite well. So... Why is no one happy with him?"

Here is my answer from above :

thenewstalkers

The link doesn't seem to lead to a response from you, Petey.

Between Bob's graphs that start at the end of 2008 and A Mac's accomplishments I don't know what I'm going to do.  Bob's charts are like a person standing beside a car and telling the person how slow it is going, then taking possession of the car, floor boarding it for the next mile and then bragging about how fast it is going since he took over.

The Democrats caused the Housing Bubble and the burst was inevitable.  Bush, although he was a piece of crap and McCain who is also a piece of crap, both tried to get them to put more regulations on the mortgage companies such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but people like Maxine Waters and Barney Frank who was in charge of it wouldn't have anything to do with it and since Clinton set it up where the Mortgage companies were fined if they didn't give out those crappy loans it was bound to come to pass.  It almost appears the Democrats had it all planned out.  Even Bill Clinton put the blame on the Democrats as much as he could, but he was probably trying to take him out of the picture.

The Democrats were already using that "You're a Racist" if you want to use common sense mortgage lending when the Regulators confronted them in Congress about it.

Then of course some of Obama's biggest supporters who later became part of Obama's White House took the free ride to riches and no one ever did anything about it.  How could they when Wall Street put so much money into him.  And Frank Raines and Company made off with millions of dollars in bonuses for screwing the American Public on those safe loans.

And to have the government gain so much control over the public with Obamacare to only have around 1% more people insured proves the main author of Obamacare was right when he said it was never about healthcare, but income redistribution.

Oh, by the way, I know the Republicans for the most part aren't worth a crap, but if you notice the graph above just remember the Republicans have had control of since 2010 and majority since 2012 when as much as possible with two crappy leaders, Mitch McConnell and John Boehner ruled like Obama and should be given credit for many of the things Obama wanted he received.

Oh, by the way... why is it always everyone has to work with Obama and never the other way around?  I see in previous comments such things as the president's budget.  Well the president presents his budget if he isn't slack by February, every president.  I don't believe anyone has voted Yea on any Obama has produced, and thank God, whoever or whatever you want they didn't since we'd probably owe way up in the 20 plus trillion dollars on our National Debt by now.  By the way the only real budget that has been passed was in 1997, when Newt Gingrich was the Speaker of the House.

Reagan created nearly twice as many jobs as Obama and they weren't part time jobs either like they are now.  Clinton had it best of all though.  No wonder he could screw around so much.  The biggest boom we've had since the 40's and 50's was the Dot.com boom which not building houses but starting new businesses.  He was fortunate to be president during the 90's. He could have just worked on Mondays and taken the rest of the week off and we would have done great.  Why is it he gets a pass on his escapades?

Did they set a budget in 2007, 2008 or 2009.  I do know that Nancy Pelosi spent more money than any other House Speaker combined in the history of this country.  Here something to check out since the rules are different for Republicans than Democrats.

washingtonpost

And don't forget to check out ole Ed Schultz.  He's working for the Kremlin now.  Just a natural progression from MSNBC.

en.wikipedia

Ed Schultz heads to Russia

thehill

Crerenkov....... you know if you don't watch MSMBC you're a racist, don't you?

The Democrats caused the Housing Bubble and the burst was inevitable.  Bush, although he was a piece of crap and McCain who is also a piece of crap, both tried to get them to put more regulations on the mortgage companies such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, 

Sorry, that's not accurate.

Bush drive for home ownership fueled housing bubble

WASHINGTON —  "We can put light where there's darkness, and hope where there's despondency in this country. And part of it is working together as a nation to encourage folks to own their own home."

- President George W. Bush, Oct. 15, 2002

The global financial system was teetering on the edge of collapse when Bush and his economics team huddled in the Roosevelt Room of the White House for a briefing that, in the words of one participant, "scared the hell out of everybody."

It was Sept. 18. Lehman Brothers had just gone belly-up, overwhelmed by toxic mortgages. Bank of America had swallowed Merrill Lynch in a hastily arranged sale. Two days earlier, Bush had agreed to pump $85 billion into the failing insurance giant American International Group.

The president listened as Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve, laid out the latest terrifying news: The credit markets, gripped by panic, had frozen overnight, and banks were refusing to lend money.

Then his Treasury secretary, Henry Paulson Jr., told him that to stave off disaster, he would have to sign off on the biggest government bailout in history. Bush, according to several people in the room, paused for a single, stunned moment to take it all in.

"How," he wondered aloud, "did we get here?"

Eight years after arriving in Washington vowing to spread the dream of home ownership, Bush is leaving office, as he himself said recently, "faced with the prospect of a global meltdown" with roots in the housing sector he so ardently championed.

nytimes

Oh, by the way... why is it always everyone has to work with Obama and never the other way around?  

The Cost To Our Economy From Republican Obstruction And Sabotage

SEPTEMBER 23, 2014

Reagan created nearly twice as many jobs as Obama and they weren't part time jobs either like they are now. 

Obama Outperforms Reagan On Jobs, Growth And Investing

forbes

As for part-time jobs and under-employment …

Senate GOP kills measure to curb job 'outsourcing'

foxnews

NOTE: Sixpick and I disagree regularly on political issues … but I consider him a good guy and a friend and I'd break bread, have a beer and go fishing with him at the first opportunity.

That needed to be said, IMO.

Six,

Between Bob's graphs that start at the end of 2008 and A Mac's accomplishments I don't know what I'm going to do.  Bob's charts are like a person standing beside a car and telling the person how slow it is going, then taking possession of the car, floor boarding it for the next mile and then bragging about how fast it is going since he took over.

The  topic is Mr Obama .  My charts show the situation  Mr Obama  inherited, and how the situation evolved during  Mr Obama's  administration. That seems to be pretty reasonable for an article about  Mr Obama.  I barely mentioned  Mr Obama's  predecessor, and certainly no President earlier than that.  The  topic  is  Mr Obama .  

The Democrats caused the Housing Bubble...

Umm... No: 

Do I need to remind which party held the White House from 2000 to 2008? Which party held the White House from 1992 to 2000?

Six... I don't know where you "heard" that the Dems caused the housing bubble... but it simply is not true . Whatever that source of information was, you should be wary of it in the future because it lies to you.

(I'm not sure how much impact a President has on housing prices. That's more in the Fed's domain. But the bubble did not happen under a Democrat.)

I'm assuming that you made this statement in good faith. That you actually believed it. (I insist on this a bit, because I know there are some folks who knowingly   tell lies. Yes, yes... sadly... There are even some of them here on NT. But I really do not think it is your case. You truly believe this kind of misinformation.

May I suggest, though, that you are not sufficiently skeptical of the "information" that you hear from your current sources? This housing bubble fumble shows that you did not question an information that was a flat-out lie . You accepted it, and even repeated it.

Worse: you at least partly build larger opinions on it. 

Are there other falsehoods in the foundations of your opinions? 

Six... It took me thirty seconds to google "housing bubble 2008" to find this chart. You might want to check your facts before repeating "facts you heard" from whatever source gave you this gem. 

And to have the government gain so much control over the public with Obamacare to only have around 1% more people insured

Um... No. And you already had this information in this article :

Once again something that you "know" simply is not true . Again, you have accepted an information... you have built an opinion on that information... but the information is false! Is it time to start wondering whether the opinions built on false information may be false, too?

Reagan created nearly twice as many jobs as Obama...

Ummm.... No.

Need I point out the years that were Reagan's, Clinton's, Bush's and Obama's?

I think you can read the chart.

Once again... you really, really , really need to doubt your current news sources. They're lying to you.

You are building your opinions on falsehoods.

Your news sources are leading you to say things that are not true.

One last time, Six... I am convinced that yu hold your opinions in good faith. You are not knowingly repeating lies, because you do not know that what you are repeating is a pack of lies. 

Your sources are manipulating you, Six... But don't feel too bad. That's the whole point of Fox Nation and the right wing echo chamber / feedback loop: telling people lies that form their opinion, and then profiting from the fervor of that opinion.

Think for yourself, Six...

From the article:

There's some straightforward racism, of course. My father once looked me in the eye and said, "I don't like Obama 'cause I don't like Black people!" He was a nasty critter... but he was hardly alone. Still... it would be an egregious exaggeration to attribute too much of Mr Obama's lack of popularity to the crazy "Kenyan socialist" fringe.

More subtly, I think that the Obama Presidency has seen a return on-stage of an "acceptable, automatic, presumed racism". It has become common practice for public figures to use thinly-veiled code-words like "thug" or "inner city".

This return of "acceptable" racism may be seen as just one manifestation of the generalization of "Fox Nation". The importance of Rupert Murdoch's network cannot be overstated. Fox News sets the standard for "acceptable craziness", and tens of millions of Americans never get "news" from any other source. If Fox "examines the question of Barack Obama's nationality"... then tens of millions of Americans presume that there is a genuine question there. Fox would surely not spend interminable hours on Benghazi if there were nothing to it!

Unending, 24/7 repetition of topics like "Is Barack Obama the worst President in history?" eventually brainwash the audience: "well, if they're asking the question, he must be at least among the worst!"

So I don't think there's much point in asking why Fox's public is so critical of Mr Obama. They're brainwashed... and happy to be so.

But what about liberals? Does anyone hear praise of Mr Obama coming from the left? I don't. And certainly, I myself (self-declared anarcho-socialist) do not consider his record at all satisfactory.

So what does Bob do with over 100 comments already on the article after avoiding answering my question of why is it always racist to criticize Obama and never racist to criticize a black Conservative which he has avoided answering the entire time although it is plainly part of his article and a legitimate question?  The second comment was a extensive comment by A Mac using the race card and this is the third comment with Bob agreeing with A Mac on the use of the race card. since we get tired of the unfounded accusation and

01/16/16 04:15:21PM @bob-nelson :

I agree with everything you say here, Mac.

I think there's something more that is happening, too. The Fox echo chamber / feedback loop has rendered "unspoken racism" acceptable. It is acceptable to deny that cops kill Black men vastly more often than White men. It is acceptable to blame poor people (a euphemism for Black people) for being poor. And so on. 

"If it's OK to think / talk that way on TV, it's OK anywhere... righr? "

No. 

So approximately 100+ comments later after never answering my question, Bob post this after A Mac put his two cents in.

01/17/16 11:01:30AM @bob-nelson :

Mac,

The topic here is

Objectively, Mr Obama has done quite well. So... Why is no one happy with him?

Please don't participate in a derail to Black conservatism.

And of course A Mac said "OK".  This was after Bob drilled Cerenkov for about a page as to where he received his news.  In my opinion he is acting like the good little Socialist he is, censoring everything he doesn't want to hear, which has become his trademark.

It is deeply rooted in his hate for his father. He was damaged as a child resulting in the narcissism we see here. That is the driver behind the desire to control the actions of others. In the article we see he regards his father as a nasty critter. 

Off-topic, Dean. 

Please stop. 

Six, 

Please stay calm. I am answering you with respect, and I would like to receive the same courtesy. 

... avoiding answering my question of why is it always racist to criticize Obama and never racist to criticize a black Conservative... 

I did not answer your question because it is off-topic. The topic here is very explicit:

Objectively, Mr Obama has done quite well. So... Why is no one happy with him?

I don't derail my own articles. 

As for Mac... He posted detailed answers to you. When he drifted too far, I politely asked him to desist. Same treatment as all participants. 

As for Cerenkov... If he is unhappy with our conversation, he will surely express himself. As I demonstrated in a previous post to you, there are "news sources" that lie. In any serious conversation, there is a need to know about the other participants' sources. I post enough that my own sources are common knowledge, but if Cerenkov wanted details, I would be glad to give them. 

Six... I am not interested in "gotcha". I am always looking for serious conversation that explores the whys and wherefores of our opinions. I would be happy to answer, for you or anyone, the same sort of questions. 

I assume good faith from you. How about reciprocity? 

Virtually everything in this thread is off topic. I tried to tell Bob, but I guess he is not interested. 

I answered the question posed in the article, in one of the first comments on the thread. 134 comments later it is another mess. 

Your answer while entertaining and thought provoking was just one mans opinion. I doubt is will be widely accepted outside of a very small group of far left racially obsessed individuals that have a very myopic view of why Obamas approval rating is what it is. They totally ignore the negative affects of his so called successes on the American people. 

C'mon Dean... 

Trolling John is unworthy. Too easy. 

John can't resist a troll. Find a tougher target, or you loose all your style points! 

It just goes to show how differently we see things as I see your comment as being more trollish than my own. 

You understand, Dean, that (Deleted - CoC Violation) contribute zero added value to the conversations that you "visit"? You are a (Deleted - CoC Violation), protected by Perrie's absurdist CoC. 

                   - Attack/Address the comment not the commenter. Thx - Fero

Dean, you either ignored or did not understand the question Bob posed in the original article. 

I did understand it, and answered it. 

President Obama has deliberately been a mainstream moderate, because he knows of his historic place in the list of US Presidents. 

Whether I am right or wrong though, not one other person on this thread responded to that contention. Everyone else went off on a tangent. 

This is a major issue with this site, every day. 

Dean understands perfectly. He's trolling you. 

Whether I am right or wrong though, not one other person on this thread responded to that contention. Everyone else went off on a tangent. 

This is a major issue with this site, every day. 

Absolutely. And unless Perrie finds a solution,  it will kill NewsTalkers. 

If we look at your comment above one could see it as very far off topic. The most harmful thing to the future of NT's would be to attempt to limit the scope of a conversation. If that was done your own comment would surely be found to be off topic. Nothing will drive members away from NT's faster than censorship. 

Going off topic can raise frustrations but it can also stimulate more discussion and prompt thinking out of the box.  I'm not saying to allow "trolling" but if its a genuine point isn't that a good thing?  To Dean's point, maybe that's not what NT is supposed to do but if it's not giving members something that attracts them they won't return.

PJ, I assume you are making your comment in good faith, but it is not a perceptive comment in this situation. 

The people who came on this thread and totally disputed the announced premise of the seed were not trying to think "outside the box" , they were trying to discredit the idea that Obama had succeeded in anything. Because that is what they do , 100% of the time. 

There is enough naivete around here without anyone adding any more. 

There is enough naivete around here without anyone adding any more.

Are you intentionally trying to offend me or is this just your rigid personality?  I appreciate your suggestion but I'll stick to what you call naivete and what I call looking at the positive and staying away from those engulfed in cynicism.  Maybe your just having a bad day.  If that's the case I hope it improves.

Please, PJ... 

John is a good fellow... but a bit quick triggered... 

Bob - I'm sure John is a good person.  I'm not questioning his integrity.  For goodness sake's - I wrote the man a love letter earlier in this thread.  ;0)  See....I'm already smiling.  I guess I just drive him crazy taking the middle of the road approach.  I just need a little more time to "learn" John.