I doubt there are many champagne corks popping in the White House to mark the President’s first year in power. If he didn’t have his work out before, this result in Massachusetts makes things a whole lot harder.
If you’d like to send us a video (of 60 seconds or under) with your first year report for the President, please email it to this address. We’ll do our best to use any many as we can. Here’s the BBC’s assessment of the President’s first year..
When Barack Obama was announced as America’s next president people cried tears of joy and celebrated high on the promise of hope and change.
But one year on, opinion polls show that there is growing disappointment over Obama’s performance.
He’s been criticized for being too cool, detached and uninvolved. But it is not only his style which has left people disillusioned. People have started to doubt his substance.
Here it is claimed that he made 502 specific campaign promises and so far he has fulfilled 91. On another 33, he can claim partial success. This link provides a good breakdown of his major policies.
Healthcare has been a contentious issue but for this blogger healthcare has been his only success, “Aside from the health care debate, Obama has failed to show Americans that “change” is on the way.”
Many of his voters felt let down by his performance at the Copenhagen summit on climate change.
Obama’s campaign thrived on his pledge to end the war in Iraq, and focus on the war in Afghanistan. But with difficult economic times it has been hard for some Americans to reconcile this with Obama sending more troops to Afghanistan. Redcliffe62 comments “Unless Obama takes the troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan and focuses on jobs for Mr. Average American who hears the speeches but the only “change” there is are the coins in their pocket which they have to buy that week’s groceries after all their other costs are included”
One year into his presidency Guantanamo Bay is still open. But this blogger acknowledges that and says “it is a work-in-progress.”
Obama was more to many than just another president. C.N wrote on his blog “Many Americans thought that Barack Obama’s election was the culmination of Dr. King’s dream and concrete proof that we have evolved into a “post-racial,” colorblind society” This hope was shared globally and to this day this sense of pride remains. But some are starting to doubt whether he has advanced race relations compared with a year ago.
Is Obama lossing his grip? Obama and his party took a blow today when they lost a traditionally Democratic Senate seat in Massachusetts to the Republicans. Ampersand writes “what happened in Massachusetts is a harbinger of things to come in the 2010 midterms”.
Obama told a town hall crowd in California. “Change doesn’t happen overnight.” Does Obama just need more time? Or did he over-promise? What do you make of his first year in office?
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George Bush 3rd term is as you’d expect. For all the claims of change, not one single policy of George Bush has been reversed. Obama has either coniu=nued or intensified all of Busjes excesses. If you want to know what would happen if bush had a thirs term, well now you know.
The people of the USA truly have no choice in party politics are they are now indistinguishable.
This is a charismatic President who has done so much to restore the world’s faith in America. His impact has been so great that the Nobel committee took the unprecedented step of awarding him the Nobel Peace Prize.The world perception of America has changed. America is now looked upon as more caring. The Obama effect has been unmistakeable and has been so positive. Objectively he assumed the Presidency in very troubled financial and economic times. Still he managed to inject so much positive energy despite the doom and gloom around. America will need more dynamic people like Obama to steady the ship. He has trusted colleagues like Hillary Clinton who is extremely astute and capable. He would easily get an A- or a B++ for his first year in office.
Gets an F
Has to repeat the year
I agree with you. He’ll probably not only have to repeat the year, he’ll probably need to repeat the term too.
Sure John,
he has done absolutly nothing……unless you consider his efforts on closing gitmo, health care reform, reducing forces in iraq etc as nothing. The man has been in power for one year.
Guantanamo is still open
Why was he elected? Because many people were so desperate to get rid of the neocons.
Now, one year later, what’s happened? Literally pick almost any issue. And there’s no accountability. Yet, nobody does anything. Why? In the real world, the rest of us have to be responsible for our actions. But Obama doesn’t because he’s the World’s Coolest President?
i’d agree with John a 100%. President Obama talked a lot abt change, but do we see any?
It is high disappoint of the so-called first of his government because he silenced on so many occussion which was led mrs. Clinton to became madam president for example there was security broke in the history of state of the union were 23-years old Nigerian tried to boom transaltantic air on US soil. Health issue on CNN,BBC is that why? Americans voted for you, No! mr. president, you just became the most popular designer in the world and good dance. please mr. president you are source person check corruption in your administration and securi t. Sir, well done good start this year with HAITI.
Considering what Obama took over, I think that he has done an amazing job of trying to turn the supertanker around. Obama has done what is humanly possible in the realm of ‘realpolitics’ with the Republicans and the skeptics fighting him every inch of the way.
President Obama has integrity and that will always make a difference. Now we can see what happens to Edward Kennedy’s seat in the Senate today.
It’s hard to judge. Things are changing more slowly than I anticipated, but he does seem to have to swim against the current, which would slow anybody down.
Nothing positive in thoughts,words or action has come out of the most dearing president just yet,to be quite honest i do not think anything ever will!.We have been time and time again tricked by open deceit and promises that has not materialized.It must be understood from a social stand point somethings CANNOT change.Controlling organizations in America has fixed goals that will not be altered by any one man,remember John F Kennedy???
FIX THE PRESIDENCY FIRST AND THEN APPRAISE THE PRESIDENT AFTERWARDS
There are two sticking issues in my mind when it comes to the appraisal of Obama. One of them is the PRESIDENT and the other is the PRESIDENCY. Obama as prsident has tried very hard but is boggled down by the presidency that is entangled in so many traps (business interests and cutting of corners)- it apperas as if America is swallowed in too much democracy in that country and good intentions are often hijacked by selfish forces. This explains the numerous backtrackings that Obama has had to undergo in order to maintain the presidency and serve all interests. If things go as they are now, Obama is not the first nor the last and it appears presidents in the US cannot do much because of the so many givens. Race issue is a diversion and not the real issue about him. For this reason, I withhold my appraisal card for the time being.
He has done well enough. Could have done better on Iraq, Guantanamo and Gays-in-the-Military. No major atrocities. Did well having to face the banking crisis and later the confidence crisis from Day 1. Didn’t bring any fresh thinking to the trench that is Afghanistan. Improved relations with Russia and Europe. So far so good on Iran – wait and see game. C+
The Israel/Palestine issue can’t be tackled by anyone for the moment. The Israelis are particularly aggravated and the Palestinians are particularly disorganised.
The US Congress gets an F- as usual.
I am New Yorker up in Mass (Ma) today trying to undo what Obama is trying to do.
Obama will go down in United States history as the worst president ever. The man had nothing behind him to qualify him to the position and it is showing.
However, if Europe thinks he is a great man, perhaps he can be drafted over there. We will gladly give him up. Not all yet, some (NOT THE MAJORITY) do not have the strength to admit they made a horrible decision electing him…but they will!
Luci..Obama has integrity? Are you kidding me? Name me ONE issue that he did not lie about..ONE. Perhaps the C Span issue? I have never heard a president tell so many recorded and broadcasted lies…ever.
Bye Bye Obama! Enjoy the next 3 years. You are a disgrace.
You’ll have a good reading on how things are after the Mass special election is done. In heavily liberal Massachusetts, that a republican has even a chance of winning Ted Kennedy’s former seat in the senate speaks volumes about how the people at least in Mass are viewing the first year.
Obama can’t change the policies of the US without changing the system that produces these policies. That could take generations.
On the money.changing the cast but following the same script is futile .
Now we have a president with more common sense than someone who talk to god before going to war.A* in my book.
I do not care what people say about Barack Obama, I would highly appreciate him. During the last 8 years, we never had time to talk of peaceful resolution of issues, but alway thought of brutality. By then, I use to worry a lot, and always asked where did we come from and where are we heading? The was nothing but attacking others in the name of terror. I want to hear a peaceful resolutions of issues not by means of war. No one wanted to talk about climate change BUT win war on terror. Now, I just feel we are heading right
Economics, weak. The crisis was not his fault. Corporate bailouts were bad. Float money to the public, probably more good than not.
International relations, good. In general he kept his word. Sometimes things don’t go exactly as planned but you know when the effort is real. Also, we lost a lot of problematic arrogance with him.
Domestically, a serious failure. An almost hopeless fight for a sledgehammer fix to health care when minor guidance would do the job. He ignored other easy tweaks to refine major issues such as social security and financial systems.
Clearly not one of our best.
As I thought, and what others felt at the inaugural events, were the expectations of Obama realistic? Even on Jan 19-20th of Last year when the BBC was in town, I, and others felt that people had way too many expectations for Obama. A year has passed, he’s looking more and more like your typical politician as each day goes by. People were only going to be let down, but not a shock to me in the slightest. We’ll have a much better picture after the Mass election results come in, because that will likely be a good indicator how this november’s elections will go, where it’s widely expected for the republicans to regain seats, but how many?
@ T. Kootee, You talk about there being no talks about peaceful remedies for the past 8 years, yet Obama is INCREASING the amount of soldiers in Afghanistan. How is that “peaceful”?
Afghanistan troops are ‘peaceful’. It is not an invasion to replace the existing government. But it is fair to criticize other political pressure. We went with UN and Afghani support. To leave before the situation is better would be irresponsible. To make it better according to all that are there on the ground, we need more troops.
The expectations of the groupie, teary-eyed crowds duing the campaign were clearly way too high. Thank goodness for checks and balances built into the US government, Obama’s aspirations have been throttled somewhat.
I give him very high marks for NOT slowing down the troop withrdrawal timetable for Iraq — so far. I really appreciate his unwillingness to use ongoing violence there as an excuse to stick around.
Afghanistan? That’s another story. He may be dragging that one out ad infinitum, we don’t know yet. Not that I totally disagree with our mission in Afghanistan, as I totally disagreed with the Iraq quagmire we got into for no good reason.
Bad marks for heath care reform, I think. In health care reform, so called, he has not gone after tort reform or tweaking the actual health care industry. Only health insurance. So I don’t see too much hope there, except for those who want to see much increased health care costs.
Bad marks also for the mad rush to bail out industries left and right. Wow. There seemed no stopping him there, initially. The only thing that made this at all palatable was that the conditions he placed on bailouts were so distasteful to the execs that they are trying to get out from under the government thumb as fast as possible. I also think that some of the supposedly necessary changes in the auto industry were not necessary or beneficial at all — except to appeal to the preconceived notions of clueless legislators. (I suppose that’s fair, in some ways. Beg for money from the ill-informed, and you pay a price.)
I have the distinct impression that Obama is much like Jack Kennedy. Better liked overseas than at home. Still, I’m happy to be past the previous administration.
Obama has not changed nothing of interest. His speech of a new and fresh government, was just that, a speech. He obeys the militars, transnationals, bankers and the rich, like Bush and company. His nobel prize is a demostration of his inability to deal with the real problems. In the supposedly most richest nation, there are 6 million that live on the charity of the government. But he spends money on bankers, wars and the bases in 82 countries in the world.
It is a deception for everyone. The republicans call him a socialist. But he has not shown nothing like that. Honduras is a good example. Colombia is a pawn and Panama. We knew that his government would not be easy, but we expected some signs that a real change was happening. The Health Care System is something that insults intelligence. Canada can show and teach USA what is Health Care. The virus AH1N1 has demonstrated that Health is in the hands of the Big Pharmaceutical Laboratories. Obama won´t be re-elected because he has caused a deception on the citizens who installed him in office.
Obama gets an F. No change. No improvement. No justice.
Obama’s administration is a continuation of the Bush administration. When Obama declined to prosecute members of the previous administration for the most serious war crimes committed since WWII, when he continued to permit the erosion of civil liberties and domestic surveillance of ordinary Americans, he failed to defend the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution.
Feeble attempts at restoring regulation by consulting the finance industry are not reforms. Smirking Geithner is not restoring faith in the economy either.
Healthcare reform without an appointed head for the oversight of Medicare is a joke. Because there is no advocate to protect Medicare in his cabinet, the only guarantee for healthcare for our elderly is in serious danger.
Pandering to Big Oil, like the last administration, will not improve his performance in the next three years either. If he wants to make real change, Obama can start by removing the former Chevron employees from among his security advisors and joint chiefs. Otherwise, he’s just another NEOCON. Need proof? Just look at the militaristic, knuckledheaded response to Haiti’s tragedy.
Politics in this country (USA) has become so polarized, nothing gets done. Within 10 years, I predict the U.S. is going to become ungovernable. Too many competing interests who care nothing about anyone else other than themselves. Whoever wrote that America would go the way of California is on to something I think.
Obama has failed completely in the first year.
So much for audacity of hope, actually I was very much pro-Obama last year. But he failed in living up to the expectation.
1. Economy – He promised millions of jobs, in fact only unemployment grew. It’s touching 25% in Michigan now. So manufacturing has not picked up, in fact Obama has resigned to the fact that American brands are best manufactured in China.
2. Windfall Profit tax – Don’t see that bill coming in next 3 years.
3. Healthcare reform – Obama probably thought he was elected for a 100 year term, one year later he is yet to pass a bill. It is altogether different issue that he fooled most Americans into believing that he will be delivering free or subsidized healthcare.
4. Banking reform – Huh, No such thing will pass through the hill, so why try! Thats Obama-ism for now. Credit is still not available to small businesses at affordable rates.
5. Environment – He failed to convince the world about the green jobs and green growth. In fact, US along-with its neo-allies China, India and Brazil killed the Copenhagen efforts.
Massachusetts has already shown the way, by electing a Republican to senate ( No I have neither been drinking nor dreaming, check the news). In a years time, both houses will have republican majority, so in last 2 years of Obama presidency will be spent on partisan politics.
Did I hear you saying, this is just the first term!! Well thats the only term Obama will get if he fails to create new US jobs. Only change coming to Washington is at 2012.
It was interesting to read the views of the correspondents; most of them are worthy and knowledgeable. But, the fact of the matter is, that, president Obama’s first year-in-office performance has been outstanding and praiseworthy. Some of the deadlines might have been advanced by him, but he is focused and determined about them. Yes, the national unemployment issue and the global climate change issue need to be on the top of his priorities.
How could he ever expect to have such a rough ride in his presidency only 14 months after the landslide victory?
With his clout fading fast, he needs to be less eloquent and work harder in the next 3 years.
Obama has shown that the US is not a domineering power but a consensus building , caring and Humane Nation; for those out side the US ,this approach is refreshing.
He has been conciliatory and at the same time tough with out seeming to be so.
With Pakistan, he has been patronizingly tough;North Korea seemingly soft, has made them back down.;china starting, to take on through Google;careful enough to keep US off from EU and Japan.
With Iraq and Afghanistan, he is slowly evolving a plan of retreat, which can not be done over night.
With Iran, as their President does, blows hot and cold which is what is needed.
He is strengthening bonds with democracies like India.
His spontaneous rushing of help including forces to quell disturbances in their hour of need , to Haiti-excellent.
On economy, stimulus package seems to start ed paying dividends.He is also ensuring that benefits of Economy must be distributed by forcing large financial institutions to lend to small companies.
He had chastised fat cats of bail out products for their greed in taking bonuses.
He has been reticent enought to admit that Home land Security has loused up and is attempting to integrate Intelligence agencies.
Well. on a scale of TEN, he scores SEVEN.
Right now this is a domestic US issue which I would be wrong to comment on. However! when it’s fall out start to affect my world I will comment.
He has managed to resuscitate an economy which was hammered by the global recession, the global financial crisis. He has shown that America will not be cowed down by evil terrorists and will stand up to their evil machinations. He has adopted multi-lateral policies which has won him wide admiration throughout the world. America’s standing in the world has been restored. The earthquake In Haiti and the tragic aftermath brought a swift , massive response from America showing the determination and resolve of the President to help a desperate country torn to shreds! A President so totally dedicated to national and international issues truly deserved the Nobel Peace Prize. In one year he has achieved so much. So one could expect much more in this term and hopefully when he gets a second term. America is on course to greater international interaction, acclaim thanks to a capable, charismatic leader.
i think obama have really done well in his first year in the area of human rights.he has not shown much effort in the fight against terror.the terror organisations are still threatening the peace of the globe.obama should do more in the coming years of his tenure.
Your first year report for Pres Obama
The ‘BUZ’ was/is:
The QUID PRO QUO, YES? NO?
The Health Care.
I came out the same door wherein I went.
What would be the best course of action in Afganistan ?
At the NOBEL PRISE my present was the requested-not fault of mine.
Ye, at the Green Peas I did try to convey an impression.
How flimsy may have sounded.com?
THE baby DRAGON is going up rapidly are the energising challenge.
Ye, my temporarily melancholia,why has ‘THOU’ forsaken Haiti ?
Ye, now 2010 when the frost is on the ‘Pumpkin’ that is time for some serious ‘BUMPIN’
bjay
If Obama wants a second term, he’s going to have to moderate his positions, because it’s very likely now that he will lose many seats in congress, and might even lose control of congress.
You have states like Florida, that even before the healthcare bill is passed (probably won’t now because of Brown’s election), saying they will challenge the provisions requiring people to buy insurance. If the courts uphold the constitution, they would strike this down anyways, as the federal government has no power to force people to buy insurance. I cannot see any way it would be upheld, EVEN if the federal courts say that healthcare is a fundamental right, you cannot be forced to pay for a fundamental right. Just like with guns, we might have a right to have guns, but we cannot be forced to buy guns… The government simply doesn’t have this power at the national level, only the states would be able to have such a requirement. So if Obama wants to be a one termer, he should keep to the left. If he wants to remain in power, he’ll have to moderate his views, like Clinton did.
Who are we comparing President Obama to? To Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Kibaki of Kenya or The Iranian president? Compared to other presidents of the world, he merits the Noble Laureate and considering the wrongs he has to make right in a year he is the President of the year. President Obama is not a magician neither is he a semi God . I wish him well in the coming years. He is the symbol of peace to man kind.
The American “ship of state” is a supertanker and will take years to reverse direction. I heard a Christmas interview with Obama in which he said he couldn’t worry about polls now; instead he can only do what he thinks best and, if he’s right, the polls will take care of themselves in a few years. A sensible, long term view methinks.
Why should anyone have expected anything different than that which has happened? All those structures that gave G.W. and company the means to wreak havoc upon the US Constitution and morality remain intact. The Religious Right still controls the pulpits from which Obama is still denounced as the antichrist (not a sham one; but the real forked-tail devil himself), conservative CEOs still control the Obama-unfriendly airwaves, and big money interests, who still does not want carbon caps, financial controls, or their dirty hands forced out of healthcare still control a majority of Congress.
A goodly portion of the world’s people didn’t like Bush and imagined, or hoped, he was somehow an aberration of US politics. Well, they were wrong. He was a nearly perfect representative of his electorate. It wasn’t George that made the US a focus of terrorist organizations, or caused Iraq and Afghanistan to become what they have become, nor he who allowed water boarding at Gitmo, it was the people who voted for him … and they will reprise his persona and every one of his (their) dearly loved policies, as soon as they able. If you doubt my veracity pay particular attention to the mumblings of the tabloid sweetheart Sarah Palin; they love her.
g
Black, white or coloured how much can one expect from an American? After all they believe that the world begins and ends with their limited view of it.
@Ronald Almeida — It’s stupid of me, but I admit it hurts when I see comments like those. I can understand having issue with the US government and its policies, but I would like to ask you why you make such a broad assumption about approximately 300,000,000 people? I remember you making a comment some time ago, and I’m paraphrasing, that you weren’t informed about the issue, but you were certain that the US was at fault. Prejudice is wrong, lazy, and illogical.
sorry patty I was agreeing with you and replyed to the wrong person. I meant that to go to Ronald.
If that is true then why does the world turn to the US for help all tragedies? If we had such a myopic point of view we would help no one but ourselves.
It must now be clear to Obama that his star is fast fading but the momentum can be changed to avoid the final negative cost to him and America. Secondly his maneuvering room is becoming smaller too. The only saving grace and it is running out with time is that he still has time to correct a few things that Americans were expecting from him; to reduce the bloated military spending, enhance homeland security, get people to work, restore the health of the economy, address the health and other social needs of the ordinary citizen and to depoliticize real issues.
What Americans tend to see, is that, he is a military man, a friend of big business and a man swallowed by capitol politics and personal political ambition that are prudently not that urgent.
For a man who came to power through good campaign managers, it ought to be clear to him that he will be in need of good political managers too and lastly, he has to crack the whip and hard; he cannot be on job orientation forever. His detractors abroad are seeing the same weaknesses and are doing things in reversal to deny him that very opportunity. The time to revise the game-plan is now if he can re-read his campaign pledges.
During his first year, he worried too much about being bipartisan and never realized that the “loyal opposition” was only interested in stonewalling every single thing Obama wanted to do. It’s incredibly difficult to govern when a significant portion of the legislature is going to vote no simply because Obama is president, and refuses to present any alternative ideas.
That being said, Obama should have realized this, and he needs to understand that his problem isn’t that he’s “too far left”, his problem is that he campaigned on a set of policy ideals and that those who voted for him are becoming impatient and want to see some results. A stronger jobs bill would be a great start and then something to deal with wall street.
Ronald Almeida,
i guess americans are just all stupid, right?
how come we have some of the best universities on this planet?
how about some of the major inventions, men on the moon, mars rovers etc…all done by a nation of dunces……
Given the abject mess he inherited from Bush, I think Obama’s doing just fine.
Yes Obama certainly could have accomplished more, but given the sluggish movement of a massive system and the inconceivable baggage of the previous administration (which now says it has all the answers!) I’d have to give Obama, at minimum, a passing grade.
After all he has helped in preventing a depression, remaking America’s global image, and making major moves toward universal health insurance.
For a less cynical view, take a look at http://www.slate.com/id/2236708/ which states “Obama’s Brilliant First Year – By January, he will have accomplished more than any first-year president since Franklin Roosevelt.”
Prevented a depression? Think so? You think all that spending created or sustained a measurable number of jobs or businesses? Sure doesn’t look like brilliance from where I live.
The primary thing that this spending did was to put the United States in debt to China from here to the end of the age. How is THAT going to affect the economies our children, grand children, great grand children (etc. ad nauseum) will face?
What’s one thing to come out of this “review’? Obama’s legion of fans will still refuse to believe that he’s not perfect. Instead, it’s the usualy blame-the-other-side mentality for lots of our current problems.
Obama’s a nice guy. Give him time. None of this is his fault. Sorry, but that’s not good enough.
Mr Obama strikes me like an unpredictible person. His words in the last one year have not matched his actions. He speaks peace but acts war. He wins a peace prize while being the commander in chief of wars in two different ocations. I wonder where America is heading.
Overall, he appears to be doing well, at least in the short term. Our foreign relations are improving, financial recovery is slowly but surely taking place, and he seems to be much less of a plutocrat than Bush. What is disconcerting, though, is that he is throwing money around like it grows on trees. Paying the bills for all these spending packages isn’t going to be fun.
Either way, he’s still 100x better than Bush.
Mr Obama strikes me like an unpredictible person. He is highly inconsistent.His words in the last one year have not matched his actions. He speaks peace but acts war. He wins a peace prize while being the commander in chief of wars in two different locations. I wonder where America is heading.Guantanamo is still open over a year after he assumed duties.
Obama’s election as the first US black president was a historical event promising great change. As facts show, Obama’s administration has been slow to bring about the promised changes which are now hampered by the economic downturn and the Republicans who to do whatever they can to thwart Obama’s major policies in the hope of returning to the White House.
However, it is too early to judge Obama negatively as his policies are still being put on track and need majority approval in the Congress. The heaviest blow he can get is when his health care reforms are categorically rejected now the Democrats don’t
have the majority to pass legislations proposed by the Obama administration.
Concerning foreign policy, the US still has the same problems in major areas, especially in the Middle East where tensions show no sign of abating. Domestically, only healthy economic recovery can save Obama from a spiral downfall in the opinion polls and keep the USA as the first economic power in the face Chinese economic encroachment worldwide, including US markets.
What do you expect? Short of a revolution – you cannot change anything.
Fact remains, if the recover remains jobless, despite vastly increasing the national debt, the stimulus has created zero net jobs. Unemployment has only gone up, to 10 percent, he assures himself of falling into the footsteps of Carter and George H.W. Bush, being a one termer…
I don’t feel bad for Obama, because I think anyone who wanted the job, had to have been crazy, and was pretty much assured to a single term.. Either Mccain or Obama, the results would pretty much be the same…. Hence I think Mccain is glad he didn’t win.
“Black, white or coloured how much can one expect from an American? After all they believe that the world begins and ends with their limited view of it.”
Come on WHYS, you wouldn’t allow any generalization like this of any other nation, race, or religion on here, why allow this in? It contributes nothing, and is basically a statement of hatred.
President Obama has Just lost Sen Edward Kennedy’s Seat to Republican.It is a major defeat for Obama.With hundreds of Billions dollar Stimulous Package Obama had turned the tide of George Bush’s Mistake.However, decision to send
30,000 troops is what is bringing down not only USA but US Canada UK and Allied Countries.100,000 soldiers (already) in the middle of 30 million Afghans
and hundreds of Million Muslim to fight Alqaida(none existing).No one even Obama can survive with this strategy.It has no meaning no logic.
President Obama didn’t lose the seat, Coakley did.
I am skeptical about the hype surrounding Obama and what he realistically could/can acheive in his termm, though I suspect he probably believes his own PR. Ultimately the system in the US makes what he as one man could accomplish limited, nor what corporate America will let him do… But at least he hasn’t been hawking his newest kiddies book following the adventures of his dog and cat as our illustrious leader in Australia has done.
Obama is big on rheotric and sounds distinguished and intelligent, but words are just words especially when they are not followed by actions. With his verbosity, perhaps we should be nicknaming him O-blah-ma from the constant blah blah blah originating from who is ultimately just another politician who is only interested in staying in office and furthering (or is it feathering) his career (nest) as we only ever see politicians do.
Sir
Obama should be disappointed with the American people. They were so misty-eyed about some undefined “change” they craved when they canvassed and voted for him. But the real change he envisaged would cost each American a bit of his/her vested interest. Americans love the superficial talk of change but seem unwilling to do the walk of change with their president.
Cheers
JP
President Obama, and the rest of us, might well be hosed. I think that his conciliatory impulse has not served him with an opposition who will sell their mothers to retain power. Of what fabric will the mythical “recovery” be sewn? It’s a self-delusional dream to imagine that we can, or should, return to a grossly unsustainable system based on subsidized energy and imaginary financial instruments. Obama’s greatest shortcoming, and I don’t think any US president would do better, is his failure to articulate to us that there will be no recovery in the sense of returning to how it was and that we must all reconsider our expectations. The decades when the US government and the US people could spend their way out of a crisis are over. Obama deserves high marks for reestablishing effective international relations. I do not believe that he lied in making promises; I think that he has been blind-sided, perhaps unforgivably, by realpolitik when I hoped that he was prepared to kick politics-as-usual in the keester. I really wish he would fire Geithner and Summers and everybody with ties to the industries with whom they negotiate on our behalf. Especially Summers and Geithner. Guantanamo is a big disappointment, how hard can it be to find cells for fewer than 300 guys? I want the US adventure in Afghanistan to end, but we have a mess to clean up. Iraq too; those poor people, I don’t know how to do it right.
I think that obama should do something about the war in iraq before it becomes world war three
Goodness me, is the world comprised entirely of children who sulk on a whim when Daddy doesn’t buy them the pack of chocolate biscuits they had their beady eyes on? Is judgement among people so universally removed from instinct that a man of conscience, reason, creative drive and a spirit of service is one they cannot readily identify – in the midst of a dearth of any quality leadership. So busy is Obama with cleaning up the self-interest, exploitatation, short-sightedness and LACK of vision in greater governance and politics that it’s extraordinary he has managed to change or improve anything. 1 year is a daft and artificial yardstick to measure the work of a man of worth. It plays into the pettiness of those seeking power [but have no plan what to do with it], it plays into the childish tantrums of voters who want a Daddy figure to focus on them and them alone – and anyone who has ever done anything of worth or undertaken to do so will know that those things worth doing take time – and there are myriad other ways of gauging success aside from this convenient, lazy and silly notion of a year’s anniversary. Grow up all you spoiled brats out there and recognize the potential value of this fellow to the U.S. and the greater world. Criticize him on solid grounds and let him defend himself. The artificial construct of campaigning for office and the cult of personality aside, he’s not wanting you to like him – just to let him DO something in government. And to answer in full if he’s not done it. Give the guy a yard of slack. Let him fulfill his blindingly obvious potential. And quit sulking!
We like to live in the now… a little historic perspective. Reagan, Bush G.W., Clinton all were stellar this time into their Presidency.
As for the special Massachusetts Senate election, Coakley screwed up, granted it has ramifications for the Dem party and the White House. Dems not to take things for granted going forward- look especially to New York and California races.
For Obama, he needs to be a better sales man- akin FDR and Reagan types because things will not get any better soon. Jobs jobs jobs…Its the economy.
Thanks largely to China & India…the economy has changed, the most of the jobs have been lost for good. The US economy needs this transformation- and it is not going to happen in 4 years.
But give Obama the credit for starting and taking this challenge head on. But if the Dems are to survive in November and if Obama is to see a second term, he needs to do a better job of feeling America’ pain and communicating the challenges ahead.
I believe it was David Brooks of the New York Times who recent expressed that Americans (or the world) expect a messiah, a god, not a human being.
I am proud of how President Obama is handling the stresses of an impossible job.
I doubt that anyone can do better, because it is such a complex job.
It is so easy to criticize, but the most experienced critics could not meet their own standards in Obama’s place.
I think Obama has done a good job. The problems that he is facing are so large, ie. economy, two wars, illegal immigration etc will take more than one year to resolve. I think that he hasn’t done enough to regulate Wall St and investment banking. His struggle with health care has taken a lot of his time so far. The war in Iraq is supposed to wind down by 2011. Illegal immigration will lose him a lot of support if he grants the 20 million or more illegal aliens in our country citizenship!
The problems he inherited were huge, to expect miracles is just naive. We are “locked”
into the miserable Middle East, with the action of past presidents and our former
neo-con President Bush. We spend over 700 billion a year on national defense fighting biblical wars in the middle east against warriors who don’t possess tanks, planes, navies or
nuclear weapons. What’s wrong with this picture?
How could one man in one year
change this policy that has evolved over the past decades. We are reminded of
the misery of the middle East every time we board an aircraft. And let me remind
my friends around the world, the whole world is affected by the misery of the middle
east. You fly the same planes Americans do, we are all vulnerable to the conditions
in the “Holy Lands” Can Obama help improve these problem. Slowly, very slowly
he’s trying to change policies…but again, these policies and condition were inherited
and cannot be changed over night…
Obama should not be criticised because he is tackleling acute issues of the world.he is seriously fighting 2 wars,trying to settle the israel-gaza dispute,health care problems and other problems.now he is doing something in haiti.it’s as if he is tackleling the whole problems of the world.give him credit and time.he is doing his best.
People are under the misconception that Obama works for the people, well he isn’t, he’s just like every other president owing their allegience to the people who put them in power.
Nameless corperations and banking cartels behind the scenes push their agendas through sponsored “puppets” they’ve supported hroughout their careers.
War is profit and a long prolonged war is every bankers dream, Iraq and Afghanistan are money building exercises.
Pilots in the Veitnam war were ordered not to target strategic missile sites that could of shortened the war dramatically–they want extended wars, its good money.
Search the net for these movies “Zeitgest-Final Edition”, Zeitgest-Addendum” “The Obama Deception” and “Making A Killing” and see whats really going on.
chuurs.
Obama is not a member of an organized party. he is a Democrat, to quote cowboy philosopher Will Rogers.
He does not refer to himself in the third person most of the time and that is the big test on Presidential insanity. Sane President, good.
We have a President with smarts, who wants to get a big share of the very young public to hear his speech, so he works around his child’s favorite TV show schedule.
Whatever his weaknesses, he does not have Dick Cheney and a pack of dictators telling him what to do. If he goes wrong, at least he know people he can consult on peace and justice issues–like the people who elected him.
Obama saved capitalism as we know it, for good or for ill.
Obama gets to be that guy who proves that neither the color of your skin nor the origin of your parents changes the job description of US President.
@ John Walters
That’s very true, since it’s SOOOOO easy to change policies in the U.S. What did you expect?
-Anthony, LA, CA
Obama should take note of Bill Clinton’s playbook. Don’t get stubborn on things the American people don’t want. Bush did that. Let’s not repeat this stubborn streak.
Some have listed his supposed failures, e.g. with bank reform, heath care reform, and climate control. I consider all three to be a case of “Whew, thank goodness that common sense prevailed over pretense and ignoramus hype.”
Unlike the misty-eyed groupies that surrounded him during the campaign, I never considered Obama’s background and expertise to go beyond matters of the legal trade. Just because he sounds educated and is articulate, let’s not conclude that his words on climate change, banking, auto industry, and health care reform, are chiseled in stone and therefore infallible.
With that in mind, he is doing just fine. Although a bit of a stubborn streak.
Oh Dear, poor Mr O! Watching the start of it all on TV last year (the first time I’ve watched TV apart from football and F1 for several years), I was filled with misgivings, so much being invested in one man, how could he do anything but disappoint?
He inherited an almighty mess, the economy already in ruins, those disastrous wars. I also have to admit I was a little ignorant of how the US political system actually works, being more familiar with European parliamentary democracies but now, to my horror I understand. The Nobel PP was another millstone around his neck – more grist to the mill of his opponents.
His most naïve assumption was that he would be able to unite the US and that is his real problem lies. He doesn’t use Bushisms (thank heavens) but he has a war on his hands with a spreading (or so it seems) cancer of extremist fundamentalism, driven by sheer blind hatred and ideology that permits no critical thing – and I’m not referring to Islam here.
He’s been elected but apparently he’s not allowed to govern. Why are Americans so proud of their form of democracy and then won’t let the government they elect actually regulate or legislate? And God forbid they should pay a bit of tax to support social cohesion and equality.
I really wish him well, but I’m not optimistic.
Linda, it’s because that’s not what the US government is supposed to do. The government is supposed to be our REPRESENTATIVE, not our ruler. We don;t elect poltiicians to spoonfeed us. We elect then to do OUR BIDDING.
Sorry Bert, I’m scratching my head here.
If an elected government represents the majority (but not all) of the people, what is the purpose of that representation? If it is not to enact legislation and to shape society, according to the wishes of that majority, why bother in the first place?
Politicians/political parties are elected on the basis of a programme of legislation they wish to enact, their manifesto, and in the case of Mr Obama that includes, among other things, the reform of health provision, but it would appear he cannot even get that sorted so everyone gets access to primary health care.
The irony is, IMHO, that that terrifyingly huge swathe of the far-right in the US is actually in favour of anarchy, at least for people perceived as sharing their ideology, the “rule of law” can do away with the rest.
Pray tell me what, who is representing whom and to whom or to what?
Truly mystified!
One year has passed since Obama started working as president of USA.It’s too little to be able to give an objective opinion.Certainly he didn’t stick to his agenda as regards Iraq , Afghanistan and Guantanamo,but,first of all ,he had to handle the disrupted country he inherited from Bush,secondly the reformation of the national health service he accomplished is a great thing.Let’s give him time .
People still call Obama the US’s first black president. He is as much white as he is black since he is of mixed parentage. However, he was raised by his white side so most probably he thinks like a white man.
Folks, we must be fair, realistic, positive and patient. Granted, one man can only do so much in a given time and nobody can single-handedly do everything at the same time. More so if you are faced with such challenges and expectaions as President Obama and his administration faced in his first year in office. Alot of positive changes have been achieved and alot remain to be achieved in the next three years. Each one must do his/her bit instead of focusing on the negative and apportioning blame. Congratulations for a year of hard work and focused leadership for the President and his administration. Set backs are part of life. Work must go on.
Some international media outlets are engaging in very subjective and un-balanced negative analyses of the President’s first year in office. No one can accomplish everything in one year. Also highlight the great achievements so far and the vision for better results in the next three years.
Dear Michael,
I think it is the international media, especially the BBC who are prepared to give him time, particularly given the political system in the US and all those rabid right-wingers.
It is the US media that are stirring up hatred and discord – Fox “News”……. anyone?
He is realizing that in a world full of predators, you cannot treat them like reasonable herbivors. His learning curve of Mr. nice guy stage won’t and cannot work.
He needs to front now for a public option for health care and save the American people a trillion dollars that would be going to wall street.
Need to expand Gitmo and tell the idiots of the world that releasing terrorists only launches on the innocent once again.
Mobilize a full 2 -4 million person army on the Jihadists and implore the Islamic world to clean up their own houses or there really will be a 3rd world war and too many innocent people will be at risk.
Tell Isreal and Palistine we are going to draw up the boarders for a two state solution, and any terrorism will be dealt with immediatly and quite unfairly.
Iran must be warned that Isreal is not going to accept the development of their own demise so if Iran wants to be spared a coordinated attack of the rest of the Western world get rid of all nukes or it will be finalized, period. Sort of like Iraq.
Iraq would not heed our strong advice to follow all the U.N. resolutions. Sorry either listen or forever regret being stupid.
troop
1. He has realized his ‘realistic’ potential and plausible goals.
2. He has substantially contributed to improving USA’s image world over, given that US was at an ‘all time low’ under George Bush Jr.
3. His domestic Economic Policies have been based on socio-economic reasons and rather than political-lobby
4. He may have suffered at opinion polls and may have failed to influence a recent local election (Massachusetts). Good for him. He is learning politics the hard way.
Over all, as former president Jim Carter has remarked
“Obama has shown hope and now it is time to show audacity”.
The President has done an amazing job, considering what he was handed and how far the peices were scattered. He is only one man, the things that have slowed his progress is the obstructionist republicans and the moderate dems. For some strange reason dems actually think about, review the issues, and vote according to there beliefs instead of when G. W. had a congress that would just vote for whatever he wanted. If the president made 502 promises and in the 1st year has fulfilled 91 and is partially through 33 that puts him at 124 promises and that aint bad at all.
His first year in office is like I expected. He makes slow progress instead of the (impossible) fast solutions. Obama is not the saint he often was described one year ago.
Where I am disappointed is the health care reform. Time is not the problem, but the way it should work. I do not believe that a system with private and state controlled insurance will work. The basic treatment for everyone must be state controlled, luxury treatment can be supplied by private companies. Such a system works in most European states much more efficient than the US health care system.
Unfortunately, Obama was really too young and too inexperienced to be President. He was elected partially in reaction the years of endless drubbing of George Bush by the left, and partially in reliance upon promises and commitments that voters perceived Obama was making.
Obama has had a real education in the last year, a baptism by fire, and a heavy dose of reality. Democratic legislators have been walking in lockstep with him because they’ve misinterpreted why he was elected.
This past Sunday, Obama went to Massachusetts to campaign for the Democratic canditate for the US Senate, and was no help at all. Talk about a wake-up call–in liberal Massachusetts, one year into his term, Obama no longer has any influence on the electorate.
Now Massachusetts has sent Obama and Washington a message: you have no mandate, you may not spend irresponsibly, and your job is to take care of Americans first. You can rest assured, that Democratic congressmen are listening very carefully, and I suspect Obama is as well.
America is an angry country now and this is what president Obama and his team needs to recognize. People realize they have been taken for a ride. It is not about political parties or affiliations and even the Republicans may end up learning the wrong lessons and delusion.
Its not funny to be told that the only thing that happened in the last 9 years is simply building and buying homes and only that has brought the industries down, increased unemployment, lead to the shutting down of state industries, driven millions of Americans into debt – one single item. Nobody in the past regime nor the current said sorry to their people nor to the rest of the world the core reason behind that shody job of supervising on such large scale fraud that lead to the collapse of the world economy. How do their reactions differ from that of the rest of us even if some feel like to play the race card or follow wobbled opinions of a biased press that has always played a game of hecklers instead of educating its clientelle?
Obama inherited a disaster. The economy was in a tailspin, shedding some 700,000 jobs per month. In Obama’s first year the job losses (as reported each month) have stabilized, and expectations are that jobs will soon be added. Plus, the U.S. stock market is up some 40 percent since he took office. The recession was so deep that more time is needed for the rebound to produce large-scale hiring. Regarding the stimulus, I think it helped stop the bleeding. Plus, most people forget that it included a cut in the income tax (beginning last April). I give Obama an A for trying. The Republican party gets an F from me. They aren’t offering any solutions. I am disappointed in their lack of participation. They’ve decided to sit on the sidelines and take pot shots at the people who are trying.
President Obama is a good, intelligent man hampered by a constant need to compromise. True political leadership means sticking to your core principles, and not trying to achieve a mythical consensus with the right wing fringe in this country, which has clearly stated its intention to destroy his presidency.
You said it!
Even when the chips are down, President Obama has the resilience, the courage of his conviction and the gift of the gab to rouse the party faithful to celebrate his first full year at the White House. He has accomplished a great deal contrary to what his critics may say. He has lifted the spirits of Americans from all walks of life and infused in many the belief ‘yes we can’. In spite of the debilitating financial crisis, Americans, by and large, believe they have a capable, charismatic Commander-in-Chief who would lead them out of recession and into a rosier economic future. Time is of essence here.
Obama has not been able to do much because he has been stymied at every step by Republicans and then by Democrats who think the solution is to move to the side of the Republicans. We do not hear much about this, but relegated to the back inside pages of newpapers. we can read of constant roadblocks to everything he tries to do. He is adverse to blaming the other side and the previous administration. This will cost him. Too much emphasis has been placed on 60 votes. As a commentator said yesterday, if on his election night, Democrats would have thought that they would get 49 tor 48 Democrats elected to the senate, they would have cheered. The emphasis is wrong, the media in the US is very wrong to emphasize image and hype over reality.
I did support Mr. Obama’s opponent in the presidential race, but Mr. McCain was not my first, second or third choice. I had considered voting for Mr. Obama, then decided his lack of experience and carefully crafted fuzzy statements made me uneasy, so I did not vote for him. I hoped very much he would be a good president for the nation’s sake.
I was still willing to give him the benefit of the doubt until he accepted the Nobel peace prize when he had done nothing to deserve such an honor. This was a turning point for me. If he had responded to the Nobel committee with a thank you, then turned down the honor, I would have been impressed and pleased with his humility. (Probably would have been more inclined to support him longer but for that. Americans don’t like their leaders to demonstrate a sense of entitlement. Witness the election results in the Mass. senate race.)
Mr. Obama seems to be unsure, dilatory and easily led by others–not good qualities for a president. I have no confidence in him and am disappointed to have to say so. I had really hoped he would prove to be the leader he said he was. I am disappointed to see he is just a paper tiger.
Hate to break the news to you people, but when Obama was describing hope and change while he was running for office, he NEVER said he was going to withdraw troops from Afghanistan. He said he would increase troops there because that’s where the war on terror is located. People are giving attributes to Obama that he never even portrayed to have, like being anti afghanistan war? You didn’t even listen to him, all you did was get blinded by your hope and change! Why don’t you listen to people when they talk?
H.L.Menchen the renown cynic said “Nobody ever lost money betting against the intelligence of the American people.”Perhaps he meant their almost adolescent willingnes to avoid facing the basic corruption of the political system in which each party plays a key roll.Obama could not possibly deliver on his campaign promises.and his choice of priorities is bewildering .War and bread are the critical issues and he has blown it.It would take a much more mature and sophisticated intelligence coupled with steel like determination to break the backs of the war hawks and the avoricious financial community. He is not that person.and perhaps no elected leader could wield such power A corrupt Congress and powerful monied groups make good governance a forlorn hope.Lincoln foresaw that America faced a far greater enemy within than from abroad and that prophecy resonates loudly today.The looming danger is that the rising public anger at the cancer in the body politic erupts in a reform effort that ,out of control, could sweep the republic away.
It is easy to judge, especially when we do not have all of the same decisions to make about so many issues with so many voices chiming in. In addition, I am sure that there are limits to how much a president is allowed to actually do, once elected. After one year, I am hopeful and accepting of the essential fact that our president is simply a man with good intentions who is bound by the fact that he must function as a politician. The jury is still out and saddled with everything which came before him, president Obama is making the best of a bad situation. One man cannot do it all. Especially when so many people are looking for him to fail.
One year in office and the mess we are in took how many? At least 8 if not more. Say what you he has pathetic economy and divisive congress and two wars to handle and I’m willing to let him have some time. You can’t change this behemoth of a country that quickly and especially not when you have as antagonistic an atmosphere between the to so-called parties as we have now. Bi-partisanship? Yeah maybe some time in the past but I fear I may never see it again.
Obama and Coakley are not as simply joined in cause and effect as outsiders might think. Voters were electing a Senator in a small but powerful state, not simply sending a message.
1. Teddy Kennedy delivered the heaters for the old ladies, not just speeches. He was more like a defense attorney than a prosecutor. Martha Coakely is a high profile prosecutor that got lots of airtime in the hay days of Court TV. She is a national media crime consultant with a high profile. The bread and butter seemed iffy. Mass. voters are not responsible for how this effects the rest of the country.
2. Race and sex may play a role for the voters who are used to having a well-connected Irishman to represent them.
3. Like the Hilary/Obama campaign nastiness, the woman is often hurt more in the polls when she shows that she can sling mud with the best of the guys.
I voted for and still support Obama. He is not a magician with a magic wand, he is not a dictator who can just make every change immediately (despite what the right thinks). I am confused by those who voted for him, but are now opposed to him trying to work on his agenda (health care for example). The rhetoric is absolutely insane…that he’s a fascist/socialist/communist who was not born in the US, and wants to tax everything and take away your “wonderful” health care. He was elected with a majority, not by the Supreme Court. Republicans: get over that one fact, work with it, and stop just being a party of opposition.
The lefties need to understand that you cannot FORCE people to buy health insurance. Socialism, and forced socialism, will not go down in the US. You guys accused Bush if violating the constitution and throwing it away, so to those who say that, I challenge you to find the provision of the constitution that would allow the federal government to require people to purchase health insurance
I am sick of hearing how Obama inherited a mess. ALL presidents inherit leftovers from previous administrations and in January 2013 the next President will inherit Obama’s mess.
Neither do I care if “countries now love the United States” as not only does that not matter it didn’t help with any other nation coming to our aid to quell Islamic radicals.
Obama is seriously damaged because of Scott Brown’s win and a Republican resurgence and while those who cry because someone doesn’t love America, the Democrats have shown that being a Republican is not a dirty word.
Having an absolute majority they could not pass healthcare without bribes, graft, corruption, payoffs, earmarks, and general debauchery.
God Bless the American Political system that keeps us safe from the tyrants that think they can control our lives.
Oh, sorry, this woman ranting against Obama is just completely incoherent. She is filibustering. Please invoke cloture.
To the speaker:
1. You have Communism and Socialism mixed up.
2. In NO way has Obama trampled on our 1st amendment more than Bush.
3. Abortions are ALREADY paid for through the current system.
Ros, are you happy with your “Communist health system?”
-Anthony, LA, CA
Ros just made a major misstatement, that this healthcare reform, the first major effort in 40 years, would give poor people “Access” to healthcare. That’s a serious distortion, they have access, but just not are entitled to have it paid for by taxpayers. I challenge you to find me a hospital in the nation that will refuse to treat anyone. You have access, you just don’t have the right to have it paid for by someone else..
@Steve — and therein lies the problem. People like you actually don’t think that that healthcare is a basic human right when it really should be. America is a first world nation. Our citizens deserve health care. If America kept 5% of the money it gives away in foreign aid every year, every American could have free health care.
Obama did not polarize Washington. That started years ago with Newt Gingrich. Any one recall the “Contract [on] America” ??
As I said a year ago: Mr. Obama is an average orator and intellect, in a nation of below-average orators and intellects. So, yes, perhaps, he appeared to shine, but it wasn’t saying much. I voted for Mr. Obama as the lesser of two evils. I will not vote for him again. I will seek a progressive candidate with more substance then show.
Mr. Obama had every opportunity to revolutionize this country, and took none of them. He has become what I feared the most: a symbol—yes, but without enough substance. He has become a meaningless mascot.
I want to know what this guest woman speaking would do as president.
-Anthony, LA, CA
I think that if we or anyone is going to have this conversation, we should discuss the facts. It was mentioned earlier that abortion was included in the health care bill which is fundamentally not true. There are multiple provisions in both bills that do not allow and create ways so that american tax dollars are not used to fund abortions. I think that instead of spouting all of the things that you don’t like, I think that we should give him time to help America turn around from the wars that we are in and the financial problems that he inherited, American’s need to learn patience.
Why am I hearing people argue about the virtues of socialism? Obama is not a socialist! Why are you giving time to someone saying Obama is spying on citizens more than Bush? This is mad fantasy! Nothing to do with reality or facts.
One thing I partially support what Obama has done was to partially lift the travel ban on Cuba, however, that was only done for Cuban Americans, meaning that Cuban Americans can travel directly to Cuba from the US, but other Americans cannot, being a violation of the 14th amendment’s equal protection clause, making a distinction based upon national origin. Non Cuban Americans have fewer rights than the rest of Americans because based on my ethnic origin, I’m not allowed to travel there, but a Cuban American is.
I’m from Massachusetts. We have statewide health coverage enacted by our former republican governor, Mitt Romney. The concept of universal coverage is a work in progress, but people are generally pleased by our health care in this state. Why do those presenting the news, at BBC and elsewhere, continue to frame yesterday’s special election as a referendum on Obama or health care? Martha Coakley was a frighteningly inept candidate who lost because she couldn’t run a good campaign.
Americans, whether Republican or Democrat, are above all else impatient. As a country we need to be realistic in our expectations of what any single person can achieve relative to their campaign promises considering the divisive nature of our politics.
You are so right, Andy!! Only so much can happen in one year, no matter what your job is, and if you have to work within such a cumbersome government, it will naturally take time to do things.
But what you say about healthcare in MA raises questions…. do you think MA residents would have voted for the same candidate if they did not have healthcare already? I can’t help but feel like you all threw the rest of us to the wolves.
The caller who said that Obama’s presidency has created better relations with the arab world, etc, that people are more liking of Americans, mights I remind you that someone tried to blow up a US airliner on Christmas day?
If a country reduces the murder rate from 1000 murders a year to 10 murders a year, would you say that the country does not have an improved murder rate because ten persons still got murdered? I’m no Obama supporter, but I’m sure you can come better than that.
Lots of high expectations for this president. Obama is good for the world and good for America after the disastrous rule of the republicans. However, time is needed for all that needs to be done to get this country on a better trajectory. Unfortunately, Americans have the attention span of gnats and seem unwilling to wait for anything, even if it is in their own best interest. Our political system seems to be it’s own worst enemy re: getting anything done for the people.
Margaret Tacoma, WA
@ steve
But we are forced to pay for roads, for welfare, schools even if your kids goes to a private school, a war we NEVER should have been in, even for car insurance in CA. We are forced to pay for TONS of stuff, so why is health insurance any different?
-Anthony, LA, CA
I completely disagree with the woman that is speaking on today’s World Have Your Say. As an American I find it really frustrating to listen to her.
Hi There,
Obama has been good, at least, as far as world diplomacy is concerned. He has been in touch with Hugo Chaves from Venezuela, he has said that he is going to deal with the Iranian Government peacefully. Even, Lula, our President of Brazil, he said “This is the guy” due to Lula´s working on doing away with the extreme poverty in Brazil, yet, he was not in the same line Lula was as far as the Hunduras crises are concerned. But, in all, globally speaking, he was okay.
Yes Jonathan, silence people because you don’t agree with them. She’s quite coherent is making some good points. She shouldn’t be silenced because you don’t agree with her.
@ Anthony
Can you provide a single example of how Bush tramped 1st amendment rights? One? I won’t hold my breath.
Your guest republican it’s arrogant and controversial, she doesn’t support abortion state that it’s immoral and blaming a Obama for his apology.
I think the basic behave we teach our kids it’s to say sorry and to apologies, to take responsibility for our action. It’s true American is the great contributor of the good in the world and It’s also true American share responsibility of 75% world arm conflict and civilians killing.
Considering that United States President Obama has been opposed by the radical right Conservative Republicans who right off the starting block stated that they want the United states to fail, I think that his centrist and moderate efforts have been pretty darned good.
Conservative Republicans wrecked our nation, by years of De-Regulating and giving tax cuts to the wealthy, and now they are fighting President Obamas efforts to bring the US back to the moderate center.
Obama is holding up very well against the Corporative Statist Conservative Republicans and I respect and applaud him for doing as well as he has so far.
Obama has inherited problems that have been simmering for years. Nobody can fix it in one year and probably not in four, especially with obstructionist republicans demanding senate supermajorities for every single vote.
Obaman has been outstanding (and even if he had only been mediocre, would have Palin been a better alternative?).
Before the election of Obama I was ashamed of my country. I was so hopeful when he took office and I was looking forward to a new direction for our country. Now I’m more depressed than ever. Here’s what the US has proved: if you are rich enough to buy lobbyists, and throw a loud enough tantrums, you can get what you want. What I see is a lot of whining people, blaming their problems on the easiest targets, preying on the fears of the ignorant, and offering no solutions of their own. I guess nothing better is to be expected from a people who have defined themselves through excess and the philosophy of instant gratification. I dream of immigrating to Europe.
Carol, you’re honestly putting forward the notion that George W. Bush took more care in protecting our first amendment rights than the current administration?
WHYS, if you’re going to bring on a guest like Carol who is merely waving the flag for dyed-in-the-wool conservatives, press her when she says ridiculous things like, “Barack Obama is sending American dollars to Mexico City to give poor women abortions.”
….sweet Jesus, that’s one hell of a loaded statement.
It’s not the President’s job to make non Americans like America more. He’s to enforce the laws of the US government. Each time you mention “well europeans love him”, you reduce his chance of being reelected.. And when your guest starts going into this communist propaganda, it really even hurts Obama more.
You either try or you don’t try. You either talk about the problems or you help solve them. Nobody can do anything on his/her own. Nobody.
@steve, health care reform isn’t socialism! And you have to buy car insurance. Your tax money goes for a thousand things that aren’t in the constitution. The EPA isn’t in the constitution. Health care is about health care, that’s all. US spends twice as much on the health industry as any other country, and the result is NOT twice as good. It’s tied to employers, for no reason at all (historical accident from WW II), thus incurring massive cost burdens on businesses and impeding employment mobility–damaging the private sector. Compelling capitalist reasons why current system is nuts! We could save money w/ a sensible system that treats people preventively instead of waiting for critical/emergent needs–that’s the most expensive treatment by miles.
well said, Jonatha. Also no one is FORCING anyone to do anything. The idea is to make health care AVAILABLE. the Republican tea baggers would force everyone to pay through the nose for private health care which often gets dropped when it is actually needed, or go without. big difference.
That ranting Republican woman owes President Obama an apology, because the only “Socialist” left in the US is Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and even Senator Sanders is no Communist..
President Obama and the Democrats and Moderate Republicans are still the moderate centrists, it is the Conservative Republicans who have taken the Republican Party to the extreme far right, into what Benito Mussolini called Corporative Statists.
I would like to speak to the health care issue that keeps coming up. Whenever I hear discussion on this, I always hear about us having Medicare for poor people. I have worked in the restaurant industry here for many years, and it is very rare that health care coverage is offered by employers. That goes for 2 and 3 star restaurants as well as for simple places. Those ‘top chefs’ you see on the TV competition are generally uninsured. I know many people, myself included, who work hard for 50 or more hours per week, who cannot afford $400 a month for insurance in a place where the cost of living is so high that rent alone generally takes over half of our salary, in an industry that doesn’t pay very well, and therefore have no health care.
We generally do not go to the doctor when we are sick, and are terrified at the thought of being hospitalized as we’d never be able to pay the outrageous bill. I get the feeling that insured Americans don’t realize how much this health care situation affects many hard-working, tax paying citizens, and it’s very frustrating. We make too much money to qualify for Medicare (you can’t make more than about $12,000 a year to qualify here) and not enough to pay for insurance.
As for bringing the country together, I don’t think any politician can do that. It’s a large country with different cultures. I grew up in rural Georgia and live in New York City. I understand and relate to both sides, but also see that the two sides don’t seem interested in trying to understand each other, but would rather attack. That goes for both Republican and Democrat, liberal and conservative.
As a U.S. Citizen, I’d say that we need to set aside our national case of Attention Deficit Disorder, and let things run out a bit. Give the man a chance!
It also might be easier to sway me from my support from President Obama it his detractors could cite a speech, cite a promise that it was going to be enacted on a time line and then show what he hasn’t done.
BTW Ross, Fabulous new haircut!
They say Obama should’nt have talked to the ‘bad people.’ The assumption is you need to talk to someone in order for them to manipulate you.
There was tremendous hope here in the Cleveland metro area that President Obama would freeze foreclosures. Aside from a few inspired speeches and promises of help for homeowners in trouble, nothing much has been done to date. My neighbors both lost their auto industry jobs last year. A few months ago, the sheriff formally evicted them– along with their three young children.
I agree with the guest who noted that the U.S. reputation around the world is in slightly better shape, but nothing much has been accomplished in the past year. I worked for Obama’s campaign and admit that I am disappointed, particularly with his failure to stand up to big banks and the health care industry. We should all hope that he has made it through the learning phase and will become a little more resolute in the new year.
I love you BBC but why do insist on having the most ignorant and stupid Americans on the air whenever health care is discussed? I know we’re the laughingstock of Europe but “OBAMA IS LOOKING AT OUT FACEBOOK ANDS TWITTER!!!!”
Please some people that actually know how to read and write next time.
The Irish dude’s song is just hilarious, though.
I don’t get it. Mr. Obama promised cooperation and working together to solve problems. His attempts to do this in the area of health care reform has compromised the content of the bill and the chances of its chances for passage. The problem is not Obama’s failure, it is that compromise requires two partners. The failure of health care reform lies in the laps of Republicans and all of us who did not stand strong with him to put the Republicans in the back seat where they belong.
@steve, that woman is ranting. It’s not that I don’t agree with her; she doesn’t agree with herself. She contradicts herself, sometimes within one sentence. But you contend that one guy with explosive underwear proves that US hasn’t improved its global relations w/ other countries, so I don’t see much hope for seeing eye to eye even on principles of logic.
The Republicans have this all wrong- Brown won in Massachusetts because liberals didn’t vote in high numbers. Copley was too moderate. We are a very liberal state- 90% of our state house are Democrats. We refuse to vote for someone just because they call themselves a Democrat even if that means a Republican ultimately wins. Obama has to lean left or more seats will be lost.
Carol is clearly a huge mistake. She’s just not an articulate representative for the views she seems to be there to propound.
I don’t have any problems with his policies. He made it very clear during the campaign that he would not be the darling of the Left so my expectations have pretty much been met.
But given the level of open hostility toward him from day one, my only complaint is that he has tried to be too bipartisan. He should have given the Republicans the exact same treatment they have given the Democrats every time they hold the majority – ram everything possible through and ignore everything the opposition says.
As an American citizen, I think Obama is doing a fine job so far. No one can change everything overnight, and his administration has begun important initiatives. If there is a problem with things not happening quickly enough, it is not due to his performance as president, but is instead thanks to the less-than-agile system of government in America.
The lady who keeps saying ‘we take care of our poor’ sounds like she is talking about her dogs. She makes my day a little less enjoyable.
@ Jonathan
You don’t understand the federal system. The STATES require you to buy auto insurance, not the federal government. It falls under the police powers. I wish WHYS would get a constutional law professor on the show….
The EPA exists because pollution crosses state lines and affects interstate commerce, thus that’s the basis for it, as the constitution has the commerce clause.
You really need to become more informed about the Constitution before you comment on it.
Ok, can someone please mention the huge spending that Obama has been doing and the simple fact that we will never be able to pay it back. We simply can’t afford anymore spending and this includes health care. Someone has to pay for this and who is that going to be, the tax payers. The govn’t can’t even deliver the mail correctly I have little faith they can manage health care.
I have been listening to this topic since the beginning of the show, but I missed the credentials of the woman who is being featured with her comments such as “We take care of our poor.” Who is she and how is she qualified to speak for us?
I am a self-employed single 61-yr old who pays more for health care than I can afford. I do not want to be one of the “poor” who has to go to the emergency room or sub-standard hospitals crammed with poor people. Is that the idea of “taking care of our poor?” We need to catch up with the rest of the world and now with the new Senator elected to Mass., the future of our dream for health care is dimming.
The Patriot Act is the biggest violation of the US constitution? I don’t know , maybe the selective service, which requires all males age of 18 to register to be drafted, violates the 13th amendment’s prohibition against involuntary servitude AND equal protection, because it exempts women?
steve,
Such a great topic to bring up! NO ONE ever talks about that! Thanks for bringing it up!
People blame President Obama for insider deals that have bogged down the health care bill. Don’t they recognize that President Obama does not draft the legislation? Our congress creates these laws. He just introduces his agenda and signs the law. For everyone to be so negative for such a progressive legislation is ridiculous.
The shallow, simplistic judgment of Mr. Obama that the Democrats loss of local elections is a referendum against HIM is naive. As a Virginian, I can tell you that Creigh Deeds for Governor lost because he ran a distant and poorly judged campaign, and from what I understand, the same is true of the Democratic candidate who lost Senator Kennedy’s seat in Massachusetts. The old boy system that manipulated candidates from above to assure the party’s win is not subscribed to by Obama. Unfortunately, letting the local party system do its work cannot stand against the old boy and concerted Republican machine that throws national force into local choices.
People are wasting time talking about the specifics of the healthcare bill. Those are important, but first, the fundamental question, is it ok to publicly fund healthcare?
Ros,
You misinterpreted what I wrote! I am not ashamed because of the actions of Barak Obama! I am ashamed of the selfish rantings of rich, impatient Americans who would rather throw a tantrum and point blaming fingers at easy targets than work together towards a solution. It is this lack of good will or understanding from Americans that makes me depressed.
It is useful while listening to the Conservative woman guest, Carol, to remind ourselves that the Three Ways of Lying are Deletions, Distortions, and Generalizations, and she is proficient at all three methods.
Obama is holding up very well and she is distorting what he has and can do and she is generalizing his efforts to the US Congress, which is a separate body and does not march in Lockstep like the Conservative Republicans did and unthinkingly still do.
Obama has to negotiate with the congressional Democrats, he does not dictate to them.
Carol spouts extremism, not commonsense.
I am an American born in Missisippi. Carole does a wonderful job of parroting Fox news, and reminds me of all the reasons I moved to Europe 10 years ago. Obama gave us hope for more. The voters in Massachusetts should be ashamed of themselves for making it more difficult.
I have only tuned into WHYS half-way through, but your guest, Carol, is representative of what Americans have heard for one year… selective snips of slanted “facts” taken out of context and presented loudly (and interrupting those who oppose them) as TRUTH. Rupert Murdock, the far-Right religious organization, and racists have made a wall of misinformation… the sadness is that they drown out open and honest conversation… and thereby understanding.
“There was tremendous hope here in the Cleveland metro area that President Obama would freeze foreclosures. Aside from a few inspired speeches and promises of help for homeowners in trouble, nothing much has been done to date. My neighbors both lost their auto industry jobs last year. A few months ago, the sheriff formally evicted them– along with their three young children.”
At least Obama tried to help, while the Republicans yelled that helping out would be the communist way, don’t you think the situation would have been much worse if the Republicans had been in power?
Besides, bailing out everyone would have cost trillions and some people just spent too much money they didn’t have (like on mortgages they knew they couldn’t afford, you can’t expect Obama to bail them out.
Jan, you speak a lot of good sense. As someone from the UK who suffered Thatcherism in the 80s in which the public housing stock was sold off and everyone was flogged the “dream” (nightmare?) that home ownership was the ultimate aspiration, I feel for these people who are being chucked out of their homes.
HOWEVER, owning a house, and investing all your hopes and dreams in that edifice is pathetic. A house/home is only the background to your life and while everyone should of course have a roof over their head, elevating that to some sort of iconic status is just plain futile.
Obviously, I understand that to all those Americans citizens who think any sort of state support equals communism, the very notion of public housing is anathema, but to me it is yet more poof that a society that has forgotten how to care is ultimately doomed.
The Irish guy, Jamie (who wrote the song), does a better job of representing America than most Americans. Ship him to Boston, Massachusetts immediately!!!!
Just got back into the office after listening to the fine arts lady complain about not having health care. Hey I work in the Arts. I’m an IT Manager at a Museum. I have health care, so does everyone else at the museum.
So please don’t try to play the “Arts don’t get health care” card with me. And my wife is a ballerina, she has been dancing since she was 7, and she is on MY health care because she works as a contractor. That was her choice, but she is covered now.
Just because you chose to do something and think you don’t have enough money for insurance you are fooling yourself. I bet you have a cell phone, cable TV and money to go out to bars. Well, if you give those up there is your premium every month. What you mean to say is you don’t have enough money for health insurance AND all the stuff you want. Sacrifice or get a second job to supplement then.
I do not think that President Obama has done very well with the health care reform. I wonder just how an imposed health care fee on me and others will affect our entrepreneurial ability. Another issue I am concerned with is, will this government health care option ultimately lead to a loss of innovation and progress in health care options and procedures? It seems to me that, because our resources are finite, we cannot have ubiquitous health care coverage across the population and cutting edge leading technology and innovation in the health care field.
“Ok, can someone please mention the huge spending that Obama has been doing and the simple fact that we will never be able to pay it back. We simply can’t afford anymore spending and this includes health care. Someone has to pay for this and who is that going to be, the tax payers. The govn’t can’t even deliver the mail correctly I have little faith they can manage health care.”
You do know that America spends twice as much on healthcare as the European nations don’t you? And I can assure you, in Europe no one goes bankrupt because of medical bills, while we have the exact same equipment and highly trained specialists you have. So America’s current system is more wasteful than Europe’s “socialist” system (of course it’s no more socialist than your fire brigades, libraries or your subsidized phone/internet lines electricity and heated water in remote towns).
Opponents of Mr. Obama initially had difficulty to locate an Achilles heal to undermine his possibilities. That they have managed to make his ability to speak and his intelligence to consider a problem from all sides as FAULT is remarkable. C’mon folks. Almost every criticism I have heard today on WHYS today hangs on limits created by our Congressional system, NOT on Mr. Obama. Apparently, we only pay lip-service to balance of power and would prefer a dictatorship like Mr. Chaney tried to manipulate.
Please remove Carol Swain from your guest list. She spouts rightwing nonsense which the moderator should have have challenged her on as per previous comments.
@ steve
Of the top of my head? Wire tapping, the patriot act, and people arrested for protesting anti-Bush slogans. If I had time, I would find PLENTY of news articles.
-Anthony, LA, CA
Obama has done NOTHING to change the status quo in this country. His monstrous Health Care Bill will NOT reform Health Care. It will force Americans to pay for things they do not need. Oh, wait, that’s EXACTLY what EVERY other president has done for decades! He is NO different than anyone else in politics in this country.
And Health Care does not need to be reformed. HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES need to be reformed. If this bill goes through it will force me to pay for health care TWICE because the doctors I choose to see do NOT ACCEPT INSURANCE. Why don’t they? Because insurance companies are corrupt, greedy corporations.
President Obama is a very charismatic and dynamic man, but he’s an inept president who has made a lot of promises and has delivered on none. Unemployment has gone up, people are losing their homes, savings have been wiped out and the health care reform is a trillion dollar joke. His schizophrenic leadership will most likely secure him one term in office and that is a direct result of not listening to the people that elected him.
Sorry Kenn, just because you and yours are doing fine, doesn’t mean the rest of the world is. There are plenty of people, in the arts and out of them, that go without cell phones, cable TV, bar hopping, AND health insurance. And for some of us who do have health insurance, what it covers is dismal enough for us to still be in debt to our eyeballs, and a life-threatening illness would do us in completely. And also, as far as Carol saying that we don’t turn away people from emergency rooms, so what? That means that people don’t take care of a chronic problem because they have no insurance, until they can’t take it anymore, so they go to the emergency room for what might have been a preventable problem. So these people either get crazy bills, or they are written off and the rest of us pay for them through higher costs or taxes. This is what you call taking care of our poor? And of course we all know that the poor are just looking for handouts (sarcasm).
“Just because you chose to do something and think you don’t have enough money for insurance you are fooling yourself. I bet you have a cell phone, cable TV and money to go out to bars. Well, if you give those up there is your premium every month. What you mean to say is you don’t have enough money for health insurance AND all the stuff you want. Sacrifice or get a second job to supplement then.”
Yeah, right, people choose to get laid off or not to have enough money for college (and certainly not having enough to pay for both college and healthcare)…
Good insurance costs $400 a month, per person while you can buy phones (and I wouldn’t call a phone a luxury because no one’s gonna hire you if you don’t have a phone number) and tv’s for $100 and cable/phonebills really don’t cost you $400 a month.
So what are you gonna say to a waitress who’s working her way through college? Are you gonna tell her that she should choose between an education and healthcare? That she should’ve been born richer if she wants both?
What about the mechanics, plumbers and carpenters who simply aren’t that good at studying, or don’t wanna be lawyers or doctors or just love their jobs, are you gonna tell them they don’t deserve healthcare for the work they do (while they probably work a lot harder than you do)?
There is nothing communist about public healthcare and scholarships.
How can capitalism, a competitive system, even work without giving its participants a fighting chance (you know, like not having to be born rich to be able to afford an education or not having to die because you can’t pay for a crucial surgery)?
A healthier, more educated populated makes for a stronger economy don’t you think?
Obama’s success in reversing the collapse of the United States is breathtaking. Within just one year, he has averted an economic depression, repaired US relations with the rest of the world, stopped torturing people, and set about to mitigate global warming that threatens our species. Of course the economy is his first priority, but he can’t repeal the business cycle. He can’t walk on water either. That’s not in the job description. He has instituted major reforms in government, including complying with the Freedom of Information requirements that Bush/Cheney flagrantly violated. He has stopped the most outrageous violations of law and principle–spying on citizens, kidnapping them, holding them without charge, etc. He has released scientists from the shameful shackles that prevented them from speaking honestly when the facts were at odds with the political agenda. On a thousand fronts, the US is heading in the right direction after a long and damaging flirtation with the forces of darkness. Obama is reclaiming the spirit of America.
@steve Oh, *I* need to be more informed about the Constitution before I talk about it? Okaaay. But it’s you who is clueless about it. You toss around your bizarre notions of this or that amendment but none of it is relevant or correct. Health care reform doesn’t violate any part of the constitution. You got that notion from a right wing AM talk show. I heard the guy say it. He’s not a “constitutional scholar.” He’s a nitwit. Please. The proper discussion of health care is not constituional, but on the grounds I carefully laid out for you and explained to you, that you ignored. Bye now.
Linda, it’s not a simple case of majority rules, in the US. It’s a mixed system where the minority don’t get trampled on. That’s why it’s called a system of checks and balances.
What the Executive Branch, i.e. the White House, wants to do does not become gospel in the US. There are the Legislative and Judicial branches that sort of regulate, or limit, what the White House can get away with. And that’s the way it’s meant to be.
With the election, the Democratic Party got the White House and a majority of seats in Congress. This makes it easier for the White House to get its agenda across, but it’s still not automatic. However, that majority may not last in Congress. When one party dominates in the White House and in Congress, the mid-term elections two years later, that single-party majority does not often survive.
The government here has to respond to the people in real time. We don’t want ein fuhrer over here.
The delusional complaint against Obama is that health care will make us commies and kill grandma. The pervasive complaint is that the business cycle is now in recession. The ignorant complaint is that government spending is too high.
Health care won’t do any of the dark, dreadful things alleged by the lie machine. The government inevitably runs a deficit during a recssion–and that’s fortunate. And, as with Reagan, recession in the first year augurs recovery at re-election time.
America prides itself on helping the whole world, and yet their own people are dying because they can not afford a doctor and they are opposing Obama’s universal Health Care reform. You accept that your help is not perfect, and yet you expect a perfect Health Care reform.
Come on, America, don’t you believe in Christian values – help your next one, without hoping that you get ones rich and then tax will hit you back.
In response to the point just made in air on “World Have Your Say” that the African American women need screening for breast cancer from 40s, implying that priving the screening from 50 years old is discriminative. Well, at the moment , the most African American women can not afford any screening at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, if some have money they can still do the screening whenever they want.
For me who enjoy a European state health care system it is ununderstandable. It is as if you are watching a patient dying and consider calling a doctor or not, or would a doctor be good enough. Obviously, with a doctor is better – JUST CALL A DOCTOR!!!!!!
One of the American people’s most obvious qualities is almost a national amnesia.
Obama was elected, because he went around the country asking what people wanted. Number one, the greatest priority was health reform.
He made THIS his priority because he listened to what the American people were telling HIM their priorities were.
Of course, the Republicans made every effort to STOP the American people from getting what they SAID they wanted, and along with conservative Democrats, so interfered with actually GETTING a substantive bill through that nothing happens.
Most Americans rail about the president, but he is only ONE third of the process. He can TELL Congress what he want, he has no power to MAKE them do it, and of course you have to deal with the other side, which has the ability to willfully prevent the people from getting what they asked for,
And then they vote for the party whose philosophy created the problem to begin with.
The Republicans are going to go right back to doing what they were doing before. They will deregulate, deregulate, deregulate.They will simply be hands off when it comes to looking at banks, mortgages, health insurance practices, based on their concept that the government should NEVER get involved with the “free market” It can SELF POLICE. That is Mr Brown’s philosophy.
Big Business controlling the life of American is a worse option than big government, because big business is only beholden to a very small subset of the American people.
Obama and all his terrible appointees are a disaster for the US. The US Congress is a failure as well. He is an ACORN community organizer and not one to inspire leadership for the country. The people he appointed to high offices will surely help destroy America. He will go down in history as a failure.
I’m watching some progressives online talking about their disappointment with Obama.
But also, part of the problem is with the iron grip the two main parties have on the system. There were other choices in the 2008 election. But very few people dared to deviate from the “norm”.
And now, what do they see? Obama isn’t the Perfect Presdent. He’s just another politician. Will this now finally push these people to have a third party to end the lock? No.
Pity we didn’t hear a bit more from that doctor who actually works on the front line. The woman asserting that no one is ever turned away from an emergency room is missing the point completely. If people have free, or low cost, access to PRIMARY healthcare, many of them would not end up in the ER in the first place and would not need such expensive care in the first place, let alone having more chance of resuming a useful and productive life.
A question: if someone turns up at the ER with an injury and that injury is treated, what provision is there afterward for possibly long term physiotherapy after the “emergency” has been fixed if that person has no insurance?
Inexperience is what has cost obama to fail in his 1st year. I hope and pray that he’s learnt the presidency lessons very well to help him turn the tables in the US in his favor by this time next year. Hillary has really been of good help and support to him.
I hope the Mass. election is a wake up call to the White House. The Washington Republicans never have had and never will have ANY desire to work with Democrats. President Obama tried to reach across the aisle for help in solving our most pressing problems, only to have his hand slapped away each and every time. A noble effort from Obama to be sure, but it all amounted to a massive waste of time and energy that would have been better spent on pushing thru a more liberal agenda, which is what I want to see.
Hey, I have a suggestion. Let France and U.S. swap presidents. Let Sarkozy rule in the U.S. and let’s have Barak as our president here in France.
I am dead sure France would certainly not lose out.
I Hope for a Change of President
It seems the world expected that Obama would assume the reigns of power, wave a magic wand and cure America and the world of all its ills. Before we pass judgement on his 1st year in office it would be wise for us to remember he inherited a collapsing economy, a disillusioned electorate and alienated allies. There remains much to be done, but 91 out of 502 campaign promises achieved in 12 months isn’t bad at all.
Obama is after all human like the rest of us, that is important to remember.
Kalombo
The University of Zambia
John Pilger made a good point about Obama being elected. It was a pr dream come true in the sense he’s The Perfect President to many (voters, the MSM, etc.).
Now, we see that he’s not. Arguably, we can say he hasn’t come thru on any of his campaign promises. Also, that he’s a war criminal who’s killed more covilians than the previous person. But if that ever mentioned by the MSM? Of course not.
Bi-partisanship will never work in racist American poltiics. But the Democratic spin machine refuses to face reality.
@ Bert
January 20, 2010 at 20:46
” We don’t want ein fuhrer over here.”
I remind you that American Conservatives backed and financed Adolf Hitler during the 1930s, Conservatives like Henry Ford, Charles Lindbergh, the Bush family, etc.
Top American Conservatives liked and still like Benito Mussolinis’ idea of “small government” by The Corporate State.
I remind you that Cheney/Bush set up the “Unitary Executive”, the equivalent of Der Fuhrer, which ignored Congress and just wrote Executive Orders and did whatever Cheney wanted to do. And Conservative Republican John Yoo just wrote a book calling for even more power in the Executive.
So the facts on the ground show us and prove to us that American Conservatives do want “ein Fuhrer” in the US.
President Obama has taken steps to reverse that trend and restore the balance of the powers back towards the Congress, asking the Congress to write the Health Reform Bill instead of pushing through his own bill written by the Executive.
I am dismayed and depressed to read so much negativity. I think the most accurate comment I have heard is the one from the Daily Show. “If there is one thing we have learned from Obama, is that Negroes are not magic.”
He inherited such huge problems and has to battle against such powerful and wllful ignorance as demonstrated by the likes of Fox (faux) news and such huge and powerful interests such as the medical insurance industry with big bucks, and a population which almost take pride in being narrow minded that for him to accomplish anything at all deserves the Nobel Prize. And he has accomplished some respect for America abroad. in spite of the enormous damage done by his predesesor
He deserves and A+++for effort. The USA itself deserves a D- for behaviour, and willful ingorance and lack of caring of the needs of its own fortunate, and the power of the big financial industries whose spin they suck up to.
Why is everyone so negative about such an obviously wonderful person? You are absolutely right. He deserved the Nobel Prize just for becoming president.
He deserves and A+++for effort. The USA itself deserves a D- for behaviour,
Not sure what was objectionable about my response, but I’ll say I know quite a bit about the US constitution is, not how I think it should be. I’m a licensed attorney, I have taken Constitutional law in law school, and it’s also covered on the bar exam, so I probably know a lot more about it than you do.
The federal government is a a government that has ENUMERATED powers in the constitution. That which is not granted to the federal government, is reserved to the states. See the 10th amendment. This is why state governments can require you to buy automobile insurance, not the federal government. This is also why the federal government cannot mandate you to buy health insurance, because it doesn’t have that power granted in the constitution.
The federal government cannot mandate you to buy health insurance. Okay but the lack of universal affordable available health care mandates knock on effects which end up costing everyone a lot – what is the percentage of bankruptcies in the US directly attributable to health issues? I live in Britain where there is universal free health care. It has problems – yes, but it also saves huge problems from happening. it is not perfect, but having lived in both countries, I can tell you it is light years ahead of what is available in the US – unless you 1. have medicare or veterans health care (both of which are federally mandated health care of sorts ) or 2 are rich . For the average middle class working person without one of those, you are simply stuffed if you get cancer.
Lack of health care in the US is costing the nation billions. Not to do something about because of a stupid phobia of some percieced definition of “socialism” and the idea that “health care = socialism” is just plain stupid.
Obama is not perfect but he is trying despite rampant idiocy to do something about it. For that alone he deserves kudos and praise.
The 10th Amendment to the US Constitution, part of the bill of rights:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution
“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
Do you see the power to require people to buy health insurance mentioned in the Constitution anywhere? If not, then it’s left for the STATES to deal with if they so choose.
if you have a problem with the constitution, start a campaign to amend the Constitution to allow for healthcare, but don’t talk about the constutition saying it should mean what you want it to, when it currently as written, clearly does not.
The hole that the United Sates was in when Mr. Obama took over was so immense that progress can not be looked at in the time frame of one year. What can be measured is if the country is still in decline? No. Is progress being made to rectify the issues that caused the economy to be run into the ground? Yes. Has progress been made on the most pressing issue facing Americans, healthcare? Yes, and most certainly a hell of a lot more progress than has been accomplished in the last 15 years. Anyone, on either side of the political spectrum, who feels that he is a failure is naive in their understanding of severity of the mess that he inherited, or simply wishes his failure.
Someone deserves the Nobel Peace Prize just for becoming President? That’s like saying I deserve a Rhodes Scholarship for being Homecoming King of my high school? These awards are popularity contests?
no, not for becoming president. You are not paying attention, Steve. for attempting to bring the US back into the family of nations, and undoing some of the damage done by Bush.
I believe he will come good. Remember the issue and problems that Clinton had in the 1st two years of presidency and he went on from strength to strength after that. What he may be doing now seems quirky and out of sync with conventional wisdom but history will judge it someday as revolutionary change.
re: Johnathan from San Francisco, your post at 20:26 was spot on!
A point a lot of listeners are on to about American politics is, what is possible? The Supreme Court ruling on Friday allowing companies to contribute to political campaigns is a good example og how the Supreme Court has been packed with judges by Republicans and keeps ruling for big business.
When we know that one of the reasons that Obama won was his innovation in fund-raising stategies, one cannot help to think that this ruling is going to ensure that the Republicans don’t lose to the people next time.
BO 2008, ” Yes We Can!” BO 2010, ” No I Can’t!”
Can we sincerely get a good leader again unless God himself appoint such a leader bieng black or white has no diffrent. Many things has to be corrected. His one year in the office I belive is just a child play. Now he should do more of what is expected of him.
He needs help, experienced help, and he’s not getting it. He’s surrounded people who have no business being in government.
Having listen to his speech I am begining to think that nothing will change unless he comes out with the truth. As long as America goes on supporting Israel with their occupation of Palestinian land terrorist will exist however advance the security is. Get out of Iraq and Afghanistan and resolve the conflict between Israel and Palestine. If he succeed then nobody will have to worry about terrorist. We created these terrorist ourselves Nobody would like their land occupied, their culture their brorhers,father mother or sisters killed by outside forces Over the last two decades their has been more civilian killed in the middle east than the Holocaust
Come on Mr President,Ihave faith that you will deliver. If you do not, then it will never happen and America will always be looking for strenghtening its security another 100 years.
Obama has done fairly well within his first year in office. This is visible in the fact that U.S economy is gradually recovering from recession, and the great progress he has made in reducing tension between the U.S and the Arab world.
Also, his collective approach to the fight against terrorism deserves commendation. The new heath policy before U.S congress when passed would bring sucour to many Americans and I believe he would do better in the remaining three years of his tenure
Enyia Nelson In Lagos Nigeria
Obama has done fairly well in his first year in office. The gradual recovery of U.S economy from recession and Obama’s collective approach to the fight against terrorism deserve commendation.
Also, the declining tension between U.S and the Arab world is a giant achievement by Obama’s administration. I believe he would do better in the remaining three years of his tenure.
From..Enyia Nelson in Lagos Nigeria.
“Nobody would like their land occupied, their culture their brorhers,father mother or sisters killed by outside forces Over the last two decades their has been more civilian killed in the middle east than the Holocaust
Come on Mr President,Ihave faith that you will deliver. If you do not, then it will never happen and America will always be looking for strenghtening its security another 100 years”
(1) Tibetans are occupied, and have been for 50+ years, and I don’t see them killing Chinese people all over the world.
(2) More civilians killed in the middle east in the past 20 years than during WW2? I would honestly go to your school and ask for a refund for your education. Also, even if you were right, WW2 was 6 years long, decades are 10 years long each.
There is no oil in Tibet and we would not dare to take on the Chinese as we did against Sadam when he invaded Kuwait. What is the United Nations( America) doing in the case of the Palestine
The argument is who created these terrorist?
Give Palestinian their land and get out of Iraq and Afghanistan, the terrorist will stop to be a threat
All this can be avoided, but there is too much to at risk. Killing civilian is not something that politicians worry about, one or one million ,they see it as statistic, they may appear remorseful on tv,but it’s all forgotten soon.
@ Kistnensamy
There’s no oil in palestine, so why would the US/israel/UN as you claim want it, if they don’t want Tibet, because Tibet has no oil?
So Israeli occupation of Palestine has created Islamic extremism? So why did Islam attack Spain and occupy it for over 800 years? Don’t seem to recall any Israeli occupation back then? Why did Muslim forces invade Eastern europe??
Could it be Israeli occupation is an excuse rather than a cause?
Islam did not attack Spain. Muslims lived in Spain and were Spanish. It was not invaded. you have your history wrong, Kistenesamy. Muslim forces have no more invaded Western Europe than anything else. Islam spread much the same way Christianity spread, partly by force of ideas, partly by offering a better way of doing things at the time and partly by force. Not much difference there historically.
All religions have extremism, but at this nano second of history, Islam’s is showing up a tad more in the media. Christianity and Judaism have equally aggressive and damaging tactics which have in their turn caused pain and suffering by someone else. And the seizure of land has always been part of all these movements no matter what religion or group.
In fact, these conflicts are more about land and resources than religion. But religion makes for good cover and press.
I would really like to respond to Halima, given she claimed that Muslims did not invade Spain. They did in fact invade Spain, and occupied it, portugal, and parts of France for about 800 years. The Spaniards did not welcome them with open arms, and fought them off, finally defeating the last muslim stronghold in 1492. Muslims not only invaded Spain (as well as Eastrn Europe), but also attacked Spain, HUNDREDS of years before the crusades ever started. Muslims didn’t just suddently appear and “star living” in spain. The Moors/berbers invaded, against the will of the Spaniards, and were eventually completely defeated 800 years later.
For all this talk of US occupation of Muslim lands, or Israeli occupation of Muslim lands, these occupations are VERY short compared to the multi century occupations muslims had over non muslim land.
you are wrong, Steve. You do obviously do not know about the history of the Spanish pennisula. Many inhabitants of the penninsula converted to Islam – as did many people of the Mediterreanean at the time – Islam spread not always peacefully, as did none of the monotheistic religions at the time. It was neither “Spaniards welcomed them” nor “attack” It was simply the native population. Muslims were not foreigners, – any more than the Christians were. You COULD say, in fact for Andalusia that the Christians invaded and you might be more accurate, though even that is a misreading of a more complicated set of events which took place over hundreds of years.
You probably are reading one of those history books sponsored by the Catholic Church.
but you are wrong.
Halima, you are wrong. And I don’t appreciate your comments about the Catholic church, either. The Moors INVADED Spain, and defeated the Visigoth Kings.
Even Muslim websites admit that they invaded Spain.
http://www.sunnahonline.com/ilm/seerah/0075_popup9.htm
“Catholic” BBC says the same thing.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/history/spain_1.shtml
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/conqspain.html
Muslims invaded Spain, and conquered it. I got most of these links from MUSLIM websites. Why can’t you admit this?