# Assess Obama's first-year performance **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 15, 2010, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assess-obamas-first-year-performance/525067 "2010-01-15T14:18:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assess-obamas-first-year-performance/525067/101 "2010-01-19T21:15:00Z")
It’s certainly important to _me._ In what was is my side not being honest about this issue? Republican lawmakers all over the country are blocking attempts to move the Gitmo detainees to civilian prisons - even the Colorado Supermax. I don’t understand _why_, but it’s happening. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bb73d2/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Joe_Meager)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assess-obamas-first-year-performance/525067/102 "2010-01-19T21:18:15Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Right, because closing Gitmo _before_ you figure out where to put the prisoners would be a _brilliant_ idea. :rolleyes: About as _brilliant_ :rolleyes: as saying he’s going to close Gitmo… \*before \*he figured out where to put the prisoners. “I’m going to close Gitmo” was just another in the long list of empty promises eagerly lapped up by the adoring masses. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assess-obamas-first-year-performance/525067/103 "2010-01-19T21:24:37Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Republican lawmakers all over the country are blocking attempts Republicans are in the minority all over the country. How exactly are they doing this. And how are they blocking the detainees from being moved to federal prisons when they are in the minority in congress? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assess-obamas-first-year-performance/525067/104 "2010-01-20T10:14:17Z")
I think you’ve got your parties confused. The GOP are the mindless drones who put party before all else. The Dems are the incompetent weenies who form circular firing squads. If the Dems were as monolithic as you seem to think they are, Obama would have no problem at all pushing through his agenda. But they’re not. And if you think the President can just order Congress around, you’re in the wrong forum. In fact, several people on this very messageboard, myself included, mentioned a year or so ago that Obama was likely to have as much trouble dealing with Congressional Democrats as he would with the Republicans. No surprises there, for those who were paying attention. And I realize that a President who actually makes promises and tries to keep them is a new thing for some of you, but Obama _is closing_ the prison at Guantanamo. There’s nothing wrong with promising that without having every detail worked out to the nth degree; that’s true of every promise any politician has ever made anywhere. It’s getting done (at the moment). Or maybe he should just put up a “Mission Accomplished” banner now, pretend that everything’s fine and claim that anyone disagreeing with him doesn’t support our fine troops overseas? ---
**Author:** ![PrettyVacant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/49beb7/32.png) [@PrettyVacant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PrettyVacant)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assess-obamas-first-year-performance/525067/105 "2010-01-20T10:36:54Z")
Meh. Coke or Diet Coke. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assess-obamas-first-year-performance/525067/106 "2010-01-20T14:37:10Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > I think you’ve got your parties confused. The GOP are the mindless drones who put party before all else. The Dems are the incompetent weenies who form circular firing squads. If the Dems were as monolithic as you seem to think they are, Obama would have no problem at all pushing through his agenda. But they’re not. And if you think the President can just order Congress around, you’re in the wrong forum. In fact, several people on this very messageboard, myself included, mentioned a year or so ago that Obama was likely to have as much trouble dealing with Congressional Democrats as he would with the Republicans. No surprises there, for those who were paying attention. > > And I realize that a President who actually makes promises and tries to keep them is a new thing for some of you, but Obama _is closing_ the prison at Guantanamo. There’s nothing wrong with promising that without having every detail worked out to the nth degree; that’s true of every promise any politician has ever made anywhere. It’s getting done (at the moment). > > Or maybe he should just put up a “Mission Accomplished” banner now, pretend that everything’s fine and claim that anyone disagreeing with him doesn’t support our fine troops overseas? At what point does the promise to close Gitmo become void? Let’s say that by the end of 2010 there are still over 80% of the people who are today in it, would that be a failure. Having good intention is never enough and after a while it only makes you look like that all you’ve got. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assess-obamas-first-year-performance/525067/107 "2010-01-20T16:20:15Z")
It’s too early to say whether or not he’s done anything truly right, but he hasn’t done anything glaringly or immediately wrong. Granted this is through the filter of several thousand miles. Obama is to be commended for trying to implement UHC. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assess-obamas-first-year-performance/525067/108 "2010-01-20T16:38:48Z")
**Quartz** , you vote Conservative, right? ---
**Author:** ![Dick\_Dastardly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@Dick\_Dastardly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dick_Dastardly)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assess-obamas-first-year-performance/525067/109 "2010-01-21T00:23:35Z")
It’s been rubbish basically. He’s George Bush lite mostly. The only thing he did that McCain wouldn’t have was the healthcare bill but he did effectively zero to make the bill any use (public option) and I’m not sure the bill wouldn’t have been a huge loophole-fest and corporate giveaway that would have made the problem worse overall. Actually I’m more sure than unsure on that one, and so were the healthcare insurers’ stock investors. He needs to pass a strong public healthcare option, one that would actually show Americans that the government can be quite useful after all, through the reconciliation process. And he needs to go full out against Wall Street, bring in new transaction taxes on the big firms, set up a strong consumer protection agency etc. When getting tough on Wall Street meets with a massive GOP headwind he needs to use the bully pulpit of the presidency to give the GOP Senators and house people opposing re-regulation massive publicity, tie the most hated people in the country (Wall Street bankers) round the neck of the GOP. If he can’t foce the legislation through he should go down fighting and that’d make it clear to the country that it was the GOP blocking what needs to be done and coddling the bankers. If he doesn’t do both of these things he’ll get the shit kicked out of him in 2010 and flushed down the can in 2012, the new Jimmy Carter. And deservedly so. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assess-obamas-first-year-performance/525067/110 "2010-01-21T02:35:33Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Well, he hasn’t issued firearms to third-graders, which any _decent_ President would have done. Don’t put words in my mouth or insinuate false motives regarding me. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assess-obamas-first-year-performance/525067/111 "2010-01-21T02:47:14Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Republicans are in the minority all over the country. How exactly are they doing this. And how are they blocking the detainees from being moved to federal prisons when they are in the minority in congress? In the Bizarro-world of the SDMB, the Republicans apparently are boogeymen (and an occasional boogeywoman…wasn’t that a song?) who are never more dangerous than when they control Congress. Or, er, when they _don’t_. Or when they’re in the White House. Or, um, I guess, when they’re _not_ in the White House. :dubious: Una, not a Republican. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assess-obamas-first-year-performance/525067/112 "2010-01-21T03:32:04Z")
> [@Una\_Persson](#): > > In the Bizarro-world of the SDMB, the Republicans apparently are boogeymen (and an occasional boogeywoman…wasn’t that a song?) who are never more dangerous than when they control Congress. Or, er, when they _don’t_. Or when they’re in the White House. Or, um, I guess, when they’re _not_ in the White House. :dubious: No. The problem is the Democrats are so spineless, so willing to roll over to every Republican demand that it barely matters if the Republicans are in office or not. The Democrats don’t control Congress; they haven’t the spine for it regardless of their numbers. Nor has Obama shown much willingness to deal with the Republicans in any way but sucking up and caving in. The main advantage of Obama over a Republican is that he isn’t as crazy as they tend to be; but for most purposes, he might as well be Republican. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assess-obamas-first-year-performance/525067/113 "2010-01-21T03:53:02Z")
An honest-sounding answer, I confess. I think that both parties pander, even rely upon the breathtaking, jaw-dropping, absolutely stunning stupidity and ignorance of the average American. If that is assumed true, then perhaps an extension of that thought is that the Stupids who are Republican are just angrier overall, and thus far more organized. The Republicans I know IRL (not online) _are visibly angry_ at Obama when politics are discussed. The Democrats I know IRL (not online) _were never visibly angry_ at Bush when politics were discussed. I wonder if that incredibly limited observation means anything. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assess-obamas-first-year-performance/525067/114 "2010-01-21T04:03:58Z")
> [@Una\_Persson](#): > > I think that both parties pander, even rely upon the breathtaking, jaw-dropping, absolutely stunning stupidity and ignorance of the average American. Frankly, I think even pandering to the American public would be an improvement for the Democrats. Instead, the Republicans pander to the worst segments of the American people; and the Democrats pander to the Republicans. And alienate their own base in the process, and tell themselves that people don’t like them because they still aren’t conservative enough. Not because they’ve turned themselves into a bunch of toadies who give people no reason to vote for them. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assess-obamas-first-year-performance/525067/115 "2010-01-21T04:11:33Z")
But why do you believe that is so; that is, what is the root cause? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assess-obamas-first-year-performance/525067/116 "2010-01-21T04:17:26Z")
> [@Una\_Persson](#): > > But why do you believe that is so; that is, what is the root cause? They’re cowards. And what there is of the Left is small, demoralized, disorganized and not nearly as willing to put pressure on the Democrats as the Right is willing to on the Republicans. And because they really have this ridiculous idea they can compromise with people who aren’t interested in compromise. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assess-obamas-first-year-performance/525067/117 "2010-01-21T04:30:57Z")
That’s a harsh analysis…personally, I don’t think I could characterize Democratic Congresspeople as being any more or less cowardly than Republican Congresspeople. Who was the philosopher who wrote about the “firm, small steps?” If the Democrats would have worked on smaller-scope, modest bills (which would not alarm the general public, or allow them to be whipped into alarm as easily) which moved them towards their end goal - and been firm and resolute in those small steps - we’d already be better off with respect to health care. Find something that very few can disagree with - such as eliminating pre-existing conditions clauses. IIRC something like 80%+ of the public is in favor of that. Or extending Medicare down to cover those 55 and older - again, something which IIRC had broad public support. By my reading of census data, that alone could ensure that more than 33 million folks would at least have access to cheap health insurance. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assess-obamas-first-year-performance/525067/118 "2010-01-21T09:18:20Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > **Quartz** , you vote Conservative, right? Wrong. My vote is private, and I take my vote very seriously. When I vote, I judge both the policies and the characters of the candidates and their leaders. It is important to me that the person I elect do the right thing when the chips are down. That may mean I vote Conservative. It may mean I vote Lib Dem. It may mean I vote for an independent candidate: just recently I had a flyer from [Joe Hall](http://www.joehallforluton.com) put through my letterbox. I will certainly **not** vote for that ligging cunt Margaret Moran should she decide to stand. Regardless of her party’s policies, she completely fails on character. I will give the new Labour candidate, [Gavin Shuker](http://www.gavinshuker.org/) a fair shake, but I currently know nothing about him. Allegedly [Esther Rantzen](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esther_Rantzen) is going to stand as a candidate. I look forward to hearing her put forward her position. The Conservative candidate, [Nigel Huddleston](http://www.nigelhuddleston.com/) is a man of achievement. However, I detect a certain spinelessness about him and a lack of vision. I may be wrong. And, so far, he’s not even tried to get my vote. No flyers, no nothing. If I didn’t have an internet connection, I wouldn’t even know of him. I’ve been bombarded with stuff from [Qurban Hussain](http://qurbanhussain.blogspot.com/), the Lib Dem candidate. The Lib Dems are working hard for my vote and listening. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assess-obamas-first-year-performance/525067/119 "2010-01-21T11:11:34Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > At what point does the promise to close Gitmo become void? > Let’s say that by the end of 2010 there are still over 80% of the people who are today in it, would that be a failure. That’s a more than fair measure, although there will still be the “why” of it. ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assess-obamas-first-year-performance/525067/120 "2010-01-21T12:37:38Z")
> [@Wilbo523](#): > > Based upon what he said he would accomplish against what he has: D+ He didn’t say he would do it in one year, as a matter of fact he said it would get worse before it would get better, and he was criticized for saying that! I do not think any one could do any better. It is always easier to be a back seat driver! He also has to fight the one’s who want him to fail! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assess-obamas-first-year-performance/525067.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assess-obamas-first-year-performance/525067.md?page=7)