# Let's make a list of programs that don't work that will be eliminated under Obama! **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 13, 2009, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-programs-that-dont-work-that-will-be-eliminated-under-obama/489318 "2009-03-13T11:22:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2009, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-programs-that-dont-work-that-will-be-eliminated-under-obama/489318/1 "2009-03-13T11:22:24Z")
I would like to start it, but I don’t have item one. Anybody? 1. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2009, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-programs-that-dont-work-that-will-be-eliminated-under-obama/489318/2 "2009-03-13T11:28:23Z")
Well, let’s start answering this loaded question by identifying programs that don’t work. The we can talk about whether they need to be eliminated, or merely revamped. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2009, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-programs-that-dont-work-that-will-be-eliminated-under-obama/489318/3 "2009-03-13T12:09:52Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > Well, let’s start answering this loaded question by identifying programs that don’t work. Do people agree that the TSA is an example? ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2009, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-programs-that-dont-work-that-will-be-eliminated-under-obama/489318/4 "2009-03-13T12:16:32Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > Do people agree that the TSA is an example? I’m willing to out of frustration with the screening process at airports, but I don’t know why I should agree that TSA doesn’t work. I mean, we haven’t had another 9/11, right? ---
**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:** [March 13, 2009, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-programs-that-dont-work-that-will-be-eliminated-under-obama/489318/5 "2009-03-13T12:16:41Z")
Hopefully Bush’s useless arms-for-souls deal with the forces of Hell will be canceled. Just treating the loaded question with the seriousness it deserves ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2009, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-programs-that-dont-work-that-will-be-eliminated-under-obama/489318/6 "2009-03-13T12:19:39Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > Do people agree that the TSA is an example? Yes. It’s an onerous trainwreck that could be improved and in the process should be cut way the hell down. I’m sure farm subsidies and probably a lot of other subsidies could be reduced. This isn’t “a program that doesn’t work” exactly, but I don’t think the Pentagon budget needs to be $600 billion or whatever it currently is. Of course politically, it’s near impossible to cut. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2009, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-programs-that-dont-work-that-will-be-eliminated-under-obama/489318/7 "2009-03-13T12:32:14Z")
[QUOTE=Stan Shmenge] I would like to start it, but I don’t have item one. [/QUOTE] Then you haven’t been listening. For starters: [Withdraw combat troops from Iraq](http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/iraq/): > [@](#): > > Based on the recommendations of his military commanders and national security team, the President has chosen a timeline that will remove all U.S. combat brigades from Iraq over the next 18 months. By August 31, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end and Iraqi Security Forces will have full responsibility for major combat missions. [Don’t Ask Don’t Tell](http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/defense/) > [@](#): > > Repeal Don’t Ask-Don’t Tell: President Obama agrees with former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili and other military experts that we need to repeal the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. The key test for military service should be patriotism, a sense of duty, and a willingness to serve. Discrimination should be prohibited. The U.S. government has spent millions of dollars replacing troops kicked out of the military because of their sexual orientation. Additionally, more than 300 language experts have been fired under this policy, including more than 50 who are fluent in Arabic. The President will work with military leaders to repeal the current policy and ensure it helps accomplish our national defense goals. [Subsidies to oil industry, and to the private student loan industry](http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/fiscal/): > [@](#): > > Obama and Biden will stop funding wasteful, obsolete federal government programs that make no financial sense. Obama and Biden have called for an end to subsidies for oil and gas companies that are enjoying record profits, as well as the elimination of subsidies to the private student loan industry which has repeatedly used unethical business practices. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2009, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-programs-that-dont-work-that-will-be-eliminated-under-obama/489318/8 "2009-03-13T12:41:10Z")
The Joint Strike Fighter Program and the Future Combat systems are two programs that may have cuts in their budget, but not eliminated. [From here](http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hGNxczqLXjxmO3WwAK0zwc6m0Q8gD96SRMR01). He’s also spoken about ending the no bid contract program, the missile space defense program, and many of the programs that came with the prior administration’s granting of free reign to Pentagon spending. [From here](http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/11/10/pentagon_board_says_cuts_essential/) ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2009, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-programs-that-dont-work-that-will-be-eliminated-under-obama/489318/9 "2009-03-13T12:48:08Z")
> [@The Chosen and Exalted One](#): > > We are going to ban all earmarks, the process by which individual members insert projects without review. [Cite.](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28525113/) That will certainly save some money, if we can keep [lying politicians](http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/bulletin/bulletin_090312.htm) from pork-barreling. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2009, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-programs-that-dont-work-that-will-be-eliminated-under-obama/489318/10 "2009-03-13T12:49:29Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Then you haven’t been listening. For starters: > > [Withdraw combat troops from Iraq](http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/iraq/) Except that Iraq has been a success. > [@](#): > > [Don’t Ask Don’t Tell](http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/defense/) Good example, and it may save money by opening up the labor force to more applicants, but I would hardly call it a “program”. More a stupid rule. > [@](#): > > [Subsidies to oil industry, and to the private student loan industry](http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/fiscal/): Let me know when that takes effect. As for the part about the oil industry welfare, bully for him, but does that include Ethanol? I doubt it. If anything, Obama is going to pour MORE money into the “alternative” energy industry. As far as student loans, he will most likely be transferring those monies into less efficient publicly run programs. So, basically, on all your points, a big FAIL. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2009, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-programs-that-dont-work-that-will-be-eliminated-under-obama/489318/11 "2009-03-13T12:50:30Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > Except that Iraq has been a success. Sure it has. It’s been very expensive regardless. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2009, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-programs-that-dont-work-that-will-be-eliminated-under-obama/489318/12 "2009-03-13T12:55:15Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > Do people agree that the TSA is an example? Has he even proposed cutting it? Another 9/11 was an impossibility as of 9/12. I flew across country two weeks after 9/11. The pilot came on the PA as we were pushing back: “Welcome aboard! Everybody take a look and shake hands with the person next to you, and we will have a nice flight.” The rest has been a sham to make us feel like serfs in our own country. JMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2009, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-programs-that-dont-work-that-will-be-eliminated-under-obama/489318/13 "2009-03-13T12:56:25Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Sure it has. It’s been very expensive regardless. Assuming you are not being sarcastic, it may well be worth the price. But don’t let the Bush hate cloud your viewpoint. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2009, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-programs-that-dont-work-that-will-be-eliminated-under-obama/489318/14 "2009-03-13T13:01:22Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > Assuming you are not being sarcastic, it may well be worth the price. But don’t let the Bush hate cloud your viewpoint. I was being sarcastic because the war was unnecessary and moronic in every respect, and then there’s the careless and idiotic way it was conducted. But yeah, those criticisms shouldn’t count. They’re just “Bush hate.” I should’ve been more balanced and pointed out the good things, like the fact that Rumsfeld had nice hair while planning the war. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2009, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-programs-that-dont-work-that-will-be-eliminated-under-obama/489318/15 "2009-03-13T13:06:26Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > Except that Iraq has been a success. Even if you assume the Iraq War can be a success, which I don’t believe - I find the idea akin to saying a traffic accident is a “Success” because the body shop managed to knock most of the dents - the war cannot be a success UNTIL troops are pulled out. Until they are, it’s a failure, and would be a failure if they remained. Beyond that, tell you what; let’s wait a little more than two months to gauge his success. ---
**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:** [March 13, 2009, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-programs-that-dont-work-that-will-be-eliminated-under-obama/489318/16 "2009-03-13T13:08:16Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > Except that Iraq has been a success. At what ? It was a war of aggression that cost us huge amounts of moral and political capital ( not to mention plain old money ), killed a lot of innocent Iraqis, and replaced an impotent dictator with a population of people who hate our guts. And that’s just a few of the things wrong with it. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2009, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-programs-that-dont-work-that-will-be-eliminated-under-obama/489318/17 "2009-03-13T13:12:34Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > Good example, and it may save money by opening up the labor force to more applicants, but I would hardly call it a “program”. More a stupid rule. So now you are moving the goalposts? Perhaps your lame OP should have had better definitions. You don’t get to change them now. FAIL > [@](#): > > Obama is going to pour MORE money into the “alternative” energy industry. Well, I certainly hope so. FAIL > [@](#): > > As far as student loans, he will most likely be transferring those monies into less efficient publicly run programs. “Most likely” So now you are a mind reader? And how can a for profit lender possibly provide scholarships and grants cheaper than the government? You seem to be proceeding from the mistaken assumption that government is always less efficient than private enterprise. This is just more hot air from Libertopia. All of your criticism of Obama seems to be based on imagined failures you anticipate in the future, not on policies that are demonstrably failed already. It is obvious you began with a conclusion (Obama: Bad!!) and are vainly searching for examples to support that conclusion, and are now reduced to blaming him for things that haven’t happened yet. This is completely different from the criticism from liberals towards Bush, which was based on things he _actually did_, not things we imagined he might do _some day_. FAIL ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2009, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-programs-that-dont-work-that-will-be-eliminated-under-obama/489318/18 "2009-03-13T13:13:39Z")
> [@Stan](#): > > So, basically, on all your points, a big FAIL. > [@Stan](#): > > But don’t let the Bush hate cloud your viewpoint. Do you understand why people don’t take you or your “debates” seriously? ---
**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:** [March 13, 2009, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-programs-that-dont-work-that-will-be-eliminated-under-obama/489318/19 "2009-03-13T13:15:33Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > Do you understand why people don’t take you or your “debates” seriously? Now, now ! That’s just the Bush Hate clouding your viewpoint ! ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2009, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-programs-that-dont-work-that-will-be-eliminated-under-obama/489318/20 "2009-03-13T13:37:03Z")
How about the war on drugs? Especially the war against marijuana? And I wonder how those inner city poverty relief programs are doing. Many of them were blamed, in the past for creating more and more teenage mothers on welfare. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-make-a-list-of-programs-that-dont-work-that-will-be-eliminated-under-obama/489318.md?page=2)