# Obama: bad for business? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 6, 2018, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-bad-for-business/815538 "2018-06-06T14:18:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-bad-for-business/815538/61 "2018-06-08T14:55:47Z")
> [@glowacks](#): > > Please stop using the word “regulation” as though it was a pejorative thing. “Regulations” – like “NAFTA” and “illegals” – is just another dog-whistle term Republicans use to blame Democrats for everything that isn’t perfect in the world. “All the coal mining jobs are gone because of regulations.” “Our town is dying because of regulations.” ---
**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:** [June 8, 2018, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-bad-for-business/815538/62 "2018-06-08T14:56:06Z")
I once had someone argue that Obama hated the oil industry and had been holding it back. When I pointed out that US petroleum production, including oil, boomed under Obama, he used as an example the fact that Obama wouldn’t let the oil industry do unrestricted drilling in Alaskan wildlife reserves. > [@Akaj](#): > > “Regulations” – like “NAFTA” and “illegals” – is just another dog-whistle term Republicans use to blame Democrats for everything that isn’t perfect in the world. “All the coal mining jobs are gone because of regulations.” “Our town is dying because of regulations.” Which is ironic because coal miners are literally dying because of insufficient regulations. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-bad-for-business/815538/63 "2018-06-08T16:39:03Z")
So, can I request that the mods change the title of this thread to “Resolved: Obama was good for the business in the US?” As far as I can tell nobody in this tread has come up with a single example of something that Obama did that was bad for business. I expected somebody to at least point to parts of Dodd Frank and make an argument about lending but either they are completely apathetic and don’t want to bash Obama (!) or there just isn’t data that supports the argument. Compare and contrast with the current administration with their trillion dollar deficits, crony capitalism and emoluments violations, and tariffs. I am beginning to think that conservatism in the country is completely morally and intellectually bankrupt. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-bad-for-business/815538/64 "2018-06-08T16:43:16Z")
> [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](#): > > I am beginning to think that conservatism in the country is completely morally and intellectually bankrupt. What about those e-mails though? huh? HUH? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-bad-for-business/815538/65 "2018-06-08T16:54:08Z")
> [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](#): > > I am beginning to think that conservatism in the country is completely morally and intellectually bankrupt. [Huh.](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/epicrapbattlesofhistory/images/2/2e/768278_stock-photo-businessman---on-the-nose.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/320?cb=20160718001543) ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-bad-for-business/815538/66 "2018-06-08T17:08:28Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Let’s see… Unemployment at record lows, GDP growth near 4% in the last quarter (!!), a recent jobs report that was described as ‘red hot’. > > Actual headline from the New York Times this week:[We Ran Out of Words to Describe How Good the Jobs Numbers Are.](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/01/upshot/we-ran-out-of-words-to-describe-how-good-the-jobs-numbers-are.html) > > Also, unemployment is at an all-time low for African Americans and Hispanics, and the number of open jobs recently exceeded the number of people looking for work for the first time in decades. Wage growth is up, and take home pay up even further due to the tax cuts. Consumer spending is exceeding estimates, and consumer confidence is the highest it’s been in 17 years. > > If you have been convinced that the economy is a disaster, you need to get out of the bubble. Bubble? Interesting word choice. ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-bad-for-business/815538/67 "2018-06-08T17:14:25Z")
> [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](#): > > So, can I request that the mods change the title of this thread to “Resolved: Obama was good for the business in the US?” As far as I can tell nobody in this tread has come up with a single example of something that Obama did that was bad for business. I expected somebody to at least point to parts of Dodd Frank and make an argument about lending but either they are completely apathetic and don’t want to bash Obama (!) or there just isn’t data that supports the argument. > > Compare and contrast with the current administration with their trillion dollar deficits, crony capitalism and emoluments violations, and tariffs. I am beginning to think that conservatism in the country is completely morally and intellectually bankrupt. Obama had trillion dollar deficits, crony capitalism, and tariffs. Trump is very much in line with what Obama was doing. Different marketing styles, though. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-bad-for-business/815538/68 "2018-06-08T17:17:33Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > Bubble? > > Interesting word choice. This post made me smile. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-bad-for-business/815538/69 "2018-06-08T17:22:28Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > Obama had trillion dollar deficits, crony capitalism, and tariffs. Trump is very much in line with what Obama was doing. Different marketing styles, though. And a vast difference in sheer volume. If it’s even true. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-bad-for-business/815538/70 "2018-06-08T17:24:23Z")
One would hardly expect a different response from Farnaby. ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-bad-for-business/815538/71 "2018-06-08T17:33:48Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > And a vast difference in sheer volume. If it’s even true. So you don’t know if it’s true but you are certain of the difference in volume? It’s certainly likely that Trump’s deficits will eclipse Obama’s, but they haven’t so far. Obama’s stimulus was pure cronyism unlikely to be topped by Trump. The American consumer spent huge sums on tires thanks to Obama. Thankfully the TPP was never passed so we were spared the opaque cronyism displayed in that disaster. Obama bailed out the auto makers as a payoff to Big Labor and connected interests instead of allowing the restructuring necessary which would have probably benefited non-union southerners and good capitalists. You can call this pro-business, but also cronyism. Indeed many of the so-called pro-business measures of the Obama administration listed in the OP were pure crony plays. ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-bad-for-business/815538/72 "2018-06-08T17:41:45Z")
“I will go anywhere in the world to open new markets for American products. And I will not stand by when our competitors don’t play by the rules. We’ve brought trade cases against China at nearly twice the rate as the last administration – and it’s made a difference. Over a thousand Americans are working today because we stopped a surge in Chinese tires. But we need to do more. It’s not right when another country lets our movies, music, and software be pirated. It’s not fair when foreign manufacturers have a leg up on ours only because they’re heavily subsidized.” -President Barack Obama, 1/24/2012 “I have made rigorous trade enforcement a central pillar of U.S. trade policy, and we have moved aggressively to protect American workers and to improve labor laws and working conditions with trading partners across the globe.” -President Barack Obama, 5/19/2015 ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-bad-for-business/815538/73 "2018-06-08T17:44:02Z")
Yes many bad trends were initiated with GWB, accelerated under BO, and are now being viewed as “unprecedented dangers” under Trump. Sometimes being non-partisan can be amusing. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-bad-for-business/815538/74 "2018-06-08T17:48:07Z")
Cronyism > [@](#): > > partiality to cronies especially as evidenced in the appointment of political hangers-on to office without regard to their qualifications [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cronyism](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cronyism) And you think Obama is worse than Trump? Trump has only had a year and a half, Obama had eight. You think comparing deficits at this point makes any sense? Tires? Are you fucking kidding? I remember getting a stimulus check. What I don’t remember is ever being a friend or even an acquaintance of Obama. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-bad-for-business/815538/75 "2018-06-08T17:57:01Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > I remember getting a stimulus check. What I don’t remember is ever being a friend or even an acquaintance of Obama. Did you get your Soros check? I bought a new car with mine. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-bad-for-business/815538/76 "2018-06-08T18:00:33Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Cronyism > [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cronyism](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cronyism) > And you think Obama is worse than Trump? > > Trump has only had a year and a half, Obama had eight. You think comparing deficits at this point makes any sense? > > Tires? Are you fucking kidding? > > I remember getting a stimulus check. What I don’t remember is ever being a friend or even an acquaintance of Obama. Did you just pull out a dictionary? I didn’t initiate the conversation about deficits. The stimulus check was only a fraction of the crony stimulus. Obama just caked half a mil off his service to cronies. I’m sure those in Trump’s orbit will do the same just as the Clintons did. This sum is paltry when it comes to government expenditures. The cronyism I’m most concerned about is when industries loot the taxpayer and consumer by cozying up to government officials. The revolving door between Big Finance and the Obama administration was well documented for example. I care less about whether Obama, Bush, Clinton or Trump get a few million from connections. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2018, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-bad-for-business/815538/77 "2018-06-08T20:48:53Z")
Always interesting to see delusional ideation in action… ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2018, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-bad-for-business/815538/78 "2018-06-09T00:26:36Z")
Big Finance does donate to election campaigns; and Obama and other Presidents have fostered policies favorable for rich banks. However, I don’t think this is generally due to “cronyism” _per se_. I think policy makers are intimidated by advice from Treasury Secretary etc. (who are often former big bankers themselves), who present scenarios of financial disaster. Finance and monetary policy are rather mysterious to non-specialists; when someone like Obama acts in banks’ interest it’s _out of fear of financial panic_, not just a desire to make rich bankers even richer. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2018, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-bad-for-business/815538/79 "2018-06-09T00:36:20Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Did you get your Soros check The one where he paid us to vote twice? Shhh! That’s a secret only democrats know! I think the republicans suspect something though. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2018, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-bad-for-business/815538/80 "2018-06-09T00:45:39Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > The one where he paid us to vote twice? Only twice? Geez, I voted in four counties and two other states. Hacked some social media accounts too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-bad-for-business/815538.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-bad-for-business/815538.md?page=5)