# Obama supporters: what's the first major mistake you expect him to make in office? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 11, 2008, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-whats-the-first-major-mistake-you-expect-him-to-make-in-office/472224 "2008-11-11T19:06:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2008, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-whats-the-first-major-mistake-you-expect-him-to-make-in-office/472224/21 "2008-11-11T23:42:49Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > [Her](http://www.nd.edu/~tghilard/), I assume. May I assume that [this](http://www.usnews.com/blogs/capital-commerce/2008/10/23/would-obama-dems-kill-401k-plans.html)is the reason? From the linked article: > > Links are very helpful. Yes Yes And, sorry about that. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-whats-the-first-major-mistake-you-expect-him-to-make-in-office/472224/22 "2008-11-12T00:01:52Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > His first budget, when passed thru Congress, will (I suspect) bear only a passing resemblance to what he submits. How is that different from any other president’s budget? Working for the White House Budget Office would be a great job for J. K. Rowling. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-whats-the-first-major-mistake-you-expect-him-to-make-in-office/472224/23 "2008-11-12T00:26:37Z")
All those Bush Executive Orders that Obama’s allegedly planning on undoing? It’s not going to happen. He’s going to forget about his campaign promises faster than any other elected official in American history, people are going to get really mad, and absolutely nothing will improve in the next four years. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-whats-the-first-major-mistake-you-expect-him-to-make-in-office/472224/24 "2008-11-12T00:47:53Z")
You expect a mistake from the Messiah? O, ye of little faith. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-whats-the-first-major-mistake-you-expect-him-to-make-in-office/472224/25 "2008-11-12T00:47:54Z")
> [@NinjaChick](#): > > All those Bush Executive Orders that Obama’s allegedly planning on undoing? It’s not going to happen. Would you like to put some money on that? ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-whats-the-first-major-mistake-you-expect-him-to-make-in-office/472224/26 "2008-11-12T00:57:58Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > 1. Trusting the Pentagon. "Don’t worry about it Sir. We can hit that terrorist safe house with absolute precision, not hurt any non-combantants, and we know for a fact the bad guy is there right this second. Furthermore, it’ll look like one of their own bombs went off. The local officials won’t suspect us at all. " Next day: “Oops.” This. There are a lot of honest military personnel, who would say “This is a risk, but a good one. From a military standpoint, we can plan, stage and execute an operation that will have a high likelihood of achieving the specific goal of capturing or killing persons X, Y, and Z. We will do all we can in the planning and field stages to minimize casualties outside of the targets, but no one can guarantee complete safety. We also cannot speak to the political effects of this raid. Finally, the more time you take to check those other aspects out, the chances of the situation changing goes up. Quickly.” There are also people who will promise the sun and the moon and stars, too. Guess which ones often make an effort to be popular with politicians. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-whats-the-first-major-mistake-you-expect-him-to-make-in-office/472224/27 "2008-11-12T00:58:03Z")
He’ll be caught on camera smoking a cigarette and all the lunatics will make a big deal that he is setting a bad example for children. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-whats-the-first-major-mistake-you-expect-him-to-make-in-office/472224/28 "2008-11-12T03:10:19Z")
> [@Captain\_C](#): > > I think he will overestimate the amount of goodwill in congress and it will blow up in his face. He’ll expect them all to get along swimmingly with his good intentions, and congress will vote toward something more self-serving. I know, that’s not very specific. That’s why he has Emmanuel. First Obama makes overtures of compromise, getting some Democrats and some Republicans to back his proposal. Then Rahm gets in there, twists some arms, kicks some asses, and really makes it happen. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-whats-the-first-major-mistake-you-expect-him-to-make-in-office/472224/29 "2008-11-12T03:15:57Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Would you like to put some money on that? If I had any money to put on it I would. I admit I’m a cynic, but seriously - you think he’s going to close Guantanamo and allow American trials for the prisoners held there? Lift limits on stem cell research? Undo Bush’s abortion-themed gag order on foreign aid groups? I don’t doubt that there will be improvements in those areas and others under Obama’s administration. But there is no way he’s going to do as much as he’s promised. He’s a politician, he’s going to stay as close to the center as he possibly can and he’s not going to do anything really risky. If people seriously think that the fact that he ran a grassroots campaign means he’s actually going to follow through on his promises and listen to the people, they’re ridiculously naive. Electing someone to the office of president is basically giving them a free pass to do whatever the hell they want, because there’s not really anything you can do to stop them, so why should we expect them to make good on their promises? ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-whats-the-first-major-mistake-you-expect-him-to-make-in-office/472224/30 "2008-11-12T03:17:49Z")
> [@Enola\_Gay](#): > > He’ll be caught on camera smoking a cigarette and all the lunatics will make a big deal that he is setting a bad example for children. Actually I’d love for that to happen, time to stop demonizing use of tobbacco products, and quite frankly I think the smoke nazis would be very wary about bothering obama with that crap. Declan ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-whats-the-first-major-mistake-you-expect-him-to-make-in-office/472224/31 "2008-11-12T03:38:51Z")
> [@NinjaChick](#): > > If I had any money to put on it I would. > > I admit I’m a cynic, but seriously - you think he’s going to close Guantanamo and allow American trials for the prisoners held there? Lift limits on stem cell research? Undo Bush’s abortion-themed gag order on foreign aid groups? > > I don’t doubt that there will be improvements in those areas and others under Obama’s administration. But there is no way he’s going to do as much as he’s promised. He’s a politician, he’s going to stay as close to the center as he possibly can and he’s not going to do anything really risky. > > If people seriously think that the fact that he ran a grassroots campaign means he’s actually going to follow through on his promises and listen to the people, they’re ridiculously naive. > > Electing someone to the office of president is basically giving them a free pass to do whatever the hell they want, because there’s not really anything you can do to stop them, so why should we expect them to make good on their promises? I share your cynicism but don’t agree with you entirely. I do think Obama will do the following: -Shut down the detention center at Gitmo -Lift the Federal limitations on stem cell research Those two, I’m very sure on. However, the first one is going to be long and painful and I imagine won’t leave people on the far left or far right satisfied. The stem cell stuff should happen very quickly. It has already come out that some of the intelligence measures enacted under Bush are going to stay in place under Obama. Read [this](http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122636726473415991.html), for example. I actually think Obama will be a good President, and was never opposed to him being President (he just wasn’t my first preference amongst all those who started running back in '07.) However, a lot of the reasons that I think Obama will be a good President will probably be reasons much of the hardcore leftist SDBM will probably look at him as a “traitor.” ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-whats-the-first-major-mistake-you-expect-him-to-make-in-office/472224/32 "2008-11-12T13:42:37Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > How is that different from any other president’s budget? Probably not very, unfortunately. Since Obama ran on a platform of change, business as usual in DC is not going to get the job done. And he is therefore almost immediately subject to the temptations and drawbacks of having the White House and Congress under the control of only one party. Just like Bush did. > [@Martin Hyde](#): > > I share your cynicism but don’t agree with you entirely. I do think Obama will do the following: > > -Shut down the detention center at Gitmo > -Lift the Federal limitations on stem cell research I suspect you can add “raise taxes” and “increase spending” to that list. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-whats-the-first-major-mistake-you-expect-him-to-make-in-office/472224/33 "2008-11-12T14:13:07Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I suspect you can add “raise taxes” and “increase spending” to that list. That would at least be better than the customary “cut taxes, increase spending” that Republican Presidents do. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-whats-the-first-major-mistake-you-expect-him-to-make-in-office/472224/34 "2008-11-12T14:27:00Z")
The day they move in to the White House, in a rush of excitement, he will try to fuck Michelle but she will not be in the mood. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-whats-the-first-major-mistake-you-expect-him-to-make-in-office/472224/35 "2008-11-12T15:05:53Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > The day they move in to the White House, in a rush of excitement, he will try to fuck Michelle but she will not be in the mood. I’m changing my bet to this. But it’ll be in their bedroom, not the Oval Office or anything. (Actually, I don’t doubt for a second that there’ll be some serious hanky-pank attempts at least - they are clearly two people who truly are in love with each other.) ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-whats-the-first-major-mistake-you-expect-him-to-make-in-office/472224/36 "2008-11-12T16:35:19Z")
Selecting Jaime Gorelick for AG. Meeting/negotiating with Hamas. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-whats-the-first-major-mistake-you-expect-him-to-make-in-office/472224/37 "2008-11-12T17:36:59Z")
> [@NinjaChick](#): > > I admit I’m a cynic, but seriously - you think he’s going to close Guantanamo and allow American trials for the prisoners held there? Lift limits on stem cell research? Undo Bush’s abortion-themed gag order on foreign aid groups? The last two, for sure. Clinton lifted the abortion-gag-order thing very early in his time in office, and while I’m worried about Obama being centrist and cautious, I don’t expect him to be more cautious than Mr. Triangulation himself, particularly given the much more liberal political climate. And the stem cell thing is pure win for anyone who isn’t beholden to the Republican base. On Gitmo, I expect him to do SOMETHING, but whether it will in fact reach the level of full American trials as opposed to some kind of half-assed hybrid court system (and some kind of replacement for Gitmo elsewhere) remains to be seen. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-whats-the-first-major-mistake-you-expect-him-to-make-in-office/472224/38 "2008-11-12T18:42:52Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Probably not very, unfortunately. Since Obama ran on a platform of change, business as usual in DC is not going to get the job done. > > And he is therefore almost immediately subject to the temptations and drawbacks of having the White House and Congress under the control of only one party. Just like Bush did. He has the advantage of not being an addictive nitwit obsessed with both proving himself to and bettering the record of his far more competent father. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-whats-the-first-major-mistake-you-expect-him-to-make-in-office/472224/39 "2008-11-12T19:01:51Z")
That we have yet to know. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-whats-the-first-major-mistake-you-expect-him-to-make-in-office/472224/40 "2008-11-12T19:04:08Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > That we have yet to know. You think President-Elect Obama’s father is an outstandingly competent person of the ilk of George H.W. Bush? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-whats-the-first-major-mistake-you-expect-him-to-make-in-office/472224.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supporters-whats-the-first-major-mistake-you-expect-him-to-make-in-office/472224.md?page=3)