# We Couldn't have seen this coming... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 20, 2010, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-couldnt-have-seen-this-coming/543846 "2010-06-20T05:13:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lurking\_guest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/2acd7d/32.png) [@lurking\_guest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurking_guest)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-couldnt-have-seen-this-coming/543846/1 "2010-06-20T05:13:46Z")
WE Pray…we hope…we believe… Obama’s challenge for the White House…We watched it… We watched it come to be. He won. And…he sold out -pick your “sold out to…” OBAMA Bill Clinton George Bush (And every other ‘George Bush’ type poltician…and that would be… Rham Emanuel…Larry Summers…Tim Geitner…Alan Greenspan…) WE - the average American person are ‘Big Stupids’ for supporting Obama. He and Michelle - HOWEVER they have lived their lives… OBAMA…Michelle You have FUCKED the American Peple. WELCOME to: "Oh Jeepers! I HAD NO IDEA of the Power and the Might of the Federal Reserve… ALLAN GREENSPAN…what a FUCKING KNOB!!! ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-couldnt-have-seen-this-coming/543846/2 "2010-06-20T05:15:17Z")
You know that Alan Greenspan retired from the Fed like five years ago, right? ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-couldnt-have-seen-this-coming/543846/3 "2010-06-20T05:38:27Z")
That’s what happens when you have a media that’s little more than a cheerleader for a candidate and refuses to actually vet the person. There were a lot of people warning that Obama would be exactly what he is - a good orator and a lousy, inexperienced executive. His history in Chicago is terrible. He championed housing programs that wound up being disasters - then bailed on them in favor of the next great crusade. He’s really good at striving for things, and really bad at managing them. He had no history of decisive action. He was a political chameleon. He’s never run a business, or even worked in a business not affiliated with government and the law. His supporters claimed that his executive experience was fine, because he ran a good campaign. But David Axelrod ran the campaign. Obama was a good political candidate, but wasn’t and isn’t a manager. With the BP crisis, you’re seeing how an academic handles executive action - fund a study, appoint a commission. Declare that the problem is complicated and there are no easy answers. In the engineering biz, we call it “analysis paralysis”, and it’s incredibly common - especially among people with lots of academic training and no real-world experience. These were traits that, had they belonged to someone the media wasn’t completely smitten with, would have had enough investigative airing that the American people would have been a little more aware of the man’s weaknesses. He might still have been elected, since the competition was so weak, but at least you’d have had a more realistic assessment of the guy. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-couldnt-have-seen-this-coming/543846/4 "2010-06-20T05:47:02Z")
I often take drunk and incoherent rantings seriously too. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-couldnt-have-seen-this-coming/543846/5 "2010-06-20T05:48:17Z")
It’s so hard to tell the difference these days. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-couldnt-have-seen-this-coming/543846/6 "2010-06-20T05:59:29Z")
Yeah, it can be. The OP is drunk, you’re incoherent, and I don’t get a lick of substance out of either one of your posts. ETA: well, in fairness, I don’t know for certain that your post is incoherent, as I saw that it was you and that it was about Obama, so I knew right away that it was tl;dr stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-couldnt-have-seen-this-coming/543846/7 "2010-06-20T06:38:53Z")
> [@lurking\_guest](#): > > WE - the average American person You are significantly \*below \*average. ---
**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:** [June 20, 2010, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-couldnt-have-seen-this-coming/543846/8 "2010-06-20T10:32:09Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Declare that the problem is complicated and there are no easy answers. Thank God we’re got an engineer to tell us that the easy answer to this simple problem is…? ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-couldnt-have-seen-this-coming/543846/9 "2010-06-20T10:38:41Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > You know that Alan Greenspan retired from the Fed like five years ago, right? And do you think he’s sat on a beach blowing his clarinet, inbetween slurping on a pina colada now? Or do you think the greedy fuck will still have his thumbs in every pie that comes out of the oven? ---
**Author:** ![Batfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Batfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batfish)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-couldnt-have-seen-this-coming/543846/10 "2010-06-20T12:33:32Z")
So, is the OP about Obama or Greenspan? Or one of the Bushes? I’m confused. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-couldnt-have-seen-this-coming/543846/11 "2010-06-20T12:40:12Z")
I blame the Jews. Or possibly the Spanish Inquisition. I don’t know wwhat I’m blaming them for, but does it really matter? ---
**Author:** ![Batfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Batfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batfish)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-couldnt-have-seen-this-coming/543846/12 "2010-06-20T12:41:30Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > With the BP crisis, you’re seeing how an academic handles executive action - fund a study, appoint a commission. Declare that the problem is complicated and there are no easy answers. In the engineering biz, we call it “analysis paralysis”, and it’s incredibly common - especially among people with lots of academic training and no real-world experience. Well, the whole world is waiting for an engineer to tell us the solution to this crisis, so step up to the microphone and tell us how you’d stop the leak. _waits_ _crickets_ Also it would be nice if the conservative snotbags would choose a message. It’s either; “there ain’t no environmental damage from that lil ol’ oil leak” or “the sorry incompetent Democratic President isn’t doing enough to stop this horrible crisis”. It can’t be both. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-couldnt-have-seen-this-coming/543846/13 "2010-06-20T12:53:26Z")
> [@](#): > > Obama’s challenge for the White House…We watched it… We watched it come to be. > > He won. > > And…he sold out -pick your “sold out to…” > > OBAMA > Bill Clinton > George Bush Obama sold out to Obama? What? Alkso, WTF is with all the random ellipses? Is the OP actually going for the effect of muttering incoherently to oneself? ---
**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:** [June 20, 2010, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-couldnt-have-seen-this-coming/543846/14 "2010-06-20T13:09:32Z")
> [@Batfish](#): > > Well, the whole world is waiting for an engineer to tell us the solution to this crisis, so step up to the microphone and tell us how you’d stop the leak. > > _waits_ > > _crickets_ > > Also it would be nice if the conservative snotbags would choose a message. It’s either; “there ain’t no environmental damage from that lil ol’ oil leak” or “the sorry incompetent Democratic President isn’t doing enough to stop this horrible crisis”. It can’t be both. Huh, I’m an Engineer, and a conservative, and I think Obama is doing the right thing - manage the overall process and respond to the idiocy of the 300+ million technological dumbasses of America who bleat “can’t someone DO sometin’?” while they drive their 3.2 screaming kids and 1.7 Labrador Retrievers to soccer practice in their 10 mpg Ford Behemoth. The real Engineers in the energy field who I know all believe at the ground level, BP is probably doing most everything they can to stop the leak. This in no way excuses BP for the leak in the first place, but NO President is going to put on their superhero cape and stop the leak any faster. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-couldnt-have-seen-this-coming/543846/15 "2010-06-20T13:45:57Z")
I’d make some smart ass comment, but I sold out to NurseCarmen a long time ago. ---
**Author:** ![Ace309](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ace309/32/1050_2.png) [@Ace309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace309)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-couldnt-have-seen-this-coming/543846/16 "2010-06-20T14:14:54Z")
Next time can’t you just link to one of your other incoherent rantings? ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-couldnt-have-seen-this-coming/543846/17 "2010-06-20T14:20:04Z")
Sam Stone is an engineer? Who knew ?? 😕 ---
**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:** [June 20, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-couldnt-have-seen-this-coming/543846/18 "2010-06-20T14:26:37Z")
> [@Una\_Persson](#): > > NO President is going to put on their superhero cape and stop the leak any faster. It is not Kal-El’s fault that he is not eligible to run for president. The natural-born-citizen requirement is speciesist. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-couldnt-have-seen-this-coming/543846/19 "2010-06-20T14:27:46Z")
engineer…of the chocolate choo-choo train of thought ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2010, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-couldnt-have-seen-this-coming/543846/20 "2010-06-20T14:46:52Z")
I don’t know about you, but I got exactly what I expected when I voted for Obama. He’s the first conservative president we’ve had since Eisenhower. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-couldnt-have-seen-this-coming/543846.md?page=2)