Should Republicans just fold up the tent?

[Gao Bohan]

As it is now, I don't expect Obama to do anything worthwhile and will end up handing the republicans the office in 2016. Seriously, besides half-ass health insurance reform, what has Obama done?

First off, he initiated comprehensive health reform that expands coverage to 30 million Americans and overhauls and standardizes the existing regulatory structure. There was nothing "half-ass" about it. He also passed an economic stimulus package that, when combined with other stimulus packages across the world, ended the worst recession in 80 years. He also passed a law overhauling the financial regulatory system in order to prevent another meltdown. He ended the war in Iraq. He killed Bin Laden. He set up a timetable to end the war in Afghanistan. He improved gay rights by repealing DODT and by championing gay marriage. He improved women's rights by passing the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Many of those are major accomplishments and those are just off the top of my head. There are lists of dozens of campaign promises that he has fulfilled through legislation or executive orders. Obama is one of the good guys, and he has an excellent chance of being re-elected. What's with all this pessimism and defeatism?

[fred smith]

First off, he initiated comprehensive health reform that expands coverage to 30 million Americans and overhauls and standardizes the existing regulatory structure. There was nothing "half-ass" about it. He also passed an economic stimulus package that, when combined with other stimulus packages across the world, ended the worst recession in 80 years. He also passed a law overhauling the financial regulatory system in order to prevent another meltdown. He ended the war in Iraq. He killed Bin Laden. He set up a timetable to end the war in Afghanistan. He improved gay rights by repealing DODT and by championing gay marriage. He improved women's rights by passing the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Many of those are major accomplishments and those are just off the top of my head. There are lists of dozens of campaign promises that he has fulfilled through legislation or executive orders. Obama is one of the good guys, and he has an excellent chance of being re-elected. What's with all this pessimism and defeatism?

As a staunch Republican, I agree with Gao Bohan's assessment. I would add that his two Supreme Court justice picks are excellent.

Foreign policy wise, I would have preferred to leave some troops in Iraq but... then... maybe it is better this way...

And as to the Poland Czech Republic missile defense, we have found mobile missiles to provide greater flexibility so... non-issue....

Russian relations have been bad for quite some time, the effort at reset was genuine. It did not work out... so? move on.

Iran and North Korea as well as Pakistan remain problems. They have been for decades.

And he kept Guantanamo open while keeping Bush's security measures in place.

Only issue: I still think that he tends to fall back on pro-government, anti-business positions but ... that is not necessarily equate to having to write off all his accomplishments.

I am undecided as to the election. Unless he nominates Hillary and then I am in.

[headhonchoII]

Really, you would still vote for Romney? That's got to suck .

[archylgp]

As it is now, I don't expect Obama to do anything worthwhile and will end up handing the republicans the office in 2016. Seriously, besides half-ass health insurance reform, what has Obama done?

First off, he initiated comprehensive health reform that expands coverage to 30 million Americans and overhauls and standardizes the existing regulatory structure. There was nothing "half-ass" about it. He also passed an economic stimulus package that, when combined with other stimulus packages across the world, ended the worst recession in 80 years. He also passed a law overhauling the financial regulatory system in order to prevent another meltdown. He ended the war in Iraq. He killed Bin Laden. He set up a timetable to end the war in Afghanistan. He improved gay rights by repealing DODT and by championing gay marriage. He improved women's rights by passing the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Many of those are major accomplishments and those are just off the top of my head. There are lists of dozens of campaign promises that he has fulfilled through legislation or executive orders. Obama is one of the good guys, and he has an excellent chance of being re-elected. What's with all this pessimism and defeatism?

I don't want to write a long response, but Obama's health reform is seriously lacking: (1) doesn't address the sky rocketing costs of health care: why did my x ray 8 years ago cost 300 dollars?? Something is wrong... (2) Forces people to buy private insurance with a bunch of loop holes putting the very ill back on the existing government plans. (3) doesn't change the fact that people with good insurance get better care and people with the cheap insurance will get shitty care.

What I would like to see is government insurance that makes the best available to people who need it regardless of wealth while not paying ridiculous sums of money for little things. The coverage would be universal and priced relative to salaries. Private insurance could be bought as a complement to government insurance to pay for non-essential treatments. At the same time, I would like to see the government investing heavily in medical research while tearing down ridiculous barriers to progress like patenting of DNA and what not. This type of investment will pay for itself in the long run through money-generating innovations and will keep US health care at the number 1 spot in the world.

About Iraq, Bush's surge ended the war in Iraq, Obama just had to follow through. Interestingly, Obama decided to implement a Bush style surge in Afghanistan and by all accounts it's been disastrous.

Obama's bail out was just an unregulated cheque to the rich...that is, he failed on his promise to track where the money went. The situation in the US is still as hopeless as it was in 2008 for the average guy trying to live a respectable life. Obama admitted this in an interview with Charlie Rose a few weeks ago and said fixing this is his main goal. Let's hope he does better than he did with health care...

Killing Bin Laden would of happened with a Republican in office.

Obama has had it hard with Republican opposition. He should stop trying to cooperate and use their greed against them (like Clinton). Now is a perfect opportunity with all the idiotic stuff the Republicans are saying about gun control. (Most Americans are logical.)But what is Obama doing?? Working for the lobbyist once again. What a surprise... (There is a report about all the money Obama's team got from the health insurance industry to push ''health reform'' through out here. I wish I could find it...)

[SuperSneakyCow]

Obama's bailout...

Come again?

[SuperSneakyCow]

As it is now, I don't expect Obama to do anything worthwhile and will end up handing the republicans the office in 2016. Seriously, besides half-ass health insurance reform, what has Obama done?

First off, he initiated comprehensive health reform that expands coverage to 30 million Americans and overhauls and standardizes the existing regulatory structure. There was nothing "half-ass" about it. He also passed an economic stimulus package that, when combined with other stimulus packages across the world, ended the worst recession in 80 years. He also passed a law overhauling the financial regulatory system in order to prevent another meltdown. He ended the war in Iraq. He killed Bin Laden. He set up a timetable to end the war in Afghanistan. He improved gay rights by repealing DODT and by championing gay marriage. He improved women's rights by passing the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Many of those are major accomplishments and those are just off the top of my head. There are lists of dozens of campaign promises that he has fulfilled through legislation or executive orders. Obama is one of the good guys, and he has an excellent chance of being re-elected. What's with all this pessimism and defeatism?

I don't want to write a long response, but Obama's health reform is seriously lacking: (1) doesn't address the sky rocketing costs of health care: why did my x ray 8 years ago cost 300 dollars?? Something is wrong... (2) Forces people to buy private insurance with a bunch of loop holes putting the very ill back on the existing government plans. (3) doesn't change the fact that people with good insurance get better care and people with the cheap insurance will get shitty care.

What I would like to see is government insurance that makes the best available to people who need it regardless of wealth while not paying ridiculous sums of money for little things. The coverage would be universal and priced relative to salaries. Private insurance could be bought as a complement to government insurance to pay for non-essential treatments. At the same time, I would like to see the government investing heavily in medical research while tearing down ridiculous barriers to progress like patenting of DNA and what not. This type of investment will pay for itself in the long run through money-generating innovations and will keep US health care at the number 1 spot in the world.

About Iraq, Bush's surge ended the war in Iraq, Obama just had to follow through. Interestingly, Obama decided to implement a Bush style surge in Afghanistan and by all accounts it's been disastrous.

Obama's bail out was just an unregulated cheque to the rich...that is, he failed on his promise to track where the money went. The situation in the US is still as hopeless as it was in 2008 for the average guy trying to live a respectable life. Obama admitted this in an interview with Charlie Rose a few weeks ago and said fixing this is his main goal. Let's hope he does better than he did with health care...

Killing Bin Laden would of happened with a Republican in office.

No, actually, it would not have. It actually specifically did not happen when we had Bin Laden cornered, but let him go. In fact, we knew he would attack the U.S. before the 9/11 but Bush told the agents that informed him "you've covered your ass, now go home."

I don't understand how you conflate the fact that it specifically did not happen with a Republican in office with the idea that it would.

Republican in office: We invaded two countries, one of which had absolutely zero connection to 9/11. A different country was home to most of the hijackers, yet we did not invade them, because we fucking love their oil, and our President was too busy literally kissing their leaders. So distracted with another bullshit war, when we had Bin Laden trapped in the mountains of Afghanistan, we let him go.

Democrat in office: President orders an elite team of soldiers to shoot him in the head, without starting a war. In the same speech, revealing this action, President has to prove he is a citizen by releasing his birth certificate again.

Republicans only have a track record of catastrophic failure.

[Chris]

Only issue: I still think that he tends to fall back on pro-government, anti-business positions

When has he done that?

[archylgp]

No, actually, it would not have. It actually specifically did not happen when we had Bin Laden cornered, but let him go. In fact, we knew he would attack the U.S. before the 9/11 but Bush told the agents that informed him "you've covered your ass, now go home."

That's not what I've heard. Watch this: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline ... errogator/ This isn't 100% relative but if you have a better source please share.

I don't understand how you conflate the fact that it specifically did not happen with a Republican in office with the idea that it would..

I'm not a Republican or a Democrat: I think they're both hopeless. I like Bill Clinton, though. The fact that since 2004 assault rifles are legally purchasable in the US shows pretty well how bad both parties are. With that said, I think the Republicans learned their lesson* and would have taken action once they new were Bin Laden's location.

*In fact, Bush in his later years as president did a lot of work that Obama is using now: (1) Iran policy: before you jump on this, Bush changed his tone later on after he messed everything up. Listen to this for clarification: http://www.npr.org/2012/07/24/157248254 ... s-and-iran. (2) Strategy in Iraq -- surge to get control of the situation and then gradually transfer power to local forces. Obama liked this so much he is using it in Afghanistan. (3) Bush tax cuts (which I think is a mistake) and I'm sure there is more.

[SuperSneakyCow]

No, actually, it would not have. It actually specifically did not happen when we had Bin Laden cornered, but let him go. In fact, we knew he would attack the U.S. before the 9/11 but Bush told the agents that informed him "you've covered your ass, now go home."

That's not what I've heard. Watch this: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline ... errogator/ This isn't 100% relative but if you have a better source please share.

I don't understand how you conflate the fact that it specifically did not happen with a Republican in office with the idea that it would..

I'm not a Republican or a Democrat: I think they're both hopeless. I like Bill Clinton, though. The fact that since 2004 assault rifles are legally purchasable in the US shows pretty well how bad both parties are. With that said, I think the Republicans learned their lesson* and would have taken action once they new were Bin Laden's location.

*In fact, Bush in his later years as president did a lot of work that Obama is using now: (1) Iran policy: before you jump on this, Bush changed his tone later on after he messed everything up. Listen to this for clarification: http://www.npr.org/2012/07/24/157248254 ... s-and-iran. (2) Strategy in Iraq -- surge to get control of the situation and then gradually transfer power to local forces. Obama liked this so much he is using it in Afghanistan. (3) Bush tax cuts (which I think is a mistake) and I'm sure there is more.

It doesn't matter which party you're on, or not on. It's patently obvious that the Republicans likely would not have been able to capture Bin Laden, not because of speculation but because they didn't, period.

Also, it was not Obama that signed the bailout, but Bush.

Ffs.

[archylgp]

No, actually, it would not have. It actually specifically did not happen when we had Bin Laden cornered, but let him go. In fact, we knew he would attack the U.S. before the 9/11 but Bush told the agents that informed him "you've covered your ass, now go home."

That's not what I've heard. Watch this: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline ... errogator/ This isn't 100% relative but if you have a better source please share.

I don't understand how you conflate the fact that it specifically did not happen with a Republican in office with the idea that it would..

I'm not a Republican or a Democrat: I think they're both hopeless. I like Bill Clinton, though. The fact that since 2004 assault rifles are legally purchasable in the US shows pretty well how bad both parties are. With that said, I think the Republicans learned their lesson* and would have taken action once they new were Bin Laden's location.

*In fact, Bush in his later years as president did a lot of work that Obama is using now: (1) Iran policy: before you jump on this, Bush changed his tone later on after he messed everything up. Listen to this for clarification: http://www.npr.org/2012/07/24/157248254 ... s-and-iran. (2) Strategy in Iraq -- surge to get control of the situation and then gradually transfer power to local forces. Obama liked this so much he is using it in Afghanistan. (3) Bush tax cuts (which I think is a mistake) and I'm sure there is more.

It doesn't matter which party you're on, or not on. It's patently obvious that the Republicans likely would not have been able to capture Bin Laden, not because of speculation but because they didn't, period.

Also, it was not Obama that signed the bailout, but Bush.

Ffs.

I meant the stimulus package...