• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Do we judge sitting presidents unfairly?

Do we judge sitting presidents unfairly?

  • Yes

    Votes: 6 54.5%
  • No

    Votes: 4 36.4%
  • I'm voting for Donald Trump, so I tend not to think about things rationally

    Votes: 1 9.1%

  • Total voters
    11

nothanks700

Member
Joined
May 7, 2016
Messages
68
Reaction score
21
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Slightly Liberal
Granted I can post this at anytime in American history, and there would be a long tirade of "things that are wrong with our country" from the party opposing the sitting president. But, do you think we may be somewhat harsh on our sitting president out of some need to be cynical?

Here are just a few of the things Obama has done:

Cut prescription drug cost for medicare recipients by 50%
Provided $12.2 Billion in new funding for Individuals With Disabilities Education Act
Extended Benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees
Appointed more openly gay officials than any other president in US history
The American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009: a $789 billion economic stimulus plan (Which by most economist estimates saved us from a depression, granted this was in part the Bush administration's doing as well)
More private sector jobs were created in 2010 than during the entire Bush years
Voluntary disclosure of White House visitors for the first time in US history
Promoted social responsibility through creation of serve.gov, a national database of volunteer opportunities
Reversed 'global gag rule', allowing US aid to go to organizations regardless of whether they provide abortions


The list goes on extensively. But one thing is for sure, the economy is much better now than it was when he originally took office. Even if you say some of these things are too liberal, we can't really say that he has done a bad job as president outside of social issues that you may not agree with.
 
Last edited:
Granted I can post this at anytime in American history, and there would be a long tirade of "things that our wrong with are country" from the party opposing the sitting president. But, do you think we may be somewhat harsh on our sitting president out of some need to be cynical?

Here are just a few of the things Obama has done:

Cut prescription drug cost for medicare recipients by 50%
Provided $12.2 Billion in new funding for Individuals With Disabilities Education Act
Extended Benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees
Appointed more openly gay officials than any other president in US history
The American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009: a $789 billion economic stimulus plan (Which by most economist estimates saved us from a depression, granted this was in part the Bush administration's doing as well)
More private sector jobs were created in 2010 than during the entire Bush years
Voluntary disclosure of White House visitors for the first time in US history
Promoted social responsibility through creation of serve.gov, a national database of volunteer opportunities
Reversed 'global gag rule', allowing US aid to go to organizations regardless of whether they provide abortions


The list goes on extensively. But one thing is for sure, the economy is much better now than it was when he originally took office. Even if you say some of these things are too liberal, we can't really say that he has done a bad job as president outside of social issues that you may not agree with.

I guess if gay rights is a pressing issue for the nation then he's done a good job. some of these "achievements" are pretty shallow such as "promoted social responsibility". There are plenty of pretty awful things he has done as well and lots of broken promises. But you are right, its tough to judge Obama (or Bush or even Clinton) until more years have passed
 
I think we give Presidents credit and blame for things that they don't necessarily have that much control over.
 
BTW the third choice is just stupid hackery that really pisses all over the generally legitimate points you may have met. You should have balanced that off by a choice of "I am voting for a lying bitch so integrity in a candidate means nothing to me" :mrgreen:
 
Poll is too vague for me to vote in. Love the third option tho!
 
I think we give Presidents credit and blame for things that they don't necessarily have that much control over.

well said-furthermore, many members of the public don't understand that many things a politician does, do not manifest an impact immediately. SO the successor to say a president or a governor might well get blamed or credited for policies his or her predecessor was really responsible for
 
Granted I can post this at anytime in American history, and there would be a long tirade of "things that our wrong with are country" from the party opposing the sitting president. But, do you think we may be somewhat harsh on our sitting president out of some need to be cynical?

Here are just a few of the things Obama has done:

Cut prescription drug cost for medicare recipients by 50%
Provided $12.2 Billion in new funding for Individuals With Disabilities Education Act
Extended Benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees
Appointed more openly gay officials than any other president in US history
The American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009: a $789 billion economic stimulus plan (Which by most economist estimates saved us from a depression, granted this was in part the Bush administration's doing as well)
More private sector jobs were created in 2010 than during the entire Bush years
Voluntary disclosure of White House visitors for the first time in US history
Promoted social responsibility through creation of serve.gov, a national database of volunteer opportunities
Reversed 'global gag rule', allowing US aid to go to organizations regardless of whether they provide abortions


The list goes on extensively. But one thing is for sure, the economy is much better now than it was when he originally took office. Even if you say some of these things are too liberal, we can't really say that he has done a bad job as president outside of social issues that you may not agree with.
The jury is out on Obama despite his detractors' efforts to pronounce him a failure before the end of his presidency. But some presidents deserved an early subpar grade before they left the White House---Nixon comes to mind after Watergate. Nothing in Obama's 8 year tenure even comes close to Watergate. I think Obama will fare well in the history books, not great but well.
 
More private sector jobs were created in 2010 than during the entire Bush years

Seems like a silly way to measure things. LBJ created more jobs in 4 years than Obama did in 8. Carter also created more jobs in 4 years than Obama did in 8. For such a wonderful job both were rewarded by becoming just 1 term presidents.
 
The jury is out on Obama despite his detractors' efforts to pronounce him a failure before the end of his presidency. But some presidents deserved an early subpar grade before they left the White House---Nixon comes to mind after Watergate. Nothing in Obama's 8 year tenure even comes close to Watergate. I think Obama will fare well in the history books, not great but well.

I think he will be known as the 1st black president and not much beyond that other than Obamacare he has largely accomplished nothing.
 
Yes, I think we judge sitting presidents too harshly, especially when it comes to minutiae. I don't care that someone "misspoke." I don't care that someone used improper body language or wore the wrong colored suit while addressing a crowd. I don't care that a president made an improper gift to a foreign government because some microscopic historical detail was overlooked. I look at the larger body of work, as it were. But I digress. Back on point, think about how effective you are at convincing the few people that are in your life -- in your household, your neighborhood, your friends, and this very site -- that your vision is the correct one. Now multiply that by the planet. and ask yourself, with your current success rate, how well you'd do.
 
Last edited:
I think he will be known as the 1st black president and not much beyond that other than Obamacare he has largely accomplished nothing.
You may be right. We'll see. But nothing in Obama's 8 year presidency compares to the Watergate disaster that both parties condemned and still impacts our political system today. Some presidents can get a sub par grade before the first presidential historian puts ink to paper. Obama is not one of them in my opinion. We should at least give him--and other presidents who have avoided massive political scandals--the benefit of history before pronouncing failure or success.
 
I guess if gay rights is a pressing issue for the nation then he's done a good job. some of these "achievements" are pretty shallow such as "promoted social responsibility". There are plenty of pretty awful things he has done as well and lots of broken promises. But you are right, its tough to judge Obama (or Bush or even Clinton) until more years have passed

The list was relatively random, and I was just rying to get a variety of points in. Actually, if I listed out everything Obama has accomplished, the post would be outrageously long.
 
BTW the third choice is just stupid hackery that really pisses all over the generally legitimate points you may have met. You should have balanced that off by a choice of "I am voting for a lying bitch so integrity in a candidate means nothing to me" :mrgreen:

Lol, fair enough. I guess I asked for that.
 
Granted I can post this at anytime in American history, and there would be a long tirade of "things that are wrong with our country" from the party opposing the sitting president. But, do you think we may be somewhat harsh on our sitting president out of some need to be cynical?

Here are just a few of the things Obama has done:

Cut prescription drug cost for medicare recipients by 50%
Provided $12.2 Billion in new funding for Individuals With Disabilities Education Act
Extended Benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees
Appointed more openly gay officials than any other president in US history
The American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009: a $789 billion economic stimulus plan (Which by most economist estimates saved us from a depression, granted this was in part the Bush administration's doing as well)
More private sector jobs were created in 2010 than during the entire Bush years
Voluntary disclosure of White House visitors for the first time in US history
Promoted social responsibility through creation of serve.gov, a national database of volunteer opportunities
Reversed 'global gag rule', allowing US aid to go to organizations regardless of whether they provide abortions


The list goes on extensively. But one thing is for sure, the economy is much better now than it was when he originally took office. Even if you say some of these things are too liberal, we can't really say that he has done a bad job as president outside of social issues that you may not agree with.

We judge them with limited information often tainted with a spin.
 
It depends who is President and what party they represent.
 
The proper title of this thread should be, imo:

'I LOVE the job Obama did as POTUS. Whose with me?'


Personally, like every POTUS in my lifetime, he is a failure to me as POTUS.
 
The proper title of this thread should be, imo:

'I LOVE the job Obama did as POTUS. Whose with me?'


Personally, like every POTUS in my lifetime, he is a failure to me as POTUS.

That should probably tell you more about the limitations of the office, and how the American people probably expect too much out of a President. This ofcourse, is a vicious circle, politicians share grandiose idea that are actually limited in plausibility to get elected, because they feel they can do at least some good when they get there. And yes, I think Obama has done a very good job as president.
 
That should probably tell you more about the limitations of the office, and how the American people probably expect too much out of a President. This ofcourse, is a vicious circle, politicians share grandiose idea that are actually limited in plausibility to get elected, because they feel they can do at least some good when they get there. And yes, I think Obama has done a very good job as president.

All I expect from POTUS's is to balance the budget (except during a declared, major war - 'war on terror' DEFINITELY does not count), help those who cannot (as opposed to will not) help themselves, leave the economy alone, don't break the law and either destroy the Fed and/or only appoint Fed members who believe in free market economics and letting the economy fix itself when it gets into trouble.
 
The jury is out on Obama despite his detractors' efforts to pronounce him a failure before the end of his presidency. But some presidents deserved an early subpar grade before they left the White House---Nixon comes to mind after Watergate. Nothing in Obama's 8 year tenure even comes close to Watergate. I think Obama will fare well in the history books, not great but well.

I actually detested Nixon while he was in office.

At some point, though, I got to view the impeachment moves against him about the same way as I viewed the impeachment moves against Bill Clinton.

Nonsense.

Clinton lied...about a BJ. And tried to contain something that would impact negatively on his marriage. The entire batch of nonsense should never have happened. He should not have gotten his knob polished in the Oval Office by a young woman...because there was no chance the young woman would not brag about it. Any guy caught in that kind of situation, though, UNLESS HE IS A SCUMBAG...ought to lie his butt off about it.

So the Republicans took the low road and used it to impeach him.

Nixon lost control of his White House...and crap was done that should not have been. When he realized his people were in trouble...he attempted to protect them rather than throwing them under the bus.

So the Democrats took the low road and used it to attempt to impeach him.

Nixon got lots done...and was a very effective president. Not an especially likable guy...but effective.
 
Back
Top Bottom