Barack Obama will be inducted into the league of Great Presidents.
In fact, and I say this as a Bill Clinton fan, I now feel certain that, in the coming decades, Obama’s star will rise higher than Clinton’s, and he’ll replace Bill in the public mind as the Greatest Democrat since FDR.
This has to do with the nature of Obama’s leadership, which is to play to legacy (and Clinton’s impulse, which is to play to the room). Bill Clinton will long be revered because he’s charismatic, presided over an economic revival, and changed and elevated the view of the Democratic Party. Barack Obama will long be revered because he’s charismatic, presided over an economic revival, and changed and elevated the view of the presidency. He’s simply bigger than Bill.
Why Obama Will Go Down as One of the Greatest Presidents of All Time | GQ
Consider the fact that Obama was dealt a really ****ty hand and managed to avoid faltering, like Carter or Hoover, and instead dramatically improved the situation, like Reagan and Roosevelt.
Consider the fact that Obama has legacy defining achievements in the domestic realm, like the first overhaul to the medical insurance industry in nearly 50 years
or overseeing a dramatic improvement for LGBT rights.
Not to mention the avoidance of any large scale terrorist attacks on domestic soil.
And there are international achievements like the first international agreement with Iran in 40 years
and a thawing of diplomatic relations with Cuba for the first time in 40 years
Not to mention overseeing the death of Osama bin Laden.
And then consider the personal attributes - his charisma, his humor, his soaring rhetoric.
Why Obama Will Go Down as One of the Greatest Presidents of All Time | GQ
Consider the fact that Obama was dealt a really ****ty hand and managed to avoid faltering, like Carter or Hoover, and instead dramatically improved the situation, like Reagan and Roosevelt. Consider the fact that Obama has legacy defining achievements in the domestic realm, like the first overhaul to the medical insurance industry in nearly 50 years or overseeing a dramatic improvement for LGBT rights. Not to mention the avoidance of any large scale terrorist attacks on domestic soil. And there are international achievements like the first international agreement with Iran in 40 years and a thawing of diplomatic relations with Cuba for the first time in 40 years. Not to mention overseeing the death of Osama bin Laden.
And then consider the personal attributes - his charisma, his humor, his soaring rhetoric. These are attributes that we can find amongst the greatest presidents.
Why Obama Will Go Down as One of the Greatest Presidents of All Time | GQ
Consider the fact that Obama was dealt a really ****ty hand and managed to avoid faltering, like Carter or Hoover, and instead dramatically improved the situation, like Reagan and Roosevelt. Consider the fact that Obama has legacy defining achievements in the domestic realm, like the first overhaul to the medical insurance industry in nearly 50 years or overseeing a dramatic improvement for LGBT rights. Not to mention the avoidance of any large scale terrorist attacks on domestic soil. And there are international achievements like the first international agreement with Iran in 40 years and a thawing of diplomatic relations with Cuba for the first time in 40 years. Not to mention overseeing the death of Osama bin Laden.
And then consider the personal attributes - his charisma, his humor, his soaring rhetoric. These are attributes that we can find amongst the greatest presidents.
Why Obama Will Go Down as One of the Greatest Presidents of All Time | GQ
Consider the fact that Obama was dealt a really ****ty hand and managed to avoid faltering, like Carter or Hoover, and instead dramatically improved the situation, like Reagan and Roosevelt. Consider the fact that Obama has legacy defining achievements in the domestic realm, like the first overhaul to the medical insurance industry in nearly 50 years or overseeing a dramatic improvement for LGBT rights. Not to mention the avoidance of any large scale terrorist attacks on domestic soil. And there are international achievements like the first international agreement with Iran in 40 years and a thawing of diplomatic relations with Cuba for the first time in 40 years. Not to mention overseeing the death of Osama bin Laden.
And then consider the personal attributes - his charisma, his humor, his soaring rhetoric. These are attributes that we can find amongst the greatest presidents.
My assessment is that history will see Obama as 'the first black president' and little more. History concentrates on conflict and so his wars with congress, the dis-honesty of the ACA and so forth will prevent anyone from placing him in the top twenty or more. I think history will see this as the "divided era' where right and left, black and white, pared off against each other more than any other time in history, so who was president won't likely be heralded, and certainly not Barrack "enemies" Obama.
One was Oklahoma City and the other was 9/11. Both of those were spurred by the policies of Bill Clinton's administration.
5. You're really going to bring up the Iran deal? That's a special kind of special.
6. Cuba policy...see #5 and add in that he has reestablished diplomatic relations with a regime that imprisons its own people for political dissent.
Well let's think about this -
1. He wasn't "dealt" a bad situation. He campaigned to get into that situation.
2. It's PLENTY debatable how much any Obama policy helped the economic situation. The fundamentals were all in place before he took office. The Obama administration's part has consisted primarily of dumping tons and tons of money into the economy and ramping up the debt. You may recall that the bond rating companies weren't too happy about that and dropped our rating.
3. His "overhaul" of the medical industry has been an utter failure. Costs are still skyrocketing, policies are still getting cancelled and people are still pissed off. The ONLY thing he did was get more people on Medicaid. The price he paid for doing that was the loss of a Democrat majority in both houses.
4. There have really only ever been two large scale terror attacks inside the borders of the US. One was Oklahoma City and the other was 9/11. Both of those were spurred by the policies of Bill Clinton's administration. Furthermore, if any credit for protecting the nation is going to be handed out then you really need to consider that Obama merely continued the policies of the Bush administration.
5. You're really going to bring up the Iran deal? That's a special kind of special.
6. Cuba policy...see #5 and add in that he has reestablished diplomatic relations with a regime that imprisons its own people for political dissent.
Obama will go down in history for exactly the same thing he got elected for. His legacy will be as the first Black US president and that's really it.
I disagree. Those who say he's the greatest President ever are just as ignorant as those that say he's the worst.
Our country has been a ****-hole since Vietnam.
6. Cuba policy...see #5 and add in that he has reestablished diplomatic relations with a regime that imprisons its own people for political dissent.
Not like Reagan or Harding. But definitely like Roosevelt (though I don't think that means what you think it means). Fortunately/Unfortunately, he lacked Roosevelt's ability to redraw the political map, mostly overseeing the hardening of positions on both sides.
Which is dying, choking off providers and insurers, and will not survive the next GOP administration.
SCOTUS made gay marriage the law of the land, not POTUS. Giving him credit is no more intelligent than those on my side who blame him for it. (Hilariously, the Trumpkins are now passing around a list of things Trump will do in his first year in office. One of the items - end gay marriage. cpwill predicts it will shock few informed observers that Trump fans appear to have a very shallow grasp on civics).
Dude. If there is anything that this POTUS is not going to be remembered for, starting (definitely, at least) 25-50 years hence, it is going to be the effectiveness of his CT policies. George W Bush has a better chance of being remembered as an eloquent and incredible public speaker.
Oh yeah. That's gone awesome.
That actually is something he will be remembered for. Positively or not will depend on part on to what extent the Cuban regime continues to abuse its people.
I do give Obama credit on that one - that was a gutsy and correct call to make. I can understand why Biden recommended that he not.
His arrogance, his divisiveness, his strawmen, his vicious personal attacks on the motives of anyone who disagreed with him....
I've often said that if Obama'd had an (R) behind his name, given his accomplishments, the GOP would be lobbying to have his face added to Mount Rushmore. But since he's got that (D), well, THAT means that he never has done and never will do anything good for anyone ever.
On my personal list of presidents, the top three are Washington and Lincoln (though I'm not sure which should be #1 or #2), FDR, and #4 and #5 are between Obama and Reagan...and the ONLY reason I include Reagan on the list was because he won the Cold War...quite literally the most dangerous time in recorded human history. He was the one in charge, so he gets the credit.
Why Obama Will Go Down as One of the Greatest Presidents of All Time | GQ
Consider the fact that Obama was dealt a really ****ty hand and managed to avoid faltering, like Carter or Hoover, and instead dramatically improved the situation, like Reagan and Roosevelt. Consider the fact that Obama has legacy defining achievements in the domestic realm, like the first overhaul to the medical insurance industry in nearly 50 years or overseeing a dramatic improvement for LGBT rights. Not to mention the avoidance of any large scale terrorist attacks on domestic soil. And there are international achievements like the first international agreement with Iran in 40 years and a thawing of diplomatic relations with Cuba for the first time in 40 years. Not to mention overseeing the death of Osama bin Laden.
And then consider the personal attributes - his charisma, his humor, his soaring rhetoric. These are attributes that we can find amongst the greatest presidents.
In the Navy, we were taught that when we stand watch, make sure one's watchstation is better off for the one who relieves you than it was when you assumed the watch.
I'd say the same goes for the president - make sure the nation's better off than it was when he (or she) took the helm of the ship of state. As for Obama, the day he took over, our economy was in free fall in the worst economic crisis in 80 years (IIRC we lost 800K jobs that month), and we were stuck in two wars that were costing us upwards of $10B/month of taxpayer dollars, not to mention scores and scores of pine boxes coming home from those wars every month.
Compare that to now, and we're out of those two wars, we're not heavily involved in any war (Syria's a minor sideshow compared to our level of military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan), and we've had positive private-sector job growth every month since the last quarter of 2010 - that's 66 consecutive months of private-sector job growth, the longest such stretch in ALL American history...and it's reflected in where the Dow is today - just under 18,000, as compared to under 7,000 in March 2009.
These are not "talking points" - these are hard-and-fast metrics to use when determining whether the president was good or bad...and there's more than a few on the Right who would kill to be able to have had a president with the above accomplishments to brag about.
Well let's think about this -
1. He wasn't "dealt" a bad situation. He campaigned to get into that situation.
2. It's PLENTY debatable how much any Obama policy helped the economic situation. The fundamentals were all in place before he took office. The Obama administration's part has consisted primarily of dumping tons and tons of money into the economy and ramping up the debt. You may recall that the bond rating companies weren't too happy about that and dropped our rating.
3. His "overhaul" of the medical industry has been an utter failure. Costs are still skyrocketing, policies are still getting cancelled and people are still pissed off. The ONLY thing he did was get more people on Medicaid. The price he paid for doing that was the loss of a Democrat majority in both houses.
4. There have really only ever been two large scale terror attacks inside the borders of the US. One was Oklahoma City and the other was 9/11. Both of those were spurred by the policies of Bill Clinton's administration. Furthermore, if any credit for protecting the nation is going to be handed out then you really need to consider that Obama merely continued the policies of the Bush administration.
5. You're really going to bring up the Iran deal? That's a special kind of special.
6. Cuba policy...see #5 and add in that he has reestablished diplomatic relations with a regime that imprisons its own people for political dissent.
Obama will go down in history for exactly the same thing he got elected for. His legacy will be as the first Black US president and that's really it.
My assessment is that history will see Obama as 'the first black president' and little more. History concentrates on conflict and so his wars with congress, the dis-honesty of the ACA and so forth will prevent anyone from placing him in the top twenty or more. I think history will see this as the "divided era' where right and left, black and white, pared off against each other more than any other time in history, so who was president won't likely be heralded, and certainly not Barrack "enemies" Obama.
Why do the Obamabots always hold up ONLY the day he took office and not the preceding 25 years?
Obama's policies made this recession the longest since the Great Depression and the recovery the weakest since WW2.
Obama is hurting this nation to a point at which it will have the same historic impact on the world as Carthage.
I have goosebumps up and down my legs.
Why Obama Will Go Down as One of the Greatest Presidents of All Time | GQ
Consider the fact that Obama was dealt a really ****ty hand and managed to avoid faltering, like Carter or Hoover, and instead dramatically improved the situation, like Reagan and Roosevelt. Consider the fact that Obama has legacy defining achievements in the domestic realm, like the first overhaul to the medical insurance industry in nearly 50 years or overseeing a dramatic improvement for LGBT rights. Not to mention the avoidance of any large scale terrorist attacks on domestic soil. And there are international achievements like the first international agreement with Iran in 40 years and a thawing of diplomatic relations with Cuba for the first time in 40 years. Not to mention overseeing the death of Osama bin Laden.
And then consider the personal attributes - his charisma, his humor, his soaring rhetoric. These are attributes that we can find amongst the greatest presidents.
Why do the Obamabots always hold up ONLY the day he took office and not the preceding 25 years?
Obama's policies made this recession the longest since the Great Depression and the recovery the weakest since WW2.
Obama is hurting this nation to a point at which it will have the same historic impact on the world as Carthage.
Given his hatred of the American presence in the world, all business and the American military, it's difficult to imagine that this is not his ultimate policy goal.
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