Will Obamamania Sweep The Nation Like It Did Back In 08'??

11-07-2012 08:16PM

token101 wrote: »

What exactly was expected? That he would wave a wand and it would just improve?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=381gFG4Crr8

cristoir · 11-07-2012 08:28PM

I have been rather satisfied with his presidency. Major Healthcare Reform, saved the auto-industry, ended homophobic discrimination in the military and has been actually reasonably successful in foreign policy (well when compared to others anyway).

Some people expected far too much and it can be argued they where misled by an over enthusiastic campaign. He has done quite a lot although he hasn't tackled spending and the deficit. I guess it's hard when there are so many vested interests who want their section ring-fenced.

token101 · 11-07-2012 08:30PM

I must have missed the speech where he pledged free petrol and promised to pay everyone's mortgage :pac:

Da Shins Kelly · 11-07-2012 08:35PM

No, I don't think so. But anyone who thinks that there's nothing big about his presidency is wrong. He's the first African American to ever be elected president in a country that not so long ago didn't even allow black people the vote. That's a big deal, regardless of what he's done in his presidency afterwards. Complain all you like about America and American voters, but it'll be a long time before we see anything like that happening in Europe.

As regards to his second term, from what I can gather here in the US, he'll probably win it. He's quite a bit ahead in the polls at the moment. Obama is holding onto his support despite the divisive health care bill and a weak economy. Romney's business background has been used as the centrepiece for his entire campaign, and it has recently been called into question so a number of states have swung against him. He has been especially damaged by advertising campaigns that are portraying him as an elite businessman who earned millions, leaving his employees with nothing. Not only is Obama more favoured in terms of policy, but his character has been found to be considered more favourable - he's been regarded as more honest, trustworthy and empathetic than Romney. The problem is the Republican party are just too divided at the moment. I think Obama will win simply because the Republicans have very little to offer against him, but I don't expect it'll be as big a deal as it was first time round.

DarkDusk · 11-07-2012 08:39PM

No because he proved to be useless, like most politicians.

11-07-2012 08:44PM

token101 wrote: »

I must have missed the speech where he pledged free petrol and promised to pay everyone's mortgage :pac:

You asked what was expected. I felt something of a smugness when around his supporters in this country who took an interest in politics for the first time about 4 years ago and it wasn't misplaced.

RobbingBandit · 11-07-2012 08:51PM

No, he will win though as too many Americans won't want to vote for Romney due to his faith. Mormon is too strange a religion for most. Also his wealth will put many off him. Obama will win by 60:40. I would like to see Ron Paul run as an independent, he wouldn't win but it would throw a spanner in the works for both Obama and Romney.

Son Of A Vidic · 11-07-2012 08:59PM

ThomasFlynn wrote: »

Will Obamamania Sweep The Nation Like It Did Back In 08'??

No, because people I think can now see past the bullshít.

"Yes we can."

Can what exactly? The muppet couldn't even close down Guantanamo Bay. That said, he is probably the lesser of two evils at the moment. But Mitt big business Romney, looks like he's dripping in funds to buy the White House. The Hispanic vote will be the key.

prinz · 11-07-2012 09:33PM

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

He's the first African American to ever be elected president in a country that not so long ago didn't even allow black people the vote.

There was a time women didn't have the vote, but does Thatcher, Merkel and many more in Europe ring a bell?

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

Complain all you like about America and American voters, but it'll be a long time before we see anything like that happening in Europe..

You mean like the openly gay atheist child of immigrants as Prime Minister of Belgium (Elio Rupo)? A married lesbian Prime Minister in Iceland. Transgender MP's in a number of European countries..

I think it'll be a long time before we see anything like that happening in America...

Calibos · 11-07-2012 09:38PM

The Americans do what they always seem to do and give the other party a majority in the congress 2 years after a presidential election, to balance things out and keep the other side in check. This was fine when you always had 2 sane centrist parties with leanings slightly to the left and slightly to the right. A republican majority congress would reign in the more leftist policies of a democratic president and conversely, a democratic congress would reign in the more right wing policies of a Republican president.

The problem is you have the racist tea party and christian right effectively taking over the republican party combined with a black democratic president. The americans do what they always do and give the opposition, the republicns in this case a majority in congress, who embark on mis-information, lies, insane ranting and willful policy obstructionism, and personal dis-respect to the president on a personal level, never before seen in history. If Obamas for it, we're against it. If we suggest an idea, Obama compromises for us and accepts it, we now reject our own idea !! Doesn't matter whats best for the country, doesn't matter if it harms the country for us to block everything Obama tries to do, in fact all the better, the people will kick him out cause he's getting nothing done. They'll vote us in even though it was us who stopped him getting anything done.

Its just staggering to watch. I don't blame Obama one bit. He faces the worst most obstructionist, most insane, most racist republican congress in history

Its a miracle some Christian right wing loony hasn't tried to off him yet.

Speaking of which certain people posting in this thread, think Obama is the literal Anti-Christ as do a significant percentage of republicans. this is the crazyness obama has to deal with.

Corkfeen · 11-07-2012 09:42PM

prinz wrote: »

You mean like the openly gay atheist child of immigrants as Prime Minister of Belgium (Elio Rupo)? A married lesbian Prime Minister in Iceland. Transgender MP's in a number of European countries..

I think it'll be a long time before we see anything like that happening in America...

Gotta concur with you on that. I think it was far more impressive due to the fact that you'll get far greater amounts of conservatism in America in contrast to Europe. It was a small step but it was rather interesting because the 2 most likely candidates for the democrats was a black man and a woman. Still not groundbreaking in international terms but domestically for them it was a big deal. That the entire world latched on to. :pac:

DEFTLEFTHAND · 11-07-2012 09:49PM

Does anyone remember the funny news story from 08 where a branch of The KKK supported Obama's nomination for the Democratic candidacy? Their views on race seem to take a back seat when it comes to a woman potentially running for head office.

FrostyJack · 11-07-2012 09:56PM

Looks like it will go to the wire, either way the vote difference will be very small, unless something major happens between now and then. He didn't win by a landslide in 2008 though and that was against McCain and Palin, though some people believe he did. The swing voters will decide the outcome. As disappointed as I have been in his results, in 2010 the American public shot themselves in the foot by giving the Republicans the House which meant anything Obama tried to pass was rejected or had to be substantially watered down. As much as a large portion hate Romney as he is seen as a flipflopper, a Mormon and boring, they will never vote for a black man who is percieved to be trying to take their guns, turn the country gay, soft on terrorism and run big business (though it could be argued he is totally the opposite of these points). Obama has been doing better in recent months when he finally realised he couldn't keep trying to appease the GOP, I will go on a limb and say if he gets a second term it will be much more positive. Until the climate change denying, war mongering, religious fundimentalist tea party loons get out of the GOP, I can't see why any sane person would vote for them, unless they support their special interest (oil companies, abortion clinic bombers, gay bashers etc).

prinz · 11-07-2012 10:00PM

FrostyJack wrote: »

I can't see why any sane person would vote for them, unless they support their special interest (oil companies, abortion clinic bombers, gay bashers etc).

LOL. Everything that's wrong with American politics all wrapped up right there. The irony.

AgileMyth · 11-07-2012 10:10PM

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

No, I don't think so. But anyone who thinks that there's nothing big about his presidency is wrong. He's the first African American to ever be elected president in a country that not so long ago didn't even allow black people the vote. That's a big deal, regardless of what he's done in his presidency afterwards. Complain all you like about America and American voters, but it'll be a long time before we see anything like that happening in Europe.

Women haven't always been allowed vote but we've had a couple of them as President here in Ireland, which is in Europe I believe.

Da Shins Kelly · 11-07-2012 11:23PM

prinz wrote: »

There was a time women didn't have the vote, but does Thatcher, Merkel and many more in Europe ring a bell?

You mean like the openly gay atheist child of immigrants as Prime Minister of Belgium (Elio Rupo)? A married lesbian Prime Minister in Iceland. Transgender MP's in a number of European countries..

I think it'll be a long time before we see anything like that happening in America...

I'm talking about having a black person as president. Ain't gonna happen in Europe in the foreseeable future, and racial tensions between in the US have been far more contentious over the years than in Europe. They've made a lot of strides on that front. The fact that there was a black man and a woman running against each other for arguably the most powerful position in the world is a big deal, and it's symbolic that Obama won it. It was only the 1960s when Martin Luther King was assassinated, and only a few decades later a black man is president. We love to think we're so much more progressive in Europe, but there isn't that much difference between America and Europe on that front.

dttq · 11-07-2012 11:26PM

I feel a little bit betrayed by Obama, thought he would be more liberal, as well as devoted to ending America's wars in the Middle East. Still though, I hope he gets a second term considering the nutcases in opposition, often tied to the likes of the religious right and the tea party.

prinz · 11-07-2012 11:48PM

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

I'm talking about having a black person as president. Ain't gonna happen in Europe in the foreseeable future.....

Might have something to do with about one in eight Americans being black rather than some racist hangover. How many native Americans have been president?

11-07-2012 11:58PM

prinz wrote: »

Might have something to do with about one in eight Americans being black rather than some racist hangover. How many native Americans have been president?

Or Hispanic/Latino/whatever they're called now, there's more of them than there are black people, why have none of them ever been president?

LH Pathe · 12-07-2012 12:04AM

That was a cringeworthy day my pal rushed in to town with his mam to celebrate Obama, in a college preppy jacket. Like he'd just stepped off the set of american graffiti fúckin wrote him off after that.. i'm sure he can 'relate' to Obama more than me anyhow.

Ruski · 12-07-2012 12:28AM

Am I the only person that sees a resemblance?

FrostyJack · 12-07-2012 05:45AM

prinz wrote: »

LOL. Everything that's wrong with American politics all wrapped up right there. The irony.

Why do you believe the statement to be untrue? Feel free to enlighten me.

Father Damo · 12-07-2012 07:31AM

D1stant wrote: »

The game is up. Even if he wins everyone now knows that he is just a good actor ala Tony Blair, perhaps with a little less IQ and resolve

Obama left a lot of people down and the shamless arse licking when he visited here was appalling

Oh please. The only promises he broke were the ones he was unable to force through the Congress.

A Republican dominated Congress.

Voted for, by the people.

Stiffler2 wrote: »

tbf I think he's only that famous because he is the first "black" president.
2nd time round won't be as big a thing

Now if a "woman" became president you'd have all the women crying

I would be bawling in fear if Clinton or Palin had got elected. Palin especially.

Anyone who is intending to vote for Romney does not deserve to be allowed a vote. Sometimes democracy quite simply should not be in the hands of a general public if they are not intelligent enough to use it wisely.

Father Damo · 12-07-2012 07:45AM

dttq wrote: »

I feel a little bit betrayed by Obama, thought he would be more liberal, as well as devoted to ending America's wars in the Middle East. Still though, I hope he gets a second term considering the nutcases in opposition, often tied to the likes of the religious right and the tea party.

He has no war in the Mid East

He pulled out of Iraq and is planning the same in Afghanistan, which is not even in the ME anyway.

Cybercubed · 12-07-2012 07:57AM

Father Damo wrote: »

I would be bawling in fear if Clinton or Palin had got elected. Palin especially.

I presume you mean Hilary, because Bill Clinton was probably a better president than Obama, and the recent polls of Americans also believe this.

You say he hasn't broke any promises, but didn't he sign NDAA allowing the right to assassinate americans abroad and lock them up indefinitely, authorize warrantlass wiretapping, extend the patriotic act, extend the Bush taxcuts, expand the the war in Afghanistan to record levels. He's also made sure Wall Street have their men in government that'll protect them (i.e. by supressing Occupy Wall Street).

I see lots of mistakes but I don't see how the GOP, despite how evil they are, can be blamed for all of them?

Even his healthcare law is basically a statewide version of Romneycare, originally supported by people like Newt Gingrich. Heck even Nixon's healthcare bill was more liberal back in the 70s.

Cybercubed · 12-07-2012 08:01AM

Father Damo wrote: »

He has no war in the Mid East He pulled out of Iraq and is planning the same in Afghanistan, which is not even in the ME anyway.

He pulled out of Iraq because the Iraqis could not guarentee them safety. Remember it was GW Bush who actually signed the pledge to removal all troops by the end of 2011, not Obama, so in effect he was just following Bush's orders. Infact by him trying to keep them in there longer he was in effect almost out Bushing Bush.

Combat troops are to be removed by 2014 in Afghanistan, but around 20,000 special forces (a bit like with Iraq) are expected to stay till potentially 2024.

Ellis Dee · 12-07-2012 08:14AM

Stiffler2 wrote: »

tbf I think he's only that famous because he is the first "black" president.
2nd time round won't be as big a thing

Now if a "woman" became president you'd have all the women crying

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Actually, he's 50-50 black and white.

As Bill Maher has pointed out, he has been disappointing in his first term. However, that's largely because he has to think of getting re-elected, and that means being more like a conventional white politician. In his second term, however, he won't have that problem and maybe he can bring about some real change.;);)

prinz · 12-07-2012 10:41AM

FrostyJack wrote: »

Why do you believe the statement to be untrue? Feel free to enlighten me.

So a vote for a Republican candidate is a vote for abortion clinic bombers and gay bashers? O Rly? That kind of rubbish is as bad as..

http://images.sodahead.com/polls/002581623/namr-74193523506_xlarge.jpeg

Utter stupidity. I'd rather waste my time trying to enlighten a turnip.

johngalway · 12-07-2012 11:36AM

Only the foolish were taken in by him.

super_furry · 12-07-2012 11:40AM

What you gonna do sucka, when Obamamania runs wilds over you!?!?

Will Obamamania Sweep The Nation Like It Did Back In 08'??

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