I'm off to DC

[Amber Lamps]

Obama was good on the Daily Show the other night. I'll say about him what I said about Bush. I think that he really believes what he says and that he is truly doing what he thinks is right. Whether or not it turns out to be right will be a matter for history to decide. I remember when Reagan was President and EVERYBODY HATED HIM! There were songs and jokes deriding him almost every day. Now he's being credited with defeating the Soviet Union. Nixon was derided as a criminal, then applauded for reestablishing trade with China, and now he's faulted with that same trade. History will decide.

[Gas Man]

Oh yeah for sure. I think Bush knows this as well. Noticed he pretty much went quiet after the white house.

[Avatard]

I agree that history will judge...but I think that the white house is no place for gentle men.

Carter was one of the most kind-hearted, sweet people ever to be in office...and he was also completely ineffectual. He does more now with habitat for the good of this country, than as President.

I don't think the Republicans will ever allow Obama the slightest chance at ever BEING effectual, and I think he's just too kind, too sweet, and too nice to ever really be capable of it.

I also think that the fact that we may deride a particular President while he's in office, only to applaud him for something in the future, also has to do with the fact that many things implemented by them aren't fully realized until years after they've left office.

Most of the healthcare stuff put forth by Obama (whether you agree with it or not) will not become reality until years after his current term. He could theoretically be driven from office for doing things that we find later actually helped us as a country long after the fact.

It's a tough gig.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Amber Lamps

Obama was good on the Daily Show the other night. I'll say about him what I said about Bush. I think that he really believes what he says and that he is truly doing what he thinks is right. Whether or not it turns out to be right will be a matter for history to decide. I remember when Reagan was President and EVERYBODY HATED HIM! There were songs and jokes deriding him almost every day. Now he's being credited with defeating the Soviet Union. Nixon was derided as a criminal, then applauded for reestablishing trade with China, and now he's faulted with that same trade. History will decide.

Wasnt the trade thing a direct response to russia informing him they were going to declare war with china? A giant calculated fuck you that stopped a potential ww3 in its tracks

[Gas Man]

Originally Posted by Avatard

I agree that history will judge...but I think that the white house is no place for gentle men.

Carter was one of the most kind-hearted, sweet people ever to be in office...and he was also completely ineffectual. He does more now with habitat for the good of this country, than as President.

I don't think the Republicans will ever allow Obama the slightest chance at ever BEING effectual, and I think he's just too kind, too sweet, and too nice to ever really be capable of it.

I also think that the fact that we may deride a particular President while he's in office, only to applaud him for something in the future, also has to do with the fact that many things implemented by them aren't fully realized until years after they've left office.

Most of the healthcare stuff put forth by Obama (whether you agree with it or not) will not become reality until years after his current term. He could theoretically be driven from office for doing things that we find later actually helped us as a country long after the fact.

It's a tough gig.

All very true. Especially about things not taking effect till after the presidents term. This is for both good & bad.

My investment guy says the economy is usually a president behind. Clintons great economy was a result of old man Bush, where as George W's bad economy was Clintons fault. And so on...

It is a tough gig and people are never happy about anything.

[Avatard]

Originally Posted by Gas Man

All very true. Especially about things not taking effect till after the presidents term. This is for both good & bad.

My investment guy says the economy is usually a president behind. Clintons great economy was a result of old man Bush, where as George W's bad economy was Clintons fault. And so on...

It is a tough gig and people are never happy about anything.

Your investment guy is pretty smart, I've been saying pretty much exactly that for many years, except he has one not-so-minor detail wrong:

It used to be two Presidents behind, but only around Clinton's end of term did it actually speed up to essentially being one President behind (the Internet was the game-changer that sped up EVERYTHING).

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by Dave

Wasnt the trade thing a direct response to russia informing him they were going to declare war with china? A giant calculated fuck you that stopped a potential ww3 in its tracks

Still a decisive and unpopular move at the time that has later been applauded.

[Papa_Complex]

Originally Posted by Dave

Wasnt the trade thing a direct response to russia informing him they were going to declare war with china? A giant calculated fuck you that stopped a potential ww3 in its tracks

Nixon was a good Hawk President. The problem is that his ego was his hubris. His actions did much to reduce the prestige of The Office of President, that results in the sort of attacks on the person in office that you see today.

I remember watching the Watergate Hearings, as a kid, and being sickened by this thing called "politics."