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Obama is a victim of Bush's failed promises-your thoughts
Green: Obama is a victim of Bush's failed promises
By CHUCK GREEN
Columnist
Published: Sunday, February 7, 2010 11:14 AM MST
Barack Obama is setting a record-setting number of records during his first year in office.
Largest budget ever. Largest deficit ever. Largest number of broken promises ever. Most self-serving speeches ever. Largest number of agenda-setting failures ever. Fastest dive in popularity ever.
Wow. Talk about change.
Just one year ago, fresh from his inauguration celebrations, President Obama was flying high. After one of the nation’s most inspiring political campaigns, the election of America’s first black president had captured the hopes and dreams of millions. To his devout followers, it was inconceivable that a year later his administration would be gripped in self-imposed crisis.
Of course, they don’t see it as self imposed. It’s all George Bush’s fault.
George Bush, who doesn’t have a vote in Congress and who no longer occupies the White House, is to blame for it all.
He broke Obama’s promise to put all bills on the White House web site for five days before signing them.
He broke Obama’s promise to have the congressional health care negotiations broadcast live on C-SPAN.
He broke Obama’s promise to end earmarks.
He broke Obama’s promise to keep unemployment from rising above 8 percent.
He broke Obama’s promise to close the detention center at Guantanamo in the first year.
He broke Obama’s promise to make peace with direct, no pre-condition talks with America’s most hate-filled enemies during his first year in office, ushering in a new era of global cooperation.
He broke Obama’s promise to end the hiring of former lobbyists into high White House jobs.
He broke Obama’s promise to end no-compete contracts with the government.
He broke Obama’s promise to disclose the names of all attendees at closed White House meetings.
He broke Obama’s promise for a new era of bipartisan cooperation in all matters.
He broke Obama’s promise to have chosen a home church to attend Sunday services with his family by Easter of last year.
Yes, it’s all George Bush’s fault. President Obama is nothing more than a puppet in the never-ending, failed Bush administration.
If only George Bush wasn’t still in charge, all of President Obama’s problems would be solved. His promises would have been kept, the economy would be back on track, Iran would have stopped its work on developing a nuclear bomb and would be negotiating a peace treaty with Israel, North Korea would have ended its tyrannical regime, and integrity would have been restored to the federal government.
Oh, and did I mention what it would be like if the Democrats, under the leadership of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, didn’t have the heavy yoke of George Bush around their necks. There would be no earmarks, no closed-door drafting of bills, no increase in deficit spending, no special-interest influence (unions), no vote buying (Nebraska, Louisiana).
If only George Bush wasn’t still in charge, we’d have real change by now.
All the broken promises, all the failed legislation and delay (health care reform, immigration reform) is not President Obama’s fault or the fault of the Democrat-controlled Congress. It’s all George Bush’s fault.
Take for example the decision of Eric Holder, the president’s attorney general, to hold terrorists’ trials in New York City. Or his decision to try the Christmas Day underpants bomber as a civilian.
Two disastrous decisions.
Certainly those were bad judgments based on poor advice from George Bush.
Need more proof?
You might recall that when Scott Brown won last month’s election to the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts, capturing “the Ted Kennedy seat,” President Obama said that Brown’s victory was the result of the same voter anger that propelled Obama into office in 2008. People were still angry about George Bush and the policies of the past 10 years, and they wanted change.
Yes, according to the president, the voter rebellion in Massachusetts last month was George Bush’s fault.
Therefore, in retaliation, they elected a Republican to the Ted Kennedy seat, ending a half-century of domination by Democrats.
It is all George Bush’s fault.
Will the failed administration of George Bush ever end, and the time for hope and change ever arrive?
Will President Obama ever accept responsibility for something — anything?
Chuck Green, veteran Colorado journalist and former editor-in-chief of The Denver Post, syndicates a statewide column and is at ***@****
Copyright © 2010 - Aurora Sentinel
Personally, I think Obama has created his own problems. No one likes to be wrong but an responsible adult will stand up and say, I'm sorry. I was wrong and this is what I'll do to correct it. Now if only our president would.
But what do you think? Is Obama a victim of George Bush or has he created his own mess?
By CHUCK GREEN
Columnist
Published: Sunday, February 7, 2010 11:14 AM MST
Barack Obama is setting a record-setting number of records during his first year in office.
Largest budget ever. Largest deficit ever. Largest number of broken promises ever. Most self-serving speeches ever. Largest number of agenda-setting failures ever. Fastest dive in popularity ever.
Wow. Talk about change.
Just one year ago, fresh from his inauguration celebrations, President Obama was flying high. After one of the nation’s most inspiring political campaigns, the election of America’s first black president had captured the hopes and dreams of millions. To his devout followers, it was inconceivable that a year later his administration would be gripped in self-imposed crisis.
Of course, they don’t see it as self imposed. It’s all George Bush’s fault.
George Bush, who doesn’t have a vote in Congress and who no longer occupies the White House, is to blame for it all.
He broke Obama’s promise to put all bills on the White House web site for five days before signing them.
He broke Obama’s promise to have the congressional health care negotiations broadcast live on C-SPAN.
He broke Obama’s promise to end earmarks.
He broke Obama’s promise to keep unemployment from rising above 8 percent.
He broke Obama’s promise to close the detention center at Guantanamo in the first year.
He broke Obama’s promise to make peace with direct, no pre-condition talks with America’s most hate-filled enemies during his first year in office, ushering in a new era of global cooperation.
He broke Obama’s promise to end the hiring of former lobbyists into high White House jobs.
He broke Obama’s promise to end no-compete contracts with the government.
He broke Obama’s promise to disclose the names of all attendees at closed White House meetings.
He broke Obama’s promise for a new era of bipartisan cooperation in all matters.
He broke Obama’s promise to have chosen a home church to attend Sunday services with his family by Easter of last year.
Yes, it’s all George Bush’s fault. President Obama is nothing more than a puppet in the never-ending, failed Bush administration.
If only George Bush wasn’t still in charge, all of President Obama’s problems would be solved. His promises would have been kept, the economy would be back on track, Iran would have stopped its work on developing a nuclear bomb and would be negotiating a peace treaty with Israel, North Korea would have ended its tyrannical regime, and integrity would have been restored to the federal government.
Oh, and did I mention what it would be like if the Democrats, under the leadership of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, didn’t have the heavy yoke of George Bush around their necks. There would be no earmarks, no closed-door drafting of bills, no increase in deficit spending, no special-interest influence (unions), no vote buying (Nebraska, Louisiana).
If only George Bush wasn’t still in charge, we’d have real change by now.
All the broken promises, all the failed legislation and delay (health care reform, immigration reform) is not President Obama’s fault or the fault of the Democrat-controlled Congress. It’s all George Bush’s fault.
Take for example the decision of Eric Holder, the president’s attorney general, to hold terrorists’ trials in New York City. Or his decision to try the Christmas Day underpants bomber as a civilian.
Two disastrous decisions.
Certainly those were bad judgments based on poor advice from George Bush.
Need more proof?
You might recall that when Scott Brown won last month’s election to the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts, capturing “the Ted Kennedy seat,” President Obama said that Brown’s victory was the result of the same voter anger that propelled Obama into office in 2008. People were still angry about George Bush and the policies of the past 10 years, and they wanted change.
Yes, according to the president, the voter rebellion in Massachusetts last month was George Bush’s fault.
Therefore, in retaliation, they elected a Republican to the Ted Kennedy seat, ending a half-century of domination by Democrats.
It is all George Bush’s fault.
Will the failed administration of George Bush ever end, and the time for hope and change ever arrive?
Will President Obama ever accept responsibility for something — anything?
Chuck Green, veteran Colorado journalist and former editor-in-chief of The Denver Post, syndicates a statewide column and is at ***@****
Copyright © 2010 - Aurora Sentinel
Personally, I think Obama has created his own problems. No one likes to be wrong but an responsible adult will stand up and say, I'm sorry. I was wrong and this is what I'll do to correct it. Now if only our president would.
But what do you think? Is Obama a victim of George Bush or has he created his own mess?
I understand your point. I hate that we have to send our young out to fight and kill. But the reality in Afghanistan is that the Taliban will come back. We're in the mess now because Bush didn't leave enough forces there when we went in Iraq. So they came back. They set up terrorist training camps and offer aid to other terrorists groups. Now we're chasing them out of Afghanistan and into Pakistan. Keep in mind that Pakistan has nuclear capabilities. We must not allow the terrorist no matter which group it is, to get their cruel fanatical hands on. So this all could get very interesting.
We are over in Afganistan losing so many of our young men and women as well. I too wish we could be out of there. It does seem rather pointless to me. As for the war on terrorism, yes, I would have to agree that the entire free world needs to be together on that one. We must do everything in our power to prevent another attack like 911. I just don't believe that being in Afganistan is solving that particular problem. And I know being in Iraq didn't and won't do it. Besides, it seems many of the terrorists are currently in Pakistan.
This kind of mentality took root long before Obama but I would not blame the Republicans either. I would say the "me generation" ideology of the 60's (and as it expanded to other decades) has dumbed down America and much of what we stand for. A lack of personal responsibility at one time almost seemed to be encouraged and as regards people that are poor there should have been more programs from the beginning to decrease dependence, not to increase it. My only concern now is that there seems to be a war as to who is to blame when the root cause of at least some of the issues is personal responsibility and I tend to think people lead best by example and that would include politicians as well of course.
He is all talk and no action.. We need a leader not a talker.. he has great speech writers and the american people are gullible, real idiots. I mean great promise everyone everything.... But how do we PAY for it??? oh yea I know go in debt to China. What happened to personal responsibility.. Time to let people and companies sink or swim. There is way to much of a free lunch for everyone here! I have parents of kids in my class that are on welfare, their kids are in school all day but they still do nothing. They have cell phones, internet, cable and cars. The school supplies pencils, paper, backpacks and every other school supply. We give them free lunch and breakfast, free clothes and coats and heck we even hand out free food boxes on fridays which the teachers donate to. This parents have been on welfare for many many years and continue to have kids! What happened to personal responsibility? if the worth of you house went down TOO BAD, you took a risk and it didn't work out for you that doesn't mean you don't have to pay for it! If I buy a lottery ticket and don't win they don't give me my money back. We have raised a generation or generations of people that seem to think they have a RIGHT to a certain life style no matter what choices they made or make. You are not entitled to ANYTHING! Just because you were born does not mean you deserve anything other than LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE right to PuRSUE happiness. YOU have to pursue it, you have to actively play a part in pursuing it and even then there is no guarantee you will attain it. I am so sick of paying for other people's crappy choices especially when they continue to make them. If you have kids and can't afford to raise them there are plenty of adoptive families waiting... ahhhhh ok it makes me sick! haha
So far as believing a candidate's campaign promise, well, don't be naive. In order to get an idea of what the candidate will actually do you need to look closely at their prior experience, voting record, associates and statements from the past. After doing that you get a much clearer picture of what the politician will do. Anyone who promises a chicken in every pot along with 40 acres and a mule gets crossed off my list!!
He did inherit the TARP situation. And then proceeded to make it worse. His administration has been caught time and again exaggerating new jobs claims. His last one is laughable. Crowing about all the new jobs while they are overwhelmingly census workers. Temporary government jobs don't count in my book. If the overwhelming majority of new jobs are government positions, we are in deep trouble. He's stepped in way too far in banking, auto makers, insurance. health care and God only knows what's next. When Iran shot the demonstrators in the street, even France was appalled by his delay in a statement. He is supposed to be a world leader and can't bring himself to condemn Iran for shooting people in the streets. Sad.
Personally I'm glad he's continued and escalated the War on Terrorism. Oh wait, there are no terrorists. So I'm not real sure what we call it now. Turning back the clock to a pre 9/11 mindset is not good. Prosecuting these terrorist in civilian court is pre 9/11 thinking. These are terrorists who should be turned over to the military. The best thing he's done is to keep Guantanamo open. We can't release most of those people and their own country doesn't want them back.
Oh well I'm tired and my head hurts. I'll quit typing for a while but I could go on well into the night.
But it's all been very interesting.
He did inherit the TARP situation. And then proceeded to make it worse. His administration has been caught time and again exaggerating new jobs claims. His last one is laughable. Crowing about all the new jobs while they are overwhelmingly census workers. Temporary government jobs don't count in my book. If the overwhelming majority of new jobs are government positions, we are in deep trouble. He's stepped in way too far in banking, auto makers, insurance. health care and God only knows what's next. When Iran shot the demonstrators in the street, even France was appalled by his delay in a statement. He is supposed to be a world leader and can't bring himself to condemn Iran for shooting people in the streets. Sad.
Personally I'm glad he's continued and escalated the War on Terrorism. Oh wait, there are no terrorists. So I'm not real sure what we call it now. Turning back the clock to a pre 9/11 mindset is not good. Prosecuting these terrorist in civilian court is pre 9/11 thinking. These are terrorists who should be turned over to the military. The best thing he's done is to keep Guantanamo open. We can't release most of those people and their own country doesn't want them back.
Oh well I'm tired and my head hurts. I'll quit typing for a while but I could go on well into the night.
But it's all been very interesting.
I am not "anti-Obama." And I didn't care for Bush.
My goodness. He is the president of the country and our destinies are inextricably intertwined.
Nevertheless, he is, in my opinion the worst president the United States of America has ever had. He is incompetent, arogant, ignorant and clueless. He seems to be on the planet Obama, in a little bubble of happiness. Worse, he does not seem to have a clue as to what leadership is all about. Every day he continues to amaze me with one lie and absurd comment and decision after another.
You can tell Obama is lying when his lips are moving.
He is a joke. A bad joke. A clown.
And a corrupt clown at that.
He epitomizes the saying: "Better to keep one's mouth shut and be thought stupid, than open mouth and erase all doubt".
Well, "These are the times that try men's souls".
And as for being in Afghanistan there isn't a single reason for another American or British life to be sacrificed. There is no reason for us to be there. None. Nada.
This is a democracy, and people get what they pay for.
I mind my own business, feed the little birdies, and look foward to a happy summer watching mommies coo at their new babies.
My goodness. He is the president of the country and our destinies are inextricably intertwined.
Nevertheless, he is, in my opinion the worst president the United States of America has ever had. He is incompetent, arogant, ignorant and clueless. He seems to be on the planet Obama, in a little bubble of happiness. Worse, he does not seem to have a clue as to what leadership is all about. Every day he continues to amaze me with one lie and absurd comment and decision after another.
You can tell Obama is lying when his lips are moving.
He is a joke. A bad joke. A clown.
And a corrupt clown at that.
He epitomizes the saying: "Better to keep one's mouth shut and be thought stupid, than open mouth and erase all doubt".
Well, "These are the times that try men's souls".
And as for being in Afghanistan there isn't a single reason for another American or British life to be sacrificed. There is no reason for us to be there. None. Nada.
This is a democracy, and people get what they pay for.
I mind my own business, feed the little birdies, and look foward to a happy summer watching mommies coo at their new babies.
BTW, one of the reasons I feel comfortable commenting on all of this is we have the same problems. Unemployment is at a high, our debt is climbing. Things are very similar here. I think our people are also looking for a saviour, and I think that our next Prime Minister will be under much closer scrutiny then his predecessors as well.
Immigrants 'people who chose to come here because they wanted to be American and share the American Dream....
Well yes thank you, we had Irish opinions ,then Canadian ,we certainly need more...could use some Patriots maybe , what we need is some Immigrants who want to live in this country to speak out what they feel about it all...
As you can see I did not run spell check, sorry, too late now. Adgal, I completely agree with you. We could use more people like you here.
Sorry, one last comment..lol. I also think that at the time he took office there were many people in your country that were desperate...unemployment, etc. So I believe that they were looking at him to solve it, and solve it quickly. He has made progress there, but when you are desperate, it just won't be enough or fast enough. I do believe that is why some have turned against him. I think the vicious rumors have really hurt him too....charges of Socialism, Marxism, being anti American, being born outside the US. I have even heard people say he was in league with the terrorists and even that he was the anti Christ. When people have an inkling of fear, then hear things like that, they do tend to latch onto it.
At the end of the day, you will all make your decision and cast your vote. That is how it should be. But, like any democratic society (ours included) it should be based on the facts and how you feel about his policy making, not all the nasty and just outright silly rumors.
At the end of the day, you will all make your decision and cast your vote. That is how it should be. But, like any democratic society (ours included) it should be based on the facts and how you feel about his policy making, not all the nasty and just outright silly rumors.
If I remember right surplus is the budget under Clinton, Social Security was built up as well. Bush took it to how many trillion in the hole (2 I think) and passed tax breaks for all the rich. Do I dislike bush, no... Do I think he had a hand in what Obama had coming into his term, yes absolutely. Has Obama furthered the deficit, yeppers he has. Obama came in at the time of the secession if my memory serves me right. The Irak war was started under Bush. Not sure but was the war already was going on in Afghanistan. I do believe it was? As far as Obama not keeping campaign promises, go to the government website and see what he has and has not done since in office.Of course it is a little hard to accomplish anything when you have to deal with the party of no on a daily basis. Bush had 8 years and his father before him to address issues like immigration, health care etc. Lets also not forget Katrina. Bush is a nice guy but didnt do a whole lot of anything while in office. If things were so great under Bush, then why did Obama get in? Remember? He was not assigned he was elected so it might be time to reconcile yourselves to that fact. Maybe?
I am not certain I would go as far as to say a "victim" of Bush' failed promises. I think that every politician in any democratic society makes promises's that they don't keep. That is nothing new. I do think that to a certain extent Obama inherited an awful lot of problems. The US was at the beginning of a pretty major financial crisis when he took over. You were also in two pretty long term wars with very mixed opinion's as to whether or not they were justified, or should continue. International opinion was at an all time low. So yes, I do think he took on an awful lot. I also wonder if he has been given a fair opportunity to live up to his promises...it seems to me he has been pretty busy dealing with one crisis or another since he took office. I sort of think in a way Obama was set up to fail. Not necessarily because of his predecessor, but because he came along at a time when most Americans (from what I have seen and heard anyway) wanted something new. His most ardent supporters almost behaved like he was the next Messiah or something. No one can live up to that. As a result it seemed the dislike on the right was stronger then it might have been otherwise? Now, for the extreme left, his policy making is not left enough. For those on the right, his decisions are far to left for their liking. I also think there were an awful lot of sour grapes on the right (politicians) and that a major smear campaign has taken place. It's like some just hated him for existing. I don't really think that at this point he has been in office long enough to really know how things will turn out. I do think he should be given a chance. It truly believe in my heart that his motives are good, and that he is trying. For some, it seems no matter what he does, it is wrong. For example, this oil spill. Many were pushing very hard for offshore drilling. They were also very opposed to increased regulation. So if he had done those things (not allowed it, or regulated the heck out of it) I think they would have been screaming that he was either anti American or socialist. He didn't, and disaster happened, and now those same people are screaming he did not do enough to prevent it. That is just one example. His handling of the financial crisis is another. Had those banks not been bailed out, and the US sunk into an even deeper financial crisis, the same people now yelling he shouldn't have bailed them out would have been yelling that he didn't do anything to stop it. So, I do believe that no matter what he does, it won't be enough. I think he is doomed, and was from the beginning.
BTW, I am not necessarily talking about those here that oppose him. I am talking in generalities, so I hope I did not offend anyone. Besides, it's only my opinion.
BTW, I am not necessarily talking about those here that oppose him. I am talking in generalities, so I hope I did not offend anyone. Besides, it's only my opinion.
Talk about biting off more than one can chew!
The federal deficit was at a record high under president Reagan, was reduced during the Clinton era and then continued to rise again under the Bush administration. The basic policy as regards the war in Iraq and Afghanistan was initiated under president Bush and the secretary of defense is still the same. I would think that there has been no attempt to change these specific policies and that would be my concern. I agree president Obama has not lived up to many of his campaign promises and I consider that a disappointment.
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