President Obama

[Rob W 0]

I am surprised that the healthcare reforms were pushed through. Democrats are usually useless with exploiting a majority in the Senate and the H of R. Normally the Republicans are ruthless in exploiting things from such a position, as the Democrats almost proved by the narrow margins the bill has been passed.

 

Obama has the charisma of a great President, but he isn't radical enough to really rip up the gun tottin' FOX News watchin' good ole boys who sleep with their sisters and marry their cousins.

 

People need to get this straight. It isn't FOX it's Murdoch.

 

 

he's finally agreed to open up the E coast for drilling as well - health-care, Netanyahu, the environmentalists - suddenly developed a taste for a fight..............

[Park Life 71]

I am surprised that the healthcare reforms were pushed through. Democrats are usually useless with exploiting a majority in the Senate and the H of R. Normally the Republicans are ruthless in exploiting things from such a position, as the Democrats almost proved by the narrow margins the bill has been passed.

 

Obama has the charisma of a great President, but he isn't radical enough to really rip up the gun tottin' FOX News watchin' good ole boys who sleep with their sisters and marry their cousins.

 

People need to get this straight. It isn't FOX it's Murdoch.

 

 

he's finally agreed to open up the E coast for drilling as well - health-care, Netanyahu, the environmentalists - suddenly developed a taste for a fight..............

 

Interesting summer ahead.

[Happy Face 29]

Obama's growing unpopularity in the Muslim world

 

In June, a Gallup poll revealed a substantial decline in public opinion in the Muslim world toward both the U.S. and Barack Obama personally, with approval ratings in many key nations collapsing to Bush-era levels. Now, a new poll from the Saban Center at the Brookings Institution -- in conjunction with the University of Maryland and Zogby -- reveals many of the same developments and, in some cases, even worse ones. The poll, taken during the first two weeks of July in six predominantly Muslim nations (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Morocco, Lebanon and Jordan), found -- in the words of the summary -- "a substantial change in the assessment of President Obama, both as President of the United States and of Obama personally."

 

Continue reading

Two charts in particular show just how substantial is the collapse in public opinion in the Muslim world in the last year alone:

 

 

For the question of which world leader they most admire, Turkey Prime Minister Recep Erdgoan was first (with 20%), Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was second (with 13%), while 12% named Iranian President Mahmoud Amedinajad (Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Osama bin Laden were named by 9% and 6%, respectively, while Barack Obama did not make the list). And when asked their personal view of Obama, a majority (51%) say they both view him unfavorably and are pessimistic about his foreign policy, while 38% say they view him favorably but do not believe "the American system" will allow him positive policy changes. Only 5% -- 5% -- say they view him favorably and are optimistic about his foreign policy. When asked which two countries outside of their own region play the most positive role in the Middle East, the U.S. falls at the bottom of the list (with 6%), behind France, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and five other countries (including Syria).

 

For all the controversy raised by anyone who claims that our ongoing, steadfast, one-sided support for Israel plays a significant role in generating anti-American sentiment in the Muslim world, this poll leaves no doubt that this is so. That issue was listed as the primary cause -- far and away -- of negative views toward the Obama administration:

 

 

The centrality of American policy toward Israel was reflected over and over in this data. In response to being asked which two steps the U.S. could take to improve their view, these were the top three answers: an Israel-Palestine peace agreement (54%), withdrawing from Iraq (45%), and stopping aid to Israel (43%). When asked which two factors were the most important in driving U.S. policy in the Middle East, the answers were: protecting Israel (49%), controlling oil (45%), weakening the Muslim world (33%).

 

There were other revealing responses here. Contrary to the stereotype that most Muslims and Arabs are devoted to the destruction of Israel regardless of a peace agreement, 86% say they are prepared for peace if Israel returns all 1967 territories, while only 12% say that Arabs should continue to fight Israel even if that happens. When asked if Iran is developing nuclear technology in order to build a weapon or for peaceful purposes, a clear majority (57-35%) believe it's to build a weapon, but overwhelmingly believe Iran "has the right" to develop nuclear technology and even believe (57-20%) that it would be a net positive for the region if they obtain nuclear weapons.

 

It goes without saying that the U.S. -- just like any other country -- should not determine its policies based exclusively on what makes it popular in the Muslim world. But a consensus had arisen in the Foreign Policy Community -- and it was certainly a major plank in the Obama campaign -- that multiple U.S. interests (beginning with our ability to deter Terrorism) would be served by improving how the U.S. is viewed in the Muslim and Arab world. That objective is plainly failing, despite how receptive (even eager) people in that region were to change their views about the U.S. in the wake of Obama's election. And whatever else is true, there's no denying that a major impediment to achieving that national objective is our policy toward Israel and especially our tolerance for its unwillingess to make peace the Palestinians.

 

http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_gr...lims/index.html

[AgentAxeman 94]

Obama's growing unpopularity in the Muslim world

 

In June, a Gallup poll revealed a substantial decline in public opinion in the Muslim world toward both the U.S. and Barack Obama personally, with approval ratings in many key nations collapsing to Bush-era levels. Now, a new poll from the Saban Center at the Brookings Institution -- in conjunction with the University of Maryland and Zogby -- reveals many of the same developments and, in some cases, even worse ones. The poll, taken during the first two weeks of July in six predominantly Muslim nations (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Morocco, Lebanon and Jordan), found -- in the words of the summary -- "a substantial change in the assessment of President Obama, both as President of the United States and of Obama personally."

 

Continue reading

Two charts in particular show just how substantial is the collapse in public opinion in the Muslim world in the last year alone:

 

 

For the question of which world leader they most admire, Turkey Prime Minister Recep Erdgoan was first (with 20%), Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was second (with 13%), while 12% named Iranian President Mahmoud Amedinajad (Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Osama bin Laden were named by 9% and 6%, respectively, while Barack Obama did not make the list). And when asked their personal view of Obama, a majority (51%) say they both view him unfavorably and are pessimistic about his foreign policy, while 38% say they view him favorably but do not believe "the American system" will allow him positive policy changes. Only 5% -- 5% -- say they view him favorably and are optimistic about his foreign policy. When asked which two countries outside of their own region play the most positive role in the Middle East, the U.S. falls at the bottom of the list (with 6%), behind France, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and five other countries (including Syria).

 

For all the controversy raised by anyone who claims that our ongoing, steadfast, one-sided support for Israel plays a significant role in generating anti-American sentiment in the Muslim world, this poll leaves no doubt that this is so. That issue was listed as the primary cause -- far and away -- of negative views toward the Obama administration:

 

 

The centrality of American policy toward Israel was reflected over and over in this data. In response to being asked which two steps the U.S. could take to improve their view, these were the top three answers: an Israel-Palestine peace agreement (54%), withdrawing from Iraq (45%), and stopping aid to Israel (43%). When asked which two factors were the most important in driving U.S. policy in the Middle East, the answers were: protecting Israel (49%), controlling oil (45%), weakening the Muslim world (33%).

 

There were other revealing responses here. Contrary to the stereotype that most Muslims and Arabs are devoted to the destruction of Israel regardless of a peace agreement, 86% say they are prepared for peace if Israel returns all 1967 territories, while only 12% say that Arabs should continue to fight Israel even if that happens. When asked if Iran is developing nuclear technology in order to build a weapon or for peaceful purposes, a clear majority (57-35%) believe it's to build a weapon, but overwhelmingly believe Iran "has the right" to develop nuclear technology and even believe (57-20%) that it would be a net positive for the region if they obtain nuclear weapons.

 

It goes without saying that the U.S. -- just like any other country -- should not determine its policies based exclusively on what makes it popular in the Muslim world. But a consensus had arisen in the Foreign Policy Community -- and it was certainly a major plank in the Obama campaign -- that multiple U.S. interests (beginning with our ability to deter Terrorism) would be served by improving how the U.S. is viewed in the Muslim and Arab world. That objective is plainly failing, despite how receptive (even eager) people in that region were to change their views about the U.S. in the wake of Obama's election. And whatever else is true, there's no denying that a major impediment to achieving that national objective is our policy toward Israel and especially our tolerance for its unwillingess to make peace the Palestinians.

 

http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_gr...lims/index.html

 

meh, who gives a fuck what the 'little people' say.

 

[Cid_MCDP 0]

Is it really newsworthy that the "Muslim world" is pissed off at Obama's handling of Pakistan/ Israel? FFS, that's like asking a Mackem what they think of Hughton's handling of NUFC.

[acrossthepond 749]

Is it really newsworthy that the "Muslim world" is pissed off at Obama's handling of Pakistan/ Israel? FFS, that's like asking a Mackem what they think of Hughton's handling of NUFC.

 

Now, hang on just a moment. One of his foremost campaign promises was that he would improve America's relations with the Muslim world. He has utterly failed in that promise.

[Happy Face 29]

A 40 point move from a positive/neutral view of Obama to a negative one is news I think.

 

People were on his side and had faith in him. He hasn't delivered.

[Cid_MCDP 0]

Yeah- but they're asking the Muslim world in the poll. The Muslim world wasn't "on his side and have faith in him" is my point.

 

EDIT: I think you guys might be mixing your graphs- the first one shows a decline in view, the second is why they're disappointed.

Edited August 6, 2010 by Cid_MCDP

[Happy Face 29]

Yeah- but they're asking the Muslim world in the poll. The Muslim world wasn't "on his side and have faith in him" is my point.

 

EDIT: I think you guys might be mixing your graphs- the first one shows a decline in view, the second is why they're disappointed.

 

The majority of the muslim world did have faith in him. That's the point. They asked muslims in 2009 and they asked muslims in 2010 and their view went from a low minority being negative to a sizeable majority.

 

I'm confused by your edit because you've clarified this with what's in the graphs (the largely positive view of muslims amongst Obama when he came into office and the decline of it) but still say muslims never liked him.

[ChezGiven 0]

Here HF, this article is right up your boulevard.

 

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/nilegard...is-in-meltdown/

[Happy Face 29]

Here HF, this article is right up your boulevard.

 

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/nilegard...is-in-meltdown/

 

Nice goading sir. The bloke's a cock and he's talking shite.

 

The fact "He appears frequently on Fox News Channel" says it all.

 

I agree with him Obama is as unpopular as anyone has beem at this point in his presidency, but to make out that it's because of his lefty socialist agenda is Foxtastic madness. It's because he's gone down the middle on all domestic issues and kept making the same mistakes as the right did on foreign policy. This is the problem with his entire presidency, it legitimises atrocious right wing policy as the norm and he refuses to take a stand against any of it.

[ChezGiven 0]

Here HF, this article is right up your boulevard.

 

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/nilegard...is-in-meltdown/

 

Nice goading sir. The bloke's a cock and he's talking shite.

 

The fact "He appears frequently on Fox News Channel" says it all.

 

I agree with him Obama is as unpopular as anyone has beem at this point in his presidency, but to make out that it's because of his lefty socialist agenda is Foxtastic madness. It's because he's gone down the middle on all domestic issues and kept making the same mistakes as the right did on foreign policy. This is the problem with his entire presidency, it legitimises atrocious right wing policy as the norm and he refuses to take a stand against any of it.

 

Me? Surely left-wing dissent is fuel to the fire of the fox-tastic right-wingers?

 

What pissed me off more than anything was the idea that the principles of the 'founding fathers' should be followed when dealing with the complexity of allocating healthcare resources.

 

I think the right-wing strategists have played a blinder and by this, i have to assume that Obama would be even more fucked if he had tried to force through a more socialist programme of reform. Calling centrist policy 'socialism' has allowed the right to keep him in the centre.

[Happy Face 29]

Here HF, this article is right up your boulevard.

 

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/nilegard...is-in-meltdown/

 

Nice goading sir. The bloke's a cock and he's talking shite.

 

The fact "He appears frequently on Fox News Channel" says it all.

 

I agree with him Obama is as unpopular as anyone has beem at this point in his presidency, but to make out that it's because of his lefty socialist agenda is Foxtastic madness. It's because he's gone down the middle on all domestic issues and kept making the same mistakes as the right did on foreign policy. This is the problem with his entire presidency, it legitimises atrocious right wing policy as the norm and he refuses to take a stand against any of it.

 

Me? Surely left-wing dissent is fuel to the fire of the fox-tastic right-wingers?

 

What pissed me off more than anything was the idea that the principles of the 'founding fathers' should be followed when dealing with the complexity of allocating healthcare resources.

 

I think the right-wing strategists have played a blinder and by this, i have to assume that Obama would be even more fucked if he had tried to force through a more socialist programme of reform. Calling centrist policy 'socialism' has allowed the right to keep him in the centre.

 

Agree with all of that. Except Obama being more fucked if he'd done anything he promised on the election trail. The left were apopleptic with what Bush did while in power. It didn't stop him doing any of it. Obama got a majority across the board because of his promises to undo what Bush had screwed up. If he strongly pushed through popular policies the right would be giving him more shit, but his massive support from the left wouldn't be abandoning him altogether like they currently are having been sold a pup.

 

The saddest part of it is that he'd motivated a whole new generation to vote. Young people went out to vote for him like they never did for Kerry....and his actions since getting into power would have done more to disenfranchise those voters than anything Bush did. Even when the guy they voted for and believed in won he pussyfooted around and catered to a right wing faction that were never going to show any bipartisan spirit whatsoever.

[ChezGiven 0]

Here HF, this article is right up your boulevard.

 

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/nilegard...is-in-meltdown/

 

Nice goading sir. The bloke's a cock and he's talking shite.

 

The fact "He appears frequently on Fox News Channel" says it all.

 

I agree with him Obama is as unpopular as anyone has beem at this point in his presidency, but to make out that it's because of his lefty socialist agenda is Foxtastic madness. It's because he's gone down the middle on all domestic issues and kept making the same mistakes as the right did on foreign policy. This is the problem with his entire presidency, it legitimises atrocious right wing policy as the norm and he refuses to take a stand against any of it.

 

Me? Surely left-wing dissent is fuel to the fire of the fox-tastic right-wingers?

 

What pissed me off more than anything was the idea that the principles of the 'founding fathers' should be followed when dealing with the complexity of allocating healthcare resources.

 

I think the right-wing strategists have played a blinder and by this, i have to assume that Obama would be even more fucked if he had tried to force through a more socialist programme of reform. Calling centrist policy 'socialism' has allowed the right to keep him in the centre.

 

Agree with all of that. Except Obama being more fucked if he'd done anything he promised on the election trail. The left were apopleptic with what Bush did while in power. It didn't stop him doing any of it. Obama got a majority across the board because of his promises to undo what Bush had screwed up. If he strongly pushed through popular policies the right would be giving him more shit, but his massive support from the left wouldn't be abandoning him altogether like they currently are having been sold a pup.

 

The saddest part of it is that he'd motivated a whole new generation to vote. Young people went out to vote for him like they never did for Kerry....and his actions since getting into power would have done more to disenfranchise those voters than anything Bush did. Even when the guy they voted for and believed in won he pussyfooted around and catered to a right wing faction that were never going to show any bipartisan spirit whatsoever.

 

The biggest mistake was trying to push through a leftist-agenda when the country was / is in economic crisis. Unemployment is now at absurd levels in the US and that more than anything is exposing the democrats to severe pressure.

 

In Tim Harford's fantastic book on economics, he produces some astonishing figures about the US economy. I dont have them to hand but since the 70's the US economy has lost something like 300 million jobs. However, in the same time it created something like 320 millions jobs. A testament to the free market.

 

This year, new job creation in the private sector is completely stalled and unemployment is escalating out of control. This is the prime reason for his drop in popularity imo. The fox-tastic right winger and salon-esque liberals are small constituencies in reality. 'Average voter dude' was always the target for his bi-partisan approach, he wanted to carry middle America with him. Unfortunatley, the economic situation has effected so many of them, he has lost approval from many who should have been carried with him.

[Happy Face 29]

Here HF, this article is right up your boulevard.

 

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/nilegard...is-in-meltdown/

 

Nice goading sir. The bloke's a cock and he's talking shite.

 

The fact "He appears frequently on Fox News Channel" says it all.

 

I agree with him Obama is as unpopular as anyone has beem at this point in his presidency, but to make out that it's because of his lefty socialist agenda is Foxtastic madness. It's because he's gone down the middle on all domestic issues and kept making the same mistakes as the right did on foreign policy. This is the problem with his entire presidency, it legitimises atrocious right wing policy as the norm and he refuses to take a stand against any of it.

 

Me? Surely left-wing dissent is fuel to the fire of the fox-tastic right-wingers?

 

What pissed me off more than anything was the idea that the principles of the 'founding fathers' should be followed when dealing with the complexity of allocating healthcare resources.

 

I think the right-wing strategists have played a blinder and by this, i have to assume that Obama would be even more fucked if he had tried to force through a more socialist programme of reform. Calling centrist policy 'socialism' has allowed the right to keep him in the centre.

 

Agree with all of that. Except Obama being more fucked if he'd done anything he promised on the election trail. The left were apopleptic with what Bush did while in power. It didn't stop him doing any of it. Obama got a majority across the board because of his promises to undo what Bush had screwed up. If he strongly pushed through popular policies the right would be giving him more shit, but his massive support from the left wouldn't be abandoning him altogether like they currently are having been sold a pup.

 

The saddest part of it is that he'd motivated a whole new generation to vote. Young people went out to vote for him like they never did for Kerry....and his actions since getting into power would have done more to disenfranchise those voters than anything Bush did. Even when the guy they voted for and believed in won he pussyfooted around and catered to a right wing faction that were never going to show any bipartisan spirit whatsoever.

 

The biggest mistake was trying to push through a leftist-agenda when the country was / is in economic crisis. Unemployment is now at absurd levels in the US and that more than anything is exposing the democrats to severe pressure.

 

In Tim Harford's fantastic book on economics, he produces some astonishing figures about the US economy. I dont have them to hand but since the 70's the US economy has lost something like 300 million jobs. However, in the same time it created something like 320 millions jobs. A testament to the free market.

 

This year, new job creation in the private sector is completely stalled and unemployment is escalating out of control. This is the prime reason for his drop in popularity imo. The fox-tastic right winger and salon-esque liberals are small constituencies in reality. 'Average voter dude' was always the target for his bi-partisan approach, he wanted to carry middle America with him. Unfortunatley, the economic situation has effected so many of them, he has lost approval from many who should have been carried with him.

 

I'm not sure why those numbers are anything to be particularly proud of. There may be 20 million extra jobs, but in the 70's the majority of the 300 million jobs paid enough that a man could support his stay at home wife and their kids.

 

The 320 million jobs there are now rarely pay enough so that a man and his wife can support themselves and an only child when they both have full time jobs. They're fast food & Wall-mart jobs that pay a pittance but that deparate people have to accept.

 

It's the shame of the free market that people don't get a fair days pay for a fair days work because the stock price of Wall-mart is more important than it's people....and their workers are forced to take credit at outrageous terms to drive the banks stock-price up.....which leads to financial collapse that the people with slightly better jobs have to pay for.

 

The wealth doesn't trickle down from the top, the shit piles up from the bottom.

[ChezGiven 0]

Here HF, this article is right up your boulevard.

 

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/nilegard...is-in-meltdown/

 

Nice goading sir. The bloke's a cock and he's talking shite.

 

The fact "He appears frequently on Fox News Channel" says it all.

 

I agree with him Obama is as unpopular as anyone has beem at this point in his presidency, but to make out that it's because of his lefty socialist agenda is Foxtastic madness. It's because he's gone down the middle on all domestic issues and kept making the same mistakes as the right did on foreign policy. This is the problem with his entire presidency, it legitimises atrocious right wing policy as the norm and he refuses to take a stand against any of it.

 

Me? Surely left-wing dissent is fuel to the fire of the fox-tastic right-wingers?

 

What pissed me off more than anything was the idea that the principles of the 'founding fathers' should be followed when dealing with the complexity of allocating healthcare resources.

 

I think the right-wing strategists have played a blinder and by this, i have to assume that Obama would be even more fucked if he had tried to force through a more socialist programme of reform. Calling centrist policy 'socialism' has allowed the right to keep him in the centre.

 

Agree with all of that. Except Obama being more fucked if he'd done anything he promised on the election trail. The left were apopleptic with what Bush did while in power. It didn't stop him doing any of it. Obama got a majority across the board because of his promises to undo what Bush had screwed up. If he strongly pushed through popular policies the right would be giving him more shit, but his massive support from the left wouldn't be abandoning him altogether like they currently are having been sold a pup.

 

The saddest part of it is that he'd motivated a whole new generation to vote. Young people went out to vote for him like they never did for Kerry....and his actions since getting into power would have done more to disenfranchise those voters than anything Bush did. Even when the guy they voted for and believed in won he pussyfooted around and catered to a right wing faction that were never going to show any bipartisan spirit whatsoever.

 

The biggest mistake was trying to push through a leftist-agenda when the country was / is in economic crisis. Unemployment is now at absurd levels in the US and that more than anything is exposing the democrats to severe pressure.

 

In Tim Harford's fantastic book on economics, he produces some astonishing figures about the US economy. I dont have them to hand but since the 70's the US economy has lost something like 300 million jobs. However, in the same time it created something like 320 millions jobs. A testament to the free market.

 

This year, new job creation in the private sector is completely stalled and unemployment is escalating out of control. This is the prime reason for his drop in popularity imo. The fox-tastic right winger and salon-esque liberals are small constituencies in reality. 'Average voter dude' was always the target for his bi-partisan approach, he wanted to carry middle America with him. Unfortunatley, the economic situation has effected so many of them, he has lost approval from many who should have been carried with him.

 

I'm not sure why those numbers are anything to be particularly proud of. There may be 20 million extra jobs, but in the 70's the majority of the 300 million jobs paid enough that a man could support his stay at home wife and their kids.

 

The 320 million jobs there are now rarely pay enough so that a man and his wife can support themselves and an only child when they both have full time jobs. They're fast food & Wall-mart jobs that pay a pittance but that deparate people have to accept.

 

It's the shame of the free market that people don't get a fair days pay for a fair days work because the stock price of Wall-mart is more important than it's people....and their workers are forced to take credit at outrageous terms to drive the banks stock-price up.....which leads to financial collapse that the people with slightly better jobs have to pay for.

 

The wealth doesn't trickle down from the top, the shit piles up from the bottom.

 

I checked the figure and remarkably its this; between 1993 and 2002 the US economy lost 310m jobs (jobs which are old and uncompetitive and rely on outdated skills provided more efficiently elsewhere) and created 327m jobs.

 

The point was, given the way the US is set up economically and socially, there are no safeguards for the unemployed, just a system of dynamic economic adjustment that creates more than it destroys. The point now is that this is failing, new private jobs are not replacing the jobs lost during the recession and which continue to be lost. Thats the main problem with Obama's presidency. Your average Joe doest give a shit about whether e.g. his record on human rights is consistent with pre-election rhetoric.

 

Oh and wealth does trickle down if the wealthy spend it, it doesnt if they save it. Everyone knows that