Obama's First Six Months' Accomplishments

The first one in your list, about offending the Queen of England, is dead wrong.

She was not offended after Michelle gave her a hug.

And if you remember, the Queen also put an arm around Michelle afterwords.

That's one of the goofiest rules ever. She's a woman. She's a human being. So what if Michelle hugged her?

It was a hug.

Originally posted by Mak Manto

The first one in your list, about offending the Queen of England, is dead wrong.

I think the list is referring to the ipod the Queen actually requested.

Not a good start for any list.

Originally posted by Guzzeppi
reply to post by schrodingers dog

I received this in an email and thought I would share it. I guess i should have stated that.

The true point of my post was to make sure my fellow ATSers saw this. It is not important who authored it, but the information within.

Guz

Exactly. I for one appreciate you sharing it, otherwise I may not have seen it. Some people prefer to find something to attack, keeps them going I guess.

reply to post by Guzzeppi
"Circled the globe to publicly apologize for America's world leadership."


Well someone had too. I have never been more ashamed of America or it's Direction than the time we spent under president Cheney and his little Developmentally Disabled dingle berry. I've lived under unrestrained capitilism for 50 years now and I say please please bring on the Socialism. And don't forget your godking before Obama did almost 90 percent of this list as well. Hell I thought he was gonna make out with the King of Saudi Arabia that one time. Have a Wonderful Day.


[edit on 14-8-2009 by kenton1234]

reply to post by schrodingers dog


If that was what the creator of the thread meant, Schro, that's EVEN DUMBER.

They gave her an I-Pod. It had pictures and video footage of when she came to the United States.

That's a nice gift.

Plus also, he gave her a rare songbook signed by Richard Rogers.

reply to post by j2000

No. It would be Conservative Common Sense people that someone pissed off lately. Most on here are Americans. Most are in the Center as you want a political term. Most can be pushed a long ways before they really react, but when they do, watch out! You have to look no further than a little flag with the statement "Don't Tread on Me". It truly does represent what is going on here.

I agree I highly resent being lumped in with radical right wingers when I do not parrot the socialist party line. I would expect those here at ATS to at least be well read and willing to question.

Obama is busy bankrupting the US of A. For the socialists reading this, I suggest you look at what happens to the "social safety net" in a bankrupted country after the IMF/World Bank takes over.

Structural Adjustment Policies are economic policies which countries must follow in order to qualify for new World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) loans and help them make debt repayments on the older debts owed to commercial banks, governments and the World Bank. Although SAPs are designed for individual countries but have common guiding principles and features which include export-led growth; privatisation and liberalisation; and the efficiency of the free market....

SAPs often result in deep cuts in programmes such as education, health and social care, and the removal of subsidies designed to control the prices of basics such as food and milk. So SAPs hurt the poor most.... Source

Iceland serves as a very real example to the USA, they even draw the parallel in this article. If we do not curb our spending and rebuild our industry we will follow in Iceland's footsteps, directly into the trap set by the greedy banksters and baited with "social welfare programs"

"We are calling on the world to help us get rid of this corrupt government," Sturla Jonsson, one of protesters said... The protesters pounded drums and other instruments, shouted slogans against the government and parliament and threw eggs and food items, even old shoes at the house of parliament. The protest was nowhere close to slowing down despite it being close to midnight. The parliament postponed meeting until tomorrow afternoon, but protesters, whom police fought all day with teargas, pepperspray, and clubs, vowed to stay downtown all night, "and as long as we have to" Jonsson said. "And I want to tell you that the people gathered here are not "activists" or "militants," he added, "they are just ordinary adults of all ages."

One year ago, Iceland was named the most desirable country in the world. Today, its economy has been devastated by the catastrophic collapse of its three largest banks. Unemployment rose 45% between November and December, and a recent survey indicated that 40% of households and 70% of businesses were technically bankrupt....
Americans will certainly recognize strong parallels between Iceland's current situation and their own. Source

Maurice Strong good pal of Al Gore and David Rockefeller who helps fund Greenpeace, Sierra Club and the rest of the green movement through the Rockefeller multiple foundations, are well connected to each other and the World Bank. Heck the World Bank/IMF meet with Rockefeller in New york right after their "official meetings"

Socialist are being led down the garden path by promises of Utopia while the bankster ready the shackles.

Obama is a well groomed Trojan Horse.

k people are going balls to the wall listing really redundant,useless, bias, lists of "facts" Like the good majority of epetes list was just some god awful smeer of loose generalities. Im not on anyones side just before you just blindly post things on the net as fact check them out, I bet half of the people here don't have the slightest clue of why they wanna re-volt and blame take action on obama, not even his administration who is really in control, but just him. Some things you even listed are beneficial to obama just slurred around to make it sound bad, like "Over the past few weeks we have learned Obama is not a christian." - thats a good thing, betetr than a president who'll openly say its god's purpose that we go in iraq( good ol' christian bush)

It's ok to be riled up about the government and there actions, but don't throw the blame for the decades upon decades of decay this united states has been goin through soley on one guy. Many wanted changed and he is giving it, some for better some for worse there are gonna have to be sacrifices.

And don't fall prey to the divide and conquer strategy that has been plaguing us since the arrival of rep's and dem's. Look past the fall boys( w/e administration is present in office) and look toward the people that are running them, the ones that control the federal reserve and all our lively hood.

I'm just afraid this is going to turn into a revolution targeted towards the wrong people. it's getting more apparent day by day that they( mass media) are enticing these emotions to revolt. I'm starting to get worried by the fact that a revolution would benefit the hidden powers that be. I mean think of it what a better way to dupe america into thinking they are fighting and earning there freedom. just a thought, educate your mind never let anything slide by you as fact even if it benefits your cause.

because what a better way to control people than to think they are fighting

reply to post by Mak Manto


Very true! That claim was exaggerated as are some of the other claims. Although the list was most definitely created by someone from the far right, there are some claims that are dead on.

It is overwhelming to me what he has done in such a short period of time. He has committed political suicide and has drove America down the hole deeper, but why? Maybe he is not the one calling the shots.

reply to post by Guzzeppi


Hi G,

Can you share with us which of the claims you believe are valid and why so we can discuss them?

reply to post by Guzzeppi


I'm not saying he didn't make mistakes here and there, but the only thing conservatives are doing now is trying to bring down Obama.

They don't care if the country falls, but if he were gone, it'd suit them better.

Originally posted by Mak Manto
reply to post by Guzzeppi

 

I'm not saying he didn't make mistakes here and there, but the only thing conservatives are doing now is trying to bring down Obama.

They don't care if the country falls, but if he were gone, it'd suit them better.

What did the liberals do during Bush's administration?

Just wondering.

reply to post by mckyle

For you, the greatest tragedy for America would be for Obama to raise the US out of the ashes and restore its global greatness and standing.

If you could explain how he is going to do that I would listen however all I see is a fast declining tax base, off shoring of industry and jobs and Congress piling massive debt onto the backs of American tax payers while unemployment sky rockets. I do not go out and buy a new car, spend lots of money at the mall when my family can barely pay the mortgage, and that is exactly what Congress and Obama is doing. All the fine social programs are not worth diddly if the Country is bankrupt and the World Bank is calling the tune. Do socialist never have to balance a checkbook or pay the bills, can you not understand the concept of OVERSPENDING? (see my other post for further explanation of the bankrupting of the USA).

The glee you refer to is the relief that I am not alone in seeing the destruction of my country and the hope, that with enough support from others, we can turn around the disaster.

In Sept. 14, 1994 David Rockefeller, speaking at the UN Business Council

This present window of opportunity, during which a truly peaceful and interdependent world order might be built, will not be open for too long - We are on the verge of a global transformation. All we need is the right major crisis and the nations will accept the New World Order.

reply to post by Highground


I don't disagree with you there.

I was too young to have voted, but I didn't like Bush and wouldn't have voted for him.

Though, he was my president. And while many of the things he did in his administration were wrong and bad, I still didn't harbor feelings of wanting him gone and removed.

And I consider myself a classical/social liberal.

George Bush's list of accomplishments in his first year in office
by Michael Moore

www.thirdworldtraveler.com...
* Cut $39 million from federal spending on libraries
* Cut $35 million in funding for advanced pediatric training for doctors
* Cut funding for research into renewable energy sources by 50 percent
* Delayed rules that would reduce "acceptable" levels of arsenic in drinking water

etc. etc..


forum.quoteland.com...
George W. Bush's 50 greatest accomplishments:
1. I attacked and took over two countries.
2. I spent the US surplus and bankrupted the US treasury.
3. I shattered the record for the biggest annual deficit in history (not easy)
4. I set an economic for the most personal bankruptcies filed in any 12 month period.
5. I set all-time record for the biggest drop in the history of the stock market.
6. I am the first president in decades to execute a federal prisoner.
7. I am the first president in US history to enter office with a criminal record.


Geez...this is easy...cut and paste partisan junk

reply to post by Mak Manto

I'm not saying he didn't make mistakes here and there, but the only thing conservatives are doing now is trying to bring down Obama.

They don't care if the country falls, but if he were gone, it'd suit them better

This happens to every President. Doesn't matter if they are Democrat or Republican. It isn't just a conservative thing.

I began rebutting these points one by one but someone already did a great job

gedblog.com...

1. Offended the Queen of England.

The only ones “offended” were right-wingers. Obama gave the Queen of England the gift *she requested*. An Apple iPod filled with Broadway musical numbers, and video of her previous trip to the US. In addition, she also received a signed, rare edition of a Rogers and Hammerstein manuscript. The queen was not offended, she was actually quite pleased.

2. Bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia.

Is that better or worse than Bush kissing him and holding his hand whenever they met? I forget.

3. Praised the Marxist Daniel Ortega.

If by “praise” you mean cutting $64 million in aid to his country because of his posture and remarks, then yes, Obama praised him. Obama knows the difference between words and actions. In addition, at a speech given by Ortega in Spain in April, Obama is reported to have “endured” it. He didn’t praise Ortega, nor did he rebuke him.

4. Kissed Hugo Chavez on the cheek.

Obama and Chavez shook hands (as did George W. Bush) and had a joking conversation.

5. Endorsed the Socialist Evo Morales of Bolivia.

Obama initially pledged co-operation with Boliva because of long-standing trade agreements with the country. Unfortunately, the United States doesn’t always get to pick and choose the leaders of various nations (that doesn’t go for Iraq and Afghanistan obviously).

But on July 1st, the US halted $25 million in annual trade benefits to Bolivia, prompting Morales to say “Obama “lied” about cooperation”. So much for that so-called praise:

6. Announced we would meet with Iranians with no pre-conditions.

Yes, you’re absolutely correct. I happen to think the President is right for doing so. You may disagree, but we tried it your way (not talking to Iran) for over 8 years and it got the USA no where. You’re guy lost, it’s time to give a carrot a try instead of a stick.

7. Gave away billions to AIG also without pre-conditions.

Actually there are many measures in place to protect tax payer money with the bank bailout, but I agree there could be more accountability in this area.

8. Massively Expanded the bailouts.

What was the alternative? Let unemployment drop at an even faster rate? Sink even deeper into recession faster? Would you have not attempted to stimulate the economy at all and just “stuffed money under your mattress”?

Again, this was tried for 8 years. Tax cuts for the rich, huge spending in Iran and Afghanistan (foreign nations, not the US). Didn’t work. I’d rather go into debt for money spent in our own country than giving away billions to other countries to wage war.

9. Insulted everyone who has ever loved a Special Olympian.

Wow, the President is human being who makes mistakes! Imagine him making an in-appropriate remark about the Special Olympics! Was it bad, sure. Did it offend everyone associated with the Special Olympics? No. Plus, unlike Bush who could not, EVER admit a mistake, Obama later apologized for the remark

10. Tripled our national debt in his first 100 days in office.

Completely untrue and a lie. Most of the current debt (over 80%) is due to Bush policies and bailouts that was started BY HIM. In addition, Obama removed the traditional “let’s hide all the debt” accounting used by presidents in the past to give the American people a true picture of the federal budget. Sometimes reality is a tough pill to swallow.

Conservatives seemed fine with it for 8 years while the country was going deeper and deeper into debt fighting 2 wars and cutting taxes. Now, that money is being spent on America and American programs, you have a problem?

I suggest you go read this excellent piece by the NYT and then reconsider this unfounded accusation.

11. Announced a termination of the space defense system the day after the North Koreans launched an ICBM.

Everyone agrees that missile defense is important, but not when it doesn’t work. The so-called missile defense shield has been plagued with problems from day one.

In addition, other, newer systems are now being tested.

12. Despite the urgings of his own CIA director and the prior 4 CIA directors, released information on intelligence gathering.

Sometimes transparency can be a good thing. That being said, I don’t know enough about the subject to speak with any authority regarding if the United States should or should not be announcing how intelligence is gathered.

13. Accepted without public comment the fact that five of his cabinet members cheated on their taxes and two others withdrew after they couldn’t take the heat.

I never agreed with Obama’s willingness to post people who hadn’t completed their taxes correctly. He should never have appointed those people in the first place. I agree with this point.

14. Appointed a Homeland Security Chief who quickly identified as “dangers to the nation”, groups including veterans of the military, and opponents to abortion on demand….and who ordered that the word “terrorism” no longer be used but instead referred to such acts as “man made disasters”.

Like it or not, the department of Homeland Securities report on disgruntled veterans is right on the money. Levels of extremism have been rising in this country since Obama’s election and some of them have to do with ex-military people who seem to think it’s their right to take up arms against the President of the United States.

Two Atlanta area police officers were even suspended for doing an unauthorized “background check” on the President.

Gun owners have been stockpiling weapons and ammo for fear that Obama is “about to take away their guns” although, historically speaking gun owners enjoy more rights now than they did under President Clinton. Not only that, but Obama recently signed a bill that makes it EASIER for people to carry guns in National Parks. Reagan opposed such a measure. Obama backed it.

Continued next post

15. Circled the globe so he could openly apologize for America greatness.

This one is soooo slanted it’s difficult to reply to with a straight face. The right pulled what they wanted to out of Obama’s trip around the world, regardless of context, tone or actual words spoken. If you want to believe that Obama put down the US at every stop, that’s your right. I actually listened to the speeches and heard a fair, even handed assessment of the history of this country’s actions abroad. Like it or not, we’ve done some bad things over the years. You can bury your head in the sand and try to ignore this fact, or you can try and rebuild relationships with other nations that was destroyed by George W. Bush. Take your pick.

16. Told the Mexican President that the violence in their country was because of us.

It partly is. If America didn’t have such a demand for illegal drugs, the violence in Mexico wouldn’t be at the levels it is at today. I find the President’s honesty in these matters to the leaders of other nations, refreshing.

17. Politicized the census by moving it into the White House from its Department of Commerce origins.

Robert Groves, Obama’s nominee to head the US Census Bureau has said on several occasions that he is opposed to sampling or so-called “politicizing” the 2010 census. Until there is actual evidence of this happening (like the massive politicizing that happened under Bush with the Attorney General’s department), simply moving its organizational structure isn’t setting off alarm bells for those of us not wearing tin-foil hats.

18. Appointed as Attorney General the man who orchestrated the forced removal and expulsion (from America to Cuba ) of a nine-year old whose mother died trying to bring him to a life of freedom in the United States.

A wonderful example of the right’s “situational outrage”. Elian Gonzalez was just a boy looking to escape economic and political oppression and so he should be allowed to stay in the US. At the same time, the thousands of aliens that cross our borders every day looking for the same exact thing as Gonzalez are “destroying the country”. Which is it? Is the United States a nation of laws or not? Why is one boy allowed to stay but not those who cross the border to try and help feed their families or who need health care?

19. Salutes as heroes three Navy SEALS who took down three terrorists who threatened one American life… and the next day announces members of the Bush administration will likely stand trial for “torturing” a terrorist who had played a part in killing 3000 Americans by pouring water up their nose.

Yes yes, these two instances are exactly alike. Let’s compare the systematic deconstruction of the Constitution and rule of law that was issued by Bush, Rumsfeld and Cheney over a period of 5 years to the necessary killing of 3 pirates.

I’m sorry that we disagree about water boarding, but anyone who has experience with it, John McCain included, has called it torture. The United States doesn’t torture. That’s what George W. Bush said. And yet we did. On multiple occasions and for purposes that had nothing to do with “ticking bombs”, but to justify the illegal invasion of foreign nations.

20. Air Force One over New York City with a fighter close behind.

Equating this as the work of President Obama is offensive. Obama knew nothing about the flyover and was “furious” about it when he learned of it. People in the defense department will likely lose their jobs because of it.

21. Sent his National Defense Advisor to Europe to assure Europe that the US will no longer treat Israel in a special manner and they might be on their own with the Muslims.

It is true that Obama has been more heavy handed with Israel than any President in recent memory. It is also true that Israel likes to think they are the only “valid” nation in the region. They are not.

Israel also has one of the strongest, most well run militaries and can handle themselves more than well when it comes to their conflict with Palestine. That being said, I don’t doubt for a second that if Iran were to become involved, the United States would back Israel up to the very end. They have been, and will always be an ally of the United States, no matter what right-wingers would like us to believe about the President.

22. Began the process of nationalizing the Auto Industry and the Insurance industry.

The auto industry hasn’t been nationalized. Like many other industries in this country, the government has been forced to take a stake in its survival so that you don’t end up eating tuna fish for dinner every night and heating your house with kerosene. The government doesn’t own the auto industry, it doesn’t even have a controlling portion of it. Same goes for the insurance industry although I’d say that I wouldn’t mind some government control of them. They are crooks and unfeeling liars who refuse health care for things like acne and foot odor.

23. Announced that for intents and purposes the Health Insurance Industry will be nationalized, despite the fact that such a thing is a miserable failure everywhere it’s been put in place.

Everywhere except in the 36 countries that rank higher than the United States in world heath coverage.

Or in the national programs of Medicare and Veteran benefits (US government run programs) that conservative columnist William Kristol recently admitted are “the best” in the world.

Sources? You can say he did this or that, but the language you use is vague. What is the real issue that you are getting each item from? Is their a bias to the blog that originally posted all of them? Some are obviously connected to comments and situations when he first got in (Queen of England, for instance), but are we even aware/concerned because it is concerning, or because it was good for Cable News ratings...?

I'm sorry, but responsibility as a mature adult in a discussion forum includes citing your sources...otherwise just go shout empty slogans and glorious party propaganda from the townhall streetcorner, because that is the level that you sink to without sources.

[edit on 14-8-2009 by Cara-G-Pow]

reply to post by schrodingers dog


#1. Is false, I cannot find any info to back this claim.
#2. He did bow to the king of Saudi Arabia.

#3. It appears that his old pal Rev. Jeremiah Wright made this claim not Obama.
www.aina.org...
#4. It appears this is false. He shook his hand, but never kissed Chavez on the cheek.
#5. Cannot find any information to back up claim.
#6. Most likely true.
richardcochrane.hypocrisy.com...
#7. Although he said he would like to have talks, I have not found any evidence that Obama agreed to no pre-conditions.

#8. Yes Obama gave AIG billions. There were modest pre-conditions at best, which allowed them to give themselves bonuses from bail out funds. With pressure, Obama took those bonuses away.
#9. True.
www.globalresearch.ca...
#10. True.

/barack_obama_special_olympics_comment_on_leno_03_19_09/

Here are the first 10. I wish I had time to check them all.
Hey Shrodinger, you wanna do the next 10 and give me some help?

Guz




[edit on 14-8-2009 by Guzzeppi]

[edit on 14-8-2009 by Guzzeppi]

reply to post by Guzzeppi

Beautifully said.
Second line