2016 Democratic Thread

[bmags]

Greg would have loved the 60s.

[greg775]

I really don't care if anyone doesn't like me admiring Obama or thinking he's a good president and I stopped trying to explain it, I don't owe anyone an explanation nor do I care what they think. They usually fall into one of these categories:

1. Conservatives who don't like him on principle which is fine, but there's really no reason to discuss a thing that's settled

2. People who are far to the left of him (though they tend to like him more often than not)

3. White people who are not necessarily racist but aren't comfortable with things associated with or important to black people (they usually complain when Obama says or does something "black")

Meanwhile I listed a whole plethora of things that made him a lousy President.

[southsider2k5]

Greg would have loved the 60s.

 

The 1860's.

[illinilaw08]

So the solution is to scream and yell and picket and bust up library study halls (violence coming?) and not want to sit down and have a talk to find solutions? The crime as they see it: White have had privelege for 200 years. The solution: Give me that privilege and give it to me NOW.

Uh ... how are we going to do that? Good luck to those kids who get arrested EVER finding a good job til it is expunged from their record at least.

 

Greg's solution. Have them do nothing. Have white privilege continue forever.

 

The President's point in the article I linked above is that Black Lives Matter accomplished step 1 - becoming part of the conversation. Step 2 - sitting down and working out solutions - isn't always being handled well.

 

 

[Quin]

I really don't care if anyone doesn't like me admiring Obama or thinking he's a good president and I stopped trying to explain it, I don't owe anyone an explanation nor do I care what they think. They usually fall into one of these categories:

1. Conservatives who don't like him on principle which is fine, but there's really no reason to discuss a thing that's settled

2. People who are far to the left of him (though they tend to like him more often than not)

3. White people who are not necessarily racist but aren't comfortable with things associated with or important to black people (they usually complain when Obama says or does something "black")

 

I'm going to agree with Lostezio.

 

Obama is going to go out of office well regarded in public perception. His legacy will then only age better and better as time goes forward.

[lostfan]

Meanwhile I listed a whole plethora of things that made him a lousy President.

Refer to first 4 words

 

Read in an East African accent if you've seen the latest Captain America

[Quin]

Refer to first 4 words

 

Read in an East African accent if you've seen the latest Captain America

 

So what you're saying is we need T'Challa as president?

[illinilaw08]

He was a pathetic president, but again, I do like him personally. Nothing against him. Sox fans are welcome in the White House.

Race: College campuses are a total mess with protests. Rioting does not appear to be far off. Big cities are crime ridden and racial tension is huge. All under Obama who has shown zero leadership.

Economy: Middle class has been decimated. All the wealth is controlled by the top 1 percent.

Health care: Skyrocketing costs continue. His plan's implementation was a wreck with nothing but chaos.

War on terror: Country gripped by fear with school shootings a common occurrence.

Need I go on? The big question are we better off now than 8 years ago? LOL to that.

 

Race: College campuses have always been home to protest. But thanks for creating racism Obama!

 

Economy: Stock market at record highs, unemployment down, took actions that mitigated the effects of the recession he inherited.

 

Health Care: Access to healthcare increased significantly.

 

War on Terror: He got Bin Laden. Not sure how "school shootings" = war on terror. But America has been relatively unscathed by terrorism compared to the rest of the world.

 

Most of the stuff you are pinning on Obama (rising health care costs, wealth in the hands of the 1%) was a problem well before Obama became President, that he has taken steps to rectify...

[lostfan]

So what you're saying is we need T'Challa as president?

We've already had one East African, why not another?

[bmags]

Also healthcare costs have actually gone down for the first time in a long time and have maintained that lowered level. Insurance costs may have gone up for some.

[StrangeSox]

Brothers plead guilty to beating homeless immigrant

 

BOSTON (AP) — Two Boston brothers who claimed to be inspired in part by Donald Trump's views on immigrants were sentenced to state prison after admitting they beat a homeless Mexican man because they thought he was an illegal immigrant, authorities said.

 

Edited May 17, 2016 by StrangeSox

[bmags]

That's terrible. Thank god it wasn't in a library during study hall.

[caulfield12]

 

There's 25% in America that just hate Obama and won't give him a chance because of their racial OR political views or both.

 

I do think he was under-prepared to deal with the partisan rancor and ended up using a lot of his power up the first 2 years...I'm not sure even if he was more respectful towards the Republicans in Congress that it would have made a difference, since their philosophy has always been to obstruct/deny/tear down the country while there's a DEM in office and wait patiently for another opportunity.

 

But a lot of those who dislike Obama because of his race won't come right out and say it so directly. That's why they love Trump.

 

Obama isn't patriotic enough (didn't wear the American pin). We gave away everything to other countries (the free trade agreements started with NAFTA but are mostly a Republican conceit which has decimated the working class/unions...Obama does have some culpability there). Obama acts white/is an Uncle Tom. Obama's a Muslim. Obama is a foreigner. Obama hates America and loves to apologize for our unique American greatness to the rest of the world. Obama's made our enemies more emboldened (Donald Trump will magically show up and just do "better" deals, like Iran, for example). Obama hates Israel. Obama's wife wears the pants in that family. Obama's all talk and no action, "si se puede/yes we can" hasn't led to any real, meaningful change. America's more partisan than it ever has been because Obama's too arrogant and disrespectful to Republicans. Obama plays too much golf. The list goes on and on and on.

 

 

[DrunkBomber]

Ive never been fond of Obama's politics but I have always found him likable, and thought he did an amazing job at getting people who have felt alienated by Washington inspired again. I think it was important to finally have a President who wasnt an old white guy as well.

 

A couple things that bothered me about Obama's presidency were the Iran deal and the prisoner exchange for Bergdahl. I know he had a hostile congress and that made things difficult at times. I want everyone to get health care as much as the next person but I really dont like some aspects of Obamacare, particularly that they fine people who cant afford to pay for health care. Dont get me wrong, I think its great that people who were previously uninsurable are guaranteed coverage. I just genuinely dont understand the logic of fining people who cant afford insurance.

 

Hillary is a different story for me. Id rather have Obama be the President for the rest of my life than have her as President for a single day. She is the most untrustworthy candidate I can think of in my lifetime. She has been a part of so much corruption for so long. Id honestly prefer Trump to be President than her (Im shuttering just typing that) That video that greg posted a few pages back of Elizabeth Warren telling a story of a personal experience she had with Hillary where Hillary convinced Bill to veto a bill sponsored by credit card companies about bankruptcy and then when the bill came up again when Hillary was a senator and she voted for the bill. Warren says that Hillary was bought by the credit card companies and the financial influence was too much. Thats exactly what Bernie brings up at all of the debates and she laughs it off and claims shes never swayed by money.

 

Bernie is another guy who I REALLY dont like his politics but he comes across as the most honest politician and I believe the things that he says. This election really makes me sad for the future of our country. I cant believe there isnt a candidate on either side that I can even get a little excited about.

 

Edit-Forgot to mention. Obama's Press correspondence dinners (or whatever theyre called) where he roasts people are hilarious. I was really surprised how funny he can be and keep a straight face.

Edited May 17, 2016 by DrunkBomber

[pettie4sox]

What would it be like to have a conversation with greg IRL.

 

 

[lostfan]

Greg is probably a pretty cool dude in real life lol

 

I've actually met several Soxtalkers and all of them are cool actually.

[lostfan]

Ive never been fond of Obama's politics but I have always found him likable, and thought he did an amazing job at getting people who have felt alienated by Washington inspired again. I think it was important to finally have a President who wasnt an old white guy as well.

 

A couple things that bothered me about Obama's presidency were the Iran deal and the prisoner exchange for Bergdahl. I know he had a hostile congress and that made things difficult at times. I want everyone to get health care as much as the next person but I really dont like some aspects of Obamacare, particularly that they fine people who cant afford to pay for health care. Dont get me wrong, I think its great that people who were previously uninsurable are guaranteed coverage. I just genuinely dont understand the logic of fining people who cant afford insurance.

 

Hillary is a different story for me. Id rather have Obama be the President for the rest of my life than have her as President for a single day. She is the most untrustworthy candidate I can think of in my lifetime. She has been a part of so much corruption for so long. Id honestly prefer Trump to be President than her (Im shuttering just typing that) That video that greg posted a few pages back of Elizabeth Warren telling a story of a personal experience she had with Hillary where Hillary convinced Bill to veto a bill sponsored by credit card companies about bankruptcy and then when the bill came up again when Hillary was a senator and she voted for the bill. Warren says that Hillary was bought by the credit card companies and the financial influence was too much. Thats exactly what Bernie brings up at all of the debates and she laughs it off and claims shes never swayed by money.

 

Bernie is another guy who I REALLY dont like his politics but he comes across as the most honest politician and I believe the things that he says. This election really makes me sad for the future of our country. I cant believe there isnt a candidate on either side that I can even get a little excited about.

 

Edit-Forgot to mention. Obama's Press correspondence dinners (or whatever theyre called) where he roasts people are hilarious. I was really surprised how funny he can be and keep a straight face.

i didn't like the Bergdahl thing either. I didn't really freak out about it, I just didn't understand the logic. I get it, he's an American life even if he's a criminal, and I get that the Israelis do the same thing, but I felt like a sports fan questioning if his GM gave up too much.

[Y2HH]

i didn't like the Bergdahl thing either. I didn't really freak out about it, I just didn't understand the logic. I get it, he's an American life even if he's a criminal, and I get that the Israelis do the same thing, but I felt like a sports fan questioning if his GM gave up too much.

 

In that case, he traded the equilivant of Jake Arrietta and Chris Sale for John Danks.

 

I think he got robbed.

[Quin]

We've already had one East African, why not another?

[lostfan]

Stealing this

[caulfield12]

Applebee's has wood-fired grills now, not sure about Lawrence, KS yet.

 

 

My issues with Obama:

 

1) Guantanamo Bay took forever

2) We never really forcefully went after anyone on Wall Street or limited the control of the banking industry

3) His foreign/war policy in terms of drone strikes increasing and for half of his presidency not being distinguishable from Bush

 

He does deserve a ton of credit for pushing through the automakers bailouts...that was a huge win, that Trump would never give the Dems credit for. In fact, that's a weakness for Trump, all Hillary has to do is ask "Donald, wouldn't you have done the same you did four times in your business career and allow Detroit to go bankrupt?" Hard area for him. You keep talking about wanting to keep jobs in America? Do you see the inconsistency?

 

Forcing hard-working Americans who can't afford health care to pay fines...that just doesn't seem like something a Democrat would or should do, it feels a little harsh and cruel.

 

He also deserves SOME credit for pushing the environmental aspects as far as they can go...although progress against entrenched interests is a tough one.

 

Did he deserve the Nobel Prize? I'm sure the committee in Oslo, if they could go back and do it over again, would say that was one of their most dubious selections in recent decades.

[lostfan]

Applebee's has wood-fired grills now, not sure about Lawrence, KS yet.

 

 

My issues with Obama:

 

1) Guantanamo Bay took forever

2) We never really forcefully went after anyone on Wall Street or limited the control of the banking industry

3) His foreign/war policy in terms of drone strikes increasing and for half of his presidency not being distinguishable from Bush

He does deserve a ton of credit for pushing through the automakers bailouts...that was a huge win, that Trump would never give the Dems credit for. In fact, that's a weakness for Trump, all Hillary has to do is ask "Donald, wouldn't you have done the same you did four times in your business career and allow Detroit to go bankrupt?" Hard area for him. You keep talking about wanting to keep jobs in America? Do you see the inconsistency?

 

Forcing hard-working Americans who can't afford health care to pay fines...that just doesn't seem like something a Democrat would or should do, it feels a little harsh and cruel.

 

He also deserves SOME credit for pushing the environmental aspects as far as they can go...although progress against entrenched interests is a tough one.

 

Did he deserve the Nobel Prize? I'm sure the committee in Oslo, if they could go back and do it over again, would say that was one of their most dubious selections in recent decades.

This drives me crazy, the Iraq war was in no comparable to any of Bush's foreign policy. That was a WAR, we had hundreds of thousands of troops there, almost 2 whole years of my life was dedicated solely to it. The "wars" that they talk about in the comments sections of Mother Jones articles or Glenn Greenwald talks about are not the same thing.

[Kyyle23]

 

You need to make the sister poster to this with Black Panther, under the banner "Change"

[Quin]

You need to make the sister poster to this with Black Panther, under the banner "Change"

[Kyyle23]

Perfecto