Here at my job we have biannual reviews of our work. We have a set of criteria, some general expectations, and recognition for things that aren’t expected. There is attention paid to attendance, course work completion, and logged events (problems solved). They have a program that gages your coworkers opinions of you. It is similar to nearly every office job I have ever had.
Politicians don’t have a set list of criteria when they take their jobs. Instead what they have is “campaign promises”. They say to their constituents “If you elect me, I will do X, Y, and Z!” Voter listen and in their limited intelligence make a choice about whether these promises are a good thing. I n Obama’s case, there were many things he promised that I know would be good for the economy. Likewise there were more then a few that I know would be bad. But the good way outweighed the bad, and the other options were nearly all bad. So, for a “midterm review” we only have to level his promises against his actions.
Iraq
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhpKmQCCwB8
His stance on Iraq: Tired of the unjust wars, endless waste of money, and poor young men being sent to their deaths after being hoodwinked into believing this was the way to a better life by military marketing, I like what Obama had to say back then. It was the most important issue to me.
Now remember NATO wanted to Join the US but was told to stand down. BUT George and Co. had a “coalition of the willing”. The cheap “marketing” trick of reclassifying troops (still paid combat pay) as “non-combat troops” didn’t impress me any. His promise to have a “Spine”:
This seems to have become his policy.
Nation Building
I was under the impression that Obama opposed this notion with his opposition to the Iraq war. This Libyan war is no different (with the exception of more foolishness) then the Iraq war. At the moment less US soldiers are dying. “Militarily we are not supporting the ouster of Kaddafi (or Gadaffi) or regime change. But we are tasked to support and protect the Libyan people and that can only happen if he is out of power.” That is back handed political doublespeak that I don’t think anybody doesn’t see right though. Fail!
Bush era tax cuts
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fmz5BrTJOPA
I guess I thought acknowledging that they are the problem was to be taken as a promise not to continue them. Yet, he did. Fail!
Off Shore Drilling
www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8fkbEuCQss
BUT WAIT!!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA7RAfHN-wo&feature=fvwrel
As president:
Supporting the working class
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBxsalTVkjM
I live in Ohio. Many of my friends and family members are public servants (over paid teachers, cops, firefighter, prison guards sewage plant maintenance) and unionized factory workers. This was important to me. I thought this was a given of a democrat president. I am a unionized Federal worker. We have a bill that was jammed through our state legislators (SB5) that does just that. We had epic protests on the capital steps. Yet no Obama and his shoes. This was a major disappointment and a FAIL!!
The healthcare bill is stupid. There are much smarter ways to drive down health costs.
As bad as this guy has been, sadly, the Republicans will probably run Donald Trump and I will have no choice but to support Obama. But If I were his employer, if I was allowed to return to a pool of qualified people to pick from, He would no longer have a job. I will have to choose between the guy who blatantly says he will ruin the country OR the guy who says he won’t but does the exact same things the other guy said he was gonna do.
Politicians don’t have a set list of criteria when they take their jobs. Instead what they have is “campaign promises”. They say to their constituents “If you elect me, I will do X, Y, and Z!” Voter listen and in their limited intelligence make a choice about whether these promises are a good thing. I n Obama’s case, there were many things he promised that I know would be good for the economy. Likewise there were more then a few that I know would be bad. But the good way outweighed the bad, and the other options were nearly all bad. So, for a “midterm review” we only have to level his promises against his actions.
Iraq
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhpKmQCCwB8
His stance on Iraq: Tired of the unjust wars, endless waste of money, and poor young men being sent to their deaths after being hoodwinked into believing this was the way to a better life by military marketing, I like what Obama had to say back then. It was the most important issue to me.
“Us rushing into a war unilaterally was a mistake and may still be a mistake.”
Now remember NATO wanted to Join the US but was told to stand down. BUT George and Co. had a “coalition of the willing”. The cheap “marketing” trick of reclassifying troops (still paid combat pay) as “non-combat troops” didn’t impress me any. His promise to have a “Spine”:
“This raises a broader issue that democrats have. I think it’s important for us to stand our ground and take our licks rather then to cave and whine about it later.”
This seems to have become his policy.
“It is time to admit that no amount of American lives can resolve the political disagreements that lie at the heart of someone else’s civil war. That’s why I have a plan that will bring our troops home by March of 2008.”Fail!
Nation Building
I was under the impression that Obama opposed this notion with his opposition to the Iraq war. This Libyan war is no different (with the exception of more foolishness) then the Iraq war. At the moment less US soldiers are dying. “Militarily we are not supporting the ouster of Kaddafi (or Gadaffi) or regime change. But we are tasked to support and protect the Libyan people and that can only happen if he is out of power.” That is back handed political doublespeak that I don’t think anybody doesn’t see right though. Fail!
Bush era tax cuts
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fmz5BrTJOPA
I guess I thought acknowledging that they are the problem was to be taken as a promise not to continue them. Yet, he did. Fail!
Off Shore Drilling
www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8fkbEuCQss
“What wouldn’t work is John McCain’s proposal to open up Florida to off shore drilling.” He went on to say with no uncertain terms that increasing drilling would not reduce gas prices, create jobs, or get us off foreign oil.
BUT WAIT!!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA7RAfHN-wo&feature=fvwrel
As president:
“But the bottom line is this. Given our energy needs. In order to sustain economic growth, produce jobs, and keep our business competitive we are going to need to harness additional sources of fuel… Today we are announcing the expansion of offshore oil and gas exploration… (blah, blah, blah)” Something about protecting the environment and its protection was also mentioned.FAIL!!
Supporting the working class
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBxsalTVkjM
“If American workers are being denied their right to organize and collectively bargain when I’m in the White House, I’ll put on a comfortable pair of shoes myself. I’ll walk on that picket line with you.”
I live in Ohio. Many of my friends and family members are public servants (over paid teachers, cops, firefighter, prison guards sewage plant maintenance) and unionized factory workers. This was important to me. I thought this was a given of a democrat president. I am a unionized Federal worker. We have a bill that was jammed through our state legislators (SB5) that does just that. We had epic protests on the capital steps. Yet no Obama and his shoes. This was a major disappointment and a FAIL!!
The healthcare bill is stupid. There are much smarter ways to drive down health costs.
As bad as this guy has been, sadly, the Republicans will probably run Donald Trump and I will have no choice but to support Obama. But If I were his employer, if I was allowed to return to a pool of qualified people to pick from, He would no longer have a job. I will have to choose between the guy who blatantly says he will ruin the country OR the guy who says he won’t but does the exact same things the other guy said he was gonna do.
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