Anybody hope the US defaults on its debt?

[Tassadar]

Actually, I know a few Americans my age who are rather disappointed with how he has performed thus far. (Sure, we're not under 21, but 22-23 is the same damn thing, really). And quite honestly, I can't think of a single thing that Obama has done that makes me go, "wow, yup, he's a great president."

The health care bill? Imposing roughly $500 billion in new taxes on the already struggling American family, and (from the numbers I heard being thrown around during wild allegations and whatnot) added approximately $1 trillion to the national debt. Since I highly doubt it was actually that high, and haven't seen the numbers to back that up, let's cut that in half and call it $500 billion, shall we?

Bailouts? Take the car manufacturing industry. Why were tax dollars spent to bail out non-essential services? I understand the desire to keep American jobs and spending in America, but that means that American companies have to run a business. If they go under, they go under. The government shouldn't be bailing out these companies.

I've yet to fully understand what he his energy policy is at the moment. All I've heard is shutting down drilling. Well, that's all fine and dandy, but... how is that really helping anything? The cost of oil in American has risen, on average, to just shy of $4/gallon. With many people still reliant on oil heating for their homes, it's gotten damn near impossible to afford to heat their homes during the winter months in some of the colder, northern States.

And to say that most people under the age of 21 support him doesn't really mean anything, when you look at the some of the more recent polls that have come out.

For his first term, I have to admit, I was excited. Even though I'm not American, I share a border with them and some of their national policies do end up effecting Canada in subtle ways. Now... I'm not so hopeful. Really, what's going to determine his re-election will, more likely than not, be decided by who he is running against, and not on Obama himself.

I wasn't being serious when I said everybody under 21 loves Obama, it's just that based on tons of what I have seen online a lot of young people believe Obama can do no wrong that's all.

[Drageuth]

I wasn't being serious when I said everybody under 21 loves Obama, it's just that based on tons of what I have seen online a lot of young people believe Obama can do no wrong that's all.

Ah.

I didn't notice the

My apologies.

That does kind of sicken me, though. People with no understanding whatsoever of politics are ranting and raving about how Obama is a saint.

No guys, he's not. He fucks up just the same as the last guy. Only difference is he's more articulate.

[Sergei Dragunov]

The sky is pink and my opinion is still 'Yes.' For this discussion.

[Tassadar]

Ah.

I didn't notice the

My apologies.

That does kind of sicken me, though. People with no understanding whatsoever of politics are ranting and raving about how Obama is a saint.

No guys, he's not. He fucks up just the same as the last guy. Only difference is he's more articulate.

That's what annoys me too, frankly I don't know a lot about American politics but I have seen enough people being very selective about listening to criticisms about Obama.

I completely agree on the last point, Obama is a very charimatic and a great public speaker but that doesn't mean he's actually any good.

[Alakazander]

That's what annoys me too, frankly I don't know a lot about American politics but I have seen enough people being very selective about listening to criticisms about Obama.
I completely agree on the last point, Obama is a very charimatic and a great public speaker but that doesn't mean he's actually any good.

Honestly, I feel bad for the guy. The only thing that he has a strong stance on is that he is in the center, no matter what shit happens. Which leaves the one side that would be pissed off even if he said "the sky is blue" still pissed, and leaves the other side that he swears he belongs to sourly disappointed.

ONTOPIC:

This:

Get rid of the Bush era tax cuts for the wealthiest 3% of Americans and cut military spending by at least 20%. Problem solved. Too bad neither of these things (especially the second one) will ever happen.

Also, stop giving massive bailouts to failing institutions/businesses, end political corruption, and stop wasting money on "limited kinetic engagements." A man can dream, can't he?

were broke because we wasted money on fake weapons of mass destrucition and a 10 year manhunt with osama...before bush came into office and kept this war going america was thriving..bush and obama have failed...we want bill clinton back!

And ^this^

The average income of CEO's rose 23% in 2010, while the average wage rose only 0.3%. Instead of trying to fix this, corporations are padding their nests hoping the flood won't reach them.

Remember all that shit that happened awhile ago, and 7 million people got laid off? Well, at the end of 2010, some of those companies gained record profits. Did anyone get their jobs back? Hell no. That would imply that the rich care about something other than the rich. Seriously, we live in a country where altruism is considered a perversion of "what made us great".
Remember when we had higher taxes for the rich, increased business regulations, and a fucking surplus?
Remember when everyone kept talking about how we were the "leader of the free world"?

Then everything changed, and we decided that the rich should get richer and the poor should get "budget cuts".

Just look at us now.

[lizard81288]

Well Obama repealed Don't Ask Don't Tell.

also, 24 Hours until Dooms Day!!!

Doomsday Music:

[Graeystone]

Hey, on the upside Obama celebrated his 50th birthday yesterday with a big ol' party!(About $35,000 to get attend BTW)
This round of 'circle jerk with the economy' will blow up in his face also. Guy is making Carter starting to look good fer cryin' out loud.

Alakazander - So what you are saying is that we should 'redistribute the wealth', ok, fine let's start with you and your computer. I'm sure there is a poor person out there who needs one.

[Raype]

This round of 'circle jerk with the economy' will blow up in his face also. Guy is making Carter starting to look good fer cryin' out loud.

I'd like to point out that this wins the "dumbest comment of the week award" this week.

Carter didn't do shit like that. People chewed him out because "presidents that don't live an expensive lifestyle make america look bad".

Obama tries to maintain the affluent image of a president. People bitch him out and expect him to be more "fiscally responsible".

In summation, he can't win. So yeah. You people would find fault with him either way.

[Alakazander]

Alakazander - So what you are saying is that we should 'redistribute the wealth', ok, fine let's start with you and your computer. I'm sure there is a poor person out there who needs one.

... Nice straw man you've got there. But since you really want to talk about that, I would not mind raising my taxes some.

Like many people I'm kind of insecure about just giving people money... but a place to live? Food to eat? Fucking Healthcare? Of course I would help pay for that.
You know why? Because I'd like to think they would do the same for me.

...Lol, look at my naïveté, expecting some human decency and compassion (what was I thinking!). If this guy get's the "dumbest comment of the week award", I think I should get the the "most outright laughable comment of the goddamn century" award.

"Empathy", hah! Seriously, who needs it these days?

[crimsonedge]

Not just Obama, we got no real leadership at all in the US. I am pretty disgusted with both political parties and see both sides do a lot of talking and not getting a lot of results. Obama keeps talking about jobs while at the same time suggesting trade deals that will just ship more US jobs overseas. Back in the old days we kept jobs in the US because he had import taxes and tariffs that made it much harder for countries with a much cheaper labor force to compete here. Chinese used to be expensive. For someone to be allowed to compete in our market, then they must first come up to our level. Most of Europe, Japan, Australia and Korea would be able to compete here on almost an equal playing field, those that cannot would have import taxes/tariffs on their products to make up the difference, and the best products would still sell regardless. Our labor force just cannot compete with China on an equal playing field, no matter what for obvious reasons.

We don't need even half of the military budget we got to provide a superior defense to any would-be foreign invading army. We got more military bases in other countries than the Roman Empire had. Its not needed. Do we really need to be defending South Korea and Israel? I think both of those countries are more than capable of holding their own without us. I hate this cavalier approach to defending the rest of the world's freedoms but at the same time raping our own. Everyone else needs to man up and defend themselves. The US doesn't need to be the worlds police force, let the freaking UN and NATO take that role even being as inept as they are at doing it.

[lizard81288]

LOL, I heard they downgraded our credit rating anyways

[Raype]

The US doesn't need to be the worlds police force, let the freaking UN and NATO take that role even being as inept as they are at doing it.

I'm going to let you think about this sentence for a few minutes.

Hopefully it'll come to you before I have to explain why this is stupid.

[ToBreakOne]

"Empathy", hah! Seriously, who needs it these days?

I agree that these days people won't turn their heads at helping another human being...

And to tell them they will get raised taxes to benefit their entire country wouldn't mean crap, they want the money to benefit themselves.
I for one have no problem changing the taxing system to that of Canada or even Australia, think of all the people that it would help... Canada is a big tax jump, so maybe smaller increments till people get used to it.

I actually think Australia should raise their taxes too, god knows our country is falling into a hole after the whole coup d'état with our government last year and the shortage of public workers due to no benefits from the government.

But hey... Raising taxes will cause outrage and for whoever came up with that idea to get their asses fired.

[Graeystone]

I'd like to point out that this wins the "dumbest comment of the week award" this week.

Carter didn't do shit like that. People chewed him out because "presidents that don't live an expensive lifestyle make america look bad".

Obama tries to maintain the affluent image of a president. People bitch him out and expect him to be more "fiscally responsible".

In summation, he can't win. So yeah. You people would find fault with him either way.

Iran Hostage Crisis. Insane Gasoline Prices. Gutting the Military. . .oh yeah, Carter did WONDERS for the country.

... Nice straw man you've got there. But since you really want to talk about that, I would not mind raising my taxes some.

Like many people I'm kind of insecure about just giving people money... but a place to live? Food to eat? Fucking Healthcare? Of course I would help pay for that.
You know why? Because I'd like to think they would do the same for me.

...Lol, look at my naïveté, expecting some human decency and compassion (what was I thinking!). If this guy get's the "dumbest comment of the week award", I think I should get the the "most outright laughable comment of the goddamn century" award.

"Empathy", hah! Seriously, who needs it these days?

'Raise my taxes more'? What Kool-Aid have you been drinking? I don't mind paying taxes but I do mind giving almost 1/2 of my paycheck to the government.

And you would have no problem leeching off the rest of us who bust our asses working hard to provide for our own families. . .
Give people a 'hand up', yes, show people they don't have to always be dependent on others or the government, yes, help them find a job, yes. Live their lives/provide for them, HELL NO!
Yes there are people out there who are physically/mentally incapable of taking care of themselves. Yes they do need assistance because of circumstances beyond their control.
However if a person is physically/mentally able to work and jobs are available where they are. . .then what excuses do those people have for not working while being dependent on others to provide for them?

[ToBreakOne]

And you would have no problem leeching off the rest of us who bust our asses working hard to provide for our own families. . .
Give people a 'hand up', yes, show people they don't have to always be dependent on others or the government, yes, help them find a job, yes. Live their lives/provide for them, HELL NO!

I think what he meant was to raise taxes to help those who are actually in need, people with disabilities and such who actually struggle to stay above the poverty line because government benefits are little to nothing, and it's hard for those families to care for their disabled family member and work long hours just to get by. I don't think he meant to provide for all those assholes who leech government benefits and sit on their asses every fucking day doing crap all. Those people deserve nothing at all. They need to be forced to get jobs and have their benefits drastically cut because it's a detriment to the whole country to have to shell out millions every year to provide for them, and it hurts the pocket of millions who actually have the motivation to get off their asses.

In closing... Higher taxes would be good if they went to do the right things, but as we all know, absolute power corrupts absolutely and our hard earned cash would only go towards pay raises for the already wealthy government sectors that sit on their asses passing half assed laws onto the common man.