Obama approval up

[BubberMiley]

41% is pathetically low. It took Bush 6 years to get there.

Seeing as approval ratings always line up with the economy, it took Bush 6 years to get there. And as the economy sunk further, so did his approval ratingsuntil he left office with the economy in complete and total disarray.

[dre]

The Most Polarizing President

Who has been the most polarizing new president of recent times? Richard Nixon? Ronald Reagan? George W. Bush?

No, that honor belongs to Barack Obama. According to the Pew Research Center, the gap between Republican and Democratic approval ratings for Bush a few months into his first term was about 51 percentage points. For Obama, this partisan gap stands at 61 points. Obama has been a unifier, of sorts. He has united Democrats and united Republicans -- against each other.

Washington Post

So much for the so-called first "post-partisan" President.

Those stats are expected in a country full of people that put party above country. Even if Obama completely adopted the republican platform his approval rate among republicans would be low or zero... for no other reason than because he has a "D" next to his name.

[dre]

This thread is a great illustration of just how far he's fallen. 41% is pathetically low. It took Bush 6 years to get there. He's done it in less than 2! By the mid-terms he'll probably be in the mid 30's. Ouch.

Im not suprised. When you get made captain of a sinking ship, chances are that even if you do everything right youre not going be very popular... because the ship is still sinking.

I predicted the next FEW presidents in a row will all be extremely unpopular. Bush set new records for this, Obama probably will too, and so on...

[Jack Weber]

Im not suprised. When you get made captain of a sinking ship, chances are that even if you do everything right youre not going be very popular... because the ship is still sinking.

I predicted the next FEW presidents in a row will all be extremely unpopular. Bush set new records for this, Obama probably will too, and so on...

This is true...

The reason is that the curtain is beginning to close on Empire America.The only Manifest Destiny is that history always repeats itself and the US is starting to decline.I don't say this with alot of glee because I would rather deal with the US than what's coming around the corner to "lead" this world...

Oh goodie...I see it now...It's crypto-Fascist China...

[ToadBrother]

This is true...

The reason is that the curtain is beginning to close on Empire America.The only Manifest Destiny is that history always repeats itself and the US is starting to decline.I don't say this with alot of glee because I would rather deal with the US than what's coming around the corner to "lead" this world...

Oh goodie...I see it now...It's crypto-Fascist China...

I think the eulogizing is a little premature.

[Jack Weber]

I think the eulogizing is a little premature.

I agree...

It'll take the better part of the next 2 decades,but Empire America is in irreversable decline nonetheless....That's not to say it'll become Zimbabwe,it just won't be #1 anymore...

[bloodyminded]

The American empire will die--or, perhaps, simply become lesser, play second-or-third fiddle, UK-style.

But I have my doubts it's coming soon. It could be that the decline has begun (though even that's not certain), but the decline could take as long as the growth did. Fairly quick by historical standards, but we're still talking centuries.

By the time it happens, there's little reason to suppose that China will be poised to be the next Big One. It's impossible to tell.

There could be no Superpower, at least so far as we understand it; or there could be multiples.

History's a bitch. She tells us that empires fall, but not when they will.

Edited August 4, 2010 by bloodyminded

[Bonam]

Rome was rotting for hundreds of years before it fell, and the eastern half of its empire stood for another thousand years thereafter. China has stood as a major power, in one incarnation or another, for ages fading into the mists of history.

The US may be growing more slowly than other nations at this time, but realistically, within the next few decades, I don't see any other nation drastically overtaking it. China may come close, but it won't overshadow the US as the US presently overshadows other nations. The EU, as a combined unit, may also come close or exceed it, but also will not overshadow it.

In the end, a nation has a finite potential at any given time, determined by its available land, resources, population, and level of technological advancement. China has comparable land and resources to the US, but ~3-4x the population. It is presently growing rapidly because it is catching up on that last criteria, technological advancement. It is easy and fast because it does not need to wait for that technological advance, rather, it is just adopting technologies that were widespread in the West in prior decades. Once China catches up technically, there will be no more easy lightning quick advance. Will the US and Europe fall behind technically? I don't think so. Even if the lead in technical innovation shifts to Asia, the West will continue to keep up; technical information is shared on a global scale.

And, my standpoint is, we really only need to consider the next few decades, as we will enter the technological singularity in the next 30-40 years or so. We cannot meaningfully foresee or predict anything about the nature of human history beyond that point.

[Shady]

Wow, anybody else hear this joke from Letterman last night?

DAVID LETTERMAN: You know who else is on vacation? President Barack Obama. And this is his, since he's been in office, this is his sixth vacation. Yep, he'll have plenty of time for vacations when his one term is up.

Ouch.

[punked]

Wow, anybody else hear this joke from Letterman last night?

DAVID LETTERMAN: You know who else is on vacation? President Barack Obama. And this is his, since he's been in office, this is his sixth vacation. Yep, he'll have plenty of time for vacations when his one term is up.

Ouch.

Yah he has had a whole 21 days off, we can't all be Bush and have a 100 at this point in the presidency or cost the American tax payer some 100 million in vacation days. Republicans the best hypocrites.

[Shady]

Yah he has had a whole 21 days off, we can't all be Bush and have a 100 at this point in the presidency or cost the American tax payer some 100 million in vacation days.

Source?

I guess you're not counting Michelle's recent trip to Spain? Does that cost to tax payers not matter?

[punked]

Source?

I guess you're not counting Michelle's recent trip to Spain? Does that cost to tax payers not matter?

Only an idiot wouldn't know Michelle paid the tax payer for all her expenses to Spain except her SS that have to go everywhere with her anyway. I know it kills to know Bush wasted the tax payers money and the Obamas are trying to not be him while the right wing crazies ignore everything Bush did wrong and pretend the Obamas are doing worse but they aren't. Sorry.

[Shady]

Only an idiot wouldn't know Michelle paid the tax payer for all her expenses to Spain except her SS that have to go everywhere with her anyway.

Did you know that her SS took up 60 rooms at $1500 dollars per night? SS always takes up the vast majority of the cost. Same with Bush.

Edited August 25, 2010 by Shady

[punked]

Did you know that her SS took up 60 rooms at $1500 dollars per night? SS always takes up the vast majority of the cost. Same with Bush.

Maybe you should take that up with the SS then and the president or anyone else who doesn't have control over that. Maybe you forgot Laura Bush's trip to pairs Shady. I get it right wingers are crazy and hypocrites you don't have to PROVE it in every post Shady.

[Shady]

Maybe you should take that up with the SS then and the president or anyone else who doesn't have control over that. Maybe you forgot Laura Bush's trip to pairs Shady. I get it right wingers are crazy and hypocrites you don't have to PROVE it in every post Shady.

Source? Source? Source?

I think you'll find that David Letterman is far from a Republican.

[punked]

Source? Source? Source?

I think you'll find that David Letterman is far from a Republican.

No he is a Libertarian NOT a fan of anyone in the presidency Republican or Democrat. Don't pretend just because he is not a Republican that he somehow has a left wing slant because he doesn't.

How about Laura's trip as first Lady to Budapest or Prague and you never complained about her one month African safari why is that. Like I said Shady I know right wingers are hypocrites who never do research or complain when their side does anything but you don't have to prove that every post you make.

BTW I would also point out Bush took three times as many vacation days in his first year as ANY Democratic president ever.

Edited August 25, 2010 by punked

[Shady]

No he is a Libertarian

If by libertarian you mean liberal.

How about Laura's trip as first Lady to Budapest or Prague and you never complained about her one month African safari why is that.

I never complained about Michelle. But you're the one who brought up tax dollars. I was just wondering why you didn't consider those too.

BTW I would also point out Bush took three times as many vacation days in his first year as ANY Democratic president ever.

Not sure how that's true since Obama's golfed more in 1 year than Bush did in his entire 2 terms as President.

Edited August 25, 2010 by Shady

[punked]

If by libertarian you mean liberal.

I never complained about Michelle. But you're the one who brought up tax dollars. I was just wondering why you didn't consider those too.

Not sure how that's true since Obama's golfed more in 1 year than Bush did in his entire 2 terms as President.

No I mean Libertarian. He has said so many times.

I know this is beyond you but people can vacation with out golfing. I know right wingers only counting golfing as vacation because that is the only way they can compare the time Bush took off to Obama but some people take vacations with out golfing at all Shady. Hypocrite. BTW how many times did Bush go bike ridding compared to Obama? How many world series games? How many vacations to the ranch (I know this one it is 77 totally 500 days of vacation or the amount of days Obama has been president for lol). You right wingers are to much.

Edited August 25, 2010 by punked

[Shady]

I know right wingers only counting golfing as vacation because that is the only way they can compare the time Bush took off to Obama but some people take vacations with out golfing at all Shady.

Exactly. He goes golfing every weekend, but doesn't count those as vacations. Obama's been in office for not even two years, and he's on pace to set a vacation record if he serves two terms. Thankfully he won't. He's even losing the support of liberals like David Letterman.

[GostHacked]

Source?

I guess you're not counting Michelle's recent trip to Spain? Does that cost to tax payers not matter?

Michelle is not the President. Did Obama go with her? No? Then it would not count.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-4728085-503544.html

George W. Bush is today making his final visit to Camp David as president.

He will likely miss the place: According to CBS News White House Correspondent Mark Knoller, today's trip marks Mr. Bush's 149th visit to the presidential retreat. The planned three-day stay, during which the president is being joined by family and former and current aides, will bring his total time spent at Camp David to all or part of 487 days.

Yes, that's 487 days. And Camp David is not even where the president has spent the most time when not at the White House: Knoller reports that Mr. Bush has made 77 visits to his ranch in Crawford during his presidency, and spent all or part of 490 days there.

http://www.politicususa.com/en/obama-bush-vacation

Bush spent 1,020 days of his presidency on vacation. To put this into context, John F. Kennedy spent fewer days in office, 1000, than George W. Bush spent on vacation. Bush spent 487 days at Camp David, 490 days at his Crawford ranch, and 43 days in Kennebunkport. George W. Bush spent 69 days in Crawford during his first year in office. In contrast, according to FactCheck.org, Obama spent all, or part of, 26 days of his first year in office on vacation. This was less than all three previous Republican presidents, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush, but more than the two previous Democratic presidents, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.

Bush took more vacations than any other President in history, even when you break it down year by year. Obama has to take the rest of his term off just to catch up to Bush.

But here is the deal, even when on 'vacation', they are working all the time. As much as I dislike Bush, he was still working while on vacation.

[dre]

The American empire will die--or, perhaps, simply become lesser, play second-or-third fiddle, UK-style.

But I have my doubts it's coming soon. It could be that the decline has begun (though even that's not certain), but the decline could take as long as the growth did. Fairly quick by historical standards, but we're still talking centuries.

By the time it happens, there's little reason to suppose that China will be poised to be the next Big One. It's impossible to tell.

There could be no Superpower, at least so far as we understand it; or there could be multiples.

History's a bitch. She tells us that empires fall, but not when they will.

But I have my doubts it's coming soon. It could be that the decline has begun (though even that's not certain), but the decline could take as long as the growth did. Fairly quick by historical standards, but we're still talking centuries.

Its really hard to say. The US is being propped up by the rest of the world or it would have already failed. Once theres a flight away from US bonds the house of cards will collapse very quickly. But for the near future theres a lot of major economies with huge trade surpluses with the US that dont want to see that happen, so they keep buying US paper. And the US just keeps increasing spending.

Hard to say how long that will go on for but my guess is a decade or two.

[punked]

Exactly. He goes golfing every weekend, but doesn't count those as vacations. Obama's been in office for not even two years, and he's on pace to set a vacation record if he serves two terms. Thankfully he won't. He's even losing the support of liberals like David Letterman.

AND Bush Moutian biking everyday and had three times as many vaction days his first year then ANY other Dem president. Obama has 1 year 7 months and has had 21 vacation days. Bush at this time had 100. You made that record up because you are easily fooled by the right wing media.

[Shady]

Obama has 1 year 7 months and has had 21 vacation days.

That's not true.

According to FactCheck.org, Obama's spent 26 days on vacaction as of Jan 11, 2010. In other words, that doesn't count any of the vacations he's taken from February to August. Nice try though.

*edit*

Once again, I'm not criticizing any vacation time. I merely posted a joke by David Letterman, illustrating Obama's dropping popularity. This is after all a thread about his approval rating.

Edited August 25, 2010 by Shady

[Smallc]

Exactly. He goes golfing every weekend, but doesn't count those as vacations.

Do you count your weekends as vacation time?

[Shady]

Do you count your weekends as vacation time?

No. My job in monday to friday. A President's job is 7 days a week. But again, that wasn't my point. I posted the Letterman joke to illustrate Obama's falling popularity. Especially from his supporters. I couldn't care less about his actual vacations.