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[Meus Renaissance]

What exactly would him go directly after Trump accomplish? It certainly didn't get Hillary elected. He also has other plans I'd imagine any progressive would hope successful.

It would have accomplished the same thing as those ordinary Americans, who got out of bed or left work, who protested and marched; standing up for what was right. Sen Warren got out a megaphone to rally them and defend families being torn apart. He was windsurfing. He could have just said something. He chose to have a spokesperson do it.

Fuck him.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

It would have accomplished the same thing as those ordinary Americans, who got out of bed or left work, who protested and marched; standing up for what was right. Sen Warren got out a megaphone to rally them and defend families being torn apart. He was windsurfing. He could have just said something. He chose to have a spokesperson do it.

Fuck him.

I think I'm as confused as anyone else here on what you think he should have said and could have accomplished by saying something.

Former presidents in my lifetime have generally stayed away for a while when a new one arrives, because they're no longer at their job and are allowing the newly elected president to begin their new job without interference. What would Obama or any of us gain by him chiding the new guy the people chose?

 

[DontBeThatGuy]

I think I'm as confused as anyone else here on what you think he should have said could have accomplished.

Former presidents in my lifetime have generally stayed away for a while when a new one arrives, because they're no longer at their job and are allowing the newly elected president to begin their new job without interference.

Smells like those irrational purity tests that's done so many great things for our country.

 

[Krixeus]

God, I wish he'd just stay away like Hillary and Bush. Well, more like Bush than Hillary but you get the idea. Look into painting or something, Barry. Your existence just holds back the Democratic party like Hillary.

I don't want to vote for Trump. But if that's what it takes to get rid of Obama then so be it. It worked great for Hillary so it should work for Obama.

 

[Meus Renaissance]

I think I'm as confused as anyone else here on what you think he should have said could have accomplished.

Former presidents in my lifetime have generally stayed away for a while when a new one arrives, because they're no longer at their job and are allowing the newly elected president to begin their new job without interference.

A man named Barack Hussein Obama just ended his presidential term when his successor, a man who took issue with that name, sets in motion an alarming EO that would have undermined the values of our society by targeting those with a similar name as his predecessor. The People do not accept it and protest, support and defend them.

He had a moral obligation - and as far as I'm concerned, a personal reason - to speak out for the values of this nation, the same ones that apparently grounded his thinking and his purpose to be a representative of this nation; he had an obligation to say No, that is wrong.

It was an EO fuelled by bigotry and hate by the same people who feared and hated him.

And yet you people are telling me he didn't need to respond because he was fucking windsurfing?

 

[Quixzlizx]

Mass surveillance
Drone warfare
Attacks on whistleblowers
Increased income inequality
Millions of deportations
Consolidation of industries (leading to monopolies)
TPP (thankfully it hasn't passed...yet)
Wholesale immunity for financial criminals
Millions of foreclosures on homes (ie middle class wealth)
Half-assed healthcare reform

Basically, if you were rich you did great under Obama. Otherwise, he was an awful President. And his policies led to the decimation of the Democrats at every level of office for the last 8 years and brought about the rise of Trumpism. I don't know how anyone can look back at Obama's years favorably when he had so many resources that he completely squandered. He did give good speeches, though.

Many of these had no effect on "Trumpism." Do you think the average person (and especially the average Trump voter) is upset about Muslims being drone-striked in Yemen and Pakistan, or sympathetic towards people like Snowden? Most of them are also just the continuation of the status quo, and in areas where Obama did not have the resources to change the tide without a cooperative Congress.

The ACA was actually a half-step in the right direction that just barely managed to be dragged through Congress.

And Wall Street is generally smart enough to lobby Congress to make their shady shit legal, rather than do things that are blatantly illegal, so I'm not sure what you wanted to happen there. I bet you made sure to tell everyone not to vote for the neoliberal Democratic party in November, though. At least Trump has drained the swamp.

 

[TheSkullPrince]

Has anyone printed and posted up any posters/stickers of Obamas face with text "Miss Me Yet?"

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

A man named Barack Hussein Obama just ended his presidential term when his successor, a man who took issue with that name, sets in motion an alarming EO that would have undermined the values of our society by targeting those with a similar name as his predecessor. The People do not accept it and protest, support and defend them.

He had a moral obligation - and as far as I'm concerned, a personal reason - to speak out for the values of this nation, the same ones that apparently grounded his thinking and his purpose to be a representative of this nation; he had an obligation to say No, that is wrong.

It was an EO fuelled by bigotry and hate by the same people who feared and hated him.

And yet you people are telling me he didn't need to respond because he was fucking windsurfing?

He was the president for 8 years. That's a job. Nothing requires him to be your activist, and past that, we don't even know the activist things he's doing. He told us when he left he was going to come back at some point to focus on our media.

 

[Meus Renaissance]

He was the president for 8 years. That's a job. Nothing requires him to be your activist, and past that, we don't even know the activist things he's doing. He told us when he left he was going to come back at some point to focus on our media.

You don't need to be an activist or POTUS to say that' Executive Order was wrong. You just need to be a decent human being.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

You don't need to be POTUS to say that's Executive Order was wrong. You just need to be a decent human being.

Like this.

Are you just saying you're unhappy he didn't do enough while in office?

I think if you want revolutionary activism, you probably shouldn't be looking at the last Democrat President to provide that for you. Go deeper.

 

[wandering]

A man named Barack Hussein Obama just ended his presidential term when his successor, a man who took issue with that name, sets in motion an alarming EO that would have undermined the values of our society by targeting those with a similar name as his predecessor. The People do not accept it and protest, support and defend them.

He had a moral obligation - and as far as I'm concerned, a personal reason - to speak out for the values of this nation, the same ones that apparently grounded his thinking and his purpose to be a representative of this nation; he had an obligation to say No, that is wrong.

It was an EO fuelled by bigotry and hate by the same people who feared and hated him.

And yet you people are telling me he didn't need to respond because he was fucking windsurfing?

Former presidents never speak ill of their successors. It just doesn't happen. The very fact that he's now stepping back into the public arena is pretty unprecedented.

Maybe he, as someone with intimate knowledge of the Constitution and legal system, had enough confidence in the people of the country and the judicial branch to realize that stepping in would be unnecessary and would create more problems than it would solve.

 

[Meus Renaissance]

Are you just saying you're unhappy he didn't do enough while in office?

I think if you want revolutionary activism, you probably shouldn't be looking at the last Democrat President to provide that for you. Go deeper.

It's like talking to a wall.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

It's like talking to a wall.

You're expecting too much from the guy who couldn't even say gay marriage was cool until after Joe Biden went on TV to start the conversation around 2010. We spent years debating civil ceremonies vs official marriage because Obama wouldn't budge even when he had the power, and you expect him to speak up now?

You're looking at the wrong leaders for what you want.

 

[DontBeThatGuy]

You don't need to be POTUS to say that's Executive Order was wrong. You just need to be a decent human being.

Yeah, man, he only said that shit for the majority of his fucking Presidency, including the election season, and during his active campaigning for Hillary that fell on rural americas deaf ears.

It goes without saying at this point where he stands, and you're being ridiculous, which should also go without saying.

 

[Meus Renaissance]

Former presidents never speak ill of their successors. It just doesn't happen. The very fact that he's now stepping back into the public arena is pretty unprecedented.

Fuck precedence. I'm more interested in doing what is decent, right and just. People all over the world marched to protest this and the best defence here for his indifference is that he was on holiday, or that others haven't done in the past.

You're all intellectually dishonest.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

Fuck precedence. I'm more interested in doing what is decent, right and just. People all over the world marched to protest this and the best defence here for his indifference is that he was on holiday, or that others haven't done in the past.

You're all intellectually dishonest.

Dude, we just pick our heroes better. You're looking for the wrong guy to do what you want. You looking at Obama to do anything at all is flawed.

 

[Meus Renaissance]

Yeah, man, he only said that shit for the majority of his fucking Presidency, including the election season, and during his active campaigning for Hillary that fell on rural americas deaf ears.

How is this even a reasonable comparison to families being torn apart at airports because of their faith?

 

[shoelacer]

You don't need to be an activist or POTUS to say that' Executive Order was wrong. You just need to be a decent human being.

If only he had said something, maybe the courts would then realize the flagrant unconstitutionality of the EO and overturn it

Oh wait

 

[wandering]

Fuck precedence. I'm more interested in doing what is decent, right and just. People all over the world marched to protest this and the best defence here for his indifference is that he was on holiday, or that others haven't done in the past.

You're all intellectually dishonest.

Care to respond to the second half of my comment?

 

[Meus Renaissance]

If only he had said something, maybe the courts would then realize the flagrant unconstitutionality of the EO and overturn it

Oh wait

Yes, because people around the march in order to appeal to judges.

 

[FeenixRising]

Getting mad at Obama because American voters fucked themselves and are paying for it.

This is the most classic case of "Thanks, Obama", and the man ain't even in office no more.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

Meus, have you considered the angle where Obama protesting against our new president creates global chaos and uncertainty? He graduated from Harvard and was elected president twice, I think he's got a handle on what he should or shouldn't be saying. I'm feeling like you won't actually care about this in two weeks, you just saw this thread and got pissed realizing Obama's been on vacation.

 

[wandering]

And maybe realize that the moment Obama said anything would have transformed the public discourse from a moral, legal, and policy question into a political one?

 

[Meus Renaissance]

Care to respond to the second half of my comment?

That he let things take their course hoping the people would react? Not good for me, especially when those people didn't wait to see the reaction of others before they went out there and said No.

 

[shoelacer]

Okay, not vocally condemning the EO, what else was so egregious about his conduct or lack thereof for the last few months?

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

Getting mad at Obama because American voters fucked themselves and are paying for it.

This is the most classic case of "Thanks, Obama", and the man ain't even in office no more.

 

[DontBeThatGuy]

How is this even a reasonable comparison to families being torn apart at airports because of their faith?

You're right about one thing, it is like talking to a wall.

Good luck on your little crusade here, while Obama builds his foundation up, and tries to do something about gerrymandering which will actually help democrats in the future. The indecency of it all tho...

 

[Meus Renaissance]

You're right about one thing, it is like talking to a wall.

Good luck on your little crusade here, while Obama builds his foundation up, and tries to do something about gerrymandering which will actually help democrats in the future. The indecency of it all tho...

I have no problem with his Foundation or it's goals. In fact, I support them. For you to insinuate that my criticism of him on this issue - albeit an important one for me personally - is invalid because he actually has done good is childish.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

Someone who only thinks of himself in the argument, blames Obama, and projects that his those who disagree with him are dishonest and childish?

 

[Fast Forward]

Getting mad at Obama because American voters fucked themselves and are paying for it.

This is the most classic case of "Thanks, Obama", and the man ain't even in office no more.

Wait.

There are some people blaming Obama for Trump's victory?

I've heard a few good silly excuses for Trump's victory, but that's a good one.

At the end of the day, speaking as someone who voted for Hillary, Hillary supports/voters just cannot except that she just was a lousy candidate. Hilary came across as fake, corrupt, and status quo establishment candidate bough/sold by donors. Trump, on the other hand, while he is a moron, narcissist, and clearly a con artist, despite or because of things, he successfully sold himself to his supporters/voters as a populous candidate, or a "man of the people," even if he is anything but those things in all reality.

 

[googleplex]

He had a moral obligation - and as far as I'm concerned, a personal reason - to speak out for the values of this nation, the same ones that apparently grounded his thinking and his purpose to be a representative of this nation; he had an obligation to say No, that is wrong.

It was an EO fuelled by bigotry and hate by the same people who feared and hated him.

And yet you people are telling me he didn't need to respond because he was fucking windsurfing?

Then you are severely underestimating what that job dose to a person over 1 term. Let alone 2! He spent 8 years killing himself for this country and to improve the lives of the people in it only for the country to spit in his face and elect a openly racist asshole So understand this. Barrack Obama owes you JACK SHIT. And the only "Moral obligation" He has is to his family and His sanity!

The fact that he still wants to fight the good fight, after taking time off to recharge his batteries. And having, what I can only assume was a very tough conversation with his family is a testament to his dedication to the people of this county.

How the hell is this even argument that this is a good thing? Jesus fuck! We liberals deserve to constantly lose!

 

[BasicMath]

Wait.
There are some people blaming Obama for Trump's victory?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZwhnCm0ed8

I think so. I actually disagree though. I think most if not all of the blame is on Hillary. But the Dems are currently running away from reality. Blaming Hillary would require the party to actually change and they don't want that.

They want you to believe that the Democratic party is healthy and fine. That they only lost on every single metric imaginable because of everything BUT the democratic party. What's crazy is that it's somehow working.

 

[R10Neymarfan]

Then you are severely underestimating what that job dose to a person over 1 term. Let alone 2! He spent 8 years killing himself for this country and to improve the lives of the people in it only for the country to spit in his face and elect a openly racist asshole So understand this. Barrack Obama owes you JACK SHIT. And the only "Moral obligation" He has is to his family and His sanity!

The fact that he still wants to fight the good fight, after taking time off to recharge his batteries. And having, what I can only assume was a very tough conversation with his family is a testament to his dedication to the people of this county.

How the hell is this even argument that this is a good thing? Jesus fuck! We liberals deserve to constantly lose!

These are the same people that decided to vote third party or stay at home during the election. I am tired of these progressives popping up shouting holier-than-though speech when the same time they help create the current present state of things, because the candidate that needed them wasn't progressive enough, worse than Obama or like Obama so it doesn't matter.

BTW where are the heroes Jill Stein and Gary Johnson? They surely aren't protesting or even help stir the drums. They are probably being keyboard warriors on twitter and ramping up for their spectacular sequel of failure for 2020.

 

[Magwik]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZwhnCm0ed8

I think so. I actually disagree though. I think most if not all of the blame is on Hillary. But the Dems are currently running away from reality. Blaming Hillary would require the party to actually change and they don't want that.

They want you to believe that the Democratic party is healthy and fine. That they only lost on every single metric imaginable because of everything BUT the democratic party. What's crazy is that it's somehow working.

It's her fault that a bunch of people would rather be racist than be decent? Her fault that people gave Trump a protest vote to throw a wrench in the system only to ruin the lives of countless others? Her fault people didn't show up because she isn't some magical unicorn candidate like Obama? Not showing up to one or two states is her fault, the rest is entirely on every single person who didn't vote or who chose to vote for Trump.

 

[Cipherr]

Getting mad at Obama because American voters fucked themselves and are paying for it.

This is the most classic case of "Thanks, Obama", and the man ain't even in office no more.

And they can do this horseshit with a straight face. It's just mind-boggling how they cant rip themselves away from blaming absolutely everything on the man. Not even after he has left office when referring to actions taken solely by the new president.

The shit is so completely transparent it isn't even funny.

 

[Sulik2]

Can he run for office again? He should run as a senator in a contested red state for 2018.

 

[MIMIC]

This is great news. Just seeing him back again might settle some nerves. "We're not completely doomed....yet."

 

[Trouble]

Can he run for office again? He should run as a senator in a contested red state for 2018.

Sure, just not President or VP.

 

[Derwind]

I just took ot in for the first time, he's a 55 year old ex-president. He's so damn young in comparison to other past presidents, it's amazing.

 

[The One and Done™]

 

[Diablos]

Oh my god

 

[Drkirby]

Sure, just not President or VP.

Are you sure he can't become Vice President? I know he can't step up to be President if needed, but I don't think there is anything barring him taking the Vice President Roll.

 

[OG Shaka Zulu]

I've always been critical of Obama and was disappointed he was not as Leftist as i wanted him to be. With that said the man needed a vacation. We didn't need him in the Muslim Ban fight and I don't care that he sat out.

I don't know how he's still sane and I personally think he needs more time off for sanity and his family's sake. He's been going to bat for American Muslims for 8 years and his constituents took a hot dump on his party and his work.

 

[UraMallas]

He's gonna get a MASSIVE pop.

That's Obama's music!

 

[Cocaloch]

Bans live in Chicago and he is considered royalty in this city.

I guess my sarcasm didn't go over well since a lot of people didn't seem to get it for some reason. I know he lived in Chicago. His house was a few blocks away from where I stayed one year. I'm making fun of the thread where a large number of posters were calling the University of Chicago, where Obama taught and where his library will be housed, an alt-right institution.

I've always been critical of Obama and was disappointed he was not as Leftist as i wanted him to be. With that said the man needed a vacation. We didn't need him in the Muslim Ban fight and I don't care that he sat out.

I don't know how he's still sane and I personally think he needs more time off for sanity and his family's sake. He's been going to bat for American Muslims for 8 years and his constituents took a hot dump on his party and his work.

I'm not liberal, I mean I am in the American sense but not a liberal by ideology, but if Obama has the energy to do anything I think it'll be helpful. The man is incredibly charismatic and people like him a lot despite all the unfair shit thrown at him. He's also probably savvy enough to not actually hurt his pet-causes. Besides some people live to act, and I think there is a pretty good chance Obama is one of those people. Chances are good that it's helpful for his mental health to not just sit down and do nothing.

 

[BasicMath]

It's her fault that a bunch of people would rather be racist than be decent? Her fault that people gave Trump a protest vote to throw a wrench in the system only to ruin the lives of countless others? Her fault people didn't show up because she isn't some magical unicorn candidate like Obama? Not showing up to one or two states is her fault, the rest is entirely on every single person who didn't vote or who chose to vote for Trump.

That's right. That's how the system works.

Hillary Clinton, like every politician out there, is not entitled to pretty much anything from the voters. A politician is supposed to work for the votes. And based on that work people make their decision. If they fail to get those votes in, it's ultimately their fault. Nobody else.

Hillary should have countered every single one of those and other obstacles presented to her. You know, like every other president before her. I mean, she's not special. That racism you mentioned isn't new for example. I'm sure you can think of other presidential candidates that dealt with that and still won. She apparently couldn't deal with that or the other obstacles in her way. And so the voters decided that she wasn't good enough.

I guess that's what it comes down to. A lot of Dems and certainly the establishment is acting like Hillary lost because the country/people wasn't good enough for her. That's hilarious and I hope the party keeps on losing until they change that mentality at the very least.

 

[Clipjoint]

Many of these had no effect on "Trumpism." Do you think the average person (and especially the average Trump voter) is upset about Muslims being drone-striked in Yemen and Pakistan, or sympathetic towards people like Snowden? Most of them are also just the continuation of the status quo, and in areas where Obama did not have the resources to change the tide without a cooperative Congress.

The ACA was actually a half-step in the right direction that just barely managed to be dragged through Congress.

And Wall Street is generally smart enough to lobby Congress to make their shady shit legal, rather than do things that are blatantly illegal, so I'm not sure what you wanted to happen there. I bet you made sure to tell everyone not to vote for the neoliberal Democratic party in November, though. At least Trump has drained the swamp.

I generally reject the idea that Obama couldn't get anything done because he was hamstrung by Congress. If you look deeper, it's clear that Obama governed in a way that matched his worldview. He tends to believe government shouldn't play a big role in public life, and that we are better off trusting the private sector to do what's right.

You're right the ACA was a step in the right direction, but only because Obama didn't publicly make a case for anything better. If you dig into the process in legislating the ACA, it was actually Pelosi who pushed Obama to go as far as he did. He always trusted the insurance companies, the way he trusted the financial institutions, the way he trusted the airlines and telecoms and I could go on forever. Obama was a socially liberal Republican - it's ok to admit that. He's not a deity. His record is very clear. I don't understand the need to bestow sainthood upon the guy.

Here's a good piece from the Washington Post that outlines how bad Obama's financial policies were:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/post...gnize-how-bad-obamas-financial-policies-were/

And no, I didn't tell people not to vote for the Democrats. I stupidly held my nose and voted for Hillary, and donated to her and the Dems, which ended up being a total waste of time and money.

 

[Trouble]

Are you sure he can't become Vice President? I know he can't step up to be President if needed, but I don't think there is anything barring him taking the Vice President Roll.

I'm pretty sure that the VP has to be eligible to take the office of President if need be, but I'm not entirely sure that's actually a legal requirement.

That said, it would be a damn risky move considering the Speaker of the House is next in line. Even if the current Speaker was in the same party, that can change every 2 years.

 

[Vicetrailia]

I generally reject the idea that Obama couldn't get anything done because he was hamstrung by Congress. If you look deeper, it's clear that Obama governed in a way that matched his worldview. He tends to believe government shouldn't play a big role in public life, and that we are better off trusting the private sector to do what's right.

You're right the ACA was a step in the right direction, but only because Obama didn't publicly make a case for anything better. If you dig into the process in legislating the ACA, it was actually Pelosi who pushed Obama to go as far as he did. He always trusted the insurance companies, the way he trusted the financial institutions, the way he trusted the airlines and telecoms and I could go on forever. Obama was a socially liberal Republican - it's ok to admit that. He's not a deity. His record is very clear. I don't understand the need to bestow sainthood upon the guy.

Here's a good piece from the Washington Post that outlines how bad Obama's financial policies were:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/post...gnize-how-bad-obamas-financial-policies-were/

And no, I didn't tell people not to vote for the Democrats. I stupidly held my nose and voted for Hillary, and donated to her and the Dems, which ended up being a total waste of time and money.

In January 2009, Obama had overwhelming Democratic majorities in Congress, $350 billion of no-strings-attached bailout money and enormous legal latitude. What did he do to reshape a country on its back?

For 20-something days. But basically, the article says that Obama didn't go left enough.