drive-by - He kept McCain and what's-her-name out of the white house.

Yea, but you got the creation of the Tea Party to off set his radicalism.

Hey Joe-755363 - the election of Scott Brown (R-MA) in February, 2010 gave the republicans 41 seats in the Senate, eliminating the dem's 60-seat, filibuster-proof majority for most of the past year.

Annirich--your answer to socialism is to create a one party system??? WTF! Your solution to preserving this country's values is to eliminate democracy....nice.

"Yea, but you got the creation of the Tea Party to off set his radicalism."

Nah! I think the word you're looking for Bobby is 'racism'!

Huh?

I don't think of Obama as a racist. I haven't seen anything that is racist about the Tea Party, except from racist.

Thanks for providing the latest example of bigotry on the left. (Or do I need to check if Bev has posted anything 12:42?)

President Obama has kept most of his campaign promises and those he could not keep were driven by forces beyond his control. It is no surprise that the public remains largely unaware of what Obama and democrats achieved. Republican legislators were determined to obstruct rather than help fix the Great Recession; too much of the media focused on trivial, controversial, and nitpicking nonsense rather than the substance of what was actually happening.

Proof of the media's spin and how it plays with people's minds. Yesterday, the newspaper carried stories about the Tea Party's efforts in Iowa to throw out or impeach every Iowa Supreme Court Justice involved in the legalization of gay marriage. In the center was a short article with the Headline "Poll shows Iowans Split on Impeachment". When you read it, that "split" was 63% opposed impeachment for making a decision the voter disagreed with and 36% supported it. Hardly a split since an overwhelming majority opposed such action.

Annirich, did you see the CBO estimates that Obama created 3.3 million jobs via the stimulus?

Yeah, I know, the CBO numbers are only meaningful when they support the righty agenda.

Let's go back a little further than his State of the Union speech and to one of his Presidential campaign speeches in 2008:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfu1_Scgyow

Jody, Iowa....."President Obama has kept most of his campaign promises...." Yep, he certainly has keep his campaign promises.

Just wait until we hear him speak tomorrow night.

This isn't counting the 200 bills that has not been sent to the senate. The President has done a fantastic job considering the juevenile treatment from the right far right the tea party and some of his own party. Killed more high profile terroroist in the last two years than you know who. Russia may be hooking up with us to drive out the Taliban and with leadership the President has brought them into the fray as a ally. He is working with China in order to provide a fair trade agreement. Lot of things he has done well that are going unnoticed. Don't know what you got till it's gone and this is why we need Obama to win in 2012 ..Get America back in the game instead of letting the repubs drag us back into a depression.

I've been abstaining from FR editorials due to the heavy slant and even heavier slanted comments born from people unwilling to approach the belief that differing perspectives could also be right... but that's neither here nor there. I popped in out of curiousity to see how FR was coming along with their bias and how the group of commentators that followed it were doing. I would have stayed quiet and walked away in a continued dismary except for one comment by you, Fiesty.

Bob-1805084 states: "Yea, but you got the creation of the Tea Party to off set his radicalism." This statement says that Obama is on the fringe on one side of the spectrum... which I know most of you all will disagree with and call him a moderate (because you all are further out there). To this comment Fiesty you state: "Nah! I think the word you're looking for Bobby is 'racism'!" So lets insert "racism" in there as you suggest: Yea, but you got the creation of the Tea Party to off set his racism." Cool, so now Obama is a racist and the Tea Party is a counter racist group... lovely. Any chance we can abstain from using the term "racism" till we are sure it's appropriate, and then to make sure we use it in proper context?

Eric-913730

Annirich, did you see the CBO estimates that Obama created 3.3 million jobs via the stimulus?

Would that be the same CBO that estimated Obamacare at a total ten year cost of $869 billion? Then retracted it?

Would that be the same CBO that counted a unfeasible $500 billion in medicare savings twice? (yes, "Not Feasible" was what the Medicare Trustees report called that savings)

Would that be the same CBO that his headed up by Doug Elmendorf, who was appointed directly by Nancy Pelosi?

Sorry, the numbers coming out of the CBO these days are about as reliable as an article in the Huffington Post or a story on Fox News.

fisty, they are waiting on you over on rahm's article.

keep up the good work Obama, people like Edward will never let a good chance to make up problems go to waste. Instead of focusing on all his kept promises, let's look to the remaining two years of his term. He will go on to pass bills that will reduce our energy needs, create jobs and provide for our country.

keep up the good work Obama!

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL

He kept McCain and what's-her-name out of the white house.

Can I get a hallelujah? lol

HALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH

lt.jdangle

You forgot one important point...what will the Conservative US ever do without all the litigation lawyers that will live in the Liberal area of frivolous lawsuits and ridiculous punitive damages?

joe-755... - PTL joe PTL

So in just in just two years , he's kept the majority of his promises ? That's what the article is saying.

Close to 2/3 of his promises and his term isn't up yet.

I don't find it hard to believe , nor do I find it hard to believe some of the lies and distortions on the right when it comes to his record.

He's at a C+ , that's not all that bad , and two years to improve.

In that 2010 speech, Obama made a lot of promises, and he fulfilled many of them -- with high-profile, hard-fought successes like the passage of health-care reform, a jobs bill, the New START treaty with Russia, and the repeal of "Don’t Ask Don’t Tell." He also saw the last combat troops leave Iraq, cut out the middlemen from college loans, championed credit for small businesses, and established protections for consumers.

So he kept his promise to push legislation that will hurt America/Americans. Big whoop. Just proves how much he doesn't know about running a country. How about some promises that will help America/Americans? You only have 2 years left to start taking this country back down the road to prosperity. (Instead of all the job-killing, poverty making, waste of time bills you've supported thus far.) Are you up to the task? (I can tell you, NONE of these promises have helped me the least little bit!) I'm hunkering down for the long haul, saving every penny to get through the next 2 years (or decade, depending on who you talk to.)

"Promise: End combat operations in Iraq
"What Obama said: 'As a candidate, I promised I would end this war, and that is what I am doing as president. We will have all of our combat troops out of Iraq by the end of his August'
Result: The last combat troops left in mid-August, though thousand of U.S. troops (for security and training) remain"

Oh, no, you don't get to call this a win! All he did was redeploy the troops to Afghanistan. He did not bring them home as I clearly remember him promising, and he also commited an additional influx of 30 - 40,000 new troops into the battle.

Oh, no, you don't get to call this a win! All he did was redeploy the troops to Afghanistan. He did not bring them home as I clearly remember him promising, and he also commited an additional influx of 30 - 40,000 new troops into the battle.

It's called "job creation" Biloxi. What's he supposed to do? Bring back 40,000 troops to a country with no job for them? Of course he could have redeployed them to guard the border but seeing that he has no interest in protecting this country or it's citizens that would be counterproductive.

It's a real hoot how the GOP is dismissing the CBO's assessment that the health care reform will save $230 billion over the next 10 years. They didn't feel so negative about the CBO's assessments under the SAME DIRECTOR 2 years ago:

Senator John Coryn:

"God Bless Dr. Elmendorf For His Integrity And Commitment To Tell The Truth.""I believe the professionals at the Congressional Budget Office are doing a very difficult but unpopular work. They are speaking the truth to power here in Washington and making the folks who would pass these enormous unfunded bills that impose this huge debt on generations hereafter somewhat unhappy. But I think they are doing an important service by telling us the facts. Last week I commended the Director of the CBO, Dr. Doug Elmendorf, for saying that CBO will 'never adjust our views to make people happy.' God bless Dr. Elmendorf for his integrity and commitment to telling the truth. We need to learn how to deal with the truth, not try to remake it or cover it up."[Congressional Record, 6/22/09]

Yes, God Bless Dr. Elmendorf for his integrity and commitment to tell the truth. Always.

bob-1805084 - Yea, but you got the creation of the Tea Party to off set his radicalism.

Reactionary movements are common whenever progress occurs.

How, exactly, could President Obama be expected to "change the tone" in Washington when the Republicans explicitly stated their only purpose was to destroy his presidency (to "break him" in the words of Sen. Jim Demented). This was not a promise broken, it was a promise sabotaged by his implacable enemies: the Republicans.

Re: CBO $230 Billion number. The narrative of the report states that there is statistically no chance of that number being correct -

"Uncertainty Surrounding the Estimates. The projections of the bill's
budgetary impact are quite uncertain, both because CBO has not completed
a detailed estimate of the effects of H.R. 2 and because assessing the effects
of making broad changes in the nation's health care and health insurance
systems—or of reversing scheduled changes—requires assumptions about a
broad array of technical, behavioral, and economic factors. However,
CBO's staff, in consultation with outside experts, has devoted a great deal
of care and effort to the analysis of health care legislation in the past few
years, and the agency strives to develop estimates that are in the middle of
the distribution of possible outcomes. As a result, CBO believes that its
estimates of the net budgetary effects of health care legislation have a
roughly equal chance of turning out to be too high or too low.

As with all of CBO's cost estimates, those estimates reflect an assumption
that the provisions of current law would otherwise remain unchanged
throughout the projection period and that the legislation being considered
would be enacted and implemented in its current form. CBO's
responsibility to the Congress is to estimate the effects of proposals as
written and not to forecast future legislation. The budgetary impact of
repealing PPACA and the provisions of the Reconciliation Act related to
health care could be quite different if key provisions of that original
legislation would have subsequently been changed or not fully
implemented."

The CBO estimates are also based on $500 billion in Medicare savings through lowered payments to doctors. The 2010 Medicare trustees report.  Here are a couple of quotes directly from the report:

Unless providers could reduce their cost per service correspondingly, through productivity improvements or other steps, they would eventually become unwilling or unable to treat Medicare beneficiaries.

Many experts doubt the feasibility of such sustained improvements and anticipate that over time the Medicare price constraints would become unworkable and that Congress would likely override them, much as they have done to prevent the reductions in physician payment rates otherwise required by the sustainable growth rate formula in current law.

So yes, the CBO's numbers are not correct and are based on assumptions that the Trustees report show to be unworkable.

Why not ask the FR editors to come up with a companion piece or read bushes latest book

Please!

or read bushes latest book

Really? And line his pockets with more of this taxpayer's money? I don't need to read his book. His signature achievements were starting a war in Afghanistan that he didn't finish and starting a war in Iraq that he didn't finish.

Steve, no wonder America is so medicated! Who the hell wants to here this guy sit back and play the victim when he made billions of dollars for his friends as well as himself.. On the tax payers backs at that! They just don't get it Steve.

Right, he only failed on the most important things. BTW they missed a few...

He said he would get rid of the Patriot act then signed it again.

He said he would get the lobbyists out of the government then appointed more making this the most corrupt government in history.

He said he wouold put legislation in place that would stop the financial crises from happening again and has not

So, you're saying that you're comfortable with Conservative policies aimed at giving every possible advantage to the rich because you'd like to be rich some day.

Did it occur to you that you're making it more difficult for YOU to advance every time Republicans win one of those battles?

Don't need to be rich to be republican. I don't agree with the democrat's philosophy of spending money on welfare and creating temporary jobs to make it look as though the country is recovering.

Steve, ever think of your local public library? I can't afford to buy every book either, but I do own a library card for two different libraries.

The rich pay 98% of US taxes.

They don't, actually. The top 20% of taxpayers control 85% of wealth but only pay 70% of taxes. The picture gets farm more regressive when you include state and local (if any) income taxes, property taxes, fuel taxes, sales taxes...it goes on and on.

In spite of that "unfair" tax burden the top 2%, and ESPECIALLY the top 1% are increasing their share of the pie at a rate unseen in American history.

THAT, as you point out, is the game. I'll keep working to change it as long as necessary, because it's been gradually impoverishing the middle class for 30 years now. The game won't become more fair until we let people who don't already have all the advantages have a say in the rules.

lt.jdangle - so the rich don't drive on the roads, fly into and out of airports, make use of police, firemen, trash collectors, food and drug inspectors, medical and scientific research, clean water and air, electrical power when they flip a switch, and many other unnappreciated benefits of living in the US. Not to mention a tax rate that allows them to pay a lower rate than their secretaries, the ability to buy politicians to insure favorable legislation and an unregulated financial system that allows them to invest their money in imaginary assets and make billions. If you think rich people would do as well in a different country without these advantages perhaps you should all pack up and go elsewhere.

JohnB - Another big factor that people like lt.jdangle like to ignore is payroll taxes - Social Security and Medicare. Working people pay 7.65% on EVERY dollar they earn, while the rich pay NOTHING on their capital gains income (which also carries only a 15% tax rate). Earned income over $106,800 is exempt as well.

So the right skews the tax figures by taking only a small part of what constitutes "taxes" when they spout off about how much the rich supposedly pay.

Warren Buffett in 2007 promised $1 million to the charity of any Forbes CEO who could prove that his percentage of taxes paid was higher than his secretary's. The result to date?

Buffett says three of his close friends have taken him up on the challenge and they all came up with the same results: Ordinary folks are suffering under tax rates nearly twice as high as what billionaires pay.

It's a real hoot how the GOP is dismissing the CBO's assessment that the health care reform will save $230 billion over the next 10 years. They didn't feel so negative about the CBO's assessments under the SAME DIRECTOR 2 years ago:

Senator John Coryn:

"God Bless Dr. Elmendorf For His Integrity And Commitment To Tell The Truth.""I believe the professionals at the Congressional Budget Office are doing a very difficult but unpopular work. They are speaking the truth to power here in Washington and making the folks who would pass these enormous unfunded bills that impose this huge debt on generations hereafter somewhat unhappy. But I think they are doing an important service by telling us the facts. Last week I commended the Director of the CBO, Dr. Doug Elmendorf, for saying that CBO will 'never adjust our views to make people happy.' God bless Dr. Elmendorf for his integrity and commitment to telling the truth. We need to learn how to deal with the truth, not try to remake it or cover it up."[Congressional Record, 6/22/09]

Yes, God Bless Dr. Elmendorf for his integrity and commitment to tell the truth. Always.

Legislation passed under President Obama

2009

• January 29: Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
• February 4: Children's Health Insurance Reauthorization Act
• February 11: DTV Delay Act
• February 17: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
• March 30: Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009
• April 21: Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act
• May 20: Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act
• May 20: Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009
• May 22: Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure Act of 2009
• June 22: Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act
• August 6: Cash For Clunkers Extension Act
• October 22: Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act
• October 28: Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act
• October 30: Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act
• November 6: Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009

2010

• January 27: Emergency Aid to American Survivors of Haiti Earthquake Act
• March 4: Travel Promotion Act
• March 18: Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act (HIRE Act)
• March 23: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
• March 30: Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010
• May 5: Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010
• May 17: Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act
• July 1: Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act
• July 21: Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act
• July 22: Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2010
• July 22: Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act of 2010
• August 10: SPEECH Act of 2010
• September 27: Small Business Jobs and Credit Act of 2010
• December 13: Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010
• December 17: Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010
• December 22: Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010

2011

• January 2: James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 (H.R. 847)
• January 4: Food Safety and Modernization Act, Pub.L. 111-353, H.R. 2751

Heartlight, rich individuals DO pay way more taxes than the poor. Are you talking about those making $260M or those making $5,000M? Deductions are capped (except for this year) for individuals and taxes are paid at a 40% rate. There are some poor who pay nothing and get money back as a result of tax credits. What was once considered a "safety net" has become a way of life for too many folks. Someone making $300M could pay $80M in taxes, and as was stated above they get zero breaks. Corporations are the ones who get away with not paying taxes, but the large ones own the Democrats and the Republicans. It doesn't matter who is in office, that doesn't seem to change.

It should be noted that most making $250M or more give more cash contributions. But in 2001 (I think) when the Obama's made that amount, they gave zero cash contributions. The first time they gave contributions was after he got into politics, made $2,000M and gave $30M to Reverend Wright's church. Maybe that's why he thinks people need to be forced to help their neighbors. Look at the $1 billion donations going to Haiti - that didn't come from the poor. I am all for a flat tax rate - everyone pays 15% of their income: no deductions, no loopholes, no complicated tax laws, less lawyers, less accountants. The rich still pay substantially more but everyone pays something and then we will all start paying attention to how our money is spent. Our lawyer politicians won't let that happen either.

"taxes are paid at a 40% rate"???? Erm, you do realize the top tax rate is only 35%, right? Capital gains rate is 15% (gotta love that UNEARNED income!) "To every thing, turn, turn, turn" (or is that "spin, spin, spin"?)

Uh-oh, they missed a few.

That was some really creative accounting (and BS'ing)

From PolitiFact.com (link below)

Promise Broken rulings on the The Obameter

Increase the capital gains and dividends taxes for higher-income taxpayers

Increase capital gains and dividends taxes from 15 to 20 percent for those making more than $250,000 (couples) or $200,000 (single)>> More

Expand the child and dependent care credit

Expand and make refundable the child and dependent care credit.>> More

End income tax for seniors making less than $50,000

"Will eliminate all income taxation of seniors making less than $50,000 per year. This will eliminate taxes for 7 million seniors -- saving them an average of $1,400 a year-- and will also mean that 27 million seniors will not need to file an income tax return at all.">> More

End no-bid contracts above $25,000

"Will ensure that federal contracts over $25,000 are competitively bid.">> More

Repeal the Bush tax cuts for higher incomes

Repeal the Bush tax cuts for those making more than $250,000 (couples) or $200,000 (single)>> More

Phase out exemptions and deductions for higher earners

Restore the phaseouts of personal exemptions and itemized deductions for those making more than $250,000 (couples) or $200,000 (single), with threshholds indexed for inflation.>> More

: Allow imported prescription drugs

"Allow Americans to buy their medicines from other developed countries if the drugs are safe and prices are lower outside the U.S.">> More

Direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a comprehensive study of federal cancer initiatives

"As president, Barack Obama will immediately direct his Secretary of Health and Human Services, in collaboration with agency officials, academic researchers, cancer survivors and advocates for people with cancer, and state public health officials, to comprehensively examine the various cancer-related efforts of federal agencies, and provide recommendations to eliminate barriers to effective coordination across federal agencies and between the federal government and other stakeholders.">> More

Create a National Commission on People with Disabilities, Employment, and Social Security

Create a national commission charged with "examining and proposing solutions to work disincentives in the SSDI, SSI, Medicare, and Medicaid," among other things.>> More

Change federal rules so small businesses owned by people with disabilities can get preferential treatment for federal contracts.

"Barack Obama and Joe Biden would direct the Small Business Administration to amend regulations under the Small Business Act that provide preferences in federal contracting to small businesses owned by members of socially and economically disadvantaged groups to include individuals with disabilities.">> More

Form international group to help Iraq refugees

"Will form an international working group to address" the problem of "more than five million Iraqis (who) are refugees or are displaced inside their own country.">> More

Reinstate special envoy for the Americas

"In the past, American presidents have filled the position of special envoy to bring senior-level attention to hemispheric matters that might otherwise get buried in the normal diplomatic process. Unfortunately, the position was eliminated after the post was vacated in June of 2004. As president Barack Obama will reinstate the position.">> More

Double the Peace Corps

"Barack Obama will double the Peace Corps to 16,000 by its 50th anniversary in 2011 and push Congress to fully fund this expansion, with a focus on Latin America and the Caribbean.">> More

Centralize ethics and lobbying information for voters

"Will create a centralized Internet database of lobbying reports, ethics records, and campaign finance filings in a searchable, sortable and downloadable format.">> More

Allow five days of public comment before signing bills

To reduce bills rushed through Congress and to the president before the public has the opportunity to review them, Obama "will not sign any non-emergency bill without giving the American public an opportunity to review and comment on the White House website for five days.">> More

Tougher rules against revolving door for lobbyists and former officials

"No political appointees in an Obama-Biden administration will be permitted to work on regulations or contracts directly and substantially related to their prior employer for two years. And no political appointee will be able to lobby the executive branch after leaving government service during the remainder of the administration.">> More

Double funding for afterschool programs

"Will double funding for the main federal support for afterschool programs, the 21st Century Learning Centers program, to serve one million more children.">> More

Urge states to treat same-sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws

As president, "will use the bully pulpit to urge states to treat same-sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws.">> More

Allow bankruptcy judges to modify terms of a home mortgage

Will repeal provisions of the Chapter 13 law that prohibit bankruptcy judges from modifying the original terms of home mortgages for ordinary families -- regardless of whether the loan was predatory or unfair or is otherwise unaffordable -- "so that ordinary families can also get relief that bankruptcy laws were intended to provide.">> More

Re-establish the National Aeronautics and Space Council

Will re-establish an organizational authority in the federal government with a sufficiently broad mandate to oversee a comprehensive and integrated strategy and policy dealing with all aspects of the government's space-related programs, including those being managed by NASA, the Department of Defense, the National Reconnaissance Office, the Commerce Department, the Transportation Department, and other federal agencies. This Council reporting to the president "will oversee and coordinate civilian, military, commercial and national security space activities. It will solicit public participation, engage the international community, and work toward a 21st century vision of space that constantly pushes the envelope on new technologies as it pursues a balanced national portfolio that expands our reach into the heavens and improves life here on Earth.">> More

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/rulings/promise-broken/

Here's some more:

Obama's Broken Promises

President Obama has reneged on many of his campaign promises. Why are we letting him get away with it?

by David Sirota

...But, then, behavior by President Obama suggests a more systemic assault on the campaign promise is underway.

It started in December when he was asked why he was making Hillary Clinton his chief diplomat after criticizing her qualifications and promising Democratic primary voters that his views on international relations were different than hers. He responded by telling the questioner "you're having fun" trying "to stir up whatever quotes were generated during the course of the campaign." The implicit assertion was that anyone expecting him to answer for campaign statements must just be "having fun" -- and certainly can't be serious.

A few months later, in reversing a five-year-old commitment to support ending the Cuban embargo, Obama offered no rationale for the U-turn other than saying he was "running for Senate" at a time that "seems just eons ago" -- again, as if everyone should know that previous campaign promises mean nothing.

At least that was a response. After the New York Times recently reported that "the administration has no present plans to reopen negotiations on NAFTA" as "Obama vowed to do during his campaign," there was no explanation offered whatsoever. We were left to recall Obama previously telling Fortune magazine that his NAFTA promises were too "overheated and amplified" to be taken literally.

It's true that politicians have always broken promises, but rarely so proudly and with such impunity.

We once respected democracy by at least demanding explanations -- however weak -- for unfulfilled promises. Then we became a country whose scorched-earth campaigns against flip-flopping desensitized us to reversals. Now, we don't flinch when our president appears tickled that a few poor souls still expect politicians to fulfill promises and justify broken ones.

The worst part of this devolution is the centrality of Obama, the prophet of "hope" and "change" who once said that "cynicism is a sorry kind of wisdom." If that's true, then he has become America's wisest man -- the guy who seems to know my kids will laugh when I tell them politicians and voters once believed in democracy and took campaign promises seriously.

http://www.alternet.org/story/140507/obama's_broken_promises/

..and yet more.....

Make Government Open and Transparent

Meetings where laws are written will be more open to the public.

Healthcare mandates.

His statement during campaign:

“We've got a philosophical difference, which we've debated repeatedly, and that is that Senator Clinton believes the only way to achieve universal health care is to force everybody to purchase it. And my belief is, the reason that people don't have it is not because they don't want it but because they can't afford it.” Barack Obama, speaking at a Democratic presidential debate, February 21, 2008.

Combat troops are still in Iraq, just renamed, and there are no plans to remove them. There will also be permanent U.S. bases in Iraq.

http://thecount.com/2010/08/22/combat-mission-not-over-in-iraq-just-renamed/

All of that work... at what price to the American people? 2 trillion dollars added to the deficit this year? How much more next year? No one is doing a cost to benefit analysis.... The cost out weighs the benefit by a large margin.

he is the worst lying president that ever was! our country is in big trouble< he is out with his flunkies in 2012

Where are those weapons of mass destruction again?

Hog wash, this article is stating the speech from last year's State of the Union til now. You conservatives are throwing out everything but the kitchen sink!

Stick to the topic at hand instead of bringing up topic from his compaign in 07. Next, I'll be seeing a broken promise he made in high school.

His signature achievements were starting a war in Afghanistan that he didn't finish and starting a war in Iraq that he didn't finish.

Expecting wars to magically be concluded before the end of a term (or second term) is bordering on delusional. We finish wars... when they're done. The enemy doesn't give a @!$%# who's in office, it's the country that they're at war with. In any case, it's congress that has the power to declare wars.

Psst!... K Chad Roberts... Executive Order. Don't remind them Bush when against the United Nations and attacked a country on false evidence, which means we should never have been in Iraq.

That's a pretty strong track record.

Of course the Conservative "he's inexperienced and ineffective" narrative always did clash with the "he's driving us down the road to Socialism" narrative.

It just isn't about consistency for those folks.

Nice job, President Obama.

This is skipping over some fo the obstruction by republbaggers but one would expect that from the authors!

The whole list is available from Rachel Maddows 85% in 2 years show!

Amy, more doesn't always = better. Think about when you have the flu and you take over the recommended dose of medicine because (I'm guilty of this) thinking that more will make one better faster.

Sure, he pumped out lots of legislation but we still have record unemployment... what Pres Obama should be doing is laxing all this regulation and forgetting about these mythical green energy jobs (like wind and solar) which are (at this time) a waste of time and money.

We should be building 20 nuclear plants now -- during the peak of construction, there can be 5000 to 7000 people working on site plus thousands elsewhere... local communities do well. I'm an electrical engineer with many years experience in the power industry.

johnb, et al - Yes "pretty strong" does describe his efforts at being able to spend $$$, to ignore bipartisanship up until Nov 2010 and to use rhetorical attacks against the right, Yes Johnb, many on the right have also used rhetorical attacks as well, after all we are talking American politics.

Yes he preserved many government jobs for a short period of time. Now many of those "preserved" jobs are going to be lost as state governments struggle to balance their budgets.

His programs reminds me of the old government adage of "I am from the government and I am here to help!" Have we ever had a government program that hasn't cost the american taxpayer more than what the government said it would cost ( I am talking about any program sponsered by the right, left or bipartisan). SS was probably the best thought out plan until it was transferred to the general fund in the 60's and subsequently raided by either political party since then.

I once predicted that the only way obama would get re-elected in 2012 was if sarah palin (whom I consider to not be a viable candidate) was the republican candidate or if obama started working with the republican on legislation. Well, we have all seen that obama has decided that it is possible to work with the republicans.

I notice that no mention was made by the editors on his economic foreign policy during this time. A policy that will be crucial for Americas recovery and job growth as we head out thru 2011 and into 2012.

Perhaps the FR editors will include this success (or failure) in their summary next January.

While I don't agree that the POTUS should have had the degree of "on the job training" as obama has had thru 2010 it does appear that he is learning, just as I am sure that many of the freshman class of congressmen/women will have to learn their legislative duties. Who knows, our freshman class may contain some of the finest leaders in the coming years.

What a steaming pile of dung. Let me guess the authors are democrats? Good grief...

two years of crap and now the left is once again using the media to spew more crap. We can all tell it's campaign time again.. Looks like the lame left will be using the race card again eh Fiesty? Woohooo...

Glad it's election time again. I wonder if the black panthers are setting up their election booths again. They probably have more funding now. I wonder if Barry and Michelle will support them again this election like they did the last time....

Being a engineer why not make something that makes us independent of foreign oil ..we are feeding our enemies by buying their oil

Steve-267218

Glad it's election time again. I wonder if the black panthers are setting up their election booths again. They probably have more funding now. I wonder if Barry and Michelle will support them again this election like they did the last time....

As I read that statement, I can't help but conclude that you must have some kind of issue with black people.

Rorschach; Of course you feel that anybody that shows dislike for Obama must have issues towards black people, I mean what else could it be right? How could anybody not simply love, adore and cherish Obama....they simply must be racist to oppose his thoughts, ideas and beliefs...right?

Lao, if you look back at the comment to which I responded: I didn't bring up race. I responded to a racially-tinged comment. You can try to change history, but I'm not going to cooperate.

We never even heard about PEPFAR, which was Bush's initiative against HIV in Africa.  No less that Bono called him a hero for that, yet he never trumpeted it, even in his darkest hour.

The U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is the U.S. Government initiative to help save the lives of those suffering from HIV/AIDS around the world. This historic commitment is the largest by any nation to combat a single disease internationally, and PEPFAR investments also help alleviate suffering from other diseases across the global health spectrum

On July 30, 2008, H.R. 5501, the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008 was signed into law, authorizing up to $48 billion over the next 5 years to combat global HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.

two above from pepfar.gov

During his State of the Union address of January 2003, President Bush announced a five-year,
$15 billion initiative to combat AIDS in 14 African and Caribbean countries. The President's
Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) dwarfed all of the United States' previous AIDSrelated
commitments, with the ambitious goals of providing two million people with treatment,
preventing seven million new infections, and caring for 10 million orphans and persons living
with HIV.

from child-survival.org

Roit Roh,.. ..

Emanual Banned from Ballot in Ill.. This will piss the Nasty Redhead and Bev off...

Emanual Banned from Ballot in Ill.. This will piss the Nasty Redhead and Bev off...

I'll balance that out. Emanuel should be banned from ballots, everywhere.

It is too bad that the President doesn't tell all American's the positive things that have been accomplished. Now, we have the Republicans actually taking credit for the improving economy. They will stoop to anything to make themselves shine. Even flat out lie..

The President needs to keep a running total of his accomplishments. He should be very proud given the unmitigated gall of the Republican obstruction. Perhaps the Democrats had the majority but the Republicans spent 2 years with the filibuster nonsense.

To hold the President responsible for "promises broken" is ridiculous. Had it not been for the Republican and some scabby Democrats who were set from day one to derail the President just think how much better we would be today. Rather than the Republicans needing to take credit for something they had absolutely no hand in accomplishing, should instead take credit for all the "broken promises" of the President.

speaking about rahm emmanual let us not be too harsh on him as the McLaughlin group did make mention (in their year end summary and predictions) That emmanual's recommendations to obama on the healthcare legislation was to use an incremental approach to implementation, rather than a massive comprehensive approach. I would imagine that such an approach would have resulted in a better and more thoughtfull plan benefitting the american taxpayer.

gpotts,

First, Obama must have some accomplishments to take credit for.

Did anyone notice the campaign rhetoric of the left during the midterm elections. They couldn't run on their accomplishments, they first need to have accomplishments.

The liberals, as usual, like to confuse activity with accomplishment. While there has been a lot of activity, not much in the accomplishment departmant unless you are one of the 99ers. Are you better off than you were 2 years ago? Didn't think so.

Exactly Rocco

Half of these "accomplishments" say Obama "supported" them. WTF does that mean?? Haha. That has absolutely N0 effect on anything.

Here's more:

On 1 December 2008, a parade of luminaries appeared on screen in Washington DC to pay video tributes to President George W. Bush on World AIDS day. It was the twilight of his administration, and an obvious time for reflection. But for these people — including former US president Bill Clinton, United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, rock star Bono and US President-elect Barack Obama — this was not dutiful lip-service. They were heaping praise on Bush's signature programme to fight AIDS, and what many view as his most significant positive achievement of the past eight years.

and

"I can't stand him," Gonsalves says, "but Bush has done something unprecedented." And for Fauci, the praise is most apparent in the places where HIV is hitting the hardest. "If you go to Africa," he says, "into villages where PEPFAR has had a major impact, people look at you and say, 'Thank you, and thank God for the United States of America.'".

both from nature.com

I tried to point out that PEPFAR was supported bipartisanly but it wouldn't save that. Well, here it is.

But we couldn't have a slobbering love fest if we worried about whether these "accomplishments" have a net positive or net negative effect on our country! And that's really all the FR lefty regulars care about- the slobbering love fest.

It will be interesting to see what the history books say in 50 years as that's the only place a true result can really be established.

Sad, when conservatives think disagreeing with them is an insult.

Some of us thought giving vast tax breaks to the already wealthy was a waste, too, slimsignet. The results would seem to bear that out.

It's called representative democracy.

Hey Slimy, How about asking the People of Elkhart, IN if this was a waste of Taxpayer $$. Now that thier slowing recovering from the Devastation, leftover from the previous administration. Not all ofem are back to Work, but getting there.

What has the Republican/TeaParty done to Create anything resembling a JOB?

Nada, Nothing, Zilch!

24 years in the Senate, Minority Leader McConnel has NO legislation with His Name on it!

Defense, Never Offense from Mitch!

THE BIGGEST WASTE OF TAXPAYER $$ IS THE BENEFITS THEY RECEIVE FOR LIFE!

How much longer can taxpayers Foot THAT BILL?

Rick: and Obama's "created" what jobs??? Not the fuzzy "saved or created" hard facts on How Many jobs?

".....And there are a lot of taxpayers that agree with me.."

And- there are a lot that don't.

Man what are you talking about?

Elkhart is totally dependent upon the evil RICH that purchase motorhomes.

When a town is dependent upon 1 industry for employment; when it folds, the town folds. I guess Bush owned that company too.

Go find another snuff can.......that one is full.

ITM, you need to Up your Reading on News Events.

Get off the corner with the Crack & make something of Yourself.

slimsignet ~

I know. How dare I criticize Obama in any way, shape, or form.

Same way I dare. First Amendment. Every bit as important as the others. Much more important that the right to wave guns.

Keep that in mind, skinny swan.

patrick of salt lake - when one chooses to ignore addressing individual comments with respectful discussion or to make counterpoints that are not disrespectful of the poster, then perhaps your comment would have meaning (especially if applied to both sides). I do believe that if FR political units moderator would apply newsvines CoH as well as as other moderators do on other newsvine blogs the present lack of civility experienced here would diminsih. As it is, when in Rome...!

More left wing spun crap

Anna Molly

Just taking my insults out for a spin

Judging from some of your other posts I would expect little else.

because you asked for it.

Nah. Didn't "ask" for it. Just expected it seeing as how that's the m.o. here if anybody does anything but shower Obama with praise. Thanks for playing.

By the way. Rick, Ky.

When you'd like to set aside the childish name-calling and discuss the subject intelligently, I'd be happy to debate some of the assertions in your post.

Until that time I refuse to engage in that type of childish behavior. Joking is one thing. Being intentionally insulting serves no purpose. And certainly doesn't help persuade others to see your point.

Plus I was under the impression it was a violation of the COH.

Uh... I live in Illinois... I don't pay less taxes... as a matter of fact my state taxes just went up by 67%.

Oh yeah... and Obama did not lower my federal taxes... he just allowed me to avoid a raise in taxes... so my net taxes are not less... but in fact MORE!

as a matter of fact my state taxes just went up by 67%.

Is there ANYTHING the righties won't try to pin on President Obama? lol

When you figure out the difference between federal & state come back and play!

PS: Even with the increase IL state taxes are still well below our neighboring states...

Nasty...

When you are able to understand the simple point I am making you may come back and play!

Let me spell it out for you...

My NET taxes went UP! get it... whether federal or state it makes no difference because the money coming out of my pocket for taxes went UP! Hell, even if my Illinois state taxed did not go up my federal taxes did not go down! THEY STAYED THE SAME!~

SO... the statement that Patrick made (above) is simply not true.

BTW... I really do understand the difference between federal and state taxes because unlike you... I actually pay them! (because I work and contribute to this society and it's economy!)

fiesty - quess that explains why wisconsin and indiana are wooing illinois companies! Wonder how taxpyers will feel about the reduced payroll and SS taxes come tax time next year or the year after? Keep in mind that the government is still contributing (albeit in IOU's) the full amount into SS that the taxpayers are not.

On Bloomberg tv last week a rather disconcerting observation was made concerning on how the poor would fair under obamas tax cut plan compromise made during the lame duck session in 2010. The poor got screwed, seems that no lobbyist were looking after them. Left or right, does any politician deliver for the poor?

We're not sure about our taxes, b/c we're still out of work despite spending over 40 hours per week looking for a job for months. Property taxes haven't gone down.

(And don't start telling me it's because we won't take a "lesser" job b/c most of the jobs we've interviewed for have asked why we were there when we could have had a significantly higher position. Nor have we turned down any official jobs. AND, we've been willing to move across the country.) It's rough out there. Oh, we have 2 very relevant master's degrees also. If you haven't been there, it's a bear. You need the exact skill set they want, the exact training they want, and you must be the exact person they want. It's like being an elite student among all the elite students trying to get into Princeton.

BTW, not blaming the above on Obama; just saying how the job hunt is.

stm, thanks for sharing. Yes, it's very rough out there. Just coming out of the worst recession in 70 years is a very bad time to be looking for a job. Hang in there, we'll be pulling for you.

You want to see state taxes go through the roof, elect some more Tea Partiers. Don't you remember what happened under Reagan? Federal money dried up and states were forced to raise taxes on EVERYTHING to make up the difference.

That should make a whole lot of red states stop and think, since they get more money from the feds than they pay in. But I'm guessing they won't see it coming until it's too late. And even then I'm not sure they'll realize what hit them.

real amereican - to bad todays economic scenario isn't the same as in the 80's. Think the American taxpayer will just roll over for federal bailouts to states that refuse to be financially responsible. Regardless of your opinion on reagan he did inspire confidence in the American people. Seems that even obama is reading up on reagan to learn more about this president and the ways he inspired confidence.

PSLC: Why have none of the "liberal media" pundits asked McConnell or Boehner if they are going to move to the center?

Because they are already there.

JoAnna.Only if you consider far right wing the center, and you obviously are one who does.

JoAnnaSmith1

PSLC: Why have none of the "liberal media" pundits asked McConnell or Boehner if they are going to move to the center?

Because they are already there.

PLEASE, If these guys are at the center, then I'm a white right wing anti abortion religious nut.

LOL! Jeff...

Instead you are only a 'wanna-be' white right wing anti abortion religious nut!

(BTW... what a racist comment that was old buddy Jeff... always with the WHITE thingy... Go figure!)

These wing nuts windsheilds are so smeared they don't even see theirs no center in the Republican party right now.. Anyone who tries to sneak back to the middle, the tea baggers blow the whistle on em.. LOL Like grown azz tattle tales..

You know, I used to think JoAnnaSmith1 was a paid troll who bloviates daily here to cause trouble. After this post above I NOW understand that she is a comedienne and her rants are meant for our amusement.

I have to say, with THIS post, I am amused. Thanks!

patrick of salt lake - What is your definition of center?

If we define the center as the place where most Americans want our federal government to be at this point in time, then McConnell and Boehner are at the center.

SickOfTheBickering

LOL! Jeff...

Instead you are only a 'wanna-be' white right wing anti abortion religious nut!

(BTW... what a racist comment that was old buddy Jeff... always with the WHITE thingy... Go figure!)

Come on SickOfTheBickering i love doing that, its fun!!!!!!!!! seeing you people get some of your own medicine.

The President's accomplishments are great.

One point I would like to make however, no matter what positive growth there is, I am annoyed that there are STILL people yelling that the President hasn't turned anything around. That there hasn't been any positive signs that the job market is picking up and jobs continue to be added. Where the hell are these people?

Honestly, if they can't read and comprehend the context of the information provided, they have no reason to be giving opinions on anything. False, inaccurate, unsubstantiated gossip and flat out lies really don't contribute squat to an adult conversation.

No panic here, but if Comcast takes the NBC Companies any more to the right, they can kiss my $150 a month goodbye,

May I suggest Direct TV? I tossed Comcast years ago because the service sucked!

And I see now, so does their judgement!

sure can not take it further left!

DUANE. Of course they could. With the exception of a couple of liberal commentators in the evening they remain a largely conservative media outlet.

Pat NBC is as far to the left as Fox is to the right.

Really, Duane? Who is Fox's counterpart to Joe Scarborough, a true Conservative who surrounds himself with a panel heavily tilted toward other Conservatives, spouting Conservative talking points for hours every day?

I am curious if Comcasts takeover of NBC had anything to do with Keith leaving Countdown? What was it, a day or two after the deal was struck he is suddenly gone.

Pretty soon we will be hearing that the Corporations are now too big to fail. It is only the beginning of corporations taking complete control of the American Citizens. I feel this will lead to censorship and condoned by the legislatures who are in their pockets.

John what about Juan Williams?

It was later the same day, JBurns...handy coincidence, huh?

Morning Joe conservative????? Not even close. No wonder the left doesn't know where the center is, they are too far away from it.

Heard an interesting observation last week, seems that how America defines liberals and conservatives is far different than how Canada and Europe defines it.

A Republican who once represented the killer of a doctor who performed abortions, was praised by the National Journal, rode into Washington with Newt Gingrich's class of '94, signed the "Contract with America", and has a 95% lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union isn't a Conservative?

Now THAT is spin!

That was 15 years ago. Joe has changed. You really think MSNBC has a place in their lineup for a true conservative? Reality, what a concept.

Anna Molly - Just curious - Sting or Eva Cassidy?

LoL Let's just say I'll reserve judgment until I hear President Obama sing it.

Glad to see you back. Hope things are going better for you.

Thanks.....not yet, but they will be.....and with all due respect for our President, I think I'd have to go with Eva.....

Jody---I like to think of the promises that are said to be "broken" instead as being deferred----it has been 2 years of what I hope is an 8 year administration. And there is much work still to be done. What I am sure of is that President Obama works diligently and intelligently on the issues confronting our nation and I am glad he is leading us.

@ Steeler ~ We have to challenge ourselves sometimes to keep ourselves honest. For example, I have personally seen the clip of President Obama saying, during the campaign, that he would never sign a health care reform bill that didn't have a public option in it. Keith Olbermann showed it one night on Countdown.

And so does President Obama.

Simple Logic Jody! And what would you call those who can not understand simple logic?

Jody, Iowa

President Obama did a great job keeping many promises he made and did so in an atmosphere of obstruction from every republican legislator

I just love hearing all the libs out here praising Obama for all he accomplishted in this the atmosphere of obstructionism that he faced...

When in reality he had super majorities in both the House and the Senate... and with that the ability to pass EVERY item on his agenda (and there was NOTHING that the Republicans could have done to stop it.)

Why didn't he fufill EVERY one of his promises? I'll tell you why... because even many of the liberals in congress knew his promises were a crock! The republicans were not the obstructionists becasue they did not have the power to obstruct... only the dem's could do that by not falling in line with their party. (and many of them did just that... obstructed! - than God!)

Unfortunately they simply did not have the courage to truly represent the American people and stand up to their party on the big issues like HCR... (cowardly little dems)

SO... talk obstruction all you want but the truth of the matter is that only the dems (with their super majorities) had the power to obstruct the president!

What did Bush accomplish? Hellooooooooooo!

Sick Of ~

What it shouldn't do, however, is encourage you. Because in 2012, no doubt the contrasts between those republicans who beat all those Blue Dogs and the new democratic candidates for those seats will be readily discernable. And by that time, the truth about life with republicans will be obvious.

Sorry AM... but those 'Blue Dogs' were DEMOCRATS! Like it or not they were. And they simply did not go along with that nonsense that Obama was shovelling.

Hence... the obstruction came from within your own ranks!

(and any blame you may try to lay at the feet of the Republicans is nothing more than political grandstanding on the part of the dems!)

talk obstruction all you want but the truth of the matter is that only the dems (with their super majorities) had the power to obstruct the president!

Sick, where have you been?!

The current rules in the Senate allow any one Senator may block a bill. Without a good reason and without being present.

And beyond a simple majority, it takes a super majority to override this block.

Using these tactics, the Republicans were indeed able to obstruct the Congress, the President and the American people.

Any promises the President made during his campaign should not be considered broken. I am sure, without any doubt, that the President had no idea the rabid wolves would be let loose.

Because in 2012, no doubt the contrasts between those republicans who beat all those Blue Dogs and the new democratic candidates for those seats will be readily discernible. And by that time, the truth about life with republicans will be obvious.

AM, truer words have never been spoken.

obstructionists? Saviors more like it! A voice from the wilderness is more like it! The biggest test from either side is if the can doesn't stop being kicked down the road, There are no easy decisions left to be made. Spending has to be cut first and taxes raised second.

Probably one of the best observations that obama has made recently is that the breadth and scope of todays regulations are doing more harm than good for the growth of our economy.

I am glad to hear what Pres Obama has done, # 13. 5; in answer to your question, PEPFAR.

Worse than Bush? Wasn't that the President that trampled american rights like wire tapping, torture, tripled our debt and started an invasion on false pretenses, invariably ending up to be a war criminal? The current President had a meeting and you weren't invited and you want to say that is worse?!?

In case you didn't notice, Obama's kept most of Bush's policies in place... many he decried in his election and since then:

1. Gitmo is still open. Most of the world doesn't want these people back becasue they are known terrorists.

2. The Iraq troop withdrawal was a date Bush set, but Obama hence took credit for.

3. Obama hated troop surges and said they didn't work, but he's sending more troops to Afghanistan.

4. Obama expanded the operations into Pakistan. I'm sure it's a correct move, but not really a way to remove troops from the middle east.

5. Tried to prosecute a known terrorist through civilian criminal court and considered a weak sentence a success, despite every other law oriented person telling him it was a mistake.

You should also note that no trial has been brought agains Bush for his actions and he isn't a War Criminal to anyone who didn't like the war... to which there were many reasons that he made sure to document (he's not as big an idiot as many paint him to be... he made sure to cover his butt before launching an invasion of a country).

As far as we know, no one was tortured under the actual terminology of the word... Water boarding was declared not to be torture, and there haven't, thus far been any documented occurances of torture commited by the US.

Try not to deflect too much on Bush on this matter, he never promised transparency, just to protect the country. Did he go too far? Maybe. But that hasn't been documented.

Obama did process transparency and he has thus far failed to deliver.

Howard are any of the bills you listed part of the 200+ bills stalled in the Senate for 2 years?

I'd say some, but how many were before Scott Brown was elected? Before that, they had a filibusterproof supermajority... How else do you think they passed some of the bills (including healthcare...) without having it questioned more?

MytJoe2134

"In case you didn't notice, Obama's kept most of Bush's policies in place... many he decried in his election and since then:"

Then why all the crying over his policies?

"1. Gitmo is still open. Most of the world doesn't want these people back becasue they are known terrorists."

The torture stopped and they are processing the detainees (innocent til proven guilty, remember?).

"2. The Iraq troop withdrawal was a date Bush set, but Obama hence took credit for."

He said the combat troops would be out, they are out.

"3. Obama hated troop surges and said they didn't work, but he's sending more troops to Afghanistan."

...where the real war should be.

"4. Obama expanded the operations into Pakistan. I'm sure it's a correct move, but not really a way to remove troops from the middle east."

Using drone attacks and saving U.S. military lives.

"5. Tried to prosecute a known terrorist through civilian criminal court and considered a weak sentence a success, despite every other law oriented person telling him it was a mistake."

After TEN years of detainment! Finally, a president is doing something!

"You should also note that no trial has been brought agains Bush for his actions and he isn't a War Criminal to anyone who didn't like the war... to which there were many reasons that he made sure to document (he's not as big an idiot as many paint him to be... he made sure to cover his butt before launching an invasion of a country)."

In THIS country, he is wanted in 8 other countries.

As far as we know, no one was tortured under the actual terminology of the word... Water boarding was declared not to be torture, and there haven't, thus far been any documented occurances of torture commited by the US.

Whomever declared it NOT are insignificant, the Red Cross/Geneva Convention says it is.

Try not to deflect too much on Bush on this matter, he never promised transparency, just to protect the country. Did he go too far? Maybe. But that hasn't been documented.

Yes, he went too far. Closest this country has had to a dictator in our history.

Obama did process transparency and he has thus far failed to deliver.

Finger pointer

Did Bush do anything wrong? Did Daddy Bush do anything wrong? Did the father of all this mess Reagan do anything wrong? Just asking!

Any items on your list sitting in the senate???

"He promised close Gitmo within 90 days of taking office....didn't happen, it is still open today!"

May we assume from this comment, then, that you would like to see Gitmo closed?

Also- your comment re: stimulus. Is a goal that has failed the same as a promise that is broken?

Obviously you failed to understand "combat" troops. They are out.

Stimulus Package has pork in it? No duh! That is what a stimulus package is!!! You think it should contain air?

Blame republicans? I am afraid he hasn't spoken up about the delay tactics and filibusters enough.

You have a willing president wanting to work with republicans, the repubs don't want to work with him.

Gitmo? Really? I'm pretty sure the tortures have stopped and they are getting them out as fast as they can. But, I'm glad you support it.

One good thing happened, Mark... That a-hole Olbermann won't be soiling the airwaves any more!

HOORAY! Finally!

The President ordered Gitmo closed within one year. Congress refused to provide the financial resources necessary to close it. Blame Congress, not Obama (the man is President, not an all-powerful dictator).

Doesn't matter Clotho, he promised it and didn't deliver. Therefore it is a failed promise. Just because he doesn't have the means to deliver said promise, doesn't let him off the hook. That's the way life works.

bosslimo, so what you are saying is that, by changing the designation of "combat troops" to "occupation forces", or "rebuilding forces" or whatever the designation of the month is, he held up his "promise" . Really?

You do realize that we are still sending military personnel over there right? Ships are still deploying with marines and taking them over there. All of the forces including the Coast Guard are still sending people over to Iraq. And while I will concede to you that there are somewhat less personnel going to Iraq, there are more personnel going to Afghanistan.

The plan to withdraw from Iraq was already set in place BEFORE Obama was elected and he is taking the credit for it now. But in all honesty, we are still sending folks over there. Our troops are still dying over there. Nothing has changed except more of them have orders that say "Afghanistan" instead of "Iraq"

Are you awake yet? They're orders should say Afghanistan, that is where the real battle should be. Iraq didn't have any part of 9/11. Iraq was a grudge from Bush and the possible oil there.

What is this tweeker talkin about? LMAO

Passing bills with no value is not a sucess. It is a waste of paper. Look at the jobs bill or health care bill both passed but have done nothing but waste a few trees. The Health care bill is a mess, a money pit . A mess the middle class can not afford. It needs so many things done to it to correct it. It is better to start over with a new slate. I am for health care reform/Universal care, but it has to have some teeth with it. Like no illegals getting a free ride again. Congress must use and pay for the same system we get. Same cost for all with 100% coverage. Why in the world should I have to pay more for less care??? That bill sucks.

Independents for the repeal of the Health care money pit (HCMP) and Obama

".... radical Marxist agenda."

Now, how ya gonna have a normal conversation with someone that tosses something like this out there?

Especially one that is still stuck on ACORN.

Do you know what Marxist even means? You are treating him as if he's the cause of all the country's problems and if you remove him, everything is going to be like the 1950s again. Please, don't post unless it actually contains something worth reading.

drive-by-observer

".... radical Marxist agenda."

Now, how ya gonna have a normal conversation with someone that tosses something like this out there?

The same way you have a 'normal' conversation with that clown from Tennessee that tosses out the Nazi card!

Frankly I havn't really seen any of his promises he made to the middle and lower classes and minoritie's only to sucker them in to voting for him and the vast majority now regret that.He won't get back in again which is a pretty well known fact.As far as the arms treaty B.S. that was not at the top of the promise list back when the campaigns were going on.He said if elected he would send no more than perhaps 1 brigade to Afghanasatn but once in he changed that and sent in thousands to fight a war that was meant to be fought only by special forces and black ops only.All he managed to do was to undo all the good that was done and get our peole killed.They lowered the standards on who could join ceretain branches of the armed forces,mainly the army and the marines which has led to rapes and abuse mainly of female soldiers which to date has been a lot.He's taken more vacations in 2 years than other presidents have taken in 4 years.Has to have thge white house chef and her enterouge go with him everywhere he go's which costs taxpayers mega millions and is uncalled for.What the peole got was a puppet regime with Obooboo as the puppet and a certain few pulling the strings.he has not the experience in any way whatsoever to to run a super power and it has shown big time

charles-2003 Where are you getting your information? You need to double check it. Is it possible you are blinded by your politics to believe an opinion and toss away the facts?
Black Ops are NOT gorrilla fighters. People killed? Less have died in Afghanistan due to the use of drones. Was you just as concerned for the thousands that died When you say "they" lowered the standards, just whom are they? Vacations compared to whom? Bush? Chefs taken with him? Where is your proof of that, not seen anything in the news regarding that. You say the President is a puppet? Like Bush was with Cheney pulling the strings?
Bah, I know propaganda when it is as blatant as your post.

UE is at record levels for 20 months, Housing foreclosures are up and expected to rise even further.

UE appeared better due to the seasonal workers that were hired for the holidays. Like so many times in the past that great acheivement was adjusted out 2 months later. This just 1 example of the lies and distortions punped out by this admin.

I will keep the special interest and corp influences out of the white house. LOL He has opened the door as wide as it will go to let them in. Well I will give him this, he only lets in his special interest groups and corp sponsors that supported him.

And do not even get me started on the money pit of a health care bill.We have to look at the whole picture not some half truth from a left media and make a responcible decision on these issues.

This independent has seen enough. Repeal obama and that mess of a heath care bill.

Cheer up, you aren't in a depression and McCain isn't president. The unemployment isn't 12%. What did you want? A recovery over night?

Listen folks, slander, twist, and bend the facts to your will, but at the end of the day 85% of any president's promises is pretty amazing. While it is true that some look at the glass half empty and others half full, it still took 8 years to get it empty.

This is one year of a presidency, we still got another year... or 5 hopefully.

Well said.

Hear! Hear! All of you non wealthy working class Americans that are republicans have been duped! You are being played and used. haven't seen any of that "Trickle down" yet, keep waiting for it!!!

Of coarse ive seen trickle down under the health care reform act ive seen my retained income and my services provided by my hmo trickle down to nothing

I am really trying hard to understand. How can you count as a success a bill that does nothing? Job Bills

Or even worse yet, how can you count as a success a bill that actually hurts the USA? Health care

1 Independents thoughts

The bills passed, promises kept. You don't agree with what was promised, so you define them as failure.

I define most of what GW Bush as failure, but he got done a great deal of what he intended and there are still people out there arguing he'll be remembered as a great president.

You're attempting to confuse doing what he said with doing something you don't like. It's an important distinction.

Way to miss the point John. I love bills for jobs and health care, but only if they do what they are suppose to. Create Jobs and provide affordable health care for the masses. We do not care for bills that do nothing or worse yet bills that are a negative on our society. This is not a personal chose but one for the nation. Unlike your blindly following the sheep to slaughter. Take the blue glasses off and deal in reality. Neither bill has even come close to it supposed promises. The Health Care bill is a mess. Riddled with loopholes infavor of Obama supports. It has no teeth to inforce Illegals to not get a further free ride on us. Tort reform needs to be in it, and it needs to include congress as payers/users. It is the only way we can get a health care system that will not spiral downward in quality, while cost further skyrocket. Bad bills are not a success. Jobs bills that create no jobs are a failure. To claim success is to pull yet another smoke and mirror event and call it success. It is truely unfortunate they choose to call success, the further downfall of this nation.

Please wake up John and smell the piles of poop these bills supposed successes are.

Independent and working for the repeal of the Healthcare bill and obama

Thanks for making my point.