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The Obama Legacy Historians’ first look
[url]http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/01/53-historians-on-obamas-legacy.html[/url]
NYmag published a first look at the Obama legacy, polling a series of questions to 53 historians.
Was just listening to Smerconish and he did the last hour or so of his President’s Day show interviewing perhaps 6 of them.
I’m still working through the written piece, but some of the points made were pretty interesting.
Likely to be a detriment to his legacy: The expansion of the security state and the erosion of civil liberties. Drone warfare also likely to be viewed negatively in the future.
Positives: Civil rights. Health care.
Overall view seems to be that Obama has governed as a moderate. Not the radical progressive that liberals wanted and the conservatives feared.
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41 Replies
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Idolatry is not becoming.
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I’m not sure he can be positive for civil rights but at the same time we’re living in a surveilance state. You have the right to have all your cell phone meta data etc…monitored by the government without warrant.
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he will be viewed quite positively because he came in with a mess…regardless of what Axelrod says Obama has done more for gay rights than any President.gas at all time low..the Osama end…ACA(just getting it passed is an accomplishment)
drones versus American lives at risk on the ground( 6 in one hand 6 in the other)..no huge sex scandal in office..has handled every storm in an appropriate manner with no flyover
no drama( that’s on the other side sick with Obama derangement syndrome)-
He is a total embarrassment on foreign policy and has flat out lied to the American public more than any president anyone can remember, particularly with what his “signature” legislation was.
Under his watch the IRS, NSA and defense have no accountability. Holder continued corrupt banking practices. Least transparent president in history, ask anyone in the white house press corps,
Give me a break-
oh please cause the haters are going to hate..so shake it off
a President who knows what the internet is and how to use it
a total embarrassment is the speaker and Bibi
united front with Europe vs Putin.. Stronger ties with India/New Zealand as we continue with the Asia tilt /Cuba
under his leadership record setting brought to justice health care cheats
no lies to get us into a war…what did Powell say you break it and you own it now how is your brother going to run for Pres and not talk about an 8 year long event
when did the Patriot Act go into effect but the haters are going to hateQuote from Cigar
He is a total embarrassment on foreign policy and has flat out lied to the American public more than any president anyone can remember, particularly with what his “signature” legislation was.
Under his watch the IRS, NSA and defense have no accountability. Holder continued corrupt banking practices. Least transparent president in history, ask anyone in the white house press corps,
Give me a break
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the younger generation will look upon him fondly for not doing stupid stuff
equal pay
showing grace with complete a###H###
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Quote from Noah’sArk
he will be viewed quite positively because he came in with a mess…regardless of what Axelrod says Obama has done more for gay rights than any President.gas at all time low..the Osama end…ACA(just getting it passed is an accomplishment)
drones versus American lives at risk on the ground( 6 in one hand 6 in the other)..no huge sex scandal in office..has handled every storm in an appropriate manner with no flyover
no drama( that’s on the other side sick with Obama derangement syndrome)What’d he do for gay rights? It seemingly all been state level changes.
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Jonathon Bersntein with a [i]BloombergView[/i] op-ed
Obamacare now above water in approval and is pretty much tied to Obama.
[url]http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/marco-rubio-leads-gop-2016-field-new-poll-article-1.2195732[/url]
Rubio takes an early lead in the GOP 2016 field.
[link=http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/2433545-155/bernstein-obamacare-obama-will-be-popular]http://www.sltrib.com/opi…-obama-will-be-popular[/link]The simplest explanation for the rise {in ACA approval} has nothing to do with the law or health care at all. An improved economy has caused about a five-percentage-point recovery in Barack Obama’s approval ratings. As the president becomes more popular, the law most closely identified with him benefits too.
And he is probably going to be a lot more popular in five years than he is now. Former presidents usually bask in a nostalgic glow after they leave office. While events could still make a difference, Obama is well-positioned to take advantage of that effect: To date, at least, he has no major wars to regret, and the nation hasn’t plunged into a new recession.
If long-term public opinion on Obamacare is tied to long-term public opinion of Obama, it may wind up polling a lot better in 2020 than it does in 2015.
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Not to put too fine a point on it but …
These last weeks of June 2015 will be the biggest of Obama’s Presidency and will cement his legacy for better or worse.
Coming before the end of the Month-
* SCOTUS on Same Sex Marriage.
* SCOTUS on the legality of the ACA
* Iranian nuclear accord (or not)
* Transpacific Trade Deal gets done (with Democrats on board — or withers on the vine without)
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[b]Transpacific Trade Deal gets done (with Democrats on board — or withers on the vine without)[/b]
God I hope the democrats crush him on this. Call me a socialist but How in the world can an American worker compete against countries willing to work for 50 cents an hour-
Politico: [url=http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/07/divining-the-obama-legacy-120238.html#.VbVLM_lViko]Divining the Obama Legacy[/url]
With 18 months left in his presidency, current events could of course add or subtract from his standing. Moreover, whether a Democrat or a Republican succeeds him in office will certainly make a difference in how we view him. A successor building on Obamacare or dismantling it will partly shape his historical reputation. How successfully the next president manages the economy and foreign affairs, especially the agreement with Iran on nuclear weapons, whether he or she builds on the recognition of Cubas government, which has broken a 55-year stalemate on relations with Castros regime, whether ISIL is defeated or becomes a greater force across the Middle East, whether Obamas track record on trade relations, especially in East Asia, add to U.S. prosperity will all be determining forces in shaping Obamas historical reputation. There is every reason to think his reputation could make as long a journey from bad to good (and possibly back again) as Harry Trumans did.
I think its fair to say that Obamas legacy will include memories of him as Americas first African-American president, who in the final months of his term forcefully addressed the enduring issue of race and anti-black prejudice in America, or, as the Washington Post put it in a July 15 story, The Black President Some Worried about Has Arrived. His legacy will certainly include the expansion of national health insurance to all Americans; the importance of equal treatment in the workplace for women and gays, including in the military; and the right of gay couples to enjoy the same benefits as married heterosexual couples. And while not successful in obtaining far-reaching legislation since Obamacaredue in no small part to persistent GOP opposition in the House and Senatehe has raised public consciousness about modernizing the countrys aging infrastructure and the need for greater gun control in a country plagued by easy access to firearms and the horrors it has perpetrated in Colorado, Connecticut, South Carolina and many other places all over the country.
At the end of the day, it is difficult to believe that Obamacare and the nuclear arms deal with Iran as well as a recovering economy wont command widespread public approval as major achievements that made America a more humane society, and the world community more peaceful or less endangered by reckless leaders armed with weapons of mass destruction. Finally, Obama seems more than likely to be remembered for his continuity with the progressive tradition established by Theodore Roosevelts Square Deal and carried forward by Woodrow Wilsons New Freedom, FDRs New Deal, Harry Trumans Fair Deal, John Kennedys New Frontier, and LBJs War on Poverty and Great Society. Its a record any president could be proud of.
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He’s more of Americas first mulatto president. I think it’s all to early to tell.
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First Presidency ranking survey for post-Obama:
[url=http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2017/02/17/Historians-rank-Obama-at-No-12-in-survey-of-greatest-US-presidents/7821487369055/]Historians rank Obama at No. 12 in survey of greatest U.S. presidents[/url]
[url]https://static.c-span.org/assets/documents/presidentSurvey/2017%20C-SPAN%20Presidential%20Survey%20Scores%20and%20Ranks%20FINAL.PDF[/url]
Abraham Lincoln (1861-65) retained the top spot and has been at No. 1 for all three surveys. George Washington (1789-97) was ranked second and Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-45) third. Theodore Roosevelt (1901-09) and Dwight Eisenhower (1953-61) round out the top five — followed by Harry Truman (1945-53), Thomas Jefferson (1801-09), John Kennedy (1961-63), Ronald Reagan (1981-1989) and Lyndon Johnson (1963-69).
The five lowest rated presidents are James Buchanan (1857-61), with a score of 245, Andrew Johnson (1865-69), Franklin Pierce (1853-57), Warren Harding (1921-23) and John Tyler (1841-45).
George W. Bush ranked 33rd, up three spots, Bill Clinton was 15th and George H.W. Bush rated 20th. Donald Trump will be evaluated in a future survey after he leaves office.
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First affirmative action president.
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How will he be judged? It’ll depend on a) what he does from now on, a la Richard Nixon, and b) how the next few president do, a la Jimmy Carter.
In 1974 everyone wanted Richard Nixon gone, to be heard from nevermore. The last decade of his life he was revered. In 1980, Jimmy Carter was the worst president ever. Now, he is look upon in a different light.
Of course, when you leave office and build houses for poor people instead of giving 500,000 speeches, your rating is bound to go up. -
In future historians eyeswill be a middle of the road president
The fact that he is the first non white guy elected is very important
He managed the financial collapse OK but by giving half of the stimulus money directly to the states he missed a huge chance to improve our infrastructure
He did champion diversity and andvanced human rights
Brought dignity and honesty to the office
But he couldn’t manage to figure out a way to work with the opposition and could not get much done
Obamacare not sure how history will view that
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Was a decent ethical human.
Was weak on foreign policy. Most times seemed to be too much of a fatalist when it came to the middle east – would probably have been willing to commit American lives if he saw higher chances of success.
In the immediate aftermath of his tenure I think folks are beginning to see that less drama is perhaps better than more when it comes to the oval office.
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No drama Obama is greatly missed –ability to do press conferences–never reduced a reporter to a secretary–never told an orthodox Jewish reporter to sit down–never had a Kelly Anne make up a massacre–never expressed love for Putin–the list is endless
Quote from rayZor
Was a decent ethical human.
Was weak on foreign policy. Most times seemed to be too much of a fatalist when it came to the middle east – would probably have been willing to commit American lives if he saw higher chances of success.
In the immediate aftermath of his tenure I think folks are beginning to see that less drama is perhaps better than more when it comes to the oval office.
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It was as if my very presence in the White House had triggered a deep-seated panic, a sense that the natural order had been disrupted. Which is exactly what Donald Trump understood when he started peddling assertions that I had not been born in the United States and was thus an illegitimate president. For millions of Americans spooked by a Black man in the White House, he promised an elixir for their racial anxiety.
Barack Obama, from his new memoir, [link=https://amzn.to/35n8b29][i]A Promised Land[/i][/link].
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How long do we have to contend with this American racial anxiety and animus from the Republican Party?
Still some time to go I think. I think a return of these ex-Democrats will take a long time if it ever happens. The Southern Strategy was too successful. -
Good thing he was re-elected for a third term. 4 more years to expand the regulatory state through rule ‘with a pen and a phone’.
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Well it is either that or having a white nationalist anti science anti education narcissist trying to establish a political dynasty based upon conspiracy and 3:00 am tweets
I will take the third term
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The Regulatory State. Yes, oppression with Voting Rights and Civil Rights, Clean Air Act (waddaya mean companies can dump mercury into the air & water?) & Clean Water Act, pollution in general, consumer protection ( waddaya mean, Wells Fargo can open accounts for me that I know nothing about & then charge me fees and penalties & ruin my credit?), stop & frisk for no reason, etc, etc, etc.
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Obama was a disaster and historians will report that once enough time has passed for bias to not come into play.
He was likely the worst foreign policy President in the last 100 years (between him or Bush) with the terrible “lead from behind” nonsense, the failed Syrian “red line”, the allowance of ISIS growth, the Libya “invasion, letting China explode in growth, etc.
He presided over the worst economic growth after a recession ever due to excessive regulation and no tax cuts. I will give him a slight pass though because he did try to pass some corporate tax cuts but both Lefties and Republicans wouldn’t do it at the time.
The racial tensions flared up during his reign – Ferguson, etc. Let’s not forget Obama basically declared the guy “his son.”
No immigration reform. Illegal DACA/DAPA orders. Huge deportations. Started the “kids in cages” situation.
There was a reason his approval rating was in the 40s most of the time even with 95% approval from 13% of the population. -
RE “racial tensions” flaring up, why? Was his mild admonition to that cop in Massachusetts too harsh? You recall, the “beer summit” about the cop refusing to believe that black guy’s claim about living in that house in Harvard?
As for “his son” quote, show me please. In context.
Nothing like spinning reality about all the above.
Oh, and for all his “unpopularity,” he got re-elected. And now his “3rd term” with more votes than ever cast for a presidential candidate in history.
Yes, sounds like a failure.
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Quote from Cubsfan10
Obama was a disaster and historians will report that once enough time has passed for bias to not come into play.
He was likely the worst foreign policy President in the last 100 years (between him or Bush) with the terrible “lead from behind” nonsense, the failed Syrian “red line”, the allowance of ISIS growth, the Libya “invasion, letting China explode in growth, etc.
Donald Trump sold out the Kurds and under questionable motives. This didn’t seem to make much news with elections and all but this is as corrupt as it gets.
[link=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/10/trump-turkey-bank-scandal-corruption-erdogan-halkbank-conflict-interest.html]https://nymag.com/intelli…conflict-interest.html[/link]
DJT has kissed the ring of every authoritarian. He looked like a simpleton next to Putin. -
Obamas economic growth was steady and consistent
Anyone denying this is immune to facts or reality
Job creation was much higher than the current clown show
Wages began to increase his second term
Market performance for Obama saw gains of 150% in 8 years
Trump administration lost jobs and saw market gains of 20%
Again I ll take the guy with the better numbers
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Quote from Cubsfan10
Obama was a disaster and historians will report that once enough time has passed for bias to not come into play.
He was likely the worst foreign policy President in the last 100 years (between him or Bush) with the terrible “lead from behind” nonsense, the failed Syrian “red line”, the allowance of ISIS growth, the Libya “invasion, letting China explode in growth, etc.
He presided over the worst economic growth after a recession ever due to excessive regulation and no tax cuts. I will give him a slight pass though because he did try to pass some corporate tax cuts but both Lefties and Republicans wouldn’t do it at the time.
The racial tensions flared up during his reign – Ferguson, etc. Let’s not forget Obama basically declared the guy “his son.”
No immigration reform. Illegal DACA/DAPA orders. Huge deportations. Started the “kids in cages” situation.
There was a reason his approval rating was in the 40s most of the time even with 95% approval from 13% of the population.
This is the most deranged post I’ve read in a long time. -
I think it has a name, ODS or Obama Derangement Syndrome. Was very common on these threads 4-12 years ago. I could never figure out how to clean the spittle off my computer screen from the inside; had to replace screens every so often.
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On Legacy and rankings:
[h1][b]Large Numbers Say Trump Was One of the Worst Ever[/b][/h1]A new [link=https://static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2020/12/Fox_December-6-9-2020_National_Topline_December-11-Release.pdf]Fox News poll[/link] finds that 42% of voters say history will remember President Trump as one of the worst presidents ever.
An additional 8% say he will be remembered as below average.
[link=https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/20/politics/trump-presidency-history-analysis/index.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_allpolitics+%28RSS%3A+CNN+-+Politics%29]Harry Enten[/link]: Americans are usually fairly resistant to giving such a low rating as they have assigned to Trump. No other president hit even 20% for the lowest rating. The average percentage for the lowest rating (either poor or one of the worst) had been 14% before Trump.[/QUOTE]
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Quote from samichlaus
Quote from Cubsfan10
Obama was a disaster and historians will report that once enough time has passed for bias to not come into play.
He was likely the worst foreign policy President in the last 100 years (between him or Bush) with the terrible “lead from behind” nonsense, the failed Syrian “red line”, the allowance of ISIS growth, the Libya “invasion, letting China explode in growth, etc.
He presided over the worst economic growth after a recession ever due to excessive regulation and no tax cuts. I will give him a slight pass though because he did try to pass some corporate tax cuts but both Lefties and Republicans wouldn’t do it at the time.
The racial tensions flared up during his reign – Ferguson, etc. Let’s not forget Obama basically declared the guy “his son.”
No immigration reform. Illegal DACA/DAPA orders. Huge deportations. Started the “kids in cages” situation.
There was a reason his approval rating was in the 40s most of the time even with 95% approval from 13% of the population.
This is the most deranged post I’ve read in a long time.
Ha, I guess I never saw this before. Good chuckle. Everything I said in that post was true. Calling me “deranged” doesn’t change that. It only makes you look mean and incapable of looking at both Obama and Trump objectively. I’m happy to write a post of all of the bad things Trump did too but I’m not going to gloss over Obama.
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cause the Haters are going to hate…shake it off
Obama has shown the people of Israel the true egotistical it’s al labout me side of Bibi
Quote from aldadoc
Idolatry is not becoming.
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For not doing stupid stuff?
OMG
Stupid is as stupid does.
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no stupid is the Iraq war
the GOP are up to their tricks ..they want to diminish Obama’s legacy so Hill may distance herself from him and his voting base..so the trickle of right voters that show up in 2016 will get them back in the white house…won’t work…people know what state the country was in when Obama was electedQuote from radmike
For not doing stupid stuff?
OMG
Stupid is as stupid does.
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[b]Trump Wants an Airport Named After Him[/b][/h1]
[link=https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-is-already-wondering-what-airport-will-bear-his-name]Daily Beast[/link]: In the dying days of his presidency, Donald Trump has taken to asking some aides and advisers about the process of naming airports after former U.S. presidents, according to two people whove heard him recently inquiring on this.
One of the two sources relayed that, in the past three weeks, Trump mentioned that no president wants an American airport that has a bad reputation or crumbling infrastructure named after them. The other knowledgeable source said that Trump had, at one point since the 2020 election, offhandedly asked what kind of paperwork was necessary to get an airport named after a former president.-
To Trump, it is always about bling.
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If you have to ask or pay for something to be named after you, then you don’t deserve anything to be named after you.
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[link=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/531557-half-of-americans-in-new-survey-say-history-will-view-trump-as-failed]Half of Americans in new survey say history will view Trump as ‘failed’ president[/link]
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About right, with 81 mil vs 74 mil in past election, roughly 1/2 see him as a total failure while the other roughly 1/2 see him as God’s appointed. There is no middle ground. The middle is an empty wasteland.
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[h1][b]Bezos Donates $100 Million to the Obama Foundation, will name after John Lewis[/b][/h1]
Jeff Bezos has given $100 million to the Obama Foundation, [link=https://puck.news/bezos-and-obamas-surprise-100-million-marriage/]Puck[/link] reports.
The gift, the largest single donation ever made to the Foundation, has no restrictions on its use. But it is very common, and increasingly controversial, for major donors to be granted some naming honor in return for a donation of that size, be it a Sackler wing of The Louvre or a Koch theater at Lincoln Center. In this instance, though, Bezos asked for the public plaza near the center to be named the John Lewis Plaza, after the late congressman and civil rights icon part of an intentional strategy, the foundation said, to change the paradigm around naming.’
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[link=https://thehill.com/news/3257919-obama-to-make-white-house-return-to-tout-aca-successes/]Obama to make White House return to tout ACA successes
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Former President [link=https://thehill.com/people/barack-obama/]Barack Obama[/link] is set to participate in an event celebrating the Affordable Care Act at the White House on Tuesday, his first public appearance in his former home since leaving office.
[link=https://thehill.com/people/barack-obama/]Obama[/link], alongside President [link=https://thehill.com/people/joe-biden/]Biden[/link] and Vice President [link=https://thehill.com/people/kamala-harris/]Kamala Harris[/link], is scheduled to deliver remarks celebrating the success of the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid in extending affordable health insurance to millions of Americans as part of the Presidents agenda to cut costs for American families, according to a White House agenda.
The agenda added that Biden is expected to announce additional measures to strengthen the act, which was first signed 12 years ago during [link=https://thehill.com/people/barack-obama/]Obama[/link]s first term in office[/QUOTE]
