Close Topic Options

Pres. Barack Obama's Next Move - Page 37

Obama is thinking of potentially nationalizing your 401k. Think of it at forced purchasing of government annuities. And why would the government want to do this? Probably, because the Chinese are tired of doing it for us and the idea of cutting spending just plain freaks out DC (in my humble but yet bent opinion).

Source 8

The thing I love is that they are looking at the net worth of our 401k's (3.6 Trillion) and trying to figure out how to get their hands into more of it than they will when we take some out at retirement anyway, but yet dont ask the question of how did it get to 3.6 trillion USD. It got there because we were allowed to invest in better investments than government bonds!

Rather off topic, but...
I do actually find it interesting that there is little contributions to the Obama's Next Move topic as of late (other than by News). I can take this as a sign that everyone is deliriously happy with Barry or that the malaise has deepened.

It was just announced that we are now 12.2 Trillion in debt and yet still very little discussion on how to cut spending. We are instead still focused on how to keep the spending orgy going by supplementing it with more and more of OUR money.

Yeah...Washington feels soooo different.

Move Obamas Barack Pres

There are so many Obama Threads here that I think Members just get lost in what's available. Or perhaps they are just 'lost' as to his next moves as they're too busy worrying about employment or their home going up for foreclosure.

Rather off topic, but...
In the new Bottom Bar there is a link called "Major News" that highlights some of his other Threads.

Pres. Barack Obama's Next Move History & Civil Business Politics

I'm somewhat mutable on President Obama. I think it was time for a different type of President, regardless of what he actually brings to the table, just because American needs to realize we're in the 21st Century - it had to be him or Hillary or something, to get away from the "Good Ol Boys" club of boring white guys.

As far as his policy, I'm disillusioned on a lot of things he said he'd change or fix or get rid of, or add to, things he said he supported and would pass, getting rid of the Patriot Act is something I was hoping for, and things like that, but he's done nothing significantly different than Bush, currently-active policy-wise.

I'm not actually surprised, really, I had just hoped for more, for "Change", but have to say I didn't really expect much, as I feel Presidents are essentially figureheads, there is an existing subtle machine, metaphorically, that controls and decides public policy, social issues, and the direction the country goes, and Presidents get briefed and make decision using the info provided by this machine, and function as its avatar, to the rest of the world - they get their own pet projects to play around with, but as far as significant decisions of the country itself, that's all part of the collection of veteran politicians and military and intelligence guys that have been running the country the same way for I don't know how long. I'm not saying it's any kind of conspiracy, I'm just saying that is how the government functions, it's like an unwritten textbook tidbit.

So his healthcare thing - eh. If the ideal plan were put into place, for the poor anyway, they'd be able to get free healthcare, no matter what kind it was, from anitbiotics to x-rays, cancer treatment and hospital stays. I'm not sure about the insurance aspect, as I've never had it and don't foresee having it, so it isn't part of the issue for me.

As far as this healthcare being some kind of socialist plot or whatever the claim is, I think that's pretty irresponsible reactionary rabble rousing, to what end I really don't know. And some claims are even that this same healthcare idea was the same the Nazis used or something - which says to me: and? Just because they Nazis had a healthcare plan doesn't make the PLAN evil - it was likely pretty efficient and hammered out at length by its designers. But this one seems a bit on the rushed side, so if it goes through, while I'm not worried about the US becoming Socialist Marxist Communist Nazis or whatever the multitude of warnings are, but I fear it won't function as it is supposed to, and will sort of fall by the wayside.

Page 37 Move Obamas Barack Pres

I think that is what gets to me most...he preached and ran against Bush and not really McCain. However, when he got the job, he has basically continued everything Bush had done and not enacted anything that would be really different from Bush. And yet with all that, the hatred and contempt that was all Bush is not there...yet.

We can say that he improved the image of the US. Chavez and Castro hail him most of the time, but is that really progress. Reading comments I have seen overseas about their opinions of Obama and it is telling. He is a very eloquent speaker or something about his speaking is usually first. Sarkozy has already gotten a read on Obama as being basically all show and no substance. I have read other comments along the same lines from Germany. We have really done a job on our friends the Polish and made no apologies. No one liked Bush, but Obama seems to be cementing himself as a ineffective mouth piece. I am not sure which is better...to be irrelevant or despised?

Edited: Vincenzo on 26th Jan, 2010 - 11:03pm

Move Obamas Barack Pres

You both do realize that you are basically confirming this: Illuminati: New World Order in which most say that no matter if Bush, Obama or whomever is elected things will always run the same because they are just the front for those who are really calling the shots. Look at both links I listed here those are the actual government related Topics that I wonder why no one replies to because it seems whether it is Obama or Bush the Next Move is not really their decision.

Pres. Barack Obama's Next Move

I wouldnt go as far as to say that Presidents are just front men or puppets of another entity. I still firmly believe the spirit in which the government was intended.

Legislators legislate our domestic policies and are a primary check for the Executive Branch with their veto override power.
Executive Branch is in charge of our international policies and are a check for the Judicial Branch and Legislative Branch as they can appoint the justices and veto laws.
Judicial Branch passes judgement on complaints where laws are not followed and are a check for the Legislative branch.

The problem I see and why I knew that Obama had little chance to change much in the US is that the government is a behemoth. Once started in a particular direction, it is very very very difficult to change its path and no amount of good intentions can change it quickly. The majority of Obama's promises were not actually his to make. The domestic reform would actually have to be legislated (this is why he has issued a abnormal amount of Executive Orders) by congress. Pulling out of the war with Iraq is a decision that he would have a fair amount of control over, but once put in charge of making the decision he saw how difficult it would be to do just that...other governments wouldnt be too happy. Closing Quantanimo should be fairly easy as it was easy to say, but the reality of where the prisoners go really wasnt dealt with by Obama on the trail and he is still having trouble to figure it out. Health care as we see is almost entirely in the hands of congress...not Obama.

The power to change America is in many hands and congress has way more power than we would like to believe. Congress is a club and once you get in you just try and figure out how to stay in the club. The problem is that what we, the people, want immediately isnt always good for the longterm. And more importantly, what congress thinks makes us happy, isnt always in our longterm best interest. I do believe that special interest have a bit too much pull in our government, but we only call it special interest when we feel it to be sinister, but I don't think that a handful of people control the government behind the scenes regardless of public opinion.

Pres. Barack Obama's Move - Page 37

Well I think Vincenzo is right mostly. I overstated my meaning, as I tend to exaggerate or use hyperbole when I write, as I like writing somewhat humor related stuff like reviews of bad movies and such, so the "puppet of a shadow government" idea was quite a bit of artistic license on my part. I agree that what is at work is the juggernaut of the existing government and its direction has decades of momentum and inertia going in a certain path, and things that are being developed on the fly, during the ride, that apply directly to the way things are headed, which will just serve to KEEP things going the way they are - the vicious cycle idea.

The idea of the President still being mostly a figurehead still stands, I believe, though maybe not due to the nefarious machinations of evil puppetmaster supervillains. But like, Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney. They've been in Presidential cabinets and positions of influence and power since Nixon's term, and so have been somewhere in the steam tunnels and plumbing and inner workings on the US government for decades, quite obviously stupendously influential, as exemplified when Busy W. Pulled them out in the light (almost seemingly against their will) and exposed them to everybody, giving them appointments and such. Things like that are what make me think there is a certain force or mechanic working against Obama, or any President, who may have had all the best intentions to actually enact the policy they campaigned on, but basically got taken into the back room and came out looking stone faced and saying "Er yeah, that other stuff I said - I've changed my mind."

Pres. Barack Obama's Move Politics Business Civil & History - Page 37

Obama: Counterfeit Change and No-Excuse Lies
By Dr. Goldstein

Cheers and applause broke out as Obama assured us "I will never lie to you" while Oprah cried her puddle of tears. Little did we know that Obama was just another smooth-talking politician, telling "the folks" exactly what they wanted to hear. I'll admit it: I was one of the people he suckered. Obama's lies were awesome and they got me really pumped up. Ref. Source 4