Things I like about Obama

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Things I like about Obama

Timothy W.
Attorney · Raleigh, NC · Member since 2008 · 4k+ posts · 1k+ votes

In an effort to be real, honest and fair, I will admit I can think of 3 key things I like about Obama.

1. Credit card reform legislation. This was smart and is, for reasons I don't understand, an underplayed bipartisan victory by his administration.

2. Publicly taking his wife to dinner in New York as he promised. I know this may seem like fluff and I know a lot of people gave him flack for spending the money on the "security" and the "flight" there but the Secret Service security is on salary anyway and is 24/7 presidential security because that's the way it is and should be. Also, he took a smaller plane which saved some cost. Aside from that, this was a good investment into the image of a president that honors his wife and family which is a very good thing. Pictures matter and these pictures sent the right message.

3. Personally pursuing the Olympic bid. I don't think this is the greatest priority right now but as an investor I have to say this is a very smart move. First of all, I have no doubt that some Chicago developers who were his campaign finance backing made some calls and said, "Get over there." Aside from that, were the games to be in Chicago it would bring international interest, investment and development to a city geographically located in the center of the US at a key time when international investment could come in very handy. Again, it's not priority #1 right now...but it's not a bad thing to be pursuing.

There's plenty to ***** about but it bears noting that even leaders you fundamentally disagree with may do some things worth mimicking.

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James Hiddle
Altus, OK · Member since 2008 · 2k+ posts · 690 votes
17y

The things I like about Obama:














































































Done

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  • Joseph Ziolkowski
    Inspector · Alsip, IL · Member since 2008 · 361 posts · 75 votes
    16y
    Originally posted by Eddie Ziv:
    Originally posted by Mike M:
    Eddie


    3. Real Estate set all time price highs under W and brought this country to its knees a the end of 2008. Still under Bush and because of his mismanagement.

    Hey Eddie,

    On this topic, just in all fairness, I just wanted to ask the important question of exactly who was responsible for this. While Bush damn sure could have done more to prevent it, it was more the democratically controlled congress (really) that wrote into law some of the things that made this great fiasco possible. They are what compelled the banks to make these bogus loans, often to minorities, to people who could not afford them. Bush didn't have much to say about that. He could, however, have prevented FNMA from screwing around to the point where the government had to take them over almost completely.
    Point is, there is a lot of blame to go around here, so let's not make blanket partisan statements. It isn't fair to anyone. I'm not worried about what president Obama has inherited. Every president inherits a less than perfect situation. I'm worried about what he plans to do with it now that he's got it.
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  • Joseph Ziolkowski
    Inspector · Alsip, IL · Member since 2008 · 361 posts · 75 votes
    16y

    ps, i read my post and wanted to make sure everyone knew that I was in no way saying it's a bad idea to loan to minorities! Only that banks were compelled to loan to them whether they could afford it or not. Leftist thinking at it's absolute worst, as always, looks like a good idea on paper for the first sentence or so, but now, instead of these folks just not having a house, they don't have a house, the banks have a toxic asset, the market is in the crapper, and the faulty borrower has jacked up credit. That's what brought this country to its knees. And as real estate people...yay us, I guess...but as an American citizen, it's awful. So that's why I get a little testy with the blanket statements. There's always more than meets the eye with this stuff. No president does ALL good things. Why, some presidents don't do anything good at all.... .... .. cough cough :)

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  • J ScottPro Member
    Moderator
    Investor · Sarasota, FL · Member since 2008 · 17k+ posts · 17k+ votes
    16y

    I guess Nobel Peace Prize can be added to the list of things that should be liked about Obama.

    Unless, of course, you think peace is a bad goal to strive for, in which case, it probably shouldn't be added to the list.

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  • J ScottPro Member
    Moderator
    Investor · Sarasota, FL · Member since 2008 · 17k+ posts · 17k+ votes
    16y

    First you say:

    Originally posted by Joseph Ziolkowski:
    ...that's why I get a little testy with the blanket statements.

    Then about two sentences later you say:


    ...some presidents don't do anything good at all....


    It's worth noting that consistency is an important key to formation of a convincing argument. Where there are points of inconsistency, one must wonder if the argument is valid in its entirety.

    Though, in this case, despite the inconsistency, I think the point about the entire previous administration (both the President and the democratic congress) being to blame, is a good one.

    Corruption and poor decision making throughout several administrations (on both sides of the political spectrum) have led to the housing crisis. And this administration isn't solving the problem...they're just trying to address the symptoms, which won't keep the patient alive long-term...

    In my opinion...

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  • Timothy W.
    OP
    Attorney · Raleigh, NC · Member since 2008 · 4k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    16y
    Originally posted by J Scott:
    I guess Nobel Peace Prize can be added to the list of things that should be liked about Obama.


    Just one more way he's following Jimmy Carter's footsteps.
    1Reply
  • Mike McKinzie
    Investor · Westminster, CO · Member since 2009 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    16y

    Distortion of history? PLEASE!

    What is distorted about the Dow Jones reaching 14,000 while W Bush was in office? A good investor cashed out before it dropped below 13,000, not a bad investment. The Dow Jones was 8,279 on January 20, 2009. Not exactly half!

    What is distorted about no attacks on US Soil? IT is just a FACT.

    You want to talk Quagmire, look at Afghanistan today, it makes Iraq look like a kindergarten playground. And what did Obama run on, "We need to do more in Afghanistan".

    Let's face it, Obama doesn't have a clue about what he is doing! If you can't see that, there is nothing I can say to change your mind.

    You know what the main problem is, there is no LTV for America to borrow money. It would be akin to a homeowner being upside down and borrowing more money to pay off the difference!

    2Reply
  • Joseph Ziolkowski
    Inspector · Alsip, IL · Member since 2008 · 361 posts · 75 votes
    16y

    Eaaasssyyy there J Scott :mrgreen: As far as the convincing argument goes, I was just stating my opinion in the best way I knew how. I don't care if you believe me or not. I get the feeling you wouldn't believe me regardless anyway, so I was just joining the fray like eveyone else.

    As far as the last comment on my post, that was just meant to be a little dry humor. Albeit geared towards the folks that agreed with my point of view, but certainly nothing to get your britches in a twist over. All in good fun. Though I think just by the nature of what a lot of people in this site do, they are probably going to see things in a more right-ish, capitalist kind of way. I don't get how anyone that does this for a living could believe in anything but personal responsibility, and picking yourself up by the bootstraps to solve your own problems instead of relying on a corrupt (no matter what) government to do it for you. Most people put too much time, effort, and risk into this stuff to think otherwise.

    To reel this puppy back on topic, those things that I just mentioned, by and large, are not what the president believes in his heart. As evidenced by his words and actions both before, and after he got elected. He is fueled purely by ideology, and it simply isn't one that I agree with. I won't go as far as some and unilateraly bash THIS president with no regard for anything good that he's done for this country. When he actually does something good, in my humble opinion, for this country, I will be the first to cheer him on.

    I love this country with all of my heart. So did my great grandfather who came to Ellis Island with nothing, slept under a bridge, learned the language, got a job, bought a fruit cart, and EVENTUALLY opened up a shop.

    No government cheese for him, and he got his piece of the American dream. That's how it should be. No one deserves anything more than opportunity, and freedom to follow it. People from other countries have risked life and limb just to get here for those two things alone. And we have that here, for the moment. Beyond that, no one DESERVES anything. IMHO. Little elbow grease is all it takes, and that's where my views will always differ with some.

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  • Joseph Ziolkowski
    Inspector · Alsip, IL · Member since 2008 · 361 posts · 75 votes
    16y

    Oh, and P.S. I don't see "his Holiness" in the same way that some folks like to. He is just a man. Not a great man, not a holy man, just a man. He is not sent here from on high to point us in the right direction and change the world with hope, or hope the world with change, or whatever the slogan was. Just a man.
    And you know what..he works for ME. He works for all of us. Civil SERVANT. Just like all politicians below him should be as well. Not High Holy King, Not dictator, or His Majesty. I believe, or would like to believe, that he feels in his heart that he is doing the right thing. That is admirable no matter what. But while I think his heart is in the right place, I feel that his head needs to be screwed on about another quarter turn before what's in his heart will not translate into total annihilation of this country as we know it.
    As I said, I love this country. And while I'm certainly right-leaning, even when it's not hip, I'm not particularly attached to the person steering the ship. I couldn't care less who was up there as long as they are going to further, or at least maintain the ideals and standard of living that hundreds of thousands of gallons of blood and tears have paid for since its inception. I feel like we're about to throw the baby out with the bathwater here, and that's never good.

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  • J ScottPro Member
    Moderator
    Investor · Sarasota, FL · Member since 2008 · 17k+ posts · 17k+ votes
    16y
    Originally posted by Tim Wieneke:
    Originally posted by J Scott:
    I guess Nobel Peace Prize can be added to the list of things that should be liked about Obama.


    Just one more way he's following Jimmy Carter's footsteps.


    Yes! And Mother Teresa...
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  • Joseph Ziolkowski
    Inspector · Alsip, IL · Member since 2008 · 361 posts · 75 votes
    16y

    What was it for anyway? It kind of came without a lot of fanfare, surprisingly.

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  • J ScottPro Member
    Moderator
    Investor · Sarasota, FL · Member since 2008 · 17k+ posts · 17k+ votes
    16y
    Originally posted by Mike M:

    What is distorted about no attacks on US Soil? IT is just a FACT.


    Seriously. I don't know why people have such a hard time giving W credit for keeping any attacks from happening after 9/11/01...he deserves major credit for that!

    Of course, he doesn't deserve credit for allowing 3000 people to die from terrorist attacks on 9/11/01, but the fact remaining, other than those 3000 people, 4 airplanes, 2 skyscrapers, and 1 Pentagon, his record was spotless!

    As Mike M said, these are just facts...and it's annoying when people try to distort them.

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  • Joseph Ziolkowski
    Inspector · Alsip, IL · Member since 2008 · 361 posts · 75 votes
    16y

    Whoa! Were we attacked AFTER 9-11, or were we not? 9-11 was an unforgivable tragedy to be sure. It changed everything. We can all agree on that, I think. We can blame our intelligence agency for that one, since they were tipped off and did nothing, but why would the president leap into action over something that hadn't happened yet? W didn't really start making any of his truly bone-headed decisions until after that happened.
    That's because before that, he was focused on things like the economy. After that, cause you know, it hadn't happened BEFORE that, he focused like a laser beam on national security. As a guy on the right, I'll agree that he spent too much, and ignored some things that should have been paid attention to. Believe me, we agree on at least some of that, but damn, a fact is a fact, and the fact is that we were not attacked on U.S. soil after 9-11.
    I understand pulling for your respective side and everything, but if we can't even agree on the same reality, and what actually happened within it, I'd say we're going to have a hard time coming to any kind of terms with this, wouldn't you agree?

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  • J ScottPro Member
    Moderator
    Investor · Sarasota, FL · Member since 2008 · 17k+ posts · 17k+ votes
    16y
    Originally posted by Joseph Ziolkowski:
    Eaaasssyyy there J Scott :mrgreen: As far as the convincing argument goes, I was just stating my opinion in the best way I knew how. I don't care if you believe me or not. I get the feeling you wouldn't believe me regardless anyway, so I was just joining the fray like eveyone else.

    Whoa...why are you getting defensive? I completely agreed with you in my post above...

    There's no arguing that the crisis was the result of stupidity and corruption on the part of politicians on both sides of the line, and going back well before this and the last administration.

    Why do you think I wasn't agreeing with that?

    My point about your statement that I "beat you up on" was that it detracted from the rest of your argument (which I agreed with).

    I was only pointing out that if you make a great argument (which you did), and then you go and make a ridiculous generalization (which you did also, I just didn't realize it was humor), you run the risk of people ignoring the good argument because of the bad generalization.


    I don't get how anyone that does this for a living could believe in anything but personal responsibility...

    Well, some people like to blame God for many of the things that happen, but that's for another thread. I completely agree that people should take 100% responsibility for their lives...


    To reel this puppy back on topic, those things that I just mentioned, by and large, are not what the president believes in his heart. As evidenced by his words and actions both before, and after he got elected. He is fueled purely by ideology, and it simply isn't one that I agree with.

    A lot of people feel that way, just as a lot of people feel the same way about our last President. I guess the difference for me is that the last President was more concerned with building this nation up by knocking others down, whereas the current President seems more interested in building this nation up by building strong relationships.

    That said, I agree that both the past the current administration are too hell-bent on ideology, and not focused enough on solving the real problems.


    I won't go as far as some and unilateraly bash THIS president with no regard for anything good that he's done for this country.

    He hasn't done much good in my opinion. But (also in my opinion) he hasn't done much bad. The last administration didn't do much good either, but (in my opinion) did plenty of bad.


    Beyond that, no one DESERVES anything.

    If you really love this country, you should love what's it's based upon -- The Constitution. And if you believe in The Constitution, you should believe that everyone does deserve at least a couple basic things...

    But I'm guessing we agree on that as well... :)

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  • Joseph Ziolkowski
    Inspector · Alsip, IL · Member since 2008 · 361 posts · 75 votes
    16y

    Point taken. J Scott, please don't believe that I love arguing with you :) I do believe that people deserve a couple of basic things. LIfe, Liberty, and the pursuit of hapiness, which I believe my tiny list covered in different words. Note that it says "the pursuit" of happiness. Not happiness itself. No one deserves to be happy, or wealthy, or even healthy. I say that only because those are things that are mostly within the individual's control. But they sure deserve the right to create those circumstances for themselves as best they can.
    But you hit it right on the nose. Problem solving based on what the majority of people here believe, and the Constitution is what we need. Not partisan anything. No ideaologies allowed from this point out. Just fix the problem. This country is relatively young to have the power that it does, and as such has a lot to learn. It isn't perfect. But I defy anyone to tell me one other country in the world that could have this much power instead, believing what they believe, that wouldn't either turn this whole world into a third world country or simply enslave it.
    Like I said, I'm not attached to a given vessel of my beliefs. I'm attached to the beliefs themselves. The things that I believe, IMO, make things better for everyone. There's some tough love involved, which is hard for some people to swallow, and not much sympathy (except for folks that actually deserve it), but why should most people, swimming in opportunities to better themselves and their lives, in a country so comparitively great, be worthy of sympathy? It will only keep some wallowing in self-pity when they should be wallowing in their own greatness. Which they will NEVER find if they are "taken care of." I don't like it when folks try to take some of my greatness for their own. I want my greatness (wealth, happiness, success, etc.) ALL of it. But I want you and them and everyone else to have that too. Their own. That THEY created all by themselves. How could it be any different when the opportunity is there?
    I'm laid off of work right now, busting my a$$ with my re business, and hoping like he!! I can do something with it before I lose my house. My girlfriend is working 30 hours a week, going to school 50 hours a week, all to earn her greatness. Do we get sympathy? No. Do we want any? Heck no. We could have chosen to stay home and watch tv and hope for the best. We didn't. Bootstraps, remember? Not a single tear has been shed, nor a single hand held out to anyone. And I'll still be rich. And she'll still be a successful nurse. Yay America as we know it now.
    I'd spill my own blood before I'd lose that, so I'm keeping a close eye on what's going on now. I'm just sayin :)

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  • Joseph Ziolkowski
    Inspector · Alsip, IL · Member since 2008 · 361 posts · 75 votes
    16y

    And as a side note to the one comment I didn't address, I'm not Christian, Jewish, or Muslim, though I do respect all three, so my "right wing" type comments are not coming from a place of "cause the Bible tells me so." Nothing wrong with it, just not where I'm coming from. I truly do want the best possible things for myself and everyone else regardless of race, creed, religion, or whatever. We all come from the same place, whatever you call it, but what we have to deal with is life here. That's where I'm coming from.

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  • Tony Thompson
    Real Estate Investor · Kansas CIty, MO · Member since 2009 · 93 posts · 8 votes
    16y

    Just to clear up some things about 9/11.

    9/11 was a false flag event.

    What is a false flag?

    false flag - "False flag operations are covert operations conducted by governments, corporations, or other organizations, which are designed to deceive the public in such a way that the operations appear as if they are being carried out by other entities. The name is derived from the military concept of flying false colors; that is, flying the flag of a country other than one's own. False flag operations are not limited to war and counter-insurgency operations, and have been used in peace-time; for example, during Italy's strategy of tension."

    In other words, a terrost attack setup by covert ops is blamed on an elusive enemy in order to further expand govt, war, military industrial complexes, etc. This is what fascist govts do and is an excellent tool to create dramatic change politically.

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  • Joseph Ziolkowski
    Inspector · Alsip, IL · Member since 2008 · 361 posts · 75 votes
    16y

    Really Tony? I mean...really???

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  • Timothy W.
    OP
    Attorney · Raleigh, NC · Member since 2008 · 4k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    16y
    Originally posted by J Scott:
    Originally posted by Tim Wieneke:
    Originally posted by J Scott:
    I guess Nobel Peace Prize can be added to the list of things that should be liked about Obama.


    Just one more way he's following Jimmy Carter's footsteps.


    Yes! And Mother Teresa...


    You're for shipping him off to India too? Holy cow (pun fully intended) we agree on something!
    0Reply
  • Tony Thompson
    Real Estate Investor · Kansas CIty, MO · Member since 2009 · 93 posts · 8 votes
    16y

    Absolutely Joe! I cant tell if your suprised or being sarcastic.

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  • Timothy W.
    OP
    Attorney · Raleigh, NC · Member since 2008 · 4k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    16y
    Originally posted by Tony Thompson:
    Just to clear up some things about 9/11.


    Thank you for clearing that up. I wish more people who believed like you do would vocalize it so we'd know for sure ahead of time.

    This was the first time in history fire melted steel wasn't it?

    1Reply
  • Joseph Ziolkowski
    Inspector · Alsip, IL · Member since 2008 · 361 posts · 75 votes
    16y

    I don't mean to be sarcastic Tony. No disrepect is ever meant in these forums. Only opinions. And my opinion is that for all of the stupid things that this government has done since its inception, I fully, and with all of my heart do not believe that they did this. I know people think that the military-industrial complex wanted this to happen. I'm sure they weren't too sad about it, but way more people make way more money when America prospers. Government included. The lower the taxes, and the higher the per capita income, the more money government takes in every single time. It wouldn't have made sense for them to do this to us, and basically to themselves from a financial standpoint. Unless you're suggesting that it was the Illuminati or something, which I suppose would be a different thread.

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  • Tony Thompson
    Real Estate Investor · Kansas CIty, MO · Member since 2009 · 93 posts · 8 votes
    16y
    Originally posted by Joseph Ziolkowski:
    I don't mean to be sarcastic Tony. No disrepect is ever meant in these forums. Only opinions. And my opinion is that for all of the stupid things that this government has done since its inception, I fully, and with all of my heart do not believe that they did this. I know people think that the military-industrial complex wanted this to happen. I'm sure they weren't too sad about it, but way more people make way more money when America prospers. Government included. The lower the taxes, and the higher the per capita income, the more money government takes in every single time. It wouldn't have made sense for them to do this to us, and basically to themselves from a financial standpoint. Unless you're suggesting that it was the Illuminati or something, which I suppose would be a different thread.


    I'll start my own thread on 9/11, you in? I couldnt help it... its one thing that I am perhaps too passionate about.
    0Reply
  • Joseph Ziolkowski
    Inspector · Alsip, IL · Member since 2008 · 361 posts · 75 votes
    16y

    Sure, why not :)

    0Reply
  • Matthew Gil
    Real Estate Investor · Member since 2008 · 340 posts · 34 votes
    16y
    Originally posted by Tony Thompson:
    Just to clear up some things about 9/11.

    9/11 was a false flag event.

    What is a false flag?

    false flag - "False flag operations are covert operations conducted by governments, corporations, or other organizations, which are designed to deceive the public in such a way that the operations appear as if they are being carried out by other entities. The name is derived from the military concept of flying false colors; that is, flying the flag of a country other than one's own. False flag operations are not limited to war and counter-insurgency operations, and have been used in peace-time; for example, during Italy's strategy of tension."

    In other words, a terrost attack setup by covert ops is blamed on an elusive enemy in order to further expand govt, war, military industrial complexes, etc. This is what fascist govts do and is an excellent tool to create dramatic change politically.




    "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Dr. Carl Sagan

    I have yet to see evidence that proofs that 9/11 was a black ops operation.

    0Reply
  • Joseph Ziolkowski
    Inspector · Alsip, IL · Member since 2008 · 361 posts · 75 votes
    16y

    Yep. And like I said, it doesn't make any sense for them to do so. When we are prosperous, so are they. And when we are prosperous, we tend not to ask questions. Since 9/11, lots of questions have been asked. It just makes it harder for them to get away with anything.

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