What did you think of Obama? | Page 2 | Vital Football

What did you think of Obama?

It's interesting that Obama is largely liked by Europeans, I think a lot of us stand by his morals and why he tried to implement which would be moving to a more British like USA (gun control, healthcare) however a lot of Americans did not like him - especially those in the stereotypical red neck states.

I won a fair chunk of money from Trump winning the election, even listening to the BBC news what the people in the swing states were saying about Hilary and Obama, was different to what the Beeb was reporting.

People have said on here before, culturally we are very different to the yanks.
 
I asked a friend on mine If the Political Bandwagon would be coming near them in North Carolina they replied "Politicians, they don't come down dirt roads"

I smiled and left it there....

 
danvilla2 - 22/1/2017 07:37

I read somewhere (on a respectable business article and not the sun) that the national debt under Obama increased by 89% during his time in office.

Pretty alarming when you consider the amount of debt across every economy, and the growth rates in developed worlds - all built of debt and printing money

Set aside the goodwill which most people had/have for Obama and the stats are terrible.

As you say, massive increase in government debt.

Fall in median income.

Increase in the number of people in poverty.

Seven million jobs created but twenty million increase in population and no increase in the total hours worked by the working population - so more workers working fewer hours.

Further loss of 'bread-winner' jobs in manufacturing.

Decrease in percentage of women in the workforce.

One black person in six now living in poverty - the same as the 1960s.

Big increase in the number of people on food stamps.

Massive increase perceptions of increased racial tensions according to polls.

 
Surely Trumps policies mean he has to take on more debt to keep his promises, in those states where he won his votes feeling the pressure, effectively paying more civil servents to dig a hole then someone else to fill it back in or kill the strength of the USD. I wonder if the debt:GDP ratio reaches 100% during Trumps time or if he thinks it's about time it was managed... I can't see the latter approach, Trump to me will burn out after two years of this job and live for the here and now

 
danvilla2 - 22/1/2017 22:12

Surely Trumps policies mean he has to take on more debt to keep his promises, in those states where he won his votes feeling the pressure, effectively paying more civil servents to dig a hole then someone else to fill it back in or kill the strength of the USD. I wonder if the debt:GDP ratio reaches 100% during Trumps time or if he thinks it's about time it was managed... I can't see the latter approach, Trump to me will burn out after two years of this job and live for the here and now

Republicans obsess over government spending. They perceive all of it to be wasteful and a lot of it is but the only thing giving me hope at the moment is that Trump will instigate a massive public works programme and reinvigorate the global economy.

The American economy is in poor health at the moment as is their national infrastructure. A massive public works programme would benefit both of these in a big way.

Obama increased the national debt by bailing out the banks. It created a massive asset boom without providing any real benefit to the economy.

A massive public works programme would put billions of dollars into the hands of average Americans who would then spend it. This would stimulate demand for goods and services.

If it doesn't happen, we are in for a long global recession.
 
BodyButter - 22/1/2017 14:02

danvilla2 - 22/1/2017 22:12

Surely Trumps policies mean he has to take on more debt to keep his promises, in those states where he won his votes feeling the pressure, effectively paying more civil servents to dig a hole then someone else to fill it back in or kill the strength of the USD. I wonder if the debt:GDP ratio reaches 100% during Trumps time or if he thinks it's about time it was managed... I can't see the latter approach, Trump to me will burn out after two years of this job and live for the here and now

If it doesn't happen, we are in for a long global recession.

It looks impossible to avoid because we in the West are in a race to the bottom with China, which is the Wal-Mart problem writ large, which means the very business model impoverishes their own customer base - constantly push down wages until they can't afford to buy the stuff they are selling.

It would need China to give their people a bigger share of wealth so they could buy more imported goods, instead of amassing capital accumulations which the super-rich now spend on paying footballers £600k a week.

Instead the West are copying the Chinese by importing cheap labour, which increases GDP but lowers GDP per capita, and wages stagnate or fall.

I think the hope that America can repeat the post-war boom, which was created by building the roads and the suburbs is forlorn because global conditions are totally different to the 1950s.



 
Jobless claims the lowest of their kind in over 40 years.
Economists expect hiring to stay strong in 2017.
The labor market is close to full employment
The housing market continues to heal
New home construction starts rose 4.9 percent last year.
2016 ended on a 4.7 percent unemployment rate — the lowest in a decade

There are lies, damned lies and statistics. You can paint whatever picture you want.

What is actually the main problem is the fall in employment for those without a decent educational level. These are in the main the new Trump voters. Unfortunately for them, his plans are doomed before they start.
 
HeathfieldRoad1874 - 23/1/2017 16:43



What is actually the main problem is the fall in employment for those without a decent educational level. These are in the main the new Trump voters. Unfortunately for them, his plans are doomed before they start.

He has plans?

 
HeathfieldRoad1874 - 23/1/2017 15:43

Unfortunately for them, his plans are doomed before they start.

I think you meant to say "Unfortunately for them, he doesn't give a toss. He's on a massive ego trip and is interested only in himself", or words to that effect.

:14:
 
My apologies Gents. Maybe "plans" was a bit strong!!!

Maybe evil schemes would better suit his super-villain persona?

All in all, he's taken over an economy in decent shape, so lets see what he does with it, shall we?
 
HeathfieldRoad1874 - 24/1/2017 09:44

All in all, he's taken over an economy in decent shape, so lets see what he does with it, shall we?

I do fear for the blue collar Americans he's hoodwinked into voting for him, I have to say.

Interesting, and no doubt turbulent, times ahead.
 
HeathfieldRoad1874 - 23/1/2017 15:43

What is actually the main problem is the fall in employment for those without a decent educational level.

As Thomas Sowell would probably put it; when you have a lousy educational system and culture which does not promote independent education, there is huge disadvantage for some minorities.

Good jobs in manufacturing are the first stepping-stone for social mobility and it is sometimes claimed that America's black middle-class was created in Detroit.

That is why preserving well paid manufacturing jobs is so important.
 
I've spent a long time reading about The Presidency and many of the men who have done the job and I have come to the conclusion that it's a no win situation. The American system is set up to limit the power of the President and it does just that. The end result is that none of them post WW2 have actually got anything substantial done. Bill Clinton I think was the best of the lot, left a surplus etc but of course became embroiled in scandal.

As for Obama overall he did as well as he could do and left with no scandal. He was in my opinion the last American statesman. From here on out it will be celebrities or sub par American politicians in the white house as I think we are witnessing the end of the era of American "greatness". He took over at a tough time when America's stock was low due to the Iraq debacle and they were hemorrhaging jobs, he just about steadied the ship. I also believe he kept a lid on a big war with Iran or Russia which Trump and his team of amateurs more than likely will not.

He was a disappointment but most of them are. As I said it's a no win job and designed to be just that.