The reason there is so much tension is because Obama is, as it turns out, a far left president of a center-right country. I say "as it turns out," because Obama ran as a moderate in the months leading up to the general election. However, from the time he was sworn into office, he has, for the most part, governed from the far left. To make matters worse, he has given almost no regard to his grandiose campaign promises. Apparently he regards all of that rhetoric as water under the bridge. As a result, many people who voted for Obama feel like they have been sold a bill of goods, and that they have been lied to. Consequently, people are not happy with the direction of this country: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/direction_of_country-902.html And Barack Obama's poll numbers are falling fast: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/president_obama_job_approval-1044.html No one should be surprised by any of this.
A_3PO speaks the truth ^^^ that's exactly what's going on, coupled with a subconscious anger due to the fact that Obama is black. If you think about it, the only people who supported Bush all the way to the end of his term are the same people you'd expect to be angry at a black president.
the brits and french, or at least Brown and Sarkozy, probably feel less sanguine about Obama than your colleagues, and they're burning Obama in effigy in Kabul.
First, he is a black man and some can not stand that. Second, he is a liberal and others can not stand that. Third, part of what makes the USA great is competition, so it is the same ole, same ole. DD
Perhaps reading comprehension isn't your strength, but if you're trying to show that Obama is responsible for people feeling the country is on the wrong track, you probably shouldn't post a poll that shows that the number voting "wrong track" has dropped by 13% since Obama became president and the number voting "right track" has increased by 16%. The numbers certainly aren't good, and they're not as good as they were in June, but they're still a hell of a lot better than they were the day he took office.
Can you put together a guide as to when it is good or bad to be admired abroad and/or by foreign leaders? You have changed your opinion on this too many times to mention to the point of it being one your most embarrassing issues - which is saying something, given your record here.
Sam, the guide is very simple and he has described it for all to see. If a foreign leader/entity has anything positive to say about Obama, that is a leader/entity to reject. If a foregin leader/entity has anything negative to say about Obama, that is a leader/entity to respect and post on the interwebz with all due haste! Leaders can flip from one list to the other very quickly (reject to respect and back), and that is no problem. What are you missing exactly? This is a central pillar of the rudderless, leaky, angry vessel on which the dude sails.
As a foreigner looking in, if you ignore what he says and look at what he has done (or rather not done), he is continuing a lot of what Bush started, which is why I find it surprising the conservatives are so angry with Obama... - Bail outs - Expensive foreign wars - Big deficits - No big moves to reduce dependence on oil that I know of I'm not passing judgment on whether these are the right things to do, just saying it is strange that people that supported Bush would be so upset over what Obama is doing/hasn't done.
Left. Right. Liberal. Conservative. Socialism. Capitalism. Black. White. Jew. Catholic. Muslim. Truth. Lies. Words, words, words. Personally, I think all of these labels are ridiculous. Categorizing people (or yourself) is stupid. Unfortunately, people do it. Unfortunately, this categorization leads to hate. Unfortunately, this hate is counter-productive. Unfortunately, being counter-productive is not in our best interest. I've thought along the same lines as Mathloom, but then I just think that this is the first time I've ever cared to look into politics (a year ago, I didn't know what the left/right referenced, for example) and so perhaps this has gone on for a long time. Either way, right now, it's absolutely ridiculous and I wish people would cease clinging to ideologies and simply ask themselves: what is the best thing for this country?
How could you make two egregious errors in one sentence? Obama is far from a "far left president" and I would challenge you to provide any evidence whatsoever that he governs from the far left. Americans consistently poll through the roof for liberal ideals. Things like Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, and public education are some of the most popular programs in this country's history. Healthcare reform is polling above 60% right now, that isn't the sign of a "center-right country."
Public Opinion is a big boulder of inertia. To move it even a little one way or another takes a lot of effort; it takes proposal of the most radical of ideas to create the most minimal shift. Obama's radical left agenda (public health insurance? derivatives regulation? reconciliation with gays in the military? ending the occupation of Iraq?) will be so watered down by the time the lobbyist's lackeys get through with it there isn't much threat to America's way of life. The rich guys will still be rich.
when you stand for nothing, other than the most ephemeral of concepts (hopenchange) you open yourself up to criticism for everything. coupled with an extremely thin skinned personality, and attempts to demonize opponents as racists and domestic terrorists, and a media that largely has uncritically accepted these characterizations, it's small wonder his opponents have been portrayed as shrill and unhinged. W at least had a certain rectitude when it came to the press, and didn't pay nearly the heed to press criticism that O has; frankly, i wold have thought he had more important things to do.
