Politics Obama - Actually doing a good job?

A good friend of mine is very active in Obama's grassroots organization, Organizing for Action. I'm going with her to an OFA meeting this afternoon to hear about plans for ramping up OFA over the coming weeks and months.

 

Chelsea Manning sentence commuted - CNNPolitics.com

Obama commuted Chelsea Manning's sentence and she will be out in May 17, 2017 instead of the 35 year sentence she was given.
I didn't realize how strongly I felt about this but when I saw the President had commuted her sentence I just cheered.
It was absolutely the right thing to do.

 

Completely agree.

So much more meaningful that the tax dodging donor that Clinton pardoned.

 

I will hold one thing against Obama: Not fighting, politically, & legally if necessary, for the Supreme Court appointment.

Did he assume a Democrat would be elected POTUS?

Were the Republicans in a power position to legally delay the hearing(s)?

I need to research this, but his (apparent) inaction seriously bothers me.

--- Double Post Merged, Jan 18, 2017, Original Post Date: Jan 18, 2017 ---

I should've written

(actual? apparent?) inaction.

 

I doubt he will do it but it would be funny if on his last day he used some obscure provision to just appoint his choice of Justice, then walk out the door.
Let the bastards fight it out from there.
They probably wouldn't let the appointment take the seat but it would be a shit storm for them to try and do it.

 

That would be interesting.....but he should've been trying just as soon as possible.

Allowing the opportunity to pass is inexcusable, esp with Trump in office now/soon.

I need to be on a computer, not my phone, to post all my thoughts, and to research this.

--- Double Post Merged, Jan 18, 2017, Original Post Date: Jan 18, 2017 ---

Well said.

 

I don't really blame Obama for being no-drama. He had to be perfect, and he was like Jackie Robinson. No scandals, the economy and environment has improved, I was able to travel internationally as an American, etc...

The Bradley/Chelsea Manning case I question. It did give the right wing media information to use against Hillary's State Dept, although there wasn't anything bad there. It wasn't a good thing for gays and trans people serving in the military or who will be serving. There are still stereotypes in the military, and this didn't help. And for some reason the left thinks that this issue is what is worth fighting for over other issues. It might not be PC to say, but I think getting the gay marriage and don't ask, don't tell victories is what pushed a lot of conservatives against anything else the Democrats wanted to do. And it made it harder to push other issues in the Midwest. It might be the reason anti-gay Russia got involved in the election too.

 

It's a worthy victory though. Let's just hope it doesn't get struck down.

 

I'm not saying that it's not, and I think it will be hard to undo. But, there will be religious freedom laws letting people discriminate against gays I bet. And I still worry that it will make it harder to win over voters in the red districts.

 

The official Barack and Michelle Obama website is up today. It links to both Organizing for Action (OFA) and the Obama Foundation.

OFA will be the more political arm , focusing on current issues and advocacy. The Foundation will focus more on civic engagement and building leadership.

 

I can't even watch the NBC news anymore. They are trying to make this $1 trillion infrastructure bill sound like this great thing for the construction workers and Trump might be able to deliver it, all while leaving out that it was the Republicans who were against it during Obama's term, saying that the shovel ready jobs weren't going fast enough, and then wanting cuts to other social programs to cover the costs.

 

Trump's infrastructure plan is a good thing and long overdue, but you are right that it should be paid for much like Obama proposed with a nominal increase in the federal gas tax that hasn't been increased in more than 20 years. That wont generate $1 trillion in revenue, but would cover a significant part of the cost.

It will be interesting to see how this develops. Many Congressional Republicans will not support this and w/o Democrat support, it will never pass in the House in which case Democrats might have some leverage.