Yes We Could've!

[luzribeiro.livejournal.com]

The speech-reader in chief has spoken. Some say it was touching and inspiring. Others, that it was a show of hypocrisy and good riddance.

So what do you guys think about Obama's farewell speech?

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Frankly, I'm more concerned with the fate of the next Nobel Peace Prize. I hope handing it to the next US president-elect won't be somehow turned into a tradition.

As for the speech, I'd say it was so-so. Nothing too different from the usual eloquent mainstream stuff. The part about his love of his family was the most genuine one, of course. I couldn't help shedding a tear, myself - even if I don't agree even with about a quarter of the man's policies (particularly in foreign policy). Not bad on domestic policy, though, especially considering the country he inherited from Bush. Unfortunately, we can't say much good in terms of foreign policy. Even if he tried not to, he actually leaves the world in much more chaos than before. But we should put that in a more global context, of course.

Anyway, America, where to, from now on? Any predictions on domestic and foreign policy, America's economic future, and the further development of world affairs under Trump?

Comments

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

My main disappointment with Obama was that he played the part entirely from within his party our our corporatocracy, and made no effort to break it. He was really trying to get the powers that be to come together, and he failed. It wasn't his fault, but it is a sad failure. Still, he did a lot of good work. I will miss him because no matter what the issue, I am certain that he sought out full information and good advice, and applied it. I'm fearful that under Trump the advice behind policy will come from industry hacks who have no care for science or evidence, the environment or for people. I predict joyfully deregulated business, worsening air and water quality, a strong market, and a continuation of the formerly middle class middle-aged white guy's suicide problem. I should never have sold my Haliburton stocks.

[oportet.livejournal.com]

As far as Presidents go, the best speech-giver we've ever had - the delivery, the flow, the pauses, the comedic-timing of a joke when one was needed - he 's top of the list. I know - that's not exactly the most important category to succeed in considering the job - but it's still a positive. Last night, he almost made the last 8 years sound as great as he predicted they would be in those pretty speeches from '08 - the speeches that earned him that Nobel Peace Prize.

If Trump gets the award, he'll get it the hard way (actually earning it) - I don't see a nice eloquent string of speeches ever coming from him.

I don't believe Trump thinks in terms of enemies and allies - I think he just sees everyone as a competitor - and that way of thinking has plenty of upsides and downsides.

Economically - W added more to the debt than all before him, and Obama added more to the debt than all before him - hopefully this isn't one of those times Trump has to be the best... (but if he already has a trillion dollar infrastructure plan ready, he's well on his way)

He won't have the media covering for him - meaning they have the opportunity to be useful for the first time in a while. He hates them, they hate him - so we don't have to worry about bullshit job growth reports or 'journalists' getting lost in his eyes...

[johnny9fingers.livejournal.com]

The best political orator in English since WLS Churchill.

Also, I reckon if he'd had one house onside he'd have been a much better POTUS.

[johnny9fingers.livejournal.com]

Oh, and BTW, if he ever wanted to relocate (some hope, I reckon he's too much of a patriot) we'd happily have him over here for his retirement.

[oportet.livejournal.com]

I figure he'll replace Bill at the top of the mountain for the Democrats. Even if Bills final numbers were better, his oratory skills have fallen off quite a bit.

[johnny9fingers.livejournal.com]

Obama could have been Churchill, Einstein, and Maximilian Kolbe rolled into one and some significant proportion of folk would still have disapproved. You know... "...Scent of magnolias, sweet and fresh..."

We have an increasing number of that sort too. Go figure. I thought we had this nonsense licked, to use an archaic vernacular. :(

[oportet.livejournal.com]

He needed results, and they just weren't there.

Take this forum for example; the original post called him the speech reader in chief, I said he was the best speech giving president we've had, and you said he was the best English orator since Churchill.

Those things can't be the first line in your résumé, they can't be the first quality people come to your defense with - not if you want to be considered a great leader. Being easy on the ears, having the catchiest zingers, having the funniest White House Correspondents Dinners are good, but they don't actually do any good.

[johnny9fingers.livejournal.com]

I think history will show he had the most uncooperative and intransigent Congress of any postwar POTUS.

And that will be in the first paragraph. The rest of the analysis may even show that Obama attempted to deal with this by meeting the opposition halfway.

From the budget fiasco through to the refusal to accept the nomination of SCOTUS candidates Congress at first filibustered and then voted down almost everything that came from the Oval Office.

Methinks history will judge in context.

[abomvubuso.livejournal.com]

If speeches translated into successful policies, Obama would've won a couple more Nobel prizes by now.