Saturday, July 29, 2017

It's official, Barack Obama will go down as one of the most consequential presidents in US history.

Courtesy of Vox: 

The utter failure of Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, and Donald Trump to pass a bill rolling back the Affordable Care Act makes one thing perfectly clear: love him or hate him, Barack Obama is one of the most consequential presidents in American history — and that he will be a particularly towering figure in the history of American progressivism. 

He signed into law a comprehensive national health insurance bill, a goal that had eluded progressive presidents for a century — and built it strong enough to withstand assaults from the Supreme Court and avoid repeal from a Republican administration. He got surprisingly tough reforms to Wall Street passed as well, not to mention a stimulus package that both blunted the recession and transformed education and energy policy. 

He's put in place the toughest climate rules in American history and signed a major international climate accord. He opened the US to Cuba for the first time in more than half a century, and reached a peaceful settlement to the nuclear standoff with Iran. 

You can celebrate or bemoan these accomplishments. Liberals hail them as moves toward a social democratic welfare state and a foreign policy more skeptical of military intervention; conservatives critique Obama's efforts to expand regulation and the government's reach, and accuse him of abdicating America's role as world hegemon. 

But no one can deny that the changes Obama has wrought are enormous in scale.

Even if Trump manages to roll back some of this progress, and yes he is trying with all of his might, it will still be noted that Obama achieved those goals, and pushed his country forward.

And let's face it many of these changes, even if Trump stalls them, will likely continue forward once he is out of office.

Plus the existence of a Trump presidency will just allow historians to note how important the presidency that came before was in keeping the country whole during such a turbulent time.

If any face is going to someday be featured on Mt. Rushmore it is most likely this one.

And yes, WITH the sunglasses included.

21 comments:

  1. Anonymous6:22 AM

    Oh, Trump will be quite consequential, only in a very negative way.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous6:28 AM

    IS TRUMP REVERSING PRESIDENT OBAMA'S REGULATIONS FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY, TRUMP IS DAMN DUMB OR IS IT PERSONAL (ERASE OBAMA'S LEGACY)?

    New York Times:
    Which Obama-Era Rules Are Being Reversed in the Trump Era

    By ERIC LIPTON and JASMINE C. LEE UPDATED MAY 18, 2017

    In his first 100 days, President Trump and congressional Republicans have repeatedly employed a once rarely used power granted to Congress to nullify rules recently adopted by federal agencies.

    14 regulations reversed (as of May 18th)

    LABOR

    Reversed: Required companies seeking significant federal contracts to disclose violations of labor standards.


    ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

    Reversed: Limited the way mines dump debris when clearing earth in order to prevent the destruction of area streams.


    HEALTH

    Reversed: Barred states from withholding federal family-planning funds from Planned Parenthood affiliates and other health clinics that provide abortions.


    GUN CONTROL

    Reversed: Required the Social Security Administration to turn over to the Department of Justice information onindividuals with disabling mental illnesses— about 75,000 a year — to include in aregistry of those not allowed to buy a gun.


    ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

    Reversed: Required oil, gas and mining companies to disclose payments made to foreign governments in exchange for access to drilling or mining rights.


    LABOR

    Reversed: Set federal limits on state-baseddrug testing of people seeking unemployment insurance benefits.


    ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

    Reversed: Revised the way the federal government conducts land-use planningon 245 million acres controlled by the Bureau of Land Management
    (See link below for entire reversals)


    See link below for:
    1 regulation rejected for reversal by Congress

    18 regulations brought to Congress to be reversed

    Entire post at
    https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/05/01/us/politics/trump-obama-regulations-reversed.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:23 AM

      The other evening on Charlie Rose (PBS) his guest opined that Trump has not had any legislative success to date but Charlie Rose insisted that he's done so much with regulations. Yes, indeed, his administration has not made any regulations that provide protection for anyone or anything. All they've done is to reverse or undo existing good regulations. In my book, that's not doing achieving any success, that's only undoing achievements of the last administration. Charlie Rose is not much brighter than the man currently sitting in the Oval Office. The country will suffer mightily for all that Trump "achieves" by reversing regulations that have helped individuals, communities, the climate and environment. If the air and water are contaminated, if people are unhealthy or unsafe, business will not prosper. When will the GOP learn that?
      Beaglemom

      Delete
    2. That little used "Congressional Rule" is the no-backsies rule. That means those regulations can NEVER be re-instituted unless Congress passes a law doing so.

      It ties the hands of the departments to regulate.

      Now they're targeting Net Neutrality.

      http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trumps-fcc-cant-block-this-article-for-now_us_5978fa51e4b0c69ef7052531?section=us_contributor

      Delete
  3. Anonymous6:53 AM

    What I've said from day one. Go right ahead, dumb@ss. The more you destroy, the larger his legacy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous9:03 AM

      Trump and the Republicans are destroying our country! Note how poorly they are doing in ratings. Trump and the US Congress have the lowest 'approval' ratings in eons.

      They are despised by the majority of Americans and throughout the world. Can hardly wait until our government gets back on track! Hopefully, Trump and his ilk will not survive the first four-year term and are run out of D.C. forever!

      Delete
  4. Anonymous7:08 AM

    "Colbert’s big journalistic-comedy coup was his visit to the “pee-pee-tape room,” the presidential suite at the Moscow Ritz Carlton. Before Colbert, no other journalist had managed to rent that infamous 10-room suite where Trump stayed on his visit to Moscow in 2013. A secret dossier compiled by a former British intelligence agent reported salaciously, but without proof, that Trump had hookers urinate on the bed where Barack and Michelle Obama had slept."In a sitdown interview with Soldatov, Colbert asked him to keep “a stone face” while the comedian described the “golden shower” allegations about Trump and the hookers. Colbert wondered if there might be a tape. Stone-faced, Soldatov said, “Well that makes $en$e.”{cents}
    “When we entered Trump’s former bedroom, I suggested that Colbert and I look for the surveillance cameras behind the large mirror and to our astonishment we discovered an electric cable, which could not have any clear purpose, as the mirror had no electronic illumination,”
    "“Colbert broke an ashtray, which the crew had brought with them—and immediately the phones began to ring in the suite. The receptionist said that some ‘alarm button’ was activated, warning there was something in the room—that was very weird.” “But if Washington implemented personal sanctions, targeting thousands of corrupt officials who are in power, Putin won’t be able to explain that to Russians.” OIL MonEy.

    http://www.thedailybeast.com/colbert-takes-on-the-kremlinand-russians-love-it

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous7:17 AM

      GoPee!"In other words, Russia was against Trump in the 2016 Election - and why not, I want strong military & low oil prices. Witch Hunt!" tweets the {WARlock}
      " Trump has convinced HIM$elf that the Russia scandal is a conspiracy and that Putin never wanted HIM to win.

      Each Trump tweet that denies reality is evidence that this president is not mentally well. What Trump is doing isn’t political spin. It is personal delusion. There is not a bigger believer in Trump lies than the man HIM$elf."

      http://www.politicususa.com/2017/07/29/unhinged-trump-touts-fake-fox-news-story-claims-russia-2016.html

      Delete
    2. Anonymous7:34 AM

      Stupid $arah posted something yesterday about Colbert being the epitome of fake news. Holy crap, does she not understand satire?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous8:55 AM

      Don't forget 7:34 AM that you are talking about Sarah Palin who is known not to have a sense of humor! Have you ever heard her give a hearty laugh in her life? Alaskans haven't!!! She has zero capability of taking a joke when directed at her!

      Can you imagine the lack of real, heartfelt laughter in the Palin household? I can!

      Too bad she doesn't understand the humor of Colbert, but I'm not surprised. He is smart, quick and funny - plus being up for Emmy Awards due to having the best rated show against Jimmy Kimmel (whom I like too) and Jimmy Fallon who does a less serious show - more humor - but, fun too.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous9:47 AM

      Everything is a personal affront to $arah. She was supposed to be queen because her god told her she would be.

      She CHOSE to put herself on the political stage with her effed up to this day family, and we can't ridicule her hypocrisy?

      Her mentality never left junior high.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous7:35 AM

    Ivanka Trump’s silence on transgender troop ban not surprising: She honored Mike Pence the night before

    In June, the White House assistant to President Donald Trump tweeted out her “proud” support for her LBGTQ friends and fellow Americans “who have made immense contributions to our society and economy.” She also wished everyone a “joyful #Pride 2017,” proclaiming the month of June a time to “celebrate and honor the #LGBTQ community.”

    Given that proclamation it was natural for people to wonder if Ivanka would have anything to say about her father’s transgender ban. 

    .... In any event, Ivanka stayed silent following her father’s announcement. But people shouldn’t have been surprised to not hear from her, especially if they were aware of where she had been the night before.

    She was at a $1 million fundraiser, offering a glowing introduction to Vice President Mike Pence, who is known for his anti-LGBTQ rights positions and opinions.

    In fact, The Daily Beast reports that Pence had been pushing hard for this kind of policy shift in the military, as had senior officials such as chief strategist Steve Bannon, who expected it to play well with the socially conservative elements of Trump’s political base....

    But independent of the Pence fundraiser in Washington D.C, people have come to expect Ivanka to keep her mouth shut on the controversial things her father says or does — even if they undermine causes she claims she cares about: women’s rights, climate change research, education and LGBTQ rights...

    Moreover, they either suspect that Ivanka has no real influence over the president’s decisions or worse. They see her as an opportunist who doesn’t really care about anything beyond being a loyal daughter, keeping her father in power and promoting her family’s businesses and personal brand....

    Amid increasing reports about a dysfunctional, chaotic and possibly corrupt White House, with themselves at the center, Ivanka and Jared appear to be in a circling-the-wagons mode and doubling down on their loyalty to the president and his agenda.

    They reportedly urged the president to push out Sean Spicer as the White House communications chief in favor of the more aggressive Anthony Scaramucci,whose brief tenure is already generating plenty of controversy....

    It appears that Ivanka knew the transgender ban was coming down. According to a “senior White House official,” quoted by the Daily Beast, Ivanka and Jared have been opposed to all the anti-LGBT initiatives of the Trump administration. But when it came time for Trump to make this shift in military policy, they decided their “political capital” should “be spent elsewhere.”

    So, Ivanka spent her political capital Tuesday offering her support for Pence. Earlier in the day, she expended some of that capital teaming up for a project with another staunch Trump ally, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos...

    http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/07/27/ivanka-trumps-silence-on-transgender-troop-ban-not-surprising-she-honored-mike-pence-the-night-before/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:14 AM

      Wasn't Ivanka the family member who was supposed to keep her insane father under some sort of control? Either that was a lie and she has no influence on his behavior at all or she agrees with him every time he opens his mouth. What dreadful people the Trump family members all are!
      Beaglemom

      Delete
  6. Anonymous7:59 AM

    SEXUAL HARASSMENT - DEVIANT / BULLY

    ENCOURAGES POLICE BRUTALITY - BULLY

    ANTI-TRANSGENDER - BULLY

    CORRUPTING AMERICA'S BOYSCOUTS



    JULY 29 2017 10:47 AM

    Long Island Police Department Contradicts Trump: We Won’t Tolerate Brutality

    The Suffolk County Police Department wants its cops to know that they shouldn’t listen to President Donald Trump’s directions. Hours after the commander in chief seemed to endorse police brutality during a speech at a Long Island community college by calling on  cops to be a little less nice to suspects, the police department begged to disagree. The Suffolk County Police Department said it “will not tolerate roughing up of prisoners” and made sure to note that violations are taken “extremely seriously.”....

    Tweet:
    ---------
    Suffolk County PD 
    ✔@SCPDHq

    Replying to @SCPDHq

    As a department, we do not and will not tolerate roughing up of prisoners.

    1:53 PM - Jul 28, 2017
    ----------

    Tweet:
    -----------
    Suffolk County PD 
    ✔@SCPDHq

    The SCPD has strict rules & procedures relating to the handling of prisoners. Violations of those rules are treated extremely seriously.

    1:53 PM - Jul 28, 2017
    --------

    Read entire post at:
    http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2017/07/29/suffolk_country_police_department_contradicts_trump_says_it_won_t_tolerate.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous1:01 PM

      Well, if ANY of those officers in the video smiling and applauding tRump belong to Long Island, I hope that their chief is not just spouting something to appease some people, but that he draws the consequences and FIRES them!

      Delete
  7. Anonymous8:45 AM

    Agree! President Obama is and was the best POTUS America has had in a long time. I'm so glad I voted for him both times and love, love, love the man and his family.

    The Don doesn't have one tiny bit the brain power of President Obama! Plus, Trump is racist, mean spirited, physically unattractive, inept, poorly spoken, a liar, fraud and man/baby!

    Thank you, President Obama for the two outstanding terms that you served! America and Americans are thankful to have had you in the White House! Europe and the world miss you too!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous8:48 AM

    Pooty ISIS not going to 'like' this...
    http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/trump-agrees-to-sign-russia-sanctions-bill

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous10:09 AM

    Obama bought good feelings. Trump brings hate and only hate. It's been a loooooooooonnnnng six months. I am hoping Donald goes away soon. We as Americans, can not take the negative too long. We will break in two soon, never to be put back together again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous3:42 PM

      America and Americans are stronger than that, 10:09 AM! Trump will go down before civil war or deeper deterioration takes place. Even the Republicans would allow either! As it is their party is in huge trouble and they know it.

      Their leader is a massive thorn in their sides and all of them are going down!

      Delete
  10. Even if Obama were known for only two things:

    Killing Osama bin Laden.

    The Affordable Care Act.

    But his administration was so much more. The entire family were role models.

    By their very being they have made Trump, his family and his administration look so very bad simply in contrast.

    The Obamas are a hard act to follow for anyone. Trump looks even worse (if that is possible) because he is following Obama.

    That must really tear him up inside. No wonder he is angry all the time. He still doesn't realize nothing he does will change that.

    And he can't muzzle history with a non-disclosure.

    ReplyDelete
  11. DetroitSam5:40 PM

    Trump, realizing that he will never have the intelligence, knowledge, class that Barack Obama has, is suffering from Obama Derangement Syndrome.

    ReplyDelete

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