They Really, Really Don’t Like Him Our unpopular president. Jay Cost

[Formerly Once-Ler]

I'm not sure how Bush moved the country to the right on abortion, that issue seems to be permanently in stasis - but that is not an issue I follow closely, so I might be missing something on the margins.

The Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 to name one.

I have difficulty separating taxes from government spending, so on balance - lacking major reform - it seems that he failed to move the ball in a significant way there.  It is on defense that I think in balance Bush was very disappointing. True he seemed to move us rightward but the results were so disastrous that he became a deeply hated and divisive figure - and the idea of the U.S. using its military might has become so discredited that we are far weaker today because of his actions...and it was Bush-hatred in the nation that created the powerful move to the left in America that we are experiencing to this day.

I picked taxes because they are real and tangible.  Dubya cut my taxes.  I see it in my paycheck.  It means my family can go to the movies or out to eat.  A billion dollars, or a trillion dollars means nothing.  I don't have a billion dollars.  I can't fix a billion dollars.  That will take long term solutions.

Dubya made Libyain strong man Qudafi fear the US after we took out Afghanistan and Iraq.  I don't expect America's allies or enemies to respect us.  I only expect them to fear us if they f*ck us.  Cowboy Dubya made them fear us.  Something Obama doesn't understand.

[Scottftlc]

The Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 to name one.

I picked taxes because they are real and tangible.  Dubya cut my taxes.  I see it in my paycheck.  It means my family can go to the movies or out to eat.  A billion dollars, or a trillion dollars means nothing.  I don't have a billion dollars.  I can't fix a billion dollars.  That will take long term solutions.

Dubya made Libyain strong man Qudafi fear the US after we took out Afghanistan and Iraq.  I don't expect America's allies or enemies to respect us.  I only expect them to fear us if they f*ck us.  Cowboy Dubya made them fear us.  Something Obama doesn't understand.

He did make them fear us, but he made (with much effective help from the Democrats) the American people hate him, and in so doing undid everything that he accomplished and more.  He created the conditions that caused the people to overwhelmingly elect Obama.

[Formerly Once-Ler]

He did make them fear us, but he made (with much effective help from the Democrats) the American people hate him, and in so doing undid everything that he accomplished and more.  He created the conditions that caused the people to overwhelmingly elect Obama.

Perhaps, but I think the growing unemployed elected Obama, more than the wars. We probably won't see eye to eye on this, but I respect your opinion and thank you for an honest debate my friend.

[Bigun]

I'm not sure how Bush moved the country to the right on abortion, that issue seems to be permanently in stasis - but that is not an issue I follow closely, so I might be missing something on the margins.

I have difficulty separating taxes from government spending, so on balance - lacking major reform - it seems that he failed to move the ball in a significant way there.  It is on defense that I think in balance Bush was very disappointing. True he seemed to move us rightward but the results were so disastrous that he became a deeply hated and divisive figure - and the idea of the U.S. using its military might has become so discredited that we are far weaker today because of his actions...and it was Bush-hatred in the nation that created the powerful move to the left in America that we are experiencing to this day.

Agreed!  We no longer fight wars we just play at it for awhile and then go home!

[Right_in_Virginia]

To date, Obama has been unpopular for more than two-thirds of his tenure. If he stays under 50 percent for the remainder of his term, he will have been unpopular for longer than any postwar leader.

And yet he still gets his way.   

[Bigun]

And yet he still gets his way.   

HE plays hardball and our side plays tidily winks!

[Right_in_Virginia]

But he has pushed the country significantly in his direction - regardless of his unpopularity.  That is something that cannot be said of the past two Republican presidents.  They had successes, yes, but the country did not move in the Republican direction.  Under Obama, the overall policy direction has moved significantly to the left. 

Well said.   :thumbsup2:

[Oceander]

Fair enough, he doesn't get his way on "everything". Let's face it, if he did he'd be running for another term.

But he has pushed the country significantly in his direction - regardless of his unpopularity.  That is something that cannot be said of the past two Republican presidents.  They had successes, yes, but the country did not move in the Republican direction.  Under Obama, the overall policy direction has moved significantly to the left.

Baloney.  GWB got tax cuts that pushed the country in "his" direction for almost 10 years, when the democrats started pushing it back.  That's the way it goes, back and forth, back and forth.  GWB also got a number of things that people now decry, like no child left behind in education, which helped push education policy to where it is now.