Obama takes up where he left off

[ber]

Obama continues to dissapoint on his management of the US economy, with it hanging off the edge of the fiscal cliff
not only has he managed to piss of the Republicans but the Democrats not happy now either. Alot of disillusionment with him and he not even inagurated for his second term yet. He has done something like our goverment did here with
the Umiversal social charge he is saying he hasnt touched income tax but has increase social levy by 2%, this will
impact heavily on low to medium income families. Looks to me like he has a rocky 4 years ahead, and he has no
Bin Laden to shoot to get him Brownie points this term

[warmcome]

it's not like he has all the levers and buttons in front of him. theres an
administration below him that does this and that. what might have worked 20yrs
ago may not today. just like us, their spending more than they get in. evolutionary
thinking is the only chance they/we've got now, IMO.

[ber]

it's not like he has all the levers and buttons in front of him. theres an
administration below him that does this and that. what might have worked 20yrs
ago may not today. just like us, their spending more than they get in. evolutionary
thinking is the only chance they/we've got now, IMO.

I agree but just like our crowd he promises all this reform, and he knew the obstacles in his way so if he fails to deliver its on his head no one elses.

[Chutney]

He is an American Tony Blair, all image and very little substance. But at least the Americans are an independent Nation and in control of their own destiny, where as Ireland and the Eurozone have to do what their masters in Brussels and Berlin dictate.
Subjugation is a hard task master.

[ber]

He is an American Tony Blair, all image and very little substance. But at least the Americans are an independent Nation and in control of their own destiny, where as Ireland and the Eurozone have to do what their masters in Brussels and Berlin dictate.
Subjugation is a hard task master.

Well the real differnce between the EU and the US is that when the US are really backed in a corner they just use Quantative
easing and print more money, but they are quickly moving towards unsustainable debt if they are not already there

[Morpheus]

I think you are being a bit hard on him Ber. I don't know of any head of government in Europe that is doing any better. Plus the divisions between Democrats and Republicans are so deep that they never seem to have any common ground. A bit like the power sharing government up North.

But whatever Obama's failings, I certainly prefer him to Romney (on foreign policy) And I don't think Romney would have done any better on the economy. If anything he is even less of a politician and may have caused such animosity among the democrats that they wouldn't have supported anything that the republicans tried to bring in.

I know you may say that's exactly what Obamam has done to the republicans, but I do think he has a better chance of patching things up and getting the two sides to work together than Romney ever could have done.

[Dub Lad]

Obama continues to dissapoint on his management of the US economy, with it hanging off the edge of the fiscal cliff
not only has he managed to piss of the Republicans but the Democrats not happy now either. Alot of disillusionment with him and he not even inagurated for his second term yet. He has done something like our goverment did here with
the Umiversal social charge he is saying he hasnt touched income tax but has increase social levy by 2%, this will
impact heavily on low to medium income families. Looks to me like he has a rocky 4 years ahead, and he has no
Bin Laden to shoot to get him Brownie points this term

the 2% is on incomes over 400k a year.

[warmcome]

the 2% is on incomes over 400k a year.

now thats what i call capitalism, worth working hard in the US! wheareas 35k
is considered high earnings and taxed accordingly in Ireland (aint that right girls )

[dodiddly]

the 2% is on incomes over 400k a year.

The 2% is a payroll tax that funds social security. The increase is from the expiration of a 2% cut that was enacted 2 years ago. It will be applied to everyone making under 113,000 unless Congress reinstates it.

[ber]

I think you are being a bit hard on him Ber. I don't know of any head of government in Europe that is doing any better. Plus the divisions between Democrats and Republicans are so deep that they never seem to have any common ground. A bit like the power sharing government up North.

But whatever Obama's failings, I certainly prefer him to Romney (on foreign policy) And I don't think Romney would have done any better on the economy. If anything he is even less of a politician and may have caused such animosity among the democrats that they wouldn't have supported anything that the republicans tried to bring in.

I know you may say that's exactly what Obamam has done to the republicans, but I do think he has a better chance of patching things up and getting the two sides to work together than Romney ever could have done.

The point im making is that so much was promised a new dawn , this economic situation is going to drag and drag and
suddenly his 8 yrs will be over and what he will have achieved will be very modest.
In the beginning there was a euphoria about he being the first black president (and probably rightly so) but in the cold
light of day when his 8 year term is looked back upon and judged no differently than any others term prior to him, i feel
thats his failures in what he set out to achieve will be much greater than his success.
As a previous poster alluded to he talks a good fight but i fear thats wearing a bit thin now.
As for ure point about he having a better chance than Romney of getting consensus, i wonder actually and its not a case
of Romney v Obama its more a case of Republican v Democrat whereby the Republicans are as set in there ways and stubborn
as mules the Democrats would be more realistic and prepared to move towards a consensus.