JUST STOP IT!

[zipplewrath]

29. My pink sparkle ponies

I was going to leave this thread alone until you threw in that turd.

I'm glad he was president and not any of his former opponents. I'm more than sad who the successor will be. And I think he faced an incredible about of obstructionism during his two terms (the most incredible being this SC nomination. Anyone want to point out that Obama go more votes than Trump, and so did Clinton? Maybe "the people" did "make their choice" and it ain't who Trump is gonna pick). I'm also extremely grateful that he managed to keep himself AND his cabinet out of any real scandals. Strangely, most of his troubles came from Bush era hold overs (one of the mistakes I think he made).

That said, here are the "pink sparkle ponies" for which I hold him responsible

The Afghan war is still going on because he chose not to follow the advice of his VP. His first action there was to triple the number of troops.

He stayed in Iraq way longer than he needed too, and to what end? We're back anyway, and the place is a basket case. What did those deaths accomplish?

He classified all of the torture photos.

He "had the backs" of the people who committed torture and couldn't find a single person who did anything wrong in torturing the detainees.

He NEVER tried to "close" Gitmo. All he ever attempted to do was to move it. He still asserts the authority to hold people indefinitely without trial on his authority alone.

His "targeted killing" policy is dubious at best, and extremely dangerous at worst. They have a hard time demonstrating that it has particularly accomplished much at all, except to have driven the most disturbed people away from Al Queda and into ISIS.

His stimulus was too small by half at best. He completely ignored all of those who told him so and never tried to correct the problem. Instead he pursued the "Grand Bargain".

His policy of saving the banks, and letting the banks screw the mortgage holders in indefensible. That he ensured that the bankers got their bonuses, despite crashing the entire economy is completely indefensible, even though his former Treasury Secretary still tries to justify it.

He made fun of mandates as a candidate, and then advocated for them as president.

He declared that single payer "wouldn't work" here.

Rick Warren, need I say more. Right after Prop 8 no less.

TPP. He needed to keep the environmentalists and the unions involved through the whole process, instead of ultimately letting the corporations take total control of the job.

And probably the worst, and to a great degree what I hold myself responsible for the most, is that he didn't believe, nor understand what Hillary was trying to warn him 8 long years ago in the primary. The GOP wasn't going to work with him if he "reached across the aisle". You have to be prepared to force them into what needs to be done. I shoulda voted for her 8 years ago.


It's a sad day if these issues are considered "pink sparkle ponies". It's an even worst day if legitimate criticism is prevented here. Because then it just becomes a big echo chamber. Yes I have a high bar for the performance of the President of the United States. We all should. The minute we lower that bar, it all goes to hell.