Obama vs. Bush

[candypants]

I was just watching the View and they were discussing Obama's recent magazine cover (I think it was The New Yorker, but I might be wrong) and article which discussed whether or not Obama is being treated worse than Bush. With name-calling, bashing, and just general slamming in the press and general public. So what do you think? Do you think Obama is being ripped apart moreso than Bush (or any other president even) was?

(I looked around in Debates and Politics to see if this had been posted and didn't see anything, but my apologies if I missed it.)

[Tamzyn]

Yup .. I know Bush was treated pretty badly towards the end, but that was after 8 years of messing the country up. Obama hasn't even been president for a year and it started the day he was announced the winner. I wish people would give him a chance .. I him! lol!

[Jennifer Lynn]

How about heck yeah?

Considering the man hasn't held the office for a year yet, Obama has certainly been treated worse than any other president we've had, and in a shorter time into his presidency.

[candypants]

I think that without a doubt Obama has been treated worse than Bush. He hasn't even been in office a year yet and they're already throwing names like "Nazi". I have never seen so much hate spewed at a president.

[carolinagirll]

ummm yes..not only name calling but out right disrespected.

[Marley]

For sure. His track record is young to have so much animosity. People are up in arms protesting the future or the implications of his policies not the results of policies put into place. That is the unprecidented part.

[NDNatlGuardGF]

I guess I'm going to be the minority here so far and say no. When people say he's been disrespected, do you not remember the calendars that came out with all the Bush-isms? Granted, they were pretty funny, but if you want to put it that way, its disrespectful. And while Bush wasn't berated during the beginning of his terms, he also didn't make any HUGE changes like Obama is trying to do. Obama is changing big things and is dealing with issues that are VERY touchy to people. Of course people are going to get into an uproar about it all. I don't believe that the American people as a whole would react any differently if it were Bush making these same changes.

Bush got flack after he pissed off the American people with his decisions regarding the war and finances. Obama is pissing people off already with his health care reform, his agenda to eventually deal with homosexual marriages adn DADT, and the fact that he said he was going to spend less but isn't proving to do that yet. Bush's thing just happened to be towards the end of his term, while Obama is getting a head start on it. Thats all.

Note: I DO realize that there are some people out there that are racist, as has been discussed on many other threads, but I think in this case its more so the issues that he's addressing than the color of his skin that is getting to people.

[Marley]

Originally Posted by NDNatlGuardGF I guess I'm going to be the minority here so far and say no. When people say he's been disrespected, do you not remember the calendars that came out with all the Bush-isms? Granted, they were pretty funny, but if you want to put it that way, its disrespectful. And while Bush wasn't berated during the beginning of his terms, he also didn't make any HUGE changes like Obama is trying to do. Obama is changing big things and is dealing with issues that are VERY touchy to people. Of course people are going to get into an uproar about it all. I don't believe that the American people as a whole would react any differently if it were Bush making these same changes. Bush got flack after he pissed off the American people with his decisions regarding the war and finances. Obama is pissing people off already with his health care reform, his agenda to eventually deal with homosexual marriages adn DADT, and the fact that he said he was going to spend less but isn't proving to do that yet. Bush's thing just happened to be towards the end of his term, while Obama is getting a head start on it. Thats all. Note: I DO realize that there are some people out there that are racist, as has been discussed on many other threads, but I think in this case its more so the issues that he's addressing than the color of his skin that is getting to people.

Really? Yes, he is changing some things. And I personally am happy about those things.

But he is also continuing some policies of the Bush admin. Google "Obama continuing Bush policies" and you will see that in many areas there is continuity. Here are 4 articles from very different perspectives (NY Times; Local conservative; progressive; college student editorial) coming to the same conclusion.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/us.../18policy.html
http://www.examiner.com/x-9462-LA-In...e-middle-class
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/waroni...oreign_policy/
http://www.dailygamecock.com/viewpoi...obama-1.526609

Like any president, Obama should be weighed on what he has done thus far. Thus far there have been those pros and those cons. But timing is everything. There is nothing that has been done to deserve the hate meter on high from such a vocal segment of the population. Hilter? Nazi? Give me a break.

LBJ oversaw a heck of a lot of social engineering/racial justice and even then dared to try to wage a (socialist?) war on poverty and yes, he got reamed by his critics but not to the extent of Obama. And he had the albatross of Vietnam hanging around his neck.

[Sophie♥Hatter]

Bush did ALL of it to himself (if he would talk correctly and in an intelligent manner we would not have BOOKS full of his idiocies) Obama isn't even being given the chance to **** up he's just been given the **** up label unearned. So yes I feel he is being treated worse than Bush ever was.

[NDNatlGuardGF]

Originally Posted by Marley Really? Yes, he is changing some things. And I personally am happy about those things. But he is also continuing some policies of the Bush admin. Google "Obama continuing Bush policies" and you will see that in many areas there is continuity. Here are three articles from very different perspectives (NY Times; Local conservative; college student editorial) coming to the same conclusion. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/us.../18policy.html http://www.examiner.com/x-9462-LA-In...e-middle-class http://www.dailygamecock.com/viewpoi...obama-1.526609 Like any president, Obama should be weighed on what he has done thus far. Thus far there have been those pros and those cons. But timing is everything. There is nothing that has been done to deserve the hate meter on high from such a vocal segment of the population. Hilter? Nazi? Give me a break. LBJ oversaw a heck of a lot of social engineering/racial justice and even then dared to try to wage a (socialist?) war on poverty and yes, he got reamed by his critics but not to the extent of Obama. And he had the albatross of Vietnam hanging around his neck.

Just because you are happy about the changes does not mean that everyone is. If remember right, you have been pretty vocal about some of the issues he is planning to address (please correct me if I'm wrong, I confuse people on here sometimes) but there are plenty that are vocal about it on the opposite side. I'm not saying that he's not continuing many things, because he is. I'll admit I didn't read the articles, but I already knew that and don't dispute it. The problem is not that, its the changes that he's trying to make, and the fact that they are HUGE and will affect every single American. LBJ didn't get as much flack for his deal, but with the exception of Vietnam, did people really protest like they do today? They didn't. They weren't as vocal about any other issue, but today people protest over everything!

And as far as Obama being judged on what he's done thus far...it's not going to happen, at least not until decisions are made. Let's take the health care thing for example. There are way too many people on each side of the debate. The ones against him dislike him very much right now for the things that could happen to them (their healthcare drops in quality, they pay higher taxes, etc.) and that won't change until they have an absolute answer as to what will happen. Its no different than the people who desperately need healthcare hating those who are trying to stop it from happening or even just want it revised. The American people have had to pick up the pieces after the mistakes of Presidents forever, including Bush, and I think they're getting sick of it. To me, it seems as if they are trying to avert the "picking up pieces" part by just stopping the changes from being made. (Those that oppose them anyway.) I truely believe that that part of all this would be happening no matter what color our President was.

Like I said earlier though, the racist comments like Hitler and Nazi are uncalled for. That IS being done simply because he's black, but unfortunately thats what comes with our freedom of speech. As much as I hate racist people, I wouldn't take that away from them because I treasure my freedom of speech too much. It's a double-edged sword. While I think the majority of people who dislike Obama, would dislike any Pres for the same reasons - his policies, I will acknowledge that there are definately some out there who could care less about that and only see the color of his skin.