MELTDOWN...

[Cliffenstein]

The stunning decline of Barack Obama: 10 key reasons why the Obama presidency is in meltdown
Nile Gardiner / The Daily Telegraph / August 12, 2010

The last few weeks have been a nightmare for President Obama, in a summer of discontent in the United States which has deeply unsettled the ruling liberal elites, so much so that even the Left has begun to turn against the White House. While the anti-establishment Tea Party movement has gained significant ground and is now a rising and powerful political force to be reckoned with, many of the president's own supporters as well as independents are rapidly losing faith in Barack Obama, with open warfare breaking out between the White House and the left-wing of the Democratic Party. While conservatism in America grows stronger by the day, the forces of liberalism are growing increasingly weaker and divided.

Against this backdrop, the president's approval ratings have been sliding dramatically all summer, with the latest Rasmussen Daily Presidential Tracking Poll of US voters dropping to minus 22 points, the lowest point so far for Barack Obama since taking office. While just 24 per cent of American voters strongly approve of the president's job performance, almost twice that number, 46 per cent, strongly disapprove. According to Rasmussen, 65 per cent of voters believe the United States is going down the wrong track, including 70 per cent of independents.

The RealClearPolitics average of polls now has President Obama at over 50 per cent disapproval, a remarkably high figure for a president just 18 months into his first term. Strikingly, the latest USA Today/Gallup survey has the President on just 41 per cent approval, with 53 per cent disapproving.

There are an array of reasons behind the stunning decline and political fall of President Obama, chief among them fears over the current state of the US economy, with widespread concern over high levels of unemployment, the unstable housing market and, above all, the towering budget deficit. Americans are increasingly rejecting President Obama's big government solutions to America's economic woes, which many fear will lead to the United States sharing the same fate as Greece.

Growing disillusionment with the Obama administration's handling of the economy, as well as health care and immigration, has gone hand in hand with mounting unhappiness with the President's aloof and imperial style of leadership and a growing perception that he is out of touch with ordinary Americans, especially at a time of significant economic pain. Barack Obama's striking absence of natural leadership ability (and blatant lack of experience) has played a big part in undermining his credibility with the US public, with his lackluster handling of the Gulf oil spill coming under particularly intense fire.

On the national security and foreign policy front, President Obama has not fared any better. His leadership on the war in Afghanistan has been confused and at times lacking in conviction, and seemingly dictated by domestic political priorities rather than military and strategic goals. His overall foreign policy has been an appalling mess, with his flawed strategy of engagement of hostile regimes spectacularly backfiring. And as for the War on Terror, his administration has not even acknowledged it is fighting one.

Can it get any worse for President Obama? Undoubtedly yes. Here are 10 key reasons why the Obama presidency is in serious trouble, and why its prospects are unlikely to improve between now and the November mid-terms.

1. The Obama presidency is out of touch with the American people
In a previous post I noted how the Obama presidency increasingly resembles a modern-day Ancien Régime, extravagant, decaying and out of touch with ordinary Americans. The First Lady's ill-conceived trip to Spain at a time of widespread economic hardship was symbolic of a White House that barely gives a second thought to public opinion on many issues and frequently projects a distinctly elitist image. The "let them eat cake" approach didn't play well over two centuries ago, and it won't succeed today.

2. Most Americans don't have confidence in the president's leadership
This deficit of trust in Obama's leadership is central to his decline. According to a recent Washington Post/ABC News poll, "nearly six in ten voters say they lack faith in the president to make the right decisions for the country", and two thirds "say they are disillusioned with or angry about the way the federal government is working." The poll showed that a staggering 58 per cent of Americans say they do not have confidence in the president's decision-making, with just 42 per cent saying they do.

3. Obama fails to inspire
In contrast to the soaring rhetoric of his 2004 Convention speech in Boston which succeeded in impressing millions of television viewers at the time, America is no longer inspired by Barack Obama's flat, monotonous and often dull presidential speeches and statements delivered via teleprompter. From his extraordinarily uninspiring Afghanistan speech at West Point to his flat State of the Union address, President Obama has failed to touch the heart of America. Even Jimmy Carter was more moving.

4. The United States is drowning in debt
The Congressional Budget Office Long-Term Budget Outlook offers a frightening picture of the scale of America's national debt. Under its alternative fiscal scenario, the CBO projects that US debt could rise to 87 percent of GDP by 2020, 109 percent by 2025 and 185 percent by 2035. While much of Europe, led by Britain and Germany, are aggressively cutting their deficits, the Obama administration is actively growing America's debt and has no plan in place to avert a looming Greek-style financial crisis.

5. Obama's Big Government message is falling flat
The relentless emphasis on bailouts and stimulus spending has done little to spur economic growth or create jobs, but has greatly advanced the power of the federal government in America. This is not an approach that is proving popular with the American public, and even most European governments have long ditched this tax and spend approach to saving their own economies.

6. Obama's support for socialized health care is a huge political mistake
In an extraordinary act of political Harakiri, President Obama leant his full support to the hugely controversial, unpopular and divisive health care reform bill, with a monstrous price tag of $940 billion, whose repeal is now supported by 55 percent of likely US voters. As I wrote at the time of its passing, the legislation is "a great leap forward by the United States towards a European-style vision of universal health care, which will only lead to soaring costs, higher taxes and a surge in red tape for small businesses. This reckless legislation dramatically expands the power of the state over the lives of individuals and could not be further from the vision of America's founding fathers."

7. Obama's handling of the Gulf oil spill has been weak-kneed and indecisive
While much of the spilled oil in the Gulf has now been thankfully cleared up, the political damage for the White House will be long-lasting. Instead of showing real leadership on the matter by acting decisively and drawing upon offers of international support, the Obama administration settled on a more convenient strategy of relentlessly bashing an Anglo-American company while largely sitting on its hands. Significantly, a poll of Louisiana voters gave George W. Bush higher marks for his handling of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, with 62 percent disapproving of Obama's performance on the Gulf oil spill.

8. US foreign policy is an embarrassing mess under the Obama administration
It is hard to think of a single foreign policy success for the Obama administration, but there have been plenty of missteps which have weakened American global power as well as the standing of the United States. The surrender to Moscow on Third Site missile defense, the failure to aggressively stand up to Iran's nuclear program, the decision to side with ousted Marxists in Honduras, the slap in the face for Great Britain over the Falklands, have all contributed to the image of a US administration completely out of its depth in international affairs. The Obama administration's high risk strategy of appeasing America's enemies while kicking traditional US allies has only succeeded in weakening the United States while strengthening her adversaries.

9. President Obama is muddled and confused on national security
From the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to the War on Terror, President Obama's leadership has often been muddled and confused. On Afghanistan, he rightly sent tens of thousands of additional troops to the battlefield. At the same time, however, he bizarrely announced a timetable for the withdrawal of US forces beginning in July 2011, handing the initiative to the Taliban. On Iraq, he has announced an end to combat operations and the withdrawal of all but 50,000 troops despite a recent upsurge in terrorist violence and political instability, and without the Iraqi military and police ready to take over. In addition he has ditched the concept of a War on Terror, replacing it with an Overseas Contingency Operation, hardly the right message to send in the midst of a long-war against Al-Qaeda.

10. Obama doesn't believe in American greatness
Barack Obama has made it clear that he doesn't believe in American exceptionalism and has turned apologizing for his country into an art form. In a speech to the United Nations last September he stated that, "no one nation can or should try to dominate another nation. No world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will succeed. No balance of power among nations will hold." It is difficult to see how a US president who holds these views and does not even accept America's greatness in history can actually lead the world's only superpower with force and conviction.

There is a distinctly Titanic-like feel to the Obama presidency and it's not hard to see why. The most left-wing president in modern American history has tried to force a highly interventionist, government-driven agenda that runs counter to the principles of free enterprise, individual freedom and limited government that have made the United States the greatest power in the world and the freest nation on earth.

This, combined with weak leadership both at home and abroad against the backdrop of tremendous economic uncertainty in an increasingly dangerous world, has contributed to a spectacular political collapse for a president once thought to be invincible. America at its core remains a deeply conservative nation that cherishes its traditions and founding principles. President Obama is increasingly out of step with the American people, by advancing policies that undermine the United States as a global power, while undercutting America's deep-seated love for freedom.

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Nile Gardiner is a Washington-based foreign affairs analyst and political commentator. He appears frequently on American and British television and radio, including BBC, CNN, Fox News Channel, NPR and Sky News.

[tylamonroe]

you probably dont like him cuz hes black.

Nope. Muslim.

[Chieftan44]

With the budget of the stimulus bill he could have done one of three things:

A) Given every man, woman and child in America $2500 each

B) Paid off every single home foreclosure in 2009

C) Given it all to big business and expanded government programs

So far the banks and auto manufacturers have come out alright. Everybody is in worse shape than when he took office.

[lerxstcat]

With the budget of the stimulus bill he could have done one of three things:

A) Given every man, woman and child in America $2500 each

B) Paid off every single home foreclosure in 2009

C) Given it all to big business and expanded government programs

So far the banks and auto manufacturers have come out alright. Everybody is in worse shape than when he took office.

That sounds like a good idea except that if the banks had gone under there would have been a general economic colllapse - FAR beyong what actually happened. If the auto makers had gone under and also the companies that supply parts to them, it would have been millions more jobs lost than were actually lost.

If you paid off all the foreclosures but those people had lost their jobs, they'd be back in foreclosure by now anyway.

[MasterOfMeatPuppets]

With the budget of the stimulus bill he could have done one of three things:

A) Given every man, woman and child in America $2500 each

B) Paid off every single home foreclosure in 2009

C) Given it all to big business and expanded government programs

So far the banks and auto manufacturers have come out alright. Everybody is in worse shape than when he took office.

The first two options would be handouts to average citizens, which is bad and unAmerican. The last option is promoting business by giving them handouts, which is not only good but the American way and the foundation of capitalism. Just ask any Republican. Get your Commie pinko faggot propaganda out of here, hippie.

[Crazy Levi]

Shittstein is the worst War Board poster, bar none.

Can anybody think of a single contribution he's made here besides reprinting articles nobody wants to hear?

[MasterOfMeatPuppets]

Were you hoping for an original thought from him?

[Cliffenstein]

Can anybody think of a single contribution he's made here besides reprinting articles nobody wants to hear?

[MasterOfMeatPuppets]

Look, he's channeling Shagg05.

[Cliffenstein]

Look, he's channeling Shagg05.

No idea who that is.

It's obvious what I'm doing here on the war board. I occasionally post articles to make a point and to start a bit of back and forth about the subjects of the articles I post.

It isn't hard to figure out.

I've been here on the Sludge board for some time, making some really great personal remasters available to other likeminded individuals.

I find it hilarious that Levi gets all upset when someone has something to post that he doesn't want to "hear" (is Levi blind? Does he use text to speech software?).

[MasterOfMeatPuppets]

What point other than your ability to copy and paste text? Do you simply agree with the opinions presented in the article? Do you perhaps believe this foreshadows a reversal of Democratic party fortunes in the 2010 Congressional elections or a preview of the 2012 Presidential election?

[Cliffenstein]

What point other than your ability to copy and paste text? Do you simply agree with the opinions presented in the article? Do you perhaps believe this foreshadows a reversal of Democratic party fortunes in the 2010 Congressional elections or a preview of the 2012 Presidential election?

Of course I agree with the sentiment presented in the articles I post.

Get ready for even lower approval numbers...Obama just came out in favor of building the mosque at ground zero.

[tin00can]

What point other than your ability to copy and paste text? Do you simply agree with the opinions presented in the article? Do you perhaps believe this foreshadows a reversal of Democratic party fortunes in the 2010 Congressional elections or a preview of the 2012 Presidential election?

Of course I agree with the sentiment presented in the articles I post.

Get ready for even lower approval numbers...Obama just came out in favor of building the mosque at ground zero.

Shouldn't people who are pissed about this be directing their anger towards the guy who actually gets to say whether the mosque is built there?

[Crazy Levi]

Look, he's channeling Shagg05.

No idea who that is.

It's obvious what I'm doing here on the war board. I occasionally post articles to make a point and to start a bit of back and forth about the subjects of the articles I post.

It isn't hard to figure out.

I've been here on the Sludge board for some time, making some really great personal remasters available to other likeminded individuals.

I find it hilarious that Levi gets all upset when someone has something to post that he doesn't want to "hear" (is Levi blind? Does he use text to speech software?).

Your remasters of shitty B-list hair metal band CDs that nobody wants to see have nothing to do with your "contributions" to the war board. You are useless, a right-wing news wire service. Everybody already knows you are another right-wing Kisstard, and that is all that posting articles verbatim with all caps titles reinforces. You have nothing else to offer.

Thanks for nothing.

[Cliffenstein]

You are useless, a right-wing news wire service. Everybody already knows you are another right-wing Kisstard, and that is all that posting articles verbatim with all caps titles reinforces. You have nothing else to offer.

Thanks for nothing.

Fix your text to speech software, man!

[MasterOfMeatPuppets]

What point other than your ability to copy and paste text? Do you simply agree with the opinions presented in the article? Do you perhaps believe this foreshadows a reversal of Democratic party fortunes in the 2010 Congressional elections or a preview of the 2012 Presidential election?

Of course I agree with the sentiment presented in the articles I post.

Get ready for even lower approval numbers...Obama just came out in favor of building the mosque at ground zero.

For someone hoping hoping to provoke thoughtful discussion, you've put precious little thought into this.

[Cliffenstein]

For someone hoping to provoke thoughtful discussion, you've put precious little thought into this.

You think I meant "thoughtful discussion" when I posted "a bit of back and forth"? How odd...especially considering the board we're posting on.

[MasterOfMeatPuppets]

For someone hoping to provoke thoughtful discussion, you've put precious little thought into this.

You think I meant "thoughtful discussion" when I posted "a bit of back and forth"? How odd...especially considering the board we're posting on.

Itwalks was better at the passive-aggressive posting bit.

[Cliffenstein]

Itwalks was better at the passive-aggressive posting bit.

There's nothing passive aggressive about it. You took something I wrote and extrapolated a meaning that was never intended.

[MasterOfMeatPuppets]

Itwalks was better at the passive-aggressive posting bit.

There's nothing passive aggressive about it. You took something I wrote and extrapolated a meaning that was never intended.

This shit was tedious when the Mummy did it and you're no improvement on Timhotep.

[Cliffenstein]

double , dude.

[SmokingGun]

I just wish Obama would stop pandering to Muslims. We've reached out to them enough. We've taken enough of them as citizens and given them untold billions worth of welfare in various forms.

It's our turn now. If they honestly want peace and reconciliation, the ball is in their court. What have they done for us lately?

[Skate4RnR]

Look, he's channeling Shagg05.

You mean KissAcademy? Just lurking!