9 thoughts on “Farewell to A Great Team–Barack Obama and Joe Biden”
This is a unique and effective partnership in US history. Joe Biden was a loyal and competent Vice President. I wish them good luck and good health in their retirement. Din Merican
I agree with the headline about Obama and Biden made a great pair, but they did little, in my opinion, to effect much change for the better, or leadership of the country, in the 8-year partnership. I voted for Obama, both times, and he proved to be a huge disappointment. He had the best chance of any modern-day US President to rein in the banks at the outset of his first-term as he had the groundswell of public opinion on his side to introduce legislation to break-up the stranglehold power of the banks, but he failed to produce any meaningful legislation. His foreign policy initiatives were a disaster, as was his stance on immigration. While he has managed to bamboozle the public with his “great” legacy, he has very little to show for it. His Obamacare solution was pushed through deliberately in great haste and secrecy, and while coverage has been expanded, little consideration was given to real health care industry change. Premiums are now going through the roof after the honeymoon period is over, and “big Pharma” still reign supreme while hospitals get away with indiscriminate pricing for their services. Yes, unemployment has gone down to near-historic levels, but poverty levels have only barely improved from the time he started his Presidency, while the national debt has doubled under his Presidency from approx. $10 trillion, to just over $20 trillion. Lastly, morale in the armed services could not be lower as Obama has purged the military leadership of all his senior generals who have questioned his military strategy, with less-experienced, but acquiescent generals.
Trump is not the perfect President-elect, but compared to Obama’s legacy, and what the highly-overrated Hillary Clinton might have foisted upon us, I’ll take my chances with Trump anytime.
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Feroz, hello and welcome.
Washington DC is a very political place. I spent two years (1968-1970) in that beautiful city. Nothing really works because the system of checks and balances is overdone and therefore crippling. Trump will soon find out that being CEO of Trump Inc is different from being POTUS.
I reserve my judgement about the man. I hope that Americans are doing the right thing to make him their President. Although I favored Hillary, I now think she is no better than Trump.–Din Merican
I know you are well-acquainted with US politics. I also know you were a banker in the past, as I was until I retired. Turning to US politics, and DC politics in particular, I feel both the Democrats and Republican politicians, with rare exception, are only there to further their own self-interest, and not to serve the voters who elected them. All of them need to be thrown out as far as I’m concerned. A one-term limit amendment would be helpful in my opinion. As an outsider, Trump will soon learn the ways of DC politics, and it will be frustrating to him for sure, but at least he brings some hope for change from the outside.
Keep up the good work! Let’s hope 2017 surprises us all and brings about a change in government in Malaysia.
“Trump will soon find out that being CEO of Trump Inc is different from being POTUS.”
I dunno’ Mr. Merican. Maybe he will find out that being a corrupt CEO of failing companies , a demagogue but most importantly a celebrity makes him ideal for the job.
I have never been one for schadenfreude but I think I’m going to like the taste.
I echo what Feroz has said about Obama. I, too, had voted for him twice and is deeply disappointed with his administration. But I still like him as an individual, very much.
I came to the United States during the Nixon Administration. From Nixon to Obama I have been through eight presidents, and I have not seen any relationships between a president and his vice president better than that of Obama and Biden.
President Obama and Vice President Biden have long been open about their friendship and respect for one another, so much so that the POTUS “bromance” has come to be known as a “BROTUS.” And it’s been memed.
In a week time Trump will be in office. Many Americans are already talking about who to replace him after four years. Guess who is the favorite pick? He is the one who became a billionaire before he was 25 year of age – the 32 year young baby-faced owner of Facebook, Mark Elliot Zuckerberg, the 5th richest man in the world.
President Obama efforts were stone walled and stymied by Congress which was controlled by the Republicans. The Republicans had vowed from the very start to oppose every piece of legislation introduced by the President. How can anyone expect the President to function when he faces opposition at every turn except by Executive Order which was also challenged all the way to the Supreme Court.
On the international front especially Middle East, Obama inherited the wars and pledged to bring back the soldiers while at the same time not jeapordizing security and relations with the Arab nations. No other country wants to step up to the plate leaving the US to handle the situation on its own and taking the heat for its action.
Overall Obama did a very satisfactory job in spite of all the opposition by the Republicans. Let’s see if Trump can achieve success in all his election promise seeing that now the Republicans control both houses in Congress.
Din Merican: the Malaysian DJ Blogger 
This is a unique and effective partnership in US history. Joe Biden was a loyal and competent Vice President. I wish them good luck and good health in their retirement. Din Merican
Joe Biden — a life of public service.
Also has high ratings from all the liberal American groups such as the
AFL-CIO, ACLU, NAACP etc. The gun lobby gave him a
zero rating though 🙂
Hi Din,
I agree with the headline about Obama and Biden made a great pair, but they did little, in my opinion, to effect much change for the better, or leadership of the country, in the 8-year partnership. I voted for Obama, both times, and he proved to be a huge disappointment. He had the best chance of any modern-day US President to rein in the banks at the outset of his first-term as he had the groundswell of public opinion on his side to introduce legislation to break-up the stranglehold power of the banks, but he failed to produce any meaningful legislation. His foreign policy initiatives were a disaster, as was his stance on immigration. While he has managed to bamboozle the public with his “great” legacy, he has very little to show for it. His Obamacare solution was pushed through deliberately in great haste and secrecy, and while coverage has been expanded, little consideration was given to real health care industry change. Premiums are now going through the roof after the honeymoon period is over, and “big Pharma” still reign supreme while hospitals get away with indiscriminate pricing for their services. Yes, unemployment has gone down to near-historic levels, but poverty levels have only barely improved from the time he started his Presidency, while the national debt has doubled under his Presidency from approx. $10 trillion, to just over $20 trillion. Lastly, morale in the armed services could not be lower as Obama has purged the military leadership of all his senior generals who have questioned his military strategy, with less-experienced, but acquiescent generals.
Trump is not the perfect President-elect, but compared to Obama’s legacy, and what the highly-overrated Hillary Clinton might have foisted upon us, I’ll take my chances with Trump anytime.
_________________
Feroz, hello and welcome.
Washington DC is a very political place. I spent two years (1968-1970) in that beautiful city. Nothing really works because the system of checks and balances is overdone and therefore crippling. Trump will soon find out that being CEO of Trump Inc is different from being POTUS.
I reserve my judgement about the man. I hope that Americans are doing the right thing to make him their President. Although I favored Hillary, I now think she is no better than Trump.–Din Merican
Hi Din,
I know you are well-acquainted with US politics. I also know you were a banker in the past, as I was until I retired. Turning to US politics, and DC politics in particular, I feel both the Democrats and Republican politicians, with rare exception, are only there to further their own self-interest, and not to serve the voters who elected them. All of them need to be thrown out as far as I’m concerned. A one-term limit amendment would be helpful in my opinion. As an outsider, Trump will soon learn the ways of DC politics, and it will be frustrating to him for sure, but at least he brings some hope for change from the outside.
Keep up the good work! Let’s hope 2017 surprises us all and brings about a change in government in Malaysia.
Human Rights Watch warns :
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/01/13/rise-rightwing-demagogues-threatens-democracy-worldwide-hrw
“Trump will soon find out that being CEO of Trump Inc is different from being POTUS.”
I dunno’ Mr. Merican. Maybe he will find out that being a corrupt CEO of failing companies , a demagogue but most importantly a celebrity makes him ideal for the job.
I have never been one for schadenfreude but I think I’m going to like the taste.
I echo what Feroz has said about Obama. I, too, had voted for him twice and is deeply disappointed with his administration. But I still like him as an individual, very much.
I came to the United States during the Nixon Administration. From Nixon to Obama I have been through eight presidents, and I have not seen any relationships between a president and his vice president better than that of Obama and Biden.
President Obama and Vice President Biden have long been open about their friendship and respect for one another, so much so that the POTUS “bromance” has come to be known as a “BROTUS.” And it’s been memed.
In a week time Trump will be in office. Many Americans are already talking about who to replace him after four years. Guess who is the favorite pick? He is the one who became a billionaire before he was 25 year of age – the 32 year young baby-faced owner of Facebook, Mark Elliot Zuckerberg, the 5th richest man in the world.
President Obama efforts were stone walled and stymied by Congress which was controlled by the Republicans. The Republicans had vowed from the very start to oppose every piece of legislation introduced by the President. How can anyone expect the President to function when he faces opposition at every turn except by Executive Order which was also challenged all the way to the Supreme Court.
On the international front especially Middle East, Obama inherited the wars and pledged to bring back the soldiers while at the same time not jeapordizing security and relations with the Arab nations. No other country wants to step up to the plate leaving the US to handle the situation on its own and taking the heat for its action.
Overall Obama did a very satisfactory job in spite of all the opposition by the Republicans. Let’s see if Trump can achieve success in all his election promise seeing that now the Republicans control both houses in Congress.
But when it came to Quantitative Easing he followed the Wall Street Brief and added 10 trillion to the national debt.