I also said C-

vote the option "none of the choices" and reply in the thread with their grade.

force THEM to explain

So I can get all the grade ranges in there.

Then if people want to adjust their grade they can give a plus or minus onto it by replying in the thread.

Uphill battle since 2010.

Because no other POTUS has been up against so much mindless opposition as this one. Not even Clinton. Obama's done ok considering all that.

The grade is somewhat over actual achievement, in recognition of some extraordinary obstacles posed by deliberate wreckers and obstructionists. I do not feel, though, that enough effort was put early enough into dealing with these obstacles, or directed properly towards neutralizing them, and this reduces the 'difficulty bonus'....

The lion and the lamb have truly lain down together! Dogs and cats are commingling! Oil and water have mixed!

(Now, can't we all just get along?)

C- , stepping up Shrubs ' Big Brother ' policies isn't why I voted for him , withdrawing troops is great as long as you don't deploy troops ,to protect Saudis interests .Calling for the rich to pay more , asking for School grants to continue , Killing those who hate us ,without usurping an entire country ,are all honorable things .

after all. And with RETHUG hatred setting records for obstruction, I think it is only fair to give him as much credit as possible for accomplishments. That said, in the area of civil liberties, I have a much much much harder time.

But he owes part of that grade to the obstructionist Republican congress. He might have gotten somewhere in the B range without their "help".

marijuana and Latin American policies.

For all the good he's done, I've been disappointed at some of the policies of the previous administration that were left in place. I also think that some of his cabinet appointments put the wrong people in charge.

I'm hoping that a second term will see him move to the left.

He has done some good things and I realize it's an uphill battle fighting the racists and republicans....damn that was redundant

But the biggest area of disappointment for me has been him not being able to find that comfortable pair of shoes to walk the proverbial picket lines with labor. As usual, much was promised to us working class dogs and so far damn little has been delivered

Last edited Tue Apr 24, 2012, 07:40 PM - Edit history (1)

He is a centrist politician and governed as a centrist politician with his focus on the next election.

I expected little from him and got what I expected. And, I expect more of the same after he's re-elected.

I voted C-, but feel he is a solid D

that he hired I really think a C is more deserving. Realizing that he was left with a shitty mess by the past Administration, that's the best I can do.

Average...

His Justice Department and choices for economic gurus dragged his grade way down.

However, it wasn't an option.

Very impressive.

But it's hard to give someone more than a B- if they don't do a good job on the one overwhelming, decisive issue of the times.

That on a curve accounting for the banality and wickedness of the opposition and/or the crookedness and evil policies of his predecessors.

In a rational world Duncan alone would push one toward F territory. We don't enjoy such a place. In our little corner of the multi-verse, the opposition would generally be altogether worse (in this case more like somewhat worse...potentially) so he gets a bit of a pass.

As a former college mathematics instructor, and as one who excelled in his university career, I could only have done so if my professors hadn't put up prodigious challenges. Sorry, that's what it is all about. Welcome to the University.

So I have sympathy for Obama during his first term. But, at the same time, I think the get along with the Repukes strategy, which was Obama's main tactic for at least the first two years, has harmed Obama's reelect ability. His only choice, which I believe he is increasingly concluding, is that the Repukes are not going to cooperate.

This is that this the most important measure of the upcoming election. If the bully Repugs are able to portray Obama as weak if he does not lose both sides of Congress, he may lose his office as well.

At this time it looks like we're going to lose the Senate. If we cannot take the House back and/or we lose the White House, we're totally fucked.

If only all liberals, some here who malign Obama, would get together. This is not about what Obama has not accomplished, but what the Republicans would do if they gain either both the House and the Senate, or (horrors!) the White House.

DU is the Democratic Underground. We support our own, but not without criticism. Obama is bright. No matter whether you like his tactics or specific policies, the alternative is much, much, much worse.

and they graded on the curve. That's where your grade is not based on percentage of correctness, but where you rated among fellow test takers. So I'd give Obama a B+.

And for putting Social Security on the table when it had absolutely nothing to do with the debt or the Deficit. And tying Social Security to the General fund is going to suck big time when it comes back to bite us recipients in the billfold.

He's done incredibly well domestically in the face of virtually unprecedented obstruction. His leadership abroad has been great as well, but the one thing that knocks him down for me is the continuation of most of Bush's civil liberties policies. Outside of ending torture (a huge accomplishment), he's basically stayed the course when it comes to things like the Patriot Act and other policies attacking civil liberties enacted by the previous administration.

Overall, though, a solid job.

How do I weigh his stances on Libya, marijuana, gay marriage, DADT, Iraq, Afghanistan, surveillance, health care, education, etc.?

Is an innocent life lost an automatic "F," or are some human lives not important enough to factor into the grade?

I love Obama as a human being, but as a leader, I feel like he has failed miserably.

I expected so much and feel disappointed in his leadership.

As a man, and a caring human being, I adore him, but as a leader he's been MIA in his first term.

Oh, for heavens sake.

I knew I shouldn't have bothered. Just knew some jerk would jump me as a freeper for telling the truth; for expressing my true feelings.

Yes, Obama has been a disappointment for me. The last 4 years have been some of the worst of my life - my husband died, my income has been cut in half, I struggle every day just to put food on the table and a roof over our heads for myself and my daughter, and my government has been absolutely no help. Not one iota.........unless you count the $250.00 burial expense I got from social security as help.

I'm tired. Every day is a battle. I hoped the DEMOCRAT I helped put in office would help all of us breath just a little easier. And, instead, every single day just gets worse and worse.

THIS is why I don't participate here.

I'm struggling too. But I never thought about blaming the President for that. If I did, I know Mittens isn't going to help me. Neither did the current Republican Congress.

But I am helped when the general economy is improved.

My car is on E right now. I'm waiting for my payroll deposit to go pay an outrageous price for gas so I can go make $7.50/hr at a job I hate, but puts gas in the car to get there. Yeah, I make so little, because there are NO good paying jobs, I qualify for food stamps!

Yes, I blame the politicians. ALL OF THEM.

You should read carefully.

Because, quite frankly, I never said I wouldn't vote for him again.

But,I can still be disappointed. And hurt. And in pain. And sitting here crying while I'm typing this. Because I'm alone. And scared. And fighting just to survive while trying to raise a child. Alone.

My husband had to retire earlier this year; his body was starting to break down from the physical labor. We're trying to get Social Security Disability, but that's no guarantee. I'm working right now, but my job is seasonal and goes away in mid-August. I still have two kids at home, one because he can't find work. Another daughter is married with a child--she's trying to work and go to college. She gets a Pell grant, but a lot of times I have to give them money for food, even though both parents are working full time. She's afraid to get a college loan because of all the horror stories about people who can't pay them off.

We're making it right now; however, I've never felt more insecure and frightened. I'm voting for all the Democrats, but I'm still feeling the same way you are.

and consumes every thought, every worry, every concern. I feel like if I take one step forward, someone steps up to slap me back 4 steps just because I dared to hope.

to grow a thicker skin.

Speak your mind within the rules and don't worry what others think. If they get really nasty just alert on them and their post will get hidden.

But I did not, try not to be so nasty to newer members than yourself, it just starts shit.

Also disappointed - not just in the lack of progress but in how various party members have framed the debate, rather than sticking up for ideals and goals too many have stuck up for party line and hero worship.

Id give him a C- and the same for a lot of the people around his campaign.

.. not an F. That's reserved for Dubya.

If he did the crooks on Wall St. would be in prison.

A bit too timid in pushing through progressive legislation, but we shouldn't ignore the fact that he did get a lot of things done.

The most important piece of social legislation since LBJ. It ain't perfect, but he got it passed.

Not enough stimulus, not enough progress on jobs.

Given the political realities, I don't think he could have done much more than he did.

I voted A-.

Commence wailing and gnashing of teeth.

As well as your grade

The President is not a student.

Pass.

I would give him plusses for his willingness to succeed in areas that required the assistance if others. Their recalcitrance & sabotage of the group project-grades factored into the C-ness of the grade

I would also give him credit for his positive attitude in the face of relentless negativism from "the group"

I gave Obama a B cuz he did quite a bit of good despite the fuggin' party of NO!

Lots of good stuff in the first term as far as I'm concerned. Saving Detroit, DADT repeal, health care reform (on the understanding that what we got was the best we could get at this time -- I'm personally in favor of single payer), getting out of Iraq, getting bin Laden, sane international diplomacy, and Supreme Court picks to name a few.

But... I would have liked to see more action taken to crack down on the banks and the financial industry, and a faster withdrawal from Afghanistan. And the public option would have been nice.

You can't have everything though, so, a very solid first term IMO but still a little room to improve.

There are only a few things, that I disagree with Obama on. Overall, he's been a really great President imo.

"Both are equally blind!"

...doubt that.

A simple exercise in logic could take every President and find a rational for giving this President an "A."

Unless most Presidents deserve an "F," there is simply no justification using that metric for assigning an "F" to this President.

Now if the metric is personal expectations, one could justify either vote, even if the expectations were unreasonable.

You are, IMO way too OK with anything Obama does. And tend to defend any complaint of him. That is not really an issue. You adore him and think he has no flaws. You are 100% OK to feel that way. Most just don't agree with it.

I trust neither the opinion of the 100% Obama defenders or the 100% Obama does everything wrong people. Both are too biased to even pay attention to. Their emotion makes them that way.

I gave him a B, but he dropped the ball on way too many things to get an A in any unbiased persons book.

"I am not worrying about your opinion. But YOU didn't like the Fs. LOL..Works both ways!"

...it doesn't "work both ways." I made no such assertion.

You made a comment about "interesting," and I responded. You responded with a claim, "Both are equally blind!"

I disagreed, and stated why.

You are overly concerned about other people's votes and now you're trying to project.

how to feel.

"You know this is a discussion board? People discuss stuff. Calm down. No one is telling you....how to feel. "

Hope you're taking your own advice because that response had nothing to do with my comment.

if he closes Guantanamo, pulls all troops out of the Middle East, pushes through Single Payer, and decides to advocate for marriage equality? A++? A+++?

I wish he would have kicked the Repubs in the balls even harder.

It's tough to get the things he wants to do when he's got one hand forced behind his back. A Congress that isn't trying to legislate on the "Anything the President wants, we're against" and the "Our only goal is to make him a one term President" doesn't make for a good environment in which to govern.

A+?

They truly believe, in their heart of hearts, that there was absolutely nothing Obama could have done better? That he was perfect in every way? I like Obama but I am not that delusional.

Obama is a person I hired to do a job. He hasn't met my expectations so far, but I sure as hell am not ready to fire him.

I really had hoped for better from him.

I'm still not cool with the Libya thing, I'm not happy about the oil drilling allowances, or the private contractors. But overall he's surpassed my expectations.

No offense really, but if you look at how much the President has accomplished from where he started, it's miraculous how far we've come in the past 3 years. Especially in relation to how other President's have done in our lifetimes.

If you can't see that, then you have unrealistic expectations of what the President is capable of and what his duties are as President.

President Obama is on track to be the greatest President of our lifetimes but I understand that most people like that aren't recognized until well after their accomplishments are fully realized.

Despite having a Congress of the opposing party being elected in, he was still able to accomplish a few things on his own. And he has tried to make tax rates fairer and have his Jobs Plan passed.
Here's a full list of his top accomplishments:
http://www.alternet.org/story/154840/top_50_things_accomplished_by_president_barack_obama?page=entire
What I would've did differently if I were Obama is move even further to the left. I would've made a push to legalize cannabis nationwide, legalize same-sex marriage nationwide, and universal health care, especially considering the fact that the majority of the country supports these positions. Furthermore, I would've paid more attention to critics from our side of the political spectrum, instead of trying to make people on the other side like me, when they will never vote for me no matter what.

You gotta leave a little more of a window for those of us slow on the uptake.

Edit: I guess you posted this yesterday, I just didn't see it til now. My bad.

No one asked, but I'd go with C+.

that would be a full grade higher were it not for the duplicitous and ill conceived move by his DOJ to hassle medical marijuana states and put a high priority on incarcerating as many joint holding cancer grannies as the taxpayer dollar will allow.