Montage: 11 Times Obama Talked Down the U.S. in His Final U.N. Address

In his final speech to the United Nations General Assembly, President Obama laid out what he views as his foreign policy legacy -- and in so doing, highlighted how America itself still has much work to do. Specifically, Obama found 11 separate opportunities to talk down his own country.

Here are some of the ways Obama told the United Nations America is falling short:

1. In America, there's too much money in politics.
2. There's also too much "entrenched partisanship."
3. Too few Americans are civically engaged.
4. A "patchwork of laws" in America set out to make it hard for Americans to vote.
5. Considering our founding ideals, America has made “our share of mistakes over these last 25 years.”
6. The only way the world will become more secure is for powerful nations like America to “accept constraints.”
7. For believing that all countries must adhere to certain "international norms," many Americans criticize Obama.
8. Too many in Washington believe all of the problems in the world can be solved by Washington.
9. As president, he's helped "curb" America’s “excesses of capitalism.”
10. America has “undermined unions,” which has destroyed manufacturing jobs.
11. In calling for greater respect and tolerance, Obama also likened racial discrimination in the U.S. to ethnic discrimination in Burundi and and religious discrimination in Burma.

Link

1-8 are 100% true though...........

Wait a minute, wasn't Obama the one at the DNC convention that said he couldn't believe that Trump was complaining about America?

So let me get this straight, Trump points out obvious flaws in America such as problems in the inner city, terrorism, people in poor economic situations, immigration, etc., and Obama think he should be ashamed because America is so great.

Then he runs to the UN and tells the globalists crowd about all sorts of problems in the US. What a leader!

I can't wait for the Main stream media to call him out on this hypocrisy.

It's a shame your ego is so fragile that the President pointing out flaws in your country in a bid to make it better actually offends it so much. Need a safe space?

Lets go through his list and see how much he has done to solve these problems.

1. In America, there's too much money in politics.

And he has done nothing to address this. In fact, he is currently out fundraising from millionaires for Hillary.

2. There's also too much "entrenched partisanship."

True, but he has hardly helped that. Both Republican and Democrats are responsible for this, and he has been one of the most divisive figures.

3. Too few Americans are civically engaged.

Yet the candidate he is cheering for calls people that feel like the government has left them behind deploreables. He felt they cling to their guns and religion. I think what he means is that he wishes more people that vote Democrat were civically engaged.

4. A "patchwork of laws" in America set out to make it hard for Americans to vote.

I assume he means ID laws. Yet almost all of the countries he was speaking to have those laws.

www.nationalreview.com...

Also that article shows Soros wants to eliminate these laws, you know, one of thos big money guys that backs Obama's agendas (but that big money is good!).

5. Considering our founding ideals, America has made “our share of mistakes over these last 25 years.”

No argument from me. I would argue that Obama continued many of the "mistakes" of the past rotten presidents, such as regime toppling, enriching bankers at the expense of the poor, eroding our borders, helping stoke racial division, continuing a flawed war on drugs, etc.

He also has done more to erode the Constitution than just about any President.

6. The only way the world will become more secure is for powerful nations like America to “accept constraints.”

Yet he arms Islamasists rebels and unilateral drone strikes countries. Also, what he is really saying here is that we need to take a back seat to a globalists agenda.

7. For believing that all countries must adhere to certain "international norms," many Americans criticize Obama.

Right because he wants to destroy our sovereignty and take a backseat to the globalist agenda. Hence TPP, adopting the globalist agenda of forced "multicultural" immigration, appeasing Iran, etc. Thats why he was against Brexit, he doesn't like national sovereignty.

8. Too many in Washington believe all of the problems in the world can be solved by Washington.

Right, people like him. He has to shove his nose issues it doesn't belong like Trayvon or Kaepernick. That is why the majority of people in this country think Obamas tenure has the country going in the wrong direction. But Obama knows better than all of those people!

And isn't his biggest achievement Obamacare? You know, that great success that started because Washington needed to solve the health care issue.

9. As president, he's helped "curb" America’s “excesses of capitalism.”

No he hasn't. Why do you think Bernie had so much support? The wealthiest 1% are richer than ever under him. How many bankers did he jail for corruption? Oh thats right. But he has been hob knobbing with them to get HIllary donations.

10. America has “undermined unions,” which has destroyed manufacturing jobs.

Yet Obama is trying to shove the TPP down their throats, which they hate.

www.pbs.org...

11. In calling for greater respect and tolerance, Obama also likened racial discrimination in the U.S. to ethnic discrimination in Burundi and and religious discrimination in Burma.

Yeah he believes that we live in a country where there is institutional racism. Only problem is, he is a big part of the institution! Has he done anything to punish corporate criminals that rob the poorest people? No. Has he tried to stop the war on drugs that disproportionately affect minorities? No.

Has he been disrespectful to people claiming they cling to religion and guns? Of course.

He lives in a glass house. He has been disrespectful, yet he chides anyone who disagrees with his globalists policy as intolerant.

originally posted by: WhateverYouSay
It's a shame your ego is so fragile that the President pointing out flaws in your country in a bid to make it better actually offends it so much. Need a safe space?

I am assuming you made that same comment to everyone at the DNC including Obama and all of the main stream media that clammored about Trump pointing out flaws with the country. I would love to see your posts on that.

I mean, its not like you would stay silent on that and the just criticize a random internet poster for pointing out this hypocrisy, would you? That may seem, hypocritical.

Thanks for offering me a safe space though, I appreciate it. I prefer my space here where I point out bias trolls like you for their ideological inconsistencies.

Early lamentations on Hillary's loss to Trump, blaming laws that don't allow illegal Mexicans, convicted felons, and Syrian refugees from voting.

a reply to: Grambler

Sounds like he is planting some seeds for a new job!

a reply to: randomthoughts12

Honestly that is a great point. He is relatively young, and I could seem him wanting to continue to work in politics.

But it doesn't matter if he is or not. He is a true globalist hypocrite through and through.

a reply to: Grambler

Some of the things Trump points out are flaws, some aren't, what specifically would you be referring to? We can address my supposed hypocrisy point by point, and I think you might find it mysteriously vanish, unlike yours perhaps?

originally posted by: WhateverYouSay
a reply to: Grambler

Some of the things Trump points out are flaws, some aren't, what specifically would you be referring to? We can address my supposed hypocrisy point by point, and I think you might find it mysteriously vanish, unlike yours perhaps?

Ok so first off, do you agree that all of the thing Obama mentioned here are problems?

Secondly, do you admit that it was the DNC people, the mainstream media people, and Obama that criticized Trump for his RNC speech for pointing out problems in America?

How am I being hypocritical, I think all sides have the right to point out problems. How is me pointing out Obama has a problem with Trump doing that, but then he does it himself make me a hypocrite?

That is what this thread is about. Of course Obama has the right to say there are problems in this country, as does Trump. It is the hypocrisy of Obama criticizing Trumps speech for pointing out problems in America, and then going to his globalists buddies in Europe and doing the same thing.

Yet instead of commenting on that, you ask me if I need a safe space! No mention on rather or not Obama was a hypocrite, or rather you agree with his claims. This makes you sound hypocritical.

Here is a rundown of Trumps RNC speech and the problems that he outlined that Obama, the DNC and the main stream media all had a problem with. You must have missed it while you were offering folks safe spaces.

attacks on police
violence in streets
crime going up in the past year
illegal immigration
poor economy
national debt
trade deficit
Navy sailors being captured
Consulate in Benghazi attacked
ISIS
special interests in politics
workers not having a voice
email deletion of HIllary
rigged political system
racial division
veterans benefits
excessive regulations
student debt
VA scandal

abcnews.go.com...

Two things. First, notice how many of these are the exact things Obama mentioned, special interests in politics, racial division, etc. Apparently Obama thought is was fear mongering for Trump to discuss these things, but a-ok for him to do it.

Secondly, which of those things listed do you think are not flaws? Do you think Obamas list of problems, such as voter ID laws, are more important than Trumps problems?

Lastly will you admit Obama is a hypcrite for denouncing Trumps RNC speech as pessimistic while complaining about the US to the UN?

a reply to: Grambler

1. Correct
2. Correct
3. Correct (although I'm sure he and I differ on exactly how people should be civically engaged)
4. Wrong
5. Correct (again, probably disagree on some)
6. Wrong. America does need to reign itself in concerning policing the world (or "spreading democracy"), but not by force through an outside body
7. Oddly noted, but probably correct ("Many Americans" disagree with him on many points)
8. Absolutely true, but that includes himself
9. If by that, he means forced expensive things on us like the ACA and used more of our taxes to fund wars and hostage payments, then correct. Otherwise, the fruits of capitalism don't need to be curbed by government or a politician.
10. Wrong...well, we have undermined unions, but that's good. The jobs flee our country because of our over-regulation and over-taxing.
11. He's an idiot. The racial flames have had gas poured on them ever since he took office, multiple times by his own doing. It's going to take a while to undo the racial divisiveness that he has helped foster in America.

America sucks....I mean, they elected a black man President despite being super racist...

If only we could have an Arab Spring to right all the wrongs of this failed republic...

Sure, we walked on the moon and split the atom...but Fergusson....the Klan....our former president is a rapist...what's that you say?? The rapist was a democrat...oh, hmm....let's ignore that then...

Anyhow, America sucks because of: reasons...

-Chris

originally posted by: Grambler




Ok so first off, do you agree that all of the thing Obama mentioned here are problems?

Mostly

Secondly, do you admit that it was the DNC people, the mainstream media people, and Obama that criticized Trump for his RNC speech for pointing out problems in America?

No, they criticized his solutions to those problems. Implictly sometimes for the way he framed the ID of the problems.

How am I being hypocritical, I think all sides have the right to point out problems. How is me pointing out Obama has a problem with Trump doing that, but then he does it himself make me a hypocrite?

Focusing on tu quoque instead of the issues.

Yet instead of commenting on that, you ask me if I need a safe space! No mention on rather or not Obama was a hypocrite, or rather you agree with his claims. This makes you sound hypocritical.

I agree with his claims. Whether or not he's a hypocrite in some of them is tu quoque and it's just the sort of thing that distracts from the actual issues which makes someone "authentically" investigating them a hypocrite.

Here is a rundown of Trumps RNC speech and the problems that he outlined that Obama, the DNC and the main stream media all had a problem with. You must have missed it while you were offering folks safe spaces.

attacks on police
violence in streets
crime going up in the past year
illegal immigration
poor economy
national debt
trade deficit
Navy sailors being captured
Consulate in Benghazi attacked
ISIS
special interests in politics
workers not having a voice
email deletion of HIllary
rigged political system
racial division
veterans benefits
excessive regulations
student debt
VA scandal

1) Attacks on police and violence in the streets, let's be honest about the cause here. Yes there were some attacks on police but they pale in comparison to the killings of innocents by police, that is the root of the problem, it is a problem that is solely American, other countries don't kill their suspects, even if they have a bunch of traffic tickets!

2 and 3) Violence in streets - that is actually incorrect, Trump noted a slight uptick for one year because it suited his narrative but over the coarse of the Obama presidency, and even the Bush presidency violence has gone way way down. www.factcheck.org...

4) Illegal immigration - blown way out of proportion by Trump.

5) Poor economy - Yes the economy is poor. Trump's plan to cut taxes for the rich is absolutely ludicrous, and hilariously enough, totally contradicts whatever notion he has for number 6)

6) National debt - How is debt paid for? By taxes, let's give a tax break to the richest individuals! Makes sense!! Do you guys actually care about this one or not?

7) Trade deficit - I'm with Trump on this one, I dislike the TTIP and the TPP very much, and both of those serve to undermine the trade deficit. Clinton has said she came around on the issue, fingers crossed she keeps it, but I'm skeptical.

8) Navy sailors being captured - More jingoism from America's right. They strayed into Iranian waters. Am I happy they were captured at gunpoint, no. What would you jingoistic Americans think if Iranians strayed into American waters? My guess is you'd be calling Obama a cuck for releasing them back to the Iranians like Iran did to America.

9) Consolute in Benghazi attacked - this one is the biggest crock of #. Yes it's bad it happened, but we have made 100x more a deal of this than we ever did going to war with Iraq where thousands of Americans and over a hundred thousand INNOCENT IRAQIs died. It's the biggest political partisan witch hunt. Clinton sucks but Republicans don't pick the things she actually sucks for (like giving speeches to Goldman Sachs where she made tons of money) because they're just as guilty.

10) ISIS - is there some sort of disagreement over whether ISIS is bad that I'm unaware of?

11) special interests in politics - HUGE problem. In this Trump is better than Clinton but worse than Sanders. Obama is talking about it now because he doesn't need their money, dismissing it because he used to take it is Tu Quoque.

12) Workers not having a voice - Yep it's a problem, I'm not sure what magic bullet you or Trump have, but it's not tax breaks to the upper 1%.

13) Email deletion of Hillary - I always find this one funny for a variety of reasons, people who will say she should be hung for this, but then support Snowden or Assange. I would say pick one. The biggest problem is that she didn't suffer while others did, but I think the others shouldn't suffer for that crime. She had some classified emails on her private email server, I really DGAF.

14) Rigged political system - Yep it's a problem, which is why I won't be voting for Hillary. As an aside, I won't be voting for Trump because he's an imbecile with dangerous views.

15) Racial division - White people like to claim this is Obama's fault but I'm 100% on the opposite end of the spectrum. You were just ignorant of the kind of # people of color had to deal with and now that it's a national conversation you're all running around like the world's going to end, when these people have been dealing with an unfair police system and racial injustice for hundreds of years. How many people brought up the gun violence of black people when Trayvon Martin was killed? The difference is THE STATE DOESN'T SANCTION THE DEATH OF THOSE KILLED BY GANG MEMBERS. Having to point that out is a shining example of the cognitive disconnect that many white people have in regards to race relations. Yes it seems bad now but this is just a step in the right direction.

16) Veterans benefits - a bit broad, care to elaborate where the daylight is between the candidates?

17) Excessive regulations - lol, how ridiculous. Where were those "excessive regulations" that allowed the collapse of 2008? Oh, that's right, they didn't exist in America like they did in a country like Canada which outlaws banks trading derivatives. Ok maybe you can cherry pick a couple of silly regulations but regulations are very necessary.




abcnews.go.com...

Two things. First, notice how many of these are the exact things Obama mentioned, special interests in politics, racial division, etc. Apparently Obama thought is was fear mongering for Trump to discuss these things, but a-ok for him to do it.

It's because they provide the opposing ends of the spectrum in regards to the cause and solution to those problems.

Secondly, which of those things listed do you think are not flaws? Do you think Obamas list of problems, such as voter ID laws, are more important than Trumps problems?


Again, it's not the problem it's the solution.

Lastly will you admit Obama is a hypcrite for denouncing Trumps RNC speech as pessimistic while complaining about the US to the UN?

Nope. Trump is pessimistic because of his solutions, like banning Muslims from entering America, that's choosing an extremely over the top draconian method of a solution of a few "bad skittles". That's being pessimistic towards thousands and thousands of people.

a reply to: WhateverYouSay

You are miss using tu quoque, it is the behavior which is hypocritical, the content of what they were they saying was not necessarily dismissed, the fallacy is when you use hypocrisy of the messenger to discount the message which can still be valid regardless of the messenger.

a reply to: CatandtheHatchet

"the fallacy is when you use hypocrisy of the messenger to discount the message which can still be valid regardless of the messenger. "

Which is exactly what is happening when the entire message is discounted because it's Obama saying it.

The title: 11 Times Obama Talked Down the US

And you somehow think it isn't being discounted? Are you kidding me?

originally posted by: WhateverYouSay


No, they criticized his solutions to those problems. Implictly sometimes for the way he framed the ID of the problems.

No the didn't they all said how "dark" his speech was, and how it made America seem pessimistic. The idea was that America is great, and Trump is a complainer and fear monger by bringing up problems.

Sure they criticized his solutions, but they also said he was overstating or making up problems, and that America is great.

Here are couple examples it took me like five minutes to find.

www.newyorker.com...

Has there ever been such an alarmist presentation from a Presidential nominee at a Convention?

www.politico.com...

In the national media's coverage of Donald Trump's marathon acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, there was arguably one descriptor that ruled them all: "Dark."

"Donald Trump Takes America on a Journey to the Dark Side," read NBC News' headline.

For The New York Times: "His Tone Dark, Donald Trump Takes GOP Mantle."

POLITICO's Shane Goldmacher described Trump's address as "a deeply negative speech that described a darkening America," and a cursory Google News search of the words "Trump" and "dark" yielded more than a few press accounts and opinion pieces using similarly tenebrous language.

And here is the media claiming how positive and patriotic the DNC was compared to Trumps dark view of the country.
www.vox.com...

Meanwhile, throughout the convention, Democrats have implicitly argued that it is they who love America before — because, unlike Trump, they recognize it is already great.

Vice President Joe Biden gave this argument its purest expression on Wednesday night, in a full-throated argument for a proud, liberal nationalism that explicitly catered to the self-image of working-class people who already considered themselves "real Americans":

Obamas entire speech was about how great America is, and criticizing Trump fo saying to make it great again.

The two complaints from Donalds speech were that it was dark, and he offered no solutions. Yet you agree with many of the problems he outlined, just not with his solutions. Great, I disagree with some too.

None of that has anything to do with Dems, the media and Obama criticizing Trump for being dark and telling Americans how great their country is, and then going to the UN and singing a far different tune, about all of the problems of theUS. This is hypocrisy.

Focusing on tu quoque instead of the issues.

How is pointing out hypocritical statements not focusing on the issues. I have plenty of posts on other threads about issues, but merely pointing out hypocrisy with this thread makes me a hypocrite.

I mean, we can't all be issue focused like you. Your original post on this thread was so issue focus that it blew my mind.

It's a shame your ego is so fragile that the President pointing out flaws in your country in a bid to make it better actually offends it so much. Need a safe space?

Name calling, asking me if I need a safe space. Man you are such a policy wonk, I can't keep up with all of your issue based comments here. I hope to learn how to be so focused on issues like you! You are just great!

I agree with his claims. Whether or not he's a hypocrite in some of them is tu quoque and it's just the sort of thing that distracts from the actual issues which makes someone "authentically" investigating them a hypocrite.

Yet you chose not only to comment on the thread, but to come in making personal attacks, and not even mentioning anything posted.

Here is news for you, we can all decide for ourselves what is important. I find our President being hypocritical important, you do not. I find the issues important and post on those threads as well.

originally posted by: WhateverYouSay
a reply to: CatandtheHatchet

"the fallacy is when you use hypocrisy of the messenger to discount the message which can still be valid regardless of the messenger. "

Which is exactly what is happening when the entire message is discounted because it's Obama saying it.

The title: 11 Times Obama Talked Down the US

And you somehow think it isn't being discounted? Are you kidding me?

How did I discount it, or anyone else here? I never said "Obama is a hypocrite, so I refuse to look at his claims."

Care to show me where I discounted his claims because he is a hypocrite? Quite the opposite, I and others on this thread went through his points one by one. Unlike you, who chose to come in making personal attacks.

You are making the argument that you can never call someone out for hypocrisy because it discounts their message, then you ironically call me a hypocrite! Good stuff!

a reply to: Grambler

I think he got number 5 way wrong.
It should read:
"I think America has made the most mistakes in the last 8 years because of my own failures".

Then it would be a bit more honest. Just for starters.