The Soapbox

Joined: 01/04/2001 Posts: 27123
Likes: 34453

What's this?

Of course. That can take years to determine and be subject

To re-evaluation by future generations. Deep, visceral feelings tend to fade with time, and so we can often look at past presidents with a mix of nostalgia and rationality. We often revise initial feelings upward.

One big thing looms over the Biden legacy - Ukraine and tensions with Russia generally. You and HWW cite greater trust with NATO as a Biden accomplishment. Well, NATO complained about our coordination with them on the exit from AFGH, and it is interesting that Macron now calls for the EU to enter into its own discussions with Russia. I think that newly rebuilt trust between NATO and the US is an open question.

I have seen critiques of Biden (not from repubs - from foreign observers) suggesting his botched exit from AFGH contributes to Russia’s boldness now.

If all out war breaks out in Eastern Europe, with hostilities on the continent not seen since 1945, then prospects for the Biden legacy dim considerably. Obviously depending on how bad it gets. It is deeply concerning, because some people think the Putin build-up surrounding Ukraine makes an invasion only a matter of time (although some disagree that its now inevitable).

(In response to this post by Seattle .Hoo)

Posted: 01/21/2022 at 2:47PM

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So, now that we’ve reached the first anniversary of the Biden admin, what… -- Los Angeles Hoo 01/21/2022 1:14PM

Helping to create meme warfare. Fuck Joe Biden! ** -- ryno hoo 01/21/2022 3:48PM

Defeating the pos traitor you so eagerly and foolishly support -- hooshouse 01/21/2022 3:12PM

He'll go down in history as one of the greats for that alone. ** -- VAGentleman05 01/21/2022 4:24PM

Decreased Orange Asswipiness of office; otherwise not progressive enough. ** -- ResistHoo 01/21/2022 2:57PM

Joe's favorability here much higher here than the American public at large ** -- Tuckahokie 01/21/2022 2:34PM

So is Donald Trump's. Honestly, the numbers may not be that different -- Capital City Hoo 01/21/2022 3:36PM

Citing an accomplishment is not the same as “approving”. -- hoolstoptheheels 01/21/2022 2:37PM

What don't you approve of that he has actually had control over? Election -- 81_Hokie 01/21/2022 2:45PM

If you ask me? He should have judged his mandate more accurately. -- hoolstoptheheels 01/21/2022 2:58PM

I don't think BBB in any form was ever a realistic proposal. Recall that -- 81_Hokie 01/21/2022 3:09PM

He didn’t need the repubs to pass BBB. He couldn’t get enough dems. -- hoolstoptheheels 01/21/2022 3:11PM

I was not in favor of BBB as it was constructed but it's crazy to blame -- 81_Hokie 01/21/2022 3:22PM

It’s not crazy 81 - it’s a complete misinterpretation of his mandate. -- hoolstoptheheels 01/21/2022 3:54PM

Joe Manchin fucking lied, basically. -- hooshouse 01/21/2022 3:14PM

We can demonize Manchin, but it’s Biden’s legacy that -- hoolstoptheheels 01/21/2022 3:17PM

Yeah I expected a couple more seats in the Senate. GA is just an unexpected -- Seattle .Hoo 01/21/2022 3:18PM

Is it though? If Manchin and maybe some of the other moderates -- hoolstoptheheels 01/21/2022 3:46PM

Especially when the GQP has declared mutual assured destruction obstruction ** -- Hoo TV 01/21/2022 3:22PM

He couldn't twist Machin's and Sinema's arms hard enough. ** -- Seattle .Hoo 01/21/2022 3:13PM

Bingo. ** -- 111Balz 01/21/2022 2:42PM

Scrabble ** -- WahooRO 01/21/2022 3:28PM

And lest we forget, we were assured by the Trumpists that the Democrats -- Seattle .Hoo 01/21/2022 2:39PM

Biden=sanders -- TomKazanski 01/21/2022 2:56PM

Did you see Bernie's plans? That's a clown show comment. ** -- HoodatB 01/21/2022 3:30PM

You don’t have to capitalize him. You weren’t talking about your God Trump. ** -- 111Balz 01/21/2022 3:26PM

Yes, of course TK. ** -- Seattle .Hoo 01/21/2022 3:00PM

American Rescue Plan, rejoined Paris climate accord, 42 federal judges, -- Hoo TV 01/21/2022 2:30PM

Out of Afghanistan. NATO can trust us again. Infrastructure. -- HoosWillWin 01/21/2022 1:57PM

NATO can trust us again? I guess you missed some of their comments after -- Hoodafan 01/21/2022 3:00PM

Is he a good president? No, he is not. Am I underwhelmed by his -- Maupin233 01/21/2022 2:21PM

In fairness, Biden's place in history remains to be seen. ** -- Seattle .Hoo 01/21/2022 2:36PM

Trump’s place is pretty much assured to be in the bottom decile, however. ** -- TomGlansAski 01/21/2022 2:50PM

Yes, but he had four years to show that and he's out. Biden is one year in. ** -- Seattle .Hoo 01/21/2022 2:54PM

Agreed. And I believe it usually takes longer to assess performance. -- TomGlansAski 01/21/2022 3:02PM

I think Biden has had to deal with an incredible amount of shit. Nothing ha -- 111Balz 01/21/2022 3:18PM

As more is uncovered wrt to Jan 6, his dealings with Russia and Turkey, -- 81_Hokie 01/21/2022 3:15PM

Of course. That can take years to determine and be subject -- hoolstoptheheels 01/21/2022 2:47PM

Re: Nato Trust. Sure mistakes were made, but we had foreign -- HoosWillWin 01/21/2022 4:18PM

... it's funny. I still kind of regard myself as an old Republican hawk. -- HoosWillWin 01/21/2022 4:22PM

I am not looking for us to go to war over Ukraine. But we will -- hoolstoptheheels 01/21/2022 4:26PM

Agreed. ** -- HoosWillWin 01/21/2022 4:31PM

Even though it's still early, I feel confident that Biden will place (link) -- Hoo TV 01/21/2022 2:57PM

I would argue that Russia's sabre rattling with Ukraine has very little to -- Seattle .Hoo 01/21/2022 2:53PM

Russia’s motivations have nothing to do with AFGH. -- hoolstoptheheels 01/21/2022 3:01PM

I disagree with those observers and I don't think it's going to blow up. ** -- Seattle .Hoo 01/21/2022 3:02PM

I have my fingers crossed that it won’t. ** -- hoolstoptheheels 01/21/2022 3:03PM

Me too. I suppose the question is "what would we do about it?" IMO see -- Seattle .Hoo 01/21/2022 3:10PM

We’ll have to do something about it if it happens. -- hoolstoptheheels 01/21/2022 3:14PM

And there may be a bit of a different long game going on with Putin. He wan -- 111Balz 01/21/2022 3:37PM

Lots of long game theories. A relatively optimistic one that I -- hoolstoptheheels 01/21/2022 3:51PM

Yep sanctions and military supplies for Ukraine probably. Escalation? Why? ** -- Seattle .Hoo 01/21/2022 3:22PM

No reason other than fog of war. Once the shooting starts, things -- hoolstoptheheels 01/21/2022 3:48PM

That is very true. Most presidents would be diminished in the view of -- Maupin233 01/21/2022 2:43PM

That's good...and I hope NATO pays full freight moving forward ** -- Tuckahokie 01/21/2022 2:12PM

You do understand that NATO is not only mutually beneficial, but also it -- Seattle .Hoo 01/21/2022 2:17PM

Of course....and to a large degree we are the World's policeman. We just -- Tuckahokie 01/21/2022 2:26PM

No we do not need to be "compensated" for doing things that are in our best -- Seattle .Hoo 01/21/2022 2:35PM

Then why are you complaining about the Defense budget? ** -- Tuckahokie 01/21/2022 2:41PM

Because I think it's too high? ** -- Seattle .Hoo 01/21/2022 2:43PM

Something D's complained about NATO not doing for years. When Donnie -- HokieDan95 01/21/2022 2:15PM

That's such bullshit. Obama had already obtained those contribution -- Seattle .Hoo 01/21/2022 2:19PM

LOL! Actually funding is a little more important than "agreements" they -- Hoodafan 01/21/2022 3:03PM

Show us evidence of how much Trump’s saber rattling increased contributions -- 111Balz 01/21/2022 3:28PM

I guess Trump was "using" Putin to intimidate them into paying more? What -- Seattle .Hoo 01/21/2022 3:06PM

WTF? So pushing them to honor those oh so important agreements is now -- Hoodafan 01/21/2022 3:09PM

No, I was commenting on our former dumbshit in chief. ** -- Seattle .Hoo 01/21/2022 3:11PM

Yes, the guy getting them to honor those agreements you thought were so -- Hoodafan 01/21/2022 3:19PM

Dan only knows what he’s told ** -- 111Balz 01/21/2022 2:43PM

My sentiments exactly! ** -- Seattle .Hoo 01/21/2022 1:59PM

Grownups -- Beerman 01/21/2022 1:51PM

I'm with HoosWillWin...ending a 20-year war is no small achievement. ** -- Seattle .Hoo 01/21/2022 2:00PM

Yet our Defense budget went up....wtf!! ** -- Hooooooooooooooo 01/21/2022 2:02PM

Passed 363-70. The “no” votes came from 19 Republicans and 51 Democrats ** -- Hoo TV 01/21/2022 2:06PM

I know and it was easily bipartisan. Fucking ludicrous. ** -- Seattle .Hoo 01/21/2022 2:04PM

Probably getting infrastructure done. ** -- hoolstoptheheels 01/21/2022 1:51PM

Easy. Trump ain't in office. ** -- Shenhoo 01/21/2022 1:49PM

+∞ ** -- Hoo TV 01/21/2022 2:32PM

Wait...I've got one. Kamala is not the president yet. ** -- HAZER 01/21/2022 1:41PM

LMAO! No guarantees. But he hasn't been 25th'd yet. ** -- Seattle .Hoo 01/21/2022 1:47PM

I've got nothing. ** -- HAZER 01/21/2022 1:38PM

The infrastructure bill was good....mostly! ** -- Hooooooooooooooo 01/21/2022 1:27PM

He overachieved by staying in office a whole year, other -- Lupos 01/21/2022 1:27PM

Good point. I think the over/under on his ability to stay in office is... -- Los Angeles Hoo 01/21/2022 2:15PM

Proposals made,................ ** -- Hoodafan 01/21/2022 1:17PM

Showing the country what liberalism is all about -- TomKazanski 01/21/2022 1:15PM