Obama Watch - Viewer Comments Archive . NOW on PBS

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Do you think Congress will pass Obama's health reform bill? Do you think Obama's health reform summit will lead to a bipartisan reform bill? Do you think the federal stimulus has significantly helped the economy over the past year? What was your reaction to Obama's State of the Union speech? Do you think Obama has been devoting enough attention to environmental issues? What should Obama's Afghanistan troop strategy be? Are you concerned the U.S. is becoming too involved in military operations in Pakistan? Did Obama deserve to win the Nobel Peace Prize? Do you think Obama should send more troops to Afghanistan? Twinkies? Soda? Cigarettes? What items would you pay higher taxes on to ensure health care for all? Do you agree with Obama's decision to continue the practice of sending terrorism suspects to third countries for detention and interrogation? Should President Obama be tackling both the economy and health care at the same time? Some gay rights activists say Obama is not taking their concerns seriously enough. Are they right? How should Obama prioritize the battles he takes to Congress? Will Obama's speech in Egypt improve America's image in the Muslim world? Who should Obama nominate as the next Supreme Court justice and why? Has the press been too lenient on Obama in his first 100 days? What do you think of Obama's performance on his debut trip abroad as president? Do you think Obama's budget plan is too ambitious? How do you think Obama has done in his first 50 days in office? Do you blame Obama for not living up to his no-earmark pledge?

Commenter: Thor
Climate change issues sure wake people up. President Obama has high hopes and knows the Earth is currently warming, but so are Mercury and Mars. On Earth however, we humans have an effect on atmospheric CO2. (Human CO2 is byproduct of our largely mobile and stationary energy production.) Of all Earth warming gases, CO2 is in a weak third place behind gaseous water vapor and methane gas. Human CO2 creation does effect planetary heat retention, but falls short of naturally produced CO2. (The atmosphere can't tell the difference between human and non-human CO2. One volcano in Hawaii produces over 8,000 tons of CO2 gas per day and has for the past 20 years according to USGS.) Remember even IPCC scientists agree that 1 ton of atmospheric methane gas equals 26 tons of CO2 gas in atmospheric warming. (We humans need to clean our carbon footprint on Earth. But are unrealistic to expect we will stop or reverse climate change simply by adjusting human CO2 production. The Earth has been warming for past 9,000 years. The last glacial maximum was only a short 20,000 years ago. Remember it was just 7,000 years ago Canada was still under 1-2 miles of ice and snow. Looking at "climate" is always long range, so never focus on near-sighted annual, decadal, or even a century of data. True climate is loooooong vision and understanding. Try this mental picture. The "average" drought in our SW United States last for 50 years. Half are shorter, but half last longer than 50 years. We whine and cry when a drought lasts 5 years. Yes, climate change is real. It has always occurred and will continue to occur long after humans no longer exist on Earth. Remember: "Never meddle with affairs of a Dragon... for you are crunchy and go good with ketchup."

Commenter: dave beall
NONE of the politicians care about this issue in any way..
Why? because it does not effect them in their little wealthy overpaid and favor driven world.
They also don't want to touch it because it is not going to help them get re-elected.
Everything politicians do is for money and re-election, their actions have nothing to do with what is right, just or better for mankind, the world or the Nation.
The politicians do not give a dam about the people in their own country and they prove it on a daily basis.
Washington DC is completely dysfunctional.

Commenter: Lewis Bottomly
It was like a breath of fresh air blowing through Washington when the Democrats became the majority and President Obama was elected. But for all the grandiose and inspiring rhetoric; this administration seems to have handed over the keys to the Congress to the Republicans. I am disappointed that Obama has not been hands on and offered strong leadership during one of the biggest crisises of our time. The exploitation and rape of the enviroment, both physically of the land; and our wildlife diversity continues unabated. - Not to mention the economy. - We have had all the soaring rhetoric we can stand, it is now time to put your money where your mouth is. Be a statesman not a politican, make good on the promises that got you elected.

Commenter: doug Jones
On the eve of the Copenhagen conference, it appears he has positioned himself and the country about as well as could be expected in this divided society. And this "best of bad choices" seems all we can hope for from administrations in the face of such world wide turmoil. The decision on Afghanistan is troubling, however, where there is a fundamental difference on the left as to how and with what respect we go about influencing the actions of other societies with other cultures.

Commenter: Justin Palmer
I'm curious as to who thinks that we would see a significant difference in green house gas reductions or green technology/infrastructure simply if the President spent a more time than he has on the issue of climate change. I am skeptical that we would see much difference, and I basically agree with the comments of Darlene, Robert and Jerry. And I wish Mr. Galland would put aside the melodrama and try to make a coherent point.

Commenter: PhotoMaineAC
Politics around the globe has become a National Soap Opera. There are staged events with actors reading from teleprompters that are owned an controlled by special interest "group". These "Groups" have taken over our entire Governmental system! A system that is completely designed to control every aspect of our society. Every move, every plan, every law, every bill, are designed to keep the sheep busy, yet still unaware of what id really going on. It always falls back onto the taxpayers and never to the ones in control. Who is in control? God? America? China? NO........the RICH and so called "Elite" are in charge of everything we do. We Americans do not create all of this debt. The Government run by the Corporations have created it all. They own the Government, they own all the media, they own all the biggest banks, THEY OWN IT ALL!

We are just SLAVES to the """SYSTEM"!

Commenter: Blayne Thalken
No. One of the first things I looked for was an immediate, if only temporary, moratorium on mountaintop removal mining. This was not done. I think it is a crime what is being done to our lands in the name of short-term profits for a few greedy indivduals. Not to mention the irreversable health damage to people who live in or near these areas.

Commenter: Darlene Swartz
How can you expect one president to do everything?
The American People have to get off their duffs.

Commenter: Robert
Yes, he has been meeting with both scientists and business leaders on making green technology more available, and is working to get global warming slowed down by tougher standards on slowing and stopping the large use of green house gases like burning coal and oil. He is doing all he can.

Commenter: richard galland
I think obama will sell out our soveirgentry to his bank and oil handelers at copenhagen in spite of climate gate,the american people can afford another rip off like nafta ,capta,engeneered housing rip off ,wars for profit,after all we are the chumps of the earth.i am sure that dave broncacco will be on the verge of tears if we dont get sold out again.

Commenter: Kristin Hoffman
Neither President Obama, the U.S. Congress, nor the American people are doing enough about climate change. This problem should be receiving the most attention. It should be the world's top priority. Until we do something dramatic to counteract climate change, nothing else matters. If we don't act soon I firmly believe we will be responsible for hundreds of species becoming extinct and millions of humans being displaced.

Commenter: jerry rubin
The problem is not the President and his staff. The problem is the Congress & Senate.

Commenter: mrion yaglinski
No, I do not think President Obama is paying enough attention to climate change, given that it's a life-threatening situation. What we do now will determine the future of our planet and our species.

We have a small window of opportunity to halt run-away climate change that threatens us with extinction. What could be more important than that? If we don't address this NOW, we won't be around to worry about heath care, the state of our economy and the war in Afganistan.

Commenter: Katie McDonald
Not at all. Nothing matters more then climate issues. All the work he's doing on the other issues is for naught if we don't address climate change NOW!!!!!! Our world will be vastly different place a few years down the road. We must look at and control actions affecting global warming. 17% decrease needs to be off the 1990 levels not todays levels. In fact, we need to be 40% lower then 1990 levels by 2020 if we really want to protect the earth as we know it today. Thank you NOW for highlighting the climate change issues.

Commenter: Graybeard
He is not even paying attention to the issues of America!

Archive: Viewer Comments

Question: Do you think Obama has been devoting enough attention to environmental issues? (2009-11-25)