barmar, on 2017-December-31, 12:26, said:
You keep repeating these points, despite the fact that they're all just continuations of trends that were already under way for most of Obama's term as well. How is that "a much needed change"?
Did you forget that Obama took office just after the 2008 financial crisis (caused in some part by GOP policies from the Bush years), and he got us out of it? Trump, on the other hand, took office after years of economic improvement, and his "achievement" is that he didn't do anything that slowed it down....
Barmar,
I don't understand why you expect someone to see beyond their cognitive bias. This is a clear example of halo effect. There are negative attributes and biases heaped upon African-American men solely based on their melanin content. Before Obama even opened up his mouth, his loyalty to this country and citizenship was questioned.
Trump had at least two Russian wives and where were the fervent calls for him to substantiate his citizenship? As a general rule, you don't question the citizenship of rich white men. And Trump became the oldest and wealthiest person to assume the Office of the Presidency. Source:
https://en.m.wikiped...ki/Donald_Trump
We were on the precipice of a failing economy when President G.W. Bush left office. After the housing bubble collapse of late 2008, almost every American was walking on eggshells. The consumer confidence index was at an all-time low on 10/28/2008. Many of us wondered if we would still have a job to pay for these homes we couldn't afford. Everyone drank the Kool-Aid about deregulation of the derivatives capital market. Source
http://money.cnn.com...mer_confidence/
Under Obama, the unemployment rate went from a high of 7+% down to 4.6% when Trump ascended. That's nothing! Let's praise Trump when he moves unemployment from 4.6% to 4.1% and proclaim that Trump has generated the lowest unemployment in years. It's not a lie; it's just window dressing to support our team and whitewash how we even got to 4.1% in the 1st place.
It colors history how we like to see it. Let Trump ride on Obama's sweat equity which is an American favorite pastime.
So, when the unemployment rate was a low 4.6%, why weren't we singing Obama's praises then? Because we had and still have a very divisive nation and Obama wasn't on our tribal team. His ACTUAL results didn't fit the narrative we wanted to peddle to the masses to support our agenda.
I am not suggesting that Obama is a hero. He is far from it. He doubled our national debt in 8 years just like President G.W. Bush. What I am suggesting, however is that Americans have very bad memories and tendencies of revisionist history to support their cognitive biases. Facts be damned.
EXAMPLE:
President Obama was labeled a Muslim even though he had attended Jeremiah Wright's Trinity United Church of Christ of Chicago for 20 years! Hmmm. You can't trust those Muslims and you can't trust those Black men. So an African-American man who is allegedly a Muslim is a DOUBLE WHAMMY.
I presume we are to believe that Obama was conducting reconnaissance over those 20 years in a Chicago Christian church? Or that one day he just woke up and decided to renounce decades of Christianity indoctrination and accept Islam into his life?
My point being, "Don't trust that black man (Obama) over there. He is not our brother and never has been. He is not loyal. His purported interests are not our interests. He is not an American citizen. In fact, he is a Muslim and an enemy combatant and a terrorist in disguise."
NOTE: Kitchen sink is included with this cognitive bias.
We create our own reality and whitewash our memories to support our beliefs and fears. And as the corporate media complex peddles more and more disinformation, it is only going to get worse.