Polly Toynbee says...

That's what the Greek government thought as well.

Been reading some of the comments as well. One in particular jumped out and smacked me between the eyes: the poster says how disappointed he is in Blair after the euphoria of 1997 and – this the smack bit – how he feels the same way about Obama.

This has made me brave enough to say what has been in my mind for a while. You can go off people, Obama. [disappointed]

I think we tend to build up quite unreasonable expectations about what someone who promises to be a new broom, or the first women, first black person etc etc can do. The problems do not melt away as soon as they come into power. They have to cope with the same constraints that limited previous governments.

Fortunately I have a tendency to jump off as soon as I realise I am on a bandwagon so rarely suffer disappointment.

Wise move, flickety. I am getting better at not jumping on bandwagons in the first place, but it takes practice.

Obama has done/is doing his best. And they haven't got anyone else.

It seems harder work getting things through in the States than it does here.

I'm with Polly and the research. I don't understand why the current Labour leadership isn't answering the constant criticism of over spending by the last government, in a positive and combative manner. Politics is becoming increasingly disappointingly negative, dishonest, slick and full of career politicians, most of whom make the bulk of their wages outside the House of Commons.

I agree with her too. Massive of good stuff underway in education, standards improving, sure start, satisfaction with NHS at all time high. Couldn't believe the lengthy leadership election, lack of focus and navel-gazing while ConDems and press trashed what they had achieved.

Curious isn't it mamie. I don't suppose any one would disagree that the last Labour government didn't get it all right, were perfect and particularly were right about the Iraq war - BUT, they did some smashing stuff in relation to education, children's centres, NHS and I do wish the current leadership group would say that loud and clear. Instead, it seems they apologise for everything and look weak and deceitful. I couldn't vote anything other than Labour, as that's where my heart is, in addition to which I live in a tory/labour marginal, with a good Labour MP. I heard Ed Milliband speak before the leadership election, and liked him. I also liked Andy Burnham, but not Ed Balls or David Milliband as possible leaders. I find Ed Balls a bit of a bully boy type, and he and David Milliband's links to the Iraq war/ blair/brown conflicts made me want the party to have a leader not so contaminated by those issues. I still like Ed Milliband, but can't say I'm impressed by him as Labour leader, and I still see Ed Balls as a bit of a bully boy. Oh dear......

I would have gone for David Miliband, (I never saw the Iraq war in the same black and white terms as many of our friends having long been following what was happening in Iraq, especially to the Kurds and the Marsh Arabs, under Saddam), but I think he became impossible once Ed got in. I like Yvette Cooper, but press would be impossible round her and Ed B I think. I think Ed M has the brains, but can't get past the fact that he just doesn't sound like a leader.
The right-wing press is so powerful that Labour politicians have to be practically superhuman to please them (and it doesn't last long).

Its no good doing wonderful things if you bankrupt yourself as a result. It doesn't work on a personal level and it doesn't work on a government basis either.

Greece was lavish in its welfare and benefit spending. Now even parents who were comfortably off are having to put their children in orphanages because they cannot afford to feed them.

One comment under the article points out that the UK's debt was lowest in the G8 at the time of the crash and lower than when Thatcher was in power.

I don't think Obama was ever going to make much headway. I've found when talking politics with my American son in law that Americans seem to think that anyone with the tiniest socialist tendencies is a rabid communist. I'm really very middle of the road politically, yet he finds some of my ideas way to the left of Lenin.

Oh yes, Deeda! My American friend is more rabidly right wing than I had ever thought, and her posts on FB about Obama and pro Romney were so offensive I had to block them in the end. I share your experience; we are left of centre but stopped talking politics last time we met, for the sake of friendship. Which has cooled a little!

I wonder if Obama is a bit like Blair , tells the people what they want to hear .

Nonu - you mean as opposed to Bush, Clinton, Reagan etc? Obama's main problem is being black in a country which is still in large areas deeply and offensively racist.

Nooooooooooooo , Bluebell , I mean like blair !!!!!!!!

I really do not think we need to bring the man"s colour into it !

T o me we all created equal in God"s eyes ! hmmmm

Comments on US sites definitely bring his colour into it, nonu, also his religion - which is seen in some circles as crypto-islamic and aimed at deliberately destroying the US, Christianity and civilisation as we know it.

I've always thought American liberals were more right wing than British tories. And really right wing Americans are off all scales of reasonableness.

Bags I agree with you,but I usually stay clear of political discussions so that's all I'll say.

Safer that way, envious!

I believe the argument is that as his middle name is 'Hussein' he must be a muslim.

You only had to see the reasoning of the opposition to the Medicare Bill to realise that a scarily large number of Americans are completely irrational.

Bags you obviously don't know too many American liberals.