How negotiations actually work...

[u/Veshaad]

To the inevitable response from MAGA that Obama gave 'pallets' of cash...he released frozen Iranian assets. Meanwhile the current Iran conflict has directly cost $38 billion militarily and a currently projected $87 billion in extra gas and diesel expenses. Not to mention that the strategic oil reserves have been depleted to the point that experts warn that the caverns they're stored in could collapse.

[u/Wonderful-Variation]

Every aspect of the Obama presidency feels like a lost golden age compared to where we are now.    The worst day under Obama was better than the best day under Trump.

[u/Average_Justin → u/Wonderful-Variation]

Except the items listed - which aren’t very golden era to me

Drone strikes rose roughly 10x compared to Bush

Killed U.S. citizens without trial, including Anwar al-Awlaki and his teenage son

NSA bulk surveillance continued and expanded, revealed by the 2013 Snowden leaks

Banned CIA “enhanced interrogation” torture by executive order in 2009 but Guantánamo stayed open and indefinite detention continued despite the ban and even transferred individuals to third world countries to continue torture.

Aggressive Espionage Act prosecutions of leakers, more than all prior presidents combined

“Double tap” strikes reported by journalists and NGOs, never officially confirmed

Some argue drone strikes became a “kill not capture” policy, replacing detention and torture controversies with a new one

Reports that rendition continued in some reduced form

Set the precedent to use executive orders to bypass Congress on things like DACA and the Iran deal, laying the road for Trump to use them more aggressively

[u/Big-Today6819 → u/Average_Justin]

Trump would have been just as aggressive even without Obama

[u/Average_Justin → u/Big-Today6819]

Always a possibility but Obama showed future presidents EO was a great way to bypass many barriers and Congress more than likely wouldn’t step in. Definitely helped set that precedent.