Obama's first 150 days
Friday will mark President Obama's 150th day in office. Unlike the scrutiny and fanfare that marked his 100th day as president, Friday will go largely ignored as a point of historical demarcation. But it seems to me time for another assessment anyway.
I give the president a B+, three out of four stars, one-and-a-half thumbs up. His record on the economy is still mixed, but Obama has made remarkable progress pushing his agenda and placing down payments on his promises in every conceivable area.
From ordering the closure of Guantanamo's Camp X-ray and outlawing torture to passing a massive economic stimulus to gearing up for health care reform to rallying our allies to financial regulation and more, the president has masterfully juggled the affairs of state left hanging in mid-air by the Bush administration.
In foreign relations, Obama has steered a new course of firmness with North Korea, vowing to end the cycle of provocation and reward while gaining unprecedented Security Council unity in drawing a line in the sand against Kim Jong Il's increasingly Strangelovian style of international relations. Obama and his national security team, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, have laid some of the difficult groundwork to win trust as an honest broker of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, reversing the Bush administration's malignant neglect. And in Iraq, American forces are slowly drawing down while Afghanistan is being given more attention and Pakistan is delivering more cooperation in taking the fight to al Qaeda and the Taliban. In short, Obama has made more progress on his foreign policy initiatives in his first 150 days than George W. Bush made in his last 2,000 days.
Obama has kept the momentum going on his agenda despite enjoying a very short honeymoon and unprecedented criticism from former vice-president Dick Cheney and the far right. The nearly filibuster-proof Democratic majority in the Senate has largely held together on important issues despite an overheated Republican minority, while the House has been more contentious and bitterly partisan under Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the intransigent minority she faces.
Obama has left few constituencies in the cold. From issuing serious CAFE standards to insisting on a cap-and-trade system of carbon emissions, Obama is developing strategies against global warming despite the familiar chorus of deniers and business interests. In recent days, Obama has even delivered important (though limited) advances for gays and lesbians by extending federal employee benefits to same-sex couples. While Obama is seen by some gay and lesbian activists as moving too slowly, Obama appears to have weighed the risk of offending that constituency against the lessons learned from President Clinton's early embrace of gay rights. Clinton's "don't ask, don't tell" policy was instituted almost simultaneously with his health care proposal, introducing a highly contentious social issue that divided the country at a time when the dubiously constructed "Hillary-care" needed votes.
If there is any criticism of Obama that seems most justified, it is that the president has failed to adequately address the government's projected deficits, which critics contend will double the national debt to $10 trillion over the next decade. In fact, Obama has been short on details and long on overly optimistic assumptions when it comes to planning an exit strategy from his record deficit spending. The timing may not be right, however, to talk about cuts. Franklin Roosevelt attempted to tighten the federal belt too early, only to face another wave of the Great Depression. Giving the Republicans a foothold on tax cuts at this point would place Obama's agenda -- and the economy -- in jeopardy.
He's not the Messiah. He's not even Moses. But Obama's first 150 days have been breathtaking when it comes to delivering on the central tenet of his candidacy: change.
I give the president a B+, three out of four stars, one-and-a-half thumbs up. His record on the economy is still mixed, but Obama has made remarkable progress pushing his agenda and placing down payments on his promises in every conceivable area.
From ordering the closure of Guantanamo's Camp X-ray and outlawing torture to passing a massive economic stimulus to gearing up for health care reform to rallying our allies to financial regulation and more, the president has masterfully juggled the affairs of state left hanging in mid-air by the Bush administration.
In foreign relations, Obama has steered a new course of firmness with North Korea, vowing to end the cycle of provocation and reward while gaining unprecedented Security Council unity in drawing a line in the sand against Kim Jong Il's increasingly Strangelovian style of international relations. Obama and his national security team, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, have laid some of the difficult groundwork to win trust as an honest broker of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, reversing the Bush administration's malignant neglect. And in Iraq, American forces are slowly drawing down while Afghanistan is being given more attention and Pakistan is delivering more cooperation in taking the fight to al Qaeda and the Taliban. In short, Obama has made more progress on his foreign policy initiatives in his first 150 days than George W. Bush made in his last 2,000 days.
Obama has kept the momentum going on his agenda despite enjoying a very short honeymoon and unprecedented criticism from former vice-president Dick Cheney and the far right. The nearly filibuster-proof Democratic majority in the Senate has largely held together on important issues despite an overheated Republican minority, while the House has been more contentious and bitterly partisan under Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the intransigent minority she faces.
Obama has left few constituencies in the cold. From issuing serious CAFE standards to insisting on a cap-and-trade system of carbon emissions, Obama is developing strategies against global warming despite the familiar chorus of deniers and business interests. In recent days, Obama has even delivered important (though limited) advances for gays and lesbians by extending federal employee benefits to same-sex couples. While Obama is seen by some gay and lesbian activists as moving too slowly, Obama appears to have weighed the risk of offending that constituency against the lessons learned from President Clinton's early embrace of gay rights. Clinton's "don't ask, don't tell" policy was instituted almost simultaneously with his health care proposal, introducing a highly contentious social issue that divided the country at a time when the dubiously constructed "Hillary-care" needed votes.
If there is any criticism of Obama that seems most justified, it is that the president has failed to adequately address the government's projected deficits, which critics contend will double the national debt to $10 trillion over the next decade. In fact, Obama has been short on details and long on overly optimistic assumptions when it comes to planning an exit strategy from his record deficit spending. The timing may not be right, however, to talk about cuts. Franklin Roosevelt attempted to tighten the federal belt too early, only to face another wave of the Great Depression. Giving the Republicans a foothold on tax cuts at this point would place Obama's agenda -- and the economy -- in jeopardy.
He's not the Messiah. He's not even Moses. But Obama's first 150 days have been breathtaking when it comes to delivering on the central tenet of his candidacy: change.
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That's an excellent assessment, Ripper. The deficit is an unavoidable consequence of the imperative to stimulate the economy directly via stimulus money, and indirectly by stabilizing the banks and other financial institutions. Some economists (e.g., Krugman) even believe Obama to have been too timid in his willingness to spend, and since we're in uncharted territory, who's to say whether that's right or wrong.
What the President has done, as you point out, is to remember his priorities. Bill Clinton forgot that to his regret early in his presidency. He shouldn't have. Remember the writing on the campaign blackboard before he was elected - "The Economy, stupid"? It's wise not to be lured into distractions.
June 17, 2009 3:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
When you look at our former d- president, I have to agree with you.
If you actually look at campaign promises, I do not think he is shirking his responsibilities so far.
I am proud of our New President. I would give him an A, but again I am forced to compare him to presidents over the last 40 years. Ha!
June 17, 2009 3:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
What DD said.
June 17, 2009 5:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nice post Ripper, glad you are back posting again.
I often think of what Obama said at 100 days when asked what has surprised him the most. It was how slow congress moves. I wish there was some way to get those birds to do some work.
June 17, 2009 4:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's good to hear from you Ripper. Rec'd.
June 17, 2009 5:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/06/17/transparency/index.html
A for Public Relations, D for reforming our fading democracy.
June 18, 2009 1:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well said, Rip. I especially like the following turn of phrase, "...but Obama has made remarkable progress pushing his agenda and placing down payments on his promises...". I think it captures what Obama has been doing.
Some, here, have expressed disappointment with Obama's priorities, or perhaps, said more accurately, with his accomplishments so far. As you point out, it's only been 150 days. Some would remind Obama that he has echoed Dr. King's "the fierce urgency of now" statement and wonder when their particular issue will receive Obama's top priority and effort. I would wonder much the same as they , if this were the middle of Obama's first term, but not after only 150 days.
I feel that what Obama's critics on the left often miss is that as a pragmatic achiever personality, he is all about hard-nosed prioritization and focus. That's how he has accomplished what many had thought was impossible by winning the presidency, and he is showing real progress on other previously thought as intractable problems such as the middle-east, healthcare, and recovering us from the greatest economic crisis since the great depression 80 years ago.
I strongly suspect that Obama will get to those other issues and promises, and that when he does he will achieve real progress. Trying to do everything at once, and right now, would be a sure formula to failure on everything. Among the reasons Obama will achieve success on all or most of his objectives is because he is prioritizing his targets. Concentrating his firepower on them. I believe that Obama will prioritize new targets, but only after successfully capturing his current priority targets.
Select one or a few targets. Focus all firepower thereon. Move quickly to the next few target(s). Repeat. This is just basic offensive battle strategy. The Democratic party and progressives should helping him to concentrate firepower on the currently selected targets, not suggesting we move to new targets just yet.
June 18, 2009 10:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well said yourself, new10. I have no doubt that Obama will make good on his campaign promises, given time. He can't squander political capital on wedge issues if he doesn't rack up points for winning on the big issues first.
June 18, 2009 10:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
Your response would make sense if WHAT OBAMA WAS DOING WAS ACTUALLY DOING SOME GOOD. So far it isn't. All the "prioritization" in the world is no good if your policies don't actually move your priority to a better spot.
I worked for, contributed to, and voted for Obama. The few policies he's put into place so far--the bailouts and mortgage relief--haven't been worth spit.
June 18, 2009 3:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
1. You state that what Obama is doing is not doing any good. Well, you're entitled to your opinion.
2. The whole point of target prioritization is that it identifies which targets are most important and focuses all force on conquering them first. What's most important was clearly stated by Obama before the election, and is confirmed by his current efforts. The economy, healthcare, energy independence, education reform, and a Brent Scowcroft realism school type foreign policy. Lo and behold, mountains are trembling, some are starting to be moved, and after only 150 days. I think that you protest too much too soon.
June 18, 2009 3:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have to admit I'm starting to smell fraud all over Obama's "populist" policies. His mortgage asstance programs, announced with fanfare in February as helping 9 million people in need stave off foreclosure have resulted in fewer than 100,000 mortgage rewrites. His whole idea of enticing private entities to enact good public policy is stupid.
If Obama wants people who are hurting to have cheaper mortgages, GIVE THEM CHEAPER MORTGAGES!
If he wants everybody to have affordable health insurance GIVE THEM AFFORDABLE HEALTH INSURANCE!
If he wants more people to work, GIVE THEM JOBS! Why bother trying to entice banks, insurance companies, and employers into doing something they don't want to do?
His whole approach to these and other issues (like the sure-to-be-toothless "oversight" he's proposing for the financial sector) is to create a maze of relationships between government and the private sector that virtually nobody can negotiate effectively.
So far, domestically, he gets a C-minus. Once his health care plan is clarified, that'll go down to a D minus, at the rate he's going.
June 18, 2009 11:50 AM | Reply | Permalink