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Global Crossroads
Garrick Utley, President, Levin Institute 
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Obama's Report Card
Mon,07/20/09
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We are now six months into the Obama presidency. So, how is he doing half way through his freshman year? The public is giving him more than a passing grade in the polls despite deep concern about the economy, the financial world and exploding deficits. The President’s drive for health care reform is praised even as he and we learn that “change we can believe in” is much easier to say than execute. But no surprise there.
On the global front Obama has been touching the right bases and saying (mostly) the right things. Sure, his offer to Iran to open the door to dialogue led (following the election results and demonstrations) to the door being slammed on his fingers. It was momentarily painful but left no lasting injury, and the President may yet be proven right in his initiative to the leaders in Teheran. Then there is Iraq and Afghanistan. The first is George W. Bush’s legacy; the second is becoming Obama’s war. It is too early to fill out that part of the Report Card.
What is fascinating about Barack Obama is that it is taking longer to really get to know him than was the case with many of his predecessors. The two Bushes, Clinton and Reagan (and those who came even earlier) were usually known quantities when they moved into the White House. The public is still getting to know the young President. Is he an agenda changing progressive at heart, or a centrist pragmatist? Is he politically naïve in taking on so many major issues at once, or is he a new model leader who knows what the public wants and is ready to tilt at any number of political windmills to change a traditional political business as usual mentality?
We are still getting to know the new president, and perhaps he is still getting to know himself as President. Next summer we will know much more about our economic and financial health in the United States and the world. We will know about Iraq and Afghanistan. And no doubt we will know more about Barack Obama. The 2010 congressional elections will be approaching, and the voters will offer their grades.
In the meantime, what is your Report Card on the President? |
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Sat,10/03/09
By : Kevin
Great... |
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Wed,07/22/09
By : athan
Is this actually change we can believe in? Or change we just don’t want to believe in? Obama swept and ignited the nation with beautiful rhetoric during his campaign. As president, he promised to undo many unpopular policies of his predecessor and restore America’s reputation. Unfortunately for Obama, he entered the presidency during a recession that has shaken the foundations of America’s economy.
Furthermore, he is having trouble gathering bipartisanship. The difficult political climate became apparent yet again in the recent Senate vote about F-22 jets. Each jet costs about $250 million. To reduce the budget deficit, President Obama told the Senate he would veto the $1.75 billion bill ordering more F-22s if it reached him. The Senate voted it down on July 21. Obama avoided a massive cost, and the fighter jets are useless against insurgents. Obama wants to shift our military capacity from international crises (the F-22s were designed for air battles against the Soviets) to terrorists and rebel groups. Even though the intent seems harmless, many were upset by the decision.
Critics argue this defeat will force high-skilled labor out of work, and senators with factories in their districts were agitated because their local economies will suffer. For his first six month report card, Obama deserves a B. He has responded to multiple problems somewhat quickly and effectively and proposed some interesting legislation. However, time is not on his side. No one expected the recession to be over, but how much longer will Americans tolerate this economic climate? Polls already show Obama’s popularity is diminishing. His first six months in office, I believe, will not be the defining moment of his presidency.
As the article above writes, we still do not know exactly what Obama will propose. Will the healthcare bill turn out to be a bust? What will be the lasting effect of the climate bill? Americans both want and expect the best at all times. But with the economy on life support and Obama proposing legislation that would truly change America’s trajectory, they may need to decide how much they can handle and make some tough choices. |
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Tue,07/21/09
By : Curious
"The public is giving [Obama] more than a passing grade in the polls." This is certainly true, but his approval ratings have dipped roughly 7 points since January and his disapproval rating has soared from 20% to roughly 38%. All in all, his approval rating is still VERY high, particularly when compared to the ratings our last President received. Even so, one has to wonder, What drove Obama's approval rating down slightly and his disapproval rating up by nearly 20 percentage points? Did the American people expect too much of Obama? (After all, he is still human and can't work miracles.) Are Americans frustrated about the economy? Do Americans feel Obama tacitly approved continued tyranny in Iran? Do Americans feel Obama isn't doing enough to prod and direct a Congress that is bumbling through health care reform? In a broader sense, are Americans frustrated about the occasional conflict between a fairly liberal Democratic Congress and a somewhat more moderate Democratic President? It's a tough job, and he's doing a remarkable job. Even so, many Americans are frustrated - and maybe with good reason. |
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