From Don Surber, 100 ways Obama failed.
The UK Independent has a good mix for the 100 days.
And here, at Crooks and Liars, they offer support to President Obama. (I was looking for Leftist Bloggers who wrote 100 things 100 days that President Obama did right and I could not find it. Hmmm....)
Finally, the transcript and President Obama's speech tonight:
So what do I think of President Obama's 100 days? We'll hit three areas, Domestic policy, Foreign Policy and Governing. Ready, here we go:
Domestic Policy
As I mentioned in an earlier post, Appointments is Policy. Even with a majority Democratic Senate, he relies more on Czar's then filling up his cabinet (and sub-cabinet).
President Obama started with the Stimulation Bill (which passed mostly on a party line vote, despite his protestations of Bi-partisanship) and is now working on the Budget. As a former Senator, he knows how Our National Legislature works.
Do I like where he is going? No. The idea that Speaker Pelosi is running President Obama with her vision rather then President Obama's vision implemented by Speaker Pelosi does not bode well for the Country. After all, by tax day, tea parties showed up to oppose the spending. And there are more to follow. If he really was "the best President since Ronald Reagan," then there should be no opposition, President Obama cannot claim that mantle.
President Obama gets a C+.
Foreign Policy
His first phone call was to the Palestinians, he snubbed Prime Minister Netanyahu after he won election, so President Obama already got on my bad side on this.
When President Ortega was ranting against the United States, he did nothing. He sucked up to Hugo Chavez, the anti-Semitic dictator down south. President Obama seemed to fly everywhere and apologize for American Exceptionalism (Earlier, I cross-endorsed Senator Obama because I thought he supported American Exceptionalism)
The Democratic party leaders do not understand not everyone should like us. America should stand for Democracy movements overseas, not for Realism where people suffer under Dictators. This used be a Democratic Party position under President George H. W. Bush, but they have changed since then. A few times. We will see if Machiavelli was right that it is better to be feared then loved.
However, I remember President Bush (whom I still support) did not find his footing until after 9/11. President Bush's policy was the same as the Democrats in 1990-91. The Democratic party is not known for their consistency on Freedom overseas.
President Obama gets an C- leaning towards Incomplete. He has yet to define his Foreign Policy.
Governing
President Bush was not known for patying in washington, DC with the beautiful people. President Obama parties every Wednesday.
He sent Air Force One to New York City for a photo-op while he plays Golf when hearing about the spread of swine flu. As mentioned earlier, he has not fully staffed his Administration.
However, he made sure the Senate is veto-proof for any of his Bills.
When President Obama introduced the "Torture memos," and the idea of Prosecuting the last Administration, I thought he was leading us down the wrong road. However, the basis of President Obama is about having an "An American Enemy of the State," (Ask Rush or Jim Cramer). He wanted to lead the pitchforks against Wall Street, against AIG, against Private citizens, who is next? As the Roman Republic faltered, between Marius, Sulla, and the Triumvirate Caesar, there were Political mobs in the streets. Does President Obama want to start a Civil War? Mobs sometime turn on their host.
Speaker Tip O'Neill (D-MA) wrote that if you know what you believe, you can speak "off the cuff," Does President Obama believe in anything? Because, it is well known his teleprompter goes everywhere. President George W. Bush and President Reagan were known for speaking off the cuff because they knew what they believed. President Bush made the sacrifice of his popularity for what he believed.
Does President Obama know what he believes? Would President Obama sacrifice his Political capitol for a greater good? So far, no to both.
Governing takes time and work. Instead, President Obama goes for the photo-op and the hagiographers in the press and the public. That is the sign of a "Show Horse," Here is what he needs to do to improve his grade:
1) Fill the missing positions in his Administration, why wait?
2) Come out with his core beliefs, what would he sacrifice his popularity for?
3) Stay in the Oval office seven days a week, and take care of America, he serves us, we do not serve him. This is a Republic, not an Empire.
President Obama gets a C+, he needs to work harder at Governing, not partying.
Overall, Obama gets a C.
How do you grade President Obama? What do you look for in a President when judging?
JSF, good to see you've climbed back off the ledge, my friend! You were starting to scare me there for a bit. While I don't agree with many of your assessments, I do find this post to be honest and rational rather than reactionary and incindiary.
ReplyDeleteI've got a little something new on the wigb blog today in case you thought I completely gave that up.
I would argue its premature to issues a report card of any sort. This is 2009, and not 1933. The social, political, and economic realities witin the Republic have shifted to such a great extent that the idea of judging any President by their performance in office within the first one hundred days has been rendered impossible by the evolution of the society within the United States as a whole.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see who he appoints to the SC. Personally I think 100 days isn't enough to grade anyone at anything, let alone something like president of the US.
ReplyDelete