A disastrous start to a Presidency

[30ashopper]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/14/magazine/14emanuel-t.html

Interesting article in NYT Magazine today detailing the myriad of mistakes, bad assumptions, and experience problems that have plagued the current administration's first year and a half.

 

[scooterbug44]

I am so tired of hearing all the negativity, analysis, and manufactured drama.

Pretty much sums it up IMO: "Washington has engaged in a favorite exercise, conducting the autopsy before the body is actually dead." :roll:

This is one way how I tell how he is doing:

PolitiFact | The Obameter: Tracking Barack Obama's Campaign Promises

 

[poppy]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/14/magazine/14emanuel-t.html

Interesting article in NYT Magazine today detailing the myriad of mistakes, bad assumptions, and experience problems that have plagued the current administration's first year and a half.

It's a tough job made even tougher when the only interest of the other party is to create your Waterloo.

 

[Miss Critter]

And yet, the absolute stupidest decision of them all still remains McCain's choice of Palin as his running mate. A better choice and he could be the one taking the heat for not correcting this inherited pile of dog mess in one year.

 

[30ashopper]

All of the criticism in the article focuses on domestic policy decisions. For what it's worth, I think Obama's handling of foreign policy has been quite good. On the domestic front though, they really have very little to point to they can be proud of. (That's my opinion of course, some might feel proud of cash for clunkers or the porkulus, but I certainly wouldn't.) The article doesn't center on policy though, it's more about internal conflict and failure. If you look back on everything thats happened, it explains a lot.

 

[30ashopper]

That approach is at the heart of the dominant conflict inside the current White House. When Obama ran for the presidency, liberals saw him as the crusading head of a movement to sweep in a new era of progressive policies on health care, climate change and national security, while independents and some Republicans saw him as a sort of postpartisan figure who would reach across party lines and end the ideological polarization of Washington. Inevitably, of course, he could not be both. Instead he has managed to disappoint both sets of believers.

^^ That really made a lot of sense to me, and explains current voter discontent.

 

[scooterbug44]

Has Obama actually disappointed people, or has the bar (and the criticism and politricks level) just been set so high that ANY outcome is considered a disaster?

It's early in his 2nd year of office FTLOC and he was handed a steaming sheet pile of domestic and foreign issues on Day 1, not a bouquet of roses.

Not saying I agree with everything that is going on, but I certainly don't regret that he is the President - or that he at least seems to be able to change things when he sees they are not working.

IMO if we spent as much time discussing actual issues, facts, and policy as spreading propaganda and outright lies we would "feel" a lot better about how he is doing ..................... and our country would be much better of.

 

[30ashopper]

Has Obama actually disappointed people, or has the bar (and the criticism and politricks level) just been set so high that ANY outcome is considered a disaster?

Clearly he has, probably more on the left wing side that the center or right. I also think there's general discontent with congress, and people feel Obama isn't as involved as he should be in what's going on. That's just my personal perception of course. Poll numbers seem to back that up.

Once the midterms are over, and it's clear the far left is no longer in control, I think we will begin to see some progress. The administration will also likely get a shake out here pretty soon, people like Rahm anmd Axlerod might be headed out the door.

Generally I still think Obama will be a two termer, with his second term being far more successful than his first.

 

[Matt J]

It really is a shame that McCain didn't win, then we wouldn't all be arguing about this. We'd be in soup lines and fighting for Public Works projects.

 

[John R]

I missed the disastrous part of the article. Wait, I get it, this is yet another one of your sensational thread titles. Have you no other way to express your criticism?

Interesting article. Great profile of Emanuel. We'll see if he's still around after Nov.