Friday, May 1, 2009
After 100 days
For an analysis of Barack Obama's presidency after the first 100 days go to: A Moderate Republican's View of Obama
Sunday, April 26, 2009
A Recap of Barack Obama's First 100 Days
The Beginning - A far different beginning from the previous two Presidents, Obama's first act as President was to call for a National Day of Renewal and Reconciliation. If you remember, Bill Clinton instituted a controversial new policy for gays in the military, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". George W. Bush's first act as President was to payback certain segments of his constituency by disallowing international US aid organizations from offering advice on birth control. Meanwhile, Obama's inauguration mimicked his first action as President. A conservative evangelical Christian pastor, Rick Warren, was asked to deliver the opening invocation while a black associate of Martin Luther King, Joseph Lowery, gave the closing benediction. During the next few days, the President would pressure his own Democratic party not to punish former Democratic Senator Joe Lieberman for his support of Obama's opponent and call meetings with Republican leaders. In fact, more criticism came from the left wing of the Democratic Party than from anywhere else. A promise of change was met without political payback and without a controversial initiative. Could we have a more different beginning to the new administration than this?
Legislation - Probably the most surprising part of Obama's first 100 days has been his desire to tackle so many problems at once. Whether that is good or bad depends on one's perspective. His agenda includes: aggressively dealing with the largest economic downturn since the great depression, tackling a huge housing crisis, a major overhaul of the US health care system, and a dramatic shift in the way the US deals with its allies and its enemies. In addition, the new administration has voiced its position on improving education, the government's role in meeting environmental challenges, simplifying the tax system, reducing troops in Iraq, increasing troops in Afghanistan, and even expressed his personal preference for a college football playoff. Notably, the deficit and immigration reform have been put on the back burner. Of course, how this all plays out depends to a great extent on the details and political realities. We have already seen this in the recovery package which included tons of special interest add-ons (also known as earmarks) against the expressed campaign promise of the new President. Some promises are obviously not so easily put into practice.
The Tone From the Top - This has clearly been a mixed bag. It didn't take long for ethics to become a topic of national discussion. From the tax problems of several of his nominees, to the exceptions made for including former lobbyists in his administration, obviously the new standard of "the most ethical administration in history" has not been met. However, that is only part of the story. The Obama family has set a new standard for openness and accessibility not seen in Washington, DC for many, many years. The immediate release of their complete tax return, the public discussion of where to send their children to school, together with his more official town hall meetings and press conferences clearly shows that some things have changed for the better in this administration. How much of this openness and accessibility is for show rather than substance is still a matter of debate - just ask some Republican leaders how much input they had on the stimulus package. Clearly, though, the American public (and citizens around the world) are impressed by the new tone coming from the White House.
The Future - So where does the administration go from here? That depends more on things that may be beyond Obama's control than those within it. How do our enemies like Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba respond to his overtures? How long does it take for the US economy to turn around? Will the economies and economic policies of other countries override what has been done here? Will the press and the public allow the administration more than just 100 days to put the country back on a more positive track? and finally ...will this administration be faced with a crisis as large as the September 11 attacks?
Here are what some others say: What experts are saying about Obama's first 100 days.
Legislation - Probably the most surprising part of Obama's first 100 days has been his desire to tackle so many problems at once. Whether that is good or bad depends on one's perspective. His agenda includes: aggressively dealing with the largest economic downturn since the great depression, tackling a huge housing crisis, a major overhaul of the US health care system, and a dramatic shift in the way the US deals with its allies and its enemies. In addition, the new administration has voiced its position on improving education, the government's role in meeting environmental challenges, simplifying the tax system, reducing troops in Iraq, increasing troops in Afghanistan, and even expressed his personal preference for a college football playoff. Notably, the deficit and immigration reform have been put on the back burner. Of course, how this all plays out depends to a great extent on the details and political realities. We have already seen this in the recovery package which included tons of special interest add-ons (also known as earmarks) against the expressed campaign promise of the new President. Some promises are obviously not so easily put into practice.
The Tone From the Top - This has clearly been a mixed bag. It didn't take long for ethics to become a topic of national discussion. From the tax problems of several of his nominees, to the exceptions made for including former lobbyists in his administration, obviously the new standard of "the most ethical administration in history" has not been met. However, that is only part of the story. The Obama family has set a new standard for openness and accessibility not seen in Washington, DC for many, many years. The immediate release of their complete tax return, the public discussion of where to send their children to school, together with his more official town hall meetings and press conferences clearly shows that some things have changed for the better in this administration. How much of this openness and accessibility is for show rather than substance is still a matter of debate - just ask some Republican leaders how much input they had on the stimulus package. Clearly, though, the American public (and citizens around the world) are impressed by the new tone coming from the White House.
The Future - So where does the administration go from here? That depends more on things that may be beyond Obama's control than those within it. How do our enemies like Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba respond to his overtures? How long does it take for the US economy to turn around? Will the economies and economic policies of other countries override what has been done here? Will the press and the public allow the administration more than just 100 days to put the country back on a more positive track? and finally ...will this administration be faced with a crisis as large as the September 11 attacks?
Here are what some others say: What experts are saying about Obama's first 100 days.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Obama and Foreign Policy
It is not quite three months into the Obama administration's first term and already the hard-line conservatives and neo-cons foresee the end of the world. The President actually shook hands with our mortal enemy Hugo Chavez and "much more terribly" has taken on the Cuban lobby by announcing that a failed policy of embargo and isolation will be reviewed.
For those who views are totally distorted by their personal prejudices, which is by all polls a minuscule percentage of the American public, it is time to wake up and recognize that the hard-line approach of GWB and others has not worked with Cuba. Essentially the only people hurt by the embargo have been the Cuban people.
If it were not for the political pull of the Cuban lobby, we would have abandoned this isolationist policy long ago. (Note the recent and prior Gallup polls: http://www.gallup.com/poll/117829/Americans-Steady-Backing-Friendlier-Cuba-Relations.aspx.)
We certainly had more of a reason to play hard ball with Vietnam, but here we are trading with and traveling to a country that cost us much more in lives and money. So let's give Obama some credit for doing what should have been done long ago.
Does that mean that a softer approach will work with all of our enemies? Not really... and yes, the President does need to be careful of showing weakness to those who often understand only strength. Even those of us who supported Obama understood the risk of having an inexperienced person in the White House. Every President makes mistakes. The likelihood of this one making one in foreign policy is obviously greater because of that inexperience in foreign affairs.
BUT if I were those countries who have been offered an olive branch, I would be careful not to be too quick to try to take advantage. A President who has been crossed, especially this one, will not forget or forgive. Obama knows how to play hardball and they should not underestimate his cunning or his determination.
So how does Obama score in foreign policy at this point in his administration? We will just have to wait and see if the Teddy Roosevelt policy of speaking softly and carrying a big stick works for this President. The pirates certainly found out that he is not afraid to pull the trigger. The G-20 summit demonstrated that the President has successfully reached beyond the leaders to the people around the world. He draws huge enthusiastic crowds wherever he goes. Whether that translates into a new era of cooperation, 90 days is hardly a proper time period in which to judge the success or failure of a President's foreign policy.
For those who views are totally distorted by their personal prejudices, which is by all polls a minuscule percentage of the American public, it is time to wake up and recognize that the hard-line approach of GWB and others has not worked with Cuba. Essentially the only people hurt by the embargo have been the Cuban people.
If it were not for the political pull of the Cuban lobby, we would have abandoned this isolationist policy long ago. (Note the recent and prior Gallup polls: http://www.gallup.com/poll/117829/Americans-Steady-Backing-Friendlier-Cuba-Relations.aspx.)
We certainly had more of a reason to play hard ball with Vietnam, but here we are trading with and traveling to a country that cost us much more in lives and money. So let's give Obama some credit for doing what should have been done long ago.
Does that mean that a softer approach will work with all of our enemies? Not really... and yes, the President does need to be careful of showing weakness to those who often understand only strength. Even those of us who supported Obama understood the risk of having an inexperienced person in the White House. Every President makes mistakes. The likelihood of this one making one in foreign policy is obviously greater because of that inexperience in foreign affairs.
BUT if I were those countries who have been offered an olive branch, I would be careful not to be too quick to try to take advantage. A President who has been crossed, especially this one, will not forget or forgive. Obama knows how to play hardball and they should not underestimate his cunning or his determination.
So how does Obama score in foreign policy at this point in his administration? We will just have to wait and see if the Teddy Roosevelt policy of speaking softly and carrying a big stick works for this President. The pirates certainly found out that he is not afraid to pull the trigger. The G-20 summit demonstrated that the President has successfully reached beyond the leaders to the people around the world. He draws huge enthusiastic crowds wherever he goes. Whether that translates into a new era of cooperation, 90 days is hardly a proper time period in which to judge the success or failure of a President's foreign policy.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Medical Marijuana Violators Will Not be Prosecuted
President Obama's Attorney General, Eric Holder, announced in a clear statement that the Justice Department will not prosecute pot dispensaries in states where this practice is legal. California and 12 other states have such laws.
This is a huge change from the Bush Administration that targeted these states and their laws. Once again it seems that our current President has a clearer understanding of state's rights than the previous Republican Administration. For President Bush and his social conservative followers, Republican principles were fine only when they suited their purpose.
For the full story: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-medpot19-2009mar19,0,4987571.story
This is a huge change from the Bush Administration that targeted these states and their laws. Once again it seems that our current President has a clearer understanding of state's rights than the previous Republican Administration. For President Bush and his social conservative followers, Republican principles were fine only when they suited their purpose.
For the full story: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-medpot19-2009mar19,0,4987571.story
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
State of the Union - Was that a Republican Giving the Address?
Just like the address Barack Obama gave 4 1/2 years ago at the Democratic National Convention, the State of the Union address just completed by President Barack Obama could just as easily been given by a Republican. There was a strong emphasis on personal responsibility, deficit reduction, and wasteful spending with the usual mention of charter schools, teacher's merit pay, tax cuts, and a strong defense. In fact, the President was more forceful on most of these issues than was the person giving the Republican response, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. Effectively, the President has out-republicaned the Republicans.
Historically this is not really that unusual a phenomenon. Bill Clinton formed a coalition with the Republicans to reform welfare, something that no Republican probably could ever have accomplished. It seems that if we really want something that traditionally has been associated with the opposite party, a President taking on his own party makes a formidable coalition. It is difficult for members of his own party to oppose their President, especially early in his term. Beside Bill Clinton's reform of welfare, we also saw this with Richard Nixon's normalization of relations with China and George W Bush's deficit spending. Republicans kept tripping over themselves trying to explain away how it was OK for a Republican president to build up the largest deficits in our history. Only now do they say they acted in error.
Even in areas that the Democrats have been taking the lead - like health care reform - the President emphasized the need for consensus building. Thus far in his short presidency, the people most surprised and disappointed by his leadership have been the far left members of his own party. Had they read his book, The Audacity of Hope and listened to his speech at the Democratic Convention 4 1/2 years ago, they may not have misinterpreted his liberal voting record in the Senate. He told us what he believed and what he would do if elected President, and now he is doing it.
Historically this is not really that unusual a phenomenon. Bill Clinton formed a coalition with the Republicans to reform welfare, something that no Republican probably could ever have accomplished. It seems that if we really want something that traditionally has been associated with the opposite party, a President taking on his own party makes a formidable coalition. It is difficult for members of his own party to oppose their President, especially early in his term. Beside Bill Clinton's reform of welfare, we also saw this with Richard Nixon's normalization of relations with China and George W Bush's deficit spending. Republicans kept tripping over themselves trying to explain away how it was OK for a Republican president to build up the largest deficits in our history. Only now do they say they acted in error.
Even in areas that the Democrats have been taking the lead - like health care reform - the President emphasized the need for consensus building. Thus far in his short presidency, the people most surprised and disappointed by his leadership have been the far left members of his own party. Had they read his book, The Audacity of Hope and listened to his speech at the Democratic Convention 4 1/2 years ago, they may not have misinterpreted his liberal voting record in the Senate. He told us what he believed and what he would do if elected President, and now he is doing it.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
California Republicans Have Lost Their Way
I must apologize for including this blast in my blog about Barak Obama's first 100 days. But as a life-long Republican who has witnessed an increasing intolerance within the Republican Party, I could not stand by and watch the "witch hunt" now surfacing in California and not comment when so much is at stake in California and across this nation.
California now has a budget - with all its faults, it has a place to start. Yet instead of raising issues of disagreement, instead of pointing to methods they think would by a better fix for California, the hard line members of the California Republican Party are focusing their time and attention on recalling members of their own party who did not vote the way they wanted.
While it may be hard to believe for some new to California politics, it wasn't that long ago when Republicans in California controlled the legislature. That was before certain hard line CAACs (Conservatives at any Costs) decided that the Republican Party in California needed to be purged of anyone who didn't think their way.
The recall of Doris Allen together with the unyielding push for Prop 187 took the Grand Old Party from leadership to curmudgeon status in less than a year. Now with the Democrats closing in on the magic two-thirds majorities in both California branches of the legislature, it appears that those same "purists" want to relegate the GOP to total insignificance for the foreseeable future by threatening to recall the Republican legislators who decided that some budget, even an imperfect one, was better then no budget at all.
These legislators did not come to this conclusion easily, but felt that it was their duty to work for the good of the people in their district and in their state over the wishes of the hard line members of their party. Shame on them for voting their conscience. Shame on them for having their own opinion.
Now the CAACs will try to have their way with them and prove to the rest of the doubters left in California that there is no room in the Republican Party for anyone who does not act like a Stepford wife.
Perhaps it is time for the purists to leave the Republican Party and form their own little club - one where they can vote each week to kick someone else off of their tiny island.
California now has a budget - with all its faults, it has a place to start. Yet instead of raising issues of disagreement, instead of pointing to methods they think would by a better fix for California, the hard line members of the California Republican Party are focusing their time and attention on recalling members of their own party who did not vote the way they wanted.
While it may be hard to believe for some new to California politics, it wasn't that long ago when Republicans in California controlled the legislature. That was before certain hard line CAACs (Conservatives at any Costs) decided that the Republican Party in California needed to be purged of anyone who didn't think their way.
The recall of Doris Allen together with the unyielding push for Prop 187 took the Grand Old Party from leadership to curmudgeon status in less than a year. Now with the Democrats closing in on the magic two-thirds majorities in both California branches of the legislature, it appears that those same "purists" want to relegate the GOP to total insignificance for the foreseeable future by threatening to recall the Republican legislators who decided that some budget, even an imperfect one, was better then no budget at all.
These legislators did not come to this conclusion easily, but felt that it was their duty to work for the good of the people in their district and in their state over the wishes of the hard line members of their party. Shame on them for voting their conscience. Shame on them for having their own opinion.
Now the CAACs will try to have their way with them and prove to the rest of the doubters left in California that there is no room in the Republican Party for anyone who does not act like a Stepford wife.
Perhaps it is time for the purists to leave the Republican Party and form their own little club - one where they can vote each week to kick someone else off of their tiny island.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Stumbling Blocks
It has now been nearly 30 days since President Barack Obama was inaugurated and it seems that many members of the media are already trying to attach a label to his Presidency of "success or failure". Even former President Clinton was asked to give his opinion on how he felt the President was doing. (Considering that there were calls for President Clinton's impeachment the day after he was first inaugurated, that "is" an interesting perspective). It may make for good press, but in the long run, few will remember what is said about Obama's presidency during the first 30 days.
Sure there have been stumbling blocks, like the cabinet and other nominees who have had to withdraw their names due to indiscretions, suspicions, and political gamesmanship. But does anyone really believe that people will remember these missteps if the President can restore confidence in the economy and bring some stability to our foreign policy?
So let's try to focus on the real issues - the economy, health care, terrorism, homeland security, the deficit, our infrastructure, the environment, energy, and few dozen more.
Today President Obama will be signing a $800+ billion stimulus package for the economy. Politically it was not the kind of legislation that the new President would have preferred. His attempts at bipartisanship (either real or feigned) were essentially unsuccessful. Republicans claimed they were left out of the process and only a very few crossed the line to vote for the package. Democrats were upset that the President didn't seek revenge for the last eight years of Republican rule and wanted Obama to "stick it in their face", which he refused to do. The President was forced to go to the people to explain his position...and truthfully, politics is really what the stimulus package is all about.
No informed observer believes that this economy will turn around in the short term from any kind of stimulus package. However, the President cannot be seen to be just sitting there waiting for something to happen. It is going to take a multitude of efforts from governments, companies, and consumers to have any kind of significant impact. Prices need to stabilize, consumers need to be willing to buy, and companies need to be willing to spend. Governments can prod, they can spend, they can support. But in the end it will be up to the private sector to restore our economy. So most of all, it is going to take time. When the economy recovers (and it will), President Barack Obama will be the recipient of the recovery.
As we come to the close of the President Obama's first month in office, it may be more important to look at what he has and has not been able to accomplish.
Accomplishments:
1. Reverse many of President Bush's Executive Orders
2. Establish his own more informal style in the White House
3. Dominate the press
4. Change the perception of the United States in capitals across the world
5. Pass a huge stimulus package, which includes some initial spending on programs that he promised during the campaign.
Not accomplished:
1. Change the politics of Washington
2. Restore a perception of ethics to the White House
3. Reverse the negative trends in the economy or stock market
A mixed bag depending on what side of the political fence you sit on. For those of us who are more interested in the health of the country than the state of his political fortunes, it's not such a bad start.
Sure there have been stumbling blocks, like the cabinet and other nominees who have had to withdraw their names due to indiscretions, suspicions, and political gamesmanship. But does anyone really believe that people will remember these missteps if the President can restore confidence in the economy and bring some stability to our foreign policy?
So let's try to focus on the real issues - the economy, health care, terrorism, homeland security, the deficit, our infrastructure, the environment, energy, and few dozen more.
Today President Obama will be signing a $800+ billion stimulus package for the economy. Politically it was not the kind of legislation that the new President would have preferred. His attempts at bipartisanship (either real or feigned) were essentially unsuccessful. Republicans claimed they were left out of the process and only a very few crossed the line to vote for the package. Democrats were upset that the President didn't seek revenge for the last eight years of Republican rule and wanted Obama to "stick it in their face", which he refused to do. The President was forced to go to the people to explain his position...and truthfully, politics is really what the stimulus package is all about.
No informed observer believes that this economy will turn around in the short term from any kind of stimulus package. However, the President cannot be seen to be just sitting there waiting for something to happen. It is going to take a multitude of efforts from governments, companies, and consumers to have any kind of significant impact. Prices need to stabilize, consumers need to be willing to buy, and companies need to be willing to spend. Governments can prod, they can spend, they can support. But in the end it will be up to the private sector to restore our economy. So most of all, it is going to take time. When the economy recovers (and it will), President Barack Obama will be the recipient of the recovery.
As we come to the close of the President Obama's first month in office, it may be more important to look at what he has and has not been able to accomplish.
Accomplishments:
1. Reverse many of President Bush's Executive Orders
2. Establish his own more informal style in the White House
3. Dominate the press
4. Change the perception of the United States in capitals across the world
5. Pass a huge stimulus package, which includes some initial spending on programs that he promised during the campaign.
Not accomplished:
1. Change the politics of Washington
2. Restore a perception of ethics to the White House
3. Reverse the negative trends in the economy or stock market
A mixed bag depending on what side of the political fence you sit on. For those of us who are more interested in the health of the country than the state of his political fortunes, it's not such a bad start.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
