Aa
Four signs the White House is worried about 2012
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/exclusive/four-signs-white-house-worried-2012-150906016.html
t's been a rough June for the White House. Instead of being able to run a campaign taking credit for economic improvement, President Obama will, according to the latest forecasts, be trying to win four more years amid a grim economy next year. The president's reelection team, once hoping to run on a "Morning in America" theme now doesn't have that luxury. No wonder, the president's advisers over the past month have been making moves that suggest they're awfully concerned about his prospects:
1. Searching for an economic message. Veteran Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg recently offered perceptive advice to the president's team by criticizing its "getting the car out of the ditch" metaphor meant to suggest the economy is slowly improving. As Greenberg wrote: "People thought they still were in the ditch."
This is a time when the president needs to find his inner Bill Clinton, and feel Americans' pain. If he wants to be one of the few presidents to win reelection in a stagnant economy, he'll have to devote less time to defending past policies, like the auto bailout, and more to offering specific solutions to help people get back to work. Think a 21st century version of FDR's fireside chats.
But there are few signs that the president's economic messaging has changed. Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz recently said Democrats own the economy, but they don't seem to be adapting their message to the bad economy likely to face them in November 2012.
2. Doubling down on manufacturing. The latest White House effort to wring good news out of a bad economy focuses on successes in the manufacturing sector: the auto bailout that put GM and Chrysler on sounder footing, as well as green initiatives.
Politically, it's a puzzling message. While there has been a small uptick in manufacturing jobs, it's hardly enough to be felt by the blue-collar electorate, who have been bearing the brunt of the recession and never viewed Obama too favorably in the first place. The latest Gallup weekly tracking poll shows Obama's approval with college graduates at 51 percent, with a 40 percent approval among nongraduates.
The president's emphasis on green jobs doesn't help. It's tough for many steelworkers to see themselves producing solar panels. Clean-energy jobs may be the future, but they're not seen by displaced workers as a panacea.
Are 'The (2012) Undecideds' In or Out?
Instead, Obama's key to winning reelection is solidifying his support with college-educated whites, a swing demographic that has been more receptive to his message, along with high turnout among minorities. His key to victory is rallying white-collar professionals in swing-state suburbs, like Fairfax/Loudoun County, Va.; Wake County, N.C.; Franklin County, Ohio; Bucks County, Pa.; Clark County, Nev.—none hotbeds of manufacturing.
3. Fresh fundraising concerns. With a strong connection to the grassroots and expertise with social networking, President Obama's reelection team mastered the art of hitting up small donors in the 2008 campaign.
But there are telltale signs that the grassroots army that propelled him is in a much less giving mood. It's not a huge surprise; the bad economy has hit Obama's small donors too. When you're having trouble paying the bills, you're not exactly pining to pitch in hard-earned money to help a powerful president.
A sign Team Obama is looking elsewhere: A Los Angeles Times report that Obama's reelection team is already asking wealthy donors to commit the maximum $75,800 to the president's campaign funds.
How Foreign Policy Became the Issue Dividing the GOP Field
If Obama's re-election starts looking more difficult next year, donors may well be inclined to give to the Democratic Senate and House campaign arms, seeing them as the better investment. But if they're locked in with early maximum donations to the president's re-election, that won't be doable.
4. Raising the stakes in the upper South. Obama's strategists are raising the stakes in the two battleground upper South states, North Carolina and Virginia.
They've never been critical cogs in a presidential strategy. If Team Obama sees them as such in 2012, it suggests the campaign is struggling in states that were comfortably on its side in 2008, particularly those in the Rust Belt.
When I interviewed leading Democratic and Republican strategists about the states toughest for Obama to hold, most were pessimistic about his prospects in North Carolina, a state that he won by just 14,000 votes.
Publicly, his strategists are arguing that the Tar Heel State's growing numbers of college-educated suburbanites and minorities plays to Obama's advantage. It's no coincidence the Democrats are holding next year's convention in Charlotte.
PICTURES: Beyond Libya's Gaddafi, Other International Arrest Warrants
But if North Carolina looks like a challenge, Virginia looks within Obama's grasp. Unemployment in the Old Dominion is far lower than most battleground states, and the growth of government jobs in the Washington, D.C., suburbs and a diversifying population play to the Democrats' favor.
Not everyone on the Democratic side is as optimistic, however. One senior Democratic operative involved with key Virginia races believes Obama would need an African-American turnout close to his historic 2008 levels to win—a tough task in a down economy.
"When folks start to depend on recreating a specific snapshot in time, it is most always a disappointment," the strategist said.
t's been a rough June for the White House. Instead of being able to run a campaign taking credit for economic improvement, President Obama will, according to the latest forecasts, be trying to win four more years amid a grim economy next year. The president's reelection team, once hoping to run on a "Morning in America" theme now doesn't have that luxury. No wonder, the president's advisers over the past month have been making moves that suggest they're awfully concerned about his prospects:
1. Searching for an economic message. Veteran Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg recently offered perceptive advice to the president's team by criticizing its "getting the car out of the ditch" metaphor meant to suggest the economy is slowly improving. As Greenberg wrote: "People thought they still were in the ditch."
This is a time when the president needs to find his inner Bill Clinton, and feel Americans' pain. If he wants to be one of the few presidents to win reelection in a stagnant economy, he'll have to devote less time to defending past policies, like the auto bailout, and more to offering specific solutions to help people get back to work. Think a 21st century version of FDR's fireside chats.
But there are few signs that the president's economic messaging has changed. Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz recently said Democrats own the economy, but they don't seem to be adapting their message to the bad economy likely to face them in November 2012.
2. Doubling down on manufacturing. The latest White House effort to wring good news out of a bad economy focuses on successes in the manufacturing sector: the auto bailout that put GM and Chrysler on sounder footing, as well as green initiatives.
Politically, it's a puzzling message. While there has been a small uptick in manufacturing jobs, it's hardly enough to be felt by the blue-collar electorate, who have been bearing the brunt of the recession and never viewed Obama too favorably in the first place. The latest Gallup weekly tracking poll shows Obama's approval with college graduates at 51 percent, with a 40 percent approval among nongraduates.
The president's emphasis on green jobs doesn't help. It's tough for many steelworkers to see themselves producing solar panels. Clean-energy jobs may be the future, but they're not seen by displaced workers as a panacea.
Are 'The (2012) Undecideds' In or Out?
Instead, Obama's key to winning reelection is solidifying his support with college-educated whites, a swing demographic that has been more receptive to his message, along with high turnout among minorities. His key to victory is rallying white-collar professionals in swing-state suburbs, like Fairfax/Loudoun County, Va.; Wake County, N.C.; Franklin County, Ohio; Bucks County, Pa.; Clark County, Nev.—none hotbeds of manufacturing.
3. Fresh fundraising concerns. With a strong connection to the grassroots and expertise with social networking, President Obama's reelection team mastered the art of hitting up small donors in the 2008 campaign.
But there are telltale signs that the grassroots army that propelled him is in a much less giving mood. It's not a huge surprise; the bad economy has hit Obama's small donors too. When you're having trouble paying the bills, you're not exactly pining to pitch in hard-earned money to help a powerful president.
A sign Team Obama is looking elsewhere: A Los Angeles Times report that Obama's reelection team is already asking wealthy donors to commit the maximum $75,800 to the president's campaign funds.
How Foreign Policy Became the Issue Dividing the GOP Field
If Obama's re-election starts looking more difficult next year, donors may well be inclined to give to the Democratic Senate and House campaign arms, seeing them as the better investment. But if they're locked in with early maximum donations to the president's re-election, that won't be doable.
4. Raising the stakes in the upper South. Obama's strategists are raising the stakes in the two battleground upper South states, North Carolina and Virginia.
They've never been critical cogs in a presidential strategy. If Team Obama sees them as such in 2012, it suggests the campaign is struggling in states that were comfortably on its side in 2008, particularly those in the Rust Belt.
When I interviewed leading Democratic and Republican strategists about the states toughest for Obama to hold, most were pessimistic about his prospects in North Carolina, a state that he won by just 14,000 votes.
Publicly, his strategists are arguing that the Tar Heel State's growing numbers of college-educated suburbanites and minorities plays to Obama's advantage. It's no coincidence the Democrats are holding next year's convention in Charlotte.
PICTURES: Beyond Libya's Gaddafi, Other International Arrest Warrants
But if North Carolina looks like a challenge, Virginia looks within Obama's grasp. Unemployment in the Old Dominion is far lower than most battleground states, and the growth of government jobs in the Washington, D.C., suburbs and a diversifying population play to the Democrats' favor.
Not everyone on the Democratic side is as optimistic, however. One senior Democratic operative involved with key Virginia races believes Obama would need an African-American turnout close to his historic 2008 levels to win—a tough task in a down economy.
"When folks start to depend on recreating a specific snapshot in time, it is most always a disappointment," the strategist said.
And Libya?
I won't say that Dem's are blameless. I will say unpaid for wars are Bush's.
You can't blame Bush for the failed economy without having Democrats shoulder just as much of the blame.
Congress was controlled by Democrats while Bush was in office, and signed off on everything he did.
You want to place blame, at least say that it was 50-50. Bush AND the Democratic Congress, at the time.
Congress was controlled by Democrats while Bush was in office, and signed off on everything he did.
You want to place blame, at least say that it was 50-50. Bush AND the Democratic Congress, at the time.
Yes I will always blame Bush for most the debt(2 wars and tax cuts??) , but I also won't let Obama off the hook. I just believe he is doing everything he can to get the economy going again (everything Congress will let him). It's going to take more time. I don't think a Republican could fix it faster.
Hold on to your hat El..............I think the stimulus should have been bigger. :)
Hold on to your hat El..............I think the stimulus should have been bigger. :)
Why is it that whenever anyone mentions B.O. and the national-debt increasing under his watch, that in the same sentence, they blame Bush and say things like "He was just cleaning up Bush's mess", etc, etc?
I'll give you the first YEAR of his administration to place blame wherever you want, but after that, it's time to suck it up and shoulder some of the blame.
So, if reelected, in his 8th year as president, are you still going to be blaming Bush for B.O.'s failed presidency?
And you may be correct about the history books blaming a lot of this on GW, but a lot MORE of what's going to be written will be about B.O. failing to do anything about it in 2 consecutive terms (assuming he's reelected), except being able to increase the national-debt 100 fold.
Let's assume that the next 4 presidents are Democrats, and that they all serve 2 terms... in 40 years, will you all still be blaming GW and saying, "Well, we're just trying to clean up Bush's mess"?
Just how long do you think blaming Bush is going to fly?
I'll give you the first YEAR of his administration to place blame wherever you want, but after that, it's time to suck it up and shoulder some of the blame.
So, if reelected, in his 8th year as president, are you still going to be blaming Bush for B.O.'s failed presidency?
And you may be correct about the history books blaming a lot of this on GW, but a lot MORE of what's going to be written will be about B.O. failing to do anything about it in 2 consecutive terms (assuming he's reelected), except being able to increase the national-debt 100 fold.
Let's assume that the next 4 presidents are Democrats, and that they all serve 2 terms... in 40 years, will you all still be blaming GW and saying, "Well, we're just trying to clean up Bush's mess"?
Just how long do you think blaming Bush is going to fly?
I'm hoping the American people are catching on to the fact the Republicans are not trying to help this economy along. Where is their JOBs bill they talked so much about before the election. They are distracting the public with the debt thing. JOBS JOBS JOBS is what they chanted. So where are they ???????????? Where are the ideas ????????????
@ allaboutmary,,they're struck in congress because the Republicans DON'T want him to have ANY good points. So they'll filler buster and halt, and delay what he wants cus they can right now!!! They have no regard for the American people and how to help us..They just want to sabotage him.......Let the backlash begin in 5,4,3,2,1.......
I agree about another election. AHHHH
Yesterday the Pres. listed 3 or 4 things that he wants done to help the economy. They are all stuck in Congress and can't seem to make it to his desk. I can't for the life of me remember what all they were........I swear I have Alzheimer's. I'm gonna go see if I can find them. He does have ideas though and honestly I haven't heard a one from the other side.
@EL, it's also sad that out of everything listed, you will not admit ANY of them is a good job done by the President...All you see is a deficit (Which was originally caused by Former President Bush) that is high and you throw ALL the blame on Current President Obama....We can just agree to disagree on this one and many other issues....
@ El. It's fine you feel that way. Remember BUSH vetoed a war congress didn't want and cut taxes for the rich which is what caused our deficit to sky rocket.. YES President Obama spent money but he was cleaning up Bush's mess.....EVERYONE knows that!!!
In thinking about the original post and staying away from whether Obama has been a good and effective president or not, I think what I'd like to see more than his plan for how to get re elected and the donations to do it is the plans for fixing our economy. What our future holds . . . a little light at the end of the tunnel . . . hope.
Not bs plans that just say "vote for me" but real meaty ideas. My fear is they are running out of them.
Honestly, it is really at the point that I think everyone should put party and politics aside and work together. I almost dread another election cycle to distract from what they need to be focusing on.
Not bs plans that just say "vote for me" but real meaty ideas. My fear is they are running out of them.
Honestly, it is really at the point that I think everyone should put party and politics aside and work together. I almost dread another election cycle to distract from what they need to be focusing on.
Oops I wasn't finished ...
It was Obama trying to bail us out of the mess. Yes, it cost money to pay all the unemployment and food stamps for all the people that lost their homes and jobs. It cost money to continue the wars until we can get out. It cost money to try and keep some teachers, police and firefighters.
Seriously.........do you think if McCain or anyone else was president the debt would be any different. Not likely at all.
It was Obama trying to bail us out of the mess. Yes, it cost money to pay all the unemployment and food stamps for all the people that lost their homes and jobs. It cost money to continue the wars until we can get out. It cost money to try and keep some teachers, police and firefighters.
Seriously.........do you think if McCain or anyone else was president the debt would be any different. Not likely at all.
I believe it will be Bush they say destroyed our economy. He gave tax breaks during 2 wars. That right there is a .......no brain er.
You'll never get me to agree that B.O. is or has been a good president, sorry.
You can make lists till the cows come home, and all I'm going to see is the national-debt having increased to almost $15T.
THAT'S what I see as his single greatest accomplishment since entering office.
With all the things listed above, and everything that everyone THINKS about him, Barack Obama's legacy will be simple: 150 years from now, history books will read... "He increased the national-debt to $15T in his single term in office, and the country spent the next 100 years recovering."
All the history books are ever going to say about him, is that, 1) he was the first sort'of black president (after all, he's only part black), and 2) he increased the national-debt to $15T in a single term (and his term isn't over yet, so there's still room for the debt to grow).
None of the stuff you mentioned will be in the history books, because hopefully, none of it's going to stick.
You can make lists till the cows come home, and all I'm going to see is the national-debt having increased to almost $15T.
THAT'S what I see as his single greatest accomplishment since entering office.
With all the things listed above, and everything that everyone THINKS about him, Barack Obama's legacy will be simple: 150 years from now, history books will read... "He increased the national-debt to $15T in his single term in office, and the country spent the next 100 years recovering."
All the history books are ever going to say about him, is that, 1) he was the first sort'of black president (after all, he's only part black), and 2) he increased the national-debt to $15T in a single term (and his term isn't over yet, so there's still room for the debt to grow).
None of the stuff you mentioned will be in the history books, because hopefully, none of it's going to stick.
I'm going to go ahead and dumb this whole thing down a little bit by saying that every comment on here was respectful and concise, and I never thought I'd see that **** on here.
Not that I am going to agree with any of the facts...LOL
Not that I am going to agree with any of the facts...LOL
Excuse me, I meant he *hasn't* been in office just twiddling his thumbs...LOL.. My fingers are just as passionate about the President...Hahaha
I agree.. The tax cuts and the 2 wars ARE what pout us in this mess...I mean congress said no to the war and President Bush vetoed it...Why? I will NEVER understand why!!! Now we have to hope and pray that they can clean this mess up and get America back to being the Leader that our allies know us to be...
@ teko.. Thank you:) You know what, the more and more I debate and hear people bash The president, the more I have to defend him. He is who I voted for and I have to continue to justify why I voted for him...Unfortunately no matter how much I point out, it always seems to get over shadowed.....I'll keep opening my mouth though and hopefully some nay Sayers will see that he has been in office just twiddling his thumbs.....
Wow! Again I am impressed! You have done your homework havent you?
I do agree that the only thing that seems to be important other than supporting Ryans plan and a permanant tax cut for the upper such and such percent is indeed making sure he is a one term president. I have heard and agree that these tax cuts and 2 unfunded wars went a far piece in putting us here. So why does it not make sense to let the tax cuts expire for all of us, and bring the soldiers home. That would be correcting the damage to some degree would it not.
I do agree that the only thing that seems to be important other than supporting Ryans plan and a permanant tax cut for the upper such and such percent is indeed making sure he is a one term president. I have heard and agree that these tax cuts and 2 unfunded wars went a far piece in putting us here. So why does it not make sense to let the tax cuts expire for all of us, and bring the soldiers home. That would be correcting the damage to some degree would it not.
@ EL I understand what you mean about the way I started the post. I thought about it and read it twice before I sent it.. I don't think I was mud slinging..I that's how the post came across, I apologize because I myself don't believe in mud slinging. I stated what I felt was a fact. I can't filter my feelings. I do respect you for understanding he is doing what he thinks is best for the country. Just like you have strong opinions about him as President/Candidate, I have strong opinions about the candidates representing the right. I haven't seen or heard any of the candidates on the right speak on what they are going to do to correct how the president has supposedly "failed the American people"..All I hear is them focusing on making him a 1 term president.. Can we at least agree on that? I have not heard what there plan is on to try and make the economy rebound (with the exception of the republican spending cuts proposal) , healthcare, education, social security etc.. Actually, I have heard. They want to cut it ALL... I don't agree with that.. So, YES I will continue to support President Barack Obama and his policies because at least he's focused on the issues at hand.
As for his accomplishments, here goes some......
First 100 days- 1. Health Care: The Obama White House cleared an important hurdle in the health care reform debate when it appropriated $19 billion in the stimulus package to help implement an electronic medical record system. The money is paltry compared to the hundreds of billions set aside for an overhaul of the health care system in the budget. But officials inside and out of the White House say its significance is hard to overstate.
2. Communications: A presidential campaign built on innovative messaging and advanced technology has, naturally, become a White House defined by similar characteristics. As such, the reach of the administration's new media efforts - from hosting online question-and-answer sessions with the president to publishing the first White House blog - has been as expected as appreciated. It's unfortunate, said one tech savvy Democrat, because the new policies have had tangible impacts. 3. Transportation: Since the passage of the economic stimulus package in mid-February, the Obama Department of Transportation has approved 2,500 highway projects. The movement of stimulus money out the door has been as swift as it has been effective: $9.3 billion has been spent in all 50 states. Touting its impact, DOT officials say 260,000 jobs are expected from this investment. And with competition for contracts fierce, the department is set to approve even more projects than previously envisioned. 4. Education: Maligned for its handling of the financial and banking crises, the Obama Treasury Department has nevertheless implemented policies with real qualitative and quantitative impact on debt-burdened families. Chief among those was a $2,500 tax credit to help offset the cost of tuition (among other expenses) for those seeking a college education. Nearly five million families are expected to save $9 billion, according to Treasury officials. 5. Cars: The automobile industry at the White House and Congress's behest has undergone seismic structural changes, managerial reorganization, and massive cuts in employment. But for all the tough love, the president has put in place the framework for an industry recovery. Perhaps the most significant of steps was to allocate $2 billion in stimulus cash for advanced batteries systems. One high-ranking Hill aide called battery technology "the next big frontier" in the automotive world, adding that if the U.S. could dominate this market it would reclaim its perch as the world's premier car manufacturer. 6. Pakistan: Cognizant of a destabilizing situation in Pakistan, the administration's diplomatic team, with a major assist from Japan, secured $5 billion in aid commitments "to bolster the country's economy and help it fight terror and Islamic radicalism" within the country. The money, as Pakistan observers -- notably Senate Foreign Relations Chairman John Kerry - note, will prove instrumental in bringing the nation away from the brink of failure and increased Taliban control. 7. Cities: More than any prior president, Obama has put a spotlight on America's struggling cities, even creating an office of Urban Policy in the White House. It is the Justice Department, however, that lays claim to one of the most consequential of urban affairs achievements. Through the Recovery Act, DOJ secured $2 billion for Byrne Grants, which funds anti-gang and anti-gun task forces. The money, cut during the Bush years, is expected to have massive ramifications on inner-city crime and violence. 8. Engaging the Muslim World: While certainly discussed, foreign affairs experts insist that Obama's engagement with the Muslim world has been at once remarkable and under-appreciated. From the first interview with Al Arabiya to his Nowruz address to the Iranian people, to his proclamation that "American is not at war with Islam" during an appearance in Turkey, seasoned observers have been routinely impressed. "Through these [statements and interviews]," said one Democratic foreign policy hand, "He has been able to dramatically change America's image in that region." 9. Forests: Since taking office, the White House has put under federal protection more than two million acres of wilderness, thousands of miles of river and a host of national trails and parks. The conservation effort - the largest in the last 15 years - came with the stroke of a pen when Obama signed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 in late March. 10. Tone: Leaving a meeting at the White House on Tuesday a progressive member of the House of Representatives commented to the Huffington Post just how impressed she was with the president's manner. "He is so calm," said the member, "and has a great ability to make you feel like you're being respected and listened to."
Now that's just in the first 100 days...Let's not forget him signing an Executive Order on government contracting to fight waste and abuse, Signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, restoring basic protections against pay discrimination for women and other workers, Renewing dialogue with NATO and other allies and partners on strategic issues, Announced a plan to responsibly end the war in Iraq, Providing funding to families of fallen soldiers have expenses covered to be on hand when the body arrives at Dover AFB, Signing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Launching Recovery.gov to track spending from the Recovery Act, an unprecedented step to provide transparency and accountability through technology, Announcing the "Making Home Affordable" home refinancing plan. He also Launched a $15 billion plan to boost lending to small businesses, Invested heavily in education both as a way to provide jobs now and lay the foundation for long-term prosperity, Provided the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with more than $1.4 billion to improve services to America’s Veterans, Issued an Executive Order repealing the Bush-Era restrictions on embryonic stem cell research, Signed the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, the first piece of comprehensive legislation aimed at improving the lives of Americans living with paralysis, and let's not forget GAVE THE ORDER WHICH KILLED OSAMA BIN LADEN when his most trusted advisers were against his choice of action...
There are soooooo much more but I thought I'd just give you some so you can see for yourself. Maybe by seeing some of his accomplishments you can say he's been an "ok" President so far......
As for his accomplishments, here goes some......
First 100 days- 1. Health Care: The Obama White House cleared an important hurdle in the health care reform debate when it appropriated $19 billion in the stimulus package to help implement an electronic medical record system. The money is paltry compared to the hundreds of billions set aside for an overhaul of the health care system in the budget. But officials inside and out of the White House say its significance is hard to overstate.
2. Communications: A presidential campaign built on innovative messaging and advanced technology has, naturally, become a White House defined by similar characteristics. As such, the reach of the administration's new media efforts - from hosting online question-and-answer sessions with the president to publishing the first White House blog - has been as expected as appreciated. It's unfortunate, said one tech savvy Democrat, because the new policies have had tangible impacts. 3. Transportation: Since the passage of the economic stimulus package in mid-February, the Obama Department of Transportation has approved 2,500 highway projects. The movement of stimulus money out the door has been as swift as it has been effective: $9.3 billion has been spent in all 50 states. Touting its impact, DOT officials say 260,000 jobs are expected from this investment. And with competition for contracts fierce, the department is set to approve even more projects than previously envisioned. 4. Education: Maligned for its handling of the financial and banking crises, the Obama Treasury Department has nevertheless implemented policies with real qualitative and quantitative impact on debt-burdened families. Chief among those was a $2,500 tax credit to help offset the cost of tuition (among other expenses) for those seeking a college education. Nearly five million families are expected to save $9 billion, according to Treasury officials. 5. Cars: The automobile industry at the White House and Congress's behest has undergone seismic structural changes, managerial reorganization, and massive cuts in employment. But for all the tough love, the president has put in place the framework for an industry recovery. Perhaps the most significant of steps was to allocate $2 billion in stimulus cash for advanced batteries systems. One high-ranking Hill aide called battery technology "the next big frontier" in the automotive world, adding that if the U.S. could dominate this market it would reclaim its perch as the world's premier car manufacturer. 6. Pakistan: Cognizant of a destabilizing situation in Pakistan, the administration's diplomatic team, with a major assist from Japan, secured $5 billion in aid commitments "to bolster the country's economy and help it fight terror and Islamic radicalism" within the country. The money, as Pakistan observers -- notably Senate Foreign Relations Chairman John Kerry - note, will prove instrumental in bringing the nation away from the brink of failure and increased Taliban control. 7. Cities: More than any prior president, Obama has put a spotlight on America's struggling cities, even creating an office of Urban Policy in the White House. It is the Justice Department, however, that lays claim to one of the most consequential of urban affairs achievements. Through the Recovery Act, DOJ secured $2 billion for Byrne Grants, which funds anti-gang and anti-gun task forces. The money, cut during the Bush years, is expected to have massive ramifications on inner-city crime and violence. 8. Engaging the Muslim World: While certainly discussed, foreign affairs experts insist that Obama's engagement with the Muslim world has been at once remarkable and under-appreciated. From the first interview with Al Arabiya to his Nowruz address to the Iranian people, to his proclamation that "American is not at war with Islam" during an appearance in Turkey, seasoned observers have been routinely impressed. "Through these [statements and interviews]," said one Democratic foreign policy hand, "He has been able to dramatically change America's image in that region." 9. Forests: Since taking office, the White House has put under federal protection more than two million acres of wilderness, thousands of miles of river and a host of national trails and parks. The conservation effort - the largest in the last 15 years - came with the stroke of a pen when Obama signed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 in late March. 10. Tone: Leaving a meeting at the White House on Tuesday a progressive member of the House of Representatives commented to the Huffington Post just how impressed she was with the president's manner. "He is so calm," said the member, "and has a great ability to make you feel like you're being respected and listened to."
Now that's just in the first 100 days...Let's not forget him signing an Executive Order on government contracting to fight waste and abuse, Signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, restoring basic protections against pay discrimination for women and other workers, Renewing dialogue with NATO and other allies and partners on strategic issues, Announced a plan to responsibly end the war in Iraq, Providing funding to families of fallen soldiers have expenses covered to be on hand when the body arrives at Dover AFB, Signing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Launching Recovery.gov to track spending from the Recovery Act, an unprecedented step to provide transparency and accountability through technology, Announcing the "Making Home Affordable" home refinancing plan. He also Launched a $15 billion plan to boost lending to small businesses, Invested heavily in education both as a way to provide jobs now and lay the foundation for long-term prosperity, Provided the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with more than $1.4 billion to improve services to America’s Veterans, Issued an Executive Order repealing the Bush-Era restrictions on embryonic stem cell research, Signed the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, the first piece of comprehensive legislation aimed at improving the lives of Americans living with paralysis, and let's not forget GAVE THE ORDER WHICH KILLED OSAMA BIN LADEN when his most trusted advisers were against his choice of action...
There are soooooo much more but I thought I'd just give you some so you can see for yourself. Maybe by seeing some of his accomplishments you can say he's been an "ok" President so far......
I have to tell you how much I respect what you just said. I think it is fantastic that you are saying that even though you don't agree with his policies, you believe that he is trying to do what is right. That statement had class!!
Healthy debate doesn't have to be about mud-slinging, MrsPincince. Starting a conversation with an inflammatory statement, like the one made above, does nothing but put people's backs up (those of us on the Right, anyway). You are correct... the Right IS trying to make it look like B.O. has done nothing since he's been in office, but, let me ask you this...
What HAS he done?
(I ask that in all seriousness. I'm not trying to slight B.O. here, I really want to know what you think he's accomplished during his tenure, to date)
You'll never get me to say that I think B.O. is or has been a good president, but I have no doubt in my mind that he set out, and continues to, do what he thinks is good for the country.You can see it in his eyes when he gives a press-conference... he's frustrated. I dare say he's JUST AS frustrated as you and I are. B.O. is a good man, with a good hearth, with good intentions. Unfortunately for him, he landed in the presidency at a horrible time. A time when all eyes are focused on the United States. A time when he's expected to pull the country and the world out of economic turmoil.
The bipartisan way in which this country is run MUST stop. How on earth are we ever going to make this country better, if you and I can't even come on MH and agree on even the most basic of issues?
What HAS he done?
(I ask that in all seriousness. I'm not trying to slight B.O. here, I really want to know what you think he's accomplished during his tenure, to date)
You'll never get me to say that I think B.O. is or has been a good president, but I have no doubt in my mind that he set out, and continues to, do what he thinks is good for the country.You can see it in his eyes when he gives a press-conference... he's frustrated. I dare say he's JUST AS frustrated as you and I are. B.O. is a good man, with a good hearth, with good intentions. Unfortunately for him, he landed in the presidency at a horrible time. A time when all eyes are focused on the United States. A time when he's expected to pull the country and the world out of economic turmoil.
The bipartisan way in which this country is run MUST stop. How on earth are we ever going to make this country better, if you and I can't even come on MH and agree on even the most basic of issues?
Until, the Republicans have a candidate that actually wants to talk about the issues and what they are going to do to make it better, they shouldn't worry..Right now their competition isn't even focused on the issues. They're too worried about making he President look like he has done NOTHING since he entered office...
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Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
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