This was originally published on Facebook on November 3rd, 2009
Well, gang- it's been roughly a year or so since President Obama was elected, which to me is time enough for people to settle in, figure out where they keep the extra xerox paper and toner and actually get some stuff done. In other words- it's about the right amount of time to issue our first report card here at the LNC for the new administration. Keep in mind that when I do this, I'm not locked in stone on anything. I get accused of being a Republican or a Conservative all the time, for reasons passing understanding, but really- and I mean this really and truly- I'm not. If anything my tendency is to bust through conventional political labels and be my own sort of radical. If I thought anarchism would actually work in the real world, I'd probably sign up. So in setting these grades, please keep in mind two very important things:
1. I am open to persuasion.
2. Nothing is set in stone.
This is far from my final verdict on the Obama Administration- in fact, the Report Card will probably be a yearly thing for as long as I keep doing the LNC. I voted for Obama and I was happy to do so, given the alternatives. It was and will forever be an amazing moment in American history as it's probably going to be the only time I'll hear people actually celebrating a Presidential election outside my window. And furthermore- yes, I am aware that change takes time. I'm not expecting anything monumental or epic in a hurry- so I'm willing to cut the man some slack. But only some. My vote, like everyone else's is the most important thing that I, as a citizen have to give in this country- and President Obama, if he wants another one of my votes is going to have to earn it- just like everyone else.
So, without further ado-- The Report Card!
Domestic:
Health Care: Given that his domestic agenda is centered around the success or failure of health care reform, it's no surprise that it is eating up so much of his domestic political capital and agenda. I myself would have preferred a more proactive approach on health care reform on the part of the President instead of this sort of 'behind the scenes we'll talk but let Congress fight about it' thing that he is doing, but incredibly, slowly but surely, it seems like the President will get something on his desk. Of course, this is the United States Congress we're talking about here, so it could all fuck up at anytime, but even getting this far is a concrete political achievement. So kudos to Pres. O for that.
However, where I have issues is with the size and the scope of the whole project. It's not that I disagree with the idea that we need Health Care reform, because I think we do- but there needs to be a careful balance between the existing system and new government programs. If someone tells me that a government plan is going to help cover the uninsured- I tend to have doubts at that point. To me, government programs aren't necessarily a good thing. One just has to look at the bureaucratic mess that is Britain's NHS to see that. Michael Moore failed to mention the insane waiting lists for the simplest of procedures- and people don't stop to take into account that just because it's free, doesn't mean that it's good.
Both parties, however, get a massive EPIC FAIL for not talking more about health care portability. The Republican Party gets a double EPIC FAIL for this as they could have outflanked the Democrats in a major way in the 2008 campaign by making this front and center and they didn't... portability is sexy, given the fact that your average American is going to change careers about 4-5 times in a lifetime-- we should be able to take retirement plans and health care with us when we do! On balance though, my feeling is this: help the people that need the help and leave everyone else the hell alone. If health care reform can accomplish this, I'll be ok with it in the end-- and it may be an initial cost burden on the taxpayer, but it seems to me (from what I can tell) that it may equal savings in the long run-- only question is, given the demographic pressures paying for the Baby Boomers is going to put on the system- can we afford it? (Or should, given the mess they've made of America, the Baby Boomers be exempt from all changes and reforms in the health care system as they don't really deserve them? Oooooh, that's a naughty little thought, lol...)
Grade: If it gets done- A+, if not D+
Social Issues: Massive EPIC FAIL for President O here. Don't Ask, Don't Tell is still policy, DOMA is still on the books, weed is still illegal, the public education system is still a mess. Pronounce me unimpressed, but having heard Sec. of Education Arne Duncan give a few interviews here and there, I gotta say, I have hope for the future- that guy is smart and impressive. So...
Grade: D+ and only because I find Arne Duncan articulate and impressive.
The Economy: Meh. It's limping towards a bloated, inefficient recovery. We're still here- so I guess they can't have effed it up too badly. I worry about the continued weakness of the dollar and I really worry about our spiralling debt. Especially as more and more of it is being financed by countries like China and Japan, who one day could have enough leverage to bring us to our knees if they want to stop financing our debt and call in their loans. Mortgaging America to other countries makes me nervous. Controlling the debt- and job growth should be priority #1 for Pres. O from here on out. In a big-ass way. One term or two, the goal should be to get us back to a surplus by the time you leave office, mmm-kay?
Grade: C+ they haven't crashed the ambulance, but there's room for improvement.
Bailouts/Stimulus: The true threat to Pres O's chances in 2012 is here. Continuing the Bush policies of bailout was stupid in the extreme and someone needs to bite the bullet and break up these gargantuan banks so they aren't too big too fail. Oh and I'm sorry, but if I'm the government and a company comes to me hat in hand, asking for an 'ass-saving loan', of course your execs DON'T GET BONUSES! If you effed your company up enough to ask the government for a loan, do you deserve a bonus? I don't think so- and I'm unsure why that's a hard concept for people to grasp in D.C. But more than that, it's looking increasingly like Washington bailed out the rich people that finance their re-election campaigns and let the rest of us out here in the boonies go spit, so to speak. Which is why we saw signs of recovery on Wall Street first and Main Street--- well, we're still waiting. This whole mess has me increasingly convinced that like China, we need to divorce our economic system from our political system once and for all. How to do that is another question...
Grade: D angry populist Tom SMASH!
Foreign:
Honduras:EPIC FAIL. Let's do Chavez more favors shall we? I'm happy there's a peaceful solution, but from what I can tell, Zelaya was removed for breaking the law. And we got our panties in a bunch and said 'no, that's not cool.' Not a good precedent to set in Latin America. Very disappointing.
Grade: F
Gitmo: Still open. EPIC FAIL again. 'Nuff said.
Grade: F
Afghanistan: Gets even messier now that Abdullah Abdullah dropped out of the run-off. Do we send more troops to support a corrupt government? Is that worth our blood and time? There are no good options here, but I'm happy that there's a debate going on- and no, I don't think it's dithering. This is a tough, tough spot to be in- time should be taken to try and get it right and settle on the least bad option for our national interests.
Grade: A careful forethought. Me likey. So far.
Iran: Meh. I don't have a lot of faith in sanctions, but it beats full on military options that would entrench a weak regime for fifty more years. Sanctions need to be tough, produce results and satisfy Israel so they don't do something pre-emptive. Best we can do for now, I think.
Grade: B+ best we can do for now. I can take this.
The Intangibles:
Chicago 2016: Stupid, stupid, stupid. Someone didn't read the play right and as a result, the Pres got sacked for a loss. Personally, I think the verdict out there was 'what were you thinking' and 'don't send in the Pres unless you're sure of a win.' No one was thinking and the Pres didn't get a win. Everyone looks dumb.
Grade: C amateur hour at the White House. Not pretty.
Nobel Peace Prize: The LNC has already made their feelings clear on this, but the Pres missed an opportunity to turn it down. He's new in town, wants to actually earn the thing, etc. Would have looked so damn good doing that, but now, he's got three years to do something worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize- otherwise, it's just going to look like some big-ass thing he got out of a Cracker Jack Box somewhere.
Grade: C doesn't help, doesn't hurt. Best kind of intangible.
The Final Verdict
GRADE: C Pres O has annoyed me, infuriated me, pissed me off and made me question my sanity at several points over the past year, but strangely enough, I still believe. A year is a long time in politics- and there is plenty of room to improve or to completely eff things up. His grade is somewhat incomplete as Health Care is still up in the air and he could move swiftly on all those social issues and closing Gitmo and improve his scores there. But, that said: I need to be persuaded. The opening symptoms of buyer's remorse are starting to creep in- nausea that I actually compromised my principles to vote for what I thought was a 'different' mainstream politician, but who turned out to be just another fool in D.C. is also present. I need the legislative equivalent of Tums. I need two blocked field goals. Like Fox Mulder, I want to believe.
Problem is that one year in, it's getting harder and harder to do so.
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