An "A" for Obama's First 100 Days...Not That It Matters
By John Aloysius Farrell, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
I will give Barack Obama an "A" for the first grading period, realizing that it doesn't mean a thing.
A hundred days was a meaningful way to measure Napoleon's return to France, but only because it took that long for the British and the Prussians to gather their armies and meet his at Waterloo. The climactic battle made the time frame meaningful.
Obama has not had a climactic battle. And the real results of the skirmishes he has won (chiefly, the stimulus package) are still months or years away.
The president has put together an impressive team, and he has got that laid-back Hawaiian cool thing going, inspiring hope. He's signaled to the world that the United States is interested in new approaches in foreign policy. He has demanded that Congress address long-term challenges in healthcare, education, and energy.
But the problems that Audacity inherited—Afghanistan, the banks, General Motors, Israel, Iraq, and the rest—don't lend themselves to 100-day solutions. And the United States is so stretched, economically and militarily, that a major crisis—Pakistan? swine flu?—could sweep away what progress he has been making.
As I have argued here before, a lot of little stuff (the smart grid, Cuba) and even some big stuff (healthcare reform) that might otherwise have paralyzed Washington may slide through in the cacophony.
When you are worried about the Taliban getting their hands on nuclear weapons, or an influenza pandemic, or an Iranian-Israeli war, the ability of the insurance or energy industry to command your attention with their usual fear mongering may be limited.
But nobody really knows. Ask me at 400 days.
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Reader Comments
whatever
Where would Germany be if it weren't for the US. Stalin would have taken them over and they would be speaking Russioan under a Soviet Regime. Look back at East Berlin, the The Berlin Airlift that defeated the Russian blockade. President Reagan said " Tear Down That Wall " and Gorbechov complied.
The US saved Germany and gave them back their country, a new freedom and respected place in the global; market. We did the same with Japan. Our way of life has been preserved and shared with both countries.The young generation don't understand nor appreciate what they have and what they could have lost. They wouldn't be allowed to protest in the streets without being arrested and sent to prisons for many,many years.
I would like for them to remember they could have been under Russian rule. The Russians hated them and would have plundered all their resources and they would be no better than slaves if it weren't for the US defending and rebuilding their country and giving it back to them.
A for First Hundred Days
I wish Obama well for the sake of our country but I can't understand how we can keep spending money we don't have and borrow our way out of debt.
By imposing high taxe on companies and corporations is unrealistic. They have to remain competitive on the global market. The Big 3 auto makers are in serious trouble because of the employee wages and benefits ( unions ). MicroSoft wants to have more immigrants from India, China and the Philippines allowed work visas.
The workers are better educated than Americans, they work harder and are more innovative. Our school system is a dismal failure I have no idea what Obama's plans for this shortfall are.He says one thing and does something else.
He acts like he is still campaigning he is now in the White House but his act hasn't changed much. The biggest concern is next years mid term election and all the politicians are trying to make as many " Brownie " points as they can.
Our elected leaders and power brokers are not fooling anyone except themselves. The low flying Air Force One over New York City was almost as stupid as having Joe Biden as VP. Obama seems lost without his teleprompter and it is just a matter of time where his promised " transparancey " becomes apparent and he will run out of smooth talking words or we run out of money possibly both.
I still don't have a clue as to who he is or what he is saying he is like " quick silver " the only big change I can see is his constantly changing his mind.
He has made several major blunders that the press glosses over rather than admit they were blind to begin with.
As Reverend Wright or wrong said " The chickens are coming home to roost " and the voters elected the fox to be in charge of the chicken coop !
President Obama's 'first 100 days'....
I am very proud and honored to be an American in these days! And this is the first time in my lifetime (56 yrs) that I can honestly say that. I think that President Obama has done a fantastic job and will do an ever better job in the future. I know the people out there who are not pleased with his performance are not being true their feelings. He has done everything that needs to be done at this time to get this economy and everything else on the way back to where we can feel comfortable and secure with our world. He rates an 'A+' by any standards you have. His opposers, I feel, should listen and weigh his administration's decision and realize that this is for everyone to strive. We need to work together as a country and bring this economy back to a livable situation for all of us, not just the rich.
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