Obama's done-nothing rep is wrong.

[azmouse]

http://www.newsweek.com/id/224737


About one thing left and right seem to agree: Obama hasn't done anything yet. Maureen Dowd and Dick Cheney have found common ground in scoffing at the president's "dithering." NEWSWEEK recently ran a sympathetic cover story titled "Yes He Can (But He Sure Hasn't Yet)." The sarcasm brigade thinks it has finally found an Achilles' heel in his lack of accomplishments. "When you look at my record, it's very clear what I've done so far, and that is nothing. Nada. Almost one year and nothing to show for it," Obama stand-in Fred Armisen recently riffed on Saturday Night Live. Jon Stewart asserts "it’s chow time" for a president who hasn't followed through on his promises. (Click here to follow Jacob Weisberg).

This conventional wisdom about Obama's first year is sure to be flipped on its head by the anniversary of his inauguration on Jan. 20. If, as seems increasingly likely, Obama wins passage of a health-care-reform bill by that date, he will deliver his first State of the Union address having accomplished more in his first year than any other postwar American president. This isn't an ideological judgment. It's a neutral assessment of his emerging record.

The case for Obama's successful freshman year rests above all on the health-care legislation now awaiting action in the Senate. Democrats have been trying to pass national health insurance for 60 years. Past presidents who tried to make it happen and failed include Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton. Through the summer, Obama caught flak for letting Congress lead the process, as opposed to setting out his own proposal. Now his political strategy is being vindicated.

[WI_DEM]

1. Of course it's just nonsense

the stimulus, we've gotten farther on health care than ever before, changing the world situation and how other nations view us, the time tables for getting out of Afghanistan and Iraq.

What exactly had Bush done in his first year in office? got a big tax cut for the rich and cashed in on 9/11.

[azmouse]

5. Seems like these reminders of what Obama has accomplished already

have to be posted almost daily to fight the perception among some DUers that Obama has done nothing. It's discouraging at the least.

[BlueCaliDem]

13. Yes, but if you're like the average American, you don't hear that

in our "librul" media. All you hear is how much the President has failed to come through on anything, while his accomplishments are pretty daunting for his first 10 months in office.

Add health care reform to the list, and he just might be mentioned as the best U.S. President in sixty years, not because of a Democratic controlled Congress, but in spite of it.

[LastNaturalist]

2. Obama has had one of the most successful first year's ever.

Or at least since Franklin Roosevelt.

[azmouse]

6. Welcome to DU.

:hi:

[LastNaturalist]

7. Thanks!

*DAP*

[BlueCaliDem]

14. Yes he does! Welcome to DU. Your post is a great start. eom

[whoneedstickets]

3. But he hasn't addressed my pet issue so I'm livid!

nt

[TheWraith]

9. And anyone who says otherwise is a cheerleader and repressing my free speech!

:sarcasm:

[Aramchek]

19. or a paid operative of the corporatacracy

:sarcasm:

[HamdenRice]

4. Agreed! krnt

[tridim]

8. The "Nothing" SNL skit didn't help..

I still don't understand why they did that.

Do they have Politico reporters on their writing team?

[TheWraith]

10. I suspect they think they have to be "unbiased."

As if lack of bias were what the news media claims, just repeating everybody's claims equally, when the fact is that the truth is always better and funnier.

[WI_DEM]

12. Leno parrots this as well. But with health care Reform, an economy improving, and timetables

on getting out of two wars he inherited Obama will ultimately go into 2012 in a very strong position.

[Clio the Leo]

17. That's where it started....

.... I think they did it because the writers legitimately felt that way. I think it's safe to say that the SNL writers are left-leaning and it's obvious that many within our own party are not happy with the pace at which he's accomplishing things.

Now, we could argue the accuracy of that claim and I dont think it's totally without merit, but I think anyone who feels this way misunderstands both the executive powers as defined in the Constitution and the complexities of effecting change quickly when you have to work with the United States Congress. ;)

[ClarkUSA]

11. Of course it is. Thanks for adding to the increasing body of evidence that the Failers are wrong.

Appointed a Special Envoy for Middle East peace

Order the closing of Guantanamo Bay

Prohibit use of torture

Obama Orders Secret Prisons and Detention Camps Closed

Obama Sets Bold New Principles for U.S. Energy, Climate Policies

Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act

Omnibus Public Lands Management Act

Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program Act of 2009

Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act of 2009 or FERA (PDF)

Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009

Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009 (Kerry-Lugar includes funding for Obama's global poverty initiative)

Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009

End of 22-Year Discriminatory Travel Ban

Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act

Stopping Conflict-related Sexual Violence Against Women and Children

The UN, Women & Girls

New policy steps towards Cuba

Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia

Strategy to address the international nuclear threat

For the Media: "30+ Reasons Obama deserves the Nobel Peace Prize"

Russia on Nobel Peace Prize: Obama thawing 'second cold war'

World Reaction to Obama Winning the Nobel

Turkey, Armenia sign historic accord

Why the Stimulus Worked

Green jobs for real people: The story behind the recovery numbers

Obama's Plan: Financial Regulatory Reform: A New Foundation (PDF)

Requiring Strong Supervision And Appropriate Regulation Of All Financial Firms (pdf)

Strengthening Regulation Of Core Markets And Market Infrastructure (pdf)

Strengthening Consumer Protection (pdf)

Providing The Government With Tools To Effectively Manage Failing Institutions (pdf)

Improving International Regulatory Standards And Cooperation (pdf)

House Panel Moves Derivatives Toward Obama’s Proposal

FACTBOX: Major U.S. financial regulation reform proposals

Obama says Senate bill on tax havens would stop abuses

Statement by President Barack Obama on House and Senate Introducing Legislation to Crack Down on Overseas Tax Havens

Obama to chair historic U.N. council nuclear meeting

G20 to Become Forum for Global Economic Cooperation

Next comes Obama's budget, health care reform and more.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8730317&mesg_id=8730317

New Obama Policy Bars THOUSANDS of Lobbyists From Federal Advisory Panels
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/26/AR2009112602362.html

Approved Stem-Cell Research
http://www.politico.com/politico44/perm/1209/first_wave_of_stem_cells_f3696ffa-5f62-465a-991c-1575e4a149b6.html

"Obama's claim to a fertile first year doesn't rest on health care alone. There's mounting evidence that the $787 billion economic stimulus he signed in February—combined with the bank bailout package—prevented an economic depression. Should the stimulus have been larger? Should it have been more weighted to short-term spending, as opposed to long-term tax cuts? Would a second round be a good idea? Pundits and policymakers will argue these questions for years to come. But few mainstream economists seriously dispute that Obama's decisive action prevented a much deeper downturn and restored economic growth in the third quarter.

When it comes to foreign policy, Obama's accomplishment has been less tangible but hardly less significant: He has put America on a new footing with the rest of the world. In a series of foreign trips and speeches, which critics deride as trips and speeches, he replaced George W. Bush's unilateral, moralistic militarism with an approach that is multilateral, pragmatic, and conciliatory. Obama has already significantly reoriented policy toward Iran, China, Russia, Iraq, Israel, and the Islamic world." http://www.slate.com/id/2236708/?from=rss

And the list goes on... :)

[Clio the Leo]

15. All done with a base who's complacency has numbed them...

.... to the very change they worked so hard to achieve.

[azmouse]

18. Amazing how Pres Obama was criticized for "doing too much" in the first few months

and then it somehow turned into "he hasn't done anything". It could give a person whiplash.

[Clio the Leo]

20. lol, well, to be fair.....

.... I think those critics have come from two different sources.

The "too much" meme was manufactured by the press, (and maybe the GOP.) I dont think any of US ever felt that way. ....... the "not doing enough fast enough," that's ALL us. lol

But he knew what he was getting into, he said in "Audacity" "I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views." ..... Given the wide array of people who supported him during the election, it was going to be virtually impossible for him to please EVERYONE.

[yurbud]

16. how has his strategy been vindicated when Congress let the insurance industry write the bill?

[Better Today]

21. I notice that you bolded it but didn't apparently understand the first word.

IF, is a pretty big deal. Secondly it depends entirely on what the final bill looks like. Sorry, but he won't get kudos from me till after its a deal done good.

[azmouse]

23. "As seems increasingly likely" follows that first word.

I understand English perfectly, thank you very much.

[Better Today]

25. IF IF IF, he can get his kudos IF and WHEN it gets done, AND imo, also

as if not more important than health care is financial recovery/relief for main street.

I'll also point out that as the article mentions, Obama has left the legislature to handle HCR with surprisingly little input, or conversely the input attributed to his administration has been contrary to what most of us want, so I'm not sure he even gets kudos IF and WHEN.

[azmouse]

26. You've proven that you'll be dissatisfied no matter what Pres Obama does.

I feel sorry for you.

[Better Today]

27. Fortunately, I find from your general and previous posts, disgusting you is a badge of honor.

[azmouse]

28. Thank you for reading my posts.

[Better Today]

29. A sincere "Your Welcome". I've never thought it a part of my principles

to put people on ignore. If I'm not strong enough and open minded enough to read opinions, I shouldn't be on a forum, particularly a political forum.

[bvar22]

22. Many accomplishments....not just promises!

*The Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party SHUT OUT of the Obama Administration…...Mission Accomplished!

*WARS fully funded and EXPANDING. Bill sent to our children…...Mission Accomplished !

*Trillion Dollars given to friends and campaign contributors on Wall Street. No Strings Attached...Mission Accomplished!

*Military Spending INCREASED....Mission Accomplished!

*Trillion+ Dollars given to the Health Insurance Industry. Token, easily avoidable, symbolic only strings attached....Mission almost Accomplished!

*Kill the possibility for a REAL "Public Option" or REAL Universal Health Care for at least another generation, and begin the "Entitlement Reform" defunding of Medicare (-$500 Billion)....Mission almost Accomplished!

*Block ANY re-regulation of BIG BANKS and Credit Cards....Mission Accomplished!

*Protect the Bush War Criminals and Torturers from JUSTICE....Mission Accomplished.

*Throw the Dirty Hippie Peaceniks, Liberals, and GBLT under the bus....Mission Accomplished!

*Reinforce the worst Police State provisions of the Patriot Act....Mission Accomplished!

*Protect the very richest. Tell the Working Class that they CAN will be forced to compete with 3rd World Slave Labor.....Mission Accomplished!

*EFCA (Employee Free Choice Act) killed in the crib....Mission Accomplished!

*More Anti-LABOR "Free Trade"....Mission almost Accomplished!

*Jobless Recovery....Mission Accomplished

Oh YES!
I can't wait to vote for MORE of THIS!
Centrism (almost Republican) RULES.

[sofa king]

24. He's already reaching a lot of us.

He made my life happier by promising to stop treating America's tribes like resources to be exploited, which is what Bush's people (including Jack Abramoff) did for eight years. Maybe I'm easy to please.

A friend of mine was touting the whole "why did I vote for him" line until he discovered that thanks to the President's mortgage plan, he can restructure his mortgage so that his rate is below 31% of his monthly income, which saved his house.

Others I know have a sudden interest in the new GI bill.

And so on. All I was really asking for from this guy was two things the Bush Administration never could deliver: competence and honesty. By contrast to his predecessor he's doing great, which is easy considering the last guy was the worst damned President we've ever had.

But for those who are waiting for some particular thing to be delivered or done, nine times out of ten I see the President being blamed for Congress' dilatoriness. When it comes to the big things, he can only do what Congress gives him money to do.

[PHIMG]

30. HCR = Accomplishing more for BIG INSURANCE and the BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE

HCR is going to cost the Democrats big time.