Great Hopes For Obama Fading, Fading…
Too bad about the Obama Administration. It actually seemed to show some promise in its early months. It actually seemed to have a real commitment to change, a desire to see in crises at home and abroad opportunities to strike out in different directions that would lead to a brighter future for Americans and the world generally. But now it’s clear. That ain’t gonna happen.
On the domestic front we’ve seen the sad and in many ways incomprehensible continuation of Bush-era economics. Feeding banks and Wall Street in hopes these institutions would dribble down some scraps to the rest of us, the proof of which would be seen in growth numbers such as the GDP. The GDP has jumped but there have been few dribbles. Instead we’re getting a numbers based “recovery” with few if any Main Street benefits. A major, major failure, with worse to come.
And there’s the international front. A very critical area being Arab-Israeli peace. This has seen no improvement here since Jim Banker during the first Gulf War made it clear that the United States was the superpower that set the policy, and Israel was obliged to follow our lead. Since first Bush and Baker, America’s Middle East policy has been to pretty much back whatever policy-makers in Jerusalem wanted to do, with the occasional meek request for moderation. In essence, we merely served as messenger boy for Israel’s communications with its neighbors.
In keeping with this pathetic role, just yesterday Secretary Clinton formally backed off the original Obama demand that Israel stop its illegal settlement activities in order to start a real peace dialogue with the Palestinians. She delivered this message to Abbas, the Palestine head, in person. So the main Obama change here: delivery girl replaces the usual delivery boy.
Next stop on the going-almost-nowhere Obama express? A domestic health care reform that if it passes (Joe Lieberman willing) will fall far short of making national health care a true right that’s prudently funded. And abroad, a deeper leap into the graveyard of empires, Afghanistan, in support of a slick operator named Karzai who held his ground and jerked our chain as effectively as Natanyahu did a few countries over.
Well, I guess things could be worse. If John McCain had been elected we might also be war with Iran by now.
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Oh boo hoo. Team neocon has sworn an oath to dissassemble any progress team Obama makes by promising to “take any success they make and spin it to appear as failure”. This article is a perfect example of that.
You're not going to get your rebellion on the left, middle or just right of middle. You guys are finished by your own doing. Time to pack it up, take your Money God and go worship in another country where physical and mental slavery is still legal.
Just as Bush was stubborn (a politician's trait?) Obama is sticking, so far, to a broad brush approach in too many areas. If he is really is committed to “change”, perhaps he could focus more on fewer problems and be more statesman like instead being in a semi-campaign mode. He's smart, he could turn it around.
This article is unduly pessimistic. President Obama has been in office less than one year, and you're ready to write him off? Just how quickly can the Captain turn the ship-of-state? With the possible exception of Gov. Huckabee, I don't see anyone on the GOP side ready to successfully challenge him for the Presidency in 2012. President Obama has been promoting policies that are remarkably centrist, a pleasant surprise from the far Left ideology from which I thought (and feared) he would govern. So far, so good, Mr. President!
LOL. Talk about a serious case of sour grapes!
lol…yeah…
Or maybe the grapes of wrath?
Well said redbus.
Much unlike the liberal comments on this thread.
Obama could nuke New York City tomorrow, and they'd find a way to say it was ok.
Like you, I support Obama and am pleasantly surprised (so far) by his centrist policies. The Congress on the other hand is a festival of special interest clowns. They don't even try to hide it anymore. I absolutely refuse to vote for ANY incumbant next November – no matter which party they represent.
speaking as an indie who couldn't be rid of the bush/cheney regime fast enough and who feared the thought of mccain/palin wrecking what very little was left of our country i'm sad to say that president obama is well on his way to being the worst president in my living memory except for reagan, clinton and both bush's. of course, he has plenty of time to catch them and is rapidly gaining ground.