He’s not perfect but Obama deserves at least a B

[babylonsister]

He’s not perfect but Obama deserves at least a B
By Edward Luce
Published: December 18 2009 22:19

snip//

Of the 25 countries surveyed in the 2009 Pew survey of global attitudes earlier this month, 24 showed large jumps in support of the view that “the US will do the right thing in world affairs”. A majority in 15 of the 25 countries agreed, against just five countries this time last year. By any standards that is a revolution in global opinion. What Mr Obama will do with it remains to be seen. But it is a promising start.

Second, he did what was necessary to stave off a global depression. It has not always looked pretty. Pumping hundreds of billions of dollars into institutions that were instrumental in bringing about the crisis offended people’s sense of justice. So too do the obscenely large bonuses Wall Street is now paying out. Posterity may also judge Mr Obama to have squandered this “defining moment in history” to overhaul the contract between Wall Street and America.

Against that, however, it is worth considering what could have gone wrong. During his campaign John McCain argued that the best stimulus would be to cut spending. He also argued that big institutions should be allowed to fail. The first was illiterate. The second reckless.

The worst that can be levelled at Mr Obama is that he has created the conditions for the next global bubble – a criticism that should not be taken lightly. But he did what was necessary to prevent this crash from becoming a disaster. And for that much credit is due (no pun intended).

In addition to getting scant acknowledgement for these accomplishments, Mr Obama is taking the blame for trends not of his making. The biggest of these is the angst over America’s relative decline in the world, epitomised by growing US indebtedness to China, a power that is beginning to challenge US hegemony in the Asia-Pacific.

More than three quarters of the fiscal deficits projected over the next decade stem from decisions taken by George W. Bush – unfunded tax cuts for the wealthy, a war of choice in Iraq, a badly neglected war in Afghanistan and the costs of cleaning up an asset bubble that burst as he was leaving his watch.

Much of the rest of future projected borrowing derives from the $787bn (€548bn, £488bn) stimulus Mr Obama pushed through in January. It may have been badly structured but it was the difference between recovery and recession.

As for healthcare reform, it will probably happen and it will be flawed in many respects. But it will largely rectify an immoral system that has left almost 50m Americans without coverage.

more...

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ccaa6d92-ec0c-11de-8070-00144feab49a.html

[yourout]

1. If Bush is an F- then Obama so far is a C. Maybe even a C-.

[Armstead]

2. I'd give him a "gentleman's C"

[AuntPatsy]

3. C and that is not such a bad thing, he has three more years to improve that grade and perhaps

will try harder...

[lunatica]

4. I think Obama is doing a very good job internationally

I lived outside the US for 25 years and I know how other countries view us. They liked JFK and they liked Clinton and they like Obama. They have ample reason to fear us when Presidents like Bush are in power. And fear engenders profound anger and resentment. Obama is doing an excellent job on foreign affairs issues even as he sits on the horns of a dilemma regarding Afghanistan.

I'm not quite so positive about the health care reform. The insurance companies need to be taken out of the equation. As long as they are given leeway they will abuse their power.

[LWolf]

5. I give him an F.

For health care. For education. For ending the war on terror.

[dkf]

6. I give him a big huge FAIL.

[goclark]

7. Thanks for giving another view

:hi:

[silverweb]

8. +1

So he isn't perfect, or the superhero that progressives dreamed of.

So he won't govern by decree, the way Bush did.

No one else could have done better after less than a year in office. No one. And I support him.

[GreenArrow]

9. He gets a C

for Corporatist.

[angee_is_mad]

10. He deserves a fucking A

considering the bullshit he has had to deal with from the repubs and his own fucking party from day ONE!!!!

[ZombieHorde]

11. There is no objective way to give President Obama a letter grade.

The letter grade only represents how much the grader approves or disapproves of the President.

[Vidar]

12. He deserves an F.

[freddie mertz]

13. F . nt.

[Number23]

14. I agree. Strong B at this point. Room for improvement but acknowledging what's been done that's good

[Phx_Dem]

15. I love how his own party "unrecs" anything positive about the President.

Progressives are pathetic.

[Wardoc]

16. C minus at best, and only because it is Christmas right now.

[Raine]

17. I'll give him a D cause I'm in a generous mood

what with the holidays and all.

[Hatchling]

18. For his Freshman year I'm giving him an incomplete.

He has a lot of work to make up in the next three years if he wants another four. His work ethic this year has gone down because he appears to be spending all his time with the 'in' crowd, and not completing his homework to the level we know he can achieve.

[niceypoo]

19. I give him an A on most things but a D- on healthcare

...for being too hands off, and his irrational obsession with passing a, 'bipartisan,' bill which watered it down to nothing.