By Bill Press
Tribune Media Services
You’ve heard of the gang that couldn’t shoot straight? Barack Obama’s the man who can’t shoot straight. His first 20 months have zipped by with nothing to show for them. He’s broken every promise he made. He’s achieved not one major legislative accomplishment. It even took him three months to plug an oil leak.
That’s the rap on President Obama, from commentators on both the right and the left. It’s ubiquitous, it’s loud, it’s earnest — and it’s dead wrong.
I say that, not as an Obama apologist. Indeed, I’ve been as critical of Obama as many conservative commentators, although for different reasons. In my opinion, he’s spent too much time sucking up to Republicans and too little time paying attention to his political base. He settled for too weak a bill on both health care reform and Wall Street reform. He’s dragged his heels on getting rid of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” And he escalated the war in Afghanistan when he should have pulled the plug on it.
Still, when you examine the record, whether you agree with everything he’s done or not, you must conclude that Obama inherited the worst problems and has already taken bolder actions than any president since FDR. The facts speak for themselves.
On the economy. With America on the brink of economic collapse, Obama’s first act was to push through a $787 stimulus package — already credited with saving or creating more than 3 million new jobs, with almost $200 billion still unspent. Obama also propped up banks large and small with the second round of TARP money, of which $194 billion has been repaid, with interest. And he saved GM and Chrysler from bankruptcy with an $86 billion bailout, of which taxpayers are expected to recoup at least $74 billion, if not actually make money on the deal.
On jobs. With unemployment stuck at 9.5 percent, it’s hard to celebrate job growth. Yet the fact remains. In January 2009, according to Department of Labor records, America lost 598,000 jobs. In January-June 2010, employers added 982,000 new jobs. Too many Americans are still out of work, but we’ve turned the corner from monthly job losses to monthly job gains.
On health care. Without a public plan option, private insurance companies still rule the roost. But they must now operate within tough new guidelines. Thanks to federal subsidies, 32 million Americans who couldn’t afford health insurance before can now do so. That means 95 percent of Americans are covered, which is the closest we’ve ever come to universal health care.
On Wall Street. Obama recently signed into law the toughest regulations on banks and financial institutions since the Great Depression. That bill also creates the first-ever consumer protection agency for financial transactions.
Oh, and along the way, Obama also dealt with an H1N1 epidemic, started bringing troops home from Iraq, expanded the war in Afghanistan, named two Supreme Court justices, took 13 foreign trips to 22 countries, met with 93 foreign leaders, signed a nuclear arms treaty with Russia, hosted 47 nations in a nuclear proliferation summit in Washington, and marshaled federal forces to deal with the worst oil spill in history.
Yes, we could list the things Obama has not yet achieved: global warming legislation, immigration reform, the Employee Free Choice Act. But even Obama’s detractors should admit that what he has achieved so far adds up to no mean record of accomplishment, especially given the fact that he’s forced to deal with one of the least effective collections of senators ever. Indeed, it’s hard to tell which are worst: Senate Democrats, half of whom are afraid of their own shadow, or Senate Republicans, all of whom simply follow orders and automatically vote against anything Obama’s for.
Yet there remains this huge disconnect between Obama’s reputation and record, as reflected in the latest Washington Post/ABC poll — where 58 percent of Americans say they’ve lost faith in Obama. To me, that says more about us than it does about him. It says we are impatient, expecting miracles overnight. It says we are unrealistic, demanding a level of perfection no politician can deliver. And it says we are like spoiled children, not happy with just one piece of candy. We want the whole box. Now.
It also says that liberals like me, especially, should stop being so fickle and recognize how lucky we are. Remember George Bush and Dick Cheney?
© 2010 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
[...] Bill’s latest column: Why Can’t Obama Get Anything Done? [...]
Bill, Way to go – keep reminding the world of everything Obama has accomplished – we all need to hear it!!!!!
Right On! It’s time our elected officials get behind our president and support his policies. We are better off now then we were when President Obama took the oath of office. Partisan politics are not beneficial to anyone or any party. The incumbents should be voted out of office in November.
Bill –
I just wish $787 would have done it; that way myself, my wife, our children, their children, and so on, would not have our futures mortgaged up to our collective necks. I listened to you on Medved today – you sounded rational and intelligent. I also liked what you said about Air America. It seems there wasn’t a competent businessman in the bunch. It’s not much of a stretch to realize it was bound to fail. “Right wing” talk radio succeeds for one main reason: it’s entertaining. Rush Limbaugh is exasperating and much of the time the message is lost in the delivery. I prefer hosts like Dennis Miller who are born skeptics. He returned from the void to the middle, which of course to liberals, is the far right.
Great column Bill. It seems that we are a nation of impatient, critical children. Nothing Obama does is good enough or fast enough, but too often it is the trembling Dems and/or the entirely foolish and contrary republicans that, since they hold the purse strings, tend to slow and stop much if not all progress. Not only is a memory of Bush and Cheney a fright, but just thinking of McCain/Palin should get at least all those on the left to back up President Obama. No president is perfect, but Obama is a damn-sight better than what could have been!
I’ve never heard the argument that Obama hasn’t accomplished anything. What I have seen is his approval ratings in the toilet. The reason they’re so low, is because while he’s getting things done, the majority of Americans don’t like his policies.
Approval ratings are so low because the smear campain from the Right is working. Negative rhetoric and No’s with a few lie’s seem to be all that is needed to persuade America. The fear tactic seems to be working.
After reading the first paragraph I was ready to tune out but got to the second paragraph and felt much better. I am so over all the negativity that both Republicans and Democrats alike seem to find necessary to share all over the media and elsewhere. I admire Obama for even being willing to take on a position that he knew would be an uphill battle from the depths of destruction that the previous eight years of office caused. I’m not trying to knock Bush, but I believe that Obama is doing exactly what he set out to do…bring on change. And for those who are not patient enough to let it happen and have to knock it every step of the way, I can only feel pity.
[...] Why Can't Obama Get Anything Done? Why Can't Obama Get Anything Done By Bill Press. Tribune Media Services. You've heard of the gang that couldn't shoot straight? Barack Obama's the man who can't shoot straight. His first 20 months have zipped by with nothing to show . [...]