A disappointing start
By Brooke Boniface
I, like the majority of Americans, went into this year with high hopes for President Barack Obama and for our country. I hoped that he might press for a bold and effective stimulus plan, that he might enact much needed health care reform, that he might end the war in Iraq and employ a different strategy for the failing war in Afghanistan. So far, Obama has been simply average on almost all four fronts. Granted, Obama has probably had to face more problems than any president since FDR, but as of now, his much-touted goals of hope and change have been left unfulfilled.
In February of 2009, Obama signed into legislation a $789 billion stimulus bill that has begun to pull America's economy away from the brink of disaster. However, this seemingly enormous sum of money is not nearly enough to fully revive the nation's markets. Many economists agree that the stimulus package should have amounted to something more along the lines of $1.3 trillion dollars.Ã Obama was unwilling to push Congress to pass a bolder bill at a time when public support was behind him.
Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Krugman has stated that, "at the beginning of this year Mr. Obama made an eloquent case for a strong economic stimulus, then delivered a proposal falling well short of what independent analysts considered necessary." This could be due to his inexperience, his need to find common ground where there is none or his desire to stay on good terms with Congress. But in the end, Obama ended up weakening a plan that was already weak to begin with.
For the past few months the media has had much to say about the highly controversial health care reform debate. At first, Obama seemed to be a fiercer advocate for health care reform than he was for the stimulus package, calling for a government option to compete with the private insurance companies and widespread reform to curb costs and increase benefits. But once again, Obama seems incapable of pushing for what really needs to be done.Ã
In a recent town hall meeting in Grand Junction, Colorado, the President said, "the public option, whether we have it or we don't have it, is not the entirety of health care reform. This is just one sliver of itâ?¦"
Obama must keep the government option in the health care reform bill.
With a mandate that all people have insurance and no government option, the oldest and sickest will be put on Medicare, the poorest on Medicaid and the rest will be led into the open arms of insurance companies. This will solve the problem of the 46 million uninsured, but will leave one gaping hole.Ã As New York Times columnist Bob Herbert says, "the way it [health care reform] is being done now does not address a crucial component of reform, bringing the ever-spiraling costs of health care under control."
Obama's action concerning Foreign Affairs is the aspect of his presidency that has enthused me most. His speech on June 4th in Cairo, Egypt, was one for the history books.
Obama addressed the Muslim world and made clear that he has the right intentions for the future, saying he had, "come here to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect; and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive, and need not be in competition."
He discussed seven important issues ranging from violent extremism, woman's rights and economic development, mapping out how only through a combined effort of Muslim and western nations can progress be achieved. He also declared that the United States has made bold steps towards the closure of Guantanamo Bay, declaring that America will no longer sink bellow its ideals in times of fear and hardship.
President Obama faced comparisons to JFK, FDR and LBJ before he even served a day in office.
At this early point in his administration, I am not sure whether he will end up being more like a Lincoln or a Buchanan. But before he can be known as BHO, Obama must hold his administration and policies up to his own high ideals. He must stop negotiating policies that end up far too weak.
That will be the difference between whether he goes down in history as the president who brought our nation through one of its toughest trials or as the president who's compromising nature led to mediocrity.
Brooke is a sophomore history and political science double major.