Off Year?
I know I'm supposed to be talking about the off-year (or even "off-off-year") elections happening today, but I really don't think it's worth the effort. I recently heard a pundit on a talk show give the most honest answer I've ever heard to the question: "Do off-year elections reflect upon the president, or the party in power, or national trends?" The pundit answered, with a grin on his face: "Depends on who wins."
This was refreshingly honest, and pretty close to how I feel about off years. Whichever side in the political debate you hail from, if your guy wins, it is a "significant indicator of national..." blah, blah, blah. If your guy loses, it is "just an off-year election, and only reflects on that particular district."
In other words, don't try to make too much stew from one carrot.
In fact, I think the only significant race today doesn't even involve a candidate, but rather an issue. The gay marriage initiative up in Maine could be an interesting indicator of the progress the gay rights people have made (or, if it loses, have fallen short of). But that's a subject for another time. The Maine opinion polls prior to today have been "too close to call," so we'll all just have to wait and see what the result is before drawing conclusions.
Rather than put today's election result tea leaves under a microscope, instead I would like to invite you all to share your thoughts (in the comments) on a different subject -- one that will help me write tomorrow's column. Because today is one year from Barack Obama's historic victory in the 2008 presidential election. So it is time to take a look back over the past year.
Now, I realize this is truly jumping the gun. Obama's "first year" should by all rights be measured from the day he was sworn into office (or, more technically accurate, the day the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court blew his lines attempting to swear Obama in). Obama has been president only a little over nine months now. So it's a little premature for "first year" type of columns, I realize.
But that is the subject at hand, so we're going to roll with it.
So, in what I believe is a "first" for this column, I am taking way too many paragraphs here to declare what is known in blog etiquette as "an open thread." But I am assigning a subject for your ramblings, so I guess it's not all that open after all.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to answer the following questions:
- What do you think of President Obama now?
- Has your perception of him changed from last year's elections to the present? If so, how?
- What specifically has Obama done (or not done) that you approve of?
- What specifically has Obama done (or not done) that you disapprove of?
- Overall, how would you rate Obama's presidency so far?
For that last one, feel free to use any method you choose -- a number ("...out of ten"), a letter grade (as if you were a teacher grading him), a single word to describe how you feel about Obama's presidency, or whatever other method you'd like.
I will share my thoughts tomorrow. But I thought I'd throw it open to you guys first, to see what you thought about the matter. Did Obama have an "off year" or was it a good year for him? And why?
-- Chris Weigant
So, in what I believe is a "first" for this column, I am taking way too many paragraphs here to declare what is known in blog etiquette as "an open thread."
Oooo, why would you tease me like this!?? :D
I am getting ready to fly off to Arizona first thing in the morning to see my mommy :D and I really can't spare the time to do this justice!! :D
Tell ya what.. In between watching the new "V" and some old episodes of Stargate ATLANTIS on the airplane tomorrow, I'll jump on here and give in depth answers to the questions you pose... :D
Michale....
You mean actually look at what's been accomplished and what hasn't instead of accusing him of leading the country into socialism?
This is pure folly, Chris! Sadly, I'm afraid you're not doing so well in pundit school :)
I think Obama has done some good things so far. First, he gave us the best election day party we've had in years. I can't remember a happier occasion. The way a friend of mine put it, it was like New Years, only the way New Years is actually supposed to be instead of some lame party where they're serving pigs in a blanket.
Now I'm joking but only partially because I do believe he brought back an optimism that good things can be accomplished if enough people get together to make them happen. And this is indeed cause for celebration.
Some of his wins:
- SCHIP
- The Credit Card Bill of Rights
- A new Supreme Court justice
- Releasing Presidential records
- Cutting military spending for unnecessary programs
- No terrorist attacks! (If people can give Bush credit for keeping the country safe, I think Obama can continue to take credit.)
- Decriminalizing medical marijuana
So there's some good progress on the ground. The difficulty, however, is that no one is going to remember any of this. Except his Nobel Prize which has seemed to earn him nothing but scorn.
The things people will remember are what is getting media attention. And it's not legislative details.
I honestly think what he needs to do better is to think back a bit to his campaign days. What is his vision for America? He needs a 3-point plan like: Growth, Opportunity, Equity.
Because otherwise he will be defined by the opposition. And this is what is happening right now.
Ok, crap. I promised I'd stop after a few comments, but here I am. I'm going back to the Obama victory celebration.
-David
What do I think of President Obama now? That he's the most misunderstood president of my lifetime -- by progressives AND conservatives.
Has my perception of him changed from last year's elections to the present? If anything, he's got even more depth than I thought. It's taken me all this time to understand the way he builds a consensus.
What specifically has Obama done (or not done) that I approve of? I'm impressed by the 11-Dimensional Chess game he plays with big issues, by the priorities he chose (economy, health care, green energy) and the ones he put on the back burner (the most divisive social issues, torture prosecutions). In other words, I'm most impressed by the things about him that drive the left insane. I'm also impressed that he's managed to inject some life into Congress, which had gotten fat and lazy the previous 8 years.
What specifically has Obama done (or not done) that I disapprove of? Patriot Act extension and other privacy issues still haven't gotten the kind of review they deserve.
Overall, how would I rate Obama's presidency so far? A nine. Gotta leave room for improvement.
I am still finding Obama somewhat of a mystery. He is hard to pin down. I seem to go back and forth between disappointment and approval of his actions/policies. I think I am upset about the fact that it is politics as usual in D.C. - where is the "change" we were all promised?
I am most disappointed that we are not protecting human rights and that we are still torturing people.
I am waiting to see how things will play out. Obama is first and foremost a politician and he seems to be biding his time to push his agenda when he thinks it has the best chance of succeeding.
So for now I would give him a six out of ten because there is still a lot of work to do in the next three years.
Stan...
Well, my feelings are pretty much an open book on these questions..
But far be it from me to pass up a chance to lay 'em out again... :D
* What do you think of President Obamab now?
Buyer's remorse, pure and simple. Something happened on the way to the Inaguration.. Obama transmorphed from being a real leader of men (and women) to becoming a same ol same ol, run of the mill politician...
* Has your perception of him changed from last year's elections to the present? If so, how?
Yes it has and that was NOT the "change" I was "hope"ing for.. My perception of Obama then was he was another Jack Ryan. My perception of him now is that he is another Richard Nixon. Using politics to further his own personal and political agenda and completely unable to accept legitimate criticism.
* What specifically has Obama done (or not done) that you approve of?
The las thing Obama did that I approve of is to order SEAL teams to take out Somali pirates.
Obama really hasn't done anything since then but to show up and vote PRESENT.
* What specifically has Obama done (or not done) that you disapprove of?
The list is long and involved. Suffice it to say that Obama hasn't done SQUAT that any other run of the mill politician couldn't have done.
* Overall, how would you rate Obama's presidency so far?
Scale of 1-10, 1 being Richard Nixon and 10 being Jack Ryan... Obama is at a 2...
Michale.....