What has Obama done well?

[12thMan]

Originally Posted by Sheriff Gonna Getcha

I voted for Obama and think he's done a reasonably good job thus far. First and foremost, I am pretty convinced that Bush and Obama brought us back from the brink of the Great Depression II. We were staring down a deep abyss and, although we spent a lot of money on our lifeline (i.e., the various stimulus packages), it was likely a necessary evil.

That said, I don't agree with everything he's done and plans to do. For example, I like the idea of universal health care coverage, but I see this latest effort as a "bridge too far." We're facing record deficits, fighting two wars, and just coming out of the worst economic collapse since the Great Depression. Whether the goals are laudable is irrelevant; the entitlement spending being contemplated by any iteration of the health care plan is exhorbitant. I also feel uncomfortable with the bailout of the auto industry. Whereas we could not have afforded to watch the banking system collapse, I think we would have been okay had we let inefficient auto companies file for bankruptcy and reorganize on their own.

But, I must say, that the right is doing a major disservice to itself by waging an ugly war against Obama. Sure, the left did it to Dubya, but two wrongs don't make a right. Calling Obama unAmerican or Hitler, or blasting him for bowing to king, is childish and, frankly, stupid. Talking about recession, carrying firearms to town hall protests, or talking about "watering the tree of liberty" is repulsive and, ultimately, will push moderates to the left.

Good post, and not because you voted for Obama either. You mentioned that the bailouts started under Bush, a fact some of my conservative brothers don't bring up when they talk about deficit spending, but hammer away at President Obama as if he caused the financial crisis. The initial signs seem to have had a somewhat positive effect on the banking industry. I say somewhat because there are still too many banks failing at a rapid pace, which isn't a good sign.

On a somewhat related note, it looks like the president will reappoint Ben Bernanke as Fed Chairman. I think it's a good move. You want a steady hand on the tiller in times like these.