Obama’s first year in office is over. Media outlets and private citizens alike are looking back over the historical year, seemingly attempting to assign a grade to his progress. Before delving into an analysis of his job so far, it’s important to remember the mess that Obama inherited and that a year’s time is entirely too short to measure the success (or failure) of a presidential administration. Either way, an analysis will be made and that analysis can provide some insight into what is to come.
Obama began his administration on a strong note, requesting a temporary halt to Guantanamo Bay trials and ending the “Mexico City Rule” which banned federal funding for abortions.
But it comes later in the year that the problems arise, as the economy worsens and more troops are sent to Afghanistan. After announcing his plan to withdraw all troops from Iraq by August 2010, Obama will authorize the deployment of an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan. Automakers and bankers continue fail as more taxpayer money is handed their way.
Obama has much left to accomplish in administration. The economy still needs rescuing, America still needs the renewable energy resources we were promised and citizens still need to be ensured the right to unionize under the Employee Free Choice Act Obama said he would fight for.
I will stand by what Jon Stewart said on The O’Reilly Factor last week, the best thing for the president to do to get things done is to stop pretending the the presidency is an equal office to Congress. By taking charge and telling Congress what needs to be done, everyone can stop wasting time pretending to be bipartisan and do their jobs.
