Let’s change our point of view and direct the looking glass to President Obama for a change shall we? Never before in the history of this nation has a member of a party seriously challenged its incumbent for the party nomination (not counting the occasional activist who figures ‘why the hell not’).
Despite the early whispers and ads released for Hilary Clinton a year ago, it appears that the 2012 elections will fall in line with history. Obama has not yet begun to campaign, and rightfully so—it would be a poor decision for the leader of his country to begin seeking re-election so early given the current state of this country.
To be honest, had I written this post two days ago I would have said Obama must be feeling pretty at ease right about now. If you thought the 2008 election was a circus, I hope you’re ready for the 2012 elections; because based on the GOP campaign so far it’s going to be a joke.
Between Romney and Parry jabbing at each other constantly, Herman Cain’s sexual harassment charges and Ron Paul, well, being Ron Paul (I love the man, but the party does not respect him) I thought Obama must feel pretty cozy in that oval office.
However, with the advent of new polls indicating that Romney is more favorable than Obama in New Hampshire and both Romney and Gingrich have more sway with independent voters than Obama…maybe it’s time for Mr. President to start thinking about what his strategy is going to be come next year.
It’s funny to think that despite all the GOP shenanigans, the election could be a close race. As an undecided voter not sold on any candidate, including the incumbent, I guess it really just is proof of how dissatisfied Americans are with the state of things.
Here are a few things I think Obama needs to bear in mind as he moves forward. Be forewarned, they are biased because they are things I would like to see in him, you may disagree.
1) Obama needs to find where his political views lie and stand by them. He campaigned in a much more liberal fashion in 2008 than he has proved to be in his tenure as President. I’m fine with a moderate stance but gosh darn it, stand by it! I’m tired of a wishy-washy president. Yes you have to maintain balance as a politician and a leader, but there are times when you need to stand strong, whether it’s on the debt ceiling, social issues like gay rights, etc. Stand by what you believe.
2) Seriously get together a stronger foreign policy game plan. What’s going on in the Middle East? Also, I am among many Americans who believe that although it is ideal, we can’t be involved in EVERY foreign conflict, it’s just not feasible.
3) And this is a huge personal bias…get your act together on the future of space exploration! NASA can’t do anything until they have a concrete plan from Congress. I don’t care what anyone says, space exploration is vital to our nation. We are already lagging behind in the math, sciences and technological areas. With China, Iran and Russia amping up their space programs we need to do the same to ours.
4) Take a harder line on social issues. doing away with ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is not progressive enough.
Like I said, personal opinions, but things that I would really like to see from a candidate in general.
Great post! When I was reading this I actually couldn't think up another point for Obama. Even after the campaign and his tenure so far, I still feel like I don't know what he is doing sometimes. That is a combination of the people that are around him. Some of his choices for positions are just baffling. Immelt and Geithner are particularly egregious choices in my mind.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your analysis on every single point. Obama may very well be a one term president. Not to complain, but he isn't a particularly liberal president. A part of that is what Melissa Perry calls the Green Screen President, or the Blue Screen, were we the public sort of applied whatever attributes we wanted to Obama. But he invited that didn't he? Change we can believe in? Hope. Change. For all that, we get a health care bill that is fantastically nice to the private insurance market, despite what the republicans say. We got a financial overhaul bill that is incredibly lax on the people who ruined our economy. He has been all over the board on foreign policy. I agree with you. He's promised to remove troops, but most likely will leave "private contractors" in Iraq. Bombing of Libya. The covert operations in Yemen and Somalia. I don't know. Then there are the civil rights issues that Greenwald loves to rip Obama on. I could go on.
Loved the post.
I would argue that Barack Obama has already began campaigning.
ReplyDeleteHis decision to alter student loans to ease payments was timed really well. Student's won't forget that he did that, especially when the opposing party is pushing to privatize all of those loans.
Look at his speech on immigration. That was timed really well as the GOP candidates were falling into place. Obama also has been in his big ass bus moving between Iowa and other important election states (Ohio is another, I believe).
Moving all troops out of Iraq right before the 2012 election year begins and amidst Republican debates where a majority of the candidates support the conflict's overseas.
Honestly, you could argue that any move Obama makes right now is his positioning to get re-elected.
The election will be a close race. I'm upset about a lot of decisions Obama has made, but I find him to be a better decision than Mitt Romney who is probably the biggest fair weather politician I have ever seen (Look at his moderate decision making in Massachusetts).
I wish I had the same mentality as last presidential election. This fuzzy feeling of hope brought on by an eloquent speaker (Obama) and the end of a frustrating reign by someone I didn't think I could trust (Bush).
Instead, now my hope is crushed into the ground, suffocating as the political gravity multiplies and buries it deeper and deeper.