The Obama Effect
I've held off doing an extensive blog on US President Barack Obama on purpose simply because of wanting to wait and see if he can live up to the hype of the "yes he/we can" and the hysteria of being the first African American to hold the post. There are moments when I am impressed with him and his performance, and there are moments when I have to bite my lips and say, ouch.
I think what goes without saying is that he accomplished something simply by being elected, though, I have to admit to also feeling that when McCain paired himself with Palin he didn't help his cause. Kind of like Kerry and Edwards some years ago or Don Brash and Bill English of their times or as I see in the future, Goff and King.
I do however see that there is still a lot of polarization amongst the American people about their president. Some have commented that they are hanging out until the next election. I do wonder if he will be a two term president...some part of me hopes so but time will tell.
I do not envy him. One of the largest economies in the western world. A health care and insurance system comparable in its shambles to our ACC programme. Millions of Americans are without basic health insurance. The worlds biggest recession since the 1930's depression. I can't say that Obama's efforts were the sole factor behind the recession now coming to a close, again like any economy it will have a very sharp growth spurt and drop again before beginning its normal recovery.
The insurance issue and the health programme will be his next biggest domestic issues to tackle and neither have answers that will satisfy everyone. Some will say it goes to far, others not far enough. Some will say it punishes those that do have good coverage, and helps others too much. Some of that I guess is just the nature of the 'industry', the requirement of having a largely privately funded health system. Then you see here in New Zealand the dangers of having the exact opposite, a publicly funded health system that in some cases even the poorest people cant even go and visit a doctor.
Before I switched to my current doctor even a subsidised doctors visit was over $40. To health is a big thing everywhere. I don't envy him having to be the person to make the decisions like that. Of course, we as the general arm chair critics we are will have our two cents worth to put in. its only natural...but the key with being critical of governments is that in our cases, we don't see the pictures they do.
That's in part why I am not being overly critical with the National Government here with their proposed changes to ACC. I believe them when they say ACC has blown its budgets. Hells really knows the conditions of the books when Labour was bounced out of office. Plus I was also suspicious of Michael Cullen when he always announced budget surpluses. That meant one of two things. Either some area's weren't getting the funding they could have been, or the populous were being over taxed.
Then there are the international matters that Obama in some cases has to clean up. I give him credit the other morning for being there when a body was unloaded off a plane. As commander-in-chief I think thats important. The ongoing conflicts in the middle east, Afghanistan and Iraq. Do they withdraw, do they stay...In Iraq alone, over 4,500 dead and over 31,000 injured/wounded and another almost 1000 in Afghanistan, another 4,000 wounded.
These are not easy decisions to make of any leader, especially one of the perceived power of the office of the President of the United States. Its not about Air Force one and the White House.
My only criticism of President Obama is I don't like the amount of times he spends using the teleprompter when he speaks. While I understand this is an important tool especially in high power situations where even the best of speakers can fumble lines, but for the most part he should be speaking without it.
Overall, one year into his presidency I think he is doing ok. There is a long way to go and many decisions that are varied and difficult to make that only he can make based on the advice and counsel his is given. More to see I'm sure.
I think what goes without saying is that he accomplished something simply by being elected, though, I have to admit to also feeling that when McCain paired himself with Palin he didn't help his cause. Kind of like Kerry and Edwards some years ago or Don Brash and Bill English of their times or as I see in the future, Goff and King.
I do however see that there is still a lot of polarization amongst the American people about their president. Some have commented that they are hanging out until the next election. I do wonder if he will be a two term president...some part of me hopes so but time will tell.
I do not envy him. One of the largest economies in the western world. A health care and insurance system comparable in its shambles to our ACC programme. Millions of Americans are without basic health insurance. The worlds biggest recession since the 1930's depression. I can't say that Obama's efforts were the sole factor behind the recession now coming to a close, again like any economy it will have a very sharp growth spurt and drop again before beginning its normal recovery.
The insurance issue and the health programme will be his next biggest domestic issues to tackle and neither have answers that will satisfy everyone. Some will say it goes to far, others not far enough. Some will say it punishes those that do have good coverage, and helps others too much. Some of that I guess is just the nature of the 'industry', the requirement of having a largely privately funded health system. Then you see here in New Zealand the dangers of having the exact opposite, a publicly funded health system that in some cases even the poorest people cant even go and visit a doctor.
Before I switched to my current doctor even a subsidised doctors visit was over $40. To health is a big thing everywhere. I don't envy him having to be the person to make the decisions like that. Of course, we as the general arm chair critics we are will have our two cents worth to put in. its only natural...but the key with being critical of governments is that in our cases, we don't see the pictures they do.
That's in part why I am not being overly critical with the National Government here with their proposed changes to ACC. I believe them when they say ACC has blown its budgets. Hells really knows the conditions of the books when Labour was bounced out of office. Plus I was also suspicious of Michael Cullen when he always announced budget surpluses. That meant one of two things. Either some area's weren't getting the funding they could have been, or the populous were being over taxed.
Then there are the international matters that Obama in some cases has to clean up. I give him credit the other morning for being there when a body was unloaded off a plane. As commander-in-chief I think thats important. The ongoing conflicts in the middle east, Afghanistan and Iraq. Do they withdraw, do they stay...In Iraq alone, over 4,500 dead and over 31,000 injured/wounded and another almost 1000 in Afghanistan, another 4,000 wounded.
These are not easy decisions to make of any leader, especially one of the perceived power of the office of the President of the United States. Its not about Air Force one and the White House.
My only criticism of President Obama is I don't like the amount of times he spends using the teleprompter when he speaks. While I understand this is an important tool especially in high power situations where even the best of speakers can fumble lines, but for the most part he should be speaking without it.
Overall, one year into his presidency I think he is doing ok. There is a long way to go and many decisions that are varied and difficult to make that only he can make based on the advice and counsel his is given. More to see I'm sure.
Labels: Afghanistan War, Iraq War, US health care, US President, War on Terror
posted by Wiremu Bayliss at
8:41 pm
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