Life
Is Barack Obama’s presidency aging badly?
OPINION – The optimism of ‘Yes We Can’ and ‘Change We Can Believe In’ has turned into the pessimism of ‘if not now when’ and ‘if not you, who?’…
According to recent Gallup polling President Obama’s job approval rating is 49 percent disapprove to 42 percent approve. According to Gallup, “U.S. economic confidence has been running below 2010 levels during most of June and July. But the recent plunge sent this year’s economic confidence down even further — back to the recessionary levels of early 2009.”
The pessimism stems from a seeming inability to craft and articulate a cohesive direction or message and highlight his accomplishments up to this point. There is also a perception that the president is unwilling or unable to fight for the principles that he ran on and compromises with an ideologically driven conservative House of Representatives at the expense of working and middle-class Americans.
The most significant examples of this would be the “public option”. White House adviser Valarie Jarrett stated on MSNBC’s Morning Joe “He’s (Obama) committed to it, he’s pushing for it, and he’s absolutely committed to delivering on health care reform this year.” The administration compromised on the issue.
As a candidate for president and as president, Obama was committed to ending the Bush era tax cuts.In December of 2010 the administration compromised; arguing that the extension of unemployment benefits amounted to a second chance to stimulate the still-fragile economy.
The president committed to closing the military prison at Guantanamo Bay; it’s still open for business. During the debt ceiling debate the president consistently stated “Not only is it not fair if all this is done on the backs of middle-class families…the best way to take on our deficit is with a balanced approach…one where wealthy Americans and corporations pay their share, too.” Revenues were conspicuously absent in the resulting compromise.
Many see these “compromises” as concessions. Capitulations based upon inexperience, weakness and an inability to effectively negotiate with conservatives in Congress. The administration will argue that they have been forced to deal with an ideologically driven intransigent Congress that refuses to work towards solutions that benefit all Americans.
As the electorates focus moves towards the 2012 elections, the battle lines will become clearer and the space for compromise will narrow. In dealing with this mid-life or mid-term crisis a three-step program must be adopted in order to move forward.
Step 1, reality check. Some of your “compromises” are actually losses for the poor, working and middle-class people who voted you into office. You can not negotiate with individuals who have sworn to make you a one-term president.
Step 2, dance with the one who brought you. Yes, you are the president of all of America but this is real politics. You owe more to your base, the 53 percent of Americans who sent you to the White House than your opposition.
Step 3, Fight! Use your bully pulpit and allies to communicate a clear explanation of the current reality and a vision going forward.
By Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III
