In defense of Obama
I have been critical of the President over the years, but considering the hand he was dealt, I think he has done quite well.
1. The Affordable Care Act. It ain't singe payer and it is still a boon to the insurance industry, but more people are covered and the rate of health care inflation has gone down.
2. Fair Pay Act. It is an imperfect solution to a long term problem, but it is progress toward pay equity.
3. Dodd-Frank. Reimposed at least some regulation on Wall Street. It is not as strong as Glass-Steagall was but it reversed a bad trend in market oversight.
4. Defense of Marriage Act. President Obama ordered the AG to stop defending DOMA in 2010 ahead of SCOTUS challenge. DOMA overturned by the court.
5. Marriage equality. SG argued for equality in front of SCOTUS as part of Obergfell v. Hodges
5. Don't Ask, Don't Tell was repealed.
6. Ended guaranteed student loans in favor of direct student loans. The direct loans have much more favorable terms for students. I still think it is bullshit that student loans cannot be discharged in bankruptcy, but you can't have everything.
7. Raised fuel economy and emissions standards.
8. Invested in infrastructure as part of the Recovery Act.
9. Reduced the deficit from 9% of GDP to less than 3%.
10. Reduced unemployment from over 10% in the first quarter of his presidency to less than 6%.
11. Used an Executive order to protect undocumented children from deportation.
12. Reached an agreement to forestall nuclear weapon development in Iran.
13. Normalized relations with Cuba.
14. Protected net neutrality, for now.
BHO hasn't been perfect. I don't like the secret trade deals. I don't like that Gitmo is still open. I don't like that he hasn't ordered several dozen drone strikes on NRA headquarters.
Consider the alternatives.
President McCain would have put us another several trillion in the red fighting a pointless war in Iran. The pressure would have made him stroke out and we'd have been stuck with President Caribou Barbie.
President Rmoney would have put us another several trillion in the red cutting taxes for the 1% and then privatized social security. That said, I wish he were running this time. He is saner than any of the poo-flinging monkeys who will be standing on the debate stage this evening.
I am not thrilled with Hillary. I wanted to vote for Joe. I would be happy to vote foe Elizabeth Warren. I may vote for Bernie in the primary so I only have to vote for Hillary once. If Bernie is out by then, I may write in Jerry Brown, who would be a better president than anyone running in 2016.
1. The Affordable Care Act. It ain't singe payer and it is still a boon to the insurance industry, but more people are covered and the rate of health care inflation has gone down.
2. Fair Pay Act. It is an imperfect solution to a long term problem, but it is progress toward pay equity.
3. Dodd-Frank. Reimposed at least some regulation on Wall Street. It is not as strong as Glass-Steagall was but it reversed a bad trend in market oversight.
4. Defense of Marriage Act. President Obama ordered the AG to stop defending DOMA in 2010 ahead of SCOTUS challenge. DOMA overturned by the court.
5. Marriage equality. SG argued for equality in front of SCOTUS as part of Obergfell v. Hodges
5. Don't Ask, Don't Tell was repealed.
6. Ended guaranteed student loans in favor of direct student loans. The direct loans have much more favorable terms for students. I still think it is bullshit that student loans cannot be discharged in bankruptcy, but you can't have everything.
7. Raised fuel economy and emissions standards.
8. Invested in infrastructure as part of the Recovery Act.
9. Reduced the deficit from 9% of GDP to less than 3%.
10. Reduced unemployment from over 10% in the first quarter of his presidency to less than 6%.
11. Used an Executive order to protect undocumented children from deportation.
12. Reached an agreement to forestall nuclear weapon development in Iran.
13. Normalized relations with Cuba.
14. Protected net neutrality, for now.
BHO hasn't been perfect. I don't like the secret trade deals. I don't like that Gitmo is still open. I don't like that he hasn't ordered several dozen drone strikes on NRA headquarters.
Consider the alternatives.
President McCain would have put us another several trillion in the red fighting a pointless war in Iran. The pressure would have made him stroke out and we'd have been stuck with President Caribou Barbie.
President Rmoney would have put us another several trillion in the red cutting taxes for the 1% and then privatized social security. That said, I wish he were running this time. He is saner than any of the poo-flinging monkeys who will be standing on the debate stage this evening.
I am not thrilled with Hillary. I wanted to vote for Joe. I would be happy to vote foe Elizabeth Warren. I may vote for Bernie in the primary so I only have to vote for Hillary once. If Bernie is out by then, I may write in Jerry Brown, who would be a better president than anyone running in 2016.