presidential report card

Although I do not feel at all qualified to rate President Obama's performance, here goes:

Health Care: C

President Obama's plan to reform health care is certainly very ambitious, and I respect his lofty aspirations and efforts to provide all Americans with health insurance. However, I think that having the federal government impose regulations and manage the entire health care industry will not work. The proposed legislation will eliminate incentives for doctors and insurance companies, thus decreasing the quality of care received. Some aid should be granted to those who are in need of health care insurance, yes; but that will require a reform of Medicare, not of the whole health care system in general. The competetiveness of the market will be in jeopardy under the new system, in turn threatening the advancement of medicine in the long term. I commend President Obama for his attemps at enacting reform which will extend equality; however, I don't think that health care reform will work as well in practice as it does in theory.

Economic Downturn: D+

The economy is still in a slump. This is not solely the fault of President Obama; from obstinate Congressmen to the failings of capitalism, there are many other aspects to this issue. However, as President, it is his role to work with businesses and politicians to create a plan that will get things back on track. Though the stimulus plan was mildly effective in the short-term, since then Obama has failed to create long-term solutions. In the meantime, the confidence among CEOs, and the country, has dwindled. This will not improve the economy. Furthermore, we need to find a short-term fix that we can agree on so that we can start investing in research and development- the things that will keep us competitive in the long run. On a more positive note, I do commend President Obama for attempting to listen to business owners, CEOs, and Wall Street gurus in the recent meetings he has been having.

War on Terror: B

President Obama has done a good job of narrowing the focus of the war on terror. Rather than attempting to convert Afghanistan to a full-fledged democratic nation, he has instead chosen the more attainable goal of trying to eliminate safety for terrorists in Afghanistan. During his presidency, several key al Qaeda leaders have been killed, most importantly Osama bin Laden. President Obama has also been working to improve U.S.-Middle East relations by cleaning up our image and proving that, though we've made mistakes in the past, we will no longer support stifling dictatorships (ie Egypt, Libya.)

Reelection Bid: B

Despite what he may say, Obama has already started campaigning. I don't mean this in the typical sense; I mean that he is making certain political moves in order to make himself look like the victim- a victim who needs more time to get things accomplished. With the new jobs act, President Obama has essentially put Republicans in a box. In his speech, he positioned it so that he will be able to make Republicans look like the perpetual naysayers, while he is just trying to get things done. In trying to turn the heat on Republicans, Obama has done very well. However, he has done nothing in recent weeks to garner any special attention. To win the 2012 election, President Obama will have to continue his "passing the buck" to Republicans, but also show the public that he is getting things done.