What has President Obama done Right as of today as President?

[FrenchieCat]

There are many policy directions that critics of the President, don't like, and we have heard about many of these as they are being floated, rumored, proposed, and accomplished.

....but there are also many issues that the President has done well on, some which may not get as much attention as they should, but are issues that the President has handled very well.

What do you see as areas/policies/issues that the President has address that are either showing great promise, appear to be going in the right direction, or have already been handled in a way that you approve of?

(Please, as a courtesy, I am requesting that those who have a negative critique of this President do not list them here, as that is not my question nor the topic of this OP, and you can always feel free to start your own thread--Thank you.)

[BlooInBloo]

1. Well, you're in the ihateobama forum, so "nothing" is probably the safest answer.

[FrenchieCat]

2. Come on, BlooInBloo, give me your choice of something that you like

that the President has done.

Here's one - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjX0iJU3vtY

[mahina]

3. naming Van Jones the new Green Jobs czar

Van Jones freakin ROCKS!!!(caps are lame, sorry, can't express how excited I am about this.) All DUers fearing need to understand how big this is. Oakland? Green jobs? Tranformation? OH yes!! http://www.vanjones.net/page.php?pageid=3

[FrenchieCat]

6. I'm for the Oakland Area......

and Van Jones is not simply an superlative environmental activist, he is an activist and community organizer in every sense of the word on many issues!

Here's the Wellstone.org take on it....
http://www.wellstone.org/blog/what-van-jones-appointment-means-community-organizers

and The Nation...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/thenation/20090312/cm_thenation/15416707

[NYCGirl]

4. More things right in under 2 months than GWBush did in 8 years. NT

[opihimoimoi]

5. Despite the NOPers sniping/whing /pointing/blaming... President Obama has demonstrated POSITIVENESS

something not seen for years....

He has been pragmatic in his assessment of our Nation/Planet

He has adapted Reason Truth, and Sanity into the Equation...things that are alien to the GOP...

He has given us PROMISE.....much better than Hope....

[countingbluecars]

7. Stem cell research is a big one for me. n/t

[FrenchieCat]

11. Just his general stance on the sciences is sooooo

going in the right direction, it almost makes one want to cry!



of joy, no less.

[countingbluecars]

18. Me too!

I still have to pinch myself to make sure it's real. Research and facts matter again.

[goodgd_yall]

20. Ditto!

In the past 8 years of misery, I would fantasize about my dream president and respect for science and using science in policy-making (as well as the ability to inspire through eloquence) was one of the qualities that I hungered for.

[FrenchieCat]

8. I also love the 2010 Budget that he has proposed!

the fact that he included War costs, etc....what should have been included all along,
and the historical and far reaching spending he is proposing on social programs,
and other important areas that have been overlooked for far too long.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-na-obama-budget-tax27-2009feb27,0,1278492.story

[otohara]

9. He's A Democrat

that's such a plus.

[FrenchieCat]

10. Do you like who he has appointed to deal with military procurements?

To me, that is also a great one!

some articles on that: http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=526883

and http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f54/obama-nominates-ashton-carter-angers-military-industrial-complex-929933/

[Jennicut]

12. Actually being intelligent and not making me cringe in embarrassment

every time I see him on tv. Basic but needed.

[tbyg52]

16. Absolutely. A President who can actually explain things.

It's going to take me a while to stop reflexively cringing when I hear "the President of the United States."

[countingbluecars]

13. He told the EPA to reconsider

California's request to limit greenhouse gases from cars. This was a reversal of the Bush policy.

[mahina]

14. Named my prof John Holdren as chief Science Advisor

http://www.hks.harvard.edu/about/faculty-staff-directory/john-holdren

This is MAJOR

John Hokdren won a Macarthur genius grant way back, is the most brilliant person I ever met. This little piece from the Kennedy school really doesn't say it all but it's a start:


Selected Publication Citations:
Edited Volumes
Holdren, John P., ed. test. test, 2001.
Magazine and Newspaper Articles
Holdren, John P. "The Future of Climate Change Policy: The U.S.'s Last Chance to Lead." Scientific American 2008 Earth 3.0 Supplement. October 13, 2008, 20-21.
Op-Eds
Holdren, John P. "Convincing the Climate Change Skeptics." Boston Globe, August 4, 2008.
Holdren, John P. "One Last Chance to Lead." Scientific American Special Edition, 18.4, September 2008, 20-21.
Research Papers/Reports
Holdren, John P. "Meeting the Climate-Change Challenge." The John H. Chafee Memorial Lecture, National Council for Science and the Environment, Washington, D.C., January 17, 2008.
Holdren, John P. "Global Climatic Disruption: Risks and Opportunities." Presentation at Investor Summit on Climate Risk, New York, February 14, 2008.
Holdren, John P. "Ending the Energy Stalemate: A Bipartisan Strategy To Meet America’s Energy Challenges." Presentation at the National Academies 2008 Energy Summit, Washington, D.C., March 14, 2008.
< return to directory

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


John P. Holdren is Teresa and John Heinz Professor of Environmental Policy and Director of the Program on Science, Technology, and Public Policy at the Kennedy School, as well as Professor of Environmental Science and Public Policy in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Harvard University. He is also the Director of the Woods Hole Research Center and from 2005 to 2008 served as President-Elect, President, and Chair of the Board of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. His work focuses on causes and consequences of global environmental change, analysis of energy technologies and policies, ways to reduce the dangers from nuclear weapons and materials, and the interaction of content and process in science and technology policy.

[FailureToCommunicate]

44. Amen! Holdren is a great first step to bringing real science back to the White House

after years of 'seance' in the White House...

[mw]

15. Done right? Would you like the list alphabetically, or chronologically?

nt

[FrenchieCat]

17. I'm just asking for one thing, but if you have a multitude,

that good too! :)

[CTyankee]

21. Oh so many, but the gag rule is one, helping millions of women get birth control they need.

Stem cells, signing statements, omg the list goes on and on.

I am so happy and so proud. Our foreign policy turned almost around completely with just an election!

Believe me, there is celestial singing in my heart for him. The world has now turned and changed for the better. Thank god....

P.S. Is that your daughter who is graduating this spring in Cambridge?

[FrenchieCat]

22. Amen on the Gag rule. I think this drove Austrialia to lifting theirs,

as it was the last country to have a gag rule.

ps. Yes, that is my daughter who will be graduating! And now, she's been accepted to a 5 year Master/PHD program at U of Washington at St. Louis, so her and her handsome Harvard grad spouse move to MO this summer. :bounce:

[CTyankee]

23. That picture is gorgeous! I just love it. Please never remove it!

You are so blessed!

Good luck to both. I know it will be wonderful for all of you!

[FrenchieCat]

24. Thank you! Yes, blessed for sure....

But I'll have to change the photo at some point as my other daughter saw my sig, and is a bit pissed, and asked where hers was? I told her that I was simply celebrating her older sister's graduation, and that I would do the same for her when it is her turn (she has 3.5 more years to go! LOL!)

[CTyankee]

28. OK, that's a deal. I'd love to see your younger daughter's picture as well.

Che bella!

[goodgd_yall]

19. Closing Gitmo

Lifting the ban on using embryonic stem cells, dispensing of Bushisms like "war on terror" and "enemy combatants." His appointment of Eric Holder is a good one. And going ahead with health care reform. I support the government spending, but I'm annoyed at Republicans watering down the spending package, reducing the amount for education, for one. I say Obama is definitely on the right track. I have no complaints.

[FrenchieCat]

25. The responses are not overwhelming......

but I guess this tells me more about this forum than I really wanted to know. :(

[Two Americas]

26. a few things

Ran a brilliant campaign that led to a Democratic landslide.

Broke the race barrier in successfully winning the presidency.

Created an opportunity for us to organize and advance a powerful alternative to the right wing.

Everything else has pretty much been politics as usual, or else unknown since it is too early to make any grand assessments or judgments.

Also, he is brilliant and highly skillful as a politician, but those are qualities not achievements.

...

[polmaven]

27. Do I have to choose ONE?

I think he is off to a very good start. Stem cell, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Next years budget, the gag rule.....etc, etc, etc.

The list would be a lot shorter if the question was the other way around. You have asked that that list not be stated, so I will respect that request. (But it really is MUCH shorter!) :hi:

[butterfly77]

29. A lot has been said already but..

Married Michelle,Lilly Ledbetter,Guantanomo,passed a stimulus package and most of all he is doing the so called DOING TOO MUCH which he needs to do because this keeps republiCONS scrambling and it is making them have to work for real.

He is calling them out as they try to blame him for Bush's mess and waiting for his poll numbers to go down. He putting everything in the budget so that WE THE PEOPLE will know where we stand. He pacing himself as he and his staff try to sort through all of the lies in the budgets and some of lies of some in the military who have an agenda who want us to believe that he doesn't want to get out of Iraq and Afghanistan.

These people have been planning on how to sabatoge him with war and the economy as soon as they knew he was going to be our president. Overall, he is doing very well considering what he has to deal with. Now all they are waiting for is his poll numbers to fall some more before they really will begin to pounce. Funny how I sat althrough 2008 and waited for the reporters,commentators etc.. to ask Bushco all of these hard questions they seem to want to ask President Obama so they can blame all of this mess on him.

Whenever I hear some of these stories I realize that many in the media and the talking heads have an agenda and they want us to become frightened and afraid as though many weren't already before Obama was elected. The media seems to think some of us are very zombies who don't want or won't criticize The President on any issue. For the thinking people we/they realize that we will not get everything we want because he can't satisfy us on every issue but,anyone with common sense knows that he cannot solve all of these problems in seven weeks.

[FrenchieCat]

30. I like your list!

Today, Cheney said that Bush is not to blame for much of anything, except for the success in Iraq. :rofl:

It appears that Darth Vader believes that 7 week old Obama administration is responsible for everything else...AND they have made us less safe.

CNN was actually discussing this as though Cheney's point had some merit. They were saying that "The Bush Administration" has to take "some" of the blame. :wtf: Just some? Plu-EAze....CNN is sooo wrong on this.

[Jackeens]

31. Well, speaking as a non-American (is there such a word?!).....

....his election literally changed, overnight, people's feelings towards the U.S. in my part of the world. Of course it's early days, who knows how things might work out, but for now, wherever I go in Europe (and my work takes me to several western European countries every month) there's a respect and affection for his intelligence, warmth and openness....in contrast to his vile and loathsome predecessor.

Because of Bush and Co (and their Iraq adventure, especially) the U.S. had become a figure of hate and ridicule in so many parts of the world the past eight years. Bush was a laughing stock, as was the U.S. for electing him. That has changed, dramatically.

The funniest thing for me was - and I mentioned this before on DU - when my 16-year-old nephew, who really only remembered Bush, told me that for the first time in his life the U.S., for him and his pals, was cool! Before it was a place they laughed at. Maybe that counts for nothing, but I think it's an amazing turnaround. And I genuinely believe that that level of respect and goodwill can only lead to good things.

So, what has the President done right? Displayed intelligence, warmth and openness.

[Naturyl]

32. He has been someone other than George Bush.

And while that is a huge accomplishment, I'm drawing a blank beyond it.

[doc03]

33. I haven't really seen anything as of yet, I could make

a long list of wrongs. :shrug: He is not George W. Bush, that's about it.

[Baltoman991]

35. So

you can find a laundry list of wrongs but not one single right thing he's done?

How about stem cell research? How about Lily Ledbetter? How about starting the process to close Gitmo? How about Shineski to head the VA? How about the expansion of SCHIP? I could go on but what's the point since some aren't going to acknowledge anything positive about Obama.

[FrenchieCat]

38. Poster is against EFCA, cap and trade, and calls the stimulus a "giveaway"......

and he also admitted to having had a hard time choosing between Obama and McCain.

I think that explains a lot...don't you?

[BrklynLiberal]

43. So why are you posting here? didn't you read the OP?

[tavalon]

34. I can't play because there are too many

You should have asked the first week. At least then, it wouldn't have been novel length. It would have been easier to list the things he's done wrong, those at least I can count!

[Top Cat]

36. President Obama has done an amazing job in less than 2 months

We have someone in the WH who truly gets it. He understands the pain that the American people are feeling, and is doing everything he can to help ease the pain.

[mw]

37. Its like asking "how is a sane person different from an insane one?"

That would be hard--or a waste--to itemize.

Same for your question. What has Obama done right (as compared to Bush)? The list is so long as to be futile.

[vaberella]

39. The Urban Affairs Department

That's my field of study. I hope to work there in the future. There are about 10 others but that's my no.1.

White House Council for Women and Girls
Lilly Ledbetter Act
SCHIP
The White House website to see how the stimulus package is spent state by state. Brilliant.
2010 Budget. Brilliant.
Gitmo closed. Brilliant.
Releasing the Bush emails.
That's a few more.

[NYC_SKP]

40. Decisions, Decisions...OK, Great pick for Energy Secretary, Nobel Prize winner Steven Chu.

http://www.energy.gov/organization/leadership.htm

Steven Chu, Ph.D (born February 28, 1948),<3> is an American physicist and currently the 12th United States Secretary of Energy. As a scientist, Chu is known for his research in cooling and trapping of atoms with laser light, which won him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1997.<3> At the time of his appointment as Energy Secretary, he was a professor of physics and molecular and cellular biology at the University of California, Berkeley and the director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where his research was concerned primarily with the study of biological systems at the single molecule level.<1> He is a vocal advocate for more research into alternative energy and nuclear power, arguing that a shift away from fossil fuels is essential to combat global warming.<4>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Chu

:patriot:

[Egnever]

41. Stem cells were big for me

My son has diabetes.

But there have been many things. Hell just providing a positive role model for millions of people of what a father should be doing is enough to make voting for him more than worth it.

Oh and he brought michelle with him :)

[FrenchieCat]

42. Yes, Michelle is really a ray of hope all by her lonesome!

[thevoiceofreason]

45. Laying the foundation for a positive education policy

So many one-track minders (e.g., anyone with an (R) by their name) would have ignored education ploicy by saying "We have to take care of the economy so there is no time to focus any attention on education."

Not only has President Obama done a yeoman's job with the economy, he has still taken the time to lay out his education policy vision. And, in the stimulus and omnibus budget, you see the first steps in funding all the unfunded mandates of education that have been ignored lo these many years.

[closeupready]

46. I gve him an A+ on stem cell research.

n/t

[road2000]

47. Undoing Bush...

He restored the pre-Bush laws protecting endangered species that could be harmed by government projects.

[madamesilverspurs]

48. He listens.

He's demonstrated, very publicly, the wisdom of seeking guidance and information. That is such a joyous contrast to the secretive shenanigans of the last eight years, and it's a major step in the direction of letting the American people regain trust in the people they elect.

[babylonsister]

49. His cool and calm demeanor that does inspire confidence,

his oratory skills that are such a pleasure to listen to, stem cell research, timeline to get out of Iraq, vow to end no-bid construction contracts, attempt to get healthcare for all, stimulus package that has given hope to many people, to name a few.

Oh, and the swing set and puppy.

:fistbump:

[lumberjack_jeff]

50. we can come up with a better list than this.

• lifted the gag rule
  
• lifted the ban on stem cell research
  
• convened the health care study group and fully intends to take the politically courageous step of reforming health care regardless of the current economic climate
  
• he and his SOS have begun to repair the diplomatic damage
  
• support for lifting the trade embargo on Cuba
  
• sending Clinton to Mexico to discuss the drug violence which is spilling into this country
  
• a stimulus plan which will have positive effect on the economy
  
• a budget which raises pell grants and fully funds IDEA
  
  You know I'm no cheerleader, there are things to be legitimately critical of too, but he has done infinitely more good things in two months than we've seen in 8 years.
  
  
  

[Life Long Dem]

51. shhhh... he's speaking now!

[genna]

52. Most people are used to complaining

When asked to refrain complaints into compliments, it takes longer to do because you have to think of praising another person.


After reading so many critiques, I can say it is good to see people trying to explain what is working.

[FrenchieCat]

53. That's why I put up this thread......

Plus I wanted to see who would not be commenting, as that tells me quite a bit about certain posters.

[Metatron]

65. I'm curious

How can a lack of response tell you anything about "certain posters"?

[cooolandrew]

54. I think the equal pay act was very important and his focus on education will pay big dividends in >

years to come. The willingness to listen to other countries will just on a basic level gian the nation more friend than enemies.

[Fleshdancer]

55. He signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

:)

The bill amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 stating that the 180-day statute of limitations for filing an equal-pay lawsuit regarding pay discrimination resets with each new discriminatory paycheck. The law was a direct answer to the Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., a U.S. Supreme Court decision holding that the statute of limitations for presenting an equal-pay lawsuit begins at the date the pay was agreed upon, not at the date of the most recent paycheck, as a lower court had ruled.

A first bill to amend the statutory limitations period and supersede the Ledbetter decision was introduced in the 110th Congress but was never enacted, as after having been passed by the House it failed to survive a cloture vote in the Senate due to the opposition of most of the Republican Senators

[FrenchieCat]

56. Almost forgot about passing the extended CHIPS bill,

and raising military pay!

[Imagevision]

57. What's Bush done right in 8 years- Obama has begun to put his idea's into play, give him 4-5

more days. Surprised no one has asked what has Obama done in the last 24 hours, Bush had Ashcroft squash the ruling against tht tobacco industry that Clinton put in play so the FDA would control the amount of nicotine put into cigarettes would be monitored. Frenchie, do you remember that and Bush accomplished this in less then 30 days!

[FrenchieCat]

58. I'm trying to forget what Bush did......

As long as Pres. Obama doesn't, so that he can undo it, I'm good. :hi:

[Imagevision]

60. Frenchie, sometimes you gotta know how you got where you're at so you know where you're headed

[FrenchieCat]

62. I know....

I remember...

I'm just tired.

Waiting for my health care reform. I need it.

[Imagevision]

63. Frenchie, same here, disabled and it does suck...

[FrenchieCat]

64. Totally.....

But we must make room for this outrage of millions in bonuses.....at least for a few days!

I just hope that the President continues to multitask.

[steelmania75]

59. I'll list the things he's done right.

Proposed a budget that makes investments in healthcare, energy, and education.

Passed a stimulus for the economy.

Reversed Bush Administration policies on stem cell research and Gitmo.

Added more troops to fight the real "War on Terror" in Afganistan.

Withdrawing from Iraq.

Lobbying Reform.

More Transparency.


I think that's a lot of work for a little more than 50 days in office. Can't wait to see what it'll look like after a year.

[Imagevision]

61. I'll go with steelmania75...

[BlancheSplanchnik]

66. So many great things already; for those that take longer, I'll trust his political skills

on the issues that require behind the scenes work--- The 3 dimensional Vulcan chess someone once called it.

My first thrill was his first act: reversing the global gag rule. My GOD people, that saves the LIVES of millions of women and children worldwide. The short shrift it seems to get here blows my mind.

Same for Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act... this is a very BIG DEAL. Obama himself said, he grew up watching his Grandmother and ohter women in his family suffer from gender discrimination. To me, to have a high official, no less the PRESIDENT talk about this issue, to understand and know that it matters, is just awe inspiring for me.

Let's see, what else? So many excellent appointments, some I didn't know about mentioned here. I love that he's choosing men and women highly respected in the academic worlds of science, economics, environmental studies, etc. Hilary for SOS :D

Announcing that his employees will have pay caps--that was impressive, putting the money where his mouth is...

Restrictions on Lobbyists--that really impressed me too.

More:

Reversing Bush Executive Orders (from OMBwatch.org):
"OMB Watch applauds President Barack Obama’s decision to undo one of former President George W. Bush’s attempts to paralyze the regulatory process. In an executive order published in today's issue of the Federal Register, Obama revokes Executive Order 13422 and all implementing guidelines and documents....E.O. 13422 further politicized the regulatory process and threatened to prevent regulatory agencies from setting new standards that protect the public."

Rescinding Bush last-minute rulings http://www.ombwatch.org/node/9775 :
Provider Conscience Rule (allowing religious zealots to block women's access to or information about reproductive health services):

the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has indicated it will revise a rule that gives health care providers the right to refuse to provide women with access to or information about reproductive health services, if the provider objects on moral or religious grounds. The rule went into effect Jan. 20.

"We applaud the Obama Administration for its proposal to rescind the provider refusal regulation that took effect on the final day of the Bush Administration," Debra Ness, President of the National Partnership for Women & Families, said in a statement.


Endangered species http://www.ombwatch.org/node/9775 --
"Obama issued a memo March 3 calling for the review of a regulation that changed the way the federal government makes decisions about endangered species....In addition to calling for a review of the rule, Obama's memo instructs agencies to ignore the provision of the regulation that allows them to opt out of consultation, rendering that part of the Bush rule toothless. "I request the heads of all agencies to exercise their discretion, under the new regulation, to follow the prior longstanding consultation and concurrence practices," the memo says."

Reducing funding for Abstinence Only Education. (hopefully they will drop the rest of the funding later)

Stem Cell Research; also President Obama introduced the Microbicide Development Act, which will accelerate the development of products that empower women in the battle against AIDS: More action getting us out of the dark days of ideological rule, furthering science and regaining the U.S's place as a leader in technology, research, science, medicine.

Aid to Small Business. I think this is going to prove to be yet another very important step for the country.

Tax plan(quoting from Whitehouse.gov):
broad-based tax relief to middle class families and cuts taxes for small businesses and companies that create jobs in America, while restoring fairness to our tax code and returning to fiscal responsibility. Coupled with President Obama and Vice President Biden's commitment to invest in key areas like health, clean energy, innovation, and education, their tax plan will help restore bottom-up economic growth that creates good jobs in America and empowers all families to achieve the American dream.

GLBT civil rights: another quote from whitehouse.gov:
"While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It's about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect."

-- Barack Obama, June 1, 2007.
I love how he speaks the truth here--that LGBT rights are used as a ploy by hate mongers.
Those are just some of the things that come to mind right now.

Also, transparency. releasing Bush records; his frequent videos sharing and explaining gov't activities...

Plus, I love his intelligence, calm confidence, positivity, strong responses to liars and frauds (His powerful remarks to AIG, and, hee hee, remember, it was Obama having the ovaries to call out repubs who follow Rash Limpbutt that turned all this attention to the scumbag. EXCELLENT!)

Haa, I hadn't planned to make such a long post! :7

oh yeah, did I mention his beautiful loving family relationships? Great role model there for REAL family values.