Thanks, Mr. President!
Tomorrow, I will post my responses to two questions -- I encourage all of you to do the same, if so interested.
1. What do you want President Obama to accomplish?
2. What do you think President Obama will be able to accomplish?
4 comments:
What I hope for: continued stability in Iraq coupled with "a responsible withdrawal", emphasis on responsible. Pushing for new strategy in Afghanistan, including the de-emphasis/legalization of opium/poppy farming.
Health care: No touching of Medicare Part D. Moving towards universalism via a hybrid plan.
Global warming: A carbon tax, NOT cap-and-trade. Something that does not isolate the pain on particular industries, but makes everyone feel the pain.
Education: Merit pay / teaching innovation towards the Michelle Rhee end.
Science policy: NSF over NIH. Bring NIH back above inflation, emphasize the physical sciences.
Guns: Leave us alone.
What I think Obama will be able to accomplish:
1. A rather large stimulus package, but not Krugman large ($1T)
2. Moving slowly out of Iraq, but unlikely to be the 1 combat brigade per month.
3. More success in Afghanistan than now, especially considering all the logistical problems moving supplies from Pakistan.
4. Nothing on global warming.
5. Lots of change on health care. The insurance companies are going to take it in the neck this round.
6. Nothing of substance on education.
The problem with "will be able to accomplish" is that anything his does could be interpreted as substantive for some us and "nothing" by others.
Global warming: I was happy to hear Sean Hannity push the "it doesn't exist" card the other day. In fact, "the earths cooling." Clearly, Sean expert scientific opinion is based on the frequency he needs to put on a sweater.
IMHO: By 2012 the average cars on the road will look very different; hopefully made in the US but smaller and fuel efficient. You may not credit Obama with that change but all the ducks are in a line for him to take advantage of.
Here is his stance on guns: Obama and Biden would repeal the Tiahrt Amendment, which restricts the ability of local law enforcement to access important gun trace information, and give police officers across the nation the tools they need to solve gun crimes and fight the illegal arms trade. Obama and Biden also favor commonsense measures that respect the Second Amendment rights of gun owners, while keeping guns away from children and from criminals. They support closing the gun show loophole and making guns in this country childproof. They also support making the expired federal Assault Weapons Ban permanent.
You can be concerned about the generalized wording of some of the above even I might not support some ideas, however, it reads like common sense for all those not in the NRA.
You're more than welcome to modify the question to your liking. The basic thrust is your desires versus your predictions.
Smaller cars: We'll see. I'd support a gas tax increase, but only if the money is directly targeted. Americans aren't going to switch to smaller cars anytime sooner, especially if the G**D^&* F$%^&*^ car seats don't get any smaller.
As for the gun issue, I find the stated policy goals to fall into two categories: 1) things that I can find somewhat useful and 2) things that are purely cosmetic.
1. Tiahrt Amendment, illegal gun trade, gun show loophole: probably for the public good for the US and Mexico. Gun records are problematic in that authorities aren't so great at keeping their hands off of them.
As for gun shows, you're going to impede a lot of private transactions to stop not very many criminals. I'd be willing to give this one up, if I were a GOP politician. But the NRA is in the NARAL position here: they like the status quo, so why negotiate?
2. Trigger locks, assault weapons, "childproof guns": Purely, totally cosmetic. Gun safety, like lab safety, lies with the owner/chemist.
I don't think you and I will see eye-to-eye on gun issues. But I think Obama is smart enough to avoid the one issue that will get GOP voters off the couch, so to speak. (Besides, the crime rate isn't nearly what it used to be; therefore, gun issues aren't particularly important to swing voter-types.)
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