Quick blurb on politics
Sep. 4th, 2010 07:21 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
missroseroseThis was written in response to this article, on Obama's disappointing unwillingness to take a stand on some of the thornier moral issues that have come up during his term.
On the whole I've been pretty pleased with Obama's performance - it's true, his term so far hasn't lived up to many of his promises, but given how the structure of our government is set up to intentionally delay changes by bogging them down in a sinking morass of bureaucracy, I wasn't expecting the miracles that some apparently were. Frankly, just having someone in office who *doesn't* make me wince whenever I hear them talking is a big plus in my book, and the fact that he's gotten as much done as he has in the current political climate is impressive.
That said...this article pinpoints one of my consistent disappointments with him. If anything, he's been *too* conciliatory, and *too* careful. One of the things I found most impressive about him in his campaign was his willingness to take a stand on some tough issues - and not in a belligerent way, but by finding the common ground on both sides and promoting it. Unfortunately, that talent seems to have disappeared into the morass as well. As someone mentions below, taking a stand at this point would serve his interests; he's not making any inroads with the nutjob segment, but there's a distinct group of moderates and independents who would respect him for doing so, and perhaps even be swayed by his talent for "we're all fundamentally trying for the same ideals, even if we get there differently" rhetoric. I'm still crossing my fingers that he'll find his moral compass again before the term's over.
On the whole I've been pretty pleased with Obama's performance - it's true, his term so far hasn't lived up to many of his promises, but given how the structure of our government is set up to intentionally delay changes by bogging them down in a sinking morass of bureaucracy, I wasn't expecting the miracles that some apparently were. Frankly, just having someone in office who *doesn't* make me wince whenever I hear them talking is a big plus in my book, and the fact that he's gotten as much done as he has in the current political climate is impressive.
That said...this article pinpoints one of my consistent disappointments with him. If anything, he's been *too* conciliatory, and *too* careful. One of the things I found most impressive about him in his campaign was his willingness to take a stand on some tough issues - and not in a belligerent way, but by finding the common ground on both sides and promoting it. Unfortunately, that talent seems to have disappeared into the morass as well. As someone mentions below, taking a stand at this point would serve his interests; he's not making any inroads with the nutjob segment, but there's a distinct group of moderates and independents who would respect him for doing so, and perhaps even be swayed by his talent for "we're all fundamentally trying for the same ideals, even if we get there differently" rhetoric. I'm still crossing my fingers that he'll find his moral compass again before the term's over.
