comments

1. Deron Bauman on February 24th, 2009 at 10:54 pm

   so far I’d say masterful and prudent.

2. Daryl Scroggins on February 24th, 2009 at 11:16 pm

   That’s my take on it, Deron. And the people the GOP has propped up to offer some counter are going to put comedians out of work–as they argue for no need of extended unemployment benefits and for the example set by W’s handling of Katina, which they seem to suggest is a reason to reject any government action (except of course that which they would provide, which is the same that W brought to Katrina).

3. Mike Dresser on February 25th, 2009 at 8:05 am

   I’m just a tad disappointed by the very conventional feeling of the things he’s doing. I was expecting flying cars and bubble dome houses by Feb 21, but it seems the answer is still fewer taxes on that segment of the “middle class” whose income towers above 100K. There’s money for renewable energy sources, but no disavowal of fallacies like “clean coal” and corn ethanol (aka the whiskey-powered car). “Human rights” are back in the executive vocabulary, but Guantanamo is still open. I like the man; he still seems like the best hope. I keep telling myself that radical change doesn’t happen overnight, but I was kind of hoping.

4. Cindy Scroggins on February 25th, 2009 at 9:43 am

   There’s a limit to how much one person, who presides over one governmental branch, can do in 30 days. Barack Obama has a rare combination of brilliant vision and pragmatism. We are moving in the right direction, which is the most we can reasonably expect. And nobody can accuse him of not trying to “reach across the aisle.” I love the man.

5. Cooper Renner on February 25th, 2009 at 10:39 am

   Mostly thumbs-up. I’m disappointed about the White House emails thing.

6. Lucy Foley on February 25th, 2009 at 1:57 pm

   Well this is the interesting thing: Obama isn’t a radical. Bush probably was. Obama seems ‘radically different’ because his approach is indeed radically different from Bush’s. But Bush was the one trying to push American life into a very narrow interpretation of its possibility and diversity, with a fundamentalist and radical agenda. Obama is more of an old republican style conservative, come in Democrat clothing. He’s a fuckload smarter than Bush. That is relief enough for the first 30 days. Beyond that…

   Obama’s change platform was so open to any interpretation that I think it meant very different things to different people.

   The usual thing is to say that the only people who could criticise Obama are those who have unrealistic expectations or else crazy nutball republicans, but there are more nuanced perspectives also. The most itchy desire for change in a lot of people these past few years has been ‘change from Bush’. Also, having a black man in the white house has truly had profound reverberations around the world, and in human hearts and minds.

   But change in American fiscal affairs? Change in the fundaments of social welfare and what that means to people? Progressive change of approach in a profound economic and social way? We shall see.

7. Mike Dresser on February 25th, 2009 at 2:38 pm

   That’s a good point, Lucy, about centrist Obama being a big change from radical Bush. I was thinking this morning, I don’t want incremental change, I want a revolution. Look at what Bush managed to ram through along with the Republican majority. It’s our turn to be Bush, it’s our turn to ram through an ultra-left agenda that will leave the remaining Republicans crying foul!

   And of course, that is neither healthy nor sustainable. I know the return from hyper-partisanship to dialog and compromise is a good thing. I respect Obama’s intellect and character, I just want to be as excited about his policies as I am about him.

8. Lucy Foley on February 25th, 2009 at 2:46 pm

   Good man yourself, Michael. That’s the kind of talk we need around here.

9. Lucy Foley on February 25th, 2009 at 2:47 pm

   Revofuckinglution. It is not always bloody.

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