Like so many others, I enjoyed President Obama's State of the Union address, wherein he established himself once again as the smartest person in the room (especially that room). He took his time, chiding Congress as much as he chided the banks, with an unexpected extra dollop of attention paid to the Supreme Court.
He looked very much like a man engaged to his job. Unlike Ronald Reagan, he did not dwell on the horrific mistakes of his predecessor in his first Address, although he did mention them a couple of times. It's not his saying it that makes it so - the United States is considerably better off today than it was when Obama was sworn into office.
For those both left and right of center this may be a bitter pill to swallow, but his one-year grade as president has to be an A-minus.
The economic cliff we were approaching has been averted. Yes, we have deficits, but they amount to a smaller percentage of GDP than did Reagan's or Papa Bush's deficits. And Jimmy Carter didn't plop two wars down on the Gipper's desk, either.
One of those wars is winding down. The other has received something it has desperately needed from the outset - a shot of dedication in the arm.
Obama also gets high marks for having at least lanced the boil of health care reform, a windmill at which American presidents have been tilting since the days of Harry S Truman. He has done this by staying out of the fight, insisting that Congress do the hard work. For good or ill, in the process, more public input has affected this legislation than any other of its kind.
At no time has he allowed his critics to hit the mark; unlike Bush, Obama has no inner dictator. All we've heard from the shrill voices of conservative media is Obama's penchant for Chicago-style politics. If anything, he has been too hands-off, with many Democrats yearning for the skull-cracking style of LBJ.
Through all of this, he has borne with dignity and grace the ceaseless nagging of his opponents, as well as the constant second-guessing by those who should be his biggest supporters. His commitment to bipartisanship (despite the fact that no such thing exists) is commendable and indicative of his character.
On its own, his first year looks like a neat trick, but an even better year is in front of him. Despite what you've been hearing, 2o1o is poised to be pretty good. In the State of the Union address, Obama said that jobs would be his top priority. There are four good reasons to believe that considerable job creation is forthcoming.
First is the census, which anticipates hiring 1.4 million people this time around. Second is the stimulus, which still has about half of its funding to distribute, with more than a few construction projects scheduled. Third is the growing demand for green technology.
The fourth engine of employment comes in the form of the 2o1o political campaigns themselves. This was already going to be the case, with Republicans hoping for a resurgence that belies their track record of governance. With the Supreme Court decision allowing unlimited amounts of money to be poured into campaigns, we are assured of a robust mid-term election.
And why not? Dreaming is free. Let the GOP think they're going to make up ground. They can't. Look at their performance at the Address. They sat on their hands at the mere mention of anything that the American people want and need. The Republican Party isn't just the Party of No. It's the Party of No Way, of No Ideas, of No Decency.
Yes, they've always been that, but this year is different. Conservatives have been divided by a Tea Party movement that threatens to irreparably fracture the Party. They have resorted to frat-boy tactics (only without the benefit of exposure to collegiate academics). Look no further than the recent "Phonegate" scandal in Louisiana for an example.
Anybody who wants to throw in with that crowd is welcome to do so. Go ahead. Hitch your wagon to a star. Or, at the rate they're going, a black hole.
pH 1.29.1o
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