Kevin Drum:
So how have things been going for our bored, exhausted, and disengaged president? He's been acting pretty enthusiastic, energized, and absorbed with his job, I'd say. Let us count the things he's done since the November 4th midterm elections:
November 10: Surprised everyone by announcing his support for strong net neutrality.
November 11: Concluded a climate deal with China that was not only important in its own right, but has since been widely credited with jumpstarting progress at the Lima talks last week.
November 20: Issued an executive order protecting millions of undocumented workers from the threat of deportation.
November 26: Signed off on an important new EPA rule significantly limiting ozone emissions.
December 15: Took a quiet victory lap as Western financial sanctions considerably sharpened the pain of Vladimir Putin's imploding economy.
December 16: Got nearly everything he wanted during the lame duck congressional session, and more. Democrats confirmed all important pending nominees, and then got Republican consent to several dozen lesser ones as well.
December 17: Announced a historic renormalization of relations with Cuba. h/t Mother Jones
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13 comments:
Love the Greg Greene graphic. In a way, Obama's pwning of Putin is the greatest accomplishment of all. To successfully and devastatingly punish the dictator of the second-greatest military power in the world, to the point where the fall of the regime is beginning to look possible -- and without firing a shot -- is a spectacular display of the intelligent use of power. And it's a very Obama-style achievement, because it required getting many other countries on board with the sanctions, something which the belligerent Republican approach couldn't have done.
The Gee-Oh-Pee-ers have whined, bitched, and moaned for the last 6 years over this presidency. Meanwhile, Mr. Obama gets things done.
Yeah. Remember how the loonies on the right thought Pootie-Poot was awesome?
His economy is tanking. Where are the loonies on the right now praising bare-chested Pootie on his high horse?
They make a lot of noise complaining about everything this president does, but dutifully ignore his wins. The dissonance in their little heads must be deafening.
Wingnuttia chokes on their bile ever time Obama beats their puny butts.
Here's the money quote from Giuliani on leadership... "He [Putin] makes a decision and he executes it, quickly. And then everybody reacts. That’s what you call a leader,"
What do you call a person who methodically moves to respond and comes out on top?
"He [Putin] makes a decision and he executes it, quickly. And then everybody reacts. "
Definition of Obama's decision on Cuba.
And the extremists are reacting.
Mainstream GOPers are okay with Obama's decision. It's the extremists who never like anything this president does who are yelping like little puppies who can't find their mommy dog.
I haven't heard much about Putin eating his lunch lately. I doubt Putin's ability to get support for a big move in Ukraine under current conditions.
ISIS has been contained also.
Foreign policy has been a mixed bag (isn't it always, messy world) but we could have done far worse.
Wish he had been more of a Liz Warren on economic issues and the environment.
"Wish he had been more of a Liz Warren on economic issues and the environment."
I wish that as well.
Because of her outspoken criticisms on those matters, I doubt she could ever win the presidency. The people who run this country would never allow it.
Dave - "What do you call a person who methodically moves to respond and comes out on top?"
You call him a winner.
He [Putin] makes a decision and he executes it, quickly. And then everybody reacts. That’s what you call a leader
It's easy to look decisive when you have a world-class military to intimidate neighboring countries and a cadre of murderous thugs to silence domestic opponents. Even very stupid decisions can look impressively effective. For a while.
But Putin is the brawn and Obama is the brain in this fight. Obama chose to push back on the economic plane, where the US and Europe far outclass Russia, and where Putin's strengths are useless.
ISIS has been contained also.
In fact ISIS is being rolled back. The Kurds have just relieved the siege of Sinjar Mountain and the Iraqi army is talking seriously about being able to liberate Mosul soon. Obama's strategy of Western air power coordinated with local ground forces has proven successful, and has also positioned the US as helping defend local civilians against the Muslim extremists who have been terrorizing, enslaving, and killing them.
Quite a contrast with the hash Bush made of things. I still think Iran will end up as the biggest winner from all this, but even they may become at least guardedly allies of ours eventually. There's plenty of cooperation under the table already.
More people on welfare and food stamps,working 2 or more jobs.
North Koreans controlling American movie theatres.
Unrest with anarchists protesting around the country
Hospitals who don't take Obamacare,Isis growing stronger than ever.
Glad he took republicans advice for Russian sanctions even though plummeting oil prices is the biggest contributor to that situation.
And now we are just all giddy he wants to regulate the internet u-der the guise of "fairness".
And what is his goal with Cuba?
He won't say because there is none
This is just symbolic because the dems got their butts kicked in Nov because the people spoke.Yep it's all about him,like it always has been.
Anonymous came here with the usual complaints of a WATB*, sounding like a prepubescent mean girl.
Mr. Obama has had a remarkable run of successes since November, and he's shown the country and the world that he's still a leader to be reckoned with.
Anonymous' talking-points bowl of sour grapes is laughable and shows her (or is this a him?) appalling lack of any knowledge of domestic and foreign policy, not to mention any ability to present even a weak argument against what the president has accomplished. Saying "it's all about him" rises to the level of a fanzine writing about Justin Beiber. Lame.
I've heard 10-year olds give better arguments than what Anonymous left here.
*WATB = Whiney-Ass Titty Baby
This comment by TAO deserves to be published on this thread as well as the one below:
Blogger Tao Speaks said...
The reality is that by normalizing our relations with Cuba we are neutralizing a big Russian threat.
In 2001 Russia closed its biggest military base outside of Russia and it is just north of Havana. In 2014 he announced that they were re opening it and expanding it.
Now with the collapse of the ruble and the dramatic drop in the price of oil Putin can't do a thing and now with normalized relations you can bet that it will never be re opened!
Obama is a brilliant man.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/16/russia-reopening-spy-base-cuba-us-relations-sour
December 19, 2014 at 10:43 PM
"North Koreans controlling American movie theatres."
Whose the asshat who wrote that? Sony Pictures is a Japanese company.
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