What grade do you give the administration for the 1st 18 months?

[Divine Discontent]

Poll question: What grade do you give the administration for the 1st 18 months?

Just a grade...

[The Magistrate]

1. A 'B', Sir

Mixture of effort and accomplishment....

[Divine Discontent]

2. Hello The Magistrate. Thanks for the vote & post.

And if that isn't a great start, 1 of each grade except F. Lots of hope n' frustration around, and I understand it all. We must overcome the right wing thugs in Nov...

[NYC Liberal]

3. I give a 'B' only because there is still more to do, of course

It's tough to give a grade when there's just so much being done and going on.

[Divine Discontent]

4. thanks for voting. Yep, lots to do. We must win in Nov, cannot let the GOP

gain control of anything, as this country is already a mess and would be even worse if they get any more power back.

[Chulanowa]

5. That would be a B. Maybe a C+

Done rather fine, but definite space for improvement.

[Oregone]

6. Well, anything less than 60% is an F right?

[HughMoran]

21. Canadians can't vote in this poll

:rofl:

[HughMoran]

23. Yes, you would get a 'fail'

[daleanime]

7. Incomplete....

get back to me in 78 months.

[depakid]

11. The first 18 months are complete- and the report card for the time period is what it is

For my part, I wonder what the students in his con law classes think.

[Bullet1987]

8. A flat 'C'

I mean, he has accomplished things...but he hasn't pushed the envelope nearly as far as it needed to be pushed on a lot of issues. I could understand those who say a 'B' or 'D' though. An 'A' is a complete exaggeration IMHO.

[Divine Discontent]

25. great short post. I can understand people arguing B-D grades also. agree with your point.

[LuvNewcastle]

26. Same here.

I feel like he could be an A or B student, but he's just not giving that extra effort. He could also lose a few people on his staff and get some better advice.

[Prophet 451]

9. I give it a C+

Lots of worthwhile things accomplished but also a lot of important things postponed or (so far) ignored. So, a C+ for what's been done so far but also a "must try harder".

[Warren DeMontague]

10. I'm gonna go with "B". While acknowledging the giant platter of poop they had to contend with,

coming in.

[old mark]

12. I was thinking C, but voted D - they have not been as advertised,

and the problems are not "failures' but policy. This administration IS where it wants to be as far as demographics, and I expect NO move to the left at all.

Wasted time and opportunity.

mark

[Balbus]

13. Other

That tiny F does not fully encapsulate how much a failure I believe presidency has been.

[great white snark]

14. So instead of voting you complain?

Exactly what the Republicans want us to do in November.

[HughMoran]

20. Perhaps you would have voted for 'anus'?

[dionysus]

36. aw, poor lil fella.

:nopity:

[JuniperLea]

51. Way to assist the GOP asshats...

:eyes:

Whaaaaaaa... whaaaaaaaa...

[Baltoman991]

57. While far from

perfect, the President has been far far from a failure. Of course, nothing the man has done, or will do will be good enough for you.

Continue in your quest to put those back in charge who fucked this country up to the point that it may never get fixed. So continue to whine and boohoo all day long. Just remember, your constant whining is just another win for Republicans.

[CBR]

15. B nt

[SunsetDreams]

16. B

[Phx_Dem]

17. Big, fat solid A!

[Top Cat]

18. I gave a B wish there had been a B+

Considering the shit that the adminstration walked into I am a firm B+ for accomplishing so much in a short 18 months.

[HughMoran]

19. B

Most progressive legislation passed in a generation, but the R's so trashed this country that it's going to take a lot more work to turn this ship around.

[Radical Activist]

22. B for now. C if there's no decent climate change bill by the end of the year.

[Divine Discontent]

24. thanks for voting, my fellow Americans

[golfguru]

27. Sorry but its a "D" because

the HCR bill has zero public option. The bill as passed guarantees
the health insurance corporations 30 or 40 million additional customers
paid by the rest of Americans. Those corporations have ZERO competition
from public option. They are free to set their rates as high as they wish
so long as they comply with limits on administrative costs.

This was the most important bill affecting every single American and the
administration and the congress sold us out. The campaign contributions
won, people lost.

[JoePhilly]

29. My 12 year old neice won.

See, she was diagnosed with cancer at 2. A cancer most die from with 6 months. She survived it. Well, so far.

She is 13 now. And ever since that cancer, she has only had medical coverage for the most basic illness and injuries. The insurance companies used that prior cancer as a pre-existing condition to deny her any broader coverage. basically, they wanted to blame that cancer on any future illness.

And it is likely she will have future illnesses. The treatment she received may have weakened other organs. Those treatments may have also impacted her fertility. No one can be sure, very few who get that cancer live, and so the statistics on what happens after 10, 15, 20 years do not exist.

My sister has been terrified about this. What if her daughter get cancer again, it comes back. It would not have been covered.

Now it is.

The HCR bill was not perfect, but it does in fact help millions of Americans. And this is one example.

[golfguru]

32. Did you even read my post?

Where did you read in my post that HCR did not help any one?

So let me repeat............IT HELPED A GREAT DEAL TO THE BOTTOM LINE
of every Health Insurance Corporation....paid for ALL AMERICANS who have
jobs and pay their insurance premiums.

There is ZERO competition to these corporations in the HCR bill.

There is NO MEANINGFUL COST CONTAINMENT in that bill.

Premiums for ALL AMERICANS are going to take a big leap upwards in 2011
when the premiums re-adjust in January.

However, I am really glad your niece will benefit and many others will benefit.
And the HC Corporations will benefit the most.

Like I said CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS WON & PEOPLE LOST.

If this bill was done right, not only people like your niece would be helped,
but also EVERY WORKING AMERICAN would have been helped by keeping premiums under
check with competition from the public insurance option.

[JoePhilly]

33. I read your post ...

If it was up to you ... no one would have been helped at all ... some other benefits.

The public option was never going to pass in the Senate. Period.

You claim that premiums will jump. What did you think they were going to do with no bill, stay flat?? The bill requires that rate increases be approved, they can't just jack up the rate anytime they want.

People who can't pay for premiums will get subsidies.

The bill includes significant funding for community health clinics.

It will end pre-existing conditions for everyone, not just kids like my niece.

Small businesses will be able to pool together so they can get better rates for their employees.

And, when the exchanges are in place, everyone of them will have to meet the same standards as companies who compete to be in the federal insurance program that government workers get ... very good plans, at very reasonable rates.

The bill isn't perfect ... but it is far better than nothing.

[dionysus]

37. +1

[golfguru]

53. I will say it again....campaign cash won & people lost

How much you wanna bet the profits of health insurers will take
a huge jump upwards for the next several years? There is no limitations
whatsoever on how high they can inflate our premiums. And with no
public insurance in place to compete, they can rape us without restriction.

[golfguru]

44. Just wait till January 2011...you will be shocked

what your health insurance bill will look like.

You say the bill would not pass senate? That is exactly why I give
our politicians a big fat "D".

If the dems can't do the right thing with majorities in house & filibuster
proof 60 in senate (prior to Scott Brown) then when in the hell will it be
passed? After the repugs win house this November?

Yep, a "D" grade is all they deserve.

[Dawgs]

35. I gave a C because I agree with you.

A D seems to harsh; mainly because of all the other things they accomplished.

[golfguru]

52. Yes I agree D is harsh but the reason I am angry is

it was the golden opportunity with 60 senators, house majority &
the White House all in our column.

This opportunity may not again come around for many election cycles.

[Kind of Blue]

28. Since there's no B+, I'll go with the A. n/t

[Telly Savalas]

30. C, but that C is a vast improvement from the last guy.

[Ross K]

31. C.....

...for insufficient aggression in pursuit of progressive policies.

[OwnedByFerrets]

34. C-

[Stoic]

38. I guess all you people giving A's have jobs and are not selling your homes.

And are living in an alternate universe.

[Uzybone]

45. Most Americans have jobs and are not selling their homes

Maybe you live in the alternate universe

[Stoic]

50. Yeah, screw the ones who don't

Most everyone else is just doing fine.

[TheKentuckian]

39. D and I'm being kind because of the circumstances

He deserves an automatic F because of civil liberties issues alone.

He is also in direct violation of the Constitution in two matters, maintaining Bush's unchecked Army of the Executive and ordering extra-judicial murder of an American citizen.

Spin, cry, and justify all you like but the basis of all American law and power is pretty damned clear.

You cannot violate the Constitution and maintain legitimacy. Of course I can be rather harsh and unbending in such areas, even believing Lincoln was open to impeachment for suspending habeas corpus.
Sadly, most Presidents have been deserving of impeachment so due to context I'm not calling for his head but will be unable to vote for him again without some serious changes in those areas and unfortunately others in policy matters that are obviously open to broader interpretation and debate.

[killbotfactory]

40. My Report Card - B

Healthcare: B
A - HCR with Public Option
B - HCR without Public Option
C - HCR completely watered down by the senate

Iraq: B
A - Full withdrawal
B - Withdrawal according to current timetable
C - Slow sporadic withdrawal

Afghanistan: C
Not sure what can be done to fix the mismanagement from Team Bush, and great risk that things will be worse off even without our occupation and the violence that goes with it.

Finance Reform: B
A - Finance reform that will prevent another meltdown and break up banks "too big to fail"
B - Finance reform that will make it difficult for another meltdown to occur, big banks still big but with more checks on their power
C - Whatever mild reforms conservative senate democrats wanted

Economy: B
A - Big enough stimulus, jobs programs, green revolution, etc.
B - Stimulus big enough to avoid major catastrophe, but not big enough to jump start economy
C - No significant stimulus, but major financial institutions saved to avert complete economic collapse

Not sure how to grade things he hasn't gotten around to yet, considering all the crap the republicans put on his plate. If the political environment wasn't so hostile to progressive change these scores would be bumped down.

[kjackson227]

41. I like your report card.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

42. I think this is a fair analysis (nt)

[jesus_of_suburbia]

43. C- (because of lost opportunities)

Would have been a 'B' if I didn't feel that they had a mandate to do so much more.... and I'm afraid that opportunity has been squandered.

[Name removed]

46. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[jefferson_dem]

49. "This administration is the most conservative in modern history."

Speaking of school, did you flunk history? Contemporary American political history...

[Romulox]

47. F. Economy not recovering, war without end, lies about trade, civil rights.

Just F.

[jefferson_dem]

48. A solid A-.

And that's being extra harsh. Relatively speaking, they deserve an easy A for enacting the big three headed reform monster: recovery, health care, financial

My only bigtime beef with this administration has been the lack of progress on equality issues. The lack of environment/energy and immigration reform has also been unfortunate but I understand the challenges with the obstructionists on the other side.

I have to laugh at the unbelievably negative marks some of our resident malcontents are dishing out. In what universe...?

[David Zephyr]

54. With or without a Bell Curve taking into consideration Bush's 8 years?

I give President Obama a C- for his first year.

I give him a B for the first three months of 2010.

I give him a B+ for the second three months of 2010.

[nmbluesky]

55. for reason I give him B

Thanks for Obama signed ADA law because I'm disabled. but why I give him B
Because Immigration Law... we need this...

[Hollow Shells]

56. B for effort.

I don't like his handling of military issues, but most everything else has been good enough.

[LittleBlue]

58. D+

The wars, the bungled handling of the health insurance, the poor image he projects when he cozies up to banks, etc. The only real reason he didn't get an F is that he's prevented more wars.

His transcripts show straight A's, but his effort for the semester has revealed him to be a poor student.