July 21, 2010

        President Obama's poll ratings are down from the rosy numbers he got early in his term--mostly in the high forties or low fifties lately.  You have to wonder why.       Internationally, there are no big triumphs but no big blunders either.  We seem to be getting out of Iraq, a plus in my book.  There's talk about being out of Afghanistan by 2014.  I'd like to be out by suppertime, but hey, you can't win them all.  And we've had no disasters like JFK's Bay of Pigs or LBJ's Vietnam.      Domestically, he's done better, passing three major bills which will affect us all in years to come.  First, the economic stimulus bill.  Experts argue over how much it helped, but they all agree it helped some.  Resuming unemployment benefits for those out of work more than six months should help too.      Second, health care.  The bill isn't perfect--complicated bills seldom are--but it seems certain to help people and can be amended and improved in years to come.  And finally, just this week, financial reform.  Again, a complicated bill which can probably be improved down the road, but a very important first step.  Who, after living through the financial near-collapse of the last few years, would argue that some new regulation of Wall Street wasn't needed?     So hang in there, Mr. President.  I think you're doing pretty well. 
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