From the Department of The Truth Shall Set You Free... but first it will piss you off. Who is the better leader: Barack Obama or Sarah Palin?
President Obama may be a great leader. I don't know if he is or isn't. But I do know this, up to this point he has not taken any viable leadership actions.
He has forgotten that the number one thing the President of the United States must do to be successful is to lead the nation, not to react, not to compromise and certainly not to follow the dictates of the opposition into oblivion.
He failed to lead on healthcare reform. He compromised even before the debate had begun. He framed the issue too broadly and then gave up more and more to the corporate sponsored enemy. The result is a revised healthcare system that now has over 50 million uninsured Americans, does little to nothing to control costs, and won't even make any of its biggest, and still unproven, changes for two to three years.
The President failed to lead on torture reform and prosecution, on prosecution of Wall Street banking and investment fraud, on bringing a swift end to two unjustified wars, on continued unemployment compensation for those out of work for over 99 weeks, and on energy policy, to name just a few important issues that define and set the tone for effective government.
His half measures on nearly every issue, though perhaps politically more digestible in the short term, have rendered him ineffective. Now he is left with a tepid left leaning electorate at best and unmotivated base that will sit out the upcoming midterms at worst. Count me in the company of the downright disgusted former supporters wrapping their fingers on the table questioning their President's motives.
Let's take a moment to grade the President on obvious aspects of leadership.
The President's Vision for America: F
What is Mr. Obama's vision for our country? If you know, please articulate it in comments for the edification of us all.
Some questions as examples of how the President might define a vision for our county that American citizens of many stripes could rally round:
How much of our power supply should be supplied by renewable energy, by when and how?
If our monetary and financial systems are not benefiting the people how should they be changed?
Are we to be a country with a strong, stabilizing middle class? If so, how are we going to reverse the current increase in poverty?
Are we going to be a country with full employment? If so, what needs to change and how are we going to make those changes?
Do we believe medical care should be accessible to all Americans? If so, the job of healthcare reform is far from done. What do you propose as the next steps toward the goal of universal health care?
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