About Me

"Talk," she commanded, standing in front of me. "Who, what and why?" "I'm Percy Maguire," I said, as if this name, which I had thought up, explained everything. Dashiell Hammett, "The Big Knockover"

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Things that Obama Will Not Be Known For...

...the "smart policy" president. When his political capital was at its height, he outsourced his stimulus package to a pair of big-government types. Then he "campaigned" on it by offering its chief virtue -- it's something. You may call it pragmatism -- I call it indecision. (BTW, his pick of Joe (Loose Lips) Biden hasn't gotten better with age.)

...the "post-partisan" president. Sure there were a couple of photo ops with the GOP as the stimulus was winding its way through Congress but Obama spoke as it the Republicans didn't have a plan to revive the economy. His denunciations of GOP criticism wouldn't be a big deal except for the fact that his campaign was all about crossing the aisle. I suspect when 2011 comes around, he may regret his clenched fist.

...the "ethical" president. When it comes to waivers for erstwhile lobbyists to work in his administration -- well, let's just say they've become "tidal waivers." When you have way too many exceptions, you really don't have a rule. And as long as poor Timmy Geithner is the Treasury Secretary, he'll remain the poster child for tax-dodgers everywhere.

The good news is that it's only the first month in office. The bad news, I suspect, is that it won't get any better.

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