Politics Obama - Actually doing a good job?

Now I know that it's all the fashion to trounce the big guy in office.

But in the end, I'd like to give credit where credit is due.

I had the opportunity ending last year to actually work for the White House for a year.
This position came to me strictly out of luck and I had the skills to take advantage of it.
Then with the budget wars of the last spring it ended...and then I had to find other options.

Now, I'm not a politico...I don't necessarily support any side...or specifically any person.
I tend to be totally pragmatic, judging the situation as it is, what options I have, then act.
Same with my votes.

I will say, given the options I had, I voted for Obama,
but then again, I've voted for people before...and they've disappointed me (Dem, Ind or GOP)
I judge people for what they do for me, the land and how hard they try.
I treat my politicians like I do my workers, I don't care who they are, I care about results.

I must say, being on the inside...I was impressed.
Despite the challenges given to his administration...there were good management attempts and policies to address issues.
Questions were put to EVERYONE, no matter who or what level...to see what they'd improve.
Positions were put in place to actually optimize government. (ex. CIO and CTO...this is HUGE if you've ever seen IT waste...much less the damn contractors)
Ideas to get rid of waste...not agendas...not ideology, but actual waste and redundancy...to increase efficiency.

The media, the Left, the Right, etc, etc, etc...Everyone is screaming,
Everyone wants what they want, right now, why isn't it done yet?
Everyone colors it with their own agenda and bias.

But now I saw it, without a filter...directly with my own eyes, over time.
The Federal government is a HUGE complex machine.
And you've got tons of drivers...there's no way you're going to turn it on a dime.
You've got leaders and bureaucrats with their own territories.
You've got laws, rules and protocols everything disputed if changed...must less how to implement.

Yet there it was, bit by bit...things being put in place to re-enforce the policy of making it more efficient.
A group of people and protocol trying to slowly turn this glutted beast into a sleeker system.

I don't know if I agree with Obama on everything. (ex. NASA...my heart bleeds for that...maybe that's MY bias)
But I will give credit to him and his administration for actually trying to fix the damn thing.
And getting views from everyone, no matter their side.
And actually following up and following through...bit by bit.
A long chess game, the ultimate "this old house" fixit.

In the upcoming election, I'd put Obama up for comparison against anyone, to judge him...see if he's worth it.
That's my right as a citizen, to see if I can get something better.

But one, in comparison with the current options given to me, I doubt it.
And two, seeing what he's ACTUALLY done...from the inside and out.
I'd say right now, he's done a pretty good job...despite all the factors.

What do you think?
Do you think he deserves credit?

 

Oh, most people have NO idea how complex.
There are so MANY departments...and so MANY projects.
Each with leaders who want to keep their own under control...much less expand.
Each with military or bureaucrats or contractors...each wanting to keep their paycheck coming...much less any conflict of interest.

I will give most credit, the intent is to do a good job, within their frame of control and reference.
It's just that humans have their own weaknesses and bias...this adds to the controlled chaos.
One hand doesn't know what the other is doing...repeat, repeat, repeat...and so on.

Neither Democrat or Republican administrations or leaders are good at getting this under control.
Both equally spend money and resources...just with an emphasis on different things.
It's just that any attempt to "get rid of" or "reduce", usually just adds another layer.
This does NOT mean that we should get rid of everything as the extreme Libertarians want to do. (there is a place for government)

So I respect the audacity, the willingness of Obama to suggest and followup and follow-thru on making it more efficient.
I saw inside, and I'm seeing it in the media (thru all the BS otherwise) that he is slowly pushing to get rid of unnecessary and redundant government.
Proposals for reorganization, elimination of waste, paperwork, redundant departments, ongoing projects that won't go away or get results, etc, etc...

I am a fair-minded Libertarian...and it greatly pleased me to actually see and experience...an inquiry and a push to remove the glut.
His administration is NOT adding to the government overall...it is actually reducing it...bit by bit.
It is not as those who believe that Dems classically add to the government...his actions observed are that is removing these.

It's a virtually impossible task to clean up this mess of decades of build up through tides of change.
But it is at least heartening that they are taking up the task, no matter the effort...or length of time.
They are not doing it by the usual destructive method of reducing budget, stripping it of power, etc.
But they are doing it by examining, reviewing, investigation...then acting, and setting overall policy to push for that goal for the whole damn thing.

It's methodical, intelligent, reflective...but then they ACT. And tell others to follow, and act on those.
Ex. CIO went though ALL agencies to find out those IT projects & contracts that hadn't been affective within a certain time...and stopped them if not.
Ex. Policy to remove actual paper to transfer it to electronic media, with immediate backup, and focusing on centralization.
Ex. CTO starting to setup shared cloud data repositories that all government can use, to reduce the number of datahubs and datacenters.
Ex. Proposals to get rid of redundant departments and roll them into others. (unfortunately, he has to wait on Congress for this)
Ex. Proposals to get rid of redundant regulations between multiple depts and roll them into one. (again, waiting on Congress)
Ex. Created a bureau dedicated to optimizing performance and finding waste and inefficiency for ALL federal govt agencies.
Ex. Creating centralized easily and non-redundant web site dedicated to sharing information through out.
and so on...

I even filled out two survey/poll/questionaire when I was there. (these were universal, asked of EVERYONE in govt...contractors included)
First, asked...what ideas do you have to improve government...everything from small suggestions to large.
Second, asked...what would you do to reorganize the government?

Both of these were followed up on. I saw the action.
And even though a minor idea was given the "award", all were considered, some immediately implemented, some will take time.
Some need Congress to agree on

But it was cool to see...and I can only hope that it continues.
No matter who is at the head.
(amazing what good things get shoved aside just because they were someone else's idea)

 

Now is this fair credit or blame?
Seems that people are giving negatives on Obama as gas prices rise.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...-white-house/2012/03/11/gIQAuhYO6R_print.html

Now, I believe that gas prices are set by the oil companies...MAYBE government might be able to coax or influence prices over the long run,
but action, policy or direct negotiation...but for the most part, it is set by the speculative nature of commodities and companies' bottom lines.

I would no more give credit to him or anyone else if they went down.

So, people vote with their pocketbook...or as Clinton was said to have said, "It's the ECONOMY stupid"

Question is...will it be the same in November...this is really where the show is...and what will win or lose the game.
But that's why I asked the question.
Taking out the "luck" factors, that any president has or doesn't have control of.
Do you see him as actually doing anything?

Personally, for what the President or Commander in Chief actually has literal control of...I see him working every angle.
But I don't want to give credit or blame for something "out of reach".

And Congress currently is worthless. I'm more afraid of what they MAY do, instead of what they don't.

 

Gas prices are set by speculation on the market. This is why you always hear people talking about the price per barrel of oil going up or down. Something bad happens (i.e. sabre-rattling re: Iran), people speculate that the market will be pinched, and voila, prices go up. The market for oil is really, seriously fucked up, especially for a commodity we use so much of, as circumstances beyond simple supply and demand control it.

Anyone who believes Obama can control the energy market is ignorant.

 

Speculation is only one aspect of the bigger picture that includes external influences on supply and demand. Obama has some control but not enough to have any substantial meaning, unless he wants to take more extreme (i.e. costly) measures.

Unfortunately, when it comes to evaluating how Obama is doing, it depends on your politics. If you're a free-marketer low-tax conservative, Obama is doing all the wrong things to manage the challenges the U.S. is facing. This despite the same strategies being employed currently elsewhere (Canada, Germany) and even domestically in the past (by Republican presidents, no less).

So gas prices are just one thing. The problem with the U.S. is that it's so behind on many things compared to most of the developed world. It's behind in fuel economy. It's behind in green energy production. It's behind in energy conservation. So when you look at oil supplies and prices, you're only looking at one piece of the puzzle, and it's a piece that the U.S. isn't actually managing that poorly comparatively.

I view Obama as a disaster-management president. Unfortunately, most of what he does to either a) fix problems, or b) pursue new opportunities is faced with resistance from conservatives who'd rather leave everything to the good graces of the private sector. Unfortunately, one of the main reasons he's a disaster president is because of the private sector. Any meaningful change will come at the cooperation between the government and industry. I'm sure you'll find this is the way of most success stories.

Conservatives today will deny this. They want government out of the way. They'll say one thing as the reason why, but more than a few of us know the real reason.

I would like to think that most would rather see success.

The Republicans, unfortunately, have been focused on nothing other than failure.