Man on the move: Whether he’s signing executive orders, speaking to lawmakers on healthcare, or touting his education program, President Obama has filled his first weeks in office with urgency and activity.
(Gerald Herber/AP)Photos (1 of 1)
Is Obama taking on too much?
Bolstered by high approval ratings, the president sees a limited window of opportunity to enact his agenda.
By Linda Feldmann | March 11, 2009 edition
Reporter Linda Feldmann discusses how President Obama's multi-tasking could be keeping him from devoting more time and energy to rescuing the economy.
Reporter Linda Feldmann
Charles Dharapak/AP
Washington
The first 50 days of the Obama administration have seen a whirlwind of activity – a record $787 billion economic stimulus bill, summits on fiscal responsibility and healthcare, a raft of executive orders undoing Bush-era policies.
In the first three days of this week alone, President Obama has focused attention on embryonic stem cell research, education, and earmarks. On Wednesday, as the president prepared to sign a $410 billion omnibus spending bill left over from the last administration – and containing almost 8,000 congressional pet projects totaling $5.5 billion – he announced new rules governing such earmarks.
All the while, the nation remains gripped by its worst economic crisis in decades, and with no end in sight, the topic du jour has become: Is Obama trying to do too much?
The Obama administration itself has not hidden the fact that it sees a limited window to enact its agenda, almost like a game of “beat the clock.” As long as Obama’s job approval ratings are comfortably high – currently in the 60s in major polls – he has the political capital to address the pent-up demand for change that is inevitable when the opposition party takes over from an unpopular previous administration.
But, there’s only so much a White House and Congress can accomplish, given the deliberative nature of the process, and even members of Obama’s own party are raising warning flags about the magnitude of the new president’s agenda.
“It is time for President Obama to focus his considerable leadership and communication skills on the financial crisis – to speak candidly with the people about the magnitude of the problem, to embrace a solution commensurate with the problem, and to do whatever it takes to persuade Congress and the people to accept it,” wrote William Galston, a former senior adviser to President Clinton, in The New Republic.
If not, Mr. Galston warns, Obama could end up like “another highly intelligent, self-disciplined, and upright president did three decades ago.” He is referring to President Carter, who in his first year in office sent so many proposals down Pennsylvania Avenue the result was near-gridlock, Galston notes.
Though many analogies have been drawn between today and Franklin Roosevelt’s rise to power in 1933, when the country was already mired in a deep economic depression, the more apt model may be Ronald Reagan, who also rose to the presidency as the economy sank.
Reagan “had three big priorities – spending cuts, tax cuts, and national defense,” says John Pitney, a political scientist at Claremont-McKenna College in Claremont, Calif. “A lot of his supporters were upset that he deferred social issues. Part of that was his calculation that those issues would be contentious. But he also recognized that there was only so much attention that he and Congress could devote to any issue.”
Obama has heard the criticism, and is strongly defending his approach.
“I know there’s some who believe we can only handle one challenge at a time,” Obama said Tuesday in his remarks on education. “They forget that Lincoln helped lay down the transcontinental railroad and passed the Homestead Act and created the National Academy of Sciences in the midst of civil war.”
Obama has also famously said that “we cannot successfully address any of our problems without addressing them all.” In that statement, made in his weekly video address Feb. 21, he was describing the intertwined nature of the economic crisis – the connections among the housing crisis, the credit crunch, and the decline in jobs.
Add to that mix, this week, the nation’s declining performance in educating its children.
When asked whether it was really worth the diversion for the president to focus on education while Wall Street was sinking to new lows daily, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs kept up the analogy of the economy as a house on fire: “I think part of the house that’s on fire is dealing with the education problem.”
Warren Buffett, the legendary investor and an Obama supporter, also tweaked the administration early in the week for issuing “muddled messages,” leading the public to “feel that they don’t know what’s going on and their reaction, then, is to absolutely pull back.”
In another sign that the White House has gotten the message about the need for clarity, the administration has put out word that economic recovery remains its top priority, and that the economic team, from Obama on down, is making its voice heard.
On Thursday, Obama will speak about the economy to the Business Roundtable. On Friday, Obama’s top economic adviser, Lawrence Summers, will give a major speech on the economy in Washington. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, whose debut was marred by a less-than-reassuring presence, remains in the game with testimony before the Senate Budget Committee on Thursday.
It’s also possible that, in carving out a massive agenda, Obama is throwing out topics like education that he can then back away from, “as a kind of stalking horse, to avoid having to jettison the ones he does not want to put off,” says Bruce Buchanan, a political scientist at the University of Texas, Austin. Mr. Buchanan does not buy the argument that Obama is “doing too much.”
“It overlooks the urgency of the moment, both in terms of fixing stuff that has to be fixed now, and getting stuff on the agenda that loses its chance if it isn’t addressed now,” Buchanan says. In fact, there may be something to the statements by chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who have both warned against “wasting a good crisis.”
“There’s some truth to that,” he says. “You’re feeding your opponents, but nevertheless, the American political system has very few windows of opportunity, and crises are the most important.”
Comments
2. Patriot | 03.12.09
Obama is doing things right. We sorely need change - with our country in the state its in, no one could possibly do “too much”.
Gobama!
3. GreggP | 03.12.09
I think he is right to move quickly, but he makes me nervous that he is only working on a predetermined agenda and not listening to the economic indicators around him (i.e. the Dow dropping at twice the rate since his inauguration compared to the three months prior). I think the author was right in suggesting Obama take a page out of Reagan’s book on how to most effectively handle the situation.
4. captainjohann | 03.12.09
I think Obama is following Bush on foreign policy while changing the domestic agenda.
5. Joe in KS | 03.12.09
It is amazing how the msm follow the gop’s talking points: is Prez Obama doing too much? is he spending too much? is he … too much? it seems like whatever the man do, someone would criticize him.
Tell me, what else does the man should do about the economy? Stimulus plan? check. Housing foreclosure plan? check. banking bailout plan? working on it. G20 economic summit? working on it. long term budget? check.
Is there anything specific that you want him to do on the economy? please list it instead of parroting the “he is doing too much” line.
6. Bob Hart | 03.12.09
Is OBama the Anti-Christ spoken of in the Bible? Has the Christian community examined this possibility? If Not Why Not?
7. Aminah Yaquin Carroll | 03.12.09
Prsident Obama is skilled in the fickleness of political will. He is right on track, for surely the nation cannot survive another generation of reckless indifference and status quo social darwinism.
8. Jay Gordon | 03.12.09
It is amazing that anyone who has survived the past eight years can fret in the slightest about WHATEVER momentum the President chooses. We elected him to restore this nation. Leave him alone; let him do it. Would it kill people to just stand back and let the man do the job we elected him to do? Aren’t we weary yet of the second-guessing and nitpicking? Let’s trust him and support his efforts. If others think they’re smarter’n he is, let ‘em get elected!
9. Joseph Rindini | 03.12.09
It seems this question of is he taking on too much begs the question of whether those who are asking are a little affected by a need for instant gratification. A reasonable amount of time in office should give us a reasonable opinion. As for my opinion, so far, I feel that he has displayed brilliance, a clear deep grasp of our challenges, and a solid commitment to gather the competent people needed to help him solve our problems. If we would all just back off a bit, take a few deep breaths and give our elected leader a chance to display his effectiveness we might all be the better.
10. plutocrat03 | 03.12.09
As a resident of Illinois I watch with bemusement as everyone explores every nuance of the presidents behavior.
He was not a star in the Illinois Senate and did very little for the State as a US Senator. So far he has appointed and number of sketchy character to his appointed positions. Most of them are holdovers of the Clinton era, others seem to have backgrounds heavily biased toward the left.
My perception of his approach is that he wants to stir the pot, get his headlines while moving the US to the failed EU model.
I challenge anyone to read the specifics of the health care changes enacted in the so called stimulus package. If you expect the same kinds of health care at a lower price, you will be disappointed. There will be a governmental agency who will review your value to society and then allow the MDs to perform only what they deem is necessary. MDs who do not toe the line can be punished. Chilling
11. Dave Makkar | 03.12.09
Comrade Obama jack of all and master of none. Working very hard to solve all problems in one go with Pro Israeli Cabinet who have only one Agenda to create more poor in America. Like Israel where 500 Families control its economy with 32% poor people; this group wants to replicate the same in first 4 years of Obama Presidency to make atleast 20% American Poor with another 12% in next term if given a chance.
12. Christina | 03.12.09
Joe in KS is right on target. The CSM is parroting the frame that the GOP wants everyone to use. Don’t give in to that ploy. One of the reasons this line of questioning seems plausible is that we have just endured 8 years with a president who did very little during the work day, so it makes Obama look positively hyperactive. He has a cabinet; he has advisors; he has a huge staff; he has Congress. We elected him because he has great ideas, and our country has fallen into crisis. The way to get out is to do everything that is necessary as soon as possible. He doesn’t do everything himself. Let him generate ideas; let him communicate to the country; let him find qualified people to carry out the ideas and get the country back into functioning. Quit operating on the basis of fear; quit cooperating in trying to keep us fearful and therefore impotent.
13. Abigal in NYC | 03.12.09
First, Obama and his most ardent supporters should face the possibility that he just isn’t Lincoln, and may just not come close to the motive, intelligence, determination or pragmatism of Lincoln. Second, I agree with plutocrat03. Last, it should dawn on you folks that fixing the economy is not Obama’s priority. If it were he would have a Treasury Secty up to the job, a staffed Treasury Dept, a bank plan, and would not have sent forward a 2010 Budget due to worsen our lot for years to come. His agenda is clearly campaigning to keep poll numbers up, while he nationalizes healthcare, education, mortgages, and redistributes wealth via higher taxes and increases in entitlements. How about it Feldman, a little tough scrutiny on this agenda may be due.
14. dorothy gordon | 03.12.09
after reading all the comments pro and con, i would say there has to be a simpler answer than to keep the mental climate stirred up on both sides. it is the motive, the principle, the honesty that governs the man that determines his effectiveness. and we, as a people, need to see our part in this too. it is not a one way street, or a static affair. only as we discern our own need for honest thinking and are willing to become activated with gratitude for the good we already have can we diminish the fear that would plague us. progress is the natural outcome of order and hope.
15. R. Jean Vallieres | 03.12.09
“Whoever is in a hurry shows that the thing he is about is too big for him. ~Lord Chesterfield There is an equally interesting interpretation of haste that goes like this: “The devil takes a hand in what is done in haste. ~Turkish Proverb Thoughts worth reflecting on.
16. Brian Schlarb | 03.12.09
hhahahaaha
“joe in KS”
you make me laugh,i cant wait to be paying for your mortgage one day, its gonna be so much fun! (and learn how to type)
PLUTOCRAT,
your right on it!!! we need more people like u! keep it up!
what obama is doing is wrong and unconstitutional!!!!!
17. Howard_T | 03.12.09
Obama is an articulate puppet for the left. The plan all along was to mortgage the future of the United States by putting into place well-intended but costly and poorly run social programs. The left are taking advantage of the current economic crisis by doing all of the wrong things in the name of “stimulus”. The Senate and House of Representatives meanwhile see the massive pork barrel spending as a way to ensure their re-election. Our last remaining hope will be on November 2, 2010, when we have3 the chance to purge the Senate and House of those who will allow government to control every aspect of our lives.
18. Dr. Maat | 03.12.09
Is Obama taking on too much? No more than God can handle through him.
I love his oratory style and attempts to problem solving. I do not think his advisors know the full impact yet of having him in the White House, and I think those who are called the Illuminati have their own agenda outside of Obama’s faith in God or belief system.
That said, I still think Obama is treading in dangerous waters by appeasing the war hawks and prolonging war which will lead to eventual rebuilding of foreign infratsructures while America’s cities crumble from neglect and decay of highway infrastructure.
Those with the least voice in government and least access to the ear of Obama wonder if change will come for them. especially those who are disabled, and the military staff who want to come home, but are too afraid to say it.
I am ProLife, so I don’t support war, slavery, assisted suicide, stem cell research or the use of stem cells from frozen embryos (aborted fetuses). So of all of the Obama changes that I do support, it is his willingness to give a helping hand to those who already live at, below or near poverty level–for the first time those who receive SSI will receive an economic stimulus check; and the middle class. I was not a big fan of Reagan as president, but cheered his tenacity after so many attempts on his lfe. I was even less a fan of Bush, but cheered his decisions not to support Frankinstein research and abortion in general.
I am ProLife, but still support the right of a woman to make her own decision (not children), and live by the consequences of her action, unimpeded by government of opinions of others.
Life and freedom cannot be legislated or dismissed. They are already inherent rights.
19. Teri Foss | 03.12.09
Systemic problems require acute action. Unfortunately, there is no time for comprehensive analysis when the bleeding is so severe. Immediate action must be taken, albeit with wise intervention that is based on sound vision, principled character, and discerning follow-through. When you stop and listen to the various White House spokespeople, a sound, and relatively holistic vision is evident, unlike the incessant chatter and fault-finding of Republican pundits and spokespeople who’s only interest seems to be attempting to circumvent the new change in policies in hopes of continuing to advance their unilateral agendas. The social problems that Obama’s addressing are all inter-related and their neglect over the past eight years plays in proportionately to the economic crisis. Not addressing them would be a continuation of the Bush failed policies, policies that were wholly deficient in addressing real social needs. The financial bottom line is not the only bottom line or the most imperative one and actually is a false gauge of society’s security and wellbeing. The whole of the problems are much greater than these initial attempts to address them; the stage is merely being set for the priorities of the agenda over the next few years, with ample opportunity for domestic and global interaction and comprehensive development, methodical analysis, and ethical action.
20. Telluris Sciomnes | 03.12.09
Bob Hart, you wrote:
“Is OBama the Anti-Christ spoken of in the Bible? Has the Christian community examined this possibility? If Not Why Not?”
First, his name is spelled Obama–and he has a title: President Obama.
answer to your first question: no.
Answer to your second question: Way-way-way more than it should to the point of being shameful, ignorant and overtly racist.
Answer to your third inane comment: Why? Because you think you are the center of the universe and the world revolves around you and since you are mortal and going to die then the universe must be about to die, too, right?? SO you follow your fear via superstition to reinforce your “I’m so important” egomania and HOPE the world will end when you do–all this to support your extremely selfishness… Shame on you. I hope this answered your questions.
21. sylviabrown | 03.13.09
Obama took questions only from those on his preapproved list. He was lacking again in specifics. However, due to vetted questions, he was able to answer without the interminable “uuuuhhhhh”. These businessmen seem to fawn over him. Unsure footing.
22. Jerry Clark | 03.13.09
We elected Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America. Now let’s let him govern. America is in the midst of the greatest challenge in our history. Now is the time to be an American and work together with our President to make America what our founders wanted. If President Obama’s actions are analyzed this will show that he has though through each potential challenge and has developed an action plan for each. He is also intelligent and understands the reality of American political life and the bi-partisan nature of our political system. This means that he understands that every issue will not be solved as he wished. This is also the time that Congress works together to solve our problems. If this does not happen the results will be slow in coming and the form of them will not be as effective as they could be. We also elected President Obama to make a change in the way business is done in DC. One other thing that will effect President Obama’s ability to get things done is that he is dealing with the results of the last few administrations and in some cases he is forced to do things he does not necessarily like.
23. Archmac | 03.13.09
Joe in KS, and Christina are spot-on…this article spends too much time parroting Republican (and Democratic) ‘politics as usual’ blather. President Obama was elected because enough of us are fed up with ‘politics as usual’. Christina is also right about our perspective on this: after 8 years of what was basically a do-nothing President (wish I could say the same about his VP!), we have forgotten what an intelligent, motivated President can (and should) try to accomplish.
Brian Schlarb, Abigail in NYC, GreggP, Dave Makkar, Howard_T: The Monitor is for intelligent, well-informed readers. While I do not in the least doubt your intelligence, your comments make it painfully clear that you are a bit shy of the second quality. Kindly do not waste our time with these ill-informed comments. Please explore these issues more thoroughly before commenting again. (Hint: FOX and Rush are not giving you accurate or complete information. Not even close. Go explore other sources. Learn. Stop letting yourself be fooled by right-wing idealogues. You’re smarter than that).
24. Ty Wilson | 03.13.09
Archmac
Please accurate information??? Does Barney Frank gives us accurate or complete information? Where is the money going to come from for the States that put the stimulus in action now for the unemployment extensions in two years from now? I guess the federal goverment again (more taxes)? Read the hatred in your blog, when a DEMOCRAT is proven wrong it is always yeah but.. Change and Hope was what I was promised when I voted for Obama. Does his cabinet suggest Change?? NO, same old Washington.. National Health Care??? name me 4 yes that big number 4 things that is goverment ran that runs smoothly or is not out of control in its debt??
God Bless America
I supprt the President just not his BS
Hope and Change
25. Bernard W, Saunders | 03.14.09
Obama must govern as if this is his only term in office. He cannot be concerned about re-election. He cannot be over cautious , nor rely to much on gaining the support of the Republican party. If his first 50 days have proven anything it it that his opponents will use any means necessary to destroy his Presidency. He must govern as if there is no tomorrow Bernard W. Saunders
26. Bernard W, Saunders | 03.14.09
Obama must govern as if this is his only term in office. He cannot be concerned about re-election. He cannot be over cautious , nor rely to much on gaining the support of the Republican party. If his first 50 days have proven anything it it that his opponents will use any means necessary to destroy his Presidency. He must govern as if there is no tomorrow Bernard W. Saunders
27. Archmac | 03.16.09
Ty:
Sorry you read “hatred” in my post…I am really more weary than anything. The posts I mentioned all contained phrases, code and keywords that are repetetive and recognizable as pre-packaged ‘talking points’ (these were from the right, although I know both sides are guilty of promulgating this ‘groupspeak’).
While listening to media from all sides of the spectrum can help make folks better-informed (compare and contrast, the truth is usually somewhere in the middle), I really think it is best to at least occasionally listen to a whole speech or press conference (or whatever), rather than to just accept whatever CNN or Fox or even the CSM parses from them. I find it very interesting how the news media ‘tweaks’ things when I have listened to the original, and I think that most Americans do not realize that almost everything that they hear as “news” is really just opinion, or is at least highly biased.
It is a very sad commentary on our news media that The Daily Show and Vanity Fair do a better job of journalism than they do!
Listen to a whole hearing with Barney Frank (not just the carefully-selected snippets that are quoted in the media), and you might appreciate him more…he gives Fox and their ilk a lot of good quotes, but he also strikes me as caring more about saving this country than he does about maintaining his party’s power. I would FAR rather have more members of congress like him (wacky as he is) than obfuscators and obstructionists like Pelosi, Reid, Kyl, Cantor and Boehner.
28. Remigio Christopher Obol | 03.16.09
For the Americans who are still stucked to their “guns of opposition” will never see and understand that Obama is making change which he called for during his campaign. Election is over, and Obam,a won it, by that Amricans has become one in bridging the many gaps left by the former adminstration. Instead of spending time critizing Obama, let us use this time consatructively to work together for our beloved nation–America America–America.
By critizising Obama now, you are critizising yourself for not doing good work for your own nation. That is the greaest sin that an American can commit, first of all on her/himself and to the others. If one loves his/her country, the person can not make destructive critism but constructive ones.
Making a change is bitter for the opposition and the like, but does not prevent change to go ahead for the good of the nation, for the people who need the change. And to make a change is like treating a heart desease. For a heart desease is caused by many problems, so to treat the patient effectively, the doctor does not only treat one cause/symptom. The doctor must at all cause treat all the causes/symptoms equally in order to cure tyhe desease properly. What Obama is doing is treating the American-economic-heart desease. He,must take on head-long all the causes at ago.
I am happy that Obama is going on well on the right way.
FR. Remigio Chriistopher Obol- Gulu Uganda
29. dalechip53 | 03.16.09
Every time Obama talks the markets tank, today they were rallying and he had his noon meeting and the markets fell like a rock.
30. oscar | 07.31.09
Obama is talking too much! Too much of him on the news . Bad handling of the raid just because it was his friend involved . He is President he should have more respect for the position . Salute the U.S. Flag ,he should try harder being a President instead of bankrupting the country he represents .
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1. Rodney Jackson | 03.12.09
I think President Obama is taking the right approach to this unprecedented crisis that America is facing. I believe the only way that America will evolve out of this economic crisis is by undergoing a transformation. Transformation requires a radical mental shift that demands a change in our thinking that the president and the congress must embrace if we as a nation are to thrive in the midst of this economic crisis. Therefore it is imperative that the President Obama responds thoughtfully and with urgency.