Gen O as a generational marker has barely begun, and yet Newsweek’s Gen O project is drawing to a close.  While we’ve lived and breathed Gen O for six months now, we will have no way of knowing what it truly means for years yet.  A general buzz of change still sizzles in the air, but how is President Obama doing?  Is change really occurring?  You must admit he took office with quite a mess on his hands.  He could have easily chosen one issue and focused on it until it was completely solved before moving to the next, but he didn’t.  Obama seized nearly every hot-button issue of the past decade and made it his – claiming responsibility for its resolution.  He’s juggling healthcare reform while working to stimulate the economy while working to overhaul the energy sector while changing the face of education.  Whew! 

On the outset of this project, I asked our leadership, among other things, to improve our education system, stimulate our economy, and develop alternative energy sources.  Here is my report card:

Education:  B-
It is hard to dispute that America’s education system needs a serious overhaul.  We lag behind several other countries and continue to slip.  Obama has proposed merit pay and removing ineffective teachers.  He is investing in our community colleges, making secondary education and continuing education more accessible.  He is expanding educational funding for veterans.  All of these are important first steps to improving the system and ensuring a more educated workforce that can compete globally for the future.

Economy:  B
The consistent downward spiral of our economy since 2007 is the biggest problem Obama faces.  The solution is complicated beyond my understanding and I respect all efforts to fix the problem.  With jobs being a lagging indicator, they haven’t caught up to what appears to be a slowly stabilizing economy.  I’m not thrilled with the amount of money we’ve hemorrhaged in banking and corporate bailouts and I’m not thrilled that our government is now running some of the largest companies in America.  That said, it appears to be working slowly and if that is what is necessary to put our country back to work, then so be it.  Many in my life who were unemployed at the beginning of this project have returned to work or school.  Several close to me have chosen to open their own small businesses, indicating to me that they have faith enough in the recovery to take on added risk.

Energy:  A-
Obama plans to invest $15B annually in renewable energy sources through 2018.  He also plans to spend $150B over 10 years to develop renewable energy sources and to encourage conservation.  There are several other bills circulating through Congress currently that will provide incentives for clean energy usage and development.  Then, there’s the controversial cap-and-trade bill that will limit the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere.  This is just the beginning of what is sure to be huge reform in this arena.

The disadvantage of tackling so many issues at once is none of them are going to be resolved overnight.  It is too soon to know how the new policies will affect long-term change.  My grading takes this into account and is generous.  I expect that legislation enacted will begin to take hold soon and show marked improvement in the coming year or two.  More work can always be done to ensure that the world is better for our children than it was for us, but I believe we’re on the right path to making this happen.

Farewell Gen O, though not really.  As we move deeper into Obama’s administration, Gen O will continue to evolve and all our lives will be impacted.  Personally, this means a new career opportunity on the horizon and a second child entering public school.  It means paying back student loans and looking for more ways to conserve resources and reduce my footprint. The best really is yet to come.

What a privilege it has been to work on this project.  Thank you all for your readership, input and thought-provoking comments.  Continue the conversation…

-Crystal France