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Grading President Obama and My Farewell

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 19:00:00 -0400

I have been a contributor to this blog for the past 3 months and most of it has been spent abroad in Dublin, Ireland. Witnessing the past three months of the Obama Administration has still reaffirmed my confidence that those working around the President and the President himself have a head on their shoulders and have a clear vision for the country in various issues ranging from the economy to health care to civil rights. I pay particular attention to the following five issues that are of significant importance to me. Here is my gradebook:

1) LGBT Rights / Civil Rights This issue is critically important to me as one of the bedrocks of American society. As an openly gay man, but more importantly as an American, the civil rights of all our people is a critical issue that encompasses a broad scope of the political sphere from Marriage Equality to the Supreme Court nomination of Sonia Sotomayor. I have honestly been frustrated with the President’s slow pace on this issue. He voiced his support for both the Hate Crimes Bill and the Employment Non Discrimination Acts, both currently moving through the Houses of Congress. He forcefully voiced his support for the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act. Most of the progress necessary needs to happen legislatively so he can only do a certain amount in moving these bills forward. Much will depend on the courage and political will of the Democrats and equality-minded Republicans in Congress. However, the President has been very weak in relation to overturning the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy. I applaud him for hosting the reception honoring the LGBT Pride Month at the White House. Personally, I believe he is committed to the cause of equality. He just wants to do things at a slow and smart pace so as not to piss anyone off and possibly derail efforts for a long time. For that, I give him the benefit of the doubt and give him a B

2) Foreign Policy So far I have been very impressed with not only how world leaders have reacted to his intelligence, political savvy and tendency for people to generally like him. He has traveled across the world in his first half year and mended many fences that were previously broken under the Bush Administration. He understands foreign policy and general international affairs. He, along with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, make me proud to be American and have them represent us abroad. I give him an A.

3) Health Care The health care fiasco has not been pretty. I understand, though, that he vehemently supports a public health care option that ensures all Americans have some sort of coverage. I firmly believe he is committed to this cause. His problem lies in the Congress especially with fiscally conservative Democrats who do not want to appear to be spending funds on programs that are deemed frivolous. The fact that he was so vocal in calling Senators and Congressman to support this legislation along with his tendency to invite different players to meet with him in the White House shows that he faces obstacles largely out of his control. I give him a B+.

4) Education Policy There has not been much talk about education in the first six months of the Administration. I was very impressed with the fact that he emphasized service as a requirement for all young people, which I personally agree with. He also unveiled his community college plan which aims to revitalize America’s community colleges. During his first State of the Union Address, he emphasized the importance of education being a priority for young people in America. He stated how he plans to revamp education and make it something that people feel compelled to do because it is part of giving back to the country. We have not seen the results of this new Obama Education policy so I can’t give much of a grade now, but so far I give him a B+.

5) Immigration Policy In relation to civil rights, immigration is a critical issue that covers many facets of American life from the economy to national security. There has not been much action on the immigration front in the first 6 months of Obama’s Presidency. he has emphasized the need to revitalize our economy through job training, twenty-first century technology, and a new look on how we can rebuild our country to fit the needs of its growing and diverse population. He understands that immigrants contribute a significant amount to American society and I believe he will stand firm on this issue. His handling of Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s confirmation process has shown that he deeply values America’s diversity and wants it to be fully utilized through his many “firsts” in appointments ranging from the Justice Department to the Surgeon General. So far I give the President an A-.

The past 3 months have been inspiring. I have seen the posts from my fellow bloggers and have reaffirmed my belief that Generation O is truly a unique and completely different generation than anything ever witnessed in America. I firmly believe that within the next 10 to 15 years and with the helping hand of the Obama Administration, we will take this country into the twenty-first century with full speed. I never doubted my generation and this project has surely reaffirmed my confidence in young people’s desire for true progress on many fronts especially related to civil rights of all people.

In terms of what is going on in my life right now, I am still in Dublin, Ireland. I have finished my internship with the Parliament of Ireland and now I am just living in the city centre, socializing with friends, and doing some traveling on the side. I plan to return to the Washington DC area and the University of Virginia for my last year as an undergraduate on August 22. I plan to obtain my undergraduate degree in Politics and Religion in May 2010. Currently, I am in the process of waiting for a placement in the Peace Corps specifically looking at Eastern Europe. I am also looking into graduate schools in the United States, United Kingdom, and Ireland. We will see what happens. It was a pleasure working on this project and I hope that something like this continues. I applaud Newsweek for initiating this project and caring about the voices of young people in today’s America. Cheers!

Yours progressively,

-Eugene

Not Quite Dean's List Material, But Still a Great Performance

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:57:34 -0400

Last night, I was on the phone with a friend discussing the evening I saw Barack Obama speak on my college campus. This was almost two years ago, in September 2007 when our current president was barely registering as a blip on my radar. Then, more of my support for presidential candidacy was thrown behind our now Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. I recall thinking back then that Barack Obama was undoubtedly an eloquent and energetic speaker but questioned whether or not he could he handle being the Commander in Chief. He seemed to be full of hope. He seemed to have his head too high in the clouds and his feet not firmly grounded in reality.

Critics of our President will still say these things about him. Or hurl words like “Marxist” and “socialist” at him and his supporters as derogatory attacks on their political philosophies, or sometimes their personal and private lives. Ever since Obama’s introduction to the public consciousness, fear mongers have tried to paint him as foreign, exotic, and dangerous. While I would not have counted myself among the likes of these fanatic Obama loathers, I was not yet an Obama supporter.

Two years later, I’ve done a complete 180. I now count myself as a loud and proud member of Generation O. President Obama’s catapult into the homes, hearts, and minds of people everywhere in the world coincided with my own personal politicization. This coincidence marks him as a symbol of a very crucial moment in my individual life. His presidency will serve as a reference point for the instance where my civic engagement was swept up in a movement that compelled people everywhere to reinvest in America, and consequently themselves and each other.

Now it’s time to assess what this collective energy has meant. Have Generation O’s support and belief in President Obama been in vain? Have our expectations of the Obama administration have been met.

It’s a bit difficult for me to grade the Obama administration. The best perspective comes with time and barely seven months into one’s presidency hardly gives one the filter necessary to properly assess how legislation and policy affects the lived experiences of Americans. With that acknowledgement that the following grades will be doled out using my premature perspective, I give you my personal report card for President Obama’s performance on the following issues:

Womyn’s Rights: A

Soon after his inauguration, Barack Obama enacted the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to ensure that womyn receive equal pay for equal work. He rescinded the Mexico City Policy to help ensure reproductive rights for womyn on the international stage. With an executive order, Barack Obama created the White House Council on Women and Girls. The Obama Administration’s policies work to create a political framework where womyn do not suffer at the hands of discrimination simply beause of their sex and can begin to regain ownership of their individual bodies.

Healthcare: C+

President Obama would have received a C- for this had it not been for his unrelenting efforts to push reform through. As mentioned in my last post, the United States occupies a moment filled with great opportunity to ensure that every citizen is entitled to healthcare. It’s unfortunate that so many individuals are one job loss or one disease away from bankrupting herself or losing his life’s hard work to medical bills. No concrete accomplishments deserves a subpar grade.

Education: B

In my California bubble, I often lose sight as to what is playing out on the national landscape. It’s important for me to check myself and remember that what is going on in California is not necessarily what is going on in the world. Despite the education system crisis occuring here, there are still spots of brightness in the discussion of national education reform. Since his presidency has begun, Barack Obama has increased funding for Pell Grants to assist students enroll in college. He has also alloted 12 billion dollars in funding for the community college system. This system is often used by students to help prepare themselves for a four-year university down the road. In addition, many working adults turn to community college to learn new skills to boost their careers. Community colleges are a gateway to better jobs and higher education for many indivduals. In addition to increasing access to higher education, Barack Obama has acknowledged the importance of early childhood learning by increasing funding to Head Start programs.

Environment: B+

The Cash for Clunkers program has been gaining a lot of national attention. In the wake of the auto industry decline, this program has helped revitalize companies in the industry while simultaneously working to ensure more efficient energy use and consequently cleaner air. By taking inefficient cars off the road and replacing them with higher performing vehicles and providing consumers with financial incentives to do so, the American public reaps benefits on multiple fronts. Barack Obama has claimed since his campaign that energy reform was going to be one of his top priorities. With programs such as the Cash for Clunkers, and the Interior Department’s promise to begin leasing federal waters for offshore production of electricity in order to harness and expend renewable energy, President Obama’s promises are being honored.

These are the issues that I have found to be most pertinent to my life and as such are the ones I watch most closely, am more inclined to engage in discussion on, and work towards making gains on. As a recent college grad, I am involved in a process to re-root my life in California, where I was born and raised. Spending my undergrad years in Manhattan granted me a unique college experience and served as a vibrant background for my politicization to begin and foster. Back on the Left Coast, I am excited to find my niche in the professional world where my labor can contribute to the empowerment of others.

Barack Obama came into a presidency burdened with issues labeled as insurmountable. While many of his promises have not yet realized fruition, Barack Obama refuses to back down from the challenge. He recognizes his responsibility to his constituents and is fully dedicated to improving the lives of every one, every where regardless of socioeconomic status, race, gender, or other social marker. In my book, he gets an A+ for effort.

It has been a pleasure and a privilege to participate in this project with my fellow Gen O bloggers. Thank you for making the time to visit our blog and to contribute to our discussion.

-Emerald Maravilla

Grading Obama

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:00:00 -0400

So here we are, not yet half way through Obama’s first year of his (first) four year term. We’re closing in on the end of his first semester. It looks a lot like my first semester in college- moving into a new place, making new friends, drinking beer, narrowly averting the destruction of the free world… Ok, maybe it’s a little different. One thing’s the same for sure though- it’s report card time! Let me say up front that I’m a tough grader. To me, “C” means average, “B” is really good, and and “A” is really REALLY freakin’ good.

Foreign Policy: A-
Plays well with others. Extremely popular with all the other kids around the globe. Demonstrates deep understanding and knowledge about each of their respective homes. Hopefully he’ll make some headway with the bullies next semester. Better trade policy will help his grade here, too.

Fixing the Economy: B-
Considering the fact that the Seniors thought it would be a funny prank to flush a cherry bomb down the toilet before he got his class schedule, he’s doing OK. Quite a mess. It’ll be a while before this grade sticks, but all the indicators are looking good. Stocks are up, unemployment is… well, up, but at least it’s slowing.

Health Care Reform: Incomplete
Final project is late. I don’t think it’s possible to pull an A out of this one. If it’s turned in before October complete with a public option, he can still pull out a B. Every month after October looses one letter grade. If the final project is missing an affordable public option, I’m afraid it’s an F. 256 seats in the House and 60 seats in the Senate. Whip ‘em into shape. This one might take a few all nighters, but let me say it again… SIXTY SEATS!

Environmentalism: B-
We can bring this one up next semester if he gets more of the stimulus money into green jobs. It’s a great goal, now let’s make it happen. ACES bill is a great start. Increasing the CAFE standards is great. Let’s get the electrical grid fixed. We’re moving in the right direction.

Overall: Still incomplete, but off to a great start. He’s working on a pretty hefty course load. Not to mention those pesky senior pranks again, but they really left him quite a hole to dig out of, and all the Gamma Omicron Pi frat boys aren’t helping any. They just keep TPing the White House lawn and chanting “No! No! No!” at the top of their lungs. Meatheads.

And that’s it! Our last official post as part of the Generation O Blog project on Newsweek. It’s been a lot of fun. We’ve really enjoyed getting to know some of the other bloggers and reading through their ideas. Hopefully we’ll be able to stay in touch in the future. We’re pretty easy to follow- www.DandTW.com pretty much tells it all. You can also find us on facebook at www.facebook.com/dandtw. We’ve got a new record coming out this fall, and we’ll be out on the road a lot. Maybe we’ll see some of you at a show!

Be safe-
Doug & Telisha Williams

The Best is Yet to Come

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:00:00 -0400

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

See You When I See You

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:00:00 -0400

Over the course of this summer, my interpretation of what it means to be a part of Generation O has evolved. At first, it just referred to the young(ish) generation that is living through the many “firsts” of President Obama’s administration. Now, it has come to encompass the great diversity in how we feel, how our nation is changing, and pretty much anything else that falls into “how someone feels and how it relates to the public and world.” It’s a great term, and I hope it will stick.

My top 5 primary issues this year have been (among others) education, the war(s), healthcare, stem cell research, and the economic crisis. When reading my grades, please understand that my school is known for its lack of grade inflation and I’m holding our President to the same standards. This is in no particular order, but here are my “grades” for BHO:

-Education: not much action has been taken to reform education when compared to other issues, but I can understand why. A lot of other, more pressing concerns have come up, and education is something that is already working and just needs some help shaping up. President Obama’s proposed reforms, like merit pay for teachers, removing ineffective teachers, and the expansion of public charter schools are all excellent ideas that I can only hope will be put into action and expanded upon as his term continues.
Final grade: C+ with an eye towards improvement.

-The War(s): he pulled out troops as promised from Iraq, and put more forces in Afghanistan. He is handling issues now regarding Bush’s administration and the CIA very well; his choice to move past old problems and avoid any in-depth investigations is a sign of maturity and wisdom. He knows that any focus on the past takes energy away from fixing the future. Additionally, Al Qaeda recently stated that they are feeling stress and the American strategy is “winning,” which is a very unusual admission for them and a sign that (hopefully) Obama’s choices are making a difference.
Final Grade: A-

-Healthcare: a lot of people have been comparing their hopes for American health care to what Canada has now. Here is why that won’t happen, ever: Canada purchases pharmaceuticals at a discount because of its large purchasing power, as it pools the aggregate demand for all Canadian residents. It acts like Wal-Mart in purchasing goods from suppliers. Drug companies that spent the enormous fixed costs to create new drugs are charging relatively high costs in the United States and other free market countries to recoup their fixed cost and make a profit. If we all tried to be Canada, the system wouldn’t work because nobody would be paying those fixed costs. Drug companies in general sell to the Canadians at a slightly lower costs reducing the amount that they need to charge us. This creates an illusion that the Canadian system is cheaper when we are actually subsidizing them by paying their portion of drug development costs. Any promises by any public official that costs will one day be rock-bottom cannot be trusted. Even as the American mindset has been changing over the decades to understand the need to help others and move away from straight-up capitalism, this country as a whole still has trouble accepting fully regulated systems, since it is seen as relinquishing personal control to a higher power. Obama gets a solid E for Effort, but if dramatically reduced costs are the goal, then he gets as a
Final Grade: C+

-Stem Cell Research: this issue is personal to me in part because of my home life (several physicians in my family, and serious scientific research projects in high school) and partly because it actually affects the health and happiness of one of my closest friends, whose father was diagnosed with MS when we were 12 (that’s 8 years ago, for those who are keeping count). Obama early on overturned Bush-era limitations on funding for stem cell research by the NIH, and opened up other avenues for federal funding of scientific research. He recognizes the importance of learning about and investing in America’s future, both for educational and medical purposes. Way to go, BHO.
Final Grade: A

-Economy: I know this is a rough and confusing topic, but bear with me. Obama’s first economic action as President was the appointment of Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner. Geithner has led the government’s mission to rehabilitate the country’s troubled financial sector. He has injected public capital into banks in order for them to remain solvent as they take write-downs directly related to financial derivative losses. Although financial companies may not be finished altering their long-term business strategies, it seems that the temporary blind panic is over. In terms of the “real” economy, Obama has taken dramatic action; he ushered in the bankruptcy of Chrysler and General Motors, approved a $787 billion government spending stimulus, and has taken steps to encourage private spending with programs like the Cash Allowance Rebate System - colloquially known as ‘cash for clunkers.’ All of these actions seem to be guiding America in the right direction, equity markets have bounced higher since Obama’s inauguration and, although economic indicators like unemployment and consumer confidence are still dismal, these drops have lagged and seem to be bottoming out. Critics will find fault with Obama’s stoking of populist outrage over Wall Street compensation and the large amount of debt issued to finance his recovery programs, while on the other hand, this has led to a hasty repayment of TARP funds by many financial institutions and I have no doubt that the economy is better off with government stimulus than if spending had remained stagnant. There is much more reform work to do, but Obama’s crisis management has been solid.
Final Grade: A-

Now, on to our farewells. I spent this summer working days at Merrill Lynch and nights as a bartender, and visiting friends on the East Coast. In a few days, I leave for a trip to Italy with my best friend from high school, which we’ve been looking forward to for a long time. When I get back, I’ll head straight upstate to get back into the swing of things at Cornell, where I have 2 years left before (hopefully) either law school or a job. It’s been wonderful having the opportunity to share my (sometimes limited) thoughts with everyone, and I appreciate the comments when they come! All the best,

Michelle

Pencils down! Papers in!

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:00:00 -0400

Time for my personal review of the year to date performances on hand…these are on the issues that affect me the most, and that I try to watch and monitor the most frequently.

1: International relations. Why its important? After getting married, I now have family overseas. When I want to visit them, or when they want to visit us, I would like the paperwork and the hoops needing jumped through to be as minimal and seamless as possible. Although our president did have the occasional stumble with a couple leaders here and there (e.g. Putin and Medvedev), he never fell right on his face, and thankfully did not repeat what has happened to some other leaders we’ve had. Regardless, he has not made the headway I would’ve hoped to have seen by this point…and I truly did have the audacity to hope in the first place. I know not necessarily a priority for most in this day in age, but for me, something I look for. Grade? “C.”

2: Economics [Specifically, the housing market]. Arizona, specifically Phoenix, was hit harder that many, and even more depressingly, not as hard as several other cities. Even so, my wife and I want to know when our assistance is coming. After months of mortgage companies refusing to take action because we’ve been able to still (making it close…) make ends meet and still pay our mortgage, get nothing. Not even something so simple as a re-fi with no loss in principal. I hate to say it, but the middle class got left off the bus on this ride. I like that Obama has set “some” wheels in motion, just none that many of us actually needed. Grade? “D-.”

3: Public image. I wholeheartedly agree that up through the election Obama was viewed more as a celebrity than a politician. But let’s be honest, he’s been in politics awhile, he knows the games, and he’s had some time now to really play around the Hill, even if being a Senator didn’t give him enough of a chance. I like that his approval rating has dropped, I really do. This means that people are seeing that he’s making real decisions. Not everyone needs to agree with your decisions, and in fact if they do, its probably the wrong decisions. Props to Obama for being willing to get down and dirty on the Hill. Grade? “A.”

4: Bipartisan relations. I know that I, probably like everyone else, got caught up by a candidate saying “enough is enough!” and “we need some change!” I know, right? Those things have NEVER been said before… If you can tell from my sarcastic typing, I know that we get caught up in the usual rants and raves of politicians, especially when its a presidential nominee. I always look back at the first term though and say, “Really? Where was the change that affected ME?” A huge tool of that change, and a big deal to me being an Independent is the bipartisanship that needs to take place on the Hill. While I think that we still have a long way to go before we truly see some of the benefits, I know that Obama has been working hard to bridge the gaps and try and get some motion on bills that need to be passed. I’ve seem a lot of action, specifically in the 1st 100 days, in which he was trying to stay true to his word fighting for the issue rather than the party’s general agreement on various issues. I like that that, but we still have a lot of work. Grade? “B+.”

5: Education. As someone who will hopefully be having kids in the next 2-6 years, I would love to see our nation get a little better in the K-12 programs in which we have lagged behind many other countries. I know there are different factors, but looking at the HDI of countries around the world, its sad to see the US ranked at 15th as of 2008. Most of the factors are tied into education: life expectancy, knowledge & education, and the standard of living. To see us lag back, not in the top 5 or top 10, is embarrassing. If we expect to be a major world power, we need to be able to back it up with the brightest minds, most content people, and having a people that will outlast most others. Like I said, a huge part of that is education. It obviously makes up the 2nd factor, but also can affect life expectancy and standards of living. Either way, we need to permanently drop the “No Child Left Behind,” and start focusing in on the new “No Nation Left Behind” program for the US. Grade? “C-.”

I suppose that about does it for me. While having a 2.34 GPA for the first portion of being president isn’t that great, I think there are many positives that we see, and much potential. I’m truly looking forward to seeing what the next few years bring us. Meanwhile, I’ll be watching from my 114 degree chair in Arizona, cheering on President Obama, and hoping for more good things to come.

-Sully

Farewell is Only the Beginning

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:00:00 -0400

I understand why some of Obama’s supports feel frustrated with the current state of the union. After eight years of bad policy and wondering if the pain would ever end, the 2008 election created renewed hope for good progressive change. But President Obama walked into the biggest economic storm in decades, and too many of the issues that deserve the President’s attention (and probably would have gotten it in better times) have been pushed to the back burner. For what it’s worth, here are a few thoughts on some of the issues important to me and thoughts on how the President has handled them:

College Affordability (Grade: B) - As I noted a few months ago, President Obama has made a number of accomplishments on this issue, including expanding government Pell Grants and offering more opportunities for young people to earn money for college. He also signaled a commitment to community colleges as affordable alternatives to four-year universities. Even so, there is still a lot of work to do. President Obama should embrace the suggestion’s put forth by Campus Progress’s Students Over Banks project, including bigger grants, making loans directly to students, and ending the profitable subsidies and guarantees to major banks.

Urban Policy (Grade: C-) - The political landscape hasn’t really been favorable to candidates from cities in the past few election cycles. The population in suburbs has been growing at a rapid clip, and urban voters tend to heavily lean Democratic anyway, leaving politicians to make promises to the “swing voters” outside of America’s cities. Barack Obama was the ideal urban candidate during the election. His pledge to create a White House Office of Urban affairs gave hope that he might be serious about improving America’s cities and after months in office, he finally made good on the promise. Nevertheless, there is still tons of work to be done.

Transportation Policy (Grade: B+) - Despite concerns over Ray LaHood being little more than the token Republican appointment in the President’s cabinet, the new Transportation Secretary deserves praise for pushing for a progressive transportation agenda. The President also unveiled his plan for a national high-speed-rail network and committed a few billion dollars to the cause. Although implementing high-speed rail on a large scale will require much more, it is encouraging to see that the President supports it. Unfortunately, many urban transit systems are badly struggling, and the federal government should take a more pro-active role to support those systems.

Energy Policy (Grade: C) - It was only one year ago that $100+ oil prices and $4+ gasoline prices looked like a major threat to the global economy and U.S. prosperity. A year later the issue seems less pressing but still matters. Obama has been investing political capital in cap-and-trade policy, but it’s future is still questionable, as is its ability to be particularly effective. With all the talk of improving our economy, it’s worth considering that inflation-adjusted oil prices are still expensive by historical standards and as the economy picks up steam, they are likely to make true recovery difficult. Unfortunately, there seems to be little in place to prevent another summer like that of 2008.

It’s been a pleasure blogging alongside with the other great voices of Generation O. Thanks to Newsweek for organizing everything and especially to Aku, our wonderful editor, for keeping everything running smoothly. If you’d like to continue following along with me, please visit my blog, Extraordinary Observations, a journal of progressive politics, economics, and urbanism. And don’t forget to subscribe to the feed!

-Rob

Report Card: Obama, President Barack H.

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 11:04:12 -0400

1) Economy - The economy has certainly rebounded, and even though we have a long way to go before it is back 100%, even Newsweek announced that the recession was over. I know it wasn’t easy dealing with the AIG fallout, and even dealing with something as mindless as the First Lady wearing $500 sneakers in the time of the recession (and at a food bank no less) couldn’t have been fun either. But the President did a B+ job with it (points off for AIG not being handled as smoothly as it could have been), and I don’t think anyone else could have gotten us out of the worst part any better.

2) Health Care - I was happy to see that Obama thought enough of the importance of health care (and listened to the demands of Americans across the United States who marched to get the word out) that he held a prime time press conference on the subject. Even taking into account that in general there isn’t a lot of agreement on any issue on both sides of the aisle, it is still sad that there hasn’t been a great plan presented that everyone can get behind. I see that Obama is trying to sell a plan that isn’t clicking with as many members of the public nor lawmakers and that’s not okay since each hour that passes and a plan isn’t approved, more and more lives are at stake. Add to that the talk of taxes potentially needing to be raised when Obama said no increase in taxes, and this health care fight is far from being over. C

3) Gay Rights - Obama disappointed me when he didn’t immediately move to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. I understand the politics regarding it, and I certainly understand he had more time sensitive issues to get to when he first took office, but I thought that this would have been one of his milestone early achievements. I was happy to see that he marked Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month with a White House reception and said he wanted to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, but I only give him the grade of B.

4) International Affairs - A huge point of pride for me was seeing how well-received President Obama was overseas. Whether it was participating in the G8, discussing nukes in Russia or meeting (along with the First Lady) with the Pope, the great press and real work that took place overseas, I’d like to think, helped to thaw the ice left by President Bush, and for that I give him an A.

5) Domestic - On a personal note, just from talking to fellow Generation O-ers (and even people my age that didn’t vote for Obama), everyone agrees that it feels wonderful being happy that we have a cool and smart President. I had one friend tell me that she was researching which new country to live in during the Bush years, and now she doesn’t even dream of leaving America, as her sense of duty to her country has been restored. As trivial as toned arms and cute adorable daughters can be, the fact that the Obamas are brightly coloring the fabric that makes up America is a point of pride for a lot of Americans and in terms of domestic PR, I have to give Obama an A+.

My life: Here in Seattle, I am involved in volunteering for four campaigns, and it is a very exciting time for me as the August 18th primary will whittle each race (among others Mayor, various City Council positions, and King County Executive (a position last occupied by HUD second-in-command Ron Sims)) to two competitors. In previous elections, I did phonebanking (for Obama, John Kerry and Al Gore) but being a Volunteer Coordinator for one campaign and a Legislative District Coordinator for another gives me an even more unique and interesting perspective of the political process than I ever had before. It is my hope that the learning experiences that I gain from working on these campaigns is not unlike the great experience I had blogging for Newsweek.com, something I can’t thank the website or the staff enough for.

Before I sign off, one final note: August 4th is President Obama’s birthday. Happy Birthday Mr President!

-Mica Powers

Obama's Report Card (and Ours)

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:49:17 -0400

It’s hard to believe it’s been three months already. When we launched Generation O back in May, President Obama had just completed his first 100 days in office, and we were excited to see what he would do next. So how has he measured up? In our final posts on Gen O (look for them throughout the day), we’ll be grading Obama’s performance on the issues that matter most to us. Obama’s term has barely begun, but it’s still useful to look back at the past few months and see how he’s lived up to his promises.

As we reflect on what Obama has done, we’ll also be thinking about how we’ve changed. Over the past three months, Gen O-ers have traveled across the country and around the world. We’ve been in and out of school, we’ve worked and volunteered in our communities, and, most importantly, we’ve tried to contribute to public discourse, not just watch passively. We hope you’ve enjoyed reading our posts as much as we enjoyed writing them. And we hope you’ll spend a few minutes today thinking about how much our government has tried to do since January—and what you’d like it to try next.

-Aku

My 55-year-old mother can’t stop looking at this...

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 20:06:56 -0400

My 55-year-old mother can’t stop looking at this Obama-Beyonce spoof on YouTube. In it, a man bearing Obama’s scrunched eyebrows and sandy skin-tone, re-enacts Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” video, nailing her wobbling rump shakes and hilariously re-wording her look-at-me rhymes.

Since Obama’s campaign, my mother’s online usage has spiked tremendously and in large part because of this spoof and other Obama media, which is never-ending. My mom loves Obama for putting the “can” back in ’American’ —and if she has to follow Obama’s rise onto a star-ship enterprise, she would.

Among the Internet’s latest newcomers, I bet half of them were following Obama’s story. Now, it’s a matter of time until they beam-up new inspirations and solutions.

And it’s because of people like my mother that I can say — among all the changes under President Barack Obama’s first seven months in office, I am most comforted by the shifts of consciousness among everyday people.

People are talking a lot more about owning their right to a more fulfilling life (even if that means mastering YouTube)—which is probably why Tim Ferriss’ motivating life-design guide: “4-Hour Work Week” still dominates global bookshelves, after two years on top.

The thinking goes: well if Obama can battle the recession’s depression and healthcare’s coverage disability, all the while speaking clear and intelligent sentences, appearing very-good-looking on date nights, and rallying self-reliance in Africa—well, then who are we to go about our lives, complaining of hard times?

Through Obama, we are realizing the un-ceasing river of human potential. And with this, many of us are shedding bad habits and adopting new eye-opening ones.

Ultimately — it’s by looking into the change within ourselves — that I assess the seven months of Obama’s term.

Sure we can keep watch on the bailout and surely put our nose to the healthcare grindstone. But in the end, will we be more advanced friends, mothers, lovers, brothers, and doers? Well, we must.

—Malena Amusa

On a macro level, its my personal belief that we will never have...

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 09:00:00 -0400

On a macro level, its my personal belief that we will never have a full federal healthcare plan. In my (albeit light) experience in working auto claims, I also get to review injury claims and the billing that goes with them. Here in Arizona, we actually have a pretty decent plan available, called AHCCCS (pronounced “access,” stands for Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System). Depending on the program that you get on, there is coverage available for regular visits, emergency care, pregnancy coverage, podiatric care, preventative care, surgical services, behavioral health, immunizations, vision, dental, and hearing. The enrollment fees and premium costs for children whose parents don’t qualify can range from about $10-$35, or may be partially dependant on income. Even though the application itself has more questions than a CIA application, once you’re on the program, you get great coverage. It works similar to an HMO, and when they say close to nothing is due out of pocket, they mean it. The bills literally “disappear.” Now some of the qualifications are difficult to meet, the main one being the income level, but from what I understand it is generally pretty easy to get a child onto AHCCCS coverage, even if the parents don’t qualify because of too much money or benefits being available through an employer.

It is sad that the most AHCCCS provisions seem to be (from casual conversations and local media) covering younger people (just out of college, just getting into a workforce, or changing careers and still stuck in that “probationary” period), and their children. It is discouraging as it is to see the economy and the “benefits” made to the general public in such a time. It is even more discouraging that couples are putting off having children, which, as an ironic twist, of course increase the likelihood of pregnancy complications and physical and mental deformations upon childbirth to the child, thus increasing the cost of future medical bills. Its a sad time, certainly a dark time. It would be nice if we still lived in an economic era that would allow for one parent to go to work, the other stay home (whether it be mom or dad, no difference to me…) and take care of the kids? Nowadays, we need to worry about both incomes being able to cover the mortgage, car payments, insurance, et cetera, et cetera. Bring kids into the equation? All those doctor visits? The pre and post natal care costs? Very discouraging. The AHCCCS plan in Arizona seems to be trying to help get a step in the right direction. Kids are expensive. Very expensive. Publicly available healthcare could really help some of those new parents out these days…

-Sully

In Fear of Runny Noses

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:00:00 -0400

Up until recently, I didn’t really give healthcare much of a thought. I took for granted that healthcare in this country was a privilege. But this past November, when my mother lost her job and consequently medical coverage for our family, it weighed heavily on my mind. A runny nose or cough caused great worry for me. I did not want to incur unnecessary costs for doctors visits or treatments. I became scared to seek out professional medical help, even in cases when I knew it was necessary. Once when I fell ill, I grabbed leftover antibiotics from my roommate. To me, it just seemed the more practical and cost effective option.

In May, upon graduating from college, I lost my student insurance. So now, instead of just having expensive insurance, I have none at all. It’s a bit terrifying for me. Even when studying abroad in London my second year of college, I was guaranteed medical coverage in the event that I needed it. Now in a country where I am a citizen, I have no means of preventative health care and no safety net if serious illness befalls me.

It’s difficult for me to understand all the jargon surrounding the healthcare debate that is currently taking place. But from my elementary understanding, I agree with the idea of government-supported healthcare coverage. The government already provides Medicare for adults over 65 years of age. Further regulation of the system would help keep costs down for most Americans. It would ensure that the industry is not one driven solely by profit.

In a nation as wealthy and technologically advanced as ours, it’s a shame that our life expectancy falls #30th on the list. We are a nation filled with the ability to promise better livelihoods for our citizens. This current moment is filled with opportunity. People all around the country should not be using the emergency room as the last resort for medical attention. It is important that opportunities for preventative care are made available. Americans do not deserve to live in fear of runny noses.

-Emerald Maravilla

Caring about the health of others...

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 11:56:32 -0400

Back in May, I attended a rally here in Seattle that was for health care reform.

It was estimated that at least 3,000 people showed up to march on a hot day for a few miles.

Since then health care has constantly been in the news, with even President Obama’s former doctor weighing in.

As someone who has great health care through a job that I adore, I’ve always said that my interest in this issue isn’t about me, it is about a basic right that everyone in America should have.

I went to a candidate forum on Tuesday, where 15 City Council candidates gathered. There was a portion of the show were you went to one side of the stage if your answer was “yes” and to the other side if it was “no”. They were asked both serious and silly questions (“Have you ever done pot?”, “Have you ever skinny dipped”, etc), but one question really drove everything home for me.

The question was “Who doesn’t have healthcare?” The 15 candidates-some incumbents, some newbies-were of all ages, but the youngest was 25. After a few seconds of shuffling from one side of the stage to the other, it was clear that out of everyone, only the 25-year-old didn’t have health care coverage.

The audience of this event was mixed as well, but it was put on by an organization that had the goal of getting young people involved in politics, so there were a lot of teens there.

The audience roared with sympathetic approval that this one candidate didn’t have health care. It was an applause-filled acknowledgement by a crowd that also wanted better health care for themselves and their friends.

That one defining moment-out of a 2 hour event-said a lot to me. Health care reform is very important and I hope soon that everyone has an option that works for them, whether they are a young 18-year-old just starting to figure out life, or a 25 year old City Council candidate.

Universal Healthcare IS Popular… Sort Of

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:27:54 -0400

For all of the clamor around the issue of universal healthcare, it’s easy to forget that we already have universal coverage in this country… sort of. Every American over the age of 65 is eligible for health coverage via the federal government’s single payer system.

Medicare is hugely popular amongst its constituents and the system benefits from a powerful lobbying force (the AARP). It has friends on both ends of the political spectrum and from all over the country. Even George W. Bush put some political capital on the line to extend prescription drug benefits to seniors in 2005.

Of course, seniors have little to gain from supporting Obama’s health care reform proposals, they already have what they need. And young people just don’t seem to think Medicare is such a great idea. What’s behind the discrepancy in opinion? Kevin Drum suggests that seniors love Medicare because they experience it first hand, but young people have had to listen to years of conservative pundits and politicians trash Medicare and everything like it. It’s certainly a plausible theory.

Consider asking yourself why Grandpa and Grandma are entitled to universal health care while Generation O is not. Part of me thinks they just want it a lot more.

-Rob

I remember when we made the decision to quit our day jobs...

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:18:19 -0400

I remember when we made the decision to quit our day jobs several years back and try to make a living as musicians. Telisha and I both had pretty good jobs and great healthcare. The main thing my parents were worried about was that when we left our jobs, we’d also be leaving our healthcare. We promised that we would buy our own and make it work somehow. And we did- but it’s expensive, and the deductibles are sky-high. A few years ago we both ran into some unexpected health problems and both met our deductibles in the same year. That hurt. We barely made it through. We ate a LOT of meals at mom and dad’s house that year. Thank God for friends and family.

My parents’ other concern was that we would be trading in steady employment for something…. well, a lot less steady and reliable. I suppose it seemed just a little foolish, but we’ve managed to make a pretty good go of it and we usually pay most of our bills. Sometimes. My parents, by the way, have been really supportive, and I’m thankful for that.

We live in Martinsville, VA. It’s a great little place. We’ve lived here pretty much all of our lives. We’re right in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, but we can also be in the ocean in just a few short hours. As touring musicians it’s a great place to live because we’re really not too far from several big highways, and we can get out and on the road pretty quickly and easily.

The problem is that from the time that we left our jobs to follow dreams until now, Martinsville has spiraled into a 21.9% unemployment rate. That means a lot of things. One thing it means is that our decision to follow our dreams doesn’t look quite as foolish- ironically, we’re better off than a lot of other people in town. And that sucks, ‘cause we ain’t all that well off. It also means that there a tons of people in our town without adequate health care.

I keep hearing the argument that all of us do have health care- just go to the emergency room when you have to. To me that’s just ridiculous for a few reasons. First off, emergency care is by nature reactionary. Often it’s just too late once someone feels sick enough to go to the emergency room. Regular checkups would be cheaper for us all, and would keep us all considerably healthier. There is also pride- people want to pay their bills. No one wants to be a drain on society. No one wants to go to the emergency room and then just skip out on the bills afterwards. It baffles me when I hear Republicans even suggest this as an option. All we’re asking for is a fair shot, not a handout. Just the same access to health care that all of our elected officials have.

I know I’ll hear some anecdotal reply, something about welfare moms who just love to live off of the system, about how they just love to live off of my tax dollars. Well, you can just save it. That’s not how it is here in the land of 21.9. People here want to work, and want to provide for their families. As a matter of fact, I’ve traveled all over America and I’ve met the poorest of the poor and I’ve yet to find that proverbial welfare mom. I think as Americans we have more pride than that.

One thing we’ve learned in this part of the country, though, is that we just can’t depend on our jobs to provide our health care simply because we just can’t depend on our jobs. It’s tough times. We wrote this song a few months ago, back in the good ol’ days of 20.2% unemployment. We’ll be releasing it on our new record in a month or so, but thought we’d just toss this one out here for free.

-Doug & Telisha Williams

www.DandTW.com

Other ideas?

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:53:00 -0400

[Note to readers: the remarks made here are not in reaction to the proposed bill(s), but to commentary I hear from others around me.]

Health care is easy to consider a right because it is essential to maintaining life, which is one of our most basic and easily understood rights. However, this does not make it one. Health care is a combination of simple commodities (the drugs, treatments, and other tangible, purchasable goods), professional and patient interaction (time with doctors, nurses, and other caretakers), and myriad other aspects that make it too complex a concept to be dealt with in one simple change. Rather than simply deciding to “make health care free for everyone” (as so many want to do), why not find a more sensible - if more complicated - solution? (This is not to say that my ideas are absolutely right; I’m not a professional in any of the fields related to this debate, other than my excellent ability to use my chosen healthcare plan.)

It is true that each community has a right to maintain the safety of its members. This safety certainly includes good health for everyone involved, and the protection that good health brings from dangerous viruses and infections. I can personally vouch for the wisdom of free vaccinations. Living in upstate New York, where the winters last about 9 months and are absolutely brutal, does plenty for your respiratory system (and it isn’t fun). The addition of crowded quarters at school makes for an exceptionally unpleasant flu season. My school has a program that offers free flu vaccinations to anyone who shows up to specifically appointed hours, and I make a point to take advantage of them (and force anyone I spend more than 20 minutes a day with to do so as well). While it seems that the private sector has free vaccinations in hand (some companies provide for their employees, and some pharmacies offer free seasonal vaccinations to customers), I’d like to see the government get a little more involved. Children whose parents can’t afford health care shouldn’t be denied a chance at success by the simple fact that they never got their first chicken pox shots.

What about a multi-level healthcare system? I know I’m not the only person that thinks this is a feasible option- in fact, I think I’m pretty late in the game. If the government provided hospitals and other facilities to anyone who asked, but there was still a private insurance option, and further still a private practice option as well, wouldn’t we all get some kind of healthcare? This can be paid for through local taxes (in a system similar to education taxes; you pay for the schools in your area, even if you don’t use it). Additionally, someone recently suggested to me a ROTC-style program for medical schools. The government finances a medical student’s education, and in turn gets his or her commitment to work in a government-run facility for a certain amount of time.

I have only skimmed the surface here, in part because I am clearly out of my depth (in terms of policy-making, healthcare, taxation, and statistical knowledge) and in part because I am honestly not sure what will work the best for the American people as a whole. I do feel it is fairly obvious that some of the radical healthcare options being proposed will not be accepted by most Americans; to me, it makes more sense to find another answer than to keep hammering away with this impractical idea.

-Michelle

Enough said. Health care for all! - Eugene

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:17:14 -0400

Enough said. Health care for all!

- Eugene

Skip Gates & Perspectives From Different Sides

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:28:04 -0400

The controversy surrounding Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is interesting, especially when I take into consideration what various friends have said about it. To see different reactions to the same situation isn’t something already happening in general no matter the subject-but still thinking about their responses has taught me a lot about my friends.

I had African American friends that were happy—overjoyed even—that President Obama defended his friend, speaking from the perspective of someone interested in highlighting the injustices that minorities face on a day-to-day basis from police. One friend felt that after “beating up” on African American men in his Father’s Day speech in 2008 (I said it was constructive criticism and was meant to serve as inspiration) and more recently again taking the “tough love” approach during his speech at NAACP’s 100th Anniversary dinner (same), to speak from that perspective was a welcome change.

A different friend was quicker to believe Sgt. James Crowley, saying that he did nothing wrong. She theorized that Professor Gates probably was jet lagged from his long overseas flight and was unreasonably agitated, therefore it was his own fault that he was arrested. When I pointed out that the charges were dropped the next day, lending credence to the idea that the arrest was unjustified, the friend pointed out that it was nothing more than a PR move due to the national spotlight negatively beaming down on the Cambridge police.

Finally, I had a friend that couldn’t for the life of him understand why the media didn’t decide to focus on the more important topics of the world, especially given the fact that President Obama’s answer came at the end of a press conference overwhelmingly focused on health care.

I am more inclined to concur with my last friend. In the end, it is interesting that such a hot topic gripped the nation. Perhaps soon instead of Skipgate, we’ll hear more about Laura Ling and Euna Lee finally getting out of their North Korean prison, or about maybe Twitter will have a top trending topic having to do with a good health care plan for America finally passing.

-Mica

Art in the White House

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:36:00 -0400

It’s hard to imagine a more hopeful time than when you were a kid; especially the age at which you started to develop some talents, a personality, and a sense that all was possible. When I was young I wanted to be lots of things. I wanted to be a lawyer, a singer, a teacher, and maybe a doctor, although I wasn’t a big fan of cuts and scrapes.

This week 16 young music students from the 5th Congressional District of Virginia received a special treat from their Congressman, Tom Perriello. Representative Periello arranged for these students to attend The White House Music Series. This event was the second in a series of musical events that Michelle Obama has coordinated, celebrating American Music in an effort to bring the arts into the White House. This event featured Country Music stars Allison Krauss and Brad Paisley.

In order to allow more children the opportunity to attend, we were chosen to chaperone the group. It was a great honor, and we got a kick out of the seeing these kids enjoy such a special opportunity. We arrived at The White House and were taken in through the South East Entrance, as we waited in a hallway surrounded by portraits of former Presidents, Tom Periello came in to greet the kids. They were all so excited and seemed to grasp what a special opportunity they had been given by Representative Periello.

The White House staff escorted us to The Blue Room and described the reason for the oval shaped rooms of The White House. We took some pictures with Representative Periello, and had the chance to check out some of the amazing views from The White House windows! Since Secret Service had recommended that cameras and cell phones be left with family, so Tom Periello allowed us to hold on to his digital camera for the rest of the event. What a guy!

After visiting the Blue Room, we were escorted to the East Dining Room where 150 music students anxiously awaited the start of the workshop. Allison Krauss and Brad Paisley were introduced and talked about the beginnings of their musical careers. Both of these very talented individuals began playing music at a young age and were clearly supported by their families in pursuit of their dreams. After the two performers talked a little about their musical backgrounds, the music students were invited to ask questions. This was an inspiring day for many children, and as musicians, we couldn’t be more thrilled with the First Lady’s commitment to feature the arts in The White House, and offer hope and inspiration to music students across America.

- Doug & Telisha Williams

Covering the President

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:31:03 -0400

As President Obama held his news conference on Wednesday night regarding the status of health care reform, all the major networks covered the hour-long event except for one: Fox.

Now, some are outraged, but I understand why a network would make this decision. Fox has a popular show, So You Think You Can Dance, that Americans want to watch; and as long as all the other networks are giving airtime to the President, Fox has a virtual monopoly on non-President primetime programming. If they opted to show the press conference, they would be sharing programming with every other major network and a handful of cable stations.

Of course, Fox’s decision also illustrates the fact that there are a significant number of Americans who prefer to watch a reality show about a dancing competition than President Obama discuss one of the most important and pressing issues of the time. Some might be apathetic, others burned out from all of the health care coverage, plenty might find the press conference plain boring.

Do networks have a responsibility or an obligation to devote themselves to covering the President? I don’t know. It would be nice if enough Americans cared about these issues (and they should, considering that tens of millions are either uninsured or underinsured) that networks wanted to provide the coverage in response to demand. It’s the middle of the summer, so most networks don’t have anything good to put on the air anyway. I imagine the temptation should grow even stronger as the fall television season begins in a few months.

-Rob