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

Things you/we (as Americans) SHOULD do:

• Beat the current world record for a fireworks display.
• Display our pride if you’d like, but not like this guy.
• Help your pets celebrate July 4.
• Have a cookout…practice trying to beat this guy’s record. He brought the record BACK to the US, after all.
• Visit your local lake and spend some quiet time on the water.
• Check out a local parade.

Things you/we (as Americans) should NOT do:

• DON’T make your own fireworks.
• DON’T forget to wear sunblock.
• DON’T get into fights because of your feelings of patriotism.
• DON’T drink too much…you’ll end up looking like an idiot online.
• Finally, DON’T forget to continue to visit the blog this weekend, and in the future, for more great posts and opinions from Generation O-ers!

On a more serious note, I do want to say that although there are certainly things that I wish I could improve about our country, whether it be economic, political, or otherwise, I am proud to be an American, and I am very happy that I live where I do. With all the conflict in many nations around the world, all the economic struggles in countries that make ours look simplistic and trivial, corrupt leadership, and other hardships, we should be happy we’re in a country where a black man can be elected to office just as easily as a white man. Where we will eventually (hopefully) also have our first female president, gay president, and a non-Christian president. While they may not necessarily occur in some of our lifetimes, I’m happy we live in a country where we know its possible.

Happy 4th! Have a safe one!

-Mike (Sully) Sullivan

A president in 1 four year term gets a little more than 1400 days in office, and yet historically has been most heavily graded on the first 100. It’s when presidents typically get the most done-people are anxious for change, the president is excited to get into office and make a difference, and we can often see the most bipartisanship on the hill.

It can be argued that FDR accomplished more in this first 100 days than many accomplish through their entire presidency. Will Rogers even joked at the time that Congress only had time to waive at bills as they passed by. I certainly wouldn’t say that we’ve proceeded as quickly as they had then, but one can definitely see the urgency on Capitol Hill. With the Dow Jones not having seen 10,000 since October of ‘08, it’s safe to assume we would see a flurry of activity to move forward getting the US back on its feet economically speaking. We saw the push for that with the new stimulus package totaling about $787 billion. Obviously, the intent is for a long term solution, not a short term fix, but it does not bode well that organizations like GM, Chrysler, AIG, Citi, Fannie, Freddie, et cetera have still ruled the headlines over the past 2-3 months. I know that there are many out there, particularly here in Phoenix with the especially hard hit housing market, who may seem a bit skeptical. Until we see some tangible results on a day to day level, I myself, will be restless.

Other 100-day markers? Guantanamo Bay getting closed up, enhanced the Freedom of Information Act, immediate contact and meetings with Middle East leaders, lifted the federal funding ban for stem cell research, troop reduction and exit date for Iraq, he even loosened the grip on California marijuana raids and busts. Some of these obviously hold a bit more than others, as you can see.

Far and above these accomplishments however, is that the US needed-and needs-a strong political figure that has a more public “feel” to him. So far, he is the first president to appear on The Tonight Show while still in office. I believe that this will be President Obama’s biggest factor in office. He has a more personal and charismatic feel than any other president that I can remember. During his candidacy he was oftentimes portrayed more as a celebrity than a political figure, which seems to be a pretty important factor with this generation. The fact that he has continued during this 100 day period to appear at town hall style meetings and get on television in a non-news network capacity is paramount to his time in office.

As unfortunate as it may be for President Obama, he will ultimately, for the time being, be graded almost solely on how the economy is doing. I just hope his energy, personality, charisma, and his ability to move things forward are not overlooked. If the first 100 days are an indicator to the other 1300 days (or maybe even 2800…?) to come, I think we’re in store for a good 4 to 8 years!

-Sully

What is the “Obama Generation,” you ask? We’d like to know, too. The grassroots coalition that helped Barack Obama win the presidency is unique because it defies so many political stereotypes. Generation O isn’t defined by race, or class, or geography. Instead, we’re a diverse group of young, politically active people who care about a range of causes—from the economy to social issues to international politics and beyond—but are dedicated to finding solutions that transcend partisanship and benefit all of us. Newsweek.com is giving the members to this group a chance to talk directly to (and with) the public about what it’s like to work, live and learn in the age of Obama.

Because most of our generation is technologically plugged-in, it made sense to start a project that all of us could contribute to: a multimedia blog. For the next three months, our bloggers (you can meet the group here) will be checking in from all over the country, posting thoughts on the Obama administration as well as photographs, videos and audio clips from our lives. We’ll be introducting ourselves to you over the course of the week, and after that we’ll post regularly to let you know what we’re up to, what we think of local, national and international goings-on, and how Obama’s decisions are affecting our families, friends and communities. You’re invited to participate, too: we’d love to have you comment on the blog, join the Facebook group, and send in your own stories from time to time. We’re starting this blog with the hope that by connecting Obama supporters around the country and giving them the chance to compare stories and experiences, we’ll be able to figure out what it means to be a part of Generation O. We hope you’ll stick around, and enjoy!

-Aku