What Obama got right

When people talk about politics, I feel like the default mode of conversation is to complain about what isn't going well. There seems to be 10 times as much conversation about why people are upset as there is about things people are happy with. And while that may be just the way human nature is, President Obama seems to take the criticism from all sides.

Republicans paint him as a fascist dictator and Democrats are all disappointed in him for not making good on some part of the party agenda that is their personal mission. I most often find myself doing what Paul Krugman did in the Times today- pointing out what major things Obama has done and why we have just as much reason to be happy.

1. Health care reform: Folks, no matter what the particulars are, this is the first time in the history of our country that everyone will be required to have affordable health insurance-- and if you can't afford it, the government will help you pay for it. That's a change of epic proportions for the U.S. that definitively places importance on the personal well-being of each citizen.

2. Financial markets: Obama has overseen the implementation of the Dodd-Frank reform bill which, while not amazing, is a step in the right direction. And his specific handling of the big American automakers and investment banks that were teetering on the edge of collapse and bankruptcy has been nothing short of amazing in my eyes. He oversaw a bailout fund that loaned money to massive, important U.S. businesses. The businesses used that money to stay afloat, did what they had to do, and paid it back.  Obama navigated us through that minefield.

3. Approval rating: Obama currently has a 53 percent approval rating after averaging 49 percent throughout his first term. Is this an accomplishment? In the modern media environment, I would argue that having more than half of the citizens of the U.S. approve of your performance after pushing through health care reform and navigating the great recession is, in fact, an accomplishment.

Image courtesy of mediajorgenyc via flickr