CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS
Aug. 17, 2009 – 6:14 a.m.
Some Obama Promises Must Wait
By Adriel Bettelheim, CQ Staff
President Obama sounded a bit like a weary air traffic controller on Aug. 10, when he was quizzed during a three-way summit with leaders from Mexico and Canada about a promised overhaul of U.S. immigration laws.
“I’ve got a lot on my plate, and it’s very important for us to sequence these big initiatives in a way where they don’t all just crash at the same time,” the president said in response to a reporter’s question.
While Obama said he expects Congress to send draft legislation his way later this year, the issue, at least for the moment, has been relegated to the back burner.
Triage is a necessity in an administration confronted by a deep recession, with a president who is simultaneously shepherding big initiatives addressing health care, climate change, education and financial regulation.
Obama and his aides understand there is only so much bandwidth to accommodate these efforts — and to complete work on fiscal 2010 spending bills and second-tier issues, such as a proposed rewrite of the rules for student lending.
But that means a large number of political promises Obama made during his historic campaign have been pushed to the back of the agenda. Most, in fact. The PolitiFact.com Web site, which compiled a list of 515 Obama pledges, lists 374 under the category of “no action.”
To be sure, Obama has begun to make good on some of his most prominent promises.
Just days after he was sworn in, he issued orders to shut the detention camp at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and limit harsh interrogation methods. Initiatives to overturn federal funding curbs on embryonic stem cell research, deliver a major address to the Islamic world and stem mortgage foreclosures, to cite just three others, followed suit.
Many other high-profile issues have been deferred, either because they involve time-consuming negotiations with Congress or because Obama simply doesn’t want to expend the political capital. Here are five that are not likely to be acted on before year’s end:
Revise ‘No Child Left Behind’
The 2002 education law (PL 107-110) was passed with bipartisan fanfare and promoted by former President George W. Bush as one of his most important domestic policy achievements. But its focus on standardized testing as the measure of achievement and the way it expanded the federal government’s role into what has been traditionally a local issue prompted heated calls for revision.
During his campaign, Obama said he would overhaul the law “so that we are supporting schools that need improvement, rather than punishing them” and pledged to find innovative ways to recruit and reward good teachers.
However, a planned reauthorization has been crowded out by other domestic priorities, particularly Obama’s push to retool the U.S. health care system, making it unlikely that a planned reauthorization will move quickly. Education Secretary Arne Duncan wants to complete a nationwide listening tour before submitting a proposal to Congress. His department is also overseeing the expenditure of about $100 billion in new funding.
Confronting China
Obama stated last year that China’s rise posed one of the most important foreign policy challenges to the United States in the coming decade. He promised to discourage China from manipulating its currency, the yuan, to keep the prices of its goods cheap and generate trade surpluses. And he pledged to discourage China’s support for genocidal and repressive regimes in Sudan, Burma, Iran and Zimbabwe.
Though Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner said during his confirmation hearing that the administration would act “aggressively” using “all the diplomatic avenues” to change China’s currency practices, the White House has stopped short of making a formal declaration to Congress that China is manipulating the yuan to gain an unfair trade advantage. Such a move could spark punitive action and countermeasures from China.
Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao instead launched a “strategic and economic dialogue” in April. Experts such as Brookings Institution visiting fellow Dennis C. Wilder sense there is more continuity than change in the administration’s approach to engaging China — characterized by non-ideological dialogue that stresses positive areas for cooperation.
One difference is the administration’s elevation of climate change to a top-tier issue. The administration understands that efforts to pass climate change legislation in Congress hinge, in part, on getting China to do its part in reducing the global carbon footprint.
Fully Funding Veterans’ Programs
Obama, who as a senator served on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, spoke during the campaign about the “sacred trust to care for our nation’s veterans” and complained about years of chronic underfunding of the Veterans Administration medical care system.
He pledged to fully fund the VA and make the VA budget must-pass legislation.
But it’s Congress that is doing most of the heavy lifting to make the promise reality. The House in June passed a measure (
Once money is released, the VA would detail to Congress any impediments to estimating future budgetary needs. The Office of Management and Budget would then request advance funding a year ahead of time and make the VA submit to Congress detailed explanations of those spending figures. The agency then would have to update Congress by July 31 of each year on whether the advance appropriations would be sufficient to meet the department’s needs.
This would give the VA more certainty, but not as much as Obama pledged.
Rebuilding the Gulf Coast
During the campaign, Obama said he would “keep the broken promises made by President Bush to rebuild New Orleans and the Gulf Coast” and take steps to prevent failures in emergency planning and response seen during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Specifically, Obama would ensure New Orleans has a levee and pumping system to protect the city against a 100-year storm by 2011, free up rebuilding funds that had been allocated but not released and to rebuild hospitals and schools.
Much of the work remains on the drawing boards. The administration got into a tussle with Sen. David Vitter , R-La., after he briefly stalled the nomination of Craig Fugate to head the Federal Emergency Management Agency because new federal flood maps included areas that were not previously designated flood zones, including much of Louisiana’s Cameron Parish, Grand Isle, and Lafourche Parish.
Federal regulations prohibit FEMA recovery funds from being used for rebuilding in areas designated as “V-Zones” because of their risk for future flooding.
An August 2009 report from the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program concludes the region still faces major challenges due to blight, unaffordable housing and vulnerable flood protection.
Though New Orleans’ economy is weathering the recession fairly well, the report says some districts continue to have high numbers of vacant and blighted residences, and that essential service workers can’t afford fair market rents. And while 16 additional schools opened in the New Orleans area in the previous 12 months, the entire area remains vulnerable to storm-related flooding. A storm-surge protection system now being built by the Army Corps of Engineers would not adequately protect against another storm of Katrina’s magnitude, the report states.
Importing Prescription Drugs
In spite of its overwhelming focus on overhauling the health care system, the administration has been silent on one of Obama’s signature health care promises: allowing consumers to import drugs made in FDA-approved facilities in countries where they are often sold for less.
During the campaign, Obama charged that some drugmakers were exploiting Americans by charging premiums of as much as 67 percent higher than the prices they charge for the same medicines in Europe and Canada.
But Obama’s administration has since cut a deal with the pharmaceutical industry in which drugmakers promised to provide $80 billion in discounts to seniors and the government over 10 years to help pay the cost of a health system overhaul.
Ironically, Obama’s 2008 presidential opponent, Sen. John McCain , R-Ariz., offered an amendment during debate on a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee health plan that would have written such an importation provision into law. Democrats helped defeat it by a 10-12 vote, arguing that allowing access to the cheaper drugs from abroad was potentially dangerous in light of all the hazards Americans have faced in recent months from risky imported products.
Comments
Geez, going on 7 months into his term and he hasn't finished all of his campaign promises? What's going on here? Must be that upcoming vacation planning that's holding him hostage. What to wear, who to invite over, grilling recipes, shop for swimming suit, flip-flops, sun glasses. Oy, the details never end. Just no time to work on those campaign promises. Not even time to save France, but they understand and go on about their lives anyway. The French are nice that way.
This is what the Democrats need to remember. President Obama can't do everything he promised all at one time. It takes time. President Obama is working through the political maze, never an easy task even in quieter times. But these are anything but quiet times and the President is not a dictator who can simply fiat his promises into law. It simply doesn't work that way. He will get done what we elected him to do, but it will take time and patience on the part of the electorate.
Obama is full of promises just like every other snake oil salesman!! The stimulus was just another pay back for election support like the Ambassador positions that went to people who collected 50,00 dollars or more for his election campaign!! Obama operates just like 95% of Politicians do, say or promise anything to get elected and then do what they damn well please!!! If He tries to pass amnesty for illegal aliens He is in for one hell of a fight!! ATTRITION THROUGH ENFORCEMENT NOT AMNESTY !!!
Bobzaguy, what did clown Bush do in his eight years, as president ? Do you expect President Obama to waive a wand and correct, all the ecnonic and healthcare problems, that have been in existence , for over 30 years? Why didn't you complain about the conomy as well as the health care system, during the eight years Bozo Bush held the presidential seat? One track minded people like you, is the reason economic and healthcare problems are in existence in this country.
Obama is bombastic, disappointing and terribly young, after all. Who was it elected this boy to a man's job? As a pusillanimous president, he is in good company with House Speaker Pelosi, concerned with the glamour of her position and nothing programmatic, and the Democratic "leadership" in both chambers that pushes racial engineering with a vengeance while dodging economic equality -- the original Democratic platform -- like it was the plague. A pox on all of them.
Obama is a charlatan! He is not fit to be running this country and instead has a Hollywood career waiting in the wings...
Those of you defending Obama and this administration's failure to keep promises are in some ways correct; however, he immediately upon being elected began breaking many of the promises which convinced a lot of people to vote for him. How about transparency, O? How about allowing time for public discussion and/or dissent on new bills, O? How about trying to ram things down our throats, O? I will never forget his "transparency" promise which he broke in the first few days as well as the promise to post new bills X number of days before voting on them which he also broke in the first couple of weeks. Now, he seems to have forgotten many other "promises." Can't wait for '10 and '12.
Let's pray that he gets nothing accomplished that he promised, and that he is removed from office at the first opportunity. He is a dreadful socialist ideologue with the hubris of Lyndon Baynes Johnson.
Tell me Kevin Callahan what DID you elect Obama to do? Was it then as apparent to you that Socialism and even Marxism was on his agenda? Just wondering if you too are a fellow traveler. How is change working for YOU Kevin?
I have doubts that he won't get anything done you elected him to do. The only thing he may accomplpish is running this country further into the ground with his socialist ways. What's worse is when there is a new president that's not a democrat, all the democrats will blame the new guy. Look at the deficit, Obama isn't keeping his promises and that makes me happy. High earner unlike myself, shouldn't have to pay even more taxes, they earned their money, let them keep it.
Maybe if he would stay in the White House at his desk WORKING!! instead of going to all these town hall meetings and constantly playing the tourist with his Family in tow He might be able to get more done.
One must believe, internally, in the concept of a promise first. BO has not shown a drop of evidence that he understands or respects the concept of "promise". It is just another word for a lawyer to discuss. Remember the last lawyer in office? what is "is"... that's how these guys think.
Pass Kevin some KoolAid
American's should sue obama for breaking a verbal contract that he made when running for president. People voted for him based on his promises, he has broken most of them, time for him to GO BYE BYE.
I am against all three of Obama's key initiatives although I respect and appreciate he is making health care a top priority. 1. I am against health care being a government run operation. I would rather see us get tax credits to pay premiums for open market health care plans. 2. I am against giving amnesty to illegal aliens and would rather see a work permit system implemented. 3. I am against Cap and Trade, the biggest tax ever levied on Americans. Instead, I would like to see stimulus money invested in new Nuclear energy plants and tax credits for people to put Solar Panels on their homes. Most importantly, I am against any more deficit spending or printing of money, to finanance stimulus/pork spending. I would rather see the stimulus money already allocated redirected to building nuclear plants that would provide good long term jobs and get us off of foreign oil. From here on out, the government needs to live within its means. If it needs money for something then it needs to cut spending elsewhere.
With an overwhelmingly negative public response, the only question now is: In what disguised form will a stealth "public option" emerge? With a Saul Alinsky tutored deceptive feint to the middle, Obama will deftly move to obfuscate the issue of the public option. The American people have astutely spoken loud and clear that Socialized Medicine is anathema; but, Obama's Marxist psyche prohibits him from accepting free market reforms which should begin with shutting down illegal immigration and Tort Reform. Both of which Obama unconditionally rejects. As we have bitterly learned in the past, ignore what Obama says; and, watch VERY CAREFULLY what he does. If left unrestrained, Obama will do irreparable harm to the American economy. Greg Neubeck
Hopefully he doesn't get to fulfill ANY of his Marxist promises. This Saul Alinsky desciple despises the Middle Class and the values that made America great. The less he accomplishes on his agenda, the better off hard-working, law abiding, English speaking Americans will be.
Kevin, I need to challenge you regarding your statement that 'the President is not a dictator who can simply fiat his promises into law.' In many ways this has been shown to be untrue. Obama has appointed several 'Czars' to different positions within his cabinet. These 'Czars' have been given the authority to issue edicts, rules, and policies that affect all of us. For instance, he has a banking 'Czar' who has sole authority to set the compensation packages for executives within the banking and finance industries. This 'Czar' has full authority to do this and can use whatever reason he wishes in order to make these rules. Also, in the areas where Obama had the ability to follow through on a promise, he failed to do so. He promised that all bills would be posted on the internet for 7 days so the public could review the bill before he signed it. He has yet to do this. The stimulus package is the most significant of these. I know, I know, it was an urgent matter that required the funds immediately so no '7 day grace period' was required. If it was so urgent, why has only 15% of the funds been spent and why are most of the funds not scheduled to be spent until well after next year's elections? Obama promised transparency. I have yet to see it. He promised he would have a 7 day grace period on all bills. I have yet to see it. He promised he would change the tone in Washington. It seems to me the tone in Washington is now much, much worse. Frankly, the only change in tone I see so far is that he attacks conservatives as radicals, squashes dissent, and allows terrorists to be afforded the civil rights of American citizens.
"Obama is working through the political maze" A child's Busy-Box would be a maze for this clown! Does anybody still believe JOTUS Obama? (Joke Of The US)
He has a majority in both houses, so his plans/promises should be sailing through. The problem seems to be that he, like every other politician, promised more than he could deliver and he's just now realizing that the country can't afford most of it. It's easy to say things like we need to get out of Iraq and it's another thing to actually do it. Looks like Obama is getting a lot of OJT.
Obama and the rest of the progressive wing of the Democrats need to face reality they were voted in on a fluke. They were not elected because America wants to become a Socialist nation, they were elected because people were sick and tired of the Bush Administration and wanted some new blood, and they were the only other option. Keep driving leftward against the loud protest of Americans and see what happens after next election. Illegal alien amnesty is the perfect example, how many Americans are actually in favor of it, 10 percent maybe 20 percent? Most of whom have a personal stake in illegal aliens being either anchor babies themselves or business owners hoping to exploit the cheap labor.
Lets stop saying its okay for Obama to be lame, just because Bush was. The real problem here is the crooks in The Senate and Congress caused all the problems in the last 20+ years.....now with a fresh coat of lipstick they are trying to get away with wasting Trillions of Dollars on Pork. Listen up Washington.....VOTE THE BUMS OUT.....ALL of you need to start working on your Resume's, including you, Mr. President.
He can't keep all his campaign promises? Good.
Obama is a politician and community organiser. His promises meant nothing during the election and mean nothing now. All I see is power grapping / partisan politics / and paying back his contributors. Where is that change??? Oh and I still see the Bush bashing. Get over the Dems have ALL the power but they can't do anything because they are fighting amonst themselves. There is no way the right can stop goverment funded health care. They are worried about their re-elections and since the people are making it clear they don't want what is being offered the Dems don't want to lose next year. They are blaming this on scare tactics but the death panels were in 1 version of the bill clear as day. I do want health care reform, immigration reform, and goverment accountability. What I expect to get is zip zero nada in reform but I expect amenisty for illegals, the country put on medicaid and more goverment spy on your neighbor programs. 1984 anyone???
His promises must wait for what? To be broken? Has he followed through on any promise? How about not signing legislation that contains earmarks? Nope. How about allowing bills to be posted on the internet for a least 72 hours before they're voted on? Nope. How about not raising taxes on the middle class? Nope. sin taxes. How about scouring the budget line by line to remove waste? Nope.How about bringing non-partisanship to Washington? Nope. How about a new tone in Washington? Nope.I think I've made my point.......http://cooperscopy.blogspot.com/
Obama should not have promised the world and set such high expectations during the campaign. So now, he's having to face reality and tell everyone he can't do it all? In fact, he can't do any of it. Everything he's done, he's made a mess of it. No amount of spin will hide the bad consequences of what Obama's already done. In a phrase, we're screwed! So much for hope and change! Next time someone tells you to vote for him because he has a cool swagger and hip slogans, RUN!!!!!!
Where was the energy of the Health Care protestesters when G Bush planned and started the useless war in Iraq? Most of these protesters are disgrunteled John McCain voters who cant stand having a black president. RACISM is alive and well in AMERICA!!
taste, race POLITICS is alive and well. Whenever anyone criticizes Obama's conduct or his policies, your side starts yelling racism. Race politics is old already and we don't care anymore.
We now learn from the Obama administration that the stimulus legislation is not working! Is that a surprise to anyone? Obama completely struck out with his ideas for stimulating the economy. All he needed to do, but didn't, follow: 1) provide a significant tax reduction to those who pay taxes, 2) reduce capital gains taxes, and 3) provide tax reductions to corporations. What has he done in addition to throwing borrowed money at our problems? 1) He has demonized and marginalized the middle class which pays most of the taxes for liberal goof-ups, 2) He has demonized and marginalized Wall Street investment bankers by blaming the mortgage mess on them, and 3) He has shown no inclination to reward people for investing in America by reducing investment taxes. Folks, he is the enemy of our country. He needs to be removed from office. What he has done so far amounts to high crimes and misdemeanors against the American people.
Some of the larger promises are understandable. One cannot take on multiple large-scale issues like healthcare at once.. but what about promising no lobbyists in administration, no earmarks, no backroom deals like what recently happened w/ the secret deal with big Pharma. These are broken promises, not unfulfilled ones
For everyone trying to offer excuses for Obama , remember he made the promises no one else. His sititution is nothing compared to pressures that Bush had after 911. So take your crying towels and go preach to the each other. I can rattle off at least 4 bad screwups to him alone. Remember all the troops he was going to bring home in 90 days ? Even Hillary said he was an idiot to make such a statement. Kindest Regards Joe
"I've got a lot on my plate". Did we hire this man to whine?
Plus, it is totally unheard of for a president to come into office and wrecklessly persue one policy after another in breakneck speed. It's just wreckless and irresponsible. Such weighty and large-scale matters require the maturity to take it slow, so you can do it right.
the man's a joke
I love to read all of the expected "oh yeah? well, what about Bush" comments here and on just about every other site on the internet. When will you people wise up and admit you've been had?
I've got an idea. Let's reduce the amount of money we pay for government employees PRIMO heathcare plans and use the proceeds to reduce those "We the People" plans they force us to pay.
Sometimes plans and planning have to be scrapped when an opportunity to push through radical ideas that would never be seriously considered in non-crisis times comes along. BHO and his puppetmaster Emmanuel had a chance they could not pass up to push the most detestable of their goals through. Of course, some promises had to be broken. Some were never meant to be kept, but some had to be postponed because of the overriding situation. Unfortunately, all of us, left and right, are saddled with an empty suit that is without scruples. The right saw it early and warned about it. The left is now learning that BHO and his handlers do not have any favorites, only more or less effective pawns that they move as they desire to achieve their personal ideological ends. Dictators have no friends, only those who feed at the trough and those that are fed to those who feed at the trough.
Some people will justify making mistakes by going down with the ship, or in this case, claiming Obama is doing well. People are funny that way. Most have a hard time admitting they are wrong, even though they are being smacked in the face with it.
What are you people at CQ smoking? The Dems are going to loose their tails in house elections in 2010. In the senate Spector is finished so is Reid and so is Boxer. Great news for the country. Get your heads out of the dark place.
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