Grading an Obama Administration

The votes are in and Barack Obama will be the next president. However, which Barack Obama will we see? Will it be the cool, collected orator who inspired millions with his uplifting rhetoric and message of change or will it be the Chicago pol who blindly voted with the Democratic party 96% of the time? I am willing to give the new president a chance, even though I expect to disagree with him a lot. Here are eight areas in which he can impress me or not.

Budget and Economy. Does anyone have a clue on how to get the economy back on track? If the Democrats or Republicans have a plan, I don't think I've heard it. Similarly, anyone has a way to reduce the budget-busting defecits of the last eight years, I don't know about it. Because the hole is so deep here, any progress will look good.

Energy. The Obama campaign has promised to invest billions in alternative energy sources. If President Obama is able to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and make wind and solar power feasible for use, he will have done something that other presidents have only talked about. However, if he vetoes domestic oil production and nuclear power, while supporting wasteful progrms that actually hurt the environment, such as the current ethanol subsidies, we will look back fondly on $4 a gallon gas prices.

Foreign Policy. Sen. Obama has promised to consult with our allies and negotiate with rogue nations. As president, he will face challenges from al Qaeda, Hezbollah and a resurgent Russia. If our allies demand appeasement, will he have the courage to stand firm? If North Korea, Syria, Libya and Iran promise to play nice while ramping up their ability to harm our interests, will he accept their words at face value? It is a dangerous world and we will need the support of our allies. However, we will need to lead and inspire rather than passively follow European opinion. We will need to "trust but verify" as a great president once said.

Healthcare. I have read through the Obama campaigns promises on healthcare and they seem like a lot of blue smoke and mirrors to me. As I understand the proposals, everyone will have access to affordable healthcare coverage and it won't cost any more because the government will make the system more efficient. If President Obama can pull this off, his legacy will be secure. However, if the solution to healthcare is to create another government bureaucracy like social security, he will bankrupt the country.

Immigration. Our current immigration system violates the laws of supply and demand. While there is a massive demand for hard-working laborers seeking to make a better life for their families, our immigration laws artificially restrict the number of people who can have access to the American dream. The predictable result is that millions of people are here illegally. This in turn creates opportunity for drug runners and criminals to slip through a porous border. We will be able to better secure the border if we offer those who are willing to work hard and play by the rules an opportunity to come here legally. While this proposition makes sense to me, it will face strong opposition from both the left and the right. On the left, unions oppose increasing the supply of labor because it will result in more competition. On the right, there are nativists who fear an influx of Spanish-speaking workers from south of the border. It will take a political genius to navigate this issue.

Iraq. We know that the U.S. will reduce its presence in Iraq dramatically during an Obama administration. However, the big question is whether we will make an orderly transition to a sovereign Iraqi government or whether we will cut and run. Having made a bad decision to invade Iraq, we can still make things worse. If we pull out precipitously, we will embolden our enemies to turn up the pressure.

Judges. We know that President Obama will appoint liberal judges who will support Roe v. Wade. That is a given. However, will his appointees be more Breyer than Brennan? Stephen Breyer has proven to be a relatively cautious and thoughtful liberal. William Brennan viewed the Constitution as a malleable instrument used to reach a desired result.

Middle Class Tax Cuts. Sen. Obama campaigned on the promise to reduce taxes for 95%of working Americans. Bill Clinton promised a middle class tax cut also, but it never happened. Will President Obama deliver a middle class tax cut or will he use the current financial crisis as an excuse to back away from this promise?