What is Obama doing?

I know, we’re not maintaining this blog much but there’s an issue that just has to be adressed:

The Nobel Peace Prize that President Obama recently was awarded.

He’s gotten a lot of flack over this, especially in the conservative media – he even himself stated that he doesn’t really think he deserves it. And he might be absolutely right, and it sure is a strange nomination and award.

But credit must be given to the Nobel comittee, because they’re not dumb. I believe their major reason for awarding Obama with the peace prize was for his quick actions in reaching out to the muslim world and initiating diplomatic negotiations – something the Bush administration actively refused, much to the detriment of the entire worlds stability. His speech in Kairo alone is applaudable.

Over at Salon.com there’s been a very interesting article written about Obamas work towards stability in the world so far. Much of what is written has never been mentioned in the general media, and one can argue that the democrats are pretty much worthless in reporting their own progress.

Some major important points both from that report and generally:

• The withdrawal of troops from Iraq are ahead of schedule. So far he has brought home 22,000 troops out of Iraq.
• He has cut war spending by $30 billion.
• Pakistan has as we speak today launched a major offensive towards the Taliban strongholds within their borders – as much as a response to the new US leadership as anything.
• He has managed to convince Iran to allow in UN inspections, as a result of direct negotiation.
• His effort towards dragging the US, kicking and screaming, toward a modern healthcare system (last country in the western hemisphere) could result in a much more stable and equal society.
• By dismantling the Bush plan of an aging missile defense system in eastern europe, he has opened up unforeseen diplomatic possibilities with Russia – apart from saving billions of dollars while at the same time planning a much more efficient defense plan in the area.
• His promises to close Guantanamo Bay and the administrations refusal to continue previous torture policies is a big move towards human rights in the world.

So give the guy some credit – and don’t listen to the major news outlets all the time. Obama is a force in the world most of us probably won’t acknowledge until years have passed and history can make its judgement. And so far, I honestly believe history will treat him as possibly one of the most important leaders of our time.

If we give him the chance.

Bill Maher yesterday made some really interesting points about Obama, stating that the president is not getting the job done now when he actually has every opportunity to, and instead worries too much about being liked.

Barack Obama needs to start putting it on the line in the fights against the banks, the energy companies and the healthcare industry. I never thought I’d say this – but actually – what he needs in his personality is a little George Bush.

Obama speaks to the muslim world

To renew our faith in Obama that he might just really be what we all hoped he would be, yesterday he addressed the muslim world from Kairo, Egypt, in what many talking heads around the world already likens to historic speeches like I have a dream and I am a berliner in terms of impact.

While this might be an exaggeration (we’ll know in a decade), it was an insanely impressive speech utilizing Baracks mastery of rhetoric in a way we haven’t heard since the campaign days.

What is quite interesting is that he passionately states the necessity of a two state solution, which surprisingly received massive applause from a skeptic muslim audience that consisted of quite a few groups that, as many extremist portions of islam such as Hamas, usually disregards the Israeli states existence.

With gripping use of his own life history and constant referrals to the bright side if Islamic traditions and teachings (yes, there are those!) and calling out for finding common human ground instead of pursuing political differences, this is surely a message that firmly brings this mideast situation one step further in the right direction. In fact, his very respectful and understanding tone rewarded him with actual standing ovations in the end. This must surely be one of the most impressive moments in his career, without a doubt.

“Tension has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims, and a Cold War in which Muslim-majority countries were often treated as proxies without regard to their own aspirations. And I consider it part of my responsibility as president of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear,” said the president, who recalled hearing prayer calls of “azaan” at dawn and dusk while living in Indonesia as a boy.

At the same time, he said the same principle must apply in reverse. “Just as Muslims do not fit a crude stereotype, America is not the crude stereotype of a self-interested empire.”

See the whole speech here (and actually see the whole thing – it’s worth it):

Story on Huffington Post
Story on NYTimes

Rachel Maddows reports the following, which should really make everyone wonder – what IS Obama doing? This is not the type of thing most of us expected from him, the ability for the state to keep prisoners in detention indefinitely, without trial or limits, for crimes they might commit! Check out the video here:

Update: As there are now quite a few places that are linking to this outdated post, I would like to direct you to also read this post with some of his newer efforts.

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Due to the recent pause here on WIOD, I am sure our readers would really like to know what they’ve missed!

Well, this President seems to be working in some kind of alternate timespace and it’s hardly possible to list every thing he’s been up to until now, but here’s a (incomplete) list of things that the administration has changed so far:

• Reversed restrictions on stem cell research
• Appointed an assistant to the president for science and technology policy
• Created a foreclosure prevention fund for homeowners
• Expanded loan programs for small businesses
• Extended and indexed the 2007 Alternative Minimum Tax patch
• Expanded eligibility for State Children’s Health Insurance Fund (SCHIP)
• Expanded funding to train primary care providers and public health practitioners
• Directed military leaders to end war in Iraq
• Sent two additional brigades to Afghanistan
• As promised gave a speech at a major Islamic forum in the first 100 days of his administration
• Granted Americans unrestricted rights to visit family and send money to Cuba
• Restored funding for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne/JAG) program
• Released presidential records
• Now requires new hires to sign a form affirming their hiring was not due to political affiliation or contributions
• Pushed for enactment of Matthew Shepard Act, which expands hate crime law to include sexual orientation and other factors
• Created a White House Office on Urban Policy
• Supported increased funding for the NEA
• Funded a major expansion of AmeriCorps
• Worked to overturn Ledbetter vs. Goodyear
• Banned lobbyist gifts to executive employees
• Pledged to weatherize 1 million homes per year
• Invested in all types of alternative energy
• Enacted tax credit for consumers for plug-in hybrid cars
• Provided grants to encourage energy-efficient building codes
• As promised appointed at least one Republican to the cabinet
• Extended unemployment insurance benefits and temporarily suspended taxes on these benefits.

Ofcourse, we are still awaiting many of his biggest campaign promises and many of the major issues are still pretty shady on what he’s really going to do with. And to be fair, this list is some of the neat things Obama has done and not the bad – but I would be hard pressed to really find much concrete for such a list as the things that possibly can end up on that side are still in the works (for example the iraq war, bailout, stimulus, gitmo and ofcourse the haunting marijuana legalisation issue).

So far, pretty neat track record.