Name One Thing Barack Obama Has Actually Done
So, after seeing yet another ill-prepared Obama surrogate fall back on “He inspires!” when asked the above question, it concerns me that this will be a “gotcha politics” thing to use against the Obama campaign as we go into general election mode. Never mind that your mind is similarly blank when asked about Hillary’s legislative achievements, or McCain’s.
Doesn’t matter. If Obama is the Dem nominee, as is looking increasingly likely, supporters and informed voters will have to answer this question again and again. I know, it’s not fair, but Dems and progressives continue to be like women in the workplace– having to work twice as hard just to prove themselves.
So here’s a short list. If you want details I got them from here and here.
While an Illinois state senator:
- expanding Kidcare (health insurance for an additional 20,000 Illinois children)
- welfare reform (a bipartisan bill passed in Republican controlled senate)
- earned income tax credit (tax relief for working poor families)
- death penalty reform
- campaign finance reform (Illinois’ most ambitious campaign finance reform in nearly 25 years, according to good government groups)
- ethics reform
- increased minimum wage
- funded stem cell research
- oh, and how about, vocally opposing an Iraq war back in 2002, when it was scary and seemingly political suicide to do so? remember those times?
While a US Senator:
- anti-proliferation (loose nukes, WMDs (real WMDs), mines, etc.)
- Transparency Act (created website for tracking and searching fed spending)
- toughening the Ethics bill
- early leadership on dealing with Avian Flu
- leadership on regulating genetic testing
- reducing medical malpractice suits the right way (not by “tort reform”)
- introducing legislation to make it illegal for tax preparers to sell personal information
- legislation on chemical plant security and lead paint
- His “health care for hybrids” bill
- An Energy Security Bill
- Various bills on relief for Hurricane Katrina, including aid for kids and a ban on no-bid contracts by FEMA
- A public database of all federal spending and contracts
- Trying to raise CAFE standards
- Veterans’ health care
- Making certain kinds of voter intimidation illegal
Obviously, you don’t need to memorize this whole list. Pick a couple that really speak to you. A friend of mine who’s been an Obama fan from the get-go has said all along that what he really likes is Obama’s work on increasing government transparency. That alone is a pretty good thing right there, especially when our county government is doing it’s level best to close down public observation and involvement.
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The best part of that interview happens after the interview, when Keith Olbermann asks Tweety to name one thing that the Senate in general has accomplished in the last seven years. Tweety, of course, cannot answer. Instead, he falls back on “well, that’s why they call it Hardball.”
Olbermann’s reply: “This isn’t Hardball. We’re covering exit poll results.”
Thank you for this post! It frustrates me that this is a constant criticism of Obama, and that supporters often don’t do the proper homework to explain to people exactly why it’s wrong.
This illustrates a failing of many of us when it comes to politics.
And it doesn’t matter if it’s on the left or right.
After all these debates, the articles written, the TV and radio interviews given, and the availablity of the information on the internet, anyone who says they don’t know where a candidate stands on the issues has only themselves to blame
Every candidate has detailed position papers on line, C-SPAN broadcasts entire speeches, and there are many other sources available to the everyman.
Too often we expect that someone is suppossed to spoon feed us this information. We have a duty as citizens to pay attention.
Great post.