Everytime I look at you, I don't understand. Why'd you let the things you did get so out of hand?

"Jesus Christ, Superstar", from the 1973 movie of the same name

Unlike my colleagues on this blog, both of whom are great people, my political perspective is different. I was a Hillary Clinton supporter, and had been ever since 2005. (I've always admired her, though. Bill I liked, but I preferred Hillary). I only came around to Obama right before the convention in Denver. I couldn't in good conscience support McCain (although, to some extent, I could understand the PUMA viewpoint), and I badly wanted a Democrat to win. I was as jubilant as ever on November 4th. I was at this conference in Sacramento, lobbying the State Board of Education, so there were a lot of politically active people there as well. Anyway, it was about 9:00 or so when we got the results, and people were yelling and jumping up and down and just generally carrying on. Then the Prop 8 results came in, and the mood was dampened a little bit. Now, although I joke that I'm asexual (which might be true), I consider myself more bisexual. To be told that 52% of Californians don't believe that myself and other members of the LGBTQ community should have the freedom to choose to marry hurt. And the fact that it happened the same night as Obama being elected President really sucked.

Looking back, I have to admit that November 4th serves as a metaphor for his Presidency so far:

Bittersweet

He promised hope and change and a new way forward. He said "Yes, We Can" and "Si, Se Puede". He raked in larger crowds and larger amounts of money.

And yet, once he was elected? Not so much. Now, I understand that Candidate and President are two different things, but come on. He talked about bipartisanship, which is wonderful. However, BOTH SIDES have to want bipartisanship. And, I would hope it was clear, but the Republicans don't seem to really want bipartisanship. And yet he continues to "compromise"!

Mister President, allow me to speak candidly directly to you. Presumptuous of me, I know, but indulge me. STOP ACTING LIKE A SENATOR!

SENATORS compromise on legislation. PRESIDENTS should not. SENATORS need to make things palatable. PRESIDENTS stand firm.

For a while, it looked as if Obama was going to sacrifice the public option on the altar of bipartisanship. Then, loads of angry progressives bombarded Congress and the White House with e-mails and phone calls, and the public option is back. The message? "STAY ON HIM, AND PROTEST AND COMPLAIN AND FORCE HIM TO NOT BUDGE".

As a member of the LGBTQ community, I was wary of Obama's "I'm a Christian, but civil unions are okay" stance, and had hopes that he would at least realize that same-sex marriage is a civil rights issue. (Personally, it's an "I'll be Civil when I've got ALL my Rights" issue) However, when his Department of Justice came out and defended DOMA, that's the Defense of Marriage Act signed by President Clinton in 1996 (Click here for the WikiArticle on DOMA), it surprised and angered many in the community. And many gay Democrats who were big donors BOYCOTTED a DNC meeting where Biden was the keynote speaker. The LGBTQ community has always sided with the Democrats, but it's almost a case of "battered spouse syndrome", to quote The Advocate magazine. We get politically screwed, only to come back with wallets open. And while there are quite a few Democrats who are full supporters (Kirsten Gillibrand, Barbara Boxer, etc.), Obama has disappointed us again and again.

So, on health care and gay rights, he's had mixed opinions and mixed results. In regards to the economy, he's done a little better, but the Troubled Asset Relief Program for the banks and the stimulus plan haven't fully worked, and there hasn't been any weaning of corporate welfare.

Foreign policy, my forte, is where he's done a lot of good. My only real complaints in regards to foreign policy are Iraq and Afghanistan, simply because they're both quagmires to some extent (Afghanistan is the place where big powers go to get their asses kicked and and lose, and Iraq...well, I could spend a whole post on Iraq, and I probably will). Oh, and torture and Guantanamo Bay, which I will also mention in another post.

If I had to give him a grade so far, it'd be a C-.


EDIT: I had forgotten about his nomination and appointment of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. Because of that, I'll revise my previous grade of a C- for him and up it to a B-.