Many University students and faculty on both sides of the political spectrum agree that President Barack Obama’s performance so far has been hampered by an attempt to appeal to moderates.
Daniel HoSang, assistant professor of ethnic studies and political science, supports the idea that Obama’s inability to maintain campaign promises is largely the result of his situation rather than his action.
“I think realistically, there was no way given the ideological make-up of the Congress and the country; no president ever gets the totality of his agenda implemented,” HoSang said.
HoSang also commented on the interesting opposition he is seeing from people on both sides.
“I think what’s interesting about Obama is the way that he’s drawing criticism from his support base, which insists he hasn’t done enough, and his opponents, who think he’s far overreached, while at the same time a lot of moderates are also somewhat ambivalent toward him,” HoSang said.
University junior Amber Wilmarth said she lines up with Republicans on tax issues and health care and said she was wary when Obama was looked to for change in the elections of November 2008.
“I don’t think he’s done that much from what I’ve seen,” Wilmarth said. “I haven’t seen much improvement in the economy. He was hyped up during the election. After that, I haven’t seen much change … From what I’ve seen, this is kind of what I expected. I knew it would take a long time.”
University senior Ellen Macomson, president of College Democrats , supported the idea that Democrats on campus are upset with how the president appears to have failed to keep promises.
“On the whole, I think there is a fair amount of cynicism within the group regarding compromises Obama has made on his agenda,” Macomson said. “However, I’m not sure I believe that all campaign promises are able to be kept.”
Still, Macomson said she was upset with the way measures failed despite a large Democratic majority in Congress.
Congress members elected in last November’s election are being sworn in this week, raising the question of how this congressional movement will affect Obama’s performance in the final two years of his first term.
HoSang said he sees the new legislature composition as affecting the president more procedural than anything.
“His opposition was already bold and outspoken,” he said. “I think the party not having control of committees is going to make him have to rethink strategically how he pursues some things, and I think he’ll spend even more time on the defensive because of that.”
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Obama gets mixed reviews on campus
Daily Emerald
January 3, 2011
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