March 14, 2010
COMMENTARY: Too Much, Too Soon
By Stephen N. Reed
The American presidents who are known as our greatest White House occupants all had one major political virtue nailed down: they knew that they had to have the public behind them before executing a grand new strategy, policy, or foreign policy initiative. Short of that, their plans would turn into oatmeal, sooner or later.
The successful presidents also were content with achievable results, not grandiose plans requiring unlimited budgets. They may have had a touch of idealism in their characters, but they were flinty realists about themselves, human nature, and the ways of the world.
President Barack Obama does not appear to be a student of these more successful presidents. While we might understand how zesty he must have felt following his historic election to the Oval Office, wisdom did not prevail in his development of his hugely expensive, all-encompassing health care effort of the past year.
When Obama could have more easily pushed through a bipartisan bill that would have helped millions more get catastrophic health insurance coverage for their families, that was not enough for him. When he could have shown political savvy in reaching out to Republicans early on for some of their ideas on tort reform and portability of health insurance across state lines, well, somehow that got lost in the cracks of ambition, too.
Obama and the Democratic House and Senate have had everything they needed to push through a good health care bill this year. They had impressive majorities in both Houses of Congress, a then-popular President, and an extremely friendly national press.
All they needed was the country's support. But because they couldn't pause long enough to really persuade us or to incorporate the better ideas of both parties, they now have to try to pass a bill that pleases no one, on the left or the right.
November 2010 is going to be an interesting election. Perhaps a watershed.
Stephen N. Reed is a former Deputy Secretary of State and former Charleston talk radio host. He resides in Charles Town, WV.
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COMMENTARY: Too Much, Too Soon
By Stephen N. Reed
The American presidents who are known as our greatest White House occupants all had one major political virtue nailed down: they knew that they had to have the public behind them before executing a grand new strategy, policy, or foreign policy initiative. Short of that, their plans would turn into oatmeal, sooner or later.
The successful presidents also were content with achievable results, not grandiose plans requiring unlimited budgets. They may have had a touch of idealism in their characters, but they were flinty realists about themselves, human nature, and the ways of the world.
President Barack Obama does not appear to be a student of these more successful presidents. While we might understand how zesty he must have felt following his historic election to the Oval Office, wisdom did not prevail in his development of his hugely expensive, all-encompassing health care effort of the past year.
When Obama could have more easily pushed through a bipartisan bill that would have helped millions more get catastrophic health insurance coverage for their families, that was not enough for him. When he could have shown political savvy in reaching out to Republicans early on for some of their ideas on tort reform and portability of health insurance across state lines, well, somehow that got lost in the cracks of ambition, too.
Obama and the Democratic House and Senate have had everything they needed to push through a good health care bill this year. They had impressive majorities in both Houses of Congress, a then-popular President, and an extremely friendly national press.
All they needed was the country's support. But because they couldn't pause long enough to really persuade us or to incorporate the better ideas of both parties, they now have to try to pass a bill that pleases no one, on the left or the right.
November 2010 is going to be an interesting election. Perhaps a watershed.
Stephen N. Reed is a former Deputy Secretary of State and former Charleston talk radio host. He resides in Charles Town, WV.
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