Of course Doug R would pop in with a comment that is 10 miles wide and about 1/4" deep.

Yes we are better for all the reasons stated above. No need to restate the obvious about what he was handed and how he has governed, especially as compared to the previous eight years.

But how would I rate him? We were all over optimistic. His ratings are surely being affected by our citizenry wanting instant gratification, and damn us for that whole "fast food" cultural weakness. But I am disappointed in how he has moved on his agenda. He promised "change we can believe in", and "a new way of doing things". But he puts cabinet posts in the hands of Geitner and Bernanke, and a year after the bailout the banks are right back in the credit default swap swing and paying higher bonuses and making more money than ever before. But none of that is being invested in creating jobs. Change I could believe in would have been to break up businesses that are "too big to fail". Granted that cannot be done in a year, but I don't even see signs of him putting it together. I see no committment to the kind of health CARE reform we need, let alone health INSURANCE reform. While I do agree it is critical to get something passed so we have a starting point to work from, I am very distressed at the way he talked a good game, but has shown no desire to fight for his agenda.

His ratings are dropping and he will lay it off to what he was handed. I would probably say it is more due to him not showing enough backbone. He got elected with a pretty convincing mandate, but he has not shown the toughness to push it through.

I still have hope that this marvelous man will one day get tired of the unfair attacks and the partisan stonewalling and let that campaigner come out of the closet and take it to the people. He would be amazingly effective.

All the best,

Mick