Purple Heart Liberals Inaugural Post

Welcome, one and all, to official blog of the Northwestern University College Democrats. Every week, one of our wonderful executive board members (Mira, Adam, Jeremiah, Jonathan, Tyler, Lauren, Jeremiah, Dan, Mac and myself, Jordan) will post an entry related to the week’s meeting topic. I can imagine you all now, sad because there will only be one entry per week. Don’t despair! There will be more posts whenever Democrats do something we like, or don’t like, or if John Boehner says something stupid, or if Tom Delay goes back on Dancing with the Stars, or if Michael Steele makes a racist comment…well, you get the point.

This week at the meeting (October 11 in University 101 from 7-8pm), the topic is “President Obama: a 9-Month Checkup.” As the Republicans well know, it’s easy to find ways to criticize a leader with as much responsibility as the President of the United States. And don’t get me wrong, Obama and his administration have done some things that I disagree with. Chief among these are the escalation in Afghanistan, the failure to take immediate action on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and other gay rights issues and of course there’s the unfortunate fact that Guantanamo Bay is still home to hundreds of “enemy combatants.”

Then there are a few issues on which I feel a little bit more neutral. The economic stimulus package and attendant bailouts of banks and the Big Three automakers are one such issue. On the one hand, Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act pumped money back into a struggling economy through road, highway and other infrastructure projects, increased funding for teachers, seniors and low-income Americans. It undoubtedly prevented a much more damaging recession. However, many of the billions of dollars shipped off to AIG, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and other institutions went with no strings attached. They were spent on private jets and CEO bonuses instead of delivered into the pool of funds available for lending to the American people, which would really have gotten the economy back on track.

Health care is another ambiguous issue. I couldn’t be happier with the Administration’s stated goals of providing affordable health care for all, bending the cost curve and preserving patient choice, but I’m somewhat confused by the way in which they’re going about doing this. There are five different proposals being debated in Congress, and Democratic leaders like Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi need more direction from the President. Moderate Democrats will only sign on to the more controversial parts of reform, such as the public option, if the President supports them. Obama has not even said which cost-cutting methods he supports. A surtax on the wealthiest Americans? Removing the tax loophole on employer-provided health insurance? We just don’t know. There is time, however, for Obama to turn health care around and guide a strong bill to his desk to be signed into law. And I think he can do it.

As a dyed-in-the-wool purple heart liberal, I see problems with the President’s first term. But it is so important to think about all the positive steps Obama has taken, and how far we have come since the dark days of the Bush administration. Federal funding for stem cell research, fair pay for women, the expansion of health care for children in the CHIP program, new emissions standards, the prohibition of torture, credit card reform and more seemed impossible ten months ago, but are a reality now.

Oh yeah, and he just won a Nobel Peace Prize. Not bad for nine months.

And, what you’ve all been waiting for, a reminder of why we’re all fighting so hard for real change in America.



He’s sorry. He just loves his country. But guess what, Glenn? So do we. So look out.

I’ll see everyone at the meeting!