Monday, January 4, 2010

How Effective is a "Kick in the Pants" from President Obama?

How would you describe Ms. Stoltberg's view of Presidential power? What do you think of her point-of-view?

14 comments:

kelkelnic said...

If we are suppose to believe that a deadline is another name for guidline, why not just call it a guidline?

JasmineFlowers said...

@kelseynicol I don't believe that neither "deadline" or "guideline" be used. People become to hung up on those things and get mad when the day comes and no action. No one can foresee any complications that might arise...

Unknown said...

Obama can't threaten the legislators like Reagan could by threatening to fire the air traffic controllers so a "kick in the pants" isn't very effective. The deadlines or "guidelines" are losing their impact no matter what you call them and though Obama would like a more aggressive and faster timetable, congress can only do so much because there are more opinions and more arguments between the many members of congress because each member has different intentions. Sorry about the long comment btw haha

Anonymous said...

I agree with Aubrey. Although it's good to set deadlines, you have to look at the fact that Congress can't hurry up and pass the bill. They need time, and with a deadline, they obviously won't be able to stop and take time to think about what is actually good for the country.

Dillon said...

I agree with the view expressed in the article that the president would cause less damage to himself and others by not making all his "deadlines" public. We are in a recession and Congress needs to understand its time to get to work and focus. Now more than ever a sense of urgency is needed in the government. Obama's "deadlines" help establish this sense of urgency.

Brandon J. said...

The Presidents deadlines should not be able to affect the work of Congress. The deadlines by Obama are more like preferences in a video games. Obama is adjusting the preferences to what suits him personally the best and not thinking about what is best for the country. In agreement with Dillon, it does establish urgency but is that what America needs right now especially in recession? I think Obama should not put pressures on Congress so they can pass bills with thorough review of the bill.

Unknown said...

Ms. Stoltberg's view of the presidential power is one that has the power to lead in suggestion. He can make thoughful suggestions but it is up to the houses to make those suggestions into actions. I agree with her point of view. President Obama can not order for something to be done and expect the houses to do so. He must only present suggestions and hope that they agree. As for the argument of Obama and deadlines, I like the fact that he is taking the initiative to insure that certain things are done by a certain time. It may not be effective now, but overtime, it will become more effective. Kami Bohannon

Olivia said...

The article is true in many aspects. The "guidelines" used by President Obama are used really to create the allusion that things will get done, but at the same time are also creating goals for the national government. Ms. Stoltberg's view is true in the fact that Obama is unable to create an enforceable deadline with power behind them. Although, these deadlines may be too ambitious there is hope that they will be followed through in due time.

Sallie Weir said...

It seems as though President Obama is setting all of these deadlines, or "guidelines", as a means of showing the United States he is taking action and trying to get things done. I do agree with Dillon, that these deadlines cause a sense of urgency that perhaps is needed by Congress. However they do not necessarily need to made public, since people become upset when deadlines are not made, especially if it is happening repeatedly, as stated in the article.

Katherine Savoy said...

I agree that deadlines are useful and necessary to get things moving, but at the same time if one constantly sets deadlines and fails to meet them; then these deadlines become useless, and ignored.

keagan said...

It seems to me that Ms. Stoltberg see's the presidents job and power as the task master and enforcer of the government, and she is saying that if President Obama is going to keep setting deadlines and still maintain his power he is going to have to find a way to make people meet their deadlines, or have some kind of reprimands.

And I agree that the president does need to maintain his authority by making people meet deadlines, or stop making them.

Maya Roy said...

Based on Ms. Stolberg's sidebar comments, presented in parentheses (as if they were supplementary to the information that was previously stated, as this is), it seems as though she does not expect President Obama to do what he had said he would do based on what he promised to do before, and failed to do so.

I can see why Ms. Stolberg is not expecting President Obama to do much in the future, but although it has been a year for him to keep his promises, he still has 3 more. I am just going to wait and see what happens; I am not going to keep my expectations too high, or too low, for when something does, or does not, happen, I will not be surprised.

crcorrell said...

I would describe Ms. Stoltberg's view of Presidential power as biased. Ms. Stoltberg's conservative view point on the President is tainting what should be an unbiased article. The sources as well as the statistics she quotes are purely one sided. She went so far as to describe Ronald "McDonald" Reagan as "tough." And everyone knows that Republicans worship Ronald Reagan as Democrats once idolized Obama. The president has not delivered on the promises he made in his campaigning, there is no doubt of that. But blame should not be only awarded to the president. Blame is to be shared between both political parties, a divided Congress, and an ineffective President.
I will start first with Partisanship as a whole and then precede to break down the flaws in each party. Both the Republicans and the Democrats have let their opinions concerning government cloud their judgement for what is best for our nation. They need to learn to settle their differences and get things done. Both parties have been completely stubborn in a system that needs compromise to solve our great Nation's problems. This strict division in Congress can be argued as a contributing source to Obama's ineffectiveness. The Problem therefore lies in extremist views resulting in a ineffective President, not in, as Ms. Stoltberg suggests, "A President Who Loves Deadlines."

Anonymous said...

Cole horowitz
I think that deadlines need to be set in order to get things done in a sufficient amount of time but if the deadline restricts from the quality of the job, I think that the deadline is useless.