President Obama did in fact have a Year of Action
Irrespective of one’s party affiliation one must admit that the President accomplished much in 2014. Imagine how much more could have been accomplished if Republicans were willing to engage in compromise instead of “my way or the highway.” Americans tolerated the dysfunction because the colossal dereliction of duty by our media failed to report accurately.
President Obama’s Chief of Staff Denis McDonough said as much in the ever diplomatic tone of this administration. “2014 is winding down and Americans across the country are taking stock of this year’s biggest moments and as President Obama’s Chief of Staff I have had the incredible privilege of watching some of these moments up close,” said McDonough. “Together they show that despite what you may have heard the President got a lot of important business done.”
Despite what you have heard? An ineffective President? An unaccomplished president? In other words, while the media was simply regurgitating talking points and hyperventilating about issues least important to making American lives better, the administration was methodically executing its agenda.
The reality is the Obama Administration is terrible at touting its successes. Lately the President has been doing so and so has his administration. What is interesting is that even absent this “2014 Year of Action,” the President had accomplished more in his first two years that most Presidents in 8 years. This Rachel Maddow piece just before the 2010 Congressional loss was probative.
Rachel Maddow unlike most in the media saw through the false narrative
The administration seemed to have learned its lesson. While it has always kept the website up to date, it did a poor job of informing Americans of what was being done to make their lives better. Worse, it did a poor job of naming the obstructionists. The former is much improved as they are using all avenues of communications to get their message out giving the traditional mainstream media’s dereliction. The latter still needs a lot of work as they continue to give obstructionists a pass apparently having a false expectation that not calling them out forcefully will bring them to the table. The President and his administration cannot bring them to the table as their methods have been successful. It won them unprecedented electoral victories. Americans must force them to the table.
Whether one likes this President or not, whether one likes his policies are not, it is a fact that his accomplishments have been vast (ACA, Stimulus, Banking Reform, Lily Ledbetter, …). Most importantly even with incessant obstructionism and intransigence, the juggernaut continues as 2014 really was a Year of Action.