Obama's failed first year

Washington Times Editorial:

President Obama told Oprah Winfrey that he deserves a "solid B-plus" for his accomplishments as president so far, and that if health care reform passes, that would raise his grade to an A-minus. This is bold talk from a man who has made history by achieving the lowest approval rating of any modern president at this point in his presidency. But if you like a government-run economy, astronomical deficits and a weakened America, you may well give Mr. Obama high marks.

Mr. Obama campaigned as a centrist who would bring bipartisanship and responsibility to Washington. Instead, we have seen him lead a year of irresponsible spending and wildly increasing government intrusion in the lives of Americans. Mr. Obama has pushed ahead with his Big Government agenda, heedless of the wishes of the American people, and people with dissenting viewpoints have been told to shut up and rudely shut out of the process. Mr. Obama does not have a bipartisan bone in his boney body.

We have witnessed government expanding by every means available. The government took control of two of the Big Three automakers, dictated which dealerships would have to close, and rushed through an expensive "cash for clunkers" handout that mainly benefited Japanese automakers. The Environmental Protection Agency has issued an endangerment finding on carbon dioxide that opens the way for government regulation of every aspect of manufacturing, distribution and travel outside of congressional oversight.

It's not only the industrial base that has been targeted. The administration has unilaterally imposed drastic government controls on the financial sector, and Mr. Obama bragged to "60 Minutes" that he "did not run for office to be helping out a bunch of fat cat bankers on Wall Street." Yet this week it was reported that his administration has agreed not to collect billions of dollars in potential taxes from Citigroup as part of a sweetheart deal with the IRS. It seems some cats are fatter than others.

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There is more.

The Obama record is a target rich environment. His disastrous health care plan and anti energy plans will make us weaker and lower our standard of living. He has pushed a control freak and ti freedom agenda that the majority of voters in this country do not want. They will get their chance to reject members of Congress who have supported that agenda in less than a year.