ECA
I am a FH squatter
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2003
- Messages
- 9,466
That he promised everything but has so far delivered very little - a neutered healthcare bill that does a great deal for the pharmaceutical industry...
He delivered health care - something dems have been trying to pass for the last 50 years +, and while it isnt perfect it can at least be expanded/altered and once it's been there a few years the Republicans won't dare try and repeal it - just like they are against socialised medicine but for medicare ( socialised medicine ).
He delivered a new START treaty, changed world opinion about america, and a bunch of other things.
What you have to remember about america though is it doesn't have the same system we have.
They have a lower house ( the house ) an upper house ( the senate ) as a legislature - the president heads the executive. It has you know - checks and balances. They are inherently designed to slow the pace of change and prohibit governments - even with majorities in all sections of elected government - from having a tyranny of the majority.
In the senate - any legislation can be blocked by filibuster unless you have 60 votes.
You can see that even in a very small time frame the use ( and many would call the abuse ) of the filibuster has risen dramatically.
It's a lot harder to judge presidents than it is PMs because they have to work with other bodies - and not dictate. ( Perhaps a point in favour of our new government after all ).
