So, there's a lot of emotion flying around right now, all over the blogosphere. I understand.
But I think we need to take a deep breath and look at what has really happened so far.
President Obama's accomplishments in his first two years are listed in detail below the jump.
President Obama's Accomplishments:
Passed large-scale economic stimulus - including vital investments in infrastructure and green energy, while preventing the economy from dropping off a cliff
Stopped torture of detainees - requiring all interrogations to stick to the Army Field Manual
Ended combat operations in Iraq - on September 1, 2010
Passed Health Care Reform - ensuring that people can no longer be dropped from their plan for getting sick, and allowing individuals and small businesses to use exchanges to buy insurance at large group rates
Passed Financial Reform - large financial firms will now be "wound down" if government funding is needed, ceasing to exist like a bankrupt company would be (but much more orderly and functional than standard bankruptcy)
I want to take a moment to note just how much of a big deal the above are. Any one of these would have been considered a monumental victory or a landmark achievement as recently as 2008.
Saved the American Auto Industry - with the repaid loans and current stock price indicating that the taxpayers will recoup at least 80% of their investment
Restored federal funding of stem-cell research
Signed the Liddy Ledbetter Fair Pay Act - ensuring that women everywhere retain the right to sue for fair pay
Signed Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act - ensuring that crimes against the LGBT community are rightfully tried as hate crimes
Student Loan Reform - eliminating corporate middlemen while greatly expanding Pell Grants
Spurred more hiring from private firms in 2010 than in the entire eight years under Bush
Race to the Top - providing competitive grants to spur reforms in education
Appointed the first hispanic Supreme Court Justice
Extended benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees
Reversed 'global gag rule' - allowing US aid to organizations regardless of whether they provide abortions
Signed the Family Smoking Prevention Act - allowing FDA oversight of tobacco companies for the first time ever
Negotiated and signed the New START Act
Increased fuel efficiency standards - from 27.5mpg to 35.5mpg
Provided the Department of Veterans Affairs with additional funding - particularly to recruit and retain mental health professionals
Signed continuation and expansion of SCHIP - health insurance for children confirmed as a basic right
Signed Weapons Systems Acquisition Reform Act - to stop fraud and waste in defense procurement and contracting
Established Credit Card Bill of Rights - preventing arbitrary and unpublicized credit card rate hikes on consumers
Expansion of Medicaid and closure of Medicare "donut hole"
Increased funding for the Violence Against Women Act
Now, be honest with yourself. Look at this list, and think about how many of these would have happened with a Republican President, or Senate, or House. That's not even including things that may have gotten worse under Republicans, like a permanent repeal of the estate tax or revoking EPA authority to regulate greenhouse gasses.
It's easy to forget now just how toxic and right-wing the political landscape was two years ago, where concepts like "Torture is a bad idea" and "Wars should end eventually" were considered somewhat controversial - or at least debatable - by the Beltway Elite. If you want to be disappointed in or angry at President Obama, that's fine. But don't for a minute pretend that he's just as bad as the Republicans.