by Debbie Robus

Created on: August 22, 2010

There is no denying that the approval ratings for President Barack Obama are low, but there is still time for a reversal.  While no one can say with certainty that President Obama won't be a one-term president, there may be more Obama supporters among the ranks than the naysayers realize.

Facing more than $1.3 trillion in debt, President Obama has enacted legislation to stimulate the economy through programs that reinforce and rejuvenate our country's infrastructure.  His administration gave tax breaks to first-time home-buyers, and is enacting measures to stop the fraud and corruption on Wall Street.  While the GDP is growing at a snail's pace, it is growing, and economists are cautiously hopeful that an upward trend will continue.  If the Affordable Care Act manages to survive repeal by Republicans, many Americans can look forward to receiving health care that was heretofore just a figment of their imagination.  Improving the physical health of our country's citizens will go a long way toward improving their mental well-being and mood, to boot.

The President and his administration have overseen the withdrawal of American combat troops from Iraq.  Efforts are being made to end the U.S. presence in Afghanistan and complete our country's mission there - this time for real. If a complete withdrawal of troops from the Middle East can be accomplished in the next year or so, this could drastically affect the country's collective opinion of President Obama. Should he be able to successfully orchestrate progress in Middle East peace relations - or at least forward movement in the talks there, Americans could come around in strong numbers.

Yes, the President needs more successes and fewer failures.  He needs to be seen as a more viable agent of change by many.  But work is being done to strengthen policies and programs for education, new energy, and immigration reform.  None of these can be resolved overnight, and President Obama made this clear during his campaign.  He stated time and again that many of these problems would take two terms, if he were allowed ... or even longer ... to fully realize lasting changes.

So why, less than two years into his presidency, are we talking about the failure to re-elect a President who is succeeding?   Many expected him to bolt out of the gate and make wide-sweeping changes overnight ... or to fall flat on his face from Day One.  He has done neither.

The bigger issue

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