My Peace City | nonviolence & social change

Are you wondering how Obama’s job performance is going these days?  It’s difficult to gauge how he is faring for a couple reasons.  First, because he is so new on the job, there is not much to judge him on.  Second, because we are going through such unprecedented times, it’s difficult to compare the present to other periods of history.  And third, because there are so many opinions swirling around in the mediasphere, it’s hard to decide who is right.  Thus, it seems impossible to get a good read on him.  It’s like trying to determine if your turkey’s cooked just by looking through the oven door.

If you want an effective way to measure Obama’s performance; if you want to stick the proverbial thermometer inside and find out whether that turkey is ready to eat, listen up.  The mainstream media is an excellent indicator of Obama’s job performance, in a perverse sort of way.

During Obama’s pre-stimulus bill days in office, all we heard from the Beltway pundits were the buzzwords “pragmatic,” and “centrist,” and “non-ideological.”  Across the political spectrum, the pundits praised every cabinet pick, every word, and virtually every decision Obama made.   This was because everything emanating from the White House was right on point with the sole wish of the Washington political establishment (WPE)- a retention of the status quo (signified by a well-balanced inaugural speech and centrist cabinet picks).

Today, the old buzzwords of the pre-stimulus days have been replaced with “liberal,” and “socialism,” and “big government.”  This dramatic change in the Beltway punditry highlights a change in the Obama administration.  As soon as Obama began introducing policies that leaned left, the media pounced on him.  But all Obama did was begin to reveal his support for the policies he had been campaigning for for nearly two years- healthcare, green energy, accountability and transparency in Washington, to name of few.  Each of these are not in the interests of the WPE (for reasons I will delve into later).  The mainstream media, acting as a microphone for the WPE and thus working to maintain and advance its interests, naturally will denounce anything going against these interests.  And this is what we are seeing today.

But always keep in mind that Obama is purporting to act not in the interests of the WPE, but in the interests of the citizenry at large.   The majority of Americans want, among other things, healthcare reform and an end to the corruption in Washington.  So when you hear the press praising Obama, be on guard.  This means he is likely acting against your interests and for the benefit of the WPE.  But when you hear criticism of Obama, smile and relax.  You can rest assured that Obama is likely working for you.

This article was originally published at The Obama History Project.