I know in the past, the first hundred days in any president's first term is often used as a benchmark to measure the tone of the remaining time to come. Some presidents try to do too much, too soon, and thus make mistakes. Some do too little, thus come across as "inneffective." And some take month-long vacations.
Obama has accomplished a great deal, considering how many major problems required his immediate attention, and how much he needed to change at the same time.
Personally, I am optimistic. Like Obama himself, I am pleased with the progress he's made, but not satisfied. There are some issues on which he's treading to lightly, like torture; and other minor issues he's ignoring, such as gay rights.
But considering the massive, complicated issues on his plate, I think he's doing a good job. His pace is about as fast as I'd like to see it, his diplomacy is a great step forward, and his transparency is refreshing. I will admit, the spending makes me nervous, but not so much as facing an economic breakdown.
I think for the first time in a long time we know we have a leader. He is going to have to be the greatest Janitor of all time. I love the fact he is not afraid to take shots at the richest of the rich...going after their shady offshore tax haven corporate headquarters shows he knows where the problem lies....
