Evaluating President Obama's Response to the Haiti Earthquake

The president is first the CEO of the U.S., not of the world, and he's performing less than stellar on behalf of those he was elected to serve. Note the jobless and foreclosure rates.

Americans typically are the first to answer in relief efforts when world disasters occur. The responses of Americans and the president to the Haitian tragedy are not unique. We have been supporting many nations and their peoples across the world for years with both people power and money.

Can't we get beyond the blame game? The foreclosures and jobless rates in this country were not created overnight. The president is trying to do his best. I doubt if anyone else could do better.
As far as Haiti goes, would you have the president of the richest, most powerful country turn his back on this close neighbor? To do so would be against our compassionate principles as a nation. I am proud of the people from this country who have responded with medical and financial aid to Haiti. I am proud of the American troops who are trying to set up rescue efforts in this devastated country.
And, by the way, the first responders to Haiti were the Canadians!

Israel Airlifted Ethiopian jews from Ethiopia to Israel! Cubans were given refuge in The U.S., and we have Jewish and Vietnamese communities in the US largely because of disasters - man made or natural. I suggest that Michaella jean, governor general of Canada, and Michelle Obama, our firs lady, join hands to talk to other nations about accepting Haitian victims and their families. The monies raised could provide them a fresh start and healthcare. No politics just solutions...Please!

I, too, am an older American, having lived through presidents since Truman. Yes, I do question the president's priorities, not in regard to assisting the Haitians but in regard to Americans. Never before have I witnessed a president who has been so tone deaf to middle America. The so-called "health-reform" legislation has become a cash cow for insurers by inflating insurance costs and then raising taxes and cutting Medicare outlays to cover the costs it inflated. The $500 billion deficit has been grown to $2 trillion in one year to benefit favored constituencies while the jobless and foreclosure numbers mount. Where is the president's compassion for his fellow Americans?

The president is first the CEO of the U.S., not of the world, and he's performing less than stellar on behalf of those he was elected to serve. Note the jobless and foreclosure rates.

Americans typically are the first to answer in relief efforts when world disasters occur. The responses of Americans and the president to the Haitian tragedy are not unique. We have been supporting many nations and their peoples across the world for years with both people power and money.

President Obama bought the unemployment rate and foreclosure crisis for $787 billion with the stimulus bill that he insisted upon. You can bet that if, as he promised, unemployment had peaked at 8% and we were cruising along the road to recovery that he'd be taking all the credit.

We need to be very grateful for the people who are undertaking the relief effort in Haiti. So many doctors, emergency workers, and the like going down there to donate their time. So many people coming together with their treasure to provide for the people in this tragedy.

There is one group of people who are making this all possible, though, who are frequently maligned and vilified by those with a narrow political agenda.

Yes, I'm talking about Big Oil and the Energy Extraction Industry. Without their product, there would be no way to get massive supplies and food to these people. Nearly all of them would die. Not to mention that without their product, there wouldn't be any wealthy nations to donate resources and food.

Big Oil - doing kingdom work!!

Obama implies God has forsaken Haiti...heard this from a major news network as well. It seems this godless president, and the godless or antichrist spirit in this world are pushing their agenda..and pushing hard. Subliminal messages to get the pawns thinking that they should turn on their creator. AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD. This world and country will become more and more godless...until the culmination of it all when the antichrist rears his head, if he hasn't already.

I really don't think this is the place for a rant about the domestic economy or a dispute about the rightness or wrongness of domestic health and welfare provisions. Why GOP'ers should get on their political high horse every time Obama's name is mentioned, regardless of context, is beyond me. OK, I'm a New Zealander, not a US citizen, but I come to this blog as a Christian first and as a concerned citizen of God's world second.

I believe the most central point that Jesus made in His ministry is that people are more central to God's priorities than the rules and policies that the rich and powerful like to impose on everybody else - especially those on the margins of society. The central point of Jesus' death is that we are not here for ourselves, but that we really are our brother's/sister's keeper. Where does that put discussions of domestic vs international politics, healthcare reform vs disaster relief.

"Who is my neighbour?" a lawyer once asked Jesus. Jesus responded with the parable of the Good Samaritan, which we often forget carried the message that nationality doesn't count when we are seeking to apply the commandment, "Love your neighbour as yourself." Ultimately, Jesus' definition of our neighbour extends to every man, woman and child on this earth. So where does THAT put the discussion of disaster relief in a poor foreign country, compared to our own middle-class concerns about what government should or should not be doing at home?

If the welfare of middle-class Americans is jeopardized, they will be unable to contribute the revenue that the government depends on for aiding Haiti and other countries in need. The U.S. government does not create revenue; it's working citizens create the revenue.

I think the president "gets it" and I have no doubt that his first obligation is to the citizens of our nation. Your statement seems to question his priorities. However, he is also the "leader of the free world", and if he did not lead in the crisis situation in Haiti and in other countries as they occur, I am sure he would be blamed for not taking action. I am an older citizen, born and raised in the USA, and never have I seen our country and the rest of the world in such a precarious situation. And, never, never have I seen a president of this country expected to do so much and given such little support.

Peace of the Lord be with you.............and our president.

I, too, am an older American, having lived through presidents since Truman. Yes, I do question the president's priorities, not in regard to assisting the Haitians but in regard to Americans. Never before have I witnessed a president who has been so tone deaf to middle America. The so-called "health-reform" legislation has become a cash cow for insurers by inflating insurance costs and then raising taxes and cutting Medicare outlays to cover the costs it inflated. The $500 billion deficit has been grown to $2 trillion in one year to benefit favored constituencies while the jobless and foreclosure numbers mount. Where is the president's compassion for his fellow Americans?

Perhaps you misread my statements about "health reform" since we appear to have some agreement. I stated that the legislation would become a "cash cow" for insurers because it would raise the cost of insurance and mandate that all have insurance. Currently, health insurance companies have a profit margin of about 2.2%, but given the anticipated mandate, that profit margin could be expected to rise.

Another facet of health reform that is ignored is the current state of Medicare, which has a $37 trillion unfunded liability. If the feds can't manage Medicare in a fiscally responsible manner, how can they run an even larger government program? As you're probably aware, the Mayo Clinic in Glendale, Arizona, has instituted a 2-year pilot project that requires its Medicare patients to pay cash if they want to continue seeing their doctors. The decision was made because of inadequate Medicare fees.

As has been widely reported, Obama has made a "deal" with Big Pharma to bring them on board with the health legislation. Most recently, the unions met with Obama and have been granted exemptions on their "cadillac plans," a political payoff. And then there are the payoffs to Nebraska, Louisiana, and Florida, which were made to get the Senate version of the bill passed. All Americans should be outraged by these blatant bribes.

You referred to Medicare Part D. Actually, this program is a success. The projected cost of this program to the government and taxpayers in 2009 is 40% lower than what was estimated, marking the fourth consecutive year in which costs have come in under projections. Most unusual for a government program to come in under budget!

Admit that I'm weary of hearing the "blame Bush" refrain. The Democrats' major complicity in the financial meltdown cannot be ignored. Consider the institution of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) under Carter; the expansion of the CRA under Clinton, with penalties foisted on banks that red-lined; the pushback by the Democrats when Bush, McCain, and Greenspan attempted to rein in the excesses of Fannie, Freddie, and HUD; the Democrats' recent raising of the $400 billion cap on borrowing by Fannie and Freddie, which will post nearly $100 billion in losses this year; the institution of NAFTA under Clinton; and the repeal of Glass-Steagall under Clinton.

The Democrats have held the majority in Congress since 2006. The "mess" that Obama claims to have "inherited" is partially of his own making since he was a sitting senator.

Finally, have to ask you to please expand on your statement that "Obama has accomplished more for the American middle class than Bush even articulated." I know what Obama has done for Wall Street, for the AMA, for Big Pharma, for the unions, and for terrorists, but I can't determine what he's done for the middle class.

President Obama bought the unemployment rate and foreclosure crisis for $787 billion with the stimulus bill that he insisted upon. You can bet that if, as he promised, unemployment had peaked at 8% and we were cruising along the road to recovery that he'd be taking all the credit.

I marvel at the willingness and availability of resources and people on the ground or getting on the ground to help in Haiti. It takes a while to pull together help for such a huge tragedy.

I think if the Lord really wanted to endorse the oil industry, He could probably do it without your help, Brent Hardaway. What an odd association you are making.

I really don't think this is the place for a rant about the domestic economy or a dispute about the rightness or wrongness of domestic health and welfare provisions. Why GOP'ers should get on their political high horse every time Obama's name is mentioned, regardless of context, is beyond me. OK, I'm a New Zealander, not a US citizen, but I come to this blog as a Christian first and as a concerned citizen of God's world second.

I believe the most central point that Jesus made in His ministry is that people are more central to God's priorities than the rules and policies that the rich and powerful like to impose on everybody else - especially those on the margins of society. The central point of Jesus' death is that we are not here for ourselves, but that we really are our brother's/sister's keeper. Where does that put discussions of domestic vs international politics, healthcare reform vs disaster relief.

"Who is my neighbour?" a lawyer once asked Jesus. Jesus responded with the parable of the Good Samaritan, which we often forget carried the message that nationality doesn't count when we are seeking to apply the commandment, "Love your neighbour as yourself." Ultimately, Jesus' definition of our neighbour extends to every man, woman and child on this earth. So where does THAT put the discussion of disaster relief in a poor foreign country, compared to our own middle-class concerns about what government should or should not be doing at home?

Where do you get it that Obama implies God has forsaken Haiti? Why do you call him a godless president?

I live in the UK. This tragedy seems to have brought out the very best of the US's generosity both on individual and government levels, Christian and non-Christian agencies. But at the same time there are these nasty religious and political commentators (Pat Robertson, Rush Limbaugh etc) who give Christianity and the US such a negative image here in Europe and throughout the rest of the World. It is obviously in the best interests of the US to have a stable situation in Haiti and I think the Obama administration is doing as good a job as is possible both on the humanitarian level and on the political one as well.