Obama’s Theorems

The article Obama's Theorems by Victor Davis Hanson talks about the waning belief in Obama from the public and that his ideas are not being believed or accepted as much any more. The author criticizes the theorems Obama has, including ideas about global warming, energy, and borrowing money to get out of the recession. Though people may like Obama as a person, they no longer believe his ideas because they have been found to be radical ideas that have not been fully proven. Hanson addresses voters and the general US public and brings up ideas important to them currently. He states that even with our weak economy we are discouraged from use of the carbon-based fuels of which America is plentiful. Some scientists say that global warming is eminent, yet this has been seemingly opposite for the past decade, and now is one of the coldest times.

Instead of looking at what is happening now, we are told to think of on a much larger scale to see global warming, but voters are not going to have their money spent on these issues, especially with cold weather. Hanson makes the point that borrowing money is not going to be the way to get the economy out of the recession, in the same way that making purchases with a credit card can be a quick way to fix things, but the charges take a long time to pay off. We are in an energy crisis, and are told to convert to hybrids and electrics cars, because oil is finite. Though the recession has helped lower oil prices, this is only a temporary fix. Increasing and using all energy sources seems to be a better choice to voters than using changing ideas of what is good for the environment with respect to the ideas of global warming.

Health care reform also has some issues. The voters wonder how it is possible that money would be saved with government takeover of healthcare with more people covered. Hanson asks that if Medicare has problems and dangers of fraud and waste, why would a larger government program not have these same problems?

While abroad, Obama is very open about the wrongdoings of America while overseas to make us better liked, but some disagree that this tactic will improve foreign relations. Also, if Obama is so knowledgeable about the wrongs of the past, why does he not also become so greatly knowledgeable about the rights of the past? In regards to overseas affairs, Obama has not yet finished the war in Afghanistan, even though the war in Iraq has been won.

Americans want solutions to long-term problems and welcomed a new president who was ready to take on challenges. But they are not sure if he understands that problems or has the right solutions, and if those solutions are even possible.

Hanson is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and a recipient of the 2007 National Humanities Medal. I agree with some of the ideas brought up by Hanson because I believe that there can be better solutions to some of our economic problems. These solutions should be reasonable and possible and beneficial in both the short-term and long-term, instead of just short-term solutions to long-term economic and world problems.