There are a host of different topics filling the headline spots of newspapers today. There's almost any kind of story you could want, from the separation of actor and former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger from his wife, journalist Maria Shriver; to the idea that crazy liberals in Southern Arizona are attempting to split the state to get away from the crazy conservatives. There's even hard news, like the report released Monday by the Kaiser Family Foundation that agrees the Republican plan to change Medicare would really destroy Medicare - and leave 44 million more Americans (mostly elderly) uninsured.
The one story we're seeing very little of is a report on what President Barack Obama did on Tuesday.
It would be completely understandable, after nearly two weeks where the President has addressed and put to rest a whole host of major and minor issues, from the insanity that was birthism, to ordering the successful killing of the number one terrorist in the world, that he might take a day off.
Instead, the President traveled halfway across the nation to the Texas border town of El Paso. During the hottest part of the day, under the glaring sun, he gave a lengthy, detailed, and thoughtful address dealing with a political issue that is so volatile, neither major political party has enough courage to fully face the issue: immigration.
We're not going to rehash the President's speech here. You can read it for yourself, or watch the video of it - which we recommend if immigration is at all an issue you feel passionate about.
What we want to point out today is this: in less than two-and-a-half years on the job, this current President is not only NOT slowing down, nor is he losing focus. He is actually gaining momentum and picking up speed on his agenda.
When Senator Barack Obama began campaigning for the Presidency like most candidates, he made promises. By the time he won the Presidential election, Politifact had counted over 500 promises that he had made to attempt to change things.
According to that same organization, including promises he has yet to fulfill, items he's compromised on, items that are still in the works, and those that have been stalled by the GOP, President Obama has either completed or is working on 464 of 508 promises.
He's only left two items on the proverbial table that he hasn't begun to address.
Remember - he hasn't even been in office two-and-a-half years.
You may not like our current President, and you may not agree with his methods. You may believe he's too liberal - or that he's not liberal enough.
The one thing that can't legitimately be said about Barack Obama is that he's lazy. Very few Presidents have ever attempted so much in such a short time, save for some of our founding fathers, and both Presidents Roosevelt.
Even if you are a person who disagrees with President Obama on nearly everything, we hope you give the man some respect for what he has attempted so far.
He has set a standard of action for politicians of both parties that will be hard to match in the future. We can only hope to see more wise individuals from across the spectrum step up in the future and attempt to meet the marks Mr. Obama has already set.
