Asia-Pacific
Obama's domestic issues trump foreign policy
By Ai Yang (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-03-23 08:12
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BEIJING - Although US President Barack Obama said his nation had "answered the call of history" after the crucial healthcare reform bill was passed Sunday night, analysts say foreign policy matters have been overshadowed by domestic issues, which have consumed the president's energies in his first 14 months in office.
The narrow (219-212 votes) victory, with Republicans unanimously opposing the bill, has come at a time when Obama's ratings hover just below the 50-percent mark.
Chinese experts said the US president has shown timidity in his foreign policy and that the focus has shifted from pressing global issues.
The presidency-boosting bill saw Washington twice alter dates of Obama's first international trip (to Asia) of the year, risking offending its would-be hosts.
Indonesia, with the largest number of Muslims in the world and Obama's childhood home, and Australia, which is a strong supporter of Washington's Afghan strategy and an important trade partner, would now have to wait for more than two months for the long overdue presidential visit.
The White House twice announced trip delays within six days, postponing the president's schedule from late March to June.
The China Post said it was the latest example of how the Obama administration had underestimated the difficulties involved in passing health-care reform.
In the meantime, Chinese experts and an influential US newspaper have said the temporary political lift coming out of the passage of the bill does not guarantee a positive future.
"It is only the beginning of a new chapter," said Pang Zhongying, a professor of international studies at the Beijing-based Renmin University of China.
"The US has a weak knee on a handful of social development issues," he said, "and the implementation of the new law will likely see more difficulties."
"Obama has staked his reputation on the future of the healthcare reform, and if he had not won the votes this time, there would have been more negative impact on his other strategies."
The focus throughout the previous year was on domestic concerns, Tao said. "Climate change and the (global) financial crisis came second, because nothing is more important than a stable society."
"(This victory) doesn't mean a similar smooth passage for other issues, like the Afghan problem and other domestic matters. Republicans will keep on with their battle," Tao added.
The US Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the healthcare reform would cost $940 billion over 10 years, involving deficit cuts of $138 billion over the same period.
An analysis by the Washington Post said, whether voters would continue giving Obama credit during the upcoming Congressional elections in November, would depend on measurable returns from the new bill.
Nevertheless, it said, a Gallup poll ahead of the vote actually showed that more Americans believe the measure will make things worse rather than better for the country as a whole and for them personally.
Most recent polls have shown many Americans unhappy with the plan although some surveys have indicated that US citizens have given high marks to individual elements within the reform bill.
"Domestic policies have already slowed the pace of international affairs. Obama will place more emphasis on domestic and less on foreign diplomatic efforts," Pang said. "But the damage will be limited."
