Farewell to Rahm

Say what you want about Rahm Emanuel's tenure as White House Chief of Staff, he was singularly effective. Although you would not know it from most of the ads being run by Democrats in Congress, the last two years have seen major legislative accomplishments, most notably health care reform, a goal that has long eluded previous Democratic administrations. The Stimulus Bill may not have saved or created as many jobs as hoped, but it stopped the free-fall the economy was in at the time. The financial overhaul lays the groundwork for a rebounding economy that will be less prone to the kinds of shenanigans that brought on the economic collapse of 2008. Emanuel played a central role in getting each of these tasks accomplished. People may not miss his brusque style, but the White House may well miss his ability to get things done.