There was nothing about the Obama presidency that really makes one nostalgic for it. Indeed, the irony is that, whatever his personal popularity among Democrats, they actually should have little desire to renew his presidency either.
Fun fact: By the time Mr. Obama left office, 77% of all partisan elective offices across the Federal, state and local levels were in Republican hands. Whatever his charisma among partisan Democrats, it did not translate into votes. Mr. Obama's presidency left the Democratic party a shambles and at a post-WWII low in terms of the number of elective offices it held.
It also set the stage for the Trump presidency. The irony is that the assumption was that because Mr. Obama was the nation's first African-American President, that he would be a unifying force in terms of race relations and the culture generally.
In terms of the latter, Mr. Obama's condescension - "clinging to guns and religion" - infuriated what had previously been a core constituency of the Democratic coalition, i. e., blue collar and lower middle income workers. At a time when the economy was transitioning from an manufacturing/extractions base to a service/high tech base, thereby putting pressure on that aforementioned demographic, Mr. Obama's dismissiveness of their concerns and culture drove them into the waiting arms of Mr. Trump. (Over 400 counties that had twice voted for Mr. Obama switched to Mr. Trump.)
Secondly, Mr. Obama was similarly tone deaf on race relations. Not for nothing did the nation's current spate of racial tensions begin on his watch. Ferguson, the ill-fated "beer summit" and all the rest. Mr. Obama did not make any real efforts to have each side understand the other and thus racial tensions festered during his term even as he allegedly embodied the post-racial era in American politics.
In policy terms, Obama was unremarkable, failing to really break with the dominant Reaganite consensus that, ironically, Mr. Trump seems to be bringing to an end. This is best seen in Obamacare.
Mr. Obama's biggest legislative accomplishment, Obamacare was not what he wanted - a national health care system. It was watered down, but then he could not even get - this out of a Democratically controlled Congress - "the government option." It then passed but was wildly unpopular - costing the Democrats their previously mentioned majority - until the GOP eliminated the government mandate, thereby further watering the law down. Only at that point did Obamacare become popular.
After that, Mr. Obama's accomplishments are pretty thin on the ground. Indeed, a study by CRS found that Mr. Obama ranks toward the bottom of post-WWII Presidents in terms of his ability to get legislation through Congress. Ahead of only George H. W. Bush, Carter and Ford.
In terms of foreign policy, Mr. Obama was shallow and feckless. The assassination of Osama bin Laden was something any President would have done and, in any case, was more cathartic than strategically consequential. The Iran deal so full of holes - not requiring inspection of Iranian military facilities, among other things - that Tehran had no trouble conforming to it. Beyond that, there were no accomplishments to speak of.
In terms of the economy, it grew under Mr. Obama, but well below historic norms. Indeed, Mr. Obama famously said that the nation would have to get used to 2% or less growth. The economy then grew 3% in the early part of the Trump presidency. (Note: I am no fan of Mr. Trump. I merely relay the data.)
Add it all up, and Mr. Obama was merely one in a line of largely inconsequential presidencies than began with Mr. Clinton's. He was a mediocre figure who was less than the sum of his parts and who did not fundamentally change the country in any positive way and, indeed, was on balance, a net subtraction in terms of fostering better race relations. In short, Obama's reputation far exceeds the reality of his time in the WH.
I say that because, approximately 180 years from now, there will be no one on Earth who shared this world with him and he will simply become a completely historical figure since no one with have any memories of him.
However, before that occurs, he will be remembered like this: 1. He was a classy intelligent and balanced guy who had to control himself against the attacks of racists who could not tolerate having a n*gger in the White House. He had to go out of his way to show that race was irrelevant and, in some ways, that was not the ideal thing, but, as the first President of color, he recognized his place in history and, like Washington, understood that his actions and decisions would set precedents for hundreds of years.
2. Others will remember him as the "Divider In Chief". That's solely because of their own deep-seated prejudices and blind hatred of those not like them. Notice all the comments here from males who will consider him tantamount to the Antichrist. They need to look in the mirror at their own souls where Satan has a penthouse.
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I live in Turkey. I'm a fan of Obama. I have portraits in my room. I know you're a great leader. What Americans think?
From me? Certainly not well. He was a nice guy, but an awful president. So many of his policies were disasters, and he spent more time inviting over celebrities than tending to his duties as Commander-in-Chief.
I am glad he is gone. Democrats will remember him fondly, though. He will have a split legacy.
As a lying sack of shit who single handed brought race relationships to the worst point in history and empowered ISIS. The true extent of his involvement in helping terrorist will probably never be known to the public
He will be remembered first and foremost for what he was, as opposed to what he did, and that's okay.
He was the first black president. He didn't fuck it up. He was 'presidential' in behavior. He was competent, worked with the state, personally was actually very scandal free relative to most politicians.
His presidency ended up facing the 2007-2008 GFC. I think with the benefit of history, most will probably give the administration a 'B' on how they handled it. They roughly did the right things. The fact that the modern economy emerging is more precarious than the 'old style' economy is not caused by his administration, rather it's a problem that's yet to be dealt with.
On the other hand, he did attempt to fix one problem that had been around for a while, that of americans without health insurance. I don't think 'Obamacare' will be what America has 20 years from now, but I think it will be remembered as a step towards wherever the U. S. ends up on health care. The reality is that it is popular enough that a republican president, senate and house with 2 years who'd campaigned on repealing it … didn't.
I suspect he'll probably be seen as around a 'B-' on foreign policy. In hindsight, more could have been done to avoid the establishment of ISIS as a land power. However people will argue for a long time about whether his administration should have been doing more or less in Syria and other part of the middle east.
As a bigot , racist , race baiter just like Al Sharpton , the NAACP , The southern poverty law center and Jesse Jackson Who make their money on people's missory and misfortunes At every turn they play the race card playing white against black friend against friend they use social economics to keep people down and to grow mistrust in communities and neighborhoods racism and bigotry was at a all time low almost non existent in much of the country he poured gas on the issue and fanned the flames. I'm white and I have really good friends who are black and who I'm proud of our friendship.
Now here is a question how many times have Jessie Jackson , Al Sharpton , the southern poverty law center or the NAACP or even Obama Stood up for other races White , Asians , Mexicans , Latinos , purto Rican , Cubans , Native American , Eskimos or any other race If you are a advocate for minorities you have a voice for all minorities not just one minoritiy
Both Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton don't pay their taxes
Several geneartions into the future? He will be remembered as one of the worse presidents in history. He attacked the media, suppressed information endorsed the repeal of a law that prevented the CIA/NSA from using propaganda on the American people, had the most wars, lied to the people multiple times, killed nobel prize winners, destroyed the economy, spied on his political opponents (not just Trump), seized powers that belonged to congress, etc. etc. etc. He will be remembered for being a president that had worse scandals then Nixon and had a disposition not unlike Andrew Jackson yet had NONE of their positive accomplishments.
Got elected for being Black. Won Nobel Peace Prize for being black. Didn't improve things for Blacks in USA. Didn't improve the economy. (Bill Clinton was the cause of the bad economy with free trade, it just took time for its effects to be felt. Bush and Obama were not the original cause of the bad economy) Cost many people their jobs/ended up part time instead of full time because of the health care mandate/ACA. Companies avoided giving people 30 + hours per week to avoid being forced to pay for health care. Cost people their doctors that they had for years. Divided the country more than it was before.
I thought he was a refreshing breeze of bi-partisan politics during the 1st term. During the second he was hampered by GOP vetoing everything because of alleged fears to budget deficit. He replaced a moron in Gw BUSH that made it kind of easy. At least he belongs to the same species as most of us. Compared to a narcissistic, stupid, ignorant, self-entitled Neanderthal currently debasing the office he was a hero. Obama is responsible for the current stock market and Trump will destroy it along with the climate, patriotism and any vestige of respectability the US has left. He cheats on his own golf courses. Claims he’s an astute business man with a photocopied diploma and brags about not reading. He is a national shame.
He wasn't perfect, but I'll remember him as the guy who had to clean up after the shambles that Bush left the country in. The guy who really DID bring the economy around (which Trump tries to take credit for). Also the guy who FINALLY got some kind of health care coverage passed. Also not perfect, but the Republicans couldn't do anything for 50 years about health care, and still can't. All they want to do is tear it down and replace it with nothing... nothing at all. I'll also remember him as a President who wasn't an embarrassment when he spoke, wasn't a joke to other world leaders, and didn't tell appoint criminals to his cabinet.
Obama? Oh he BLACK! that's my nigga 'Bama, he plays basketball and late night tv show hosts love him. Greatest president ever.
Also my guy was savage, he deported more illegals than Trump but got no heat for it, failed wars in the middle East but he's good, noble peace prize yuh feel me, failed implementation of socialized medicine, but fuck it he got the hood on 4G LTE.
Also my nigga was muslim deep down, mashallah my niggas. Not only that but all the white ladies loved Daddy Barak, dats why he won 2 times 😎 got all the white ladies voting for him. Tall dark and handsome yuh feel me
As the first black president who ultimately accomplished very little aside from creating a government version of private health insurance that sucked. Medicare for All was right there! He had a majority and he blew it! He passed a centre right healthcare plan and somehow was criticized as a socialist...
Idiot. the people are idiots too to be fair. We had Romney as the other option... We voted for Obama twice because he was black... Well I didn't vote, I wasn't of age but I wouldn't have voted at all. Voter turnout in 2012 was 53-57%. Down 13 points from 2008. Apparently my mom wasn't the only one who refused to vote for a Mormon and a black guy with a terrorist name who used to attend an anti white church.
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Anonymous
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I'll remember him as the Godfather of ISIS. He ordered our troops out of Iraq and practically left the keys in the ignition of all our abandoned equipment. So, a huge power vacuum was sitting there that ISIS quickly filled. He tried to excuse his incompetence by referring to ISIS as a bunch of 'JV' (or junior varsity) fighters. He broke promises of Obamacare. Remember "You may keep your doctor." and "Premiums will go down." He may have been articulate but I had no use for what he was saying. Still he was a decent human being. If I had to pick between our current President and Barack for a neighbor I would hands down pick Barry Soetoro over DJT.
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Anonymous
(36-45)
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As the president who claimed the power to designate any person including US citizens as an enemy of the state and the right to hold them indefinitely (that means forever) without ever charging them with anything and without having any evidence or reason to think they are a threat to anything.
Thats some dark side shit even Palpatine would be proud of.
Obama took over when the economy was in a tailspin, and got it back on course. He nailed Bin Laden (who eluded George W for years). He got Obamacare going, but it was so watered down and sabotaged by Republicans that it lost much of it's effectiveness. In fact, virtually ALL of Obama's efforts were sabotaged by Republicans. To top it off, Obama had class, which our current president definitely doesn't have.
Obama was a puppet who never had an original idea in his entire career as president. He's spent both of his terms listening to everyone else's plans for his presidency instead of forming any of his own. He never took any hard stances, merely bowed down to public opinion.
His saying over and over and over: "If you like your health insurance you can keep it under my plan. If you like your doctor you can keep your doctor." And then it turned out neither of those things were true under Obamacare and members of his staff advised him to stop saying that as he was trying to get Obamacare passed through the Congress. But he kept saying it.
Thanks to Ray Stevens whenever I see "if you like your health insurance..." I can't help but picture him in clown makeup mumbling "if you like your plan you can keep your plan you can keep your doctor, too. Obamacare each and every year's gonna save lots of money for you. Not a soul will be uninsured I swear that this is true. If you like your plan you can keep your plan you can keep your doctor, too. Periooooooooood"
He will be remembered as the first black president of the US who brought the country out of an economic downturn, passed universal health care in the us, help allowed same sex marriage to be legal , and other political things. On a human level just a nice and beloved president by everyone. Good job Obama !!!
He will be remembered as the first "black" president of the United States and nothing more.
He didn't do anything great that compares with basic facts the population at large knows about past presidents, and they won't let him be remembered as corrupt or a failure, so yeah, his one-sentence description will be "First African-American President of the United States of America."
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Anonymous
(45 Plus)
+1 y
I think in 50 years the historians will be free to discuss the amount of illegal things that were done by his administration. He will also be the one who came in with the most racial harmony in the country and the one who left the country with a severely split nation along racial lines as he used Identify Politics to win a second term when the economy was a mess and any other President would have been denied a second term.
First Black President First President to be shamed for wearing a light (tan) colored suit (stupid right) Faced great opposition from Republicans who spitefully rejected his proposals just for the fuck of it He did some good and he did some bad, he wasn’t perfect but he was a classy guy nonetheless. One of the better Presidents we’ve had in a while.
So what, in the eyes of the public he’s Black. If he never disclosed his background you’d say oh that’s just a light skin black guy so spare me the semantics.
Ill remember him as cutting fed gov contracts and hiring feds. Forcing me to lose my dod contract, consequently my job, my house going into foreclosure, getting sued, and almost becoming homeless. Went from being an engineer at a army research lab to dragging trees to a log chipper. He sucks in my book. I hope to forget him.
He is a historical anomaly who only won because the Democrats blocked George W. Bush and Chris Shays from reining in Fannie and Freddie in 2003, which led to the collapse of the housing market and John McCain's loss.
He is also one of the few Presidents to ever be rebuked by the Supreme Court of the United States for violating the Constitution's separation of powers
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