Barack Obama went on to give his farewell speech to the nation. Chicago was where he was invested and Chicago was where he said goodbye. But this was no ordinary goodbye. Obama took this opportunity to laud his mandate in ways that only he can understand. Preaching aside, his ability to see only good in his work surfaced in his last words. Obama ended his speech with similar words to those that propelled his campaign back in 2008. “Yes, we can. Yes, we did. Yes, we can,” he said. While I agree that he could, I must disagree that he did.
Obama and the economy
Obama took hold of a country on the brink of a major financial depression. History showed us that countries rebound in a significantly positive manner after such financial crises. This was not the case under Obama’s mandate. The annual GDP averaged a mere growth of 2.1%, the lowest under any US president since World War II. The youth have been one of the greatest victims as the unemployment rates of young adults (ages 18-34) have remained high, so have their likelihood of living in their parents’ homes, for example.
The gap between the rich and the poor has widened. A dying middle class has resulted from his term. In 2008, 63% of Americans viewed themselves as middle class, while in 2015 it dropped to 51%.
Obamacare
The infamous Obamacare was very uncaring. What was advertised as a great escape for millions of Americans without health insurance turned into a mess. 27 million Americans remain without insurance, as its accessibility has become tougher because of premiums and deductibles that did nothing to truly reduce costs.
Obama and the world
When Obama took office in 2008 he was quick to raise a white flag for the rest of the world to see. He embraced a role of a pacifier. The world had turned against the US and its foreign policies; he arrived to polish the damaged image and reconcile the US with the rest of the world. Let’s say his polishing skills needed some improvement.
Pulling US troops out of Afghanistan and Iraq only worsened the affairs in the Middle East. The power vacuum in these areas enabled extremist and terrorist groups to take control and, ultimately, dictate the future of many. The Middle East is more unstable than ever today and a global war between terrorism and the free world has emerged. At the end of the day, Obama’s characteristic indecision and reluctance to take strong stands has only strengthened outside forces who were indeed willing to take the extra step. This includes the eternal Russian 'friends' who have grown stronger before his eyes. US intelligence can corroborate this last statement.
Syria is another example of Obama's failure.
He first voiced his discontent with Al-Assad and promised to take firm action against his regime if he ever used chemical weapons. We know what happened, and we know that Al-Assad has only solidified his power. In addition, several reports have appeared signaling US involvement in aiding the terrorist groups fighting Al-Assad's regime. The recently approved defense bill that approves the US' ability to arm the Syrian militants with the necessary weapons further speaks of Obama’s inability to solve problems. Rather, he has continued to add fuel to a situation that demands more diplomacy. With his actions, Obama has only encouraged Syria to become a new Iraq, Afghanistan, or Libya. I guess that such situations work well for the US and its everlasting interest in meddling in foreign territories, but the subsequent global consequences can only be lamented.
Obama's legacy
On the national front, Obama’s legacy is a fractured nation. His promises of bringing together the Red and Blue States failed. Those who reminisced about better times continue to do so, and those who were hopeful of a better future after Obama no longer have that hope. After all, and worst of all, Obama gave us Donald Trump. Goodnight, and good luck.
