From the Affordable Care Act to the opening of relations with Cuba, Obama will leave behind a legacy

[underpants]

When Barack Obama worked as a community organizer amid the bleak industrial decay of Chicago’s far South Side during the 1980s, he tried to follow a mantra of that profession: Dream of the world as you wish it to be, but deal with the world as it is.

That is the sensibility he took into the White House. It was not a careless slip when he said during the 2008 campaign that he wanted to emulate Ronald Reagan and change “the trajectory of America” in ways that recent presidents, including Clinton, had been unable to do. Obama did not just want to be president. His mission was to leave a legacy as a president of consequence, the liberal counter to Reagan. To gauge himself against the highest-ranked presidents, and to learn from their legacies, Obama held private White House sessions with an elite group of American historians.

It is now becoming increasingly possible to argue that he has neared his goal. His decisions were ineffective in stemming the human wave of disaster in Syria, and he has thus far failed to close the detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and to make anything more than marginal changes on two domestic issues of importance to him, immigration and gun control. But from the Affordable Care Act to the legalization of same-sex marriage and the nuclear deal with Iran, from the stimulus package that started the slow recovery from the 2008 recession to the Detroit auto industry bailout, from global warming and renewable energy initiatives to the veto of the Keystone pipeline, from the withdrawal of combat troops from Iraq and Afghanistan and the killing of Osama bin Laden to the opening of relations with Cuba, the liberal achievements have added up, however one judges the policies.

This was done at the same time that he faced criticism from various quarters for seeming aloof, if not arrogant, for not being more effective in his dealings with members of Congress of either party, for not being angry enough when some thought he should be, or for not being an alpha male leader.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/obama-legacy/racial-politics-2008-election.html

[zalinda]

1. If you look behind the curtain

The ACA was nothing but a gift to corporations. Those on Medicaid have to choose a company to go with, then Medicaid pays the company a premium and the difference between what they will cover and what they won't cover. Government supplied medical care just became more expensive for the government, it didn't mean better care for the individual. And those that can't qualify for Medicaid are forced into buying medical insurance, but can't afford the co-pays. Those companies that used to provide health insurance and didn't like it, now have decided to let the individual buy his health insurance because it's so "affordable".

As for Cuba, another gift to the American corporations. All that new territory to put their goods into, fast food on every corner. And, really, how stupid has it been to be angry with Cuba for all these years when we were at war with Vietnam and have been 'friends' with them for decades. We didn't go to war with Cuba.

He will be remembered as the first black President.

Z

[creon]

2. lol

too funny

[Oldenuff]

3. and as if that weren't enough...

He is now in Europe campaigning for the TPP and for the UK not to leave the Eurozone.

That's some legacy huh?Makes your heart just swell with pride doesn't it?