OBAMA: THE MOST TESTED AND ONE OF THE GREATEST US PRESIDENTS

Source: thewillnigeria.com

Those of us watching from outside are still fascinated by American politics since many countries model their system of government to United States. So if it is done in the greatest Country in the world, it must be alright. Students of politics study the dynamics of working or not working Congress with the President and how it affects the American people and the rest of the world.

We do not how great a leader is until tested and compared to other leaders of countries in the retrospect of history. During the reign of this President of United States, the Country has hardly gone through so much especially during and after the vicious attack of 911. Most of the world stood on one side with United States, even strangers and foreigner weep on their visits to the World Trade Center. As heaven would have it, it was Obama new strategy that got Osama cold.

While this led to two wars that almost stretched the Country thin, the worst financial crisis since the last world depression kicked in as Obama took over. There is no doubt now that the war in Iraq was ill-advised. That is beside the point. It is one thing to start a war, but quite a different strategy to bring it to an end. The exit strategy divided the Americans during the war in Vietnam, a period in history that still haunts many with Civil Right, tested President Johnson.

However, the gravity and responsibility of all these, fall on the shoulder of a young untested President that just happened to be an African American. The stakes was high in this situation because the world itself would prefer a seasoned and tested leader. American people in their wisdom chose Obama. Whatever one might have thought about the Nobel Peace Prize at the time Obama got it; there was no better way to encourage a man facing the challenges he did.

Curiously at each and every step of the way since Obama took office, one would think the whole Country would rally around him after the election giving him the support and courage he needed to succeed; not the Republicans. They made it their number one priority to make him fail. Most people, no matter whose side they are could not remember too many times politics would come before the Country. Indeed, if they were Democrats, they would be called traitors.

Republican are so stuck in their obstructions, nothing was above par. The whole world watch in amazement how this President that has passed every test encountered could be so vilified at home. It is so difficult for foreigners to understand the American politics, but so are baffled historians and economists in United States. Many believe that it may not be unconnected to the fact that Obama was the 1st African President. Actually President Carter boldly referred to race.

Those that usually ignore foreign affairs and even made fun of the fact that Obama was widely and cheerfully received in Europe have turned every foreign problem as the making of Obama. Since every prediction they made at home failed to materialized, including Mr. Cheney warning on terror attack, they conduct hearings to see if anything would stick but left duties undone.

Mr. Boehner claimed it is not how many laws they passed but those prevented from passing or ignored. The same Speaker pointedly noted that he got ninety-eight percent of what he wanted from Obama but he still failed to reach agreement with him. Of course there are mainstream party members that are uncomfortable with the hijacking of Republican Party by extremists. Some of them lost their chance to be returned to the House or Senate during primaries.

Among the lists of the predictions of the Republican Party since they claim superior knowledge in business and economics is inflation. They were against the stimulus that led to the world economic recovery predicting it was going to lead to inflation that would overshadow all other progress that could have been made without it. Indeed, on the other side were predictions that the stimulus was not big enough and Republican would come back and used that against him.

One of the economists, Paul Krugman was not only right; he said I told you so. The inflation so much predicted never materialized and they still won't stop predicting apocalypse because of Obama economic policy. At the same time they have blocked every measure he proposed to ease unemployment so that working class that have been most affected by job retrenchment can go back and earn pay checks. Not even on uncontroversial crumbling bridges and roads.

Despite these obstructions, unemployment is down to 6.1%, lowest since 2008 and jobs are being created. The traditional employers of women, police, firefighters and teachers in the cities have to do more with less money from Federal Government because Republicans do not want government to hire. The cities as the closest government to the American people were in in better position to target those that suffered more from chronic unemployment, still biting.

While economic crisis was on, Obama focused from day one as the President until United States most wanted Enemy Bin Laden was decapitated. As a bonus, he also finally got Gadhafi in Libya behind downing of Pan Am Flight 103 in December 1988 with 270 people, including 190 Americans. None of these gave him a bump in ratings since all Republicans cared about is an excuse to soil him even if it means bringing themselves lower.

So they seized on Benghazi where the Ambassador and about four others died. A tragedy far worse than this, united Americans when President Reagan lost 243 marines in Lebanon. In a normal situation, that Obama was able to peacefully remove chemical weapons from Syria without firing a shot could have been commended, it was not enough. They blamed him for not removing President Assad in an already destabilized country.

Another blame that surprised the world is for providing healthcare to more Americans than ever; which the rest of  western industrial world have enjoyed for decades. But the same Republicans feign surprise that their Veterans returning  from the wars waited too long to get healthcare, knowing full well there are many Americans that died without  healthcare. The same surprised a Republican congressman feigned after closing Government but telling a lady Park  Officer she should be ashamed of herself for closing!

Objectively, the whole world wished they had a leader that could have saved the world from the worst financial crisis  since the last depression. But for Obama economic leadership in the United States, the world economy could have taken  a dive for the worse.

It is why Republicans label Obama the worst American President: the 'Niger' in the Whitehouse.

Written By Farouk Martins Aresa.
 

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