Moments after Donald Trump was sworn in as President on Jan. 20, President Barack Obama boarded Air Force One for the final time, leaving Andrews Air Force base for Palm Springs, California. After eight years in the White House, President Obama’s terms have run their course. While time alone will be the true arbiter of the success or failure of President Obama’s time in office, this piece will attempt to synthesize the various narratives surrounding the Obama presidency and predict how he will be remembered by history.
Through no fault of his own, President Obama will be remembered first and foremost not for what he did, but for who he is—the country’s first African-American President. In a nation still marred by the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow laws, the inauguration of an African-American as President represents a considerable accomplishment from any perspective. While race relations in the United States can undoubtedly improve, Obama’s inauguration was a step in the right direction.
In the realm of actual policies, President Obama will be remembered as a decidedly polarizing figure to say the least. For those on the left, Obama’s policies admirably sought progressive ideals as guiding principles for the country and its future. But for those on the right, those same programs epitomized the inefficiency of government bureaucracy that has existed for too long.
Perhaps President Obama’s greatest accomplishment as President is the current strength of the U.S. economy. When he took office, the country was burdened with a panicked financial system, high unemployment and general pessimism. Today, the U.S. economy stands with relative strength, boasting an unemployment rate below 5 percent and the revitalization of its automotive and financial sectors. These metrics all bode well for President Obama’s legacy as the country’s chief executive.
President Obama’s legacy on foreign policy, however, is not nearly as auspicious. While Obama withdrew U.S. troops from Iraq, ISIS took their place and has proven to be far more capable than the “JV team” that the President assumed them to be. 55 percent of Americans disapprove of how Obama has handled ISIS, and with good reason: the past eight years have been plagued by terrorism both at home and abroad. In Benghazi, Chris Stevens became the first U.S. Ambassador to die in the line of duty since 1979, and even with the political polarization surrounding the event, Stevens’s death was deeply unsettling to many Americans. Osama bin Laden may be dead, but ISIS is alive and well, and on the whole, most Americans simply do not view Obama’s legacy on foreign policy in a positive light.
In 2008, Obama campaigned on the ideals of hope and change, promising to inject vitality into the typical machinations of Washington, D.C. politics. It is therefore ironic that partisan bickering will form a significant piece of his legacy as President. Obama assumed the presidency promising to change Washington and failed to recognize that the most successful Presidents become adept at working the system rather than changing it. These Presidents form bi-partisan alliances in Congress to find common ground and pass meaningful legislation. Both Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan come to mind in this regard.
Obama unequivocally lacked this skill that is so essential for effective governance. Two of Obama’s most prominent pieces of legislation, his stimulus plan and the Affordable Care Act, passed in Congress with three and zero Republican votes respectively. Democrats may contend that the President’s inability to compromise came not from his own character but from unreasonable Republican obstructionism. Even so, the Executive Branch is not a monarchy, and inter-governmental cooperation is critical to effective policy, and President Obama failed in his obligation to work with Congress to craft successful public policy.
Unable to work effectively with Congress, Obama generally resorted to unilateral action in his second term rather than endure more battles on Capitol Hill. In the midst of a particularly contentious bout with Congress, Obama once boldly claimed that “I’ve got a pen, and I’ve got a phone.” While the pen and phone allowed Obama to pass many objectives that never would have advanced in a Republican Congress, Donald Trump now wields control of that same pen and phone, which places many of Obama’s signature policies at risk. Obama made the mistake of trying to craft his policies of sand rather than stone for the sake of expediency, and the same executive powers that enabled many of Obama’s actions will inevitably lead to their repeal.
The 2016 election will cause significant damage to President Obama’s legacy, for the American people failed to elect Obama’s de facto successor, Hillary Clinton. While campaigning for Secretary Clinton in 2016, Obama implored voters, “I may not be on the ballot, but our progress is on the ballot.” When given a clear choice between a continuation of the Obama legacy and a fundamentally new direction, the American people spoke loud and clear, and for that reason, a brash billionaire with no political experience now holds the nation’s highest office.
President Obama’s legacy, like many things in life, is a mixed bag. His election was a wonderful moment for the nation, and his eloquence on the campaign trail brought a breath of fresh air to American politics. However, the unity he promised as a candidate eventually transformed to the normal partisan bickering that is business-as-usual in Washington. As President, meaningful economic advances were often abased by basic foreign policy blunders.
More broadly, Obama will be remembered as a man of great consequence in the history of the United States. His grace and eloquence will be missed in the White House, and only time will tell what the legacy of our 44th President will be.
Ian Buchanan is a Trinity freshman. His column, "let freedom ring," runs on alternate Thursdays.
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Ian Buchanan is a Trinity sophomore. His column, "let freedom ring," runs on alternate Wednesdays.