Obama alters nation after a year in office
Philip Reiser, Staff Writer
One year has passed since Barack Obama was elected president. His entire presidential campaign was based on the possibility of change.
Though Obama has not been in office for long, the transformation in Washington, D.C. began the moment the election results came in.
It is now time to evaluate whether the Obama administration has been successful in keeping its campaign promises.
It becomes crucial to review the areas in which the president has successfully changed the ways of the George W. Bush era. Analysts must also be made aware of where Obama has failed and what to expect next.
First, let us look at what has changed.
Even though the president promised no tax increases for the middle class, wealthier Americans are likely to see an increase in taxes soon with the huge deficit looming and the new health care plan likely to pass through the legislature.
The selection of moderate Supreme Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor, along with the passage of new hate crime laws, has set a new direction in addressing social issues.
These new attitudes challenge Bush’s conservative legacy on issues such as gay rights, drug policy and abortion.
Bush’s National Security team was viewed as torn apart by inner conflicts and personal enmities, which frequently created a hostile internal environment.
Obama’s team, on the other hand, has proven to be cohesive even in disagreement.
After inheriting a country heading for one of the deepest economic depressions since the 1930s, the Obama administration has demonstrated its crisis-solving skills.
The administration aims to restore order and lay a new foundation for growth. These new policies have already seen results.
This was Obama’s number one priority when he took office. Now, as the crisis is subsiding, it can be considered his greatest domestic achievement thus far.
While Bush maintained a stubborn U.S.-centered, “axis-of-evil” approach to foreign policy which was both polarizing and counterproductive, Obama has sought more diplomacy and soft power.
This has led to several deals on environmental and arms control matters.
This cooperative process has not only led to better international relations on the political level, but has also led to a better opinion of America within the international community.
However, some aspects have inevitably remained the same since Obama took office.
The crude, exaggerated and severe discourse by many conservatives in the media has long been an obstacle for enriching discussion of key issues.
Prefabricated and unsubstantial arguments continue to hinder progress.
Obama’s consultants have reportedly received large sums of money from special interest groups. Campaign contributors have been spotted entering the White House, but the hype over Wall Street bonuses was never followed up on.
Obama’s administration is thus suspiciously open to the business lobbying that he condemned so harshly during the campaign.
Obama, much like Bush, lacks a solid theory on how the U.S. is going to produce enough jobs in the short and long-term.
With an economy that increasingly relies on imports and the outsourcing of many jobs to lower-income countries, the Obama administration has yet to establish a sustainable strategy to ensure the U.S. labor market does not steadily decline.
Obama’s “even-steven” demeanor, which allowed him to cruise unscathed through the turmoil of the campaign, is indeed his trademark.
The president has maintained his calm, steady attitude despite his hectic agenda, and has proven that the man in charge is still the man people voted for.
Obama has pushed efforts to fight terrorism, mostly by increasing his focus on Afghanistan, but Osama Bin Laden still roams free.
It is true that Obama has three more years in office and that much of the promised change may be yet to come.
As for now, the verdict is that Obama has been able to bring about some change, but only occasionally.
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