United States Presidential legacies cannot be assessed in a vacuum. They must be compared to others' legacies. It would seem that Obama's gay marriage and Obamacare triumphs distinguish him from Bill Clinton's "Don't Ask Don't Tell." win and health care failure. In comparison to the Bushes' jingoism in Iraq and Afghanistan, and failed attempt to kill Osama ben Laden, Obama killed ben Laden; but, failed to completely withdraw from Iraq or Afghanistan and saw Syria, ignite, Qadaffi fall in Libya, and ISIS/ISIL/DAESH, emerge dramatically. Domestically, no black person was appointed to the Supreme Court by Obama, although Justice Sotomayor has blossomed. His cabinet appointments and federal judgeships have been reasonably fair when compared to his predecessors'. But, Obama's biggest achievement was rescuing the economy from 2008's mortgage meltdown scandals, brought on by baby-Bush's regulatory fiascos . But, despite Obama having had two black attorneys general, no one went to jail from among that lily-white executive-claque who caused the crash,
So, family symbolism and rhetorical eloquence apart, he was a President with a good heart, more liberal than 'black," more collegial than ascerbic, who was not the President of nor for black America, but of all America, as he has said, even of those who hate his Africanity. But, adding back in his family symbolism, rhetorical eloquence, and historical singularity, he is unprecedentedly best!
Saturday, January 14, 2017
WELL DONE, OBAMA!
United States Presidential legacies cannot be assessed in a vacuum. They must be compared to others' legacies. It would seem that Obama's gay marriage and Obamacare triumphs distinguish him from Bill Clinton's "Don't Ask Don't Tell." win and health care failure. In comparison to the Bushes' jingoism in Iraq and Afghanistan, and failed attempt to kill Osama ben Laden, Obama killed ben Laden; but, failed to completely withdraw from Iraq or Afghanistan and saw Syria, ignite, Qadaffi fall in Libya, and ISIS/ISIL/DAESH, emerge dramatically. Domestically, no black person was appointed to the Supreme Court by Obama, although Justice Sotomayor has blossomed. His cabinet appointments and federal judgeships have been reasonably fair when compared to his predecessors'. But, Obama's biggest achievement was rescuing the economy from 2008's mortgage meltdown scandals, brought on by baby-Bush's regulatory fiascos . But, despite Obama having had two black attorneys general, no one went to jail from among that lily-white executive-claque who caused the crash,
So, family symbolism and rhetorical eloquence apart, he was a President with a good heart, more liberal than 'black," more collegial than ascerbic, who was not the President of nor for black America, but of all America, as he has said, even of those who hate his Africanity. But, adding back in his family symbolism, rhetorical eloquence, and historical singularity, he is unprecedentedly best!
