Four years ago, America was a mess equivalent to the remnants of a nuclear bomb explosion.
Unemployment rates climbed continually, rising 2.3 percent between January and December of 2008.
The United States military waged war in Iraq and Afghanistan, despite Americans’ pleas to withdraw.
Two of the country’s largest financial institutions, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, filed bankruptcy.
America’s future looked grim. Hope laid in the hands of the next president. Hope that someone could pull the country out of an economic depression.
President Obama entered office with big ideas and plans to fix the mess former president George W. Bush left behind.
Not all his ideas panned out. The past four years have not been a miraculous success story with the U.S. turning a 180 and coming out on top.
But it’s better.
Yet Obama’s job approval ratings reflect a country not all that content with their commander-in-chief.
Gallup polls ranked Obama’s approval at an all time low in October, only 38 percent.
Latest Gallup polls show a 45 percent approval rating, still far below those of most former presidents in re-election years.
Re-election for Obama seems a long shot, but don’t count him out yet.
He may not have turned the situation in America around, but he has not sat in the Oval Office twiddling his thumbs.
Despite high criticisms, Obama introduced a plan to overhaul America’s health care. Contentions kept the plan from taking form, but it did initiate some changes. Under ObamaCare, parents are allowed to keep children on their health insurance plans until age 26, several years more than previously allowed.
He ended Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in the U.S. military, making it acceptable for men and women in the military to be open about their homosexuality without ramifications.
Obama appointed two pro-choice women to Supreme Court, a small victory for the pro-choice population of America when programs like
Planned Parenthood are continually under fire from pro-life advocates.
And perhaps the biggest accomplishment to date, the search-and-destroy mission Obama handed down to the Navy Seals resulting in the execution of Taliban leader Osama bin Laden. To an America still scarred by the events of 9/11, Osama’s death came as a huge victory.
America’s no longer in an economic depression; instead, we call it economic recovery.
We have a long way to go. America isn’t back on top yet, but we’re getting there with the help of our commander in chief.
On top of that, we have a president we can truly respect.
Obama rarely falls into the trap of name-calling and undermining so popular among his political opponents. He wins votes and support by promising America change, not bad-mouthing his rivals.
He brings more than promises and good politics to the table. First Lady, Michelle Obama, hasn’t stood idly by her husband’s side.
Instead, she took her position in the White House seriously by advocating for children’s health and implementing her own plans. The Obama’s are not the President and the First Lady, they are a team driving America toward a better future.
And they need another four years to get us there.