Few months are left until the presidential elections make way for new leadership on American soil. This is nevertheless a great chance to look back and make some assessments about what leadership in US means and what are the marks it leaves behind.
In a compact row of declarations, president Obama had the chance to offer a brief overview on what is supposed to be his legacy. These are controversial times, with political strategies unfolding over conflictual situations, social chaos and increased levels of poverty. If we come to think about it, this is a good chunk of legacy but the most important man in US surely doesn’t want to be remembered for that.
The president’s self-evaluation came during a town hall meeting with an extended group of 75 Southeast Asian Leaders. The event was a good chance to outline aspects of the legacy Obama prepares to leave behind.
First of all, the president wants the world to remember him “fondly”. He highlighted his achievements in social care, with “Obamacare” being one of the most complex upgrades in the American health system. Furthermore, he wants to be praised by future generations for his foreign policy legacy, which has placed US as the first world power and the most respected country on earth.
He outlined the political success of the international relationships he managed over the years, mentioning that they are on “very strong footing”. As an addition to that, he declared that US has seen a serious and beneficial reversal in its international standing.
Despite the flaunty remarks in regards to his role as the first man in US, Obama modestly noted that he still has a lot of work to do before he leaves the White House.
Back to the achievements chapter, he cited the economic crisis he faced upon assuming office in 2009 and he declared that even though those were maybe the hardest times a new president could have met in his fresh career, he still managed to avoid a terrible depression. He credited US leadership for managing to avoid a worse international economic crisis.
On the other hand, political braggers are not shy about releasing declarations that accuse president Obama for his mistakes. Senator Lindsey Graham declared that president Obama has had Islam running wild, developing into a world with safer havens, more money, more capability and “more weapons to strike our homeland than any time since 9/11”.
Eventually, the truth is a matter of perspective. Depending on the angle you choose to see the clarity, good and bad things have been said and done in these past years, since president Obama has set foot on the White House.
US may be the strongest country on earth, with great development capacity and strong international relationships, but this doesn’t make people live better lives, poverty and crisis are still an actual issue, people don’t live fulfilling lives and not because they are not capable of that but mostly because a worldwide crisis that seems to never end.
Controversy in ideology has seldom seen such chaos, with rage overwhelming countries, people, families and minds, along with a permanent state of uncertainty when it comes to the future.
Hope is something that dies slowly, as the reality constructed by politicians offers serious slaps over our faces, incapable to see rays of light and prosperity. Vision and great perspectives are being swallowed by despair, depression and futile declarations that don’t keep us warm and don’t mean much at the end of the day, when we can all see that the world surely doesn’t seem to get better.
Image Source: cnsnews.com
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