Essays about Barack Obama Page 2

Barack Obama was born on August 4th, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii to an African Father, Barack Obama Senior, and a white American woman, Ann Dunham (Ong, Burrow & Christian 15). Barack Obama became the 44th President of the United States in 2008 and the first African American president to hold the office of the president. The presidency of Barack Obama marked a new era in America; racial barriers which had prevailed for ages had finally been broken down. Barack Obama instilled hope and liberty for the American people. His main ideology revolved around the much-needed change in the country. Obama’s campaign slogan “Change We can believe in” inspired a generation of Americans who had experienced profound socio-economic and political challenges. He was on a mission to unite a nation that has been largely divided, especially on ethnic lines. Indeed Obama’s presidency portrayed America as a country of unlimited possibility as a son of an African immigrant rose to the highest rank in politics. Obama’s presidency had far-reaching social and political implications not only in the United States but also across the globe.

Obama became the first African-American president in the history of the United States; something that not even Martin Luther King Jr or Malcolm X had this in the widest of their imaginations. Indeed, Martin Luther King Jr’s dream had finally come to pass after years of struggles, especially during the Civil Rights Movement which fought for racism and inequality in the American society. Indeed January 20, 2009 marked a new era for all Americans irrespective of their ethnic backgrounds (Remnick 23). Americans of all colors were able to come together and establish a new regime that gave hope to the hopeless and pledged to create a whole new society in line with the aspirations of the founding fathers. Thus, Obama presidency helped united the nation and helped create a nation where all individuals are given equal opportunity to pursue happiness and their dreams irrespective of color of their skin.

Obama found a nation that was grappling with a bad economy as America was coming from one of the greatest recessions in the history. The 2007-2008 financial crisis and recession had rendered many Americans jobless which had lowered their standards of living significantly (Ong, Burrow & Christian 21). Financial analysts believed that that the American economy was in a critical state that would make it collapse. The future looked uncertain for many Americans who had experienced many losses in the financial markets. The American banking system was also facing significant challenges making it difficult for the government to bail them out. The bush regime had to create this financial mess and therefore, Obama’s administration was tasked with finding ways and measures to address the situation to enable the economy to return back to normalcy. Americans had lost confidence in the country’s economy as the middle class was hit the most by the recession. The Bush administration had failed to control the mortgage brokers creating the problems. It was a difficult task, but Obama gave Americans hope. Being a learned politician, Obama knew that the economic situation required immediate solutions since the American economy was on the verge of collapsing.

History will judge Obama kindly as he was able to rescue the American economy. Obama helped a significant number of Americans to recover their jobs during his first year of Presidency. White House staff witnessed Obama work around the clock talking to economists and international investors to help the American economy recover the losses. Obama was a hardworking president, always ensuring that he outwork fear for the sake of millions of Americans. During his first year of presidency, Obama implemented the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 which was crucial in helping to restore the economy at a fast rate (Remnick 30). This improved the overall household net worth giving Americans the ability to meet their basic needs and sustain their families. As the unemployment rates went down, Obama was able to prove his leadership capability and thus, gaining the confidence of millions of Americans from different political divides. Obama was able to alter the country’s economic policies including taxation and other fiscal measures.

Not only was Obama able to leave behind an economic legacy, he also strived to ensure his administration establishes universal health insurance to make healthcare affordable for all Americans. This led to the enactment of the Affordable Care Act commonly known as the Obama Care. Although Obama Care became the center of debates across the United States, it worked to a large extent as it cut down the overall healthcare costs. Before enacting this act, more than 20 million Americans were uninsured and therefore, they could not access or affordable quality care which increased unwarranted deaths, especially in the underserved communities. The Obama Care helped millions of poor families who earn minimal incomes to access quality healthcare. The Medicaid program helped enhance coverage among these families (Obama n.p). For the first time, the health insurance also covered the mentally ill including those struggling with drug addiction. This helped enhance the overall mental health in the country which is necessary in creating a productive nation. Thus, Obama Care was an important healthcare program as it focused on the poor, particularly those living in the underserved regions which face significant socioeconomic problems. Also, the Obama Care focused on preventing illnesses by making medical checkups.

One of the main objectives of the Obama administration was to guarantee all Americans equality and freedom irrespective of their distinguishing characteristics including religion, race, or even sexual orientation (Obama n.p). For years, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender were greatly discriminated against across the country. Hence, they did not enjoy equal rights and opportunities as other people. Obama went against the societal norms and advocated for the rights of the members of the LGBT to ensure that they are treated equally and enjoy unalienable liberty. True to this, on June 26, 2015, Obama’s administration changed American society forever by fighting for the rights of the members of the LGBT (Street 21). The Supreme Court ruling was historical as same-sex marriage was legalized and recognized across the country enabling the members of the LGBT to enjoy equal rights (Street 21).

Obama was also highly concerned with international peace and stability. He wanted the world to become a united and peaceful place to enable all citizens enjoy liberty. Therefore, Obama set out and reached out to many global leaders in a bid to establish a common understanding and enhance global cooperation. He was interested in making the Middle East safe and counters threats to America’s national society. Obama also helped fight nuclear threats posed by Iran and North Korea to guarantee global peace. In 2009, Obama was presented with the Nobel Peace Award for his efforts in boosting cooperation among global nation and good diplomatic relations. Barack Obama indeed established a legacy that has stood the test of time with many appreciating his contributions even after serving his term as president.