the legacy of a pen and a phone

Now that we near the end of President Obama’s second term, it is interesting to see him advise Trump in a wasted effort to keep some of his legacy intact. Too late, I say. Better luck next time. So, now I have some tips for future Presidents that want to transform America and leave a positive legacy.

1) don’t ever try to legislate or pass treaties on your own, even if you have a pen and a phone. Not only is it unconstitutional and a clear abuse of executive orders, but the next guy or gal in the office will also have a pen and a phone. Show some leadership and get congress to pass your agenda. That’s how our government is supposed to work.

2) don’t ever try to pass significant legislation without any input or support from the other party, even if your party has control of both houses of congress. Without showing leadership and working together to form consensus, you will reap what you sow when the tables are turned. Especially when you have to stoop to lies to get the legislation passed in the first place.

3) don’t lie to the people to get your legislation passed. So, when you say you have shovel ready jobs, we can keep our doctor, we can keep our current insurance plans, and costs will go down… guess what? You really better make sure to get your act together and make it all work. Otherwise, we will remember the failure and the lies and hold you to account. History won’t be kind.

4) don’t promise something over and over again in your campaign, like that you’ll make jobs your number one priority and then not make any efforts to build an economy that generates good jobs after election.

So, what will President Obama’s true legacy amount to? Sadly, not much. A failed major health initiative based on lies and pushed though with no bipartisan support. Foreign policy in shambles with ISIS spreading, Iran freed to become a regional nuclear power and Russia and China pushing the limits. Eight years of stagnant economy, while labor force participation is at all time lows and government hand-outs are at all time highs. Crony capitalism and countless scandals. The politicization and serious abuse of power of in many government agencies: IRS, EPA, DOJ, etc. Increased racial tensions and attacks against law and order. So much for a legacy. It’s a sad ending for a President that started out with such hope and potential.

BTW, is it too late to ask for that Nobel Peace Prize to be returned? We’ve been at war for the entire two terms of this President.

Obama first term legacy

Official photographic portrait of US President Barack Obama (born 4 August 1961; assumed office 20 January 2009) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

At the end of President Obama’s first term, we can now begin to appreciate the legacy of the first four years of his historical administration.

Domestic Policy Achievements

• largest stimulus program in U.S. history which failed to meet promises of projected unemployment and included “shovel ready” jobs that turned out to not be so “shovel ready”
• largest increase to national debt in just four years of all Presidents in history
• first credit downgrade in U.S. history
• largest quantitative easing policy (money printing) in U.S history which fails to improve unemployment
• longest jobless recovery after a recession in modern history
• employment growth level sets new post WWII low
• federal welfare spending grows by 32%
• bypassed bankruptcy law in dealing with GM to give favor to labor union supporters
• without any bipartisan support, passed a health care law that will increase costs, will increase taxes and deficits, will not preserve existing insurance and will decrease quality of care for all Americans
• administration includes the first Attorney General to be held in contempt of congress
• the first President to ever have his budget proposal submission rejected unanimously by both the House and Senate, especially when the Senate, which also rejected his budgets unanimously two years in a row, was controlled by his own party
• failed to achieve major campaign promises to cut deficit in half, to close Guantanamo Bay, to fix the economy, and to increase transparency of government

Foreign Policy Achievements

• first ambassador killed in line of duty since 1979, others also killed while President failed to send in military rescue or backup
• first President to win Nobel Peace Prize during his first year in office (and perhaps the first person to win the prize with no actual substantial peace accomplishments to his credit)
• ATF scandal over a botched gunwalking effort against drug cartels in Mexico, resulting in hundreds of deaths including a U.S. Border Patrol agent
• failed to support critical popular uprising in Iran
• failed to achieve any goals in the “good war” in Afghanistan, but continued the loss of life
• made no significant progress in keeping Iran from developing nuclear weapons or North Korea from advancing their missile technology and continuing their efforts at proliferation
• stood by, while popular uprising toppled governments in middle east, resulting in an ally like Egypt falling into hands of Muslim brotherhood
• directed Seal Team Six to kill Bin Laden, but failed to discourage spread of Al Qaeda all over the world
• increased distrust of America abroad with drone strikes in non-war zones, against non-combatants and without due process
• no major treaties signed and confirmed by Senate