General Discussion
Showing Original Post only (View all)How will Obama be remembered? [View all]
One year after the election, I find myself wondering how Obamas Presidency will be remembered.
I believe he will come to be seen as a very good but not great President, who while not completely transformational in the manner of a Roosevelt, succeeded in establishing a basic framework for some sort of national health care policy as well as enacting other important domestic reforms. He also indirectly shepherded important liberal cultural changes in the areas of LGBT rights and drug policy (especially marijuana policy) ; while he came late to backing same-sex marriage his administration was generally supportive of LGBT Civil Rights issues, and while he opposed marijuana legalization, Obamas policy of tolerating state level legalization essentially set the tone in this area.
I also believe he will be admired for his high ethics and generally decent personal qualities, and that twenty years hence, many conservatives, while not exactly liking Obama, will acknowledge the country could have done a lot worse, much like many liberals are now willing to modestly praise Bush Sr.
My main critiques of Obama would be that he was less confrontational with Republicans than he should have been, especially in his first term, and that he erred in entering military action in Libya, the handling of which Obama himself considers his biggest mistake.
What do you think?
(EDIT - some people have suggested that this post was meant as an attack on Obama, or an attempt to stir the pot. That was honestly not my intent. I was merely trying to facilitate friendly discussion on an important historical figure. I have decided to keep this post up, however, I want to make clear this post isnt meant to create dissension in this group.)