A PERSPECTIVE ON THE EPOCHAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF US PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA.
Olu Oguibe
[adapted from a Facebook comment by Olu Oguibe on his Wall]
Responding to Chima Ejiofor, who stated-
'Obamaphiles just over-praise their man beyond his apparent abilities while Obamaphobes just can't see beyond their hatred of the man to acknowledge some of his finer qualities.Since I am truly somewhere in the middle of both camps, I actual...ly think that regardless of the history in his emergence as America's first ever president of colour, Obama is actually an average politician and president, more a talker than a doer..'
Oguibe counters-
@Chima, well, it's difficult to say that a President who accomplished at least three epochal reforms that have defied every Presidents since Franklin Delano Roosevelt, including the healthcare reform bill that had defied all presidents since Theodore Roosevelt, and won more legislative victories than any president since Lyndon Johnson, is "an average politician and president, more a talker than a doer."
I personally do not agree with all the president's methods, though I understand many of them because they're often practical rather than ideal, but facts are still facts. The healthcare reform bill is the most comprehensive health reform legislation in almost a century. The financial reform bill is the most comprehensive bill of its kind since the Great Depression.
Add to those the repeal of the ban on open gay service in the military, renewal of the SALT treaty with Russia, the appointment of more women to the US Supreme Court than ever in US history (both of them appointed within 15 months of his presidency), more funding for technical and community college education than ever in US history, even in the face of a near-depression, more middle-class tax-breaks than any other administration in a generation including Republican administrations, plus at least 100 other legislations that you're not aware of.
And, some would add, the calm fulfillment of the campaign promise--for which he was audibly laughed at and mocked as "inexperienced on foreign policy"--to enter Pakistan and eliminate Osama Bin Laden with or without permission should the intelligence warrant it. All these accomplished in less than 30 months in office.
I don't know, but I think very few people would qualify a president who accomplished all that as an average politician, "more a talker than a doer". Information is always useful to back opinion, and today, information is freely available.
-- Olu Oguibe
[adapted from a Facebook comment by Olu Oguibe on his Wall]
Responding to Chima Ejiofor, who stated-
'Obamaphiles just over-praise their man beyond his apparent abilities while Obamaphobes just can't see beyond their hatred of the man to acknowledge some of his finer qualities.Since I am truly somewhere in the middle of both camps, I actual...ly think that regardless of the history in his emergence as America's first ever president of colour, Obama is actually an average politician and president, more a talker than a doer..'
Oguibe counters-
@Chima, well, it's difficult to say that a President who accomplished at least three epochal reforms that have defied every Presidents since Franklin Delano Roosevelt, including the healthcare reform bill that had defied all presidents since Theodore Roosevelt, and won more legislative victories than any president since Lyndon Johnson, is "an average politician and president, more a talker than a doer."
I personally do not agree with all the president's methods, though I understand many of them because they're often practical rather than ideal, but facts are still facts. The healthcare reform bill is the most comprehensive health reform legislation in almost a century. The financial reform bill is the most comprehensive bill of its kind since the Great Depression.
Add to those the repeal of the ban on open gay service in the military, renewal of the SALT treaty with Russia, the appointment of more women to the US Supreme Court than ever in US history (both of them appointed within 15 months of his presidency), more funding for technical and community college education than ever in US history, even in the face of a near-depression, more middle-class tax-breaks than any other administration in a generation including Republican administrations, plus at least 100 other legislations that you're not aware of.
And, some would add, the calm fulfillment of the campaign promise--for which he was audibly laughed at and mocked as "inexperienced on foreign policy"--to enter Pakistan and eliminate Osama Bin Laden with or without permission should the intelligence warrant it. All these accomplished in less than 30 months in office.
I don't know, but I think very few people would qualify a president who accomplished all that as an average politician, "more a talker than a doer". Information is always useful to back opinion, and today, information is freely available.
You received this message because you are subscribed to the "USA-Africa Dialogue Series" moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin.
For current archives, visit http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
For previous archives, visit http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue-
unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
No comments:
Post a Comment