Today marks the six-year anniversary of President Barack Obama taking up the most powerful governing seat on the planet. And he's gotten a hell of a lot grayer since 2009.
Obama has boosted a struggling economy, dealt with threats from Iran and North Korea, saw the rise of a new terrorist network, responded to domestic shootings and bombings, and contended with a reinvigorated Republican party that's backed by the borderline psychotic Tea Party. The calls for "Hope" and "Change" during the 2008 campaign are now fading into the distance—and with only two years to go until there's a new leader in 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Obama's time to solidify his legacy is ticking by.
His responses to the crises of the last six years have cemented how Americans will view him for the next hundred. So, how's he done so far? It depends who you talk to. Speaker John Boehner's answer won't be the same as a young college student in California. There's only so much a president can do when an opposing party is in full control of Congress. But winning his reelection at least tells us that the nation believes he's better than the alternatives, even if he hasn't entirely lived up to his promises. Here is The Official Obama 2015 Report Card.
Immigration
Privacy and the Internet
Environment and Conservation
Economy
Foreign Policy
Education
Crime
Transparency
Gay Rights
Gun Control
Health Care
The Next Two Years
With two years to go before Obama's administration comes to an end, presidential hopefuls have already started to come out of the woodwork. We may be looking at a third Mitt Romney campaign, or another Bush in the White House. Hillary Clinton will likely announce her candidacy in the next year, and she might have competition from Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden.
But before we start thinking about the new blood, Obama still has time to flex what muscle he has left. “I can always do better in every aspect of my job,” Obama told NPR in December after Republicans took over Congress. “Now I suspect there are going to be some times where I’ve got to pull that pen out. And I’m going to defend gains that we’ve made in health care; I’m going to defend gains that we’ve made on environment and clean air and clean water."
Aside from these issues, Obama needs to follow through on his promise to close Guantanamo Bay, seek action against the Bush administration for torture, do more to defeat ISIS, and pardon NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden—though I wouldn't hold my breath on any of these being fulfilled. What Obama can do without any Congressional approval is talk directly to Americans about the issues at hand, and address our values, as he admitted he needed to work on back in 2010. He didn't exactly have a way with words during responses to national crises like the Michael Brown shooting:
Ultimately, Obama needs to keep things on track so that he hands over the country in better shape than when he got it. Regardless of the anger conservatives throw at him, it looks like Obama will do just that. But we don't know what tomorrow has in store.
Hopefully it won't be beige.
Overall Grade: B