Whether you loved or hated him, there’s no denying President Obama’s impact on America and as a consequence the entire world. While there are critics that point to some failed policies and a number of controversies in his staff, he is still one of the most successful presidents with plenty of key victories under his belt. With his appearances on several late night talk shows, comedy sketches, and his witty White House speech, I must confess I am certainly a fan of the Obama presidency and see the end of his term as a sad moment.
That brings us to an interesting state of affairs. On the 8th of November, the world will finally see who will win this titanic battle for the presidency. It has been gestating for a long while and is one of the most controversial campaigns the world has ever seen. To say that neither of the candidates was anyone’s first choice is an understatement. At the time of writing this article, Hillary Clinton is still under investigation by the FBI, and Donald Trump has offended everyone in equal measure.
And yet, their supporters are some of the most passionate ones any election has ever seen. They have defended Hillary in spite of her controversial deleted emails scandal which is technically a federal crime. There is also the WikiLeaks evidence that the election was rigged in her favor and against Bernie Sanders but that is, as yet, unproven. There is also Trump’s rampant and thinly veiled racism which has made him a symbol of hate all around the world. Saying that a Muslim will require separate identification drew parallels to none other than Hitler himself.
One of these seemingly shady characters was to be entrusted with the largest economy in the world. Not to mention the largest military force and the largest nuclear arsenal in the world. This is what has people worried about what’s going to happen over the next four years. One of the highlights of Obama’s presidency was his diplomacy—that paved the way for important strategic international relations. He was the first American president in recent years to visit Cuba. He was also favored by the Middle East.
2016 is going to be a defining year one way or another. There are those who are looking forward to new leadership and who see this as an opportunity growth. Trump’s supporters, for instance, cite his business acumen. It’s true he did go bankrupt but managed to turn that around and is now a billionaire with interests in everything from real estate to fashion. This gives him enough knowledge to help the economy regain lost ground. Trump has been adamant in his stance on immigration and outsourcing of jobs. He wants to move overseas plants back to America and reduce dependence on outsourced jobs. This, in his view, will “Make America Great Again”. He is against any form of gun control and supports people’s right to bear arms for self-defense.
Hillary is a more seasoned politician, serving as secretary of state for the Obama presidency. She offers a stark contrast to Trump’s views on immigration, gun control and other key factors. Hillary was ahead in the polls by a double-digit margin until a fresh wave of corruption allegations brought her and Trump on level terms once again. Hillary’s critics claim she is pro-war with an eye on strategic democratic relations to help America gain more from wars.
Whichever way America chooses, the world has a lot to gain and lose. Depending on what your views are. Armageddon? Not quite, but we still have a long way to go before we can feel optimistic about the future.
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“…….he is still one of the most successful presidents with plenty of key victories under his belt. ”
Can you share with us just what some of these victories are?
The only one I can give him credit is the establishing of normalized relations with Cuba.
I am waiting to hear what others you can share with us.