Barack Obama was the 44th president of the U.S. He was born in Hawaii in 1961, August 4th, he came from a middle-class upbringing. His father was from Kenya and mother was from Kansas. Obama was raised mostly by his grandfather. He completed his education mostly depending on student loan and scholarships. Besides, he worked with a group of churches to help rebuild societies or communities. Later on, he went to Harvard law school where he would become the first Afro-American president of Harvard Law Review. Barak Obama also thought the subject of law to the students of the University of Chicago. Most of the people looked up to him and assumed that America would witness something different in his tenure.
Before becoming the president, Obama represented the 13th District (Illinois Senate) three times and got national consideration in the course of his promotion to represent Illinois in the U.S Senate. He was an effective civil rights lawyer before he expressed interests in politics. Beginning the presidential movement in 2007, he assumed the office of the President of the U.S in the month of January 2009. There were a lot of anticipations from the new president and a lot of responsibilities as well. In the intimal stage of his presidency, he executed many modifications to improve the economy and to lift its progression. Obama also entirely refurbished the foreign policy of the country. At the times when Barack Obama became the president, U.S economy was publicly said to be in depression and the state was in the state of war as always. Troops were positioned in Iraq and Afghanistan. During his second term of presidency, Obama tried to focus on fortifying regulations and gun control which he was not able to accomplish. It was indeed a hard time to be a president of the U.S. President Obama left the presidency at the age of 55.
Discussion
Family
Obama’s father (Barack Obama Sr.), was born in Nyanza, Kenya. He was of Luo ethnicity and grew up shepherding in Africa. He eventually received a scholarship that gave him the opportunity to follow his dreams of getting admission in college, in Hawaii. That is where he come across colleague learner Ann Dunham from Wichita, Kansas. They got married in February 1961, and six months later, Obama was born. His mother was studying when she got pregnant with Obama. Obama then lived with his motherly ancestors for a couple of years in Hawaii while his mother finished her schooling.
When Obama was a child he did not have an affiliation with Barack Obama Sr. Obama Sr. went to Massachusetts to study Ph.D. in the Harvard University even though his son was an infant and that is when Obama's parents formally split up in March of 1964. Obama Sr. returned to his homeland, Kenya soon after and worked there for Kenyan government finance department.
Father of Obama after his separation from Obama's mother hardly saw his son. Obama struggled nonattendance of his father, who he had the chance to meet him only one time after his parents separated. In 1981, Obama Sr. met a serious accident and lost his legs and his job as well. In 1982, while traveling in Nairobi he met with yet another accident and this time, the accident was deadly. Obama was 21 years of age at the time. Obama’s mother was an anthropologist and later remarried a geologist from Indonesian named Lolo Soetoro. On October 3, 1992, Obama married an attorney from Chicago, Illinois, Michelle LaVaughn Robinson.
Early years
Obama joined the well-respected Punahou Academy while he was living with his grandparents in Hawaii. During his academic years, he also excelled in the sport of basketball. Obama was one of the only three students at the times who were black that is when he became mindful of racism and his ethnicity. According to him, he felt like I was different from the rest and even Santa was a white man; also when I used to stand in front of the mirror, I would wonder if there was any difference or wrong with the way I was.
After completing his high school, Obama studied at Occidental College for two years in L.A. He then moved to New York City to study Columbia University, from where he graduated in 1983 in political science. He worked in the business segment for a couple of years. Later, after moving to Chicago, he worked on the underprivileged South Side as a communal coordinator for low-income inhabitants.
Law Career
According to Obama, he was not brought up in a religious family, but during his Law career, he got himself admitted in Trinity United Church. Obama visited Kenya to meet his relatives and to pay a visit to his father and grandfather graves. While coming back from an emotional visit of Kenya, Obama felt a sense of rejuvenation; in 1988 he took admission to Harvard Law School and in the coming year he had the chance to meet Laurence Tribe who was the constitutional law professor at the time and the discussion with Obama fascinated the professor, and with Obama's request to join him as a research assistant, professor Laurence Tribe agreed. Professor Tribe later said about Obama that he did very well at Harvard Law School and impressed everyone around. Obama desired to make a transformation in the lives of people and help the communities. Soon after, Barack Obama went to the law firm of Sidley Austin in Chicago as an associate. He was nominated the first African-American editor of the Harvard Law Review in February of 1990.
Obama returned to Chicago after his time in law school to exercise as a civil rights attorney. Between 1992 and 2004, he taught the subject of constitutional law part-time as a lecturer and later as a professor at the University of Chicago (Law School). During this time, in Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential promotion he assisted in organizing voter registration drives.
Entry into Illinois Politics
In 1995, Obama put out an autobiography named, “Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance." The autobiography has since been published in more than 25 languages, including Hebrew, Chinese and Swedish and was highly praised by many literary figures namely, Toni Morrison. The autobiography was printed again in 2004 and was modified for children. Obama also received a Grammy Award for his narration of the audiobook of "Dreams," in 2006.
The advocacy work of Obama directed him to run for a chair in the Senate of Illinois. In 1996, as a Democrat, he won the elections. As a state senator, he worked along with the Republicans and Democrats to increase health care facilities, draft legislation on ethics, broaden early childhood schooling programs for the underprivileged. Obama failed in the run for Democratic House of Representatives seat in 2000. Two years later in 2002, he then shaped a promotion team and began to collect funds to run for a chair in the Senate of the U.S in 2004.
Obama was the primary opponent the then president of the United States, George W. Bush's and his agenda of war with Iraq. In October 2002, Obama was performing his duties as a state senator when he started to speak against the authorization of war against Iraq. Obama said that some weekend warriors in the U.S administration want to propel their own political plans irrespective of the costs and lives of people. In spite of his objections in 2003, the Iraq War began.
U.S. Senate Career
Heartened by numbers and support, Obama planned to run for the open seat of the United States Senate that was evacuated by Peter Fitzgerald who was a Republican. Obama defeated billionaire businessman Blair Hull in 2004, and also Daniel Hynes, Illinois Comptroller with 52% of the votes. In his convention that evening, he stressed on the significance of harmony and made indirect shots at the Bush management and the distracting use of wedge concerns.
Jack Ryan was supposed to be Obama’s opponent in the general election of 2004. Jack Ryan was a wealthy investment banker from the Republican Party. Jack Ryan pulled out from the competition because his ex-wife Jeri Ryan, an actress made allegations of unsubstantiated sexual deviancy. He was then replaced by Alan Keyes who was a former candidate for the presidency and a diplomat. Obama and Keyes debated and argued over the concerns of stem cell investigation, tax cuts, gun control, school vouchers, and abortion. Both were opposed to each other on these topics.
Obama was sworn into office on in 2005, January 3rd. Obama joined with Richard Lugar, the Republican Senator of Indiana on a bill that extended struggles to terminate weapons of mass destruction in Russia and Eastern Europe. Obama also put out his opinions on the sufferers of Hurricane Katrina and pressed for substitute energy expansion and championed enhanced veterans' assistances.
Obama published his second book in October 2006 named, The Audacity of Hope: "Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream." In this book he talked about his visions for the future of the United States, many of these discussions and visions befitted his points for his subsequent presidential promotion. Soon after the release of the book, it hit No. 1 on the Amazon.com best-seller list and the New York Times as well.
2008 Presidential Election
Obama headlined in the print and tube media in February of 2007 when he pronounced his candidature for the Representative presidential recommendation in 2008. It was a close-fitting encounter with the then-U.S. senator and former first lady Hillary Clinton from New York. Barack Obama became the convincing nominee of the Democratic Party after attracting an adequate figure of assured representatives during the primaries, and Clinton conveyed her complete backing to Obama for the length of his promotion. Obama defeated John McCain, a Republican presidential candidate and became the 44th president of the U.S on November 4, 2008. Delaware Senator Joe Biden who was Obama's running mate became the vice president.
Events of His Presidency
Barack Obama was designated as the 44th president of the U.S on the 4th of November, 2008. Barack Obama is considered as the first Afro-American candidate to be voted by a key party and also to win the presidential seat position of the US. Obama was seen as an agent of change by many. In February of 2007, Barack Obama initiated his route to be the Democratic contender for president. He got nominated against his major opponent Hillary Clinton is the wife of Bill Clinton, a former president of the United States. Joe Biden was chosen by Obama as his running mate. His foremost rival was John McCain, a Republican nominee. Barack Obama won decisively then and then was even appointed again in 2012 against Mitt Romney, a Republican candidate.
The Obamacare (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) was passed by the Congress in 2010, March 23rd. The goal of Obamacare was to guarantee that all the citizens of America have admission to inexpensive health cover by funding those who met some specific income conditions. Under the Obama presidency, The Supreme Court of the US, in June of 2015, ruled the same-sex marriage to be sheltered by the equal protection article of the 14th Amendment.
First 100 Days
Obama and his administrative team took many actions on several fronts in the first 100 days of presidency. Obama persuaded Congress to inflate health-care cover for youngsters and offer legal security for females pursuing equal pay. An incentive bill of 787 billion USD was approved to encourage short-term fiscal progression. With a market-based strategy to purchase U.S. banks toxic possessions, credit markets, and housing were put on life support. The Auto industry was given loans, and new rules were suggested for Wall Street. He also reduced taxes for small companies, first-time home purchasers and working families. He also relaxed the prohibition on embryonic stem cell investigation with a 3.5 trillion USD budget plan.
Moreover, he took on a comprehensive renovation of America's foreign policy, worked to develop associations with China, Europe, and Russia, etc. He pushed supporters to upkeep a worldwide financial stimulus package. He also dedicated added 21,000 army men to Afghanistan. In some intense incidents, Obama ordered attacks on off the coastline of Somalia to target pirates. He ordered the ban on unnecessary interrogation practices and also ordered the terminating of the armed confinement area at Cuba's Guantanamo Bay which was not to be met. Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 by the Nobel Committee in Norway.
Challenges and Successes
In the subsequent period of his first term of presidency, Obama was confronted with multiple numbers of hurdles as well. Despite the resistance from the populist Tea Party and Congressional Republicans, Obama engaged in the Affordable Care Act, a health care improvement proposal in 2010, March. This new act outlawed the renunciation of coverage established on pre-existing circumstances, permitted residents under the age of 26 years to be covered under parental packages, providing free health screenings for specific residents and extended protection coverage and admission to health care to millions of people. Adversaries of this act named it as "Obamacare," and declared that it will add new expenses to the nation's already exaggerated financial plan and that it violates the Constitution with its prerequisite for entities to get coverage and amounted to a "government takeover" of health maintenance.
On the financial front, Obama engaged in the Budget Control Act of 2011 to rein in the spending of the government and to inhibit it from evading on its monetary responsibilities. The act also proposed the formation of a cross-party board to look for solutions to the state's economic concerns, but it was unsuccessful in reaching any settlement on how to resolve these issues.
In March 2011, Obama supported rebels combating against the Libyan government forces.
Second Term
Barack Obama started his subsequent presidential term in 2013, January 21. The induction was held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In his opening speech, he called the country to act on matters such as matrimonial equality, health care, and climate change. Obama led the country through several challenges, none of which was more challenging according to many than the Boston Marathon bombings by extremists on April 15th of 2013. The bombings exterminated three individuals, and more than 200 were left battered. Obama addressed the people after the incident and gave them high hopes and stressed on compassion.
In the same month, Obama's was let down on his gun-control measures which included in the legislature of calling for worldwide background checks on all firearm or weaponry acquisitions and a prohibition on deals of high-capacity magazines and assaulting weapons were thwarted in the Congress. When the legislation was withdrawn and blocked in the Congress, Obama said that it is a shameful day. Obama had undergone a substantial drop in his endorsement ratings in an ORC/CNN International census. During the charges of the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) aiming old-fashioned political organizations looking for tax-free standing and charges of a cover-up in the radical murder of the Christopher Stevens, the U.S. Diplomat to Libya and three others at a ambassadorial position in Libya, Benghazi Obama’s support ranking dropped to only 45%, the lowermost ranking in 18 months.
Experts also credited the downfall of Obama's ratings because of the new disclosures about the magnitude of America's National Security Agency's observation or surveillance system that included in email watching and telephone wiretapping, which Obama defended by stating that this had aided in stopping roughly 50 dangers.
Obama's second term ended instantly after the induction of his replacement, Donald Trump on 20th January 2017.
Major Works
Obama signed the 787 US billion for reinvestment and recovery act of America in 2009, to encourage financial growth in the middle of the major worldwide depression. Within a few months, unemployment started to decrease.
The renewable energy generation was doubled during the first term of his presidency. Obama dispensed orders in 2009 to all state agencies to cut down on their environmental influences by the year 2020.
Obama’s main devotion was on invigorating the US economy after the decline. In order to re-regulate the economic segment after its deterioration during the depression, he signed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (2010).
Obama is also famous for his standpoint on same-sex matrimonies. It was for the first time that a president declared the word gay or gay rights in an opening address. He also backs same-sex pairs embracing children.
10 Facts You Did Not Know
His nickname as a child was "Barry."
While Obama was just a young child, his mother predicted his prospects of becoming the president of the US in the future.
When he was young, he used to write poetry.
He had an ape as a pet, named Tata when growing up in Indonesia.
He used to take drugs such as cocaine and marijuana as a teenager.
He had the nickname “O’Bomber” because of his basketball-playing skills in high school.
He has tasted some very odd dishes like a roasted grasshopper, dog, and snake meat.
Conclusions
To conclude, Barack Obama was seen as a cherished president and there were many expectations from him; this was mainly because of his personality, unlike upbringing and family as compared to other presidents and because of his community services. There were many things that he accomplished in his career and presidency, and there were many that he wasn't able to accomplish because of the then situations. The overall situation of America and its foreign policies did not make any momentous progressions, and global peace was not attained. Most of the public did not feel fulfilled, or maybe the expectations were much higher. Some people predict that he might take over again in the future.
End Notes
"Barack Obama | The White House." 2019. The White House. Accessed February 27 2019. https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/barack-obama/.
Atwater, Deborah F. "Senator Barack Obama: The rhetoric of hope and the American dream." Journal of Black Studies 38, no. 2 (2007): 121-129.
Bligh, Michelle C., and Jeffrey C. Kohles. "The enduring allure of charisma: How Barack Obama won the historic 2008 presidential election." The Leadership Quarterly 20, no. 3 (2009): 483-492.
Hayden, Tom. Long Sixties: From 1960 to Barack Obama. Routledge, 2015.
