At a time when most second-term presidents are thinking about retirement, President Obama is in full swing. Despite what his Republican critics say, 2015 has been a good year for him. More importantly, it has been a very good year for the country. For example:
– After enduring a 50-year estrangement, the U.S. and Cuba formalized relations. In the last several months, tens of thousands of Americans have flocked to Havana. No telling how many Cubans want to visit here.
{mosads}- The economy, which by most accounts, was on life support when he took office, is robust. June’s labor numbers were some of the best in years. Today, millions of people coast to coast have new jobs while the unemployment has dropped to 5.3 percent.
– The Supreme Court again upheld a major challenge to ObamaCare. Even though every GOP candidate for president blasted last month’s decision, the Affordable Care Act remains the law of the land. It will be that way even when the next president is sworn into office.
– The principle of equal protection for all was front and center when the Supreme Court issued its ruling on gay marriage. Every Republican candidate for president, except one, disagreed with the court’s groundbreaking civil rights decision.
– And now, the nuclear arms deal with Iran. Not many people thought it was possible two or three years ago, but the White House kept at it. Even when 47 Republican Senators sent their letter to Ayatollah Khamenei, negotiators kept meeting. Critics here at home and abroad immediately denounced the agreement, but it’s going to stick. What’s the alternative? Allow a nuclear arms race in the Middle East? Hardly.
When he first was elected in 2008, I said Barack Obama had a chance to take his place next to George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt as one of the great presidents in U.S. history. I believed it then and still do today.
Say what you want about President Obama … that he is weak, not engaged, misguided or naive … he has proven his critics wrong more times than right. Yes, 2015 is turning out to be a good year for his image. More importantly, it is turning out to be a great year for our nation.
Freidenrich writes from Laguna Beach. He served as a congressional staff assistant on Capitol Hill in 1972.