Why President Obama Should Be Given a Second Chance.

By

James Paul Zaworski

I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican in terms of political affiliation or membership.  I did vote for Barack H. Obama in the 2008 election because I felt that he espoused the youth, enthusiasm, intelligence, background, intelligence and wherewithal to be the President of the United States of America. 

With that said, I have been disappointed in President B. H. Obama’s  leadership as President;. The reasons that I will give will define my expectation that resulted in my disappointment with his leadership.  Obama is a Constitutional scholar.  He appears to be a person who is like myself: an academic.  He is willing to fit within a set pattern of allowed Constitutional laws that were set forth in our United States Constitution.  As defined, and as restrained, through checks and balances, he knows what he can do and he knows what he can do, constitutionally speaking and not.

President Obama has limited himself,  pragmatically, to what he can and cannot do, according to the United States Constitution.   He has had a bad inheritance, but not one that is terribly different from his predecessor.  The former lacked any thought whatsoever, and the latter didn’t lack this but set boundaries on what he could or could not do, because his lack did not exist in terms of knowledge.  One was conscientious; one was not.  One wanted water boarding torture; the other did not.   One waged war in two countries; the other promised to finish them, but has not appreciably.  One left the American economy in a shambles; the other has tried to pick up the pieces, and has not been able to fix it quickly.

The verdict?  Obama is the one to blame for two years of not being to fix it.  He has lacked the notable leadership of other presidents.  He gives great speeches, as David Brooks has said before.  He can inspire.  But he may be the right man for the job at the wrong time.  I don’t mean politically, but personally.

I guess timing is an example, and inexperience that shows. Perhaps a lack of confidence.

President Obama gave a speech at a joint session of Congress.  A State of the Union speech.  It was the one where he cajoled the Supreme Court on its decision to make corporations equal to individuals.  He had said “I’m the President”; as if no one there knew that he was. 

This was a bit telling:  the President of the United States had to remind everyone that he was the President.  “I’m the President”; he said.

Well, what the fuck?  We all knew that, whether you were an idiot or a Democrat!  Or both!  Or, even a Republican!

He dropped the ball on that one for me, and has been wishy-washy on other issues, politically inconcruent, and just in the background while he waits for Congress to do its job. 

Well, constitutionally speaking, he is right.  He is the leader of the executive branch.  He’s not a king or dictator.  He can do some things, and the legislative branch can do other things.  The judicial branch can do its things too.

Well, Obama has actually done a lot of good things.  But has he been a good leader?  I say no.

I am disappointed to an extent; but heartened that this is a President who has morals and ethics and follows the Constitutional rules to the letter.

But maybe we need a Clinton or a Reagan;  a deal maker and a shady character who is both knowledgeable but charismatic and who can make the deal.  Maybe we need a political environment in which the deal can be made.  Maybe we need a resolute executive and legislative branch that is less self serving, and more patriotic about bringing the jobs back to America, stop outsourcing jobs, and stop favoring those groups who give money to them.

It’s just a thoug