Barack Obama: Seven Months Hence

Barack Obama became the 44th president of the United States of America in January 2009.  It has been seven months since then, and a lot of people are wondering whether his “Yes, We Can” magic has waned all too quickly.  Is President Obama now seen as a boon or as a bane to the United States and its economy?

Even before he assumed the presidency, Obama has been making the right choices as far as his stand on a lot of significant issues is concerned.  A month after assuming office, he signed into act a stimulus package that made the news due to its sheer size (especially financially) and the loftiness of its objectives.  However, depending on which side of the fence you stand, the stimulus package becomes the new president’s shining legacy to the American people or his Achilles’ heel.

Public opinion, it seems, is one reliable indicator when it comes to measuring an administration’s perceived effectiveness.  A Gallup Daily Poll released during Obama’s first 100 days as president showed that he had a 65% approval rating.  However, in an August 2009 survey conducted by ABC News and Washington Post, the numbers are not so rosy, with only 49% of respondents saying that Obama is on the right track, garnering him a decreased approval rating at 57%. Yet, the ABC News and Washington Post poll also found that more Americans now think that the recession would be over within the next 12 months and that Obama’s stimulus package has made things better.

In the past few months, Obama has had to address concerns about the country’s growing debt and budget deficit while also pushing for the much-needed health care reforms.  These are vital concerns that could make or break public support for his government.

The passing or scrapping of a suitable healthcare reform bill is seen to be the litmus test of Obama’s first year in office.  This would seal his image as to whether he is a really good leader or just a mere fast-talking one.  And it is getting more and more difficult each day to come up with a compromise with an increasingly polarized public.

Seven months after he was put into the office,, Obama still has the support of the public, although it is undeniably diminishing.  Public opinion has become more divided as time passes. The only thing definite as of now is that it is a matter of time before people can see actual results – be it good or bad – and really decide as one united body on whether Obama was worth their votes.

There is no question over the reasons why Obama won. He made all the right promises about doing good, and confidence still exists as to whether he will follow through.  What most people miss is that these good things take time and that there are no easy or instant solutions to every problem.  For his supporters, what is most important is that Obama has shown that he can act decisively and prudently when necessary.

There is no argument about it: the benchmark of a good leader is his ability to act and follow through for the good of the majority, even if the move is a largely unpopular one. Obama still has a few years to prove this ability. So far, people just need to be contented with the fact that their current president is someone who’s not afraid to be scrutinized, working at increasing transparency with regards to his official dealings.  Case in point, money earmarked for his stimulus package can easily be traced online.

All in all, Obama still has a long way to go in an office.  He has plenty of time to let his leadership shine through. Then people can give him the rating due to him at the end.