Obama: The One Term President?

In a post World War 2 America, there have been only two pure one-term Presidents, Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush. Alongside Carter and Bush, Harry Truman and Lyndon Johnson succeeded a fallen President, and were elected a full term of their own following the remainder of the predecessor, Truman being voted out in 1952 and Johnson refusing to run in 1968. John F Kennedy served only a partial first term before being assassinated in 1963 and Gerald Ford finished Richard Nixon’s second term before losing his own re-bid against Carter. Therefore since World War 2 there have been six one term Presidents (depending on how you define “one term”).

Polls as of late have as many as 49 percent of the polled public indicating that President Obama does not deserve a second term. Suggestions have even arisen for Obama to step out of the ring for a second term due to the fact he will be weaker in the general election, where as a fresh Democratic face may have more luck. Obama himself even claimed at the beginning of the year, far before the battering the Democrats took in the midterm elections that he would be fine as a one-term President, “I'd rather be a really good one-term president than a mediocre two-term president.”

Though Obama holds an 8 point lead over Sarah Palin for the 2012 election, against other Republicans he may not fair as well. The question is, assuming Obama wants to run for re-election, does he deserve a second term. I feel this could be looked at in two different lights, actual performance and promised performance.

President Obama lately has been primary gauged by the lack of progress towards fixing the broken economy. Perhaps Obama underestimated the severity of the situation, or perhaps his supporters assumed the “fix” would come quicker (this will lead into Obama campaign versus governing later). However though the economy is in shambles and Americans are out of work, Obama has passed significant legislation. Even against extreme odds coming from the opposition in the form of a NObama approach, trying to kill any possible legislation and keep Obama as a one-term President, Obama has been able to rally his party to pass legislation. Important legislation includes;

· Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act – An equal rights bill amending fair pay laws.

· American Recovery and Reinvestment Act – the stimulus package, which depending on who is questioned has/hasn’t worked. Yet this was a substantial effort in mending the economy.

· Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act Expanding AmeriCorps

· Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act – increases enforcement of federal fraud laws to protect Americans against fraud.

· Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act – A broad reform upon credit card companies which in a basic breakdown, requires transparency and new requirements for consumer protection from credit cards.

· Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act – Gives FDA new powers of tobacco companies.

· Matthew Shepard Act – Adds additional rights into the Civil Rights Bill of 1968 to cover additional sections of American population against Hate Crimes.

· Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act – Gives tax incentives to companies whom hire unemployed Americans.

· Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act – Perhaps Obama’s most ambitious legislative agenda, reforms the health care system as well. It also provides benefits to college students in the form of student loans.

· Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act – Financial regulatory reform in efforts to prevent another Wall Street Crash which led to the economic downturn.

Substantial legislation has been signed into law under President Obama, and this is only the halfway point into his first term. The time in which he has remaining in his first term could cement him into history as a good president, but also afford him the opportunity to win a second term.

Unlike the clear legislation Obama has signed into law, Obama’s success in comparison to his campaign promises could be deemed as lacking. Obama ran on a campaign of change and hope, powerful motivators in a time when American society looked bleak. Obama’s natural charisma and his skill to rally supports through rhetoric drove his campaign into something that was beyond Obama himself. A mainstream, media created presidential juggernaut marched to the White House in 2008.

Obama ran with the intentions to, “revive the economy; provide affordable, accessible health care to all; strengthen our public education and social security systems; define a clear path to energy independence and tackle climate change; end the war in Iraq responsibly and finish our mission in Afghanistan; work with our allies to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.” To compare what he has done, to what he promised, Obama is on target. Obama has passed the most substantial health care reform in history, passed student loans and community college reform, and has begun the process to end the war in Iraq and created a timetable for Afghanistan.

It is clear based on what Obama has accomplished in only his first two years he deserves a second term. Reflecting upon the two most recent Presidents whom lost the office after only one term, Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush, lies opportunity for repeat for Obama.

President Carter faced turmoil through the economy, though the final nail in the coffin was the Iran Hostage Crisis, which Carter handled extremely poor. The economy was a winnable battle, arguing much like Democrats currently argue, Carter walked into economic unrest. President Bush faced similar economic downturn following his first term, which was widely attacked by both opponents (Clinton and Perot) as well as his base for going against original promises not to raise taxes. Alongside the “No New Taxes” claim, Bush was also hampered by campaign blunders (see grocery scanners) and third party candidate Ross Perot, whom garnered many of the votes Bush would have gained, essentially taking the election from Bush.

Both elections were feasibly winnable (Bush more so than Carter) and unless Obama blunders in his final two years or during the campaign trail (not likely, if Obama can do anything its campaign), a second-term is his. Obama doesn’t just deserve the chance for a second term to build his legacy and impart significant legislation, he has earned it.