The Revolution of 2008
Solomon Meltser
Issue date: 5/1/09 Section: Opinion
The United States of America experienced a revolution that occurred on Nov. 4, 2008, when millions of American voters elected Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States. The switch of leadership in America signified a peaceful revolution, where the Republicans no longer held presidential office.
Obama had a tough road paved for him before he even began, with the country writhing in an economic recession stemming from a predecessor who had the lowest approval rating in the last 50 years. Obama promised the country something it desperately needed: change. More than 150 years ago, Abraham Lincoln was elected president during the most tumultuous time in America since the revolution, and the actions during his first four years of presidency established him as one of the greatest American presidents.
Now, Obama is in a similar situation. A little more than 100 days into his presidency, our president is trying to repair a country and restore its glory.
Franklin Roosevelt is a great example of how important the first 100 days can be in determining the success of a presidency. Obama studied Roosevelt's first 100 days unrelentingly before taking office. The question at hand, then, is whether the president's first 100 days have been a pre-cursor of great things to come. He has worked steadfastly to improve diplomatic relations that became strained during the Bush administration because during America's economic hardship, Obama doesn't want America to be separated from the rest of the world.
Obama is a huge opponent of the war in Iraq, and he was one of the first senators to speak at anti-war rallies after the Bush administration invaded the country. He's a supporter of universal health care, and his stimulus package has allotted a huge portion of funds to education. Obama is open to diplomatic relations with countries like Iran and Venezuela, but at the same time firmly states that there are things he will not tolerate. Obama is not a military man, and many question his toughness, but he has vowed to fight Al-Qaeda until the bitter end and increased the number of soldiers in Afghanistan and Pakistan battling the terrorist organization.
Obama had a tough road paved for him before he even began, with the country writhing in an economic recession stemming from a predecessor who had the lowest approval rating in the last 50 years. Obama promised the country something it desperately needed: change. More than 150 years ago, Abraham Lincoln was elected president during the most tumultuous time in America since the revolution, and the actions during his first four years of presidency established him as one of the greatest American presidents.
Now, Obama is in a similar situation. A little more than 100 days into his presidency, our president is trying to repair a country and restore its glory.
Franklin Roosevelt is a great example of how important the first 100 days can be in determining the success of a presidency. Obama studied Roosevelt's first 100 days unrelentingly before taking office. The question at hand, then, is whether the president's first 100 days have been a pre-cursor of great things to come. He has worked steadfastly to improve diplomatic relations that became strained during the Bush administration because during America's economic hardship, Obama doesn't want America to be separated from the rest of the world.
Obama is a huge opponent of the war in Iraq, and he was one of the first senators to speak at anti-war rallies after the Bush administration invaded the country. He's a supporter of universal health care, and his stimulus package has allotted a huge portion of funds to education. Obama is open to diplomatic relations with countries like Iran and Venezuela, but at the same time firmly states that there are things he will not tolerate. Obama is not a military man, and many question his toughness, but he has vowed to fight Al-Qaeda until the bitter end and increased the number of soldiers in Afghanistan and Pakistan battling the terrorist organization.
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