An Off-Platform Finish

President Obama enters his final term in office.

President Barack Obama is currently in his second and final term as president of the United States of America. The second term is essentially the final chance for a president to make his mark on the country without fear of the fallout affecting his chances at re-election. History is written by the victors, whether Obama is in that position remains to be seen.

Obama’s focus on global issues, specifically the actions of nations in the Middle East, rather than those closer to home – such as the topics of immigration reform and the excessive Republican opposition to ‘Obamacare’ – is a worrying and an ill-fated sign.

The issue of chemical warfare in Syria was monitored by the United Nations in the efforts to help preserve the basic rights of the inhabitants. These basic human rights warrant holding the Syrian government accountable for the deaths of its people due to the implementation of chemical weapons. This is the purpose of the United Nations, to hold these governments accountable for their actions and prevent further tragedy.

The slim majority of the population of the United States of America would agree that purpose is not shared exclusively by our nation, no matter how executive precedent has caused both former and current presidents to act. The outcome of a poll taken by CNN following Obama’s speech on September 10, outlining his approach to the conflict in Syria, showed that approximately 50% of those polled reported dissatisfaction with Obama’s reasons for getting involved.

Though Obama’s implication of the executive order to get involved in Syria was later withdrawn due to the negotiations between Russian and Syrian presidents towards the removal of the chemical weapons, it is the near arbitrary action that makes his actions questionable.

Obama’s decisive action when it comes to foreign policy is lacking when it comes to the issue of immigration reform. Though immigration reform is a controversial topic, the majority of the country is already against President Obama. It is not like he has anything to lose.

The problem with Obama’s recent favored method of executive orders that change policy, it is unlikely that these will have the lasting effect that standard legislature acquires. Legislature requires a bill to pass through far more red tape than an executive order, thus making it better for the experience.

By using his political clout, as it were, on executive orders in foreign policy, Obama shows an extremely different agenda and is at odds with resolving the struggle of Americans in their everyday lives.