Results of the reign of barack obama. President Obama: term of office. When does Obama's term end? Childhood and early years

Barack Obama could not hold back tears, thanks for helping his family

The outgoing US President managed to create an innovative atmosphere in the country, but did not fulfill his main promises

"Take care of democracy!"

On January 11, US President Barack Obama delivered a “farewell” speech, in which he summed up some of the results of his rule and gave his fellow citizens a kind of parting word for the future. In the United States, such speeches by outgoing presidents have long become a tradition, and the final speech of the outgoing head of state is expected to be no less than an annual appeal to Congress. Obama, famous for his oratory skills, and this time fully met the expectations of the public. Many listeners could not even hold back their tears when he uttered truly touching words of gratitude to his wife and daughters. And the rest of the speech was very inspiring, but at the same time devoid of cheap pathos.

The President devoted the main part of his speech to the need to preserve and improve American democracy, which, in his opinion, is the foundation of the United States' exceptional place in the world, as well as the guarantee of the country's progress and prosperity. Many saw this as a veiled message to his successor, Donald Trump, who is not without reason suspected of authoritarian manners. The meaning was something like this: without the development of democratic institutions, which sometimes may not be liked by those in power, in some future it will become worse for everyone, including presidents and ministers. That is why Obama emphasized that he will do everything possible so that the transfer of power to Trump goes as smoothly and calmly as possible, although his personal attitude towards the new president may not be the most enthusiastic.

The outgoing president devoted only about a minute of his speech to his personal achievements as head of state. He recalled, separated by commas, the country's withdrawal from the 2008 financial crisis, the restart of the sinking auto industry, a long period of employment growth, the unfreezing of relations with Cuba and Iran, the elimination of Osama bin Laden, the consolidation of LGBT rights, and the introduction of Obamacare, a health care system that provided access to the poorest people to medicine. According to the speaker, eight years ago no one could have dreamed of such a success, but it has become a reality.

And, in fact, the outgoing president did not twist his heart. Many good things really happened under him.

Obama's accomplishments

In 2009, he got a very bad legacy: the economy was decimated by a powerful crisis, the real estate market was in a coma, the aforementioned auto industry lay on its side, soldiers and officers died almost every day in Iraq and Afghanistan, these wars pumped out new trillions of dollars from the budget. Russia had just taken over part of Georgia, Iran was building up its nuclear capabilities at full speed, China was building a modern navy, the Middle East was dominated by dictators, and within the United States, Republicans challenged Obama's presidency on the fictitious basis that he was not born in the United States.

The new president poured tens of billions into automakers and the banking sector, thus saving the country's economy from an impending collapse, immediately began to develop plans to leave Iraq and Afghanistan, launched the process of "resetting" relations with Russia, and secured the introduction of new sanctions against Iran, which forced Tehran to negotiate and, ultimately, to abandon the development of their own nuclear weapons, announced a "pivot to Asia" (concentration of foreign policy efforts in the APR), sent Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis, but most importantly - launched the process of preparing for the adoption of Obamacare - a system universal health care.

Already during the Obama presidency, American special forces found and killed Osama bin Laden, the generals withdrew their troops from Iraq, and the US Air Force took part in the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi, a long-term US adversary in the Middle East. Reaching a historic agreement with Cuba can also be credited to the outgoing president.

But his main achievement in the presidency is the creation in the United States of an incredibly lively and competitive environment for the development of high technologies. During his presidency, the most important, wealthy and influential corporations in the world for the first time were not oil and industrial giants, but computer and high-tech companies - Facebook, Google, Apple, Amazon and the like. Together, they have revolutionized the global economy, completely rebuilding it for the digital format. In parts of Africa, there are now more people using smartphones than those with access to clean drinking water.

At the suggestion of the United States, the entire planet began to gradually abandon fossil fuels, transferring energy to renewable sources. Solar panels have fallen in price dozens of times, wind generators have covered entire regions of the world, private companies like SpaceX are seriously thinking about colonizing other planets, making increasingly serious competition in space exploration for entire states.

Of course, Obama did not sit at a table with a soldering iron, collecting the first iPhones, but his efforts in the United States have created an incredibly fruitful environment for the explosive growth of high technologies in various fields. Most likely, he will go down in history in this capacity. In many other areas, he was clearly lacking in foresight.

Obama's failures

The outgoing US president's foreign policy was particularly controversial. Guided by good intentions, he often achieved results that were opposite to the desired ones. The "reset" of relations with Russia, aimed at drawing the Russian Federation into the civilized world, was perceived in Moscow as a simple signal: "Now you can invade neighboring countries." The result is Crimea and Donbass.

An unprepared withdrawal from Iraq, combined with a number of other factors, led to the formation and rapid growth of the Islamic State, which is only now being dealt with in earnest. Moral (but not material) support for the democratic revolution in Egypt first led to the triumph of the Islamists, and then to a bloody coup and the restoration of an even tougher military dictatorship than during the time of Hosni Mubarak.

After the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi, the United States completely forgot about Libya, which led to the division of this country into a number of different warring feudal domains. Aiding the suppression of the Houthi uprising in Yemen has turned into a dire humanitarian disaster in that country.

The refusal to vigorously support the uprising in Syria has led the uprising to be led by the darkest Islamist forces. When aid to the rebels did go, almost all of it ended up in the hands of these Islamists, which only prolonged the agony of this country.

The Arab-Israeli peace process under Obama was finally buried, and a heavy stone was erected on his grave in the form of the damaged relations between the United States and Israel. The reason for this is Washington's refusal to veto the resolution condemning the construction of Jewish settlements in the disputed territories.

The most important US ally in the region - Turkey - in recent years has completely departed from the principles of democratic governance, turning into an authoritarian semi-monarchy - a typically Middle Eastern entity. Relations between Ankara and the West have been severely damaged, but its alliance with Moscow is growing stronger. There are even talks about Turkey's withdrawal from NATO.

China under Obama has launched large-scale construction of militarized islands in the South China Sea, which calls into question the cornerstone of all American foreign policy - freedom of navigation in international waters. Washington's sluggish reaction to this construction only spurs on the PRC's ambitions to transform the SCS into its internal water area.

Another very unpleasant foreign policy outcome of the outgoing president's rule is the complete uncertainty of the fate of the EU, the key US ally in the world. The chaos in the Middle East spawned massive refugee flows that, coupled with economic problems, quickly led to an unprecedented rise of right-wing (and sometimes left-wing) populists in Europe. Almost all of them are now confidently taking first places in the elections in their countries, ranting with might and main about the need to disintegrate the EU. For the United States, this would be a terrible foreign policy defeat, the seeds of which were sown under Obama.

... and Trump

However, the biggest failure of the outgoing President of the United States is the one coming to replace him, that is, Donald Trump. Obama was elected with the promise of fundamental change and hope for his supporters. However, instead, he went with the flow, not daring to make serious reforms. Yes, the economy was growing, but the fruits of this growth were felt only by the richest inhabitants of the country, who got the lion's share of all new income. The middle class did not grow, the poor (by American standards) became more and more. Savings of ordinary Americans were shrinking, and debts were growing at an unprecedented rate.

Mass layoffs caused by the automation of production processes and the relocation of enterprises to countries with cheap labor led to the accumulation of frustration among the poor, but very large working class, which felt abandoned. People not only did not see the promised changes, they completely lost hope.

The US withdrawal from Iraq did not lead to the establishment of peace there; moreover, the war flared up with renewed vigor. The Americans never left Afghanistan. The closure of Guantanamo Bay, promised by Obama back in 2008, did not happen. Liberal Americans were simply deceived by all of this.

The result of growing economic inequality, an increasingly chaotic foreign policy, and insurmountable frustration of entire layers of society and economic regions was a radical protest vote - for Donald Trump.

Obama - one of the most gifted speakers of our time - has failed to prove himself as talented as a manager. He did not dare to take really tough steps in world politics, did not dare to spoil relations with big business for the sake of improving the position of the middle class, and broke his key promises - about changes and hopes. Under these conditions, Hillary Clinton, who advocated the continuation of the current course, had not so many chances of winning.

For the defeat from Donald Trump, she must “thank” Barack Obama, who prepared the society and the mood in it to accept a seemingly unacceptable candidate. It is quite possible that this is precisely what the outgoing president will be remembered by posterity.

But thanks for Facebook, Tesla, iPhone and flights to Mars Obama!

US President Barack Obama is making his last tour of Europe in this capacity. On January 20, 2017, the inauguration of the 45th President of America Donald Trump will take place. Summing up the results of his presidency, Obama, and the invasion of Libya is his biggest mistake. For eight years, Obama managed to receive the Nobel Prize, legalize same-sex marriage, start and end several military campaigns, destroy "terrorist number one" Osama bin Laden and launch an operation against ISIS in Iraq and Syria (the organization is banned and recognized as terrorist). The results of his activities in photographs are in the compilation of RBC.

Introducing the Obamacare Compulsory Health Insurance Program

One of the first reforms undertaken by Barack Obama as president was the compulsory health insurance program for all US citizens, known as Obamacare. Its cost in 2016-2025 is estimated at $ 1.207 trillion. Health care reform has led to the fact that currently 60% of citizens of the country can purchase a minimum health insurance plan for less than $ 100, and the proportion of people without insurance dropped to 8.6% (data from the first quarter of 2016). Before the reform, 15.7% of Americans had no health insurance (Q1 2010).

Opponents of the reform point out that it caused a general increase in health care costs and negative changes in the insurance market, including the withdrawal of some companies. According to official data, American spending on medical care did increase - in 2014 by 5.3%.

Changing the procedure for issuing loans for education

Obama changed the way government loans for education are issued and disbursed. If earlier payments were fixed, now they began to amount to 10% of the part of personal income remaining after taxes and basic needs. In addition, the part of the loan that remains unpaid after 20 years from the beginning of its repayment is forgiven (previously this period was 25 years).

In the third quarter of 2016, the total amount of debt on educational loans in the United States is $ 1.26 trillion, 11.6% of loans are overdue (in 2012, the share of overdue payments was at least 14%).

Obama's wife Michelle (on the picture) supports educational programs for girls in developing countries.

Closure of the prison at Guantanamo

Since taking office, Barack Obama has called on Congress to close the prison at the military base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. The prisoners held in this center are accused of especially grave crimes - in particular, terrorism and waging war on the side of the enemy. In early 2016, the Pentagon submitted to Congress a plan to close the prison. According to this plan, of the 91 inmates in prison, 35 are to be transferred from prison in 2016, and the rest are either extradited or transferred to other prisons in the United States.

The one-time costs of transferring prisoners and closing the prison are estimated at $ 290 million to $ 475 million. At the same time, the annual expenses of the US authorities would be reduced by $ 65-85 million. However, Congress did not support the proposed plan.

Combating unemployment

In January 2009, the US unemployment rate was 7.8%, and at the end of September 2016, according to the US Department of Labor, it was 5%.

On the picture: Barack Obama and his dog Bo in the White House. March 2012

Combating global warming

Since the beginning of President Obama's first term, the country's solar energy production has increased 30 times thanks to targeted loans from the US Department of Energy. In addition to direct investment, the government simultaneously introduced the Clean Power Plan, which aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. In addition, Obama has tightened the requirements for car manufacturers, forcing them to make more energy efficient engines.

According to the US Department of Energy, total US carbon dioxide emissions in 2015 amounted to almost 5.3 billion metric tons, which is about 2% less than in 2009, and since 2005, emissions have fallen by 11.7%.

On the picture: Barack Obama and the Macintosh family (farmers from Iowa) in August 2012

Reducing the share of military spending

The share of military spending in GDP decreased by 1.32 percentage points and amounted to 3.32% in 2015. Military spending decreased by 10.9%.

On the picture: Barack Obama meeting with voters in Chicago. November 2012

Government debt growth

The total amount of US government debt since the beginning of Obama's first term has grown by 83% and exceeded $ 19.57 trillion as of October 1, 2016.

Rising medical costs

The growth in public spending on health per capita was 19% (data at the beginning of 2015), and the death rate of newborns fell by 14.3%. The US population increased by 4.8%.

On the picture: Barack Obama and Florida Governor Charlie Crist. June 2015

GDP growth

US GDP growth from 2009 to 2015 amounted to 24.5%

End of military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan

After taking office in 2009, Barack Obama began the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. At that time, a contingent of about 150 thousand people remained there. By the beginning of 2010, about 50,000 American troops remained in Iraq - the so-called transitional forces. In 2011, Obama announced that the United States had completely completed its withdrawal.

When Obama became president in 2008, 36,000 US troops were stationed in Afghanistan, and in 2009 he sent another 17,000 there to enhance security. In 2011, the withdrawal of US and NATO troops from Afghanistan began. Currently, there are still 9.8 thousand American troops in the country. In July 2016, Obama announced that by the end of his presidential term in December 2016, their number would be reduced to 8,400.

The conclusion of the Iran deal

In July 2015, six international negotiators (Russia, the United States, China, Britain, France and Germany) agreed with Iran that Tehran would not produce nuclear weapons. Iran has pledged to use nuclear facilities exclusively for the production of peaceful nuclear energy. In exchange for this, the UN Security Council, the United States and the European Union are going to lift economic and financial sanctions from Iran.

Negotiations on Iran's nuclear program lasted more than 10 years, but progress, and then an agreement, the parties were able to achieve only with the participation of the Obama administration.

On thePhoto: Obama leaves Saudi Arabia after meeting with the king, where they discussed the terms of a nuclear deal with Iran, 2009

Renewal of relations with Cuba

In 2015, the United States resumed diplomatic relations with Cuba, and in 2016 Obama became the first US president in 88 years to visit the island. The two countries have partially lifted the restrictions imposed on each other, but the most serious sanctions - for example, the US trade embargo - are still in effect.

Last speech at the UN General Assembly

In September 2016, Obama spoke for the last time at the UN General Assembly as President of the United States. He summed up the work of his administration and noted the foreign policy successes of recent years.

“Many times in the past, people believed that the world had finally reached the age of enlightenment, but then returned to the path of conflict and suffering. Perhaps this is the fate of our generation, ”Obama said at the end of his speech. - We must not forget the choice of individuals that led to world wars. But we must also remember the decisions of those who created the UN in order to put an end to such wars. "

Support for Clinton during the US election campaign

During the election campaign, Obama supported the Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. He called her more suitable for the role of head of state than anyone else in history. After the defeat of Clinton, Obama received Trump in the White House and promised to provide him with all possible support in the transfer of power.

In fact, Barack Obama is not only a politician. For some time he was engaged in social activities, and also wrote several books that brought him considerable fame and allowed him to get further votes in the future. Although the future 44th President of the United States was black, his life consisted mainly of white stripes. The biography of Barack Obama is an example of an impeccable pursuit of a goal.

Childhood and early years

Barack Hussein Obama Jr. was born in the Hawaiian city of Honolulu. This happened on August 4, 1961. He was born into the family of Kenyan Barack Hussein Obama Sr. and American Stanley Ann Dunham. The father of the future president came to the United States to study economics. Barack Obama Sr. met the future mother of his son at the University of Hawaii. However, he was not very interested in family life. After graduating from university, he went to continue his studies at Harvard. When Obama Jr. was two years old, his father returned to Kenya, where he received a high government rank. He divorced the mother of his son.

Four years later, Stanley Ann Dunham remarried a student at the University of Hawaii, this time an Indonesian. The young family moved to Indonesia, where Barack Obama went to one of the schools in Jakarta and studied there for 4 years. Then Barak decided to return to his homeland - to Honolulu. His mother's parents lived there, and he settled with them. In his hometown, Barak entered the prestigious Punahou Private School, from which he graduated in 1979. This educational institution is still famous for its famous graduates. During his school years, Obama was fond of basketball. He even won the 1979 state championship as part of the high school national team.

Later, Barack Obama will publish a memoir about the use of marijuana and cocaine in high school. Barak himself describes this as far from the most favorable life period, since his school performance has significantly decreased due to the use of drugs.

Education and first labor activity

After graduation, Obama chose Western College in Los Angeles for further education. However, after a few years of study, he transferred to Columbia University. From a book written by Barack himself, you can find out that he left Western College because of the large number of racist statements against him. He graduated from the university in 1983 and immediately went to work for a large international company. In his first job, Barack Obama served as a financial news editor.

As the politician himself recalls in his memoirs, 1985 was a turning point for him. This year, he decided to leave his prestigious job and move to Chicago. In the new place, he also decided to change his occupation, so he focused on social activities. Barak helped disadvantaged residents of the city in one of the local church groups. At that time, a politician began to emerge in the young Barak, since many people's problems could not be solved by ordinary means. Obama realized that the US legal and constitutional system is far from perfect, and therefore needs to be improved.

The problem was that the future president was not an expert in the field of law, so he decided to continue his studies. In 1988, he became a student at Harvard Law School. In parallel with his studies, Barak continued to engage in social activities, namely, he was the editor of the university newspaper Harvard Law Revive. During his studies, the popular New York Times published an article highlighting the successes of the young black Obama. The article noted that Barack became the first black chairman of the University Bar Club in its history.

In 1991, after completing his studies at the university, already a certified lawyer returned to Chicago. Here he became a lawyer in the field of racial inequality. Then, in 1993, Barack Obama will take a job at the University of Chicago, where he will teach a course in constitutional law.

The beginning of a political career

In 1995, Barak finished work on his first book, Dreams Inherited From His Father. Immediately after publication, it did not gain much popularity. However, in the process of becoming Obama as a politician, the book became more and more popular and helped the young politician to advance.

In parallel with his work at the university, Barack worked for some time at the headquarters of the United States Democratic Party. This allowed him to run for the Illinois Senate. In 1997, he received the required number of votes and became a Senator. In 2000, the young senator ran for the House of Representatives, but lost to a local black opponent. Barack Obama served in the state Senate until 2004. Subsequently, his colleagues spoke positively about Barak's work activities. They noted that Obama did not divide senators into Democrats and Republicans, but collaborated with all legislators.

Fame and the first steps towards the presidency

In 2004, the US Senate campaign began. Barack Obama decided to take part in it from the state of Illinois. During the popular primaries, he managed to bypass all six opponents and become the main contender for a seat in the US Senate. The decisive role in the victory in the elections was played by the speech of Barack Obama before the national convention of the Democratic Party. His speech was broadcast live on television. The Senatorial candidate called for the United States to be made a country of free people again and the so-called American Dream to be brought back. As an example, he gave examples from his own life and the life of his father. The Democratic Party and the people of the United States supported the young politician, as a result of which he gained prominence and won the elections to the United States of America Senate.

In his new elected office, Barack Hussein Obama continued to work with both parties to fruitfully work on bills. Obama's visit to Russia with Republican Senator Richard Lugar was one of the most revealing examples of such cooperation. In the Russian Federation, senators were negotiating to restrict the supply of weapons of mass destruction. In his senatorial activity, Obama has shown great interest in the development of alternative energy sources.

The rise of Barack Obama as President of the United States

Senatorial activity brought considerable popularity to Barack. Newspapers, magazines and other mass media regularly followed the activities of the young politician and made him a very famous person. Obama's popularity has grown so much that already in 2006 the public started talking about a possible Senator's claim for the presidency of the United States. At that time, his only opponent was Hillary Clinton.

In early 2007, Barack Obama decided to carefully analyze the political situation ahead of the upcoming presidential elections. To do this, he created a committee that engaged in analysis and monitoring. Based on the committee's research, Barack Obama was supported by only 15% of the population. At the same time, 43% of the country's population were ready to vote for Hillary Clinton. In less than six months, Barack managed to narrow the gap to three percent. As a result of the campaign, the US Democratic Party elected Barack Obama as a candidate for the presidency. Hillary Clinton accepted the party's decision and helped Barack during the presidential elections.

Election campaign

In February 2008, Barack Obama arrived in Springfield, where he took part in a rally and publicly announced his participation in the presidential race. The main agenda of his election campaign was the end of the military conflict in Iraq. He promised that in March 2009 not a single American military would remain in Iraq in case of his victory.

At one of the subsequent rallies, Obama uttered words for which he had to pay. He said that the American military who died in Iraq gave their lives to waste. After that, Barack Obama's rating dropped, albeit slightly. It took him a long time to make excuses and prove that he meant something completely different.

Barack Obama criticized the policy of the then current US President George W. Bush. The presidential candidate blamed the Bush administration for the decline of the public education system, as well as an increase in dependence on oil exports.

Presidential race: Obama vs McCain

During the presidential elections, Barack Obama made a bet on the common population of the country, which provided him with a majority of votes. Barack's main opponent was Republican John McCain, who was oriented towards the middle class and wealthy Americans. On the decisive day - November 4, 2008, Obama gained 52.9% of the vote and won the presidential election.

Already on January 20, 2009, the inauguration took place, at which Barack Obama officially took office as head of state. The ceremony was attended by his wife and two children.

Activities as President of the United States

After taking office, Barack Obama began to fulfill his campaign promises. His administration introduced a number of important directives and initiatives during the first 100 days of his presidency. One of the priority directions for the new president was the establishment of international relations. In the first year of his presidency, Obama made numerous working visits. Barack Obama's international policies have brought geopolitical and economic benefits to the United States. He managed to establish partnerships with China, Russia and Cuba. Barak also tried to improve relations with Venezuela and Iran, but the matter did not get off the ground. For his services in maintaining peace in 2009, Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize.

Barack Obama is 1 meter 85 centimeters tall. While the growth of the Dalai Lama is 1 meter 70 centimeters. Barack Obama's height is average, which allows him to feel comfortable negotiating with world leaders.

The 44th President of the United States of America made a great contribution to the internal politics of the state. With his hand, the child health insurance system was improved. The Obama administration has raised concerns about women's pay discrimination. The state economy received additional financing of the banking sector and the agro-industry in the amount of more than $ 787 billion. The changes also affected the tax system. On the initiative of Barack Obama, taxes were reduced for entrepreneurs, trade unions and real estate buyers.

The legislative process for the withdrawal of the American military from Iraq dragged on, as there were many opponents of this initiative among the government officials. This prevented Obama from fulfilling his campaign promise. The American contingent was withdrawn from Iraq much later than the established date - in December 2011. This allowed the incumbent president to be successfully re-elected to a second presidential term. Mitt Romney - Republican candidate could not get around Barack Obama.

However, according to Barak himself, not everything in his policy was positive. He considers the invasion of Libya his biggest mistake during the management of the United States. At the same time, he managed to achieve significant success in conducting economic policy. Many of Obama's colleagues argue that it was thanks to the initiatives of the 44th President of the United States that the economic crisis, which could escalate into a new American depression, was painlessly overcome.

Family and personal life

Barack Obama is happily married to his wife Michelle and has two daughters. He met his wife after graduating from Harvard. For a long time they worked together in a legal agency and were colleagues. Barack showed signs of attention to Michelle, but she did not notice him for a long time. According to Michelle, she looked at Barack from a different angle when he gave a fiery speech to black teenagers.

After a year of relationship, Barack and Michelle got married. It happened on October 3, 1992. After the wedding ceremony, the newlyweds went to Kenya to stay with the relatives of Barak's father. since 1998, the family started having financial problems after the birth of their first daughter, Malia. This happened due to the fact that political activity did not bring significant income to Barack, and Michelle had to go on maternity leave. Michelle asked Barack to return to jurisprudence, which would provide him with a high and stable income, but he saw himself only as a politician.

In 2001, the family almost broke up due to the birth of their second daughter, Sasha. Serious disagreements arose between Barack and Michelle, as financial problems only worsened with the birth of their second child. According to Michelle's recollections, their marriage was saved by their daughter Sasha, who fell ill with meningitis. The struggle for her daughter's life erased all disagreements between the spouses. And after Sasha's miraculous recovery, Michelle became a faithful support for Barack and his political activities.

What is Barack Obama doing after his presidency?

After the inauguration of Donald Trump, Obama was relieved of his 8-year post. If you're wondering how old Barack Obama was at the end of his presidency, the answer is 55. At his last press conference, he joked that he was going to sleep off, and also said that he would help disadvantaged children get an education. Barack and his family did not leave Washington, as his daughter Sasha is still studying at one of the Washington schools.

Also, Barack Obama continued the good tradition of traveling. However, now he does not visit diplomatic missions of various countries, but tourist resorts. This allows the presidential pension, which is 240 thousand dollars annually. According to unconfirmed sources, Barack Obama is working on his memoirs, as this is an old tradition of all heads of the White House. Experts predict that his memoirs could become the best-selling memoirs in history. The approximate amount that the 44th president can make from the sale of his book is $ 30 million. For comparison: Bill Clinton made only $ 15 million.

At the moment, the biography of Barack Obama, who is already 56 years old, is not over yet, as he continues to raise his daughters and do what he loves.

At first glance, the question of when Obama’s term ends seems very simple. Every American and many citizens of other countries who have read or heard about the US Constitution know that its main occupant should not stay for more than two terms in the White House. There were exceptions, but until the American fundamental law was amended. In 2009, Barack Obama became the forty-fourth president of the United States. His term of office expires in the fall of 2016, namely in November. The question is really simple. But the answer may be more complicated.

Features of the US electoral legislation

Internal problems

The new US president inherited many unresolved problems from his predecessor, Bush Jr. The whole world condemned the practice of extrajudicial detention of prisoners on the island of Cuba at Guantanamo, where it was allegedly possible to disregard American laws and regulations. In fact, this "fig leaf" formally covered up a gross violation of not only legal, but also simple human concepts of justice. In the United States continued to discriminate against the population on the basis of gender, race and other grounds. The issue of permitting abortion was also not resolved, and the standards for the use of energy resources were vague. The federal economy was far from encouraging. Health care was in need of reform.

Obama promised to solve these internal problems. The term of office did not begin easily, for the first hundred days it was necessary to report to the people and voters.

Foreign policy

Despite the brilliant military victory, Iraq did not cease to be a problem, moreover, the further, the worse things were there. A large contingent of troops should have been supplied with everything necessary, this entailed serious costs, and the death of soldiers caused discontent. Things were no better in Afghanistan. At the same time, the new president did not intend to abandon the formulation of an “irreplaceable power” that was formed in the nineties. The entire presidency of Obama was accompanied by rants about the "exclusiveness" and "special role" of the United States, the vital interests of the country spread throughout the entire world - from the Arctic to Antarctica, along all the meridians and parallels.

How did Obama become president?

There is nothing strange about the fact that a black citizen finally became the president of the United States. America is a country inhabited by a wide variety of ethnic groups and races, all citizens are equal before the law, including Barack Hussein Obama, whose term of office began in 2009 and should end in 2016. The question is, what else, besides skin color, did he stand out from other candidates. After reading his biography, everyone can be convinced that he later graduated from the School of Rights at Harvard, his mother was white. He worked as an editor of a legal review, then as a law professor in Chicago, then was elected to the Illinois Senate. In 2000, he made his first and unsuccessful attempt to become a member of the House of Representatives, then a US Senator (successfully). Participated in the writing of various laws. And that's all. He became President of a country considered to be the world's economic and military leader. The first and then the second term of Obama's presidency was not marked by any breakthroughs in foreign or domestic policy. The usual routine struggle for global hegemony. And in terms of personal charm, he is far from Ji FK, with whom he unobtrusively tries to associate his image.

Obama's rival

There are two main parties in the United States. The Republican nominee was J. McCain, a Vietnam War veteran, a Phantom pilot who was shot down by a Soviet rocket crew and spent about five years in captivity. This hero (in American terms), Russophobe and "hawk" was opposed by Barack Obama. McCain's term could be marked by a much tougher foreign policy course towards both the Middle East countries and Russia. The militant supporter of American world global domination is irritated by the independent course of any country that does not want to move in the wake of the United States. The former pilot did not have enough to win. The difference between the Obama and McCain supporters was only eight percent.

Crisis President

Obama’s terms were not very successful. The dates of taking office for the first and second terms are in the chronological framework of the large-scale world economic crisis. The legacy inherited from their predecessors could not please the new owner of the White House: huge amounts of external and internal debt, stagnant industry, virtually uncontrolled emission of Federal Reserve banks, falling purchasing power of the dollar. The forecasts were also not consoling: the global crisis by itself and quickly is unlikely to end, it is predicted to last ten or even twenty years. The situation has not improved over the years of the presidency. The proportion of Americans living in poverty and below the poverty line has reached an alarming 15% of the country's total population. It is surprising how Obama managed to maintain his popularity. A second term in office, which began in 2012, was the result of defeating Republican Romney, an even weaker candidate, with a smaller electoral gap than McCain's (less than four percent).

Military successes

The first black president in history has had occasion to declare in a well-placed voice the world military leadership of the United States many times. Such performances were especially successful in military schools like Westpoint. Justification for the huge and unprecedented defense spending (which has exceeded $ 700 billion and continues to grow) must be sought by President Obama. The term of office is marked by a further increase in the budgetary burden on the maintenance of the Pentagon, which, given the declared victory in the Cold War, requires clarification. However, the apparent setbacks in Afghanistan and Iraq have raised a number of cost-effectiveness questions. Obama Barack can boast of only a few military victories. His term coincided with the so-called "Arab Spring", during which several revolutions took place in the Middle East, rather resembling well-planned coup d'état attempts. In Libya, Gaddafi was overthrown and physically eliminated. Bin Laden, who apparently knew a lot, was killed just as hastily. It didn't work out with Syria ...

Syria

The failed attempt to change the ruling regime in the Syrian Arab Republic became a kind of indicator of Russia's growing influence in the international arena. The activities of the diplomatic corps were of great importance, but no less influenced the intentions to use military force, the timely delivery of coastal defensive complexes to this country. Another gamble could have cost too much, and the "liberation campaign" did not take place. Obama Barack is used to solving problems with small losses on foreign territory, and best of all with local forces. The terms of the government and their results remain on the pages of history, which it is better to enter than to plunge into. Having made this tactical concession, the American administration, however, was not going to surrender its strategic positions.

Another revolution, shale

At the beginning of the third millennium, humanity is faced with a full-scale energy crisis. It is not that less hydrocarbon production has begun, but some “wrong” countries have been engaged in this. After the victory in the Cold War, a significant part of American politicians was convinced that the defeated should be treated accordingly, that is, dictated to them onerous terms and freely dispose of their property. However, with Russia, this scenario failed at some stage. It was not possible to resolve the contradiction between desire and capabilities in a military way, and economic methods were used. It makes no sense to go into the technical details of mining, but the essence of the technique was to release a large amount of it on the market in order to reduce the price. However, the cost price, including delivery, seemed too high to European consumers.

Support for Ukrainian democracy

So, the general alignment is as follows: the second term of Obama’s term expires, and numerous problems have not been resolved. Health care reform has failed, the war in the Middle East continues, and Europe relies heavily on Russian gas. The last circumstance seemed to the American president to be remedied. Gas is a flammable substance, and in order to make it more difficult to transport goods, a fire should be set up along its route. And it, as if by accident, but very timely, flared up in Ukraine. In fact, they did not even hide their support for the rebels in the United States - every taxpayer has the right to know what his money is spent on. Some of them went to support the democratic processes in Ukraine with the aim of ... well, we know which one. Obama's term has been marked by spending $ 5 billion to support the opposition in this country alone. And also money was spent in other states of the former USSR ...

The notorious amendment

It has number 22 and was adopted in 1947 (ratification took place in 1951). Prior to that, the duration of the presidency in the United States was regulated only by moral and ethical norms and the desire in everything to be like Washington, which once decided that two terms would be enough for it. Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected four times and held office until his death, but then there was a war. But what if a person with tyrannical and dictatorial inclinations comes to power? After the entry into force of the 22nd amendment to the Constitution, this norm became mandatory. According to her, the end of Obama's term falls on the fall of 2016. He becomes a "lame duck", and many of his endeavors have a vague prospect of implementation. However, what some people have approved, others, in principle, can cancel.

How to reverse the 22nd Amendment?

Some have already thought about the abolition of this restrictive legislative norm.For example, Ronald Reagan took this high post, being its adherent, but later changed his opinion, and even considered it fundamentally wrong. According to some reports, the idea of ​​canceling it in 2013 came to Barak's head, at least with the Attorney General, he discussed the legal aspects of such a possibility. Democratic Congressman Jose Serrano supported the idea and introduced a bill to regulate the process. He promises to be not very problematic, because if three-quarters of the states ratify this "amendment amendment", then it will pass even before the moment when Obama's term ends. In 26 of the 50 subjects of the federal state, representatives of the Republican Party play a leading role, and one can count on the support of the Democrats.

Will Obama run for a third term?

In 2009, despite the belligerent rhetoric that characterizes many of his speeches, Barack Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize. The prestige of this international recognition of merits in various fields of human activity is very dubious, but the title of laureate still obliges a lot, albeit in advance. However, there is too little time left to make any fateful decisions. Obama's term expires soon. Will they try to stay in the White House for another four years? And will he be able to do something useful for America and all mankind during this time? We have to find out in the near future.

The Cabinet includes former primary rivals: Hillary Rodham Clinton as Secretary of State and Bill Richardson as head of the US Department of Commerce.

The next day, late in the evening, on the advice of constitutional jurists, Obama in the White House, as a precaution, again took the oath of the head of state, in view of the fact that the day before there was an error in reading the text of the oath established by the US Constitution: US Supreme Court Chief Justice Roberts mistakenly put the word "honest" (eng. faithfully) after the words "Acting President of the United States."

First 100 days

Expectations

Actions

During the first week of his presidency, Obama suspended military commissions at Guantanamo and ordered the detention facility closed within a year, but did not close until the end of the term, changed the rules for interrogating suspected terrorists, ordered the Department of Energy to raise fuel efficiency standards and allowed states to set emission standards are higher than federal, and also lifted the ban on federal funding of international organizations related to abortion.

On January 29, 2009, the President signed a law that increases the opportunity to challenge facts of discrimination in the field of wages in court ( en: Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009). In February, the law on stimulating the economy was adopted ( en: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009).

Re-election, cabinet changes

In 2012, Obama ran for a second presidential term under the slogan "Forward, for America!" Obama was re-elected on November 6, 2012; the inauguration took place on January 20, 2013. In February 2013, Defense Minister L. Panetta was replaced by Charles Hagel, Treasury Secretary T. Geithner - by J. Lew, and Secretary of State H. Clinton - by J. Kerry. In April 2013, S. Jewell was appointed to the post of Minister of the Interior K. Salazar, and E. Moniz was appointed to the post of Minister of Energy S. Chu in May.

Economy

In May 2009, a law was signed to expand the rights of users of credit cards ( en: Credit CARD Act of 2009). In July 2010, a law was signed to tighten regulation of the financial market and strengthen the protection of consumers of financial services ( en: Dodd – Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act).

In December 2010, the tax cuts adopted under Bush Jr. were extended ( en: Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010).

In August 2011, Congress increased the government debt limit, cutting budget spending by 917 billion over 10 years and demanding a plan to cut spending by an additional 1.2 trillion over 10 years ( en: Budget Control Act of 2011). In September 2011, Obama presented to Congress a package of employment-stimulating legislation, including tax credits for job creators and investment ( en: American Jobs Act), and then presented a plan to reduce the deficit, including reducing health care costs, operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and removing tax breaks for oil and gas companies and the wealthiest.

Since the plan for cutting expenditures required by the legislation adopted in 2011 was not adopted, since March 2013, the uniform cuts of most budget programs came into force ( en: Budget sequestration in 2013).

In October 2013, due to the conflict over the budget, the work of some federal institutions was suspended.

Human rights

In July 2009, the United States signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. however, in December 2012, the Senate rejected an Obama-supported proposal to ratify it. In October of the same year, a law was passed expanding the scope of protection against hate crimes to sexual minorities and persons with disabilities ( en: Matthew Shepard Act). In August 2010, the difference in penalties for cocaine in crystals, more common among the black population, and in powder, more common among the white population ( en: Fair Sentencing Act). In December 2010, the United States, the last of the UN member states, expressed support for the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; a law was also passed to abolish the “Don't ask, don't tell” policy. In May 2012, Obama expressed personal support for same-sex marriage; In June 2012, the administration announced that it would not deport illegal illegal immigrants who were brought into the United States as children under the age of 16 and who were educated in America or served in the US military.

On January 8, 2011, Obama signed a law that would prohibit the use of US Department of Defense funds to move prisoners at Guantanamo Bay to America. In addition, the document also prohibits the transfer of prisoners from this prison to other countries, with the exception of a very limited number of cases. The new law casts doubt on the possibility of closing the prison in the near future.

Education

In March 2010, a law was passed increasing the maximum federal grants for students in need ( en: Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act).

Foreign policy, military action

In December 2009, a decision was announced to increase the contingent of American troops in Afghanistan by 30 thousand.

On April 8, 2010, an agreement with Russia on the reduction of strategic offensive arms was signed in Prague (approved by the Senate in December).

In May 2010, a law was passed requiring the State Department to provide detailed information on press freedom in annual reports on human rights around the world ( en: Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act).

On September 1, 2010, Obama announced the end of the US military operation in Iraq; however, about 50,000 American troops remained in the country.

From March to October 2011, the United States participated in the military operation of a group of countries in Libya.

On May 2, 2011, Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan.

In October 2011, the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq by the end of the year was announced, and on December 11 of the same year, a ceremony was held to formally end the operation of the US troops.

In December 2012, the Magnitsky Act was adopted with respect to Russia, and a normal trade regime was introduced with respect to Russia and Moldova.

In 2013, the Snowden scandal sparked friction between Moscow and Washington.

Since March 2014, a series of sanctions have been introduced against Russia due to the situation in Ukraine. After the imposition of sanctions, the end of the "reset" was announced.

On July 14, 2015, an agreement on the Iranian nuclear program (INP) was concluded in Vienna. On January 16, 2016, the INP plan came into effect.

On November 15-18, 2016, Barack Obama's last foreign trip as President of the United States took place.

Health care, ecology

Contrary to what was announced in 2008, the Obama administration did not seek the extension of the Kyoto Protocol. According to Republican Senator Inhof, Obama made it clear to delegates to the UN Climate Change Conference in 2011 that he was ignoring them.

In June 2009, the tobacco control law ( en: Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act).

In March 2010, despite opposition from some Democrats in the House of Representatives and Republicans, a health care reform law was passed, aimed at greater coverage of the population with health insurance ( en: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, amended as en: Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010). After a series of lawsuits, some of the reform provisions were overturned by the Supreme Court in 2012 ( en: National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius).

In April 2010, the largest environmental disaster in US history occurred. An explosion occurred on a large oil platform, which killed 11 people. They were able to stop the oil leak only after three months, when 4.9 million barrels of oil had already entered the water.

In December 2010, a new law was signed to regulate the nutrition of children in schools ( en: Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010). In January 2011, a law was signed expanding the powers of the state to inspect food safety ( en: Food Safety and Modernization Act).

In December 2011, Obama supported the contradictory opinion of the Food and Drug Administration, the decision of the Minister of Health K. Sibelius to ban the sale of emergency contraceptive pills in pharmacies to girls under 17 years of age. In 2013, however, the age threshold was lowered to 15 with the support of the president.

In August 2012, the Obama administration introduced new, tougher requirements to reduce vehicle fuel consumption. In 2013, the President's Climate Action Plan was published.

Judicial system, crime fighting

In 2009, Obama nominated Sonia Sotomayor as a candidate for Supreme Court Justice to replace the resigned D. Sauter, who had been nominated by Bush Sr. prior to his appointment. The Senate approved Sotomayor's candidacy. In April 2010, Judge J. Stevens announced his upcoming resignation, in May Obama nominated Elena Kagan to replace him, who was approved by the Senate in August.

On December 14, 2012, one of the most high-profile crimes in recent US history took place. Adam Lanza, 20, opened fire at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. Killed 20 children aged 5 to 10 years and six adults. Addressing the nation over this crime, Obama could not hold back his tears. “Every American parent felt a terrible weight in his heart,” he said, and promised to do everything possible to prevent such tragedies.

In January 2013, Obama put forward a program for the legislature and executive to tighten arms controls. However, in April, the Senate rejected one of the main measures proposed by Obama - the elimination of the possibility of acquiring weapons without verifying the identity of the buyer.

On April 15, 2013, at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, a terrorist attack was committed, as a result of which three people were killed and 264 were injured. This was the first terrorist attack in the United States after the events of September 11, 2001.

On January 5, 2016, Barack Obama announced tougher rules for the sale of weapons bypassing the US Congress.

Criticism

Former independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader called Barack Obama a war criminal, criticizing his international politics. He made such a statement in an interview with Politico. “The sovereignty of other countries means nothing to him. Its drones can kill anyone, as happens, for example, in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Yemen. This is a war crime and he must be held accountable, ”Nader said.

In June 2013, former CIA and NSA officer Edward Snowden reported to several major American newspapers about mass surveillance by US and UK special services of Internet users, as well as politicians and officials. As a result, Snowden asked for political asylum in Russia.

See also

• Sanctions in connection with the Ukrainian events in 2014

Notes (edit)

1. Mooney, Brian C.... Inaugural fund-raising exceeds $ 53m, The boston globe(January 30, 2009). Retrieved February 1, 2009.
2. Chernus, Ira. The First Hundred Days or the Last Hundred Days? (unspecified) . The LA Progressive(December 16, 2008). Retrieved January 18, 2009. Archived March 28, 2012.
3. Reid, Tim... Barack Obama lays plans to deaden expectation after election victory, The Times (November 1, 2008). Retrieved January 18, 2009.
4. Obama's first 100 days - Jan. 20, 2009
5. Counter terror with justice: a checklist for the next US president
6. Mixed Messages: Counter Terror and Human Rights - President Obama's first 100 days
7. Obama Issues Directive to Shut Down Guantánamo, NY Times (January 21, 2009).
8. Closure Of Guantanamo Detention Facilities (unspecified) ... Whitehouse.gov (January 22, 2009). Retrieved January 27, 2009. Archived March 28, 2012.
9. Obama signs order to close Guantanamo in a year (unspecified) ... The Washington Times (January 22, 2009). Retrieved March 19, 2010. Archived March 28, 2012.
10. Obama Reverses Key Bush Security Policies, New York Times, January 22, 2009
11. From Peril to Progress (unspecified) . Whitehouse.gov... White House (January 26, 2009). Retrieved January 26, 2009. Archived March 28, 2012.
12. Obama ends funding ban for abortion groups abroad (unspecified) ... Retrieved January 23, 2009. Archived March 28, 2012.
13. Obama reverses Bush abortion-funds policy January 23, 2009
14. Living Within Our Means and Investing in the Future. The President's Plan for Economic Growth and Deficit Reduction, 2011 (English)