Is President Obama a ‘lame duck’?

You be the judge

In the last 20 days, discussion on both the left and the right has been about the failures of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the real name of what both sides call “Obamacare,” long a term of pride for Democrats and one of derision for Republicans, and now one of confusion for both.

With the elections of 2014 and 2016 looming, both parties are nervous, with the most scared trying to summarize it all in the term “lame duck.” This is another way for both sides to not address the problems they fear: health care, education, housing, immigration, foreign affairs, entitlement programs, etc.

“Lame duck” won’t work. Obama has the courage and determination to persevere.

One of two things will happen to the ACA: (1) repealed and replaced, or (2) kept but greatly modified. Regardless of which, it will be resolved and be part of Obama’s lasting and positive legacy, regardless of the election results of 2014 and 2016.

Those complaining about how the president is being treated didn’t say a word when people ripped into “W”, including calling for his assassination. And the conservative complaint that Obama is trying to get the government to be in charge of everything also won’t wash as a left-only goal, given what Reagan and “W” did, and given that the first to propose it was a Republican, Teddy Roosevelt.

So both sides, not the “other” side, are to blame. How to return power to the people is a needed debate.

On this 150th anniversary of Lincoln’s Gettysburg address, let’s live by his rejuvenating words: “All men are created equal…unfinished business…a new birth of freedom…government of the people, by the people, for the people.” Lincoln recognized the need to provide freedom and full citizenship to all, especially African Americans. We must persevere until we can stop obstacles being created, even now, 50 years after the civil rights legislation.

Calling the president a “lame duck” is wishful thinking, showing how silly and lazy even some serious people can be. This president will persevere. History will mark his accomplishments, including those yet to come during the remaining three years of his term as he addresses how to stabilize quality of life, security, and the economy.

The president won’t fold. As he said in an address to the nation, none of us is perfect. But neither were the Founding Fathers perfect, and neither was the implementation of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights perfect (slavery being the most serious imperfection).

One of the problems in the discussion of President Obama’s performance is the inability for some and outright refusal by others to discuss racism. No race, no people, and no nation are perfect. But we can step aside from what is clearly imperfect and take corrective action that brings respect, protects the rights of others in shared community, and rises above the difficulties of racist biases and prejudices, individually and as a society.

As “utopia” is literally impossible, so let’s concentrate on the possible: the promises of opportunity and hope for all in education, jobs, housing and public safety. President Obama will not believe the “lame duck” propaganda. He will continue his commitment, love and respect for the nation he leads.

Let us not think “lame duck” but instead think about our future, our children and our children’s children, because that is what is at stake. We need the kind of leadership that made Barack Obama so attractive to the American voters, not once but twice. We pray that, with God’s help, he will continue to persevere in serving the people of this nation, and do so successfully.

Stay tuned.

 

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