By Rosie Cullen & Juliet Zimmer, Guest Commentary
619 days ago, our great nation was blessed with one of the most beautiful faces that has graced the White House's majestic halls. The Oval Office became the professional domain of none other than Barack Hussein Obama II. With his lovely first lady (with such style and grace) by his side he has tackled some of the most important, significant and controversial issues that our country has ever faced.
Before he took office, the country's expectations of him were enormous. Given the situation that he inherited — in the middle of one of the longest and most highly contested wars our country has ever faced, as well as the beginning of one of the worst economic crises since the Great Depression — he as a leader could only go up.
On the campaign trail he made many promises to the American people, some of which many thought would not and could not be accomplished in his term, including the promises to remove combat brigades from Iraq, create a comprehensive universal healthcare plan, raise fuel economy standards and repeal tax cuts for those wealthy son-of-a-guns (come on, we're Democrats! We live robin hood style). Some have said that many of these promises have not been fully addressed or realized. Really? After just two years in office, el presidente has done pretty darn well. It's a big responsibility being the leader of the free world.
Here are the facts ladies and gents: what has Obama accomplished? Da war, a.k.a. Operation Iraqi Freedom. Obama said that he was going to remove all combat brigades from Iraq within 16 months in office as well as send two brigades to Afghanistan. What's the situation? On the night of Aug. 20, 2010, he made the official announcement that the American combat troops in Iraq would be removed and the future of Iraq would be in the hands of the Iraqi people. He underlined that the United States is still a friend and a partner to Iraq and its people. Regarding Afghanistan, Obama has asserted that our presence in Afghanistan is necessary because of the understanding that that region is the epicenter of violent extremism. Accordingly, within the first month in office, Obama dispatched a military brigade to Afghanistan and is currently sending over two more, with the mission of stabilizing American security abroad.
On to healthcare. It was a grueling debate and a cesspool of compromise. The idea was to have universal healthcare for every man, woman and child in the USA. Then it was changed to a public health care option. And lastly transformed into a mandate that all citizens have healthcare. The compromises were vast because the opposition was determined. Obama signed a bill that was a step in the right direction but healthcare in the United States still has a long way to go.
Nothing has more of an impact on the future of our world than what we do regarding environmental reform. In general, the U.S. needs to take more proactive steps toward creating sustainable environmental policies. One example of Obama's efforts to create policies protecting precious Mother Earth is raising fuel economy standards. In an attempt to reduce everyone's Sasquatch-sized carbon footprint, this step will allow for you to continue to drive your car, but not pillage the environment in the process. Obama also strives to create a Cap-N-Trade System, reducing green house gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050 with interim targets in 2020, 2030 and 2040. He is confined by his opposition in the Senate, and as a result this one is still in the works. He does, after all, have two more years in office (God/Buddha/Allah/to whomever you pray willing, he is re-elected).
Last but not least, those fat cats and their money swindling. Obama is working hard for tax reform. A part of this entails repealing tax cuts benefiting those earning more than $250,000 a year. If you pick up any major newspaper today you will see that the battle is being waged as we speak.
Has he realized change that we can believe in? We sure as heck think so. And if you are not satisfied yet, there are two more years for him to convince you that yes in fact "WE CAN!" Progress requires time and a country united for change. Be the involved citizen that you are and fight for what you believe, because he sure as (curse) is.
Rosie Cullen is a senior social work and French studies major. She can be contacted at cullen11@up.edu. Juliet Zimmer is a senior political science, German and Spanish studies major. She can be contacted at zimmer11@up.edu.
