‘The most successful president in U.S. history’

The past couple of days, I’ve noticed postings on Facebook calling President Obama “the most successful president in U.S. history.”

I’m not sure what his admirers are using as a measure to conclude that he has been the most successful but let’s take a closer look at some of Obama’s “successes.”

To understand whether or not Obama was the most successful president, we have to determine what his goals are. Was he working to make this society better for the working people or was he representing the interests of the wealthy and powerful?

After reading the list below, most of which I have addressed in the past, I hope you will have a clearer understanding regarding the true nature of Obama’s “success.”

From the time he took office, the Obama team wasted no time waging new wars across the globe while simultaneously escalating the Iraq and Afghanistan debacles.

They used NATO to overthrow the independent government in Libya in a racist, genocidal coup leaving that country in total chaos.

Syria was and is next in line. Results are not in yet re: Obama’s success.

Because of Obama’s expansion in the use of drones, U.S. drones are now a common cause of death and terror for North African and Middle Eastern communities.

The US African Command (AFRICOM) has further militarized Africa, which is present in all but two nations on the continent.

The financial elites responsible for the largest transfer of wealth to the top 1 percent of the population from the 99 percent received trillions in bailouts, while people, who have to work to support themselves and their families, are losing their homes and jobs in high numbers.

Even in the midst of staggering levels of poverty and unemployment for all and Black people especially, public schools are being turned over for profit and Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid are on the chopping block.

Healthcare costs continue to soar. Obamacare has proven to do more for the profits of big pharmaceuticals and insurance companies than it does to expand coverage to Americans.

Civil liberties have been eroded to dust with the passing of the National Defense Authorization Act and the re-authorizing of the PATRIOT Act. The PATRIOT Act is now under scrutiny after the NSA was caught spying on the private lives of US citizens.

Guantanamo is not closed for a combination of reasons; part of it has to do with the Republicans blocking it, part of it is because Obama hasn’t really made this a priority for much of his time in office.

Obama helped to legitimize and streamline assassination as an essential component of US foreign policy. This includes the escalation of drone warfare where the U.S. can murder anyone at any time without having to worry about casualties to U.S. troops.

Under the Obama administration, we have witnessed the militarization of local police departments and the police assault on the people of this country (especially those who are not of white, European descent.

The war on whistleblowers has been a dominant factor and result of the Obama administration’s decisions on how to implement the law. This has led to whistleblowers being criminalized and, in some cases, being accused of treason.

Only eleven Americans have ever been charged under the Espionage Act of 1917. Eight of them since President Obama took office.

Obama led a 7-month Euro-American air and proxy ground war against the sovereign nation of Libya, culminating in the murder, after many attempts, of the nation’s leader. The president informed Congress that the military operation was not subject to the War Powers Act, because it had not been a “war” at all, since no Americans were known to have been killed. The doctrine was thus established—again, with little Democratic opposition—that wars are defined by the extent of U.S. casualties, no matter how many thousands of foreigners are slaughtered.

President Obama has deported more “illegal aliens” than any other president before him, and that includes Republicans.

Mr. Obama has instituted and tried to justify the “kill list” allowing the executive the power to identify those he deems an imminent threat to U.S. security and sentencing them to death without formal charges being made or trials being conducted to determine their guilt or innocence. This includes U.S. citizens whose constitutional rights and safeguards are therefore, ignored.

Initially, Obama declared his support for a single payer system where a public option would compete with the private companies. This was seen as a way to help keep health insurance costs down. Despite the overwhelming popular support (over 70%) for the public option, Obama folded and, before negotiations began, took it off the bargaining table.

Obama expanded our military involvement around the globe despite being awarded the Nobel Peace (or is it Piece) Prize; he brought more charges of espionage against whistleblowers than any president before him; he classified more documents than any other president, despite talking about the transparency of his administration.

If these were his intended outcomes, than we can legitimately label him the most successful president in U.S. history.

I have no doubts that with a Republican in the White House for the past 7+ years, people would have been in the streets resisting their government’s move toward fascism.

GOD BLESS AMERIKA AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMNESIA!!!

Dave Alpert has masters degrees in social work, educational administration, and psychology. He spent his career working with troubled inner city adolescents.