Growing up in Georgia in a primarily conservative area, I have recently heard that Obama was a horrible president, or even the worst ever.
Ignoring my personal opinion on the matter, what do people throughout the country think of him? I was smart enough not to ask anyone on Twitter (look at Microsoft’s Twitterbot “Lacy”), so I went through the late second term approval ratings for every president since Eisenhower. Approval ratings are based on surveys, asking Americans whether or not they approve of their president’s actions. According to Gallup, Obama’s weekly average approval rating is 53 percent as of May 29. In comparison, at this point in their presidencies, Bush’s was 29 percent, Clinton’s was 58 percent, Reagan was 50 percent and Johnson’s was 41 percent. Obama’s rating has steadily increased over the last year, which I attribute to a better economic situation, depression over our choices this election cycle, and a lack of any major negative events recently.
Despite the bubble bursting shortly after Obama took office, the economy has recovered quite well, the unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in a decade, and the amount of people with healthcare insurance has skyrocketed. Our fossil fuel dependence has been slightly reduced; renewable energy’s prominence within our country has increased. Our country seems to be back on track in many ways, economically.
With that being said, certain things have gone downward since the beginning of his presidency. Median household income was down and poverty rates have increased as income equality grows throughout our nation. Our GDP hasn’t grown at the rate many people would like it to, and some areas within our country still struggle. So, our country still remains off track in other ways.
The choices during this election cycle have been rather dismal, particularly for independent voters, as both sides have become so polarized that it is very hard for them to find either presumptive nominee a viable choice. Due to that, I actually believe that Donald Trump has helped Obama’s legacy. His radical views and controversial moves have driven people not only away from him, but looking towards Obama in a fresh light. If the presumptive nominee were a more moderate conservative, then people’s opinions of Obama may have grown more negative. Success is relative: If Obama were to follow George Washington or Abraham Lincoln, then I doubt his approval rating would be as high as it is today. But due to our situation, many have seen that the proverbial grass isn’t necessarily greener on the other side of this cycle. Plus, regardless of policy preference, Obama has been scandal free and a pretty cool guy. Not to mention that no other president has dropped the mic at the end of an address.
Only time can tell what Obama’s legacy will be, but I don’t believe it will be all that negative. On average, presidential approval ratings during this point of the presidency is 53 percent, and coincidentally Obama’s is 53 percent... Making our current president, at least judging by approval ratings, exactly average.
