(Reviewed by JD Jung)
After listening to President Obama’s eulogy for John Lewis, I was reminded of how much I miss our 44th President.
Trump, as well as his supporters, refuse to acknowledge the vast accomplishments of the Obama presidency, even though the facts stare them right in the face.
Therefore I am happy to reintroduce, Obama’s Legacy: What He Accomplished as President. In this book, Philadelphia Daily News Editor, Michael I. Days objectively documents our forty-fourth president’s accomplishments. He starts each chapter by who the legislation signed has affected, such as workers, veterans, the disabled and elderly. In Part II he spells out accomplishments by issue: defense, diplomacy, justice, labor, education, housing and urban development, transportation, homeland security and agriculture. Part III centers on health reform and energy and the environment.
Though succinct, Days goes into the detail of President Obama’s appointments and signed legislation. He includes a biography of each of his Supreme Court appointments and the background of the legislation including those individuals and organizations who were behind the various bills.
Though he includes quotes to show Obama’s long-term vision, he mainly uses actual instances of what he achieved. Some of the executive actions were limited to federal employees and contractors, as Congress refused to enact laws to benefit workers (such as paid sick-leave) in the private sector.
The book concludes with a long but concise timeline which will be especially useful in proving your point to those who refuse to read this book.
Since Obama’s Legacy centers on accomplishments, as the title states, Days does not spend time on what I believe is one of the most important aspects of what a president should possess, and what President Obama indeed embodies: outstanding character. And that is what the current president definitely lacks (as well as honesty, empathy, decency, knowledge, curiosity, and a host of other positive qualities). To sum it up, sadly, Trump is the antithesis of President Obama. Maybe that is why the former President keeps getting under his skin.
I urge all Americans to read Obama’s Legacy: What He Accomplished as President. To others, I am embarrassed as an American and want to stress that Trump does not represent most Americans and what we stand for!
