Barack Obama - The One Term President

For the exact reasons Jimmy Carter was a one-term president, President Obama will only serve once as well. I will also throw in, it will be for the reason Clinton got a second term… “it’s the economy, stupid.” Reagan inherited mortgage rates nearing 20% and unemployment rates nearing 10% — instead of blaming his predecessor for all of his woes and standing idly by, he cut both of those numbers in half by the end of his presidency. 

Do you remember the voting conditions in 2008 when Obama “connected with suburban voters… aka… Carmel soccer moms? The country was incredibly sick of the endless war, were at the beginnings of a financial meltdown, and uh… HATED George Bush. What a PERFECT time for a young, charismatic senator from Illinois to be thrust into the public spotlight!

It didn’t matter if the Republican party put up Mickey Mouse as a candidate — moderates were going to vote AGAINST GEORGE BUSH… and they did indeed do just that. The “middle-right” majority switched to the left and cast their vote for Obama. He moved the entire nation with his message of hope and change and enlisted the ranks of youths across the nation to usher in some of the best voter turnout EVER in the under 25 range. Let’s also not forget he is black. That’s not a racist comment, but moreso, pointing out the fact that he got another voting bloc to the polls that historically hasn’t shown up. 

Now, fast forward four years, when many (most?) of his policies have failed. His stimulus that he said was required and promised that unemployment wouldn’t go above 8% if passed was a bust and unemployment climbed to over 10% (but I’m sure that’s Bush’s fault), and remains that high today! Wait, I’m sure you’ll tell me that number is lower and fall in line with the rest of the people who are using math and counting errors to their advantage when they REMOVE those who have taken themselves out of the employment hunt and those who are underemployed working minimum wage jobs just to get by. 

In 2012, the middle-right “independents” are fed up and will either move back to the right or not vote at all. The youth and black voting bloc will stay home, again, like they historically have. Why? Why will it be different? There’s nothing magical about this run… we’ve already elected our first black president, and well… George Bush isn’t showing up on the other side. And lastly, “it’s the economy, stupid.”