Obama: One Year After Election

An unprecedented election came to a close on November 4, 2008. Feelings of hope were felt throughout the country, and eyes the world across were on the United States’ election. Fast forward a year, Barack Obama is under intense pressure- and it’s not just from conservatives.

Former President George W. Bush left office on January 20, 2009 with an approval rating of 22 percent. He was under fire from both Democrats and Republicans for what may consider to be a failed eight years. Such a low approval rating was in part due to the unpopular war in Iraq that he started after 9/11.

President Obama came into office with a much higher approval rating of 78 percent. Within the week he was sworn in, Obama signed an executive order that announced the closure of Guantanamo Bay. The order also banned the use of torture on inmates, such as the controversial waterboarding (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterboarding) technique.

The Obama Administration, along with Congress and the House of Representatives, have been focusing on the health care and financial crises. Both crises continue to be prevalent concerns to the American public along with the troops that continue to stay in the Middle East.

A few of President Obama’s other acts in the year since he was elected include nominating the first Hispanic judge, Sonia Sotomayor, to the Supreme Court, increasing fuel efficiency standards and accepting the Nobel Peace Prize. Almost all of these acts were met with opposition.

President Obama’s approval rating has dropped 22 percentage points since it was initially calculated, and, therefore, is now at 56 percent. As the president continues the majority of his term, The Echo will continue to document the policies and laws that are put into effect.