Obama offers cheer in final union address
- By Wang Chong
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E-mail Global Times, January 14, 2016
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Illustration: Liu Rui/GT |
US President Barack Obama's final State of the Union address was quite boring. In spite of his sharp language, which was full of rhetoric and inspiring remarks, the current gray-haired Obama is no longer as confident and passionate as he was in 2004.
By then I was in Chicago, and was shocked by his rhetorical talent. The problem is however, being a president requires more than eloquence.
As far as I am concerned, this State of the Union address is a sad curtain call for a lame duck president, a useless opening of fire on Republican Party (GOP), and a preview of the US 2016 foreign policy debate.
Since assuming office, Obama has been unable to do anything facing uncooperative attitude from the GOP in Congress. During his term, the divergences between the two parties have been enlarged instead of shrinking, and so has the country's gap between the rich and poor. Compared with 2008, the world has grown more and more chaotic and turbulent.
Obama is not to blame for the US partisan conflicts, but his lack of leadership bears partial responsibility. He has not denied it, and said himself that "it's one of the few regrets of my presidency - that the rancor and suspicion between the parties has gotten worse instead of better."
Because of GOP opposition, he has barely any room to maneuver in Congress. His reforms pushed by executive order have met with boycotts and objections from state governments from time to time. Take the gun control proposal for example, after Obama pushed the gun restrictions by executive order, and asked for background checks on buyers, The Texas governor unceremoniously challenged Obama to "come and take" the state's guns.
Although ObamaCare was passed, if the Democratic Party fails in the 2016 presidential election, the law will likely to be rescinded by the GOP and Congress.
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