The Biggest Challenge of President Obamas Second Term

The Biggest Challenge of President Obama's Second Term President Obama took the oath of office from Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. at the official swearing-in ceremony in the Blue Room of the White House on Sunday President Barack Obama will once again, be sworn into office of the President before the American people on January 21, 2013 (He was officially sworn in on January 20, 2013). This celebration of President Obama is an opportunity for us to also realize the accomplishments of the President in a hostile political climate,  and  recognize areas in which he miserably failed, particularly for college students, and the people in the African American community. Above all the challenges he will face in his 2nd term, the biggest will be his ability to lead. Imagine for a moment, had President Obama not had his stimulus plan, had Osama bin Laden not been killed, had the powers entitled to him as commander in chief not been dramatically increased, had Guantanamo bay been closed, had the Supreme Court of The United States ruled his Affordable Care Act unconstitutional. These are some realities of a country that prior to President Obama’s election in 2008, was experiencing its greatest financial crises since the Great Depression, entrenched in one of the most painful wars in recent memory. All of the aforementioned battles point to the importance of President Obama’s leadership. While criticism could be logged against President Obama on any of the battles, or his positions on policy, it is irrefutable that he has led this country with precision accuracy. As the effects of new legislation and policy begin to take full shape over the next couple of years, the challenge for President’s Obama’s lies is in his ability to lead a divided c ountry. Some would argue that this is the most significant mandate for President Obama for his 2nd term. The margin of error for President Obama was incredibly narrow over the course of his 1st  term. We have seen over the past 4 years, a consistent attempt to identify any policy or legislation pursued by President Obama and his supporters in Congress, as a failure. Amid tumultuous battles between Republicans and Democrats in Congress, success was the only option for President Obama. Anything short of his promises coming into fruition, would lead to an inevitable characterization of his time in office as a failure, and a 2nd  term as an unnecessary risk for the American people. Because of his steadfast pursuit of policies he promised for the American people, President Obama is being sworn into office for the second time. With that, comes a mandate to lead the United States through the upcoming battles that will persist. The effectiveness of his leadership is more important than ever. The discussions of the national debt and his pursuit of any reform will get the most national attention.   Not to mention the debate, and any subsequent policy or legislation on weapon bans and illegal immigration. President Obama must lead, as he has done before, finding a way to promote effective cooperation on the part of his constituents in Congress. In the background of the national discussions however, lie several groups in the population that will surely demand their voices be heard. Is it out of the realm of possibility that students could stage a nationwide protests due to high tuition costs? Should these students rise up to produce some sort of social movement, President Obamas leadership would surely be tested. It would be in times like those, where the rapport he has established with members of congress would be so crucial. Would the legislative branch of government be in a position to produce any form of change? The leadership President Obama provides will speak directly to that. Furthermore, should those in the African-American community speak a little louder about the stark contrast in unemployment rates, how would President Obama’s leadership rank? As with several of the issues hindering the black community, the issue is systemic; the issue is institutional. Will President Obama successfully lead our nation towards making sure the plight of certain groups is brought to the forefront of the national discussion? The issues are complicated. The routes he has to navigate will also prove to be cumbersome. The burden on President Obama however is simple. Lead the United State of America. Lead with conviction, promote cooperation, and with an awareness of the plight of groups in our country. Without his leadership, and effective decision making, the country will etch towards an entirely divided one. Those looking for answers, will continue to feel ignored unless he is able to unify our country. As President Obama embarks second term, the aforementioned are all worth considering under the guise of how he will lead. If his 1st  term was any indication, he will find a way.