Vox Populi
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Michael Simms: Thank you, Mr. President
Barack Obama: School’s out!
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Thank you, President Obama! You served the country with dignity, grace, and honesty.
You accomplished a great deal in eight years. You pushed through health care reform, rescued the economy from the world-wide collapse that occurred under the previous administration, improved relations with Cuba, Iran, and western Europe, supported legislation protecting LGBTQ rights, revived Federal protection of civil rights for women and minorities, ended US policies on torture of prisoners, and gave amnesty to hundreds of nonviolent federal drug offenders. And you accomplished all of these initiatives, and more, while fighting the active opposition of a Republican congress intent on undercutting your administration at every turn.
We might point out that you didn’t fulfill certain campaign promises, such as ending the war in Iraq and Afghanistan – instead, the war has been extended to their neighbors, particularly Syria. And you did so primarily through drone warfare which has killed uncounted thousands of civilians, including many children. And you seemed, at times, far too cozy with Wall Street, letting them off the hook for causing the 2008 meltdown. And we have to add that your progress on dealing with climate change has been disappointing.
But right now, with your presidency sandwiched between those of the irresponsible Bush and the malevolent Trump, you’re looking very good. Admirable, in fact.
Please take a vacation. Then roll up your sleeves and get back to work. The country still needs you.
Copyright 2017 Michael Simms
Vox Populi 
Thank you for thanking Mr. Obama.
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I was deeply disappointed that major Wall Street prosecutions were not forthcoming. And climate change is a long-term and cascading threat against millions of species of plants and animals, including humans. Earth struggles now to support 7.5 billion humans, and that number will balloon to 12 billion in eighty years, with far reduced resources: reduced arable land, dramatically reduced fish populations as the oceans become acidic with CO2, and reduced fresh water supplies. But President Obama was the first American president to begin to get serious about CO2 emissions, in the face of continuous obstruction by Republicans. Every success Obama can count came in spite of a continuous state of war with Republican politicians. Obama demonstrated the absence of racism and compassion for all. He exemplifies the value of education, of an open mind, and of objective, analytical thought in solving problems. And he showed respect for the intelligence of the American voter, something not common in America’s politicans. Unfortunately, that respect seemingly isn’t deserved by all. Democracy is serious business, and if we abuse or neglect it, we will lose it. I hope and yes, I pray, that Obama stays active in the years to come. Sanity needs all the help it can get.
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Couldn’t agree with you more, Michael Sims!! An honest, appreciative, balanced account of the administration of one of our great Presidents, Barack Obama. Trump just made an admittedly good inauguration speech, but the underlying trends that he covered, coupled with a required underlying devotion to them all, gives me great pause. let’s see what the future brings us.–Tom Reilly
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Thanks, Tom!
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