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Obama's legacy lies in tatters
Political Ref ^ | 11/15/16

Posted on 11/15/2016 12:52:34 PM PST by TheRef

11/15/16  

Obama's policy legacy lies in tatters

The president's supporters have little recourse left but to shout in the streets

One attempting to analyze this election might fall to the temptation to underestimate the significance of it. That person would err. This election holds broad and lasting implications for Obama's legacy and the future of America.

I will outline briefly below the profound and lasting nature of the 2016 election. I will lay out Obama's most significant accomplishments and outline the prospects of those achievements lasting beyond Trump's first one hundred days.

 

Obama Achievement

Fate of that Achievement

AFFORDABLE CARE ACT (Obamacare) - Obama's signature achievement was the passage of what was considered universal healthcare, although it actually left millions without insurance.

 

 

 

Virtually all of Obamacare is certain to fade into history. Because the funding provisions were passed through reconciliation requiring only a simple majority in the Senate, the GOP can starve the law if they can't perform a full repeal. But considering that the law is unpopular and the Democrats are defending over twenty US Senate seats in 2018, they may be able to fully repeal the law. But either way, the law will die.

SUPREME COURT LEGACY - When Obama took office conservatives held the majority on the Court by five seats to four, although Kennedy is not conservative on some issues. When Scalia died the conservative majority disappeared for the first time since 1971. Obama held two seats for liberals by appointing Sotomayor to replace David Souter and Elena Kagan to replace John Paul Stevens.

 

 

Obama never achieved a majority in the Court. Trump will appoint Scalia's replacement and reclaim the conservative majority, likely before officially taking office. That appointee faces very good prospects for confirmation. The reasons include that it is Scalia's replacement, so liberals can tell constituents it is a status quo appointment. Beyond that, the Democrats are already likely to lose Senate seats in 2018 and a prolonged battle would likely make that a certainty considering Democrat voters' propensity to skip midterm elections.

WALL STREET REFORM - Obama passed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform bill. The bill increased capital requirements for banks, requires living wills for large banks to avoid destructive bankruptcies, limits banks' abilities to use customer money in trading and creates a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau intended to limit abusive lending practices.

 

 

 

 

Trump seems likely to appoint Jeb Hensarling, or at least Hensarling will impact the legislation that reforms Dodd-Frank, and he wants to deregulate the industry and "put the market in charge." Hensarling would rely primarily on the increased capital requirements of Dodd-Frank, and probably increase them, to provide stability to the economy. Regulations would then be reduced, thereby allowing the mass of small community banks to lend more freely, aiding in the creation of small business jobs. It seems virtually certain that Dodd-Frank will be stripped. Again, the Democrats in the Senate will be gun-shy here, easily accused of depriving Trump of the means to improve the economy, an issue the public trusts Trump on.

EXECUTIVE ORDERS - Many of Obama's accomplishments came through executive orders. Some of the most significant are listed here.

Climate Change - EPA regulations, Clean Power Plan, The Paris Agreement

Immigration - Obama signed the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program

National Security - Obama tightened rules around interrogations and Iran sanctions

Trade - There were orders in support of continuing/ starting NAFTA and the TPP

Obamacare - There were orders that support Obamacare

Gender Identity - Obama signed "guidance" for the implementation of Title IX equating gender identity with biological sex. Some schools have been punished by the DOJ and Dept. of Education for insisting on separate bathrooms, locker rooms and showers for boys and girls

Executive Amnesty - Obama exempted some aliens from deportation. Although a court has limited this, Trump will need to rescind it.

Life and Religious Liberty - Obama has increased taxpayer funding of abortions and mandated the insurance coverage of abortion inducing drugs, contraception and gender reassignment surgeries and therapies.

These executive orders, and likely a good number of others, probably won't last through Trump's first week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOREIGN POLICY: Obama has promoted a policy of a relatively weak American role in the world. This is one of the weak points of Obama's legacy.

Although Trump has committed to not getting the US into dumb wars, he is certain to take a firmer approach than Obama has.

Follow me on Twitter

 

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 -First two http://politicalref.com/Images were modified and merged



TOPICS: Politics
KEYWORDS: presidentobama
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1 posted on 11/15/2016 12:52:34 PM PST by TheRef
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To: TheRef
Obama's policy legacy lies in tatters

He's been shattered....Sha-Doobie!

2 posted on 11/15/2016 12:53:36 PM PST by dfwgator
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To: TheRef

For the Supreme Court.

Dems only needed 51 to confirm.

So now that is the standard.


3 posted on 11/15/2016 12:55:21 PM PST by 2banana (My common ground with terrorists - they want to die for islam and we want to kill them)
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To: TheRef

Obama’s legacy IS tatters.

He came into Washington to destroy America and he largely succeeded.


4 posted on 11/15/2016 12:55:33 PM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: TheRef

Obama did give out cash for clunkers. That was very important!!! :)


5 posted on 11/15/2016 12:56:27 PM PST by ari-freedom (The Social Justice War is over and we won!)
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To: 2banana

When your legacy is based on a phone and a pen...

It can be undone just pretty quickly...


6 posted on 11/15/2016 12:56:32 PM PST by 2banana (My common ground with terrorists - they want to die for islam and we want to kill them)
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To: 2banana

As I recall, that applied to all judicial nominations but the Supreme Court. Not saying I’m against the GOP using it, but I don’t think they used it for the Supreme Court.


7 posted on 11/15/2016 12:58:56 PM PST by TheRef
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To: TheRef

OBuggery’s legacy is a steaming pile of putrid bovine excrement!


8 posted on 11/15/2016 12:59:37 PM PST by DarthVader ("These lying tyrants are about to get hit with a tsunami of destruction on their evil reign." Gaffer)
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To: ari-freedom

truly, lol. I hadn’t thought of that one in a while.


9 posted on 11/15/2016 12:59:53 PM PST by TheRef
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To: dfwgator

Rats on the west side, bedbugs uptown. And that’s just Congress.


10 posted on 11/15/2016 12:59:58 PM PST by Huskrrrr
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To: TheRef
Obama's stimulus bill resulted in MILLIONS of ads like this one

11 posted on 11/15/2016 1:00:27 PM PST by ari-freedom (The Social Justice War is over and we won!)
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To: TheRef

12 posted on 11/15/2016 1:01:16 PM PST by CodeToad (Ding Dong, the Bitch is Dead!!!)
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To: TheRef
Don't forget the Obama phones. America will never be the same again

13 posted on 11/15/2016 1:04:56 PM PST by ari-freedom (The Social Justice War is over and we won!)
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To: TheRef

I want to see Obama’s legacy deconstructed, dismantled, and demolished.


14 posted on 11/15/2016 1:05:23 PM PST by Starboard
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To: TheRef

PROVERBS 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.


15 posted on 11/15/2016 1:08:09 PM PST by stars & stripes forever (Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. Psalm 33:12)
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To: TheRef

His legacy was built on waving his finger and saying “ I am bigger than you”. he could have got bipartisan support on his crappy healthcare plan with a few trivial comprises, but he loved getting it all and pointing his finger at america and saying “elections have consequences” His legacy is gonna burn to the ground then get salted over.


16 posted on 11/15/2016 1:09:23 PM PST by BRL
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To: TheRef

Great Post!

17 posted on 11/15/2016 1:12:31 PM PST by Fiddlstix (Warning! This Is A Subliminal Tagline! Read it at your own risk!(Presented by TagLines R US))
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To: BenLurkin

His 8 years in office consisted of pounding nails in America’s coffin.


18 posted on 11/15/2016 1:12:34 PM PST by 353FMG (AMERICA IS ALL THAT MATTERS)
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To: TheRef

“Obama’s legacy lies in tatters?”

Obama’s lies leave our country in tatters !

And that’s the truth !


19 posted on 11/15/2016 1:13:25 PM PST by litehaus (A memory toooo long)
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To: 2banana

Live by the phone and pen, die by the.......


20 posted on 11/15/2016 1:14:45 PM PST by 353FMG (AMERICA IS ALL THAT MATTERS)
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