The question of when the term for Obama’s reign ends at first glance seems very simple. Every American and many citizens of other countries who have read the US Constitution or heard about it know that for more than two terms in the White House its main occupant should not be detained. There were exceptions, but until the moment the amendment was made to the American fundamental law. In 2009, Barack Obama became the forty-fourth president of the United States. His term of office expires in the fall of 2016, namely in November. The question is really simple. But the answer may be more difficult.
Features of US Electoral Law
In America, the president is elected differently than in Russia or, for example, in Ukraine. The procedure for an unusual person looks rather strange. Instead of asking the people which candidate they like best, a rather complicated action is going on in two stages. Each state in the United States has a body called the Legislative Assembly. Its members must once every four years select some particularly trusted people in an amount corresponding to the number of delegates representing this subject of the federal state in Congress. How they will do this, the Legislative Assembly, by law, can decide for itself, but, according to established practice, all state citizens who have the right to vote can vote for them. The date of the vote is interestingly defined: it takes place on the first Tuesday of November (for some reason it is specified that “after the first Monday”, maybe because of fear that it will come suddenly immediately after Sunday), in that year, the number of which is divided into four without a remainder. These electors (there are 538 of them now) decide who will become president. So it was in 2008, and in January, Obama was elected. The term of the board shall be reported from the moment of taking the oath and inauguration. Since Lincoln, this procedure takes place on January 20. It is also interesting that in fact not only the president is elected, but also the vice president, who, in which case, takes over the full power. "Complete" with Barack Obama was Joseph Biden.
Internal problems
The new US president inherited many unresolved issues from his predecessor, Bush. The whole world condemned the practice of judicial detention of prisoners on the island of Cuba in Guantanamo, where allegedly it was possible not to comply with American laws and legal norms. In fact, this “fig leaf” formally hid the gross violation of not only legal, but also simple human concepts of justice. In the United States, discrimination of the population by gender, race, and other characteristics continued. The issue of resolving abortions was also not resolved; the standards for the use of energy resources were blurred. The federal economy had far from encouraging indicators. Health care needed reform.
Obama promised to solve these internal problems. The term of office began not easily, for the first hundred days to report to the people and voters.
Foreign policy
Despite a brilliant militarily victory, Iraq did not cease to be a problem, moreover, the farther, the worse things were. A considerable contingent of troops should be equipped with everything necessary, this entailed serious costs, and the death of soldiers caused discontent. Things were no better in Afghanistan. At the same time, the new president did not intend to abandon the wording of the “indispensable power” that had developed in the nineties. The entire term of Obama’s rule was accompanied by ranting about the “exclusivity” and “special role” of the United States, the country's vital interests extended to the whole world - from the Arctic to Antarctica, along all meridians and parallels.
How did Obama become president?
There is nothing strange in the fact that the president of the United States has finally become a black citizen. America is a country inhabited by various ethnic groups and races, all citizens are equal before the law, including Barack Hussein Obama, whose term in office began in 2009 and should end in 2016. The question is what else, besides skin color, he stood out among other candidates. After reading his biography, everyone can be sure that he graduated from Columbia University, then Harvard School of Law, his mother was white. He worked as a legal review editor, then as a law professor in Chicago, then was elected to the Illinois Senate. In 2000, he made the first and unsuccessful attempt to become a member of the House of Representatives, then the US Senator (successfully). He participated in writing various laws. And that’s all. He became President of a country considered a world economic and military leader. The first, and then the second term of Obama’s reign was not marked by any breakthroughs in foreign or domestic policy. The usual routine struggle for global hegemony. And in terms of personal charm, he is far from JF Kay, with whom he unobtrusively tries to associate his image.
Obama rival
There are two main parties in the USA. From the Republicans, the nominee was J. McCain, a Vietnam War veteran, a Phantom pilot, shot down by Soviet missile crew and imprisoned for about five years. This hero (according to American concepts), Russophobe and "hawk" was opposed by Barack Obama. McCain’s tenure could be marked by a much tougher foreign policy towards both the Middle Eastern countries and Russia. The militant supporter of American global global domination is annoyed by the independent course of any country that does not want to move in the wake of the United States. The former pilot before victory was not enough for a little. The difference between supporters of Obama and McCain was only eight percent.
Crisis president
Not very successful were the terms of Obama's rule. Dates of taking office for the first and second terms are within the chronological framework of the widespread global economic crisis. The inheritance inherited from the predecessors could not please the new owner of the White House: the enormous amount of external and internal debt, the stagnant industry, the almost uncontrolled emission of the banks of the Federal Reserve, and the falling purchasing power of the dollar. The forecasts were not comforting either: the world crisis itself and is unlikely to end quickly; it is predicted to last ten or even twenty years. During the presidency, the situation has not improved. The proportion of Americans living in poverty and below the poverty line has reached an alarming figure of 15% of the country's total population. It is surprising how Obama managed to maintain his popularity. The second term, which began in 2012, was the result of a victory over Republican Romney, an even weaker candidate, while the electoral difference was less than in the case of McCain (less than four percent).
Military success
To declare, with a well-posed voice, the world military leadership of the United States, the first black president in history has ever happened. These performances were particularly successful in military schools like West Point. Justification for the huge and unprecedented defense spending (they have exceeded $ 700 billion and continue to grow) must be sought by President Obama. The term of office is marked by a further increase in the budgetary burden on the Pentagon, which, in the context of the declared victory in the Cold War, requires clarification. However, the apparent setbacks in Afghanistan and Iraq have raised a number of questions about cost-effectiveness. Obama Barack can boast of just a few military victories. The terms of his reign coincided with the so-called “Arab spring”, during which several revolutions took place in the Middle East, more likely resembling well-planned attempts at coups d'etat. In Libya, Gaddafi was overthrown and physically eliminated. Bin Laden, who apparently knew a lot, was just as quickly killed. It didn’t work out with Syria …
Syria
The failed attempt to change the regime in the Syrian Arab Republic has become a kind of indicator of Russia's growing influence in the international arena. The activity of the diplomatic corps was of great importance, but it did not less affect the intentions to use military force and the timely delivery of defensive coastal complexes to this country. The next adventure could have cost too much, and the “liberation campaign” did not take place. With small losses and on foreign territory, and best of all with local forces, Obama Barack was used to solving problems. The terms of government and their results remain on the pages of history, which are better to enter than to plunge into. Having made this tactical concession, the American administration, however, did not intend to take strategic positions.
Another shale revolution
At the beginning of the third millennium, humanity was faced with a full-blown energy crisis. It’s not that hydrocarbons were mined less, but some “wrong” countries were doing this. After the victory in the Cold War, a significant part of American politicians were convinced that the vanquished should be treated accordingly, that is, dictated to them enslaving conditions and freely dispose of their wealth. However, with Russia, this scenario at some stage failed. Military way to resolve the contradiction between desire and opportunity did not work, and economic methods were used. It makes no sense to go into the technical details of shale gas production, but the essence of the reception was to release a large amount of it on the market in order to reduce prices. However, the cost, taking into account delivery, to European consumers seemed too high.
Support for Ukrainian democracy
So, the general alignment is as follows: Obama’s second term expires, and numerous problems have not been resolved. Health care reform was unsuccessful, the war in the Middle East is ongoing, and Europe is heavily dependent on Russian gas. The latter circumstance seemed correctable to the American president. Gas is a flammable substance, and in order to transport goods it has become more difficult, a fire should be built along its route. And he, as if by accident, but very timely, flared up in Ukraine. Actually, they did not even hide their support to the rebels in the USA - every taxpayer has the right to know what his money is spent on. Some of them went to support the democratic processes in Ukraine with the goal of … well, what is known. Obama’s term is marked by spending five billion dollars to support the opposition in this country alone. And also in other states of the former USSR money was spent …
Notorious amendment
It has number 22 and was adopted in 1947 (ratification occurred in 1951). Prior to this, the duration of the presidency in the United States was governed only by moral and ethical standards and the desire to resemble Washington in everything, once having decided that two terms with him were quite enough. Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected four times and held office until his death, but then there was a war. And if a person with tyrannical-dictatorial inclinations comes to power? After the entry into force of the 22nd amendment to the Constitution, this norm became mandatory. According to her, the end of Obama’s reign falls in the fall of 2016. He becomes a "lame duck", and many of his undertakings have a vague prospect of implementation. However, what some people have approved, others, in principle, may cancel.
How to cancel the 22nd amendment?
Some American presidents have already considered the abolition of this restrictive legislative norm. For example, Ronald Reagan took this high post, being her adherent, but later changed his mind, and Bill Clinton even considered her fundamentally wrong. According to some reports, the idea of canceling it in 2013 visited Barak’s head, at least with the prosecutor general he discussed the legal aspects of such an opportunity. José Serrano, a member of the Congress from the Democratic Party, supported the idea and introduced a bill regulating this process. He promises to be not very problematic, because if three quarters of the states ratify this “amendment amendment”, then it will pass before the moment when Obama’s term ends. Representatives of the Republican Party play the leading role in 26 out of 50 subjects of the federal state, and one can count on the support of the Democrats.
