President Barack Obama must feel like an unfortunate casualty of history. A president who came into office with big plans and a Congress who would facilitate the sort of change he campaigned on and surely believes in, but who has been met by unforeseen challenges and as of late, marred by seemingly insurmountable congressional bickering. Yet he knows he can’t make excuses. With only two years left to put the finishing touches on his legacy until history (the ruthless, unforgiving critic that it is) passes its own judgement, there is nothing left to do but be bold. And that is just what he seems to be doing. As a man known for calculated maneuvers better suited for a college professor than a politician pursuing an agenda of “change,” Obama has come out swinging in 2014.
During Tuesday’s State of the Union address, he announced to the country he plans to use his presidential power to raise the minimum wage for federal workers to $10.10, bypassing Congress to do so. If any other president were to use such power, it would perhaps be seen as an abuse of power. Now, given the inadequacies of Congress, it seems to make sense, and no one is raising a fit. Efforts to raise the minimum wage across the country for all workers face a tough battle, but this bold stroke of the president’s pen is surely a good start.
But bold talk can only go so far, and the real question is what capacity he has to accomplish some of the initiatives he laid out Tuesday. Congress has had Obama’s number lately, and how much he can actually accomplish in only two more years remains to be seen. But if the Republican response Tuesday can tell us anything, Washington, D.C., remains as divided as ever.
The speech was refreshingly progressive, but without the right support, Obama’s initiatives will fall flat, not unlike before. A consistent trope found within speeches like this one is an underlying optimism found when Obama brings progressive means to the pulpit, only to be met by a disappointed public when many of these ideas stall or never come to fruition. Guantanamo remains open, despite how long its closure has been on the table. Working women still make less on the dollar than men. Millions have lost their benefits at the helm of Congressional inaction. These are not issues to place full blame upon Obama. With that said, a more thorough exercise in bipartisanship will prove to be helpful for a nation with a plate of unresolved issues to address in the coming future that cannot wait for a re-vote or a rewrite.
Still, we appreciate the specifics Obama outlined with regards to connecting more students to technical colleges and higher education programs. He also mentioned building more relationships between businesses and students through apprenticeships, which we recognize as a key way to build stronger workers as well as to connect more individuals to jobs.
As a student newspaper, we are acutely aware of the benefits that American citizens can reap when they are fortunate enough to access higher education. This being said, higher education institutions need to do their part too in supporting students from all backgrounds to successfully complete degrees or certifications once students enter the doors. Further, we thank Obama for recognizing something needs to be done to soften the blows student loan debt can often have on recent graduates.
The next two years will determine the legacy President Obama leaves for the rest of his life and beyond, and Tuesday’s speech set the stage for what is sure to be a fiery fight for a favorable legacy.
Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com
