Jan. 20th is quickly approaching, a day that will bring dread to many and celebration to some. President Obama’s farewell address was poignant and deeply moving, and with only one mention of Trump, it was a welcome message of overcoming adversity. But before the orange behemoth’s agenda is sworn in, there are 5 major power moves that President Obama has undertook:
1. Issue pardons
Since taking office in 2009, President Obama has granted 148 presidential pardons, while shortening the sentences of over a thousand. Many of these pardons have been given to drug offenders, but social rights groups implore hat he continue to grant more to many still languishing in prison under the umbrella of petty drug use. There have even been rumors that Edward Snowden, responsible for WikiLeaks, may have the opportunity for a pardon; but Obama has said this is unlikely.
2. Russia sanctions
President Obama ordered a full investigation into Russia’s cyber-meddling with the recent election, and the bombshell report has even been made public. President Obama has vowed vengeance towards Russia, but for now 35 Russian diplomats have been asked to leave the country and Russian officials involved with the hacking have become public on the sanctions list.
Trump’s response was to, essentially, get over it. He said, “I think we ought to get on with our lives. I think computers have complicated our lives greatly…”
3. Gulf of Mexico oil spill cleanup and Arctic drilling ban
In his last moments of presidency, President Obama has tackled several environmental endeavors. An agreement between Cuba and the United States have outlined a promise to prevent, contain, and clean up oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico. It was part of a series of deals to protect the marine environment shared between the two countries.
Using a decades-old law allowing the President to limit future land leases, President Obama indefinitely banned drilling in parts of the Arctic and Atlantic Ocean. This plan was opposed by Republicans, but Trump would be unable to reverse the decision without a court battle.
4. Obamacare enrollment push
During the last months, Democrats took strong strides to enroll people for healthcare through the Affordable Care Act, even extending the deadline to January 1. Their effort noticeably paid off with 6.4 million Americans enrolled; 400,000 citizens up from last year. The Trump team have vowed to repeal it, but that will prove to be a mammoth undertaking.
5. Closing national registry
Obama’s Department of Homeland Security announced that it was dismantling a program that was used to track mostly Muslim and Arab men in the United States, which had been put in place during the Bush era. Even though it had been unused since 2011, it could’ve provided the framework for Trump’s Muslim registry he’s controversially promised.
As we say goodbye to President Obama, it’s clear through these power moves, combined with his Farewell Address last night, that he is still toiling for the American people.
His message of perseverance and equality has always resonated throughout his presidency, but especially resonates with us who are hesitant for President-elect Trump to take over as leader of the free world. We don’t know exactly Trump has in store for us, but we can take pride in what President Obama has worked for.
