American Political Scene

American Political Scene

Acknowledgement

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible.

Abstract

This paper will highlight the political and ethical aspects of the debate regarding Obama's presidency, who being an African American/Arabic, is surely going to face opposition from the majority class and the Church as well. This paper will answer the question: “In light of Obama's shocking decisions, is he or is he not being used by God to help further change in the United States and move us towards the end times?” There are many interest groups pushing their agendas. Liberals are eagerly anticipating that President Obama will offer a “progressive” agenda while conservatives think they see signs that he is veering towards a “centrist” agenda.

The most pressing issue on the minds of most Americans is the state of the economy. Many people have lost their homes when they were unable to pay their mortgage payments. Many have been laid off when businesses downsized or failed. As of October, the national unemployment was 6.5%. Three major auto companies filed for bankruptcy so the rate will likely rise to 10%. Job loss has a devastating effect on the former employees and their families. Recognition of individual worth compels us to do whatever we can to see that jobs are retained. However, if they are lost, those unemployed need to receive necessary services and benefits. In this study, we will find out “is Obama's policy helping them or hurting them?”

This paper also highlights the political and ethical aspects of the debate regarding Obama's presidency.

Table of content

Acknowledgementii

Abstractiii

INTRODUCTION1

RECENTLY OCCURRED EVENT CONCERNING PRESIDENT OBAMA3

20063

The Audacity of Obama3

200712

The Campaign Begins12

200830

“Hope and Change”30

The Election59

200982

The Transition Continues82

The Inauguration93

The First 100 Days96

ECONOMIC CHALLENGES107

A Historically Weak Job Market that Erodes Opportunities for Everybody108

Sluggish Real Income Gains Amid Rising Income Volatility110

Accumulating Household Debt and Rising Financial Risk114

Declining Opportunities to Save and Build Wealth for Working Families115

U.S. Foreign Indebtedness Grows in Wake of Large Budget Deficits119

BARACK OBAMA'S ECONOMIC AGENDA122

Protect Homeownership and Crack Down on Mortgage Fraud122

Provide Middle Class Americans Tax Relief125

Stimulate Economic Growth133

Improve Transparency in the Market138

CONCLUSION139

REFERENCES143

Introduction

Everyone deserves equal access to health care, despite their income level. Too many Americans have medical problems that aren't being properly treated because they cannot afford health insurance coverage. Childhood education is another area where there seems to be a great disparity based on income. Family problems, unsafe neighborhoods and poor schools make it difficult for children from low income families to receive a quality education. This must change (Ragsdale, 2007).

Recognizing that all people have worth means that federal, state and local governments should never fail to respect the Constitutional rights of all individuals, even if the majority feels that certain people don't deserve those rights. While the 9-11 attacks rightly made Americans very conscious of the need for vigilance, it also led to singling out individuals and groups for persecution without concrete evidence of wrongdoing and without employing traditional legal ...