Mediaboss Marketing

In theory President Obama did one 11th-hour demarche after another to cement his legacy: eschewing a veto at the U.N. re Israeli settlements, plus giving over $200 million to the Palestinian Authority which partly uses such cash to reward terrorists and their families; the commutation of Private Mannings sentence, essentially for treason; and perhaps most laudably, his ban on oil and gas drilling on federally owned property with abundant wildlife in the Arctic, and in the Atlantic from coasts off Massachusetts to Virginia (seems there are already enough good oil sources about). Along with creation of national monuments in Utah and Nevada. All for legacy? So we often hear...

Im not sure, however, that that was Obamas main motivation in all this ninth-inning activity. In terms of legacies, memories are short these days, and many especially on the Left wont remember or care about the huge debt increase that occurred under Obamas watch, use of the IRS to punish conservatives, the way Obamacare was rammed through without Republican votes, and not least, his repetitive rushing to judgment on difficult law enforcement issues. They wont...

I just dont think legacy was President Obamas sole goal in why he kept slugging up to the closing bell. Instead, it seemed a clear signal that this ex-Oval Office occupant wont go quietly into the night. A signal that he will want to remain continually relevant. And indeed, he spoke out quickly on Trumps immigration-refugee edicts, an obvious sign of more to come.

In this regard Obama probably wont resemble another two-termer in the White House, George W. Bush, who simply stepped away after his transition period, wished the next guy well, then offered little advice on anything. And mainly out of a certain courtesy. Like him or not, that one has to concede this particular president.

By contrast Obama will almost certainly be offering his proverbial two cents on a regular basis in speeches here, there, and everywhere. Or in writings. Or on TV shows. Or at think tanks... Deep down, hes still going to have a motivation that goes beyond legacy i.e., what he did or did not do for the country during his eight years in the White House.

More important is that hell remain the same smooth, smiling, clearly talented, but somewhat narcissistic gent who keeps wanting to show people, maybe most his late mom and maternal grandparents, that gee, arent I wonderful? I just gave another meaningful speech.

Of course his 11th-hour moves were all aimed at pleasing his progressive constituency, the same people who will remain consistently obstreperous toward Trump, and can provide willing and approving support for Obama in retirement from the presidency.

I mentioned one facet of his record that wont be well recalled or scrutinized; and that was his proclivity for rushing to judgment in a deleterious manner. This of course regarding publicized incidents involving law enforcement types with dangerous gigs on their hands in Missouri, Louisiana, Minnesota, or Maryland. One could add the ex-presidents approving views expressed on the merits of SF quarterback Colin Kaepernick, protesting his countrys inveterate penchant for inequality via the adoption of controversial pig socks.

Fewer and fewer will remember how Obamas hasty pronouncements only exacerbated crime in inner cities, due to what came to be called the Ferguson effect. I.e., reluctance of the uniformed to step in amidst amateur paparazzi and often scary hostility, as well as potential legal quagmires, in order to be proactive concerning potential wrong-doers. All of which undoubtedly contributed to resurgent crime levels in a number of urban areas.

Legacy? Yes, many will have real amnesia about how unseemly and unfair was all this Obamaesque judgmentalism emanating from his fortress in Washington, and far removed from downtown Chicago, St. Louis or Minneapolis. They wont recall that he simply wasnt elected to make such hasty moral pronouncements. That he was elected to do his job, not to be a prosecutor before the other side had even gathered and given evidence.

Dont look too hard at the legacy, runs the sub-text here; instead, see how this ex-president quite possibly becomes a vocal critic-at-large in the coming years, using plush pulpits, indeed.

B.B. Singer has taught at several area colleges including Niagara University.

See the article here:
SINGER: Thoughts on Obama and the legacy issue - Niagara Gazette