Obama his a strong leader despite storms at home

As a believer in the Christian faith, when God is in the vessel, you will always smile at the storm. Despite the stiff opposition exhibited by the Republican Party on Obama’s presidency, the man has stayed put; beaming with confidence with his duties as US president. I do believe God’s strength is with him.

The USA president is going through what many will call a baptism with fire which is greater than when he was campaigning for office. Today, Obama seems to have lost the Caucasian constituency that voted for him to clinch his victory as the first President of colour and not a direct descendant of a slave.

This is not as a result of poor performance but a smear campaign from conservative right wing Republicans who have teamed up with John McCain’s former Presidential running mate who is also the defacto leader of the Tea Party Movement Sarah Palin.

Many are left wondering why we are seeing rancour, hate and bitterness on Barrack Obama’s leadership from citizens of a Country perceived to be a model of democracy in the globe.

He won on a landslide, inherited an impoverished economy and two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan from George Bush, and he is doing his best against the odds to fix the Country.

President Barrack Obama has shown leadership by scaling down unemployment, signed a Universal Healthcare Bill that defeated many Caucasian Presidents in many generations, signed Nuclear reduction agreement with Russia, taken a reconciliatory tone in the Arab World as a yard stick to reduce hate for America and to bring the Israelis and Palestinians back to the negotiating table.

At home, President Obama is working out mechanisms to regulate the operations of banks; a great benefit to small scale businesses. This week, he promised that is administration will start Oil drilling in the Country instead of America’s overdependence on Middle East Oil.

Despite these milestones, what is happening in America today is not far from the events of the 1960s, during the civil rights movement. The only difference is that, the resistance is coming from the white majority mostly sympathetic with the Republican Party.

We have seen demonstrations of white folks chanting anti Obama slogans and wanting their country back. I was shocked seeing placards that read “Obama back to Kenya, Obama is a fascist, Obama is a terrorist.”

The US President is running the affairs of government within the confines of the American constitution while applying his ideology which any leader in the developing world always envisions.

His predecessor George Bush envisioned compassion conservatism while Obama is a liberal whose ideology is based on social democracy.

That is why he is a strong supporter for universal healthcare. He has also promised immigration reforms by his administration before mid term elections slated in November, this year.

Despite the epithets, insults, racial slurs on Obama, and lack of civility from the Republican leaders and supporters, he has maintained is cool, carrying out his duties unhindered. He does not respond directly to criticism even when it so demands. This is a rare quality in leadership.

In fact, the more Obama is attacked by his opponents, the more he approaches the media cameras with a smile as if nothing is happening. How many world leaders will do this?

As a Kenyan in this land, I’m proud of Obama for his energy, determination and focus on what is dear to the American people and the World.
Joseph Lister Nyaringo
New Jersey, USA