By James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.D
Texas Metro News
https://texasmetronews.com
There were men and women in my community growing up who provided exceptional service to our neighborhood. The city of Winston-Salem NC was a better place because of them. Men like Carl Russell and women like Louise Wilson were stalwart leaders who created opportunities for others.
Both left lasting legacies and are still talked about today. I was coming of age back then and I remember them quite well. Segregation was a way of life during that time, yet it didn’t stop them from believing and achieving.
Both were activists who created avenues so that others could be better and help their families. Mr. Russell and Mrs. Wilson were visionaries before the term was popular. They saw things coming before they happened.
As we gauge our political landscape today, we can say without question that Barack Obama was for the people. Of course, he was the 44th president of the United States of America.
President Barack Obama had major legislation passed that changed the lives of Americans. Records show that, “The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act enacted a $787 billion economic stimulus plan in 2009 to pull the U.S. out of the Great Recession, extending unemployment benefits, creating jobs, and investing heavily in infrastructure.”
Prior to the passage of this law, the United States of America was almost down and out with no design to go forward. Over his eight years in office, President Barack Obama had a propensity for knowing how to pull both major political parties together for the greater good.
General Motors and Chrysler were struggling mightily and had a bleak future. His direct lobbying and intervention saved over one million American jobs.
His first major legislation was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Play Act. This legislation, according to reports, made it easier for employees to have more individual rights such as appeals in their places of employment.
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act that he signed in 2010 created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to help everyday consumers like you and me.
President Obama’s understanding of the need for healthcare reform resulted in the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010. Reports say, “The ACA expanded health insurance to millions of Americans, established a patient’s bill of rights, protected individuals with pre-existing conditions, and allowed young adults to stay on their parents’ insurance plans.”
He believed in the potential of all Americans. His spirit was caring, his actions were timely, and his character shone throughout his tenure in office. His honesty made him the envy of his political opponents. Republicans were always 3 steps behind. He withstood the personal attacks with aplomb and grace.
President Obama was well thought of by world leaders. They respected him and admired him. He built bridges of understanding and compassion. During his time, America was in good hands and the polls showed it. As a former president, his opinions still matter. People still want his leadership and counsel.
Why do challengers compare themselves to champions? Why are jealousy and meanness central to comments that many members of the opposition party make? Maybe the bar is too high for them to scale.
Let’s be clear. Not all from the GOP are tied up and twisted up in a movement to keep Americans from Americans. Destroying democracy and the rule of law are their only goals.
You can identify them easily because they talk about President Obama constantly, albeit in a negative way. For example, every commercial that this extreme group makes includes his name or his picture. Some of them disparaged President Obama so badly and still got fired from their jobs. You know who they are and there will be more of them to go. Sometimes, being uninformed and critical of others is habit forming. President Barack Obama continues to defeat them even now as a private citizen.
James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.D is a long-time educator who hails from Winston Salem, N.C. Ewers is a life member of the NAACP and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. He is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists.
