Despite your views, President Obama has accomplished a lot in these last eight years. A single person can not change the world in eight years, but he has made an impact on America and Americans, working towards progressivism. The country is now very divided, but has improved LGBTQ rights, equal pay, unemployment, energy efficiency, and health care.

Health Care remains one of the country’s main concerns. Obama’s original plan was not what we ended up with, but the bill that passed allows adults to stay on their parent’s plan until twenty-six, prevents gender discrimination, and expands medicaid. It was not as successful as desired since there are still many concerns with health care, such as price gouging and difficulties of application, but it still provides health insurance to over 20 million previously uninsured Americans.

Obama is proud to have dropped the unemployment rate to a near ten-year low and to have dropped the uninsured rate. These past eight years the country has seen changes in technology, diplomatic affairs, and social divisions, but he remains hopeful throughout it all. In his 2008 victory speech Obama said,  “The road ahead will be long.

Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than we will get there.” In his farewell address he is “asking you to hold fast to faith written into our founding documents..” and ensures that “Yes we can.”

No matter if you are looking forward to “making America great again” or looking forward to more change, I will miss Barack Obama’s rational, inspirational, and humble self and having his family in the White House. His friendship with Joe Biden was also much appreciated-there won’t be another bromance like theirs. He makes me proud to be American and I look forward to seeing how his presidency is viewed in the future. Along with obama I believe that “America is a better, stronger place than it was when it started.”

2008

-elected as the first black president and as the 44th President of the United States

– named Time Magazine’s “person of the year”

2009

-sworn in as president

-invested $90 billion in renewable technology research for better energy efficiency with cleaner energy, electric cars, and renewable electricity

-signed the Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which made it a federal crime for assault based on gender or sexual identification or disability

-signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to help improve pay discrimination against women

-won the Nobel Peace Prize for “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples”

-repealed the F-22 stealth bomber, which cost $358 million

-reversed Bush torture policies

2010

– provided health insurance to over 20 million uninsured Americans with the Affordable Care Act 2010

-signed the Healthy Hungry-Free Kids Act to improve school nutrition with Michelle Obama. It doubled the amount of fruits and vegetables 2010

-nominated Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court, the first Hispanic to serve as a justice and third woman to serve

-signed the compromise tax plan to extend Bush tax cuts 2010

-signed the Wall Street reform bill

2011

-ended the war in Iraq-withdrawing troops

-ordered the capture and killing of Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda documents were discovered

-ordered the killing of Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Quaddaffi

-signed the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act to increase the number of food inspections and safety of imported food

-is the first president to address the U.K. parliament

2012

– re-elected for president

-endorsed same-sex marriage

– named time magazine’s “person of the year” for his second time

2013

-dropped the veteran homeless rate by 50% and increased the Veteran Affairs funding

-held memorial service for the Boston Marathon bombing

-met with Prime Minister of Turkey

2014

– raised the minimum wage for federal contractors

-announced the plan to airstrikes in Iraq and Syria

-announced plan to normalize relations with Cuba

2015

-supported the LGBT fight for marriage equality-passed in

-held a press conference with the prime minister of the U.K. to discuss terrorism

-vetoed the XL Pipeline bill

-spoke about climate change

2016

-held meeting in a CNN town hall to discuss gun control

-became the first president to visit Cuba in 88 years

-signed a bill updating minority terms

-announced area in NY designated for LGBTQ rights