Obama's Character

Based on Barber's theory, Obama would be categorized as active positive, but in actuality, he is aiming to be active positive but is struggling to reach any success. In his first term, Obama's naïvety restricted him from achieving his goals. As president of the United States, Obama is the most powerful man in the free world yet fails to exert any authority. He campaigned on promises of change and bipartisanship but was introduced into office with an economic recession and republicans that refused to put the country's advancement over their pride. Rather than, essentially, letting his opposers know who's boss, he took a trip to Capitol Hill and talked to Republicans that refused to budge. The action of meeting with Congressmen proved he aspired to unite America, and this was his attempt to be active but he failed. Despite having powers granted in the constitution, the powers a president has changes depending on the person holding office and Obama lacked the ability to take charge and attain control. Obama had confidence in his ability and wanted to deal with bigger things than the economy; he wanted to make a legacy and that would not be possible when he's focused on banks. He tried to be active again, by golfing and having secret meetings with Boehner, but he did not succeed and the bipartisan compromise shattered. This, however, does not mean Obama's entire presidency is a failure; many seem to forget he is the reason Osama Bin Laden is dead. Citizens loved Obama and his story, and Obama fed off this. His optimism never quivered and even in his lowest points, he preached about hope. Overall, he's a good guy but like Sarah said, he entirely lacks the aggression and intimidation necessary for a president to be effective and efficient. He fails to use the power of persuasion and because of that, he will continue to be someone who's just trying to be active positive. In order to be successful in this time, Obama needs to man up and lay down some rules. Republicans are yelling "you lie" during his speeches because they do not fear him. Playing the good guy role only works when you're dealing with an open minded Congress, not when the political climate is at its harshest and the government is divided. The president is supposed to seem larger than life, but Obama's too nice and innocent to accomplish the great ideas he has in mind. Due to his passivity, voters are looking for a president that will do whatever it takes to get something done. At this point, a ruthless, relentless leader is what the nation wants.