Barack Obama

Barack Hussain Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1961, to a white American mother and a black Kenyan father. He also has a half-Indonesian half-sister, and several Irish cousins. His wife, Michelle, is African-American with distant European roots.

Obama is currently the 44th President of the United States. He was elected in 2008 against Republican candidate John McCain. His election was a historic moment for the United States, as he is the first United States President to be a person of colour. Obama is a liberal Democrat, and stands for policies such as equal rights and peace over war. He has attempted multiple times to pass laws, such as the withdrawal of troops from Iraq and the closure of Guantanamo Bay, however these laws have been prevented by the presence of Republicans in congress.

Obama is often hailed as a symbol of progress and hope for a better America, however many Americans don't believe he is the change his campaigns present him to be. This is due to Americans not understanding the way laws are passed in their country. Many believe that the President has absolute power, and can pass any law he wishes - however, if this were so, Obama would be leading a dictatorship, not a democracy. Obama can propose and sign for laws - no law can be passed without his permission - however, any laws he attempts to enact must be agreed with by congress. Congress is made up of Republicans and Democrats, parties which both disagree on many subjects, as Republicans are right-wing and Democrats are left-wing. Therefore, Obama finds he cannot pass the left-wing acts he promises as they are constantly shot down by right-wing Republicans. Obama meets great popularity amongst citizens of other countries, however his popularity among American citizens wanes as he is constantly blocked from fulfilling his campaign promises.

Although Obama is met with many difficult and often impossible obstacles in his efforts, his very presence as President and his determination to pursue his liberal ideals are a sign of change in the USA. His election as President shows the changing values of the American people, and paves the way for changes to come, so long as the American people continue to believe that change is possible.