{"id":3742,"date":"2017-10-13T18:32:22","date_gmt":"2017-10-13T16:32:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sciencespo.fr\/research\/cogito\/home\/?p=3742"},"modified":"2017-10-13T18:32:22","modified_gmt":"2017-10-13T16:32:22","slug":"obama-facing-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sciencespo.fr\/research\/cogito\/home\/obama-facing-crisis\/?lang=en","title":{"rendered":"Obama facing crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the United States experiences one of the most controversial times in its political life, an in-depth analysis of Barack Obama\u2019s two terms does more than shed light on the past: it provides keys to understanding the present.<\/p>\n

A unique history <\/b><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Era<\/a>

Era Obama, Mario Del Pero, Feltrinelli, 2017<\/p><\/div>\n

Mario Del Pero<\/a>, a history professor and researcher at Sciences Po, traces this history and presents it in his book \u201cEra Obama: Dalla speranza del cambiamento all’elezione di Trump<\/a>\u201d (The Obama era: from hope for change to the election of Trump, 2017).<\/p>\n

Through an analysis of the policies conducted by the 44th President of the United States, Mario Del Pero deconstructs Barack Obama\u2019s responses to the 2007-2008 economic crisis; the most important reforms he implemented \u2013 particularly Obamacare; and his attempt to redirect US efforts abroad.<\/p>\n

By examining and illustrating the successes and failures of Barack Obama\u2019s presidency, Mario Del Pero\u2019s book underscores the difficulties facing the President in a context of polarization that has deepened over the past twenty years, both between parties and between voters. This polarization, compounded by the radicalization of the Republican Party, which became hostage to its most extreme factions, created a considerable obstacle for Obama. Cases in point include the legislative paralysis that followed the 2010 mid-term elections and the Republican recapture of the House of Representatives in 2014.<\/p>\n

A time of crises<\/b><\/p>\n

\"AUSTIN

Austin, April 10: Barack Obama speaks at the Civil Rights Summit at the LBJ Presidential Library. Photo by David Hume Kennerly. Public domain<\/p><\/div>\n

Throughout Era Obama<\/i>, Mario Del Pero examines the successive crises that led to Obama\u2019s victory in 2008, and that the first black president had to tackle.
\nFirst came the economic crisis, which started in 2007 and led to 3% drop in GDP and an unemployment rate of over 10% in 2009.<\/p>\n

The second crisis, in foreign policy, was the challenge to the hegemony of the United States \u2013 a crisis characterized by structural weaknesses and contradictions exacerbated by mistakes that Washington made after the terrorist attacks of September 2001.<\/p>\n

Finally, the third and last crisis involved the de-legitimization of a dysfunctional and polarized political system marked by an entrenchment of the two parties\u2019 electorates and the virtual absence of bipartisan collaboration in Congress.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Many answers<\/b>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Ford

Ford stamping plant Geelong by Marcus Wong Wongm CC BY-SA 3.0<\/p><\/div>\n

The book goes over the Obama administration\u2019s different responses to this triple crisis. They included:<\/span><\/p>\n