I hate thinking about it. We were eight years in power, as Ta-nehisi’s book says. The thing I keep hating to think about is:
What’s Barack Obama’s legacy? Outside of being the first?
There’s none.
Nothing changed. The only thing I can think of that started with that administration is incorporating social media with politics. That’s like, not a so great legacy to have. I wish it hadn’t happened at all.
What else? Obamacare, but it’s still getting beat up by states and political opposition every now and then. The drone attacks never stopped (and no, I don’t blame him specifically for that; the US military is its own independent system and government at this point). Same sex marriage legalized, sure.
His swag was obviously much better than any previous president but the bar was in hell, so.
Those eight straight years with a black president feel like they didn’t happen. The 2010s will be more remembered for social media and 45 than Barack’s tenure in the White House.
I hate thinking about this.
But I love remembering them. This photoset is carved into my soul. A partnership that is quite a model.