US President Barack Obama speaks to the nation from the Cabinet room of the White House about normalizing diplomatic relations with Cuba in December 2014. (photo: cnn)

President Barack Obama will leave the White House 16 months from now, concluding 8 years in office. Many times it seemed he would be stymied by obstacles and his government was all but finished. But his internal and external policies have proved effective in prospering the economy and maintaining the US’s power.

Successes during his 2 term

Beginning in his second term, Obama made economic recovery and social reform his top priorities, focusing resources on domestic problems and reducing the military budget. Obama is credited for an economic growth of 3.7% in the second quarter of this year and an unemployment rate back down to 5.1%. In social reform, he has pushed for new policies on immigration, jobs for young people, and expanded health insurance. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, dubbed Obamacare by opponents, is the biggest reform in US health care since 1965, benefiting low-to-middle income Americans.

Obama’s foreign policy differs from that of his predecessor, whose policy aimed to use US power to change the world. Obama has made it clear that he believes the US needs to focus on domestic affairs instead of using its resources trying to resolve global issues. He fulfilled his plan of withdrawing US combat troops from costly wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The nuclear deal with Iran has opened a new period of cooperation with oil-rich Iran. The deal reflects Obama’s policy that diplomatic solutions are better than war, although many in the US disagree.

The normalization of relations with Cuba is another success of Obama’s foreign policy, extending the legacy of his second term. Despite accusations that he was making too many concessions to Havana, he pursued his policy and has succeeded in thawing US-Cuba relations, which have been frozen since the early 1960s.

Laying a foundation before ending his term

Other Obama’s successes include winning 'fast-track' authority over the massive Trans-Pacific Economic Partnership (TPP), a measured US role in the fight against IS, and improved relations with US allies and the Muslim world. He has fulfilled his promise of maintaining a dialogue even with people who hold different views.

Although there are many critics of Obama’s policies, it’s hard to deny his achievements, which have helped the US maintain its power and prosperity.