Mercury Opinion: Britain needs Obama to be successful
When Barack Obama was first elected as US President four years ago, expectations were ridiculously high. With his re-election, the tone is more realistic. The US is still struggling to recover from the worst economic slump since the Great Depression. The country's parliament, Congress, is bitterly divided and has been mired in legislative gridlock.
And the US and Iran are effectively in a state of cold war, with the frightening potential for the crisis to turn into military conflict.
Given the circumstances, President Obama's re-election owes a great deal to his personal charisma and resilience, and his victory speech amply demonstrated just what an inspiring figure he continues to be.
His success over his Republican rival Mitt Romney will, of course, be immensely popular in this country, and the rest of Europe, where he is greatly admired, and where the Republicans are reviled.
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Domestically, however, things will not be as rosy.
The US election showed that the country is bitterly divided and this is manifested in Congress, where President Obama faces an immediate and pressing economic challenge.
Known as the "fiscal cliff", this a combination of spending cuts and tax rises which could plunge the weak economy back into recession, with potentially devastating effects elsewhere, including Britain.
President Obama must negotiate a solution to prevent disaster.
Beyond that, there is the lethal issue of Iran's nuclear programme.
The President must ensure that Iran does not gain a nuclear weapon and do so without resorting to military force. He must also try to head off the possibility of war between Israel and Iran.
Failure on any of these counts will plunge the Middle East into a fresh crisis and increase instability across the world.
These challenges are important to Britain's immediate future. Our fortunes are inextricably tied to the success, or otherwise, of President Obama over the next four years.
Our view continues to be that he is the best man for the job and we welcome his victory.
However, we are under no illusions about the scale of the task ahead.
Comments
by Oh_come_on
Thursday, November 08 2012, 5:17PM
“My last comment is directed at DB, sorry mused the credit when copying”
by Oh_come_on
Thursday, November 08 2012, 5:16PM
“"Apparently, the best is yet to come. Well...why didn't the best come during the past four years he was President? All hot air and no action like most World leaders. Todays crooked and corrupt politics has completed shattered the meaning of true democracy, it really has. According to reports, Obama took 94% of the black votes in America. Are these people voting because of colour or race or because of positive policy...? You decide..."
So how many white people voted for the white candidate? You ask us to decide but sorry without the full picture I can't! Oh and what about the hispanics or the native Americans which way did they vote?
Based on the coverage I've watched and read I would expect due to the demographic of the majority of black people in America, Obama represented the best choice for them politically, colour being pretty much irrelevant”
by llamalamb
Thursday, November 08 2012, 5:15PM
“I'd better keep quiet then.”
by Bob491
Thursday, November 08 2012, 4:17PM
“Growth in USA is currently at 2% per year according to the latest figures - far better than anywhere in Europe.
Contrast this with the triple dip recession that UK is likely to enter this quarter, and the even worse recessions experienced by countries facing even more severe austerity measures.
No, austerity is a failed policy and millions of ordinary people are paying for the greed of financiers and bankers, many friends and party donors of the Cons.
Of course the situation wouldn't be nearly so bad if so many over wealthy businesses and individuals paid their taxes as they should.”
by Toddy2010
Thursday, November 08 2012, 3:40PM
“@Eastonian
They may have the £1.20 in their pocket if the gov't decided to act on the (legal but unethical) tax efficient mechanisms corporations use to avoid corporation tax.”
by Eastonian
Thursday, November 08 2012, 3:12PM
“Not surprisingly we see the usual rant from the usual sources.
Although 171K people in the US found work in October the current rate of unemployment is about 8% some 12.3M so, like us, they have still a long way to go. The Democrats reckon they're still paying for the last Bush administration 4 years ago yet some over here still are in denial about what Brown/Darling left behind. Remember, that cupboard being bare?!!
Severe austerity is necessary although the Labour luvvies won't accept it. They're too bothered about spending £1.20 when they've only a £1.00 in their pockets.”
by 63428
Thursday, November 08 2012, 2:59PM
“I'm sorry bob491 "Obama puts European leaders to shame with his successful emphasis on creating growth and employment" this comment just does not make any sense to me.
All political leaders in the western developed world place growth and employment high on their agenda, almost as if it were a show of their successful tenure.
The truth is US unemployment slumped and has made very little gain in the previous 4 years, growth is still after 4 years in the red. A combination of factors IE volatile European market, a plateau in emerging Asian markets and massive projected spending that was to be payed off using un-secure loans.
I say good luck to him and anybody juggling this economy right now, no matter how they go about it I think they are all getting the same outcome.”
by DBLeicester
Thursday, November 08 2012, 2:58PM
“Apparently, the best is yet to come. Well...why didn't the best come during the past four years he was President? All hot air and no action like most World leaders. Todays crooked and corrupt politics has completed shattered the meaning of true democracy, it really has. According to reports, Obama took 94% of the black votes in America. Are these people voting because of colour or race or because of positive policy...? You decide...”
by Bob491
Thursday, November 08 2012, 12:06PM
“Obama puts European leaders to shame with his successful emphasis on creating growth and employment. Severe austerity here is just making things worse and worse.”
by Graham_LE8
Thursday, November 08 2012, 8:35AM
“Given the usual outbursts that follow the publication of non-Leicester/Leicestershire based items, I await the furore this international newspiece brings.
10, 9, 8, 7...”