eighth and last year in office. During his two terms, Obama has been hailed as either

今年也是他8年任期最後一年，在他任內，歐巴馬曾得到

the greatest or the worst president of all time. But political rhetoric aside, what exactly

史上最好和最爛總統的稱號，先不論政治口水戰如何

has Obama done during his time in the White House?

歐巴馬總統任內究竟做了什麼事呢？

Well, when Obama first took office in 2009, the United States was in the middle of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,

2009年歐巴馬首任當選時，美國正與伊拉克和阿富汗打仗

while experiencing the worst global financial crisis since the great depression.

同時面臨經濟大蕭條之後最嚴重的全球金融危機

In light of this, Obama’s early promises included: closing the Guantanamo

有鑑於此，歐巴馬最初的政見包括關閉關塔那摩灣監獄

Bay detention center, defeating the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, and ending the wars in the middle

擊潰塔利班和蓋達組織、以及終結美國在中東的戰爭

east. He also promised sweeping economic reforms as well as affordable healthcare for all.

他也承諾進行全面經濟改革以及實施便宜的歐記健保

By the last year of his presidency, Obama had delivered on some of those promises.

8年任期即將屆滿，歐巴馬的確信守部分承諾

Less than a month after taking office, he signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

上任未滿一個月就簽了《美國經濟復甦與再投資法案》

This funded the public sector and bankrolled relief programs for those affected by the

給公部門資金，也資助紓困計畫以幫助遭到2008年經融危機波及的人

2008 recession. Just weeks after the law went into effect, unemployment began to decrease

法案生效後僅數週，失業率便開始下降

and by 2012 the measure had saved or created an average of 1.6 million jobs per year.

截至2012年，法案平均每年保住或創造1,600萬份工作

In 2010, Congress passed the Affordable Care Act, which stands as the most comprehensive

2010年，美國國會通過歐記健保法案，這是繼1965年「聯邦醫療保險」

healthcare reform since the passage of medicare and medicaid in 1965. However there were major

以及「醫療補助保險」之後，最完整的健保改革，然而歐記健保的網站

problems with the ACA’s website. And Republican opposition to the law eventually led to a

有極大問題，而共和黨對歐記健保法案的抵制最終造成

government shutdown.

政府癱瘓

In 2011, Obama oversaw the mission to locate, and eventually kill al-Qaeda leader Osama

2011年，歐巴馬監看特勤人員找出蓋達組織頭目賓拉登，並將其狙殺

Bin Laden. He also authorized the final removal of US troops in Iraq. However continued terrorist

他也批准撤離美國在伊拉克的部隊，但是當地恐怖組織威脅不斷

threats in the region have prevented Obama from permanently ending the war. In 2015,

使得歐巴馬無法終結戰爭，2015年

Obama announced that thousands of troops would stay in the country through the end of his

他宣布伊拉克境內數千美國部隊將留在當地，直到他任期結束

term. That same year, the US and five other world powers finally reached a deal with Iran,

同年，美國和其他5國終於和伊朗達成協議

preventing the nation from achieving nuclear proliferation.

禁止伊朗發展核子武器

Some say Obama’s biggest accomplishment has been the US’s involvement in the Paris Agreement;

有人說歐巴馬最大的功績是讓美國簽訂巴黎氣候協議

which is the first universal deal between almost every country limiting greenhousegas emissions.

這是首次幾乎全球參與的普遍協議，目的在減少溫室氣體排放

Throughout his time in office, Obama has promised to invest heavily in clean energy.

歐巴馬任內曾承諾大量投資乾淨能源

However, even though natural gas reserves have increased, it is largely due to fracking

雖然天然氣儲量有所增加，但這是因為運用水力壓裂法來開採

which has raised its own environmental concerns.

此方法也引來環保爭議

But Obama has fallen short on other campaign promises. Obama’s efforts to close Guantanamo Bay

歐巴馬也有沒達成的政見，關閉關塔那摩灣監獄的計劃

failed early on in his presidency, and in 2015, he reluctantly signed a bill making

在他任期初便失敗，2015年，他不情願地簽署法案

it even harder to close. But the president promised to take steps to close the facility

讓關閉監獄更加困難，但歐巴馬在任最後一年仍承諾

during his last year in office. And while Obama did end the war in Iraq, al-qaeda remains

將實行措施繼續嘗試關閉監獄，歐巴馬的確結束了伊拉克戰爭

strong in other parts of the middle east, and US troops are now back in the region to

但蓋達組織在中東其他地區仍實力堅強，而美國士兵現在又回到原處

fight ISIS.

和ISIS作戰

Despite the turbulence of his political image, Obama has shifted the way we elect presidents

說完歐巴馬的政治形象波動，來談談他改變了美國人選總統的方式

and the role they play in the media. He has been called America’s first pop culture

以及美國總統在媒體中扮演的角色，歐巴馬被譽為美國第一個潮流總統

president, and the first to openly support LGBT rights like gay marriage. By embracing

也是首位公開支持同志人權如同志婚姻的總統

online media, Obama engaged youth and minority voters in a way that has never been effectively

歐巴馬愛用線上媒體，比歷任總統都更貼近年輕選民和弱勢團體

done before. In the end, for better or worse, there’s no question that Obama’s presidency

結論是，無論好壞，歐巴馬總統毫無疑問

has been historic in many ways.

在許多方面名留青史

Now that Obama won’t be running for president again, he is technically a “lame duck president”

由於歐巴馬不會競選下一任總統，現在他成了「跛鴨總統」

— but he can actually accomplish a great deal. Learn more in our video here.

但他仍能有一番作為，請看我們的影片瞭解更多

tuning in to TestTube News! Don’t forget to like and subscribe here for more videos every day.

感謝收看TestTube News，別忘了按讚和訂閱每日最新影片