The power of the president of the United States weakens considerably from the beginning of his second term. The mandate gained by re-election quickly dissipates as Washington begins to focus on the process of selecting his successor. The second mid-term election, which typically rewards the party that does not occupy the White House, deepens the slide to irrelevance. In the case of Barack Obama, the conventional wisdom is that he is biding his time until he leaves, fighting a rear guard battle against a determined opposition, desperate to consolidate and protect his legacy.

The conventional wisdom is wrong. Recent events have confirmed to the U.S. public, lawmakers and the rest of the world that Obama remains a powerful figure, able to move the levers of government as he desires and to rouse public passions. He remains a force to be reckoned with. His presidency is by no means over.

Obama made clear at the beginning of 2014 that he would not be sidelined. He reminded Congress that he "had a pen and a phone" and he was ready to use both to push his agenda. The most prominent actions he has taken include an executive order to defer the deportation of millions of illegal immigrants, opening negotiations to normalize relations with Cuba and vetoing the first bill passed by the Republican-controlled Congress that would force the commencement of construction of the controversial Keystone pipeline.