With a second term in the White House now secured, President Barack Obama can now divert attention away from winning elections and more toward shaping his legacy. Here is a rundown of five things the president can accomplish during the next four years for history to see him in a positive light.

Tackle the fiscal cliff, economic woes

Obama had little time to bask in the glow of his re-election victory as he now must work to avert January's "fiscal cliff" that would trigger $600 billion in automatic spending cuts and tax increases if Congress and the president fail to reach a compromise.

The president's skill as a negotiator will be tested as any deal to prevent the fiscal cliff would likely require Democrats to cut back on spending for entitlement programs and Republicans to allow for higher taxes on wealthy Americans. 

SEE ALSO: Obama, Congress Face Looming Deadline To Avert Fiscal Ciiff

Obama can polish reputation as a president who can bridge the partisan gap if he can successfully maneuver a deal to appease both sides.

Although unemployment is down from the peak figure of 10 percent in 2009, it is still hovering just below the 8-percent mark at 7.9 percent. A growing, robust labor market would also prove beneficial to Obama's standing among historians.

Take charge on foreign policy

The Middle East will occupy much of the president's foreign policy agenda moving forward. Obama might have to make the call on whether or not to intervene in Syria as daily violence continues, and it will be tough to sell Americans on the idea of investing even more in military resources.

Israel's ongoing conflict with Iran and Palestinian territories will also pose a challenge. Israel claims there is a "window of eight to 10 months" for Iran to move forward with its nuclear program. Obama could have to decide if proposing strict international supervision of the Persian Gulf nation's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief would be the right call.

Obama will also have to lend a hand in repairing the steps toward a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians in light of the eight days of fighting along the Israel-Gaza border that was halted by a cease-fire on Nov. 21. 

SEE ALSO: Will There Ever Be Peace Between Israel And Gaza?

The president enters his second term with notable foreign policy triumphs under his belt such as the death of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and collapse of Moammar Gadhafi's regime. But the stability of the volatile Middle East by the time he wraps up his second term will factor into how history will judge him when it is said and done.

Follow through on support for gay marriage

Obama made history in May when he became the first president in U.S. history to openly support gay marriage. The president said he was "not in favor of gay marriage" in 2008.

His second term will give him a chance to act upon those words and prove that his years of "evolving" on this issue were not the product of political convenience. Obama's first term saw the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell," while Maine, Maryland and Washington approving same-sex marriage on election night.

Getting the Defense of Marriage Act - a ban on federal recognition of same-sex marriages - repealed, and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act passed would go one step further in defining his civil rights legacy.

Immigration

Latino voters put Obama over the top in key battleground states like Florida, Colorado and Nevada, meaning he might be called upon to deliver on immigration reform over the next four years. 

SEE ALSO: DREAM Act Supporters Rally Against Romney Speech In Downtown L.A.

Obama announced a policy in June that halted the deportation of undocumented immigrants under 30, and the next step would be to pass the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. Senate Republicans stalled the measure in 2010, but the party might have to soften its stance on this issue after losing the Latino vote by 50 points during the presidential election or risk further burning bridges with this growing demographic.

Former President Ronald Reagan's Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 was the last notable attempt at overhauling the immigration system. How Americans view Obama's handling of immigration will hinge upon how well he and Republicans can work toward providing legal status for the nation's undocumented.

Address climate change

Although he conceded his administration has not done enough to address global warming, comments made at his first news conference since winning re-election suggest he plans to bring it back into the national discussion.

Obama is unlikely to find much support for a carbon tax - which would make people pay more for using coal, oil and gas - among Republicans. He must highlight the benefits of clean energy, such as improved air quality, energy independence and job creation, to the global-warming-is-a-hoax bloc of the GOP.

Using an energy bill during his first term signed by former President George W. Bush, Obama reached an agreement with governors, auto industry representatives and environmentalists to get more fuel-efficient cars on the road. Carol Browner, a former director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy, said the president can attempt to work with electric utilities and power plants in mapping out a plan to reduce carbon pollution.

Obama has faced criticism for his handling of climate change just one week ahead of the United Nations' global warming summit in Doha and the next four years will be his chance to prove skeptics wrong.

 

Reach Senior Staff Reporter Danny Lee here; follow him here.