Obama Presidency

On November 4, Obama won the presidency with 365 electoral votes to 173 received by McCain.

Obama won 52.9% of the popular vote to McCain’s 45.7%. He became the first African American to be elected president.

Regarded as a centrist New Democrat, Obama signed many landmark bills into law during his first two years in office.

Obama Presidency Domestic Issue

His main reforms include the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010.

Soon on March 30, 2010, Obama signed the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act, a reconciliation bill that ended the process of the federal government giving subsidies to private banks to give out federally insured loans.

He increased the Pell Grant scholarship award, and made changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Barack Obama advocated for gun control in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Later he indicating support for a ban on assault weapons. Soon he issued wide-ranging executive actions concerning climate change and immigration.

Obama Presidency – Economic Stimulus

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 served as economic stimulus amidst the Great Recession.

After a lengthy debate over the national debt limit, he signed the Budget Control and the American Taxpayer Relief Acts.

Soon on February 17, 2009, Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, a $787 billion economic stimulus package aimed at helping the economy recover from the deepening worldwide recession.

In June 2009, dissatisfied with the pace of economic stimulus, Obama called on his cabinet to accelerate the investment.

Later he signed into law the Car Allowance Rebate System, known colloquially as “Cash for Clunkers” that temporarily boosted the economy.

Obama Presidency Foreign Policy

In foreign policy, he increased U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan. He reduced nuclear weapons with the United States–Russia New START treaty, and ended military involvement in the Iraq War.

He ordered military involvement in Libya in opposition to Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed by NATO-assisted forces.

Later he also ordered the military operations that resulted in the deaths of Osama bin Laden and suspected Yemeni Al-Qaeda operative Anwar al-Awlaki.

He ordered military intervention in Iraq in response to gains made by ISIL after the 2011 withdrawal from Iraq. Later he continued the process of ending U.S. combat operations in Afghanistan in 2016.

Later he promoted discussions that led to the 2015 Paris Agreement on global climate change.

He initiated sanctions against Russia following the invasion in Ukraine. He brokered a nuclear deal with Iran, and normalized U.S. relations with Cuba.

Obama nominated three justices to the Supreme Court. Soon he confirmed Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan as justices of supreme court. However Merrick Garland faced unprecedented partisan obstruction and house ultimately not confirmed him.

During his term in office, America’s soft power and reputation abroad significantly improved.

In foreign policy, he increased U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan. He reduced nuclear weapons with the United States–Russia New START treaty, and ended military involvement in the Iraq War.

He ordered military involvement in Libya in opposition to Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed by NATO-assisted forces. Later he also ordered the military operations that resulted in the deaths of Osama bin Laden and Anwar al-Awlaki.

Obama Presidency – Space Program

In a major space policy speech in April 2010, Obama announced a planned change in direction at NASA, the U.S. space agency.

He ended plans for a return of human spaceflight to the moon and development of the Ares I rocket, Ares V rocket and Constellation program in favor of funding Earth science projects.

He approved a new rocket type, and research and development for an eventual manned mission to Mars, and ongoing missions to the International Space Station.