Political positions of Barack Obama
Encyclopedia
Barack Obama
has declared his position on many political issues through his public comments and legislative record. The Obama Administration has stated that its general agenda is to "revive the economy; provide affordable, accessible health care to all; strengthen our public education and social security systems; define a clear path to energy independence and tackle climate change; end the war in Iraq responsibly and finish our mission in Afghanistan; and work with our allies to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon."
of the University of Chicago
and Jeffrey Liebman
of Harvard University
.
In 2006, Obama wrote: "We should be asking ourselves what mix of policies will lead to a dynamic free market
and widespread economic security, entrepreneurial innovation and upward mobility [...] we should be guided by what works."
Speaking before the National Press Club in April 2005, he defended the New Deal
social welfare policies of Franklin D. Roosevelt
, associating Republican
proposals to establish private accounts for Social Security
with Social Darwinism
.
In response to the recession, Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
shortly after taking office. The law featured large amounts of infrastructure spending, funding for states, tax cuts, and other stimulative measures. After the 2010 midterm elections, he signed into law the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010
which extended the Bush tax cuts
for all incomes, temporarily cut the payroll tax, and reduced a number of other taxes.
.
On March 31, 2010 at Andrews Air Force base, President Obama announced a “Comprehensive Plan for Energy Security”, stating that "moving towards clean energy is about our security. It’s also about our economy. And it’s about the future of our planet." The President's plan includes raising fuel efficiency standards. He also announced a decision to double the number of hybrid vehicles in the federal government's fleet and a decision to expand domestic offshore oil and gas
exploration in Alaska, the eastern Gulf of Mexico
, and off the east coast
of the United States.
Obama's overall foreign policy philosophy has been postulated as "The Obama Doctrine" by Washington Post columnist E. J. Dionne
, which Dionne explains as "a form of realism unafraid to deploy American power but mindful that its use must be tempered by practical limits and a dose of self-awareness."
A New York Times op-ed article by David Brooks
identified Obama as having enormous respect for and being deeply influenced by the philosophy of Reinhold Niebuhr
.
was delivered on April 23, 2007, to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. He identified the problems that he believes the current foreign policy has caused, and the five ways the United States can lead again, focused on "common security", "common humanity", and remaining "a beacon of freedom and justice for the world":
During the speech, Obama called for an expansion of the United States Armed Forces
"by adding 65,000 soldiers to the Army
and 27,000 Marines
", an idea previously introduced by Secretary of Defense
Robert Gates
.
In a Washington, DC, speech entitled "A New Strategy for a New World" delivered July 15, 2008, Obama stated five main foreign policy goals:
(2008) rated Obama's overall social policies in 2006 as more conservative than 21 percent of the Senate, and more liberal than 77 percent of the Senate (18 percent and 77 percent, respectively, in 2005).
In 2010, Obama signed into law the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010
which ended a policy of not allowing gays to state their sexual orientation openly in the military.
Topic pages and databases
General
Disability issues
Environment
Foreign affairs
Health care
Israel and the Middle East conflict
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
has declared his position on many political issues through his public comments and legislative record. The Obama Administration has stated that its general agenda is to "revive the economy; provide affordable, accessible health care to all; strengthen our public education and social security systems; define a clear path to energy independence and tackle climate change; end the war in Iraq responsibly and finish our mission in Afghanistan; and work with our allies to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon."
Economic policy
Barack Obama's current economic advisors are Austan GoolsbeeAustan Goolsbee
Austan Dean Goolsbee is an American economist, formerly serving as the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers and the youngest member of the cabinet of President Barack Obama. Goolsbee is from the University of Chicago where he is the Robert P...
of the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
and Jeffrey Liebman
Jeffrey Liebman
Jeffrey B. Liebman, an American economist, is currently the Executive Associate Director of the Office of Management and Budget within the Obama Administration. Liebman was formerly the Malcolm Wiener Professor of Public Policy John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University...
of Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
In 2006, Obama wrote: "We should be asking ourselves what mix of policies will lead to a dynamic free market
Free market
A free market is a competitive market where prices are determined by supply and demand. However, the term is also commonly used for markets in which economic intervention and regulation by the state is limited to tax collection, and enforcement of private ownership and contracts...
and widespread economic security, entrepreneurial innovation and upward mobility [...] we should be guided by what works."
Speaking before the National Press Club in April 2005, he defended the New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
social welfare policies of Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
, associating Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
proposals to establish private accounts for Social Security
Social Security debate (United States)
This article concerns proposals to change the Social Security system in the United States. Social Security is a social insurance program officially called "Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance" , in reference to its three components. It is primarily funded through a dedicated payroll tax...
with Social Darwinism
Social Darwinism
Social Darwinism is a term commonly used for theories of society that emerged in England and the United States in the 1870s, seeking to apply the principles of Darwinian evolution to sociology and politics...
.
In response to the recession, Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, abbreviated ARRA and commonly referred to as the Stimulus or The Recovery Act, is an economic stimulus package enacted by the 111th United States Congress in February 2009 and signed into law on February 17, 2009, by President Barack Obama.To...
shortly after taking office. The law featured large amounts of infrastructure spending, funding for states, tax cuts, and other stimulative measures. After the 2010 midterm elections, he signed into law the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010
Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010
The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 , was passed by the United States Congress on December 16, 2010 and signed into law by President Barack Obama on December 17, 2010....
which extended the Bush tax cuts
Bush tax cuts
The Bush tax cuts refers to changes to the United States tax code passed during the presidency of George W. Bush and extended during the presidency of Barack Obama that generally lowered tax rates and revised the code specifying taxation in the United States...
for all incomes, temporarily cut the payroll tax, and reduced a number of other taxes.
Energy policy
President Obama's energy policy can be understood by looking at the different investments in clean energy that were evident in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, abbreviated ARRA and commonly referred to as the Stimulus or The Recovery Act, is an economic stimulus package enacted by the 111th United States Congress in February 2009 and signed into law on February 17, 2009, by President Barack Obama.To...
.
On March 31, 2010 at Andrews Air Force base, President Obama announced a “Comprehensive Plan for Energy Security”, stating that "moving towards clean energy is about our security. It’s also about our economy. And it’s about the future of our planet." The President's plan includes raising fuel efficiency standards. He also announced a decision to double the number of hybrid vehicles in the federal government's fleet and a decision to expand domestic offshore oil and gas
Offshore oil and gas in the United States
Offshore oil and gas in the United States provides a large portion of the nation’s oil and gas supply. Large oil and gas reservoirs are found in the sea nearby Louisiana, Texas, California, and Alaska...
exploration in Alaska, the eastern Gulf of Mexico
Offshore oil and gas in the US Gulf of Mexico
Offshore oil and gas in the US Gulf of Mexico is a major source of oil and natural gas in the United States. The western and central Gulf of Mexico, which includes offshore Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, is one of the major petroleum-producing areas of the United States...
, and off the east coast
Offshore drilling on the US Atlantic coast
Offshore drilling on the US Atlantic coast for oil and gas took place from 1947 to the early 1980s. Oil companies drilled 5 wells in Atlantic Florida state waters and 51 exploratory wells on federal leases on the outer continental shelf of the Atlantic coast. None of the wells were completed as...
of the United States.
Foreign policy
Obama's overall foreign policy philosophy has been postulated as "The Obama Doctrine" by Washington Post columnist E. J. Dionne
E. J. Dionne
Eugene Joseph "E.J." Dionne, Jr. is an American journalist and political commentator, and a long-time op-ed columnist for The Washington Post...
, which Dionne explains as "a form of realism unafraid to deploy American power but mindful that its use must be tempered by practical limits and a dose of self-awareness."
A New York Times op-ed article by David Brooks
David Brooks
David Brooks may refer to:* David Brooks , American actor and stage director and producer* David Brooks , Australian author of short stories and co-editor for Southerly...
identified Obama as having enormous respect for and being deeply influenced by the philosophy of Reinhold Niebuhr
Reinhold Niebuhr
Karl Paul Reinhold Niebuhr was an American theologian and commentator on public affairs. Starting as a leftist minister in the 1920s indebted to theological liberalism, he shifted to the new Neo-Orthodox theology in the 1930s, explaining how the sin of pride created evil in the world...
.
Overview
His first major speech on foreign policyForeign policy
A country's foreign policy, also called the foreign relations policy, consists of self-interest strategies chosen by the state to safeguard its national interests and to achieve its goals within international relations milieu. The approaches are strategically employed to interact with other countries...
was delivered on April 23, 2007, to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. He identified the problems that he believes the current foreign policy has caused, and the five ways the United States can lead again, focused on "common security", "common humanity", and remaining "a beacon of freedom and justice for the world":
- "Bringing a responsible end" to the war in Iraq and refocusing on the broader region.
- "Building the first truly 21st century military and showing wisdom in how we deploy it."
- "Marshalling a global effort" to secure, destroy, and stop the spread of weapons of mass destructionWeapons of mass destructionA weapon of mass destruction is a weapon that can kill and bring significant harm to a large number of humans and/or cause great damage to man-made structures , natural structures , or the biosphere in general...
. - "Rebuild and construct the alliances and partnerships necessary to meet common challenges and confront common threats," including global warmingGlobal warmingGlobal warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
. - "Invest in our common humanity" through foreign aid and supporting the "pillars of a sustainable democracy – a strong legislature, an independent judiciary, the rule of law, a vibrant civil societyCivil societyCivil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
, a free press, and an honest police force."
During the speech, Obama called for an expansion of the United States Armed Forces
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
"by adding 65,000 soldiers to the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and 27,000 Marines
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
", an idea previously introduced by Secretary of Defense
United States Secretary of Defense
The Secretary of Defense is the head and chief executive officer of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a Defense Minister in other countries...
Robert Gates
Robert Gates
Dr. Robert Michael Gates is a retired civil servant and university president who served as the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense from 2006 to 2011. Prior to this, Gates served for 26 years in the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council, and under President George H. W....
.
In a Washington, DC, speech entitled "A New Strategy for a New World" delivered July 15, 2008, Obama stated five main foreign policy goals:
- Ending the war in Iraq responsibly.
- Finishing the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban.
- Securing all nuclear weapons and materials from terrorists and rogue states.
- Achieving true energy security.
- Rebuilding our alliances to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
Social policy
The Almanac of American PoliticsAlmanac of American Politics
The Almanac of American Politics is a reference work published biennially by the National Journal Group. It aims to provide a detailed look at the politics of the United States through an approach of profiling individual leaders and areas of the country....
(2008) rated Obama's overall social policies in 2006 as more conservative than 21 percent of the Senate, and more liberal than 77 percent of the Senate (18 percent and 77 percent, respectively, in 2005).
In 2010, Obama signed into law the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010
Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010
The Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 is a landmark federal statute that establishes a legal process for ending the Don't ask, don't tell policy , which since 1993 prevented openly gay and lesbian people from serving in the United States Armed Forces.The Act did not immediately repeal the...
which ended a policy of not allowing gays to state their sexual orientation openly in the military.
See also
- Comparison of United States presidential candidates, 2008Comparison of United States presidential candidates, 2008This article compares the presidential candidates in the United States' 2008 presidential election. It does not cover previous elections. Because of ballot access restrictions in the United States, not all candidates appeared on the ballots in all states....
- List of Barack Obama presidential campaign endorsements, 2008
- Political positions of Joe BidenPolitical positions of Joe BidenJoe Biden is the Vice President of the United States and former senator from the US state of Delaware. He served in the Senate from 1973 until 2009 and made his second run for President of the United States in the 2008 presidential election as a Democrat...
External links
Official sitesTopic pages and databases
General
- Chicago Tribune - Candidate coverage
- On the Issues - Issue positions
- Project Vote Smart - Candidate information, including issue positions
Disability issues
Environment
- Obama & environmental issues: Comprehensive review from the League of Conservation VotersLeague of Conservation VotersThe League of Conservation Voters is a political advocacy organization founded in 1969 by American environmentalist David Brower in the early years of the environmental movement. LCV's mission is to "advocate for sound environmental policies and to elect pro-environmental candidates who will adopt...
.
Foreign affairs
- "Renewing American Leadership" - detailed article article by Barack ObamaBarack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
in Foreign AffairsForeign AffairsForeign Affairs is an American magazine and website on international relations and U.S. foreign policy published since 1922 by the Council on Foreign Relations six times annually... - Barack Obama's positions on top foreign policy issues - extensive material documented by the Council on Foreign RelationsCouncil on Foreign RelationsThe Council on Foreign Relations is an American nonprofit nonpartisan membership organization, publisher, and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs...
Health care
- 2008 Presidential Candidate Health Plan Report Card issued by the National Physicians AllianceNational Physicians AllianceThe National Physicians Alliance is a national, multi-specialty medical organization founded in 2005 by former leaders of the American Medical Student Association...
- 2008 Presidential Candidates' Health Reform Proposals from The Commonwealth Fund
Israel and the Middle East conflict
- Obama on Zionism and Hamas - extensive interview with Jeffrey GoldbergJeffrey GoldbergJeffrey Mark Goldberg is an American journalist. He is an author and a staff writer for The Atlantic, having previously worked for The New Yorker. Goldberg writes principally on foreign affairs, with a focus on the Middle East and Africa...
- Speech by Senator Barack Obama
- McCain, Obama positions on Mideast issues Associated PressAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
June 6, 2008