Presentation Transcript

1. Barack H. Obama44th president

2. Early Life Born: August 4, 1961 Honolulu, Hawai’i Parents Barack H. Obama, Sr. (absentee – died 1982) Stanley Ann Dunham (died Mother remarried in 1965 1967-1971 Lived in Indonesia – attended Catholic school Returned to Hawai’i to live with grandparents Attended Harvard Law School First African-American president of Harvard Law Review Married Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Children Malia Natasha – “Sasha” Work Chicago Law School – professor Wrote Dreams from My Father (1995) Directed Project Vote (1992) Illinois Senate (1996-2004) US Senate (2005-2008)
3. 2008 Election Democrats Barack Obama Hillary Clinton John Edwards Republicans John McCain Mitt Romney Mike Huckabee Ron Paul Rudy Giuliani 3rd Party Ralph Nader Chuck Baldwin – Constitution Party Bob Barr- Libertarian Party Cynthia McKinney – Green Party
4. Final Choices Democrats Barack Obama Joseph Biden Republicans John McCain Sarah Palin
5. Economy 2005 – stagnant house prices began to fall 2008 – Banks avoided bankruptcy with federal aid and take-overs IndyMac Bank failed – FDIC? Gov’t took over Federal National Mortgage Association – “Fannie Mae” and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation – “Freddie Mac” WTO talks failed Oil prices hit record highs SUV sales dropped Value of dollar fell Dow Jones fell from 14,000 to 11,000 Congress approved Emergency Economic Stabilization Act - $700 billion financial package Created TARP – Troubled Asset Relief Program – to bail out US financial industries, ensure availability of credit and save nation from depression
6. Economy November 2008 Stock market plunged below 8,000 Chrysler, Ford, GM headed toward bankruptcy W provided 13 billion in TARP funds Spending fell, unemployment rose Obama Pushed through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act – stimulus package Tax incentives and money for housing, health care, educational programs, food stamps, retirees, scientific research, highways 750 billion US supported bankruptcies for Chrysler and GM Temporary owners of GM; auto makers survived, gov’t sold majority ownership New rules for credit card companies 2010 – Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act – “Dodd-Frank” Stock Market recovered
7. Foreign Policy Guantanamo Bay kept open – in opposition to his promise Did keep promise to bring end to Iraq War 2011 October – promised American troops would leave the country by end of year 2011 – Arab Spring Partnered with NATO to use airpower and take out Libya’s Muammar Qaddafi Afghanistan – crucial to fight against terrorism Ordered 30,000 more troops in 2009 Increased use of unmanned, rocket-firing CIA drones to kill terrorists – even in Pakistan 2011 May 1 – US Special Forces raided a Pakistani compound and killed Osama bin Laden
8. Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act and Health Care and Educational Reconciliation Act Helped uninsured and self-employed buy health insurance Made more poor people eligible for Medicaid Increased the number of years children could be covered under parents’ health insurance Prevented insurance companies from denying coverage on basis of preexisting conditions Encouraged large employers to provide health care plans Individual mandate – CONTROVERSY – required all adults to obtain health-care insurance or pay a penalty
9. Social Issues Hard times lowered number of illegal immigrants GLBT opinions changed – stopped enforcing the Defense of Marriage Act Ended military “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy
10. A Country in Crisis Most Americans were in the middle 2010 elections – Republicans regained the House of Representatives Legislative Gridlock Republicans wanted to lower taxes and spending Democrats refused to cut Medicare and other social programs 2011 – finally made a bargain before complete government shutdown Obama criticized as weak; Congress and Republicans blamed even more for national economy
11. Partisan Politics Progressives Liberal Democrats and independents Felt Obama should have punished Wall Street and expanded federal regulation and spending Tea Party Conservatives; white, older Americans; pressure group within the Republican Party Horrified by what Obama accomplished; Voiced anger at federal activism
12. Occupy Movement 99% vs. 1% Tea Party blamed federal government Occupy blamed financial elites Inequality increased 15% in poverty 65+ households were 47 times more wealthy than 35- Young struggled with unemployment and education costs