Barack Obama News
Read news, analysis, and commentary on Barack Obama, his administration’s legacy, and his continuing impact on national debates.
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- News
Obama Says He Won’t Let Defeat on Amnesty Deter Other Executive Actions
President Barack Obama said the Supreme Court decision halting his executive actions to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants won’t discourage him from making other such moves without going through Congress. “It does not have any impact from our perspective on the host of other issues we are working on because each one of these issues…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Obama’s Amnesty Plan Effectively Struck Down
In a 4-4 split vote, the Supreme Court has affirmed the judgment of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which upheld the preliminary injunction issued by federal district court Judge Andrew Hanen in the case brought by Texas and 25 other states challenging the Obama administration’s attempt to give legal status and work authorizations to…Elizabeth Slattery -
- Opinion
Obama’s 229 Major Regulations Cost $108 Billion Each Year
The Obama administration is responsible for thousands of new regulations—including a historic number of major regulations. As the costs of these regulations add up, they place more of a burden on economic freedom in America. In 2015, 43 new major regulations went into effect, increasing regulatory costs by more than $22 billion. In 2015, 43…Milton Padilla -
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Obama Pushes Congress on Zika Money, but Questions Loom on Administration’s Response
Even as Congress seems to be moving closer to a resolution on funding a means to stop the spread of the Zika virus, the Obama administration is demanding more immediate action. Yet, some critics say it is the administration, including President Barack Obama and Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell, that have failed to…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Congressional Letter Urges Obama to Rethink Brexit
Britain’s referendum on its membership of the European Union—which might lead to its exit (known as Brexit)—will take place on June 23. After a pause following the tragic murder of Jo Cox, a Labour Party member of the British Parliament, the campaign resumed on Sunday, with the polls still too close to call. But a…Ted Bromund -
- Opinion
3 Economic Facts That Counter Obama’s Recovery Narrative
President Barack Obama needs a reality check. Earlier this month in Indiana, he accused his critics of ignoring the “facts” and purporting “myths” about his economic record. But if Republicans are truly ignoring the facts, Obama should consider it a blessing. A quick look at the facts will show that Obama’s economic performance has been…Stephen Moore -
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Obama Celebrates an LGBT Legacy That Seemed Unlikely When He Took Office
Changes in the definition of marriage, open service in the military, and an expanded hate crimes law are some of the advancements for LGBT Americans that have become a key part of President Barack Obama’s legacy. “I am grateful for all that you’ve done to work with us to accomplish some amazing transformations over these…Fred Lucas -
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Obama Pushes ‘Equal Pay Pledge,’ as Women Experience Economic ‘Hardship’
With women’s labor force participation at its lowest rate since 1988, the Obama administration held its White House United State of Women conference in the District of Columbia on Tuesday, pushing policies that some experts say will not help—and could economically hurt—women. “A lot of women are leaving the workforce and there is a lot…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Women in the Draft: The Obama Legacy Grows
The Senate’s reauthorization of the National Defense Authorization Act includes language that would require women to register for the Selective Service—a step the House version of the bill was unwilling to take. Since Secretary of Defense Ash Carter opened all military specialties to women, overriding the best military advice of the Joint Chiefs of Staff…Steven Bucci -
- Opinion
How Obama Has Made It Harder for Companies to Hire
Government data released on Wednesday shows the number of private-sector job openings was at an all-time high in April. Companies, however, hired the fewest number of people on a seasonally adjusted basis in nine months. Why the disparity? The JOLTS (Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey) data the government released show there were 5,289,000 private-sector…Patrick Tyrrell -
- Opinion
Mandatory Minimums Questioned as Obama Commutes Sentences
President Barack Obama has publicly opined that mandatory minimum sentences ranging from 20 years to life in prison for drug offenses do not “fit the crime.” He has acted on that belief by commuting dozens of drug offenders’ sentences as Congress debates reform to various aspects of mandatory minimum sentencing laws. Sherman Chester is built…John G. Malcolm -
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GOP Senators Renew Pledge to Block Obama Supreme Court Nominee
Top Senate Republicans doubled down on opposition to President Barack Obama’s recent Supreme Court nomination, meaning the next justice could be indirectly picked in the November election. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was adamant in opposition to the nomination of Merrick Garland, speaking Friday at the Road to Majority Conference, a gathering of conservative…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Obama Administration Looks to Cement Ethnic Divides With Language Mandate
The Obama administration seems to live in a parallel reality, oblivious to the racial animus that has become the hallmark of late-stage Obama and to the ethnic strife that wreaks havoc on the rest of the world. Inside its own Platonic cave, the thinking is: Over half the world is polyglot, so why not us?…Mike Gonzalez -
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Obama Appoints Transgender Woman to Advise on Faith Issues
President Barack Obama’s appointment of a Christian transgender activist as an adviser on faith issues represents part of a larger agenda, some social conservatives fear. Last month, Obama named Barbara Satin, a man who identifies as a woman, to the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Satin is the assistant faith works director…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
‘Environmental Justice’: Obama-Era Politics Override Rule of Law
In every Soviet-era military unit, the long shadow of totalitarian political control hung over day-to-day operations. A political commissar served alongside commanding military officers to ensure that communist purity was maintained. We’re seeing the same political strong-arm in President Barack Obama’s executive agencies, particularly in the raw enforcement of so-called “environmental justice.” Readers will recall…Todd G. Young -
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These Parents Pulled Their Kids Out of School for a Week Over Obama’s Bathroom Directive
A Michigan family pulled their three sons out of public school for a week after finding out from their 9-year-old son that he had to share a restroom with a biological girl. On May 13, the departments of Education and Justice issued a directive to schools around the nation, threatening to take away federal school…Leah Jessen -
- Opinion
The Key Economic Facts Obama’s Recovery Narrative Ignores
President Barack Obama took an economic victory lap in Elkhart, Indiana, on Wednesday. In a major speech he argued his policies have brought the economy back. He blamed remaining economic weaknesses on trends preceding his administration. This analysis has the economic facts precisely backwards: Economic growth benefitted Americans up and down the income distribution until…James Sherk -
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Obama Administration Keeps House Republicans Waiting on Transgender Bathroom Order
House Republicans asked the departments of Education and Justice to clarify their transgender bathroom directive for public schools, but the Obama administration isn’t answering. Now, a congressman from North Carolina is rebuking the White House for pulling “a political stunt.” Seventy-three House Republicans, led by Rep. Mark Walker, R-N.C., signed a May 23 letter pushing…Philip Wegmann -
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What Obama’s Bathroom Directive Really Does
On May 13, the Obama administration sent a letter to public schools on the topic of transgender students and where they use the restroom. But the directive, issued as “significant guidance,” didn’t just apply to the bathrooms. It also entered the space of locker rooms, showers, dorms, overnight hotels, and other places you might not…Kelsey Bolar -
- Opinion
Obama’s Hiroshima Speech Reflects His Unrealistic View of History
President Barack Obama’s speech at Hiroshima was a poignant discourse on the horrors of war. He spoke eloquently of the death of innocent lives and the hope for a better tomorrow. But his trip is fraught with the potential for misinterpretation. As the end of his presidency approaches, Obama sought to resurrect his utopian vision…Bruce Klingner