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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- Opinion
Why Obama’s Jab at Walker’s Foreign Policy Knowledge Misses the Point
In response to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s criticism of his Iran policy, President Obama suggested that the presumed candidate for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination “bone up on foreign policy.” In other words, anyone who disagrees with the president on Iran’s nuclear program, or any other national security issue, is just not knowledgeable enough to…Walter Lohman -
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How Would You Grade Clinton, Bush and Obama on Race Relations? This Journalist Reveals Her Report Card
White House correspondent April Ryan’s new book discusses a topic that is bound to make some Americans uncomfortable—race relations and the White House. Ryan, an 18-year media veteran for the American Urban Radio Networks, is the author of “The Presidency in Black and White,” a book that analyzes the past three presidents and takes all…Jamie Jackson -
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Yemen Is a Public Relations Disaster for the Obama Administration
You have to wonder whether the White House has a good grip on the global terrorism fight considering a number of strategic missteps, judgments and statements it has made during the last few years. There was the total pullout from Iraq, the “al-Qaeda on the run” claim, the mishandling of Syria, the dismissal of Islamic…Peter Brookes -
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Obama Outkicking the Coverage With International Climate Commitments
Perhaps President Obama is frustrated he couldn’t pass climate legislation when Democrats controlled both houses of Congress and the White House, and perhaps this frustration was compounded by the historic losses his party suffered in the off-year elections. But whatever the cause, the president is working unilaterally to commit the U.S. to international climate agreements….Katie Tubb -
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The Backlash Against Obama’s Committing US to International Climate Agreement
Perhaps President Obama is frustrated he couldn’t pass climate legislation when Democrats controlled both houses of Congress and the White House, and perhaps this frustration was compounded by the historic losses his party suffered in the off-year elections. But whatever the cause, the president is working unilaterally to commit the U.S. to international climate agreements….Katie Tubb -
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Obama Administration Wants to Regulate the Advice We Get From Retirement Planners
Now, it appears the Obama administration wants to control the advice we can get from retirement planners. The administration announced it is moving ahead with a new Department of Labor rule designed to provide uniform fiduciary rules for anyone providing retirement investment advice. In general, a fiduciary standard requires financial advisers to put their individual…Norbert Michel -
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Iranian Nuclear Talks Miss Another Deadline. What’s Next for the Talks With the Obama Administration.
The nuclear talks with Iran have missed another self-imposed deadline, for the third time in 18 months. The deadline to reach a framework agreement that would outline the final deal was 6 p.m. EST, or midnight in Lausanne, Switzerland, where the talks are being held. U.S. government officials earlier noted that the deadline was unlikely…James Phillips -
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The Problems With Obama’s Plan to Slash US Greenhouse Gas Emissions By Nearly 30 Percent
The Obama administration announced Tuesday its plans to commit the U.S. to greenhouse gas emissions of 26-28 percent (from 2005 levels) by 2025 as part of a United Nations climate agreement set for this December in Paris. The announcement is being heralded as America’s stepping up to “lead the way.” The Paris agreement is to…Katie Tubb -
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Obama Wants Doctors Paid Differently. Here’s the Downsides to His Proposed Way.
 As part of the 5-year anniversary White House celebration of his health care law, President Obama included his goals for health reform going forward. Among those goals is a blindly ambitious attempt to link health care payments to value. The Obama administration  wants to base payments on quality and to incentivize doctors to spend more…John O’Shea -
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Don’t Get Distracted by 2016ers. We Still Have 22 Months Left of Obama’s Presidency.
It’s exciting to talk about 2016. But Congress and the White House still need to be watched—closely.Genevieve Wood -
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Did 14.1 Million People Gain Health Coverage? Fact Checking the Obama Administration’s Claim
Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a two-page “fact sheet” that stated: Since several of the Affordable Care Act’s coverage provisions took effect, about 16.4 million uninsured people have gained health insurance coverage. That includes: 14.1 million adults who gained health insurance coverage since the beginning of open enrollment in October…Edmund Haislmaier -
- Opinion
The $7.2 Trillion Difference Between Obama’s Budget and House GOP Budget
Sometimes in Washington it seems as George Wallace used to grouse: “There ain’t a dime’s worth of difference between the two parties.” Well when it comes to the latest budgets of the two parties, the difference is closer to $2.6 trillion over the next 5 years or $7.2 trillion over the next 10 years. On…Stephen Moore -
- Opinion
Obama Can’t Bypass the Supreme Court
News flash to the legal academy: No, President Obama can’t refuse to implement an (at this point purely conjectural) adverse ruling by the Supreme Court in King v. Burwell. That wouldn’t be merely “bypassing” the Supreme Court. Such an action would constitute defying the Court. Neither the Constitution nor prior court decisions would allow the…Elizabeth Slattery -
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Obama’s Wrong: It’s a Bad Idea to Force Ignorant Americans to Vote
President Obama suggested Wednesday that the U.S. should consider forcing all citizens to vote in elections. “In Australia, and some other countries, there's mandatory voting," Obama said in a question and answer session in Ohio. "It would be transformative if everybody voted. That would counteract money more than anything." Obama is right: it would be…Katrina Trinko -
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Contra Obama, Americans Have the Right Not to Vote
In a potentially troubling sign for the First Amendment, President Barack Obama told a town hall meeting in Cleveland Wednesday that it would be “transformative” if we had “mandatory voting” to ensure that “everybody voted.” Apparently, he wants to follow the example of a very small number of other countries and implement a reverse poll…Hans von Spakovsky -
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Obama Schooled on Constitution by His Former Law Professor
President Obama has defended his knowledge and commitment to the Constitution by reminding Americans he used to teach constitutional law courses. When it comes to Obama’s Clean Power Plan, one of his former law professors disagrees. Laurence Tribe joins the long list of individuals, organizations, and local and state governments opposing the Clean Power Plan….Katie Tubb -
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What the Next President Can Do to Clean Up Obama’s Middle East Mess
President Obama sure knows how to get the world’s attention. His public tantrum over Benjamin Netanyahu being invited to speak before a joint session of Congress pretty much assured that the entire globe would tune in to hear the Israeli prime minister enumerate his concerns over a nuclear deal with Iran. This soap opera offers…James Carafano -
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History Shows Obama Doesn’t Need Congress to Seal Iran Deal
In a letter to Iran this week, nearly four dozen Republican senators showcased the limitations of a potential unilateral nuclear deal by President Obama, rightly warning that the future U.S. president could reverse the agreement. But in trying to assert their power, the senators skirted over the fact that presidents have executive authority to make…Melissa Quinn -
- Opinion
Crackdown on Protesters Raises Questions about Obama Administration’s Burma Policy
Student protests on Tuesday turned sour after police violently broke up a peaceful protest in Letpadan, Burma. Police arrested an estimated 120 protesters, journalists, and Buddhist monks. This crackdown is the latest evidence that the Obama Administration’s headlong embrace of the regime has been misguided from the start. Demonstrators were protesting an education bill passed…Olivia Enos -
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What We Can Learn From Obama’s Reaction to the Senate’s Iran Letter
President Obama has not been this mad since last week when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint session of Congress raising key concerns over the nuclear negotiations with Iran. In response, the White House marshalled as many voices as it could muster to demonize and delegitimize Netanyahu’s address and the concerns he raised….James Carafano