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
Michelle Obama: Trump’s Inauguration Crowd ‘Not Reflective of the Country’
Former first lady Michelle Obama spoke out about President Donald Trump’s inauguration, saying she was one of a “handful of people of color” in attendance. The former first lady spoke to Gayle King of “CBS This Morning” about her feelings when Trump took office, making note of the lack of diversity in the crowd. “That…Mary Margaret Olohan -
- Opinion
Why Obama and Clinton Tweeted About ‘Easter Worshippers,’ Not Christians
Sometimes, a few sentences tell you more about a person—and, more importantly, an ideology—than a learned thesis. That is the case with tweets from Hillary Clinton and former President Barack Obama two days ago in response to the mass murder of more than 300 Christians and others in Sri Lanka. Their tweets are worth serious…Dennis Prager -
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4 Things to Know About Former Obama Aide Hired by SPLC to Review Discrimination Charges
The onetime chief of staff to former first lady Michelle Obama is leading an internal investigation into the Southern Poverty Law Center’s alleged workplace misconduct that led to the exit of its top two officials. Tina Tchen, a prominent lawyer in Chicago, has also found herself in the middle of the controversy surrounding “Empire” actor…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Obamacare Is in Danger. Here’s Why It’s Been So Bad for America.
The prognosis for Obamacare isn’t looking too great right now. Last December, a district judge in Texas ruled that Obamacare should be struck down in its entirety. The Justice Department said in a federal appeals court filing on Monday that it agrees with this ruling, according to CNN, which would be a reversal of its…Jarrett Stepman -
- News
Obama-Appointed Judge Blocks Wyoming Oil Lease Sale Over ‘Climate Change’
A federal judge temporarily blocked new oil lease auctions in Wyoming on Tuesday after finding the Department of the Interior “did not sufficiently consider climate change” when proposing the lease sales, The Washington Post reports. Washington, D.C., District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras ruled the government violated federal law and did not fully study the environmental impact of…Tim Pearce -
- Opinion
9 Years After Obamacare Passed, Agency Finds Numbers Were Wildly Off
Democrats defeated Republicans in the Obamacare repeal fight by warning that 22 million Americans would be thrown off their health insurance. They pointed to data leaked from the Congressional Budget Office. Well, it turns out that data was completely wrong. According to a report by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released Wednesday, the…Jarrett Stepman -
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Obama EPA Regulations Blamed for Closure of 100-Year-Old Coal Plant
A coal-fired power plan that’s operated for more than 100 years is shutting down, and its owners say Obama-era regulations are to blame. Alabama Power’s Plant Gorgas will officially close in April. It’s only the latest coal industry casualty, driven by Environmental Protection Agency regulations and market forces. “We recognize that Plant Gorgas and the…Michael Bastasch -
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Trump’s Shutdown Differs Greatly From Obama’s
Services typically suspended during government shutdowns have continued to operate under the Trump administration, with insiders pointing to acting Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought as the reason why. Agencies impacted by government shutdowns are forced to severely cut back on operations, suspend services, and often send workers home without pay. The Office of Management…Molly Prince -
- News
In Egypt Speech, Pompeo Repudiates Obama’s Mideast Policies
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asserted Thursday that the United States will not abandon its leadership role in the Middle East, and that it won’t apologize for global leadership, in a sharp repudiation of the policies of the Obama administration. “America is a force for good in the Middle East,” Pompeo said in an address…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Now Is Not the Time to Repeat Obama’s Iraq Mistake in Afghanistan
There have been recent media reports that up to 7,000 U.S. troops, roughly half of the number of troops there, will be removed from Afghanistan. There has been no official statement from the Trump administration confirming this and it is important to stress that senior officials are saying privately that no final decision has been…Luke Coffey -
- Opinion
Obama’s School Discipline Guidance Could Be Doomed. Here’s Why That’s Great News.
This year started with a reminder that we cannot take the safety of our children for granted, and Washington has ended the year by taking the issue seriously. The Federal Commission on School Safety released its final report Tuesday and recommended the removal of federal guidance that has cast the specter of federal investigation over…Jonathan Butcher -
- Opinion
Why a Judge Ruled Obamacare Unconstitutional, and What Policymakers Should Do Next
A judge has declared Obamacare unconstitutional—but the case is far from over. U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor, a George W. Bush appointee, granted a motion for summary judgment Friday in favor of 20 states led by Texas that had filed a lawsuit seeking to strike down the Affordable Care Act. Now that O’Connor has ruled,…Marie Fishpaw -
- Opinion
Obama and the Perpetual Presidency
Former President Barack Obama recently continued his series of public broadsides against his successor, President Donald Trump. Obama’s charges are paradoxical. On one hand, Obama seems to believe that he, rather than Trump, should be credited with the current economic boom and the emergence of the United States as the world’s largest energy producer. But…Victor Davis Hanson -
- Opinion
A Judge Will Likely Rule Against Obamacare. Here’s What Should Happen Next.
A federal judge is expected to rule soon on whether Obamacare’s individual mandate is constitutional without a tax penalty to enforce it, and if it is not, whether the rest of Obamacare’s provisions (including its insurance regulations) are no longer operative. If the judge rules against Obamacare, as many predict, brace yourself for a tsunami…Doug Badger -
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4 Things to Know About Trump’s Possible Reversal of Obama’s Transgender Policy
The Department of Health and Human Services is reportedly considering scrapping Obama-era executive actions tying federal school funding to recognizing gender as a choice. The report Sunday in the New York Times on the proposed change referenced a leaked memo. Nothing has been finalized, however. Here’s what to know about the potential new policy. 1….Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Obama’s Anti-Discipline Policies Set Our Students Up for Failure
President Barack Obama’s first education secretary, Arne Duncan, gave a speech on the 45th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday” at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, where, in 1965, state troopers beat and tear-gassed hundreds of peaceful civil rights marchers who were demanding voting rights. Later that year, as a result of widespread support across…Walter E. Williams -
- Opinion
As Obamacare Premiums Continue to Rise, Time to Look at Real Health Care Solutions
Obamacare has wreaked havoc on America’s individual and small group health insurance markets. For the last four years, while lavish taxpayer subsidies insulated low-income people from soaring premiums and deductibles, millions of middle-class Americans in the individual Affordable Care Act coverage markets felt both blasts. At the same time, they lost their old plans and…Robert Moffit -
- Opinion
Obama Was Wrong on Oil. We Did ‘Drill Our Way Out of the Problem.’
When gas prices topped $4 per gallon in May 2011, President Barack Obama said, “We can’t just drill our way out of the problem.” Throughout his presidency, Obama stated some version of that sentiment every time he wanted to push to subsidize alternative energy sources. More than seven years later, human ingenuity, technological innovation, and…Nicolas Loris -
- Opinion
The Daily Signal Podcast: A Faith-Based Alternative to Obamacare
Obamacare’s heavy requirements have hit businesses hard. They’ve also burdened the consciences of religious Americans who cannot in good faith pay for certain drugs and products. It’s no surprise, then, that thousands of Americans are turning to an alternative to mainstream insurance called Liberty HealthShare. We sit down with the founder and chairman of the…Ginny Montalbano -
- News
EPA Moves to Scrap Obama Mandates for Power Plant Emissions
The Environmental Protection Agency accelerated the Trump administration’s deregulatory agenda Tuesday by announcing a proposed rule to replace the Obama administration’s “Clean Power Plan” with guidelines that give states more flexibility to determine how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants. The proposed Affordable Clean Energy Rule rejects what acting EPA Administrator Andrew…Kevin Mooney