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
Liberals Are Ripping Tax Reform Bonuses. But They Celebrated $40 Under Obama Tax Cut.
In late 2011, President Barack Obama’s White House promoted the hashtag #40Dollars to get the word out about an extra $40 per paycheck Americans would save in the temporary payroll tax cut. “I’m not sure that $1,000 … goes very [far] for almost anyone,” @DWSTweets says. Less than seven years later, prominent liberals are scoffing at…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
How State Leaders Can Begin Undoing Obamacare’s Damage
In 2018, millions of middle-class Americans, particularly those unsubsidized enrollees in the states’ individual health insurance markets, are rightfully anxious about the future of their health care. They face skyrocketing premiums—a 34 percent jump for “standard” plans—as well as exploding deductibles, amounting to many thousands of dollars annually. In some states, health insurance costs are…Robert Moffit -
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6 Actions States, Federal Government Could Take on Obamacare, Health Care in 2018
Many states are eager to reverse the damage from Obamacare in 2018, but in some cases, they will need help from Congress, leading health care experts say. “A lot of states would like to act in 2018, but there is a lot of uncertainty while they are waiting on Congress and the administration,” Grace-Marie Turner,…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Jeff Sessions Just Reversed Obama’s Pot Policy. Why That’s Good News for America.
Reversing Obama-era policy, Attorney General Jeff Sessions has given federal prosecutors the discretion to prosecute marijuana traffickers. That’s good news for those who believe in the rule of law. And good news, too, for those concerned about public health and the safety of our nation’s youth. On Jan. 4, Sessions revoked the Cole Memo, a…Hans von Spakovsky -
- Opinion
New Offshore Drilling Plan Will Reverse Obama Restrictions, Unleash US Energy Dominance
America is moving forward in its march toward energy dominance, and the Trump administration just took an important step forward in achieving that goal. In unveiling its draft five-year Outer Continental Shelf leasing plan on Thursday, the Interior Department is reversing the Obama administration’s “Keep it in the Ground” anti-energy policy. An abundance of untapped…Nicolas Loris -
- Opinion
Once Manipulated by Obama Administration on Iran, Media Still Peddles Wrong Narrative
Dramatic images of the protests rocking Iran should be a reminder of how good we have it in the United States and how easy it is to lose perspective. In America, a “war on women” is defined by progressives as failing to force nuns to pay for birth control. In Iran, a woman can be…Jarrett Stepman -
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Fact Check: Did Obamacare Have a Record Number of Sign-Ups for 2018 Open Enrollment?
Americans signed up at record rates during the 2018 open enrollment period for former President Barack Obama’s signature health care law, Adam Hodge, former Democratic National Committee communications director, said on Fox News Tuesday. “Obamacare is more popular now than it’s ever been,” Hodge said. “We’ve seen record sign-ups during the open enrollment period, that the Trump administration…Emily Larsen -
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Fact Check: Did Republicans ‘Essentially’ Repeal Obamacare?
President Donald Trump claimed the GOP tax bill that Congress passed Wednesday “essentially” repeals Obamacare. “We—I hate to say this—but we essentially repealed Obamacare because we got rid of the individual mandate, which was terrible,” said Trump during remarks after passage of the bill. Verdict: False Republicans voted to repeal the individual mandate—the requirement that Americans buy health insurance or face a penalty—but…David Sivak -
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GOP Lawmakers Target Another Obamacare Mandate in States
Republicans in Congress are working to chip away at programs mandated under Obamacare following their inability to repeal the health care law. Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., and Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., introduced a bill Tuesday to end what they called Obamacare’s “failing” plans that competed with private health insurers in the states. “Multistate plans were…Rachel del Guidice -
- Opinion
Killing Obamacare’s Individual Mandate Would Not Amount to a Tax Increase
Only in Washington can removing a tax penalty be considered a tax increase. The proposed tax overhaul that is quickly making its way through Congress would eliminate Obamacare’s individual mandate. That mandate—ruled a “tax” by the Supreme Court—charges taxpayers anywhere from $695 to upward of $10,000 (based on their income) if they do not purchase…Rachel Greszler -
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Seniors Face Return of Obamacare Tax in 2018
The clock is ticking for the return of an Obamacare tax that opponents say will hit older Americans on fixed incomes particularly hard, costing them an extra $500 per couple. “For seniors on fixed incomes, my heavens, it’s a real problem,” @60PlusAssoc says. Congress hasn’t taken action to delay or eliminate the tax before Jan….Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Doomsday Will Not Follow Repeal of Obamacare’s Individual Mandate
Congressional repeal of Obamacare’s individual insurance mandate penalty is not tantamount to pressing the button on the doomsday machine. Critics of the Senate tax bill say repeal of the mandate penalty to buy Obamacare coverage will result in a spike in premiums, an increase in the numbers of the uninsured, and a “collapse” of the…Robert Moffit -
- Opinion
The Senate Voted to Kill Obamacare’s Individual Mandate. Why That Was a Wise Call.
Obamacare’s individual mandate to buy federally standardized health insurance is a tax, courtesy of the Supreme Court’s elaborate exercise in creative writing: National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius (2012). Legislators should judge a law by its results, not by good intentions. The record is clear: This particular tax is both unworkable and unfair. The…Robert Moffit -
- Opinion
This Obama-Created Agency’s Power Shows the Danger of the Deep State
Never let a crisis go to waste. The kerfuffle at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or CFPB—an often overlooked consumer watchdog agency created during the Obama administration—is a perfect illustration of how the administrative state has become a menace to constitutional government. The CFPB re-emerged as a focus of controversy last week when its director,…Jarrett Stepman -
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Watchdogs Turn Up More Evidence Obama’s EPA Broke Federal Law
Former President Barack Obama’s Environmental Protection Agency used a social media platform to secretly promote the agency’s policies in violation of federal law, according to a conservative watchdog group in Washington, D.C. Judicial Watch obtained 900 pages of documents Monday showing the EPA used social media to lobby support for the Waters of the United…Chris White -
- Opinion
Why Eliminating Obamacare’s Individual Mandate Should Be Part of Tax Reform
Obamacare’s individual mandate survived the Supreme Court’s 2012 ruling on the Affordable Care Act solely because the court interpreted the insurance requirement as a “tax.” But now that Republicans in the Senate have included repealing—or zeroing out—this “tax” as part of tax reform, Democrats are crying foul play, accusing Republicans of trying to wrongly include…Rachel Greszler -
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Q&A: FCC Chairman Explains Why He’s Ending Obama’s ‘Heavy-Handed Internet Regulations’
The Federal Communications Commission will vote in December on a proposal to repeal Obama-era net neutrality rules. Shortly after publicly announcing the news, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai spoke to Daily Signal Editor-in-Chief Rob Bluey. In the edited transcript that follows, Pai explains what it means for consumers and addresses concerns voiced by the left. Bluey:…Rob Bluey -
- Opinion
How Fewer Obamacare Options Hurt a 4-Year-Old
Forget good intentions. Remember bad results. The Washington Post recently published a heart-wrenching story of two Virginia families caught up with the consequences of a damaged, declining, and increasingly noncompetitive health insurance market. Little Collette Briggs, 4, suffers from an aggressive case of leukemia, and the Briggs family for two years has depended upon the…Robert Moffit -
- Opinion
Democrats in Meltdown Mode as Obamacare Individual Mandate Moves Toward Extinction
Democrats, of course, oppose the tax cuts moving through Congress. They believe government knows how to spend your money better than you do. But what has really got their goat is eliminating the Obamacare tax—known as the individual mandate—that Americans have to pay to the IRS for simply choosing not to buy health insurance. This…Emily Miller -
- Opinion
Repealing the Obamacare Mandate Lets Americans Keep More of Their Money
The Senate should be commended for including repeal of Obamacare’s individual mandate in its tax reform plan. Repealing the mandate that forces individuals to buy health insurance would provide tax relief to millions of Americans who can’t afford the rising costs of Obamacare and otherwise would be subject to the tax penalty. The Congressional Budget…Adam Michel