Barack Obama

On the Issues

  • Education

    President Obama believes in raising the standards of education while supporting teachers and students by:

    • Signing into law an update on the G.I. Bill allowing educational benefits to be transferred to family members of National Guard members who perform active service
    • Investing $2 billion dollars in competitive grants to reform community colleges
    • Doubling investment in scholarships and financial aid ensuring students from working and middle-class families access to complete the college education to obtain jobs
    • Enacting the Recovery Act that, according to Obama administration claims, created nearly 300,000 education jobs and prevented 161,000 teacher and school staff layoffs
    • Making college more affordable by doubling Pell Grant funding, capping the maximum amount of monthly student loan repayment at 10 percent of income above basic living allowance, and ensuring that teachers, nurses, and members of the armed forces will have their student loans forgiven after 10 years granted payments are made on timePresident Obama believes in raising the standards of education while supporting teachers and students by:
    • Signing into law an update on the G.I. Bill allowing educational benefits to be transferred to family members of National Guard members who perform active service
    • Investing $2 billion dollars in competitive grants to reform community colleges
    • Doubling investment in scholarships and financial aid ensuring students from working and middle-class families access to complete the college education to obtain jobs
    • Enacting the Recovery Act that, according to Obama administration claims, created nearly 300,000 education jobs and prevented 161,000 teacher and school staff layoffs
    • Making college more affordable by doubling Pell Grant funding, capping the maximum amount of monthly student loan repayment at 10 percent of income above basic living allowance, and ensuring that teachers, nurses, and members of the armed forces will have their student loans forgiven after 10 years granted payments are made on time

  • Energy and Environment

    Obama believes moving towards energy independence, investing in clean-energy jobs, and improving the quality of our air and water are priorities. He wants to use the clean-energy sector to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, create jobs, and protect the environment. As President, Obama has:

    • Signed a law providing for a large expansion of federally protected wilderness
    • Established safety regulations for offshore drilling designed to prevent risk-taking while allowing safe and responsible development
    • Proposed national standards for dangerous chemicals emitted from coal and oil-fired power plants under the Environmental Protection Agency
    • Approved an offshore wind farm and 13 commercial-scale solar facilities
    • Agreed with auto manufacturers to improve the fuel economy of the auto fleet in order to save drivers money at the gas pump

  • Federal Spending, Debt & Taxes

    Under his administration, Obama has successfully fought for and provided working families with a tax cut under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. He proposed the Buffett Rule, asking millionaires and billionaires to pay their fair share of taxes, while allowing individuals making $250,000 a year or less to receive no tax increase. Obama called for the reformation of the tax code and closing tax for millionaires, billionaires, hedge fund managers, private jet owners, and oil companies.

  • Foreign Relations

    Obama is working towards ending our country's dependence on oil from the Middle East, as promised before his first election.

  • Global Economy

    Obama created the National Export Initiative, a government-wide effort to help small businesses compete in the global marketplace with a goal of doubling our nation's exports by 2015. He signed trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama that, according to Obama administration estimates, will increase exports by over $11 billion and support over 70,000 American jobs.

  • Government Regulation

    Obama pushed for and signed the Dodd-Frank legislation to hold Wall Street accountable and end taxpayer-funded bailouts. The reform ensures Wall Street will pay the price and set ground rules for risky financial speculation if a company fails. The act established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, protecting consumers from unfair financial practices and ensuring that credit card companies and mortgage and payday lenders have to follow rules.

  • Gun Rights

    Obama supports the Second Amendment, acknowledging that the degree of gun ownership may vary from person to person, but the individual freedom and right to bear arms will not be affected.

  • Health Care

    President Obama believes health care is a basic cornerstone of middle-class security and he passed the Affordable Care Act to ensure:

    • Insurance company abuses, such as denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions or cancelling coverage when someone gets sick, are put to an end
    • Health care is more affordable for families and small businesses
    • Insurance companies do not discriminate against women and provide them access to a range of health services without a copayment or deductible
    • Small businesses are eligible for a tax credit, assisting them in the payment of health care premiums
    • Working families are protected from losing health care or being forced into bankruptcy when someone gets sick or hurt
    • Insurance companies justify rate hikes and increase transparency
    • Consumers have the ability to appeal to an independent third party when insurance companies refuse to cover services or care

  • Illegal Immigration

    • The Obama administration sued to block the Arizona law that cracks down on illegal immigrants
    • Obama has increased deportations of violent criminals
    • He has urged Congress to create a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants
    • Obama has supported legislation that would provide a route to legal status for college students and members of the military illegally brought to the country as children

  • Jobs & Economy

    President Obama is furthering his steps to restore middle class security by:

    • Creating the National Export Initiative, a government-wide effort to help small businesses compete in the global marketplace and double our nation's exports by 2015
    • Signing agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama that, according to Obama administration estimates, will increase exports by over $11 billion and support over 70,000 American jobs
    • Signing the America Invents Act, patent reform legislation to help entrepreneurs bring inventions to market sooner, creating new businesses and jobs
    • Proposing the American Jobs Act

  • National Security

    President Obama proposes to concentrate on our most serious threats while promoting our values and improving our global standing by:

    • Bringing our soldiers home from Iraq in a responsible and safe manner
    • Strengthening our leadership by maintaining a strong military
    • Refocusing our efforts to defeat al-Qaeda in both Afghanistan and Pakistan while simultaneously starting to bring our troops home from Afghanistan
    • Passing the START Treaty with Russia to reduce the amount of nuclear weapons deployed by Russia and the U.S. and allowing the U.S. to inspect Russian nuclear sites
    • Banning the use of torture and closing secret CIA detention facilities
Candidate positions inferred via Project Vote Smart: votesmart.org

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