BARACK OBAMA

On November 4, 2008, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois was elected president of the United
States over Senator John McCain of Arizona. Obama became the 44th president, and the
first African American to be elected to that office. ​He was inaugurated as the president on
January 20, 2009. ​Obama was an important U.S. president because of the impact he has
had on America and other people around the world. . Barack Obama was a caring and
helpful person. He helped the people who could not fend for themselves and was caring
towards others who were victims of tragic events.

● When he became President, he used his new authority to help jobless people to find
a job and help fix the economy.

“Obama and his fellow Democrats succeeded in pushing through a stimulus plan to
help the economy recover.” ("Barack Obama." Research in Context, Gale, 2017).
As soon as Obama entered office his focus was towards helping the economy and other
people who were unemployed. This shows that he thought about people who were in need
and so he helped them by stabilizing the economy and helping the situation of
unemployment.
In February 2009, Congress approved Obama's $787 billion economic stimulus package. It
cut taxes, extended unemployment benefits, and funded public works projects.
The recession ended in July 2009 when GDP (​gross domestic product)​ growth turned
positive.
In just seven months, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act pumped $241.9 billion
into the economy. That increased growth to a robust 3.9 percent rate by early 2010. By
March 30, 2011, almost all ($633.5 billion) of the funds were spent.

(In December 2010, Obama and Congress agreed upon additional stimulus in the form of an
$858 billion tax cut. It had three main components: a extension of the Bush tax cuts, a
extension of unemployment benefits, and a reduction in workers' payroll taxes. The estate
tax was exempted (up to $5 million), and there were additional credits for college tuition and
children.)

● The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 ​(Pub.L. 111–2, S. 181)
is a federal statute in the United States that was the first bill signed into law by US President
Barack Obama on January 29, 2009. This law is restoring basic protections against pay
discrimination for women and other workers
Under this Act, employees may challenge unfair pay even if they are not initially aware that
they are being discriminated against by their employers. Not only does this Act allow women
to better fight back against gender based discrimination in the workplace, it puts measures in
place to help ensure that this discrimination does not take place at all.
This act is an important step to help close the gender based wage gap that has persevered
for decades even after the original Equal Pay Act was passed in the United States.
 ● On February 4, 2009, President Obama signed the ​Children's Health Insurance
Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 ​(CHIPRA). This legislation marked a new era
in children's coverage and provides health care to 11 million kids -- 4 million of whom
were previously uninsured

● “Obama signed into law and extended health care plan, that Patient Protection,
and Affordable Care Act.” ("Barack Obama." Research in Context, Gale, 2017).
After five presidents over a century failed to create universal health insurance, signed
the Affordable Care Act (2010). It will cover 32 million uninsured Americans
beginning in 2014 and mandates a suite of experimental measures to cut health care
cost growth, the number one cause of America’s long-term fiscal problems. Obama
cares for other people’s health and made health care accessible to those who
couldn't afford it. This shows how he used his new authority to help people.

● Obama was not only helping the people of his own country, but also the people of
others. “He worked to end the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.” ("Barack Obama."
Research in Context, Gale, 2017). Obama focused on terrorism and wars in other
countries which needed help.
Also, In 2011, ordered special forces raid of secret compound in Abbottabad,
Pakistan, in which the terrorist ​leader O
​ sama bin laden ​was killed ​and a trove of
al-Qaeda documents was discovered.

● In addition to helping others with the war, he helped the victims of a natural disaster
who were in desperately needing situations​. “... the President pledged his support
to the millions of people wounded and displaced by the catastrophe.”("Barack
Obama." Gale Biography in Context, Gale, 2004).

● Obama repealed Bill Clinton's law instituting the policy commonly referred to
as "Don't ask, don't tell" (DADT) ”
​In December 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Repeal Act of 2010. He ended 1990s-era restriction and formalized new policy
allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military for the first time.

● He provided the Department of Veterans Affairs with more than $1.4 billion to
improve services to America's Veterans

As the first African American president, he gave hope and inspiration to some but always set
an example for others to do the right thing and be helpful.

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