2008-2016
On January 20, 2009, Barack Obama became the first African American President of the United States. In the first two years of his administration, he appointed two Supreme Court justices, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. He also received the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for his promotion of nuclear non-proliferation and outreach to the Muslim world. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, a $787 billion stimulus package, passed as soon as Obama entered office. It was a follow-up to President Bush’s Troubled Asset Relief Program of 2008. The plan later spurred the formation of the Tea Party. In 2010 Obama offered his signature legislation, the Affordable Care Act, or “Obamacare” as others called it. It was a dramatic expansion of healthcare coverage throughout America.
President Obama oversaw military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Syria while in office. He authorized the operation that killed Osama bin Laden in May of 2011. After two years of negotiations, he signed a nuclear deal with Iran, which sent $1.7 billion of seized Iranian assets back to Iran for guarantees it would not produce nuclear weapons. In 2015, Obama worked with Pope Francis to open diplomatic relations with the Cuban government. To deal with the financial crisis of 2007-8, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Consumer Protection Act was passed. It rewrote financial regulations to help avert the “Great Depression”. In 2016, Obama signed the Paris Climate Agreement. He had an approval rating of 68% upon entering office and 60% when he left.