President Obama's Domestic Agenda

First-Term Agenda on Energy, Education, Taxes, Veterans

The following articles set forth President Obama's goals and underlying principles for his first-term domestic agenda. Policy areas covered include education, immigration, environmental and energy issues, income taxes, Social Security, the economy, civil rights, and veterans' issues.

Obama's "Guiding Principles" for policies are brief but packed with powerful, albeit sometimes surprising, ideas. Given this transparency, no one should be surprised either by what he does or doesn't advocate during his tenure.

01
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Obama's Energy, Environmental Policy "Guiding Principles"

President Obama Delivers State Of The Union Address At U.S. Capitol
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"The President is working with Congress to pass comprehensive legislation to protect our nation from the economic and strategic risks associated with our reliance on foreign oil and the destabilizing effects of a changing climate. Policies to advance energy and climate security should promote economic recovery efforts, accelerate job creation, and drive clean energy manufacturing by... "

02
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Obama's Education Policy "Guiding Principles"

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"Our nation’s economic competitiveness and the path to the American Dream depend on providing every child with an education that will enable them to succeed in a global economy that is predicated on knowledge and innovation. President Obama is committed to providing every child access to a complete and competitive education, from cradle through career... "

03
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Obama's Immigration Policy "Guiding Principles"

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"President Obama believes that our broken immigration system can only be fixed by putting politics aside and offering a complete solution that secures our border, enforces our laws, and reaffirms our heritage as a nation of immigrants. He believes our immigration policy should be driven by our best judgment of... "

04
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Obama's Tax Policy "Guiding Principles"

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""For too long, the U.S. tax code has benefited the wealthy and well-connected at the expense of the vast majority of Americans. President Obama’s aims to restore fairness to the tax system by providing the Making Work Pay tax cut to 95 percent of working families while closing loopholes that prevent wealthy companies and individuals from paying a fair share... "

05
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Obama's Economic Policy "Guiding Principles"

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""President Obama’s central focus is on stimulating economic recovery and helping America emerge a stronger and more prosperous nation. The current economic crisis is the result of many years of irresponsibility, both in government and in the private sector... President Obama’s first priority in confronting the economic crisis is to put Americans back to work."

06
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Obama's Social Security "Guiding Principles"

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"President Obama believes that all seniors should be able to retire with dignity, not just a privileged few. He is committed to protecting Social Security and working... to preserve its original purpose as a reliable source of income for American seniors. The President stands firmly opposed to... "

07
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Obama's Veterans Policy "Guiding Principles"

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"This Administration will ensure that DoD and VA coordinate to provide a seamless transition from active duty to civilian life and help fix the benefit bureaucracy. The President will make sure the VA provides veterans the best care possible... Because the nightmares of war don't always end when our loved ones return home, this Administration will work to meet the mental health needs of our veterans... "

08
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Obama's Civil Rights Policy "Guiding Principles"

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"The President is committed to expanding funding for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division to ensure that voting rights are protected and Americans do not suffer from increased discrimination during a time of economic distress... He supports full civil unions and federal rights for LGBT couples and opposes a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. He supports repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell in a sensible way that... "

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Your Citation
White, Deborah. "President Obama's Domestic Agenda." ThoughtCo, Aug. 26, 2020, thoughtco.com/president-obamas-domestic-agenda-3325197. White, Deborah. (2020, August 26). President Obama's Domestic Agenda. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/president-obamas-domestic-agenda-3325197 White, Deborah. "President Obama's Domestic Agenda." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/president-obamas-domestic-agenda-3325197 (accessed March 19, 2024).