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Barack Obama has declared his position on many political issues through his public comments and legislative record. The Obama Administration has stated that its general agenda is to "revive the economy; provide affordable, accessible health care to all; strengthen our public education and social security systems; define a clear path to energy independence and tackle climate change; end the war in Iraq responsibly and finish our mission in Afghanistan; and work with our allies to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon."[1]
[edit] Economic policyMain article: Barack Obama economic policy Barack Obama's current economic advisors are Austan Goolsbee of the University of Chicago and Jeffrey Liebman of Harvard University.[2] In 2006, Obama wrote: "We should be asking ourselves what mix of policies will lead to a dynamic free market and widespread economic security, entrepreneurial innovation and upward mobility [...] we should be guided by what works."[3] Speaking before the National Press Club in April 2005, he defended the New Deal social welfare policies of Franklin D. Roosevelt, associating Republican proposals to establish private accounts for Social Security with Social Darwinism.[4] [edit] Foreign policy Main article: Barack Obama foreign policy Further information: Foreign policy of the Barack Obama administration Obama's overall foreign policy philosophy has been postulated as "The Obama Doctrine" by Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne, which Dionne explains as "a form of realism unafraid to deploy American power but mindful that its use must be tempered by practical limits and a dose of self-awareness." [6] A New York Times editorial by David Brooks identified Obama as having enormous respect for and being deeply influenced by the philosophy of Reinhold Niebuhr.[7] [edit] OverviewHis first major speech on foreign policy was delivered on April 23, 2007 to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. He identified the problems that he believes the current foreign policy has caused, and the five ways the United States can lead again, focused on "common security", "common humanity", and remaining "a beacon of freedom and justice for the world":[8]
During the speech Obama called for an expansion of the United States Armed Forces "by adding 65,000 soldiers to the Army and 27,000 Marines", an idea previously introduced by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. In a Washington, DC speech entitled "A New Strategy for a New World"[9] delivered July 15, 2008, Obama stated five main foreign policy goals:
[edit] Social policyMain article: Barack Obama social policy The Almanac of American Politics (2008) rated Obama's overall social policies in 2006 as more conservative than 21 percent of the Senate, and more liberal than 77 percent of the Senate (18 percent and 77 percent, respectively, in 2005).[10]
In his write-in response to a 1998 survey, Obama stated his abortion position as conforming with the Democratic platform: "Abortions should be legally available in accordance with Roe v. Wade."[11] His presidential candidacy was endorsed by several groups which advocate for legal abortion, including NARAL Pro-Choice America[12] and Planned Parenthood[13]. In August 2008, in Lake Forest, California, Obama responded to the question as to when life begins, "Whether you're looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity is above my pay grade."[14] In the Illinois state legislature, Obama opposed the Induced Infant Liability Act[15] and repeatedly voted against requirements and restrictions on what opponents label "born alive" abortions.[16][17] Obama said his opposition was because of technical language he felt might have "interfered with a woman's right to choose" and said Illinois law already required medical care in such situations.[17][18] Obama voted against the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, saying "On an issue like partial birth abortion, I strongly believe that the state can properly restrict late-term abortions. I have said so repeatedly. All I've said is we should have a provision to protect the health of the mother, and many of the bills that came before me didn't have that."[19] Obama voted against a bill that would have made it a federal crime for anyone other than a parent to accompany a minor across state lines to obtain an abortion.[20] Obama has, however, expressed support of bans on some late-term abortions, provided they include exemptions for the mental and physical health of the mother.[21] During the third debate during the 2008 presidential campaign, Obama further detailed his stance on abortion:
Obama voted for a $100 million education initiative to reduce teen pregnancy and provide contraceptives to young people.[19] [edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External linksFind more about Barack Obama on Wikipedia's sister projects:  Definitions from Wiktionary Textbooks from Wikibooks Quotations from Wikiquote Source texts from Wikisource Images and media from Commons News stories from Wikinews Learning resources from Wikiversity
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