What can we expect from Barack Obama’s second term as President? Here’s a quick look, compiled by The New Yorker, at Obama’s record on eight key issues: what he’s said, what he’s accomplished so far, and what he might be planning. For details, read Ryan Lizza’s inside account of the debates over what the President should prioritize over the next four years.
What he’s said:
“I state clearly and with conviction America’s commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.”
April 5, 2009; Prague, Czech Republic.
What he’s accomplished:
The Administration oversaw the ratification of a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia in April, 2010, which will significantly reduce the number of deployed strategic weapons. It also coöperated with Israel in the development of Stuxnet, a computer virus aimed at Iran’s nuclear program. The President hosted the Nuclear Security Summit in April, 2010.
Possible second-term goal:
Ratification of the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty. Containment of Iran’s nuclear program.
What he’s said:
“This was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal.”
June 3, 2008, after clinching the Democratic nomination for President.
What he’s accomplished:
Obama has strengthened fuel-efficiency standards and increased funding for energy-efficiency and alternative-energy projects through the stimulus. But his major climate legislation died in the Senate.
Possible second-term goal:
Pass legislation that promotes clean energy, lowers carbon emissions, and reduces dependence on foreign fuels.
What he’s said:
“I know there are Republicans and Democrats in Congress who want to see a balanced approach to deficit reduction.”
April 13, 2011; Washington, D.C.
What he’s accomplished:
The Budget Control Act of 2011 punted the debate to a Super Committee, which then failed to reach an agreement. Cuts in military spending and Medicare-provider payments will kick in early next year unless an alternative agreement is reached.
Possible second-term goal:
A bipartisan long-term deficit-reduction agreement that cuts the deficit by about four trillion dollars over ten years, through a combination of spending cuts and revenue increases.
What he’s said:
“Yes, the world is changing; no, we can’t control every event. But America remains the one indispensable nation in world affairs—and as long as I’m President I intend to keep it that way.”
January 24, 2012; State of the Union address.
What he’s accomplished:
Several Al Qaeda leaders, including Osama bin Laden, have been eliminated. The U.S. supported rebel forces in Libya, helping to end the rule of Muammar Qaddafi. The war in Iraq came to an official end in December, 2011. In Afghanistan, the American presence ramped up in 2009, followed by a drawdown in 2011. Obama strengthened economic and military ties with several Southeast Asian countries.
Possible second-term goal:
Renewed push for peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Focus on evolving relations with China. Additional foreign aid for developing nations.
What he’s said:
“We need to do everything in our power to repair the damage and make responsible families whole again. Everything we can.”
February 1, 2012; Virginia.
What he’s accomplished:
The Administration announced the Home Affordable Refinance Program in March, 2009, a seventy-five-billion-dollar plan to help homeowners with government-backed mortgages. Despite the big price tag, it fell well short of its goals and has been widely derided as a failure. In his 2012 State of the Union address, the President proposed a new program to help homeowners.
Possible second-term goal:
Bring down the seven hundred billion dollars in negative equity held by homeowners who are stuck in houses worth less than their mortgages. Reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What he’s said:
“Our task then is to make our national laws actually work—to shape a system that reflects our values as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.”
July 1, 2010; Washington, D.C.
What he’s accomplished:
More resources than ever have been dedicated to securing the nation’s land borders, and the Administration has achieved record-breaking immigration-enforcement statistics. Meanwhile, states like Arizona have passed their own bills, claiming that the federal government has not done enough. In June, the Administration enforced an executive order that halted deportations for young undocumented immigrants.
Possible second-term goal:
Pass the DREAM Act. Make a deal with Republicans on a comprehensive immigration bill that includes a path to legalization for unauthorized immigrants.
What he’s said:
“How do we sit back and watch China and Europe build the best bridges and high-speed railroads and gleaming new airports, and we’re doing nothing?”
November 2, 2011; Washington, D.C.
What he’s accomplished:
The 2009 stimulus included billions of dollars for infrastructure projects, including $27.5 billion for highways and bridges, $9.3 billion for high-speed rail and Amtrak, and eleven billion dollars for modernizing the electric grid. However, Obama was disappointed that the stimulus did not include a project on the scale of the Hoover Dam or the Interstate Highway System.
Possible second-term goal:
Spend an extra hundred and fifty billion dollars on infrastructure, including a signature project, and reform the process by which projects are awarded.
What he’s said:
“This is not just about fairness. This is also about growth. This is also about being able to make the investments we need to succeed.”
April 11, 2012; Washington, D.C.
What he’s accomplished:
The 2009 stimulus allotted billions of dollars for tax cuts and tax incentives for individuals and businesses. In 2010, Obama compromised with Congress and extended the Bush tax cuts for two years.
Possible second-term goal:
Resolve Taxmageddon and enact the so-called Buffett Rule, a plan to insure that the wealthiest Americans pay at least thirty per cent of their income in federal taxes.
Photograph by Christopher Morris/VII.
