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President Barack Obama

Definition

Barack Obama was the 44th president of the United States, serving from 2009 to 2017. He was the first African American to be elected to the presidency. His administration focused on issues such as healthcare reform (Obamacare), economic recovery after the Great Recession, and environmental policy.

Analogy

Think of President Obama like a coach who takes over a struggling sports team. The economy was in bad shape when he took office, much like a team with a losing record. He implemented new strategies (like Obamacare and stimulus packages) to try and turn things around.

Related terms

Affordable Care Act (Obamacare): A comprehensive health care reform law enacted in March 2010 during the Obama administration that aimed at providing more Americans with access to affordable health insurance while improving quality and reducing health care spending.

Great Recession: A severe worldwide economic crisis that took place from December 2007 until June 2009. It was sparked by a financial crisis due to subprime mortgages and risky financial products.

Paris Agreement: An international treaty negotiated by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that aims to limit global warming. The U.S., under Obama's administration, joined this agreement in 2016.