US Presidents Achieving Their Aims
Political Studies: Edexcel A Level, topic 14.2.3
US Presidents Achieving Their Aims
A president who has effectively achieved their aims is one that achieves much of the legislation and policies which they promised.
Barack Obama promises
- Barack Obama was elected in 2008 with the campaign slogan ‘change we can believe in’ and ‘yes we can’.
- President Obama promised to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
- President Obama promised to increase equality of pay between men and women.
- Obama promised to close the Guantanamo Bay facility.
- President Obama aimed to introduce expanded access to healthcare across the US.
- President Obama proposed reforms to immigration and gun control.
Barack Obama’s achievements
- President Obama brought an end to the Iraq War in 2011, however, was unable to end the Afghanistan War.
- Equality of pay was improved through the 2009 Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.
- Obama was able to pass the Affordable Care Act (2010).
Things Obama was unable to achieve
- Obama failed to close Guantanamo Bay.
- Obama was unable to pass the DREAM Act through Congress.
- Obama used executive action to introduce*DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) instead.
- Obama could not pass major gun control reforms through Congress, though he used executive actions to tighten some background checks.
George W. Bush’s promises
- President Bush promised to reform Social Security and the US healthcare system.
- President Bush promised to cut taxes.
- President Bush outlined plans to combat terrorism through his ‘War on Terror’ after 9/11.
- President Bush promised to increase spending on education.
George W. Bush’s achievements
- President Bush expanded Medicare through the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (2003).
- Bush delivered major tax cuts.
- Congress passed the No Child Left Behind Act (2001), introducing standardised testing.
The 'War on Terror'
- Bush's 'War on Terror' included passing the USA PATRIOT Act (2001), military intervention in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the continued use of Guantanamo Bay.
- These policies were controversial and remain debated.
US Presidents Achieving Their Aims: Clinton
A president who has effectively achieved their aims is one that achieves much of the legislation and policies which they promised.
Bill Clinton's promises
- President Clinton promised to reform the healthcare system.
- President Clinton outlined plans to improve education.
- Clinton aimed to reduce the size of the budget deficit.
- Clinton promised to take responsibility for improving the environment.
- Clinton aimed to introduce laws to increase gun control.
- Clinton promised to ensure citizens had equal civil rights.
Bill Clinton's achievements
- Clinton had success in reducing the budget, passing laws on the environment and equal civil rights.
- Clinton was able to reduce the budget deficit by 50%.
- Clinton protected over 40 million acres of Federal forests and land under his Lands Legacy Initiative.
- Don't Ask, Don't Tell' (1993) allowed gay, lesbian, and bisexual people to serve in the military, but required them to keep their sexual orientation private.
Bill Clinton's achievements
- Clinton had success in education and gun control.
- Clinton's Goals 2000 Program set out goals to reform national education including to increase graduation rates of school students to over 90% and to improve students' maths and science achievement.
- Clinton passed the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act which introduced criminal background checks for gun buyers and a 5 day waiting period on purchases.
Bill Clinton ineffective
- President Clinton was ineffective in achieving some of his aims around healthcare and civil rights equality.
- The 1996 Defense of Marriage Act was passed which allowed states to refuse same-sex marriage.
- Bill Clinton's healthcare reform plan failed to pass through Congress in 1994.
Test yourself on US Presidents Achieving Their Aims
Which piece of legislation allowed gay, lesbian, and bisexual people to serve in the military, but required them to keep their sexual orientation private?