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Spanish-American War

2019-03-15T23:35:17Z

Thetruejesusson: Addition of facts

The '''Spanish-American War''' was a short conflict of a few months duration in 1898, between the [[United States]] and [[Spain]]. Although President [[William McKinley]] strongly opposed the war, the Spanish were unable to meet American demands regarding the systematic, massive mistreatment of Cubans. On the other hand, there was a special economic interest of the United States in Cuba, such as it´s massive sugar production on the island. When the [[Battleship Maine]] suddenly exploded in Havana Harbor (probably planned by the US government), the American people zeroed in on the Cuban crisis and demanded action. When the war came –"a splendid little war," one official called it—it lasted only six months, and was marked by dramatic American victories at sea in the Philippines and on land and sea near Cuba. The war drew Americans together, especially the Southerners whose patriotism had been in doubt since the Civil War a generation earlier. The Spanish-American War represented a significant turning point in America's position in the world. Besides acquiring Puerto Rico in the Caribbean and the Philippine Islands in the Pacific, territorial possessions that created new defensive responsibilities, the United States demonstrated that it had built up its naval capacity sufficiently to defeat an established European power. The war ended Spanish colonial rule in [[Cuba]] and the [[Phillipines]], and gave Spain a respite from the bitter internal struggles in the 1890s, thus postponing a civil war until the 1930s.

==Background==
[[File:Judge-2-6-1897.jpg|thumb|500px|Columbia (the American people) reaches out to help oppressed Cuba in 1897 while Uncle Sam (the US Government) is blind. ''Judge'' Feb. 6, 1897]]

The war that erupted in 1898 with Spain had its origins in the First Cuban Insurrection (1868-1878). The Cuban rebels had formed relationships with small groups of Americans committed to their cause. Many of these Americans supported the filibusters who attempted to run military supplies to the insurrectionists on the island. War had nearly erupted between the United States and Spain in 1873 when the Spanish captured the filibuster ship Virginius and executed most of the crew, including many American citizens. The Treaty of Zanjón signaled a temporary peace, but American sympathies remained with the Cubans desiring independence. When the reforms promised by the treaty proved illusory, the insurrectionists and their American supporters prepared for a new round.

Cuban émigrés in the United States formed clubs, raised money, and gained support from labor unions and the press. The movement also gained support in the Cuban business community following the depression of 1893 in the United States. The U.S. Congress responded to the economic crisis in part by raising tariffs on sugar imports from Cuba, plunging the island's export-dependent economy into a deep depression. Many Cuban businessmen blamed Spanish-American competition for their woes, and they thought that autonomy from Spain and closer economic ties with the United States would bring a return to prosperity. The military leaders of the new revolutionary army, José Martí, Máximo Gómez, and Antonio Maceo, began offensive operations on the island in April 1895. Martí announced that the war would be conducted by conventional means. However, when Martí died in an ambush soon after landing in Cuba, Gómez assumed command and decided to target the already battered sugar industry. Gómez believed that only an economic catastrophe would involve the whole island and force the Spanish to grant independence, as the cost of maintaining control became too great.

The Spanish government reacted by sending General Valeriano Weyler y Nicolau with orders to pacify the island. The "Butcher," as he became know in the United States, determined to deprive the rebels of support by forcibly re-concentrating the civilian population in the troublesome districts to areas near military headquarters. Nevertheless, military efforts alone were not enough to end the insurrection, and in Spain the Conservative government of Antonio Cánovas del Castillo was too weak to bring about meaningful reforms. Political opposition from Liberals, Carlists, and republicans, as well as the political influence of the Spanish army, severely limited Cánovas's freedom of action. Any conciliatory moves toward Cuban independence, or even home rule, would likely give the Conservative government's various opponents an issue around which they all could rally.

Upon taking office in 1897, President [[William McKinley]] hoped to avoid entanglement in the problems in Cuba so that he could pursue his domestic agenda of continuing the U.S. economy's recovery from the depression. Although some individuals pushed for overseas economic and territorial expansion, they were in the minority and did not reflect the general mood of the country at the beginning of McKinley's term. During the first year of his presidency, most of the American public was content to passively support the cause of Cuban independence. Public opinion in the United States dramatically changed by his second year, influencing the president to reorder his priorities.

To challenge Spain effectively on the issue of Cuba, McKinley needed a strong Navy. The service that the new administration inherited in 1897 was in the midst of sustained growth and reform following twenty years of purposeful neglect. At the close of the [[American Civil War]], the [[U.S. Navy]] had in commission more than 600 vessels. Nearly all of the new ships were wartime purchases, hastily constructed, or made from unseasoned timber. After the war, most were sold off or destroyed. In spite of international crises such as the Virginius Affair, contention with [[Great Britain]] over the [[Alabama Claims (1862-1872)]], and problems with [[France]] over a projected canal in [[Panama]], the strength of the Navy continued to decline. By 1879, only 48 of the Navy's 142 vessels were available for immediate service, and these were obsolete wooden or old ironclad ships. Naval technology had stagnated in the United States, illustrated by the fact that there was not a single high-power, long-range rifled gun in the entire fleet. In 1884 the U.S. Navy's newest ships were wooden-hulled steam sloops built in the previous decade.

Modernization began in the early 1880s during the administration of President Chester A. Arthur. Rapid growth in overseas markets and a foreign policy aimed at U.S. control of communications across the isthmus of Central America drove the country toward naval expansion. Two years of debate on the nature of this expansion culminated with the Navy Act of 1883, authorizing the construction of the steel cruisers ''Atlanta'', ''Boston'', and ''Chicago'' and the dispatch vessel ''Dolphin''. The American fleet that began with these greatly superior vessels came to be known as the New Navy. Congress continued the process by approving additional steel warships, including the New Navy's first armored ships, USS ''Texas'' and USS ''Maine''.

It was during the administration of [[Benjamin Harrison]] (1889-1893) that the Navy's strategy began to change from defense and commerce protection to offensive fleet action. President Harrison called for the continued and rapid construction of modern warships and the acquisition of bases to maintain the U.S. fleet in foreign seas. He later urged Congress to authorize construction of [[battleship]]s, giving support to Secretary of the Navy Benjamin F. Tracy's goal of making the U.S. fleet strong enough "to be able to divert an enemy's force from our coast by threatening his own, for a war, though defensive in principle, may be conducted most effectively by being offensive in its operations."

Tracy proved to be an excellent administrator, and he marshaled allies for his expansionist policies in both Congress and the Navy, including Captain [[Alfred Thayer Mahan]]. Mahan's involvement stemmed from his strong belief that government leaders played a crucial role in determining the growth or decay of a nation's sea power. Navalists around the world used his 1890 publication, ''The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660-1783'', to promote naval expansion in their own countries. American navalists' work bore fruit with the Navy Bill of 30 June 1890, authorizing construction of three battleships later named ''Indiana'', ''Oregon'', and ''Massachusetts''. Along with the battleship ''Iowa'', authorized in 1892, this force formed the core of a new fleet willing to challenge European navies for control of the waters in the Western Hemisphere.

While civilian leadership and U.S. industry prepared the Navy materially for an offensive war, a new institution, the [[Naval War College]], prepared the service intellectually. Founded in 1884 and placed under the direction of Commodore Stephen B. Luce, the War College contributed greatly to the professionalization of the U.S. Naval Officer Corps at the end of the nineteenth century. By the 1890s the curriculum at the War College featured training problems in which students drafted plans for operations in the event of war with specific countries under particular circumstances. Beginning in 1894 the War College under the direction of its president, Rear Admiral Henry C. Taylor, and later special boards convened by the Secretary of the Navy, examined the possibility of war with Spain over trouble in Cuba. When such a conflict appeared unavoidable in early 1898, the Navy Department had a solid body of planning studies honed by four years of debate among its leading officers. Although the realities of war would force several modifications, many of the concepts laid out in the naval plans were implemented: a strong blockade of Cuba, support for the insurgents, operations against Spanish forces in the Philippines and Puerto Rico, and the formation of a squadron to operate in Spanish waters. Perhaps more important, nearly every plan called for the purchase or charter of merchant vessels to serve as auxiliary cruisers, colliers, and transports. Data on these vessels furnished in lists appended to the plans served as a basis for decision making in those crucial weeks before war.

More or less in conformity with this strategy, Maj. Gen. Nelson Miles, Commanding General of the Army, proposed to assemble, train, and equip a small force of about 80,000 using the Regular Army as a nucleus. There would be ample time to prepare this force, since Miles deemed it unwise to land any troops in Cuba before the end of the unhealthy rainy season in October. The first step was to concentrate the entire Regular Army at Chickamauga Park, Georgia, where it could receive much-needed instruction in combined-arms operations.

So deliberate and cautious a plan, however, was by mid-April 1898 not in harmony with the increasing public demand for immediate action against the Spanish. With an ear to this demand, Secretary of War Russell M. Alger ignored General Miles’ advice. He ordered the regular infantry regiments to go to New Orleans, Tampa, and Mobile, where they would be ready for an immediate descent on Cuba.

The decision to mobilize large volunteer forces compounded the problems of equipping, training, and supplying the Army. In the spring and summer of 1898, thousands of enthusiastic but inexperienced volunteers poured into newly established camps. A taste of military life soon curbed the enthusiasm of most of them, for in the camps they found chronic shortages of the most essential equipment. Even such basic items as underwear, socks, and shoes were lacking. A steady diet of badly prepared food, unbelievably poor sanitary conditions, and inadequate medical facilities complemented the equipment shortages. Red tape and poor management in the War Department’s supply bureaus (the Ordnance Department possibly excepted) delayed correction of some of the worst deficiencies, while the shortage of capable volunteer officers further limited the quality of training received in the camps.

Confusion and inefficiency likewise characterized the War Department’s conduct of operations. Since Congress had provided no machinery in the department for the peacetime coordination of foreign policy with the country’s military posture, the nation went to war without any kind of overall plan of operations or even adequate intelligence about the enemy. Given time, the Army might have devised adequate operational plans; but public opinion, political pressures, and the trend of events demanded the launching of an immediate expedition against the Spanish in Cuba.

By contrast, the Spanish were ill-prepared to defend their overseas possessions from outside intervention. Their vessels stationed in Cuba and the Philippines were obsolete and intended only to help the colonial government put down insurrection. They were unable to defend themselves against the modern steel ships of the U.S. Navy. Spain possessed only one battleship, Pelayo, and this was an older vessel that had just been modernized. This ship and the armored cruiser Carlos V were not ready for action until after the war began. Only four armored cruisers were available to steam across the Atlantic, and these suffered severe material deficiencies. The 10-inch guns were missing from Cristobal Colon, and there was a shortage of ammunition for the already defective 5.5-inch guns on the Spanish cruisers.

The Spanish Minister of Marine, Segismundo Bermejo y Merelo, revealed a lack of strategic planning in the vague orders given to Admiral Pascual Cervera y Topete in command of a squadron of four armored cruisers and three torpedo boats. Bermejo simply instructed Cervera to proceed to Caribbean waters and defend Spanish possessions against American attack. The Spanish also lacked enough colliers properly positioned to help their ships replenish once they were across the Atlantic. In addition, inadequate stockpiles of coal and coaling facilities at the ports in Cuba and Puerto Rico severely limited Cervera's options and ability to operate in the Caribbean. In short, the Spanish did not adequately prepare their forces and bases to defend their overseas possessions in the face of a challenge at sea. Once war began with a well-prepared naval power, such as the United States, Spain's possessions were almost certain to be cut off from the home country.

==Destruction of USS ''Maine'' and the Rush Toward War==
[[Image:USSMaineHavana.jpg|thumb|200px|right|USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor, January 25, 1898.]]

see [[Battleship Maine]]

The assassination of Prime Minister Cánovas on 8 August 1897 led to the return of the Liberals to power in Spain, the recall of General Weyler, and a promise to grant autonomy to Cuba. Nevertheless, the insurgent leadership, sensing victory, refused to accept anything less than independence, and the government's many political opponents made it impossible for reforms to go far enough to win over the Cuban people. When pro-Weyler forces in Havana instigated riots in January 1898, Washington became greatly concerned for the safety of Americans in the country. The administration believed that some means of protecting U.S. citizens should be on hand, and the Spanish government should be reminded of America's serious interest in seeing an end to the Cuban conflict. As a result, on 24 January, after clearing the visit with a reluctant government in Madrid, President McKinley sent the battleship [[USS Maine|USS ''Maine'']] from Key West to Havana.

The battleship arrived on 25 January. Spanish authorities in Havana were wary of American intentions, but they afforded Captain Charles D. Sigsbee and the officers of ''Maine'' every courtesy. In order to avoid the possibility of trouble, the U.S. Navy captain did not allow his enlisted men to go on shore. Sigsbee and the consul at Havana, Fitzhugh Lee, reported that the Navy's presence appeared to have a calming effect on the situation, and both recommended that the Navy Department send another battleship to Havana when it came time to relieve ''Maine''.

At 9:40 on the evening of 15 February, a terrible explosion on board the U.S. warship shattered the stillness in Havana harbor. Later investigations revealed that more than five tons of powder charges for the vessel's 6- and 10-inch guns had ignited, virtually obliterating the forward third of the ship. The remaining wreckage rapidly settled to the bottom of the harbor. Most of ''Maine's'' crew were sleeping or resting in the enlisted quarters in the forward part of the ship when the explosion occurred. Two hundred and sixty-six American [[sailor]]s lost their lives as a result of the disaster. Captain Sigsbee and most of the officers survived because their quarters were in the after portion of the ship.

Spanish officials and the crew of the civilian steamer ''City of Washington'' acted quickly in rescuing survivors and caring for the wounded. The attitude and actions of the Spanish allayed initial suspicions that hostile action caused the explosion, and led Sigsbee to include at the bottom of his initial telegram the cautionary phrase, "Public opinion should be suspended until further report."

The U.S. Navy Department immediately formed a board of inquiry under Captain William T. Sampson to determine the cause of ''Maine's'' destruction. The board met in Havana on 21 February, and their investigation lasted four weeks. The condition of the submerged wreck and a lack of technical expertise prevented the board from being as thorough as later investigating groups would be. In the end, they concluded that a mine had detonated under the ship. The board did not attempt to fix blame for the placement of the device.

When the naval court's verdict was announced, the American public reacted with predictable outrage. Fed by inflammatory articles in the "[[Yellow Press]]" blaming Spain for the disaster, the public had already placed guilt on the Spanish government and called for the liberation of Cuba. The destruction of ''Maine'' did not cause the United States to declare war on Spain, but it served as a catalyst, accelerating the approach to a diplomatic impasse. The sinking of the ship and death of U.S. sailors rallied American opinion behind armed intervention. With the threat of war larger than ever, the United States government stepped up preparations.

At the beginning of March 1898 the fleet of the United States Navy consisted of five battleships, two armored cruisers, thirteen protected cruisers, six steel monitors, eight old iron monitors, thirty-three unprotected cruisers and gunboats, six torpedo boats, and twelve tugs. Noticeably absent from this list, however, were colliers, supply vessels, transports, hospital ships, repair ships, and the large number of small vessels necessary for maintaining an effective blockade of Cuba's numerous ports. As the Navy Department's war plans clearly indicated, the government needed to purchase or contract for scores of these auxiliary ships. Assistant [[Secretary of the Navy]] [[Theodore Roosevelt]] organized a Board of Auxiliary Vessels that used information in the department's war plans to prepare a list of suitable private craft which would meet the Navy's expanded needs. On 9 March, Congress passed a $50 million emergency defense appropriation bill, and the Navy Department began to acquire vessels. By the end of the war, the Navy had purchased or leased 103 warships and auxiliaries. Another twenty-eight ships, including lighthouse tenders and the vessels of the Fish Commission and Revenue Cutter Service, had been added from existing government organizations. After the war auxiliary vessels such as colliers, refrigerator ships, and distilling ships became a permanent part of the fleet.

Secretary Long formally organized the Naval War Board in March 1898 to advise him on strategy and operations. Initial members were Assistant Secretary Roosevelt, Rear Admiral Montgomery Sicard (who had just arrived from command of the North Atlantic Station), Captain Arent S. Crowninshield, and Captain Albert S. Barker. By May, Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan joined the organization. This body was soon reduced in size, though, since Roosevelt left to become a lieutenant colonel in the First Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, and the Navy Department reassigned Captain Barker to command USS ''Newark''. Although it had no executive authority, the board exerted considerable influence on operations through its advisory capacity. In particular, Mahan's views often dominated. Following earlier war plans, the board recommended concentrating on Spain's outlying possessions with a close blockade of Cuba, giving the U.S. Army time to mobilize sufficient strength for land campaigns in Cuba and Puerto Rico.

While the Navy Department worked with the President and the War Department in developing strategy, Secretary Long began positioning naval units for the opening of hostilities. Much of the North Atlantic Squadron was already concentrated for winter exercises at Key West, Florida. The first colliers did not reach the fleet until 3 May, nearly two weeks after the blockade began. On 17 March the battleships ''Massachusetts'' and ''Texas'' were ordered to join the armored cruiser ''Brooklyn'' at [[Hampton Roads]], [[Virginia]], to form the Flying Squadron under Commodore Winfield Scott Schley. The protected cruisers ''Minneapolis'' and ''Columbia'' joined Schley's force before the war started. The squadron was organized to protect the U.S. coast against a sudden attack by the Spanish armored cruisers of Pascual Cervera's squadron, known to be concentrating in the Cape Verde Islands. The Navy Department recalled the protected cruiser USS ''San Francisco'' and Commodore John A. Howell from Europe. On 20 April, Howell assumed command of the newly formed Northern Patrol Squadron, which was responsible for the protection of the coast and coastal trade from the Delaware capes to Bar Harbor, [[Maine]]. Rear Admiral Henry Erben commanded the Auxiliary Naval Force with his headquarters on shore at New York City. This command consisted primarily of eight old iron monitors stationed at several U.S. ports.

On 25 February, Assistant Secretary Roosevelt sent a telegram to Commodore [[George Dewey]] commanding him to concentrate the ships of the Asiatic Station at [[Hong Kong]]. In the event of war he was to take his squadron and destroy the Spanish ships in Philippine waters. Dewey's command at Hong Kong consisted of the protected cruisers ''Olympia'', ''Boston'', and ''Raleigh'' and the gunboats ''Concord'' and ''Petrel''. The Revenue Cutter ''McCulloch'' joined the force on 17 April, and the protected cruiser ''Baltimore'' arrived on 22 April. Dewey also prepared for future operations in a region without friendly bases by purchasing the British steamers ''Nanshan'' and ''Zafiro'' to carry coal and supplies for his squadron.

Anticipating a showdown with the Spanish fleet in the Atlantic theater, Secretary Long ordered the battleship USS Oregon to depart from its home port at Bremerton, [[Washington]], on 7 March, to begin the first leg of a 14,700-nautical-mile journey to [[Key West]]. The gunboat USS ''Marietta'' made the battleship's voyage quicker and easier by arranging for coal and supplies in the South American ports along the way. ''Oregon'' arrived at her destination on 26 May fully ready for operations against the Spanish fleet.

Although President McKinley continued to press for a diplomatic settlement to the Cuban problem, he accelerated military preparations begun in January when an impasse appeared likely. The Spanish position on Cuban independence hardened, and McKinley asked Congress on 11 April for permission to intervene. On 21 April, the President ordered the Navy to begin a blockade of Cuba, and Spain followed with a declaration of war on 23 April. Congress responded with a formal declaration of war on 25 April, made retroactive to the start of the blockade.

==Opening Moves==
International law required that a blockade had to be effective to be legal. With the absence of colliers and the Atlantic Fleet divided between Key West and Hampton Roads, the American effort was initially limited to the north coast of Cuba between Cardenas and Bahia Honda, and Cienfuegos on the south coast. In the early light of 22 April, Sampson's fleet steamed from Key West across the Florida Straits and began the blockade. Sampson believed he could reduce the defenses of Havana by bombarding the Spanish fortifications one at a time, beginning from the west. However, Secretary Long, following the advice of the Naval War Board, which expected Cervera's fleet to deploy to the Caribbean, ordered him not to risk his armored ships unnecessarily against land fortifications. The Navy Department was considering occupying the port of Matanzas, garrisoning it with a large military force, and opening communications with the insurgents. Long wanted Sampson to keep his most powerful ships ready to escort the transports if McKinley should decide on an early army landing in Cuba.

By the morning of 23 April, the advance ships of the blockading fleet were off their assigned ports. Additional vessels reinforced them over the next several days. The U.S. Navy struggled during the first weeks of the war to assemble the logistical apparatus necessary to support the blockade. Ships had to keep steam up in their boilers to pursue unknown vessels as they came into sight. Until colliers were fitted out and sent south, most of the blockading ships were forced to return to Key West to coal. Fresh water and food were also in short supply during the early days of the war.

The blockade was monotonous duty broken only by the rare capture of a Spanish vessel or an exchange of gunfire with gunboats and shore batteries. A few actions were intense, such as the one at Cardenas on 11 May when Spanish gunboats drew the U.S. Navy gunboat ''Wilmington'', the torpedo boat ''Winslow'', and the Revenue Cutter ''Hudson'' deep into the harbor. Hidden Spanish batteries ambushed ''Winslow'', severely damaging her, killing ten and wounding twenty-one of her crew. While under heavy fire, ''Hudson'' towed the torpedo boat out of the harbor as ''Wilmington'' covered the withdrawal with rapid fire against the Spanish guns.

The U.S. blockading forces also undertook operations to isolate Cuba from telegraphic communications to Madrid via Cienfuegos, Santiago, and Guantánamo. The most celebrated action of this type occurred on 11 May off Cienfuegos. Commander Bowman H. McCalla of the cruiser ''Marblehead'' organized a party and planned an operation to cut the underwater communication cables. Marine sharpshooters and machine gun crews in steam cutters poured a continuous fire into Spanish positions on shore, along with gunfire support from ''Marblehead'' and the gunboat ''Nashville'', while sailors in launches dragged the sea floor with grappling hooks for the cables. The launch and cutter crews endured heavy Spanish fire for three hours and cut the two main telegraph cables (leaving a third, local line), and dragged the ends out to sea. Every member of this expedition was awarded the [[Medal of Honor]].

==[[Battle of Manila Bay]]==
Secretary Long telegraphed Commodore Dewey at Hong Kong on 21 April informing him that the U.S. blockade of Cuba had begun and that war was expected at any moment. On 24 April, British authorities informed the commodore that war had been declared and he must leave the neutral port within twenty-four hours, since the United States was now a belligerent. Dewey also received a telegram from the Navy Department instructing him to proceed immediately to the [[Philippine Islands]] and begin operations against the Spanish fleet. The American squadron moved to Mirs Bay on the Chinese coast thirty miles east of Hong Kong to await a circulating pump for Raleigh and the arrival of Oscar Williams, the American consul at Manila, who would have the latest intelligence on the Spanish military forces. They spent two days drilling, distributing ammunition, and stripping the ships of all wooden articles (which could add to fire damage on board ship caused by enemy gunfire). Almost immediately after Williams arrived on 27 April, the American ships departed for the Philippines in search of the Spanish squadron.

In a meeting called by the governor general of the Philippines on 15 March, Rear Admiral Patricio Montojo y Pasaron, in command of Spanish naval forces in the colony, concluded that his squadron would be destroyed by the onslaught of the American ships. The Spanish squadron consisted of seven unarmored ships carrying thirty-seven heavy guns and weighing a total of 11,328 tons. Montojo's largest ship was made of wood. Dewey's command was much stronger, consisting of six steel vessels mounting fifty-three guns and displacing 19,098 tons. Four of these had armored decks. Montojo recommended fortifying the entrances to Subic Bay, northwest of Manila, and moving his ships there to await Dewey's attack. If the Americans bypassed Subic and anchored in Manila Bay, Montojo believed his ships could sneak up on them during the night and inflict some damage. The governor general agreed. However, Montojo did not track the progress of the work in Subic Bay.

With the declaration of war the Spanish admiral took his squadron into Subic Bay only to discover that the commander there still needed another six weeks to mount his guns on Isla Grande at the bay's entrance. On 28 April, Montojo learned that the Americans had left Mirs Bay bound for the Philippines. After calling a council of his captains, he returned with his ships to Manila. Seventeen guns, including nine obsolete muzzleloaders, guarded the two passages into the Manila Bay. The Spanish attempted to mine the main channel, but the water was so deep and the entrance so wide that neither mines nor shore batteries were an effective barrier to enemy ships passing through during the night. Of the more than 200 guns near the city of Manila, only twelve were breech-loaders positioned to fire out to sea. Montojo rejected the idea of fighting under the guns of the city because civilian structures would likely be hit by American fire. The Spanish decided to anchor their ships in the shallow waters under the guns of the Cavite arsenal, on a small peninsula seven miles southwest of Manila. Deeply pessimistic about his fleet's chances of survival, Montojo believed the position gave his men the best chance to escape from their vessels should they be sunk in the upcoming battle.

Consul Williams accurately reported that Montojo intended to fight his squadron while under the guns in Subic Bay, and Dewey sent two of his cruisers ahead to reconnoiter. Finding Subic Bay empty, and in defiance of the reports of mines in the chan-nel, the Americans pressed on into Manila Bay during the night of 30 April. In the early morning hours of 1 May, the U.S. warships discovered the Spanish squadron near Cavite. Leaving his two auxiliaries in the bay guarded by McCulloch, Dewey formed his remaining ships into a line and steamed for the enemy force. The Spanish opened the battle at 5:15 a.m., firing at the oncoming American ships. Dewey steamed his squadron in an oval pattern along the five-fathom curve, pouring a heavy fire into the outgunned and obsolete Spanish force. The enemy replied with wildly inaccurate gunfire from their ships and two 5.9-inch guns at Sangley Point. The Americans scored critical hits on the larger Spanish warships, setting them ablaze. After nearly two hours of fire, Dewey ordered his captains to withdraw, acting on reports from the crew that his ships were running low on ammunition.

Dewey took his squadron five miles off Sangley Point and signaled his captains to come on board to report the condition of their ships. The commodore discovered that his squadron had sustained very little damage and that it had plenty of ammunition to continue the battle. After allowing the crewmen to enjoy a light meal, Dewey ordered his ships to re-engage the remnants of Montojo's shattered squadron. The Spanish admiral had pulled his surviving vessels into the shallow waters of Bacoor Bay behind Cavite to make a final stand. Hitting the Spanish ships in their new anchorage proved difficult for the larger warships, so Dewey ordered the gunboats ''Concord'' and ''Petrel'', with their shallow draft, to finish off the enemy at close range. The garrison at Cavite raised a white flag at about 12:15, and the firing ended shortly thereafter.

Montojo's fleet was destroyed, suffering 371 casualties compared to only 9 Americans wounded. When official word of the magnitude of the U.S. Navy's victory reached the United States, nearly a week later, the American public heaped enthusiastic praises on Dewey and jubilant celebrations erupted throughout the country. However, 26,000 Spanish regulars and 14,000 militia garrisoned various points in the Philippine Islands, including 9,000 men at Manila. The U.S. squadron took control of the arsenal and navy yard at Cavite, and Dewey cabled Washington stating that, although he controlled Manila Bay and could probably induce the city to surrender, he needed 5,000 men to seize and hold Manila.

==The Hunt for Cervera==
Admiral Cervera had repeatedly warned the Spanish Ministry of Marine that his squadron would face certain destruction if sent to the Caribbean. Under orders, on 29 April he departed the [[Cape Verde Islands]] with his squadron of four armored cruisers, towing three torpedo-boat destroyers, intending to steam for Puerto Rico. To search for the Spanish squadron, the U.S. Navy Department dispatched three fast former mail steamers, ''Harvard'', ''Yale'', and ''St. Louis'', to the Caribbean. The vessels established a patrol line stretching from Puerto Rico and along the Leeward and Windward Islands. As long as Cervera's location remained uncertain, the U.S. fleet would be divided between Rear Admiral Sampson's North Atlantic Fleet based in Key West and Commodore Schley's Flying Squadron based in Hampton Roads; the former maintained the blockade of Cuba and the latter guarded the East Coast of the United States from a sudden descent by the Spanish cruisers.

Sampson correctly deduced that Cervera intended to make for [[San Juan]], [[Puerto Rico]], and determined to deprive the Spanish fleet of the defensive advantages of that port. Leaving his smaller ships to maintain the blockade of Cuba's northern ports, the American admiral embarked on an eight-day journey, plagued by the slow speed and mechanical unreliability of his two monitors. The American force arrived off San Juan early on 12 May. After a nearly four-hour bombardment of the Spanish works, Sampson broke off the engagement and returned to Key West, satisfied that Cervera's ships were not in San Juan.

The need to tow their fragile destroyers slowed the Spanish squadron's crossing of the Atlantic. As he approached the West Indies, the Spanish admiral dispatched two of these vessels to the French island of Martinique to gain information on American movements and check on the availability of coal. On 12 May, Cervera learned that Sampson was at San Juan. The Spanish admiral also discovered that the French would not sell him any coal. Driven by the need to refuel his ships and the desire to avoid combat with a superior American force, Cervera steamed for the Dutch harbor of Curaçao. He arrived there on 14 May only to be further disappointed when the expected Spanish collier failed to arrive, and the Dutch governor authorized the purchase of only 600 tons of coal. After considering his options, Cervera chose to sail his fleet to Santiago de Cuba where he arrived on the morning of 19 May.

With Sampson out of touch for long periods during his return from Puerto Rico, Secretary Long on 13 May ordered Commodore Schley's Flying Squadron to Charleston, [[South Carolina]], in preparation to intercept the Spanish fleet. Further orders directed Schley to Key West and a meeting with Rear Admiral Sampson. The Navy Department believed that Cervera's most likely objective was Cienfuegos because of its rail connection to Havana. Therefore, after arriving in Key West on 18 May, Schley received orders to take his squadron, reinforced by the battleship ''Iowa'' and several smaller vessels, to Cienfuegos. On 19 May, after Schley's departure, the White House received an unconfirmed report that the Spanish ships had run into Santiago de Cuba. Upon receiving this information, Sampson instructed Schley to proceed to Santiago if he was satisfied that Cervera was not at Cienfuegos. Uncertainty over the Spanish squadron's whereabouts, the difficulty of observing ships in the harbor at Cienfuegos, concerns over coaling in open waters, and perhaps Schley's own ego led to erratic movements by the Flying Squadron not in keeping with Sampson's or the Navy Department's expectations. After numerous delays, Commodore Schley established a blockade off Santiago de Cuba on 29 May.

When Cervera arrived at Santiago de Cuba he discovered that the port had neither enough coal nor supplies to provision his ships for a long voyage. Armed with reports that the American fleet was closing in on his location, the admiral called a council of his captains on 24 May to consider taking the squadron to San Juan. The council decided that it was best to remain where they were, refitting the ships as much as possible and hope for a later favorable opportunity to leave. Cervera seemed to believe that the only function his squadron could now serve was that of a "fleet in being," and therefore that one harbor was as good as another to occupy while under blockade. He briefly reconsidered his decision on 26 May, but reports of American ships off the coast persuaded him to stay in Santiago de Cuba. With the arrival of the Flying Squadron on 29 May, the opportunity for an uncontested departure disappeared.

==The Navy in the Campaign for Santiago de Cuba==
McKinley and his advisors had originally intended to wait until the end of the rainy season to send a major land expedition to Cuba. But, with the Spanish squadron bottled up at Santiago, U.S. leaders saw an opportunity to strike a damaging blow to the enemy's military capability in the Caribbean. On 1 June, Secretary Long informed Sampson that 25,000 men under Major General [[William Shafter]] were preparing to embark for Cuba from Tampa, [[Florida]], and that the North Atlantic Fleet should convoy the troops and assist a landing near Santiago. Meanwhile, Sampson took steps to tighten the blockade of Cervera's squadron.

At the onset of the campaign Sampson seized on the idea of sinking a vessel in the narrow channel leading to the harbor of Santiago. He intended to keep the Spanish ships from escaping until the Army could capture the city or assist the Navy in passing the forts and mines at the harbor entrance. The Naval War Board in Washington approved, and Sampson selected the collier ''Merrimac'', commanded during the operation by naval constructor Richard Pearson Hobson. Hobson and seven volunteers took the ship into the channel during the early morning hours of 3 June. Gunfire from Spanish shore batteries shot away the vessel's steering gear and anchor chains, making it impossible for the Americans to sink the vessel in the proper location. Only two of the ten prepared scuttling charges went off, and ''Merrimac'' came to rest too far up the channel to pose a serious obstacle. The Spanish captured Hobson and his brave men.

This failure forced Sampson to rely on a close blockade to keep the Spanish squadron in port. The American ships would need a safe place to refuel much closer to Santiago than either Haiti or Key West. Coaling at sea was a difficult and lengthy process. As a result, Sampson sent Commander McCalla and USS ''Marblehead'' to reconnoiter [[Guantánamo Bay]] as a possible anchorage. McCalla's report was favorable, and on 10 June the First Marine Battalion under Lieutenant Colonel Robert Huntington landed and established a position on the east side of the outer harbor. This unit defeated Spanish troops in the area and held the site for coaling operations throughout the campaign.

==Army units==
Upon receipt of Sampson’s request for land forces, the War Department, already under strong public pressure to get the Army into action, ordered Maj. Gen. William R. Shafter to embark with the V Corps from Tampa as soon as possible to conduct operations against Santiago in cooperation with the Navy. This corps was the only one of the eight that the War Department had organized for the war that was anywhere near ready to fight. Composed chiefly of regular Army units, it had been assembling at Tampa for weeks when the order came on May 31 for its embarkation; it would require another two weeks to get the corps and its equipment on board and ready to sail for Cuba.

Many factors contributed to the slow pace of preparation. There was no overall plan and no special staff to direct the organization of the expeditionary force. Moreover, Tampa was a poor choice for marshaling a major military expedition. Selected because of its proximity to Cuba, Tampa had only one pier for loading ships and a single-track railroad connecting with mainline routes from the north. It could not, therefore, readily accommodate the flood of men and materiel pressing in upon it. So great was the congestion that freight cars were backed up on sidings as far away as Columbia, South Carolina, waiting to gain access to the port. When a freight car finally did reach the port area, there were no wagons to unload it and no bill of lading to indicate what was in it. When it came to loading the ships, of which there were not enough to carry the entire corps, supplies and equipment were put on board with little regard for unloading priorities in the combat zone should the enemy resist the landings.

In spite of the muddle at Tampa, by June 14 nearly 17,000 men were ready to sail. On board were 18 regular and 2 volunteer infantry regiments; 10 regular and 2 volunteer cavalry squadrons serving dismounted; 1 mounted cavalry squadron; 6 artillery batteries; and a Gatling gun company. The expedition comprised a major part of the Regular Army, including all of the regular African American combat regiments. Departing Tampa on the morning of the fourteenth, the V Corps joined its naval convoy the next day off the Florida Keys and by June 20 had reached the vicinity of Santiago.

While the troops on board endured tropical heat, unsanitary conditions, and cold, unpalatable rations, Shafter and Sampson conferred on how to proceed against Santiago. Sampson wanted the Army to storm the fort on the east side of the bay entrance and drive the Spanish from their guns. Then his fleet could clear away the mines and enter Santiago Bay to fight Cervera’s squadron. Lacking heavy artillery, Shafter was not sure his troops could take the fort, which crowned a steep hill. He decided instead to follow the suggestion of General Calixto Garcia, the local insurgent leader, and land his forces at Daiquiri, east of Santiago Bay.

On June 22, after heavy shelling of the landing areas, the V Corps disembarked amid circumstances almost as confused and hectic as those at Tampa. Captains of many of the chartered merchant ships refused to bring their vessels close to shore. Their reluctance slowed the landing of troops and equipment already handicapped by a shortage of lighters. Horses, simply dropped overboard to get ashore on their own, swam out to sea in some instances and were lost. An alert enemy defense might well have taken advantage of the chaotic conditions to oppose the landings effectively. But the Spanish, though they had more than 200,000 troops in Cuba — 36,000 of them in Santiago Province — did nothing to prevent Shafter’s men from getting ashore. Some 6,000 landed on June 22 and most of the remaining 11,000 on the two days following. In addition, 4,000 to 5,000 insurgents under General Garcia supplemented the American force.

==The Battle of Santiago==
[[Image:Rough Riders.JPG|thumb|200px|right|Theodore Roosevelt (center) resigned his position as Assistant Secretary of the Navy and formed the 1st Volunteer U.S. Cavalry (the "Rough Riders"); he would take this unit and fight for San Juan Hill, near Santiago, Cuba, on July 1, 1898.]]
Once ashore, elements of the V Corps moved westward toward the heights of San Juan, a series of ridges immediately east of Santiago, where well-entrenched enemy troops guarded the land approaches to the city. On June 23, Brig. Gen. Henry W. Lawton, commanding the vanguard, advanced along the coast from Daiquirí to Siboney, which then became the main base of operations. The next day, Brig. Gen. Joseph Wheeler, the Confederate Army veteran, pushed inland along the road to Santiago with dismounted cavalry to seize Las Guásimas after a brief skirmish with rear guard elements of a retiring Spanish force. This move brought American units within five miles of the San Juan Heights, where they paused for a few days while General Shafter assembled the rest of his divisions and brought up supplies. Even in this short time, Shafter could observe the debilitating effects of tropical climate and disease on his men. He was aware, too, that the hurricane season was approaching. Consequently, he decided to launch an immediate attack on the defenses of Santiago.

Shafter’s plan was simple: a frontal attack on the San Juan Heights. For this purpose, he deployed Brig. Gen. Jacob F. Kent’s infantry division on the left and Wheeler’s dismounted cavalry on the right, the entire force with supporting elements comprising 8,000 troops. But before he made the main advance on the heights, Lawton’s infantry division with a supporting battery of artillery, more than 6,500 men, was to move two miles north to seize the fortified village of El Caney, cutting off Santiago’s water supply and, if necessary, intercepting rumored Spanish reinforcements. This action completed — Shafter thought it would take about two hours — Lawton was to turn southwestward and form on the right flank of Wheeler’s division for the main assault. A brigade that had just landed at Siboney was to advance in the meantime along the coast in a feint.

The attack, which moved out at dawn on July 1, soon became badly disorganized because of poor coordination, difficult terrain, and tropical heat. The corpulent Shafter, virtually prostrated by the heat, had to leave the direction of the battle to others. At a stream crossing on the crowded main trail to San Juan Heights, enemy gunners scored heavily when a towed Signal Corps balloon pinpointed the front of the advancing line of troops. Lawton’s division, delayed in its seizure of El Caney by a stubborn enemy defense, misplaced artillery, and the necessity of withdrawing a volunteer unit armed only with telltale black powder, did not rejoin the main force until after the assault had ended. Despite these unexpected setbacks, Kent’s and Wheeler’s divisions at midday launched a strong frontal attack on the Spanish forward defensive positions. Cavalry units of Wheeler’s division, including the 9th Cavalry and part of the 10th, both African American regiments, and the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry (the "Rough Riders"), now commanded by newly commissioned Lt. Col. [[Theodore Roosevelt]], seized Kettle Hill, separate from the central heights. Then Kent’s infantry regiments, supported by Gatling guns, stormed up San Juan Hill in the main ridge line, driving the Spanish from blockhouse and trench defenses and compelling them to retire to a strongly fortified inner line. Thus the day ended with the Americans’ having achieved most of their initial objectives. The cost was high: nearly 1,700 casualties sustained since the start of operations against Santiago.

Concerned with the increasing sickness that was thinning the ranks of the V Corps and faced by a well-organized Spanish second line of defense, General Shafter cabled Secretary Alger on July 3 that he was considering withdrawing about five miles to higher ground between the San Juan River and Siboney. The shift would place his troops in a position where they would be less exposed to enemy fire and easier to supply. Alger replied that "the effect upon the country would be much better" if Shafter continued to hold his advanced position. The V Corps commander then sought to get the Navy to enter Santiago Bay and attack the city. But neither the Navy Department nor President McKinley was willing to sanction this move. Just when the whole matter threatened to become an embarrassing public debate between the two services, the Spanish resolved the issue.

By early July serious shortages of food and ammunition had convinced the Spanish that Santiago must soon fall. While Cervera considered flight from the port hopeless, he had no recourse but to attempt it. Officials in both Havana and Madrid had ordered him, for reasons of honor, to escape when Santiago appeared about to surrender. Finally, on the morning of July 3, while Sampson and Shafter conferred ashore, Cervera made his dash for the open sea, hoping to reach the port of Cienfuegos on the south coast of Cuba. As soon as the Spanish Fleet appeared, Sampson’s squadron, temporarily under the command of Commodore Schley, gave chase.

Most of the battle was a running fight as the blockading vessels attempted to get up enough steam to stay with their quarry. Foul bottoms and poor-quality coal reduced the speeds of the usually swift Spanish cruisers. Ranges between the combatants were often in excess of 4,000 yards, greater than the American crews had trained for and longer than their new range finders could handle. In addition, radical turns in the early stages of the battle complicated the U.S. Navy's gunnery problem. Smoke from the weapons' brown powder and frequent mechanical failures further reduced the effectiveness of its gunfire. The American warships generally registered hits when they were able to maintain a parallel or near parallel course with the Spanish cruisers for several minutes. Although only 1.29 percent of American shots hit their targets, the volume of fire proved sufficient to destroy or run aground all of Cervera's vessels. The destruction of the Spanish cruiser squadron at Santiago de Cuba freed President McKinley and the Navy Department to pursue other strategic options.

==Global Strategy==
In the years prior to the war, U.S. planners had never reached a consensus on the issue of deploying a squadron of warships to European waters. Although the Naval War Board had not originally planned such a deployment, the formation of the Spanish navy's Reserve Squadron resurrected the debate. Following the departure of Cervera's squadron to the Caribbean, the Spanish Ministry of Marine began to organize a second squadron under Rear Admiral Manuel de la Cámara y Libermoore, centered around the battleship ''Pelayo'' and the armored cruiser ''Emperator Carlos V''. Although U.S. Navy leaders believed that this force would reinforce Cervera, they had considered it possible that the Spanish ships would head for the Philippines. Consequently, Secretary Long dispatched the monitors ''Monterey'' and ''Monadnock'' on a slow and hazardous voyage across the Pacific to reinforce Dewey's command at Manila. Long's actions were vindicated when Spain's Reserve Squadron departed Cadiz on 16 June and steamed into the Mediterranean bound for the Philippine Islands.

The Navy Department responded to the news of Cámara's deployment by ordering Rear Admiral Sampson to detail two battleships, an armored cruiser, and three auxiliary cruisers for departure to Europe if the strong Spanish force passed into the Red Sea. When the Reserve Squadron arrived at Port Said on 26 June, Washington decided to organize formally a force entitled the Eastern Squadron. The command, which was activated on 7 July under the leadership of Commodore John C. Watson, consisted of the battleship ''Oregon'', the protected cruiser ''Newark'', and the auxiliary cruisers ''Yosemite'' and ''Dixie''. The Navy Department added the battleship ''Massachusetts'' on 9 July, the auxiliary cruiser ''Badger'' on 12 July, and the protected cruiser ''New Orleans'' on 17 July. The Navy also assembled six colliers and a refrigerator ship at Hampton Roads, Virginia, to support the Eastern Squadron's deployment. The Navy Department allowed news of the squadron's formation and its intended target to be widely circulated, hoping that such news would force Spain to recall the Reserve Squadron to Spanish waters.

Cámara ran into difficulty attempting to refuel his ships at Port Said. The Egyptian government refused to sell him coal or to allow the Spanish squadron to take on coal from its own colliers while in port. Forced out to sea, where bad weather prevented coaling, the Spanish admiral took his squadron through the Suez Canal into the Red Sea and began refueling on 7 July. This delay allowed the Spanish government an opportunity to reconsider Cámara's mission in light of the near certainty that American ships would enter Spanish waters. The Sagasta government recalled the Reserve Squadron to Cadiz, and Watson's deployment was held in abeyance for the time being.

Even though Spain no longer threatened Dewey's forces at Manila, the Navy Department was concerned that Germany might try to take advantage of the situation to increase her colonial possessions in the Pacific. Rear Admiral Sicard and Captain Crowninshield of the Naval War Board still wanted to send Watson to reinforce Dewey, but Captain Mahan dissented from this view. Meanwhile, Watson's ships were needed to support the expedition to Puerto Rico. By the time the Eastern Squadron was free to depart the Caribbean, peace negotiations were under way, and Watson's deployment was held back for good.

==Closing Campaigns==
The U.S. Navy provided escort and support for the Army's final two campaigns of the war. On the afternoon of 21 July, the lead forces for the invasion of Puerto Rico got under way from Guantánamo Bay. The battleship ''Massachusetts'' as well as ''Dixie'', ''Gloucester'', ''Columbia'', and ''Yale'', all under the command of Captain Francis J. Higginson, steamed for Puerto Rico with nine transports loaded with 3,500 U.S. Army troops. Originally planning to land east of San Juan at Playa de Fajardo, the expedition's commander, Major General [[Nelson A. Miles]], instead directed the Navy to land his force on the island's south coast. The expedition arrived off Port Guanica on the morning of 25 July. Lieutenant Commander Richard Wainwright of Gloucester requested and received permission to send a landing party ashore. The men soon came under fire from the small Spanish garrison but held their position until the first Army troops secured the landing place. Wainwright also assisted the amphibious landing at Port Ponce on the 28th when he stole into the inner harbor the night before and gathered up a number of enemy barges for the Army to use.

In the Pacific, Dewey's success at Manila Bay prompted the McKinley administration to take several important steps to support his squadron. Besides the two monitors previously mentioned, Secretary Long dispatched the protected cruiser ''Charleston'' from San Francisco on 22 May, with orders to seize the strategically located Spanish island of Guam on the way to Manila. The authorities on Guam, unaware until the American warship arrived on 20 June that the war had even started, surrendered the island without a fight. The first troops intended for the Philippines, under the command of Brigadier General Thomas M. Anderson, departed from San Francisco three days after Charleston and arrived at Manila on 30 June. Two more groups, one with the expedition's commander, Major General Wesley Merritt, left for the Philippines during June. Before the end of the war, 10,844 U.S. Army officers and men had deployed to the Philippines. In July the United States annexed the [[Hawaiian Islands]], completing the path of U.S. controlled territories to the western Pacific.

Meanwhile, Dewey brought the Filipino insurgent Emilio Aguinaldo to Cavite, hoping to learn more about the Spanish garrison and welcoming any support the Filipino rebels might provide by their operations against Spanish forces. However, Dewey and the American consuls in the Far East overestimated their ability to control the consequences of this action, which was complicated by Aguinaldo's expectation that the United States would support his demand for the colony's independence. By the time American forces were prepared to assault Manila in August, the potential problems of cooperating with the rebels had become apparent to Dewey and Merritt. The American commanders reached an oral agreement with the governor-general at Manila to surrender the city after a brief naval bombardment and infantry assault. On the morning of 13 August, the guns from the U.S. squadron opened fire and Merritt's troops went forward. After sharp fighting in some quarters the Spanish surrendered, allowing the Americans to occupy Manila; thus keeping the Filipino insurgents out of most sections of the city. The peace protocol had been signed between the United States and Spain on 12 August, but word of this did not reach Manila until four days later.

==Lessons and Legacies of the War with Spain==
The Spanish-American War proved to be an important learning experience for the U.S. Navy. When detailed official reports of the Battles of Manila Bay and Santiago de Cuba were analyzed, American naval leadership slowly accepted that its naval gunfire had performed badly. The practice of firing too quickly, the use of brown powder that created increasing clouds of smoke with every shot, and long and rapidly changing ranges all contributed to American hit rates of less than 3 percent. This performance inspired naval officers, like Lieutenant William S. Sims, to search vigorously for new techniques and technology to improve U.S. naval gunnery. The war demonstrated the need for large numbers of auxiliary craft, especially colliers. Despite the advocacy of the Office of Naval Intelligence, the Naval War College, and the [[U.S. Naval Institute]] for these types of craft, it was not until coaling problems were revealed in the cruise of the Great White Fleet in 1908-1909 that the Navy Department requested appropriations for Navy colliers.

Alfred Thayer Mahan concluded that it was difficult for a representative government like that of the United States to adhere to sound military principles if there was not an appreciation for them among the people or their leaders. Mahan therefore examined the war in his writings and sought to educate the American public and its leaders about the basic principles of strategic naval warfare. Nothing illustrates better Mahan's concerns than his discussion of the formation of the Flying Squadron to protect the Atlantic coast of the United States just prior to the start of the war. He was convinced that dividing the fleet was strategically unsound since it weakened the blockade of Cuba and reduced Sampson's margin of superiority over Cervera. Nonetheless, it was politically necessary since American businessmen and inhabitants along the coast demanded protection from a sudden attack by Spanish warships. After the war, Mahan worked to widen the influence of his ideas, even supporting the strengthening of coastal fortifications so that the growing battle fleet would be free to operate in accordance with his ideas.

Mahan also believed that the war demonstrated that the number of ships was just as important as the size of individual vessels in determining the composition of the main battle line. Mechanical problems, the need to refuel, and the friction of war often affected the American fleet operating in the Caribbean. Mahan wrote that naval planners should consider these factors rather than simply advocating the construction of a few very large battleships. Mahan further argued that the war demonstrated that monitors had no place in an offensive-oriented fleet. They were too unseaworthy to steam great distances under their own power, and their slow speed served to limit the mobility of the entire fleet.

The U.S. Navy's contribution to victory over Spain was tarnished by at least one postwar examination. The nature of the running fight at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba on 3 July made it difficult to apportion credit for the lop-sided victory. Sampson had been on his way to confer with Shafter when the battle began, leaving Schley in charge of the ships maintaining the blockade. While Sampson's initial report did not mention Schley, some journalists took the opportunity to exaggerate the latter's role in the battle. Upset by the growing controversy, Sampson formally complained in writing to Secretary Long that Schley's conduct while hunting Cervera's squadron in May was "reprehensible." Sampson's letter became public during debate that followed President McKinley's proposal to make permanent Sampson's and Schley's promotions to rear admiral. Naval officers, congressmen, and newspaper editors lined up behind either Sampson or Schley as the controversy continued to grow. Neither the passage of the promotions on 3 March 1899 nor Secretary Long's circular the following November prohibiting officers from discussing the matter in public ended the damaging debate.

Hoping to put the issue to rest, Long eventually ordered Admiral of the Navy George Dewey to convene a court of inquiry to investigate the charges related to Schley's conduct. The court met for forty days beginning on 12 September 1901. In the final report a majority of court members were critical of Schley, but Dewey issued a separate opinion supportive of Schley's conduct. Neither Sampson nor Schley was satisfied by this turn of events, and both sides filed appeals as the public debate continued. When the judge advocate upheld the court's findings, Schley appealed directly to President Roosevelt in January 1902. Roosevelt, who saw the issue as a review of McKinley's decision to promote Sampson over Schley in 1899, supported the action of his predecessor, and the advocates now continued their fight through memoirs and historical narratives. The Sampson-Schley controversy discredited the otherwise excellent reputation of the U.S. Navy during the war and probably obstructed attempts to record an objective view of events. Participants who wrote accounts of the campaign and Battle of Santiago de Cuba in the years following the war could not help but be influenced by the controversy raging around them.

==Aftermath==
Although the Spanish-American War lasted fewer than five months, it had a lasting influence on the United States and signaled a dramatic change in its position in the world. It also marked the emergence on the global stage of the U. S. Navy.

The United States went to war with Spain in April 1898 to secure Cuban independence and end the revolutionary war that was killing thousands of Cuban civilians and damaging U.S. economic interests. As a result of the war, the United States became a world power by acquiring the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico from a defeated Spain. Recognizing the need to support its new overseas interests, the country acquired through purchase or treaty the Hawaiian Islands, Guantánamo Bay, the Virgin Islands, and part of the Samoan archipelago.

Ironically, in winning a war against European colonialism, the United States became a colonial power itself and ended up suppressing, by force, a bitter insurrection in the Philippines. A major departure from American tradition, the acquisition of overseas colonies (especially the Philippines) stimulated a great national debate. Those opposed saw colonialism as a denial of America's high moral position in entering the war to win Cuba's freedom. They feared the consequences of an enlarged military establishment and foreign entanglements. Expansionists, on the other hand, saw the Philippines as a base for American trade in the Far East and as part of a campaign to ensure national greatness. The domestic market could not absorb all the output of American factories, and American farmers sought new markets for their agricultural surpluses. Protestant churches saw an opportunity to send missionaries to the Philippines to work among the population. Social Darwinists believed the United States had a duty to bring civilization, and what they considered to be a superior culture, to the native populations of the newly occupied territories. Navalists held that the United States could only hold its place and advance its interests in the world if the country had a strong navy; and a strong navy required a healthy merchant marine, overseas commerce, and naval bases and coaling facilities throughout the world.

The acquisition of overseas territories, along with memory of the Navy's victories in the Spanish-American War, led to the realization of Mahan's goals of a larger and more powerful fleet. The American people then viewed the Navy with greater understanding and even affection. Pictures of ships on stereo cards and sailor-suits for children became an indelible part of popular culture at the turn of the century. The Navy also benefited from the interest of President Theodore Roosevelt, a former Assistant Secretary of the Navy and an accomplished naval historian. Congressional appropriations in the next two decades provided for an unprecedented level of new construction, not only of warships, but also of auxiliary vessels necessary to maintain a fleet on deployments throughout the world.

Institutional changes also helped keep the Navy efficient. Naval administrators sought to make conditions of service attractive to young, native-born, American men. The amalgamation of the Engineer Corps with the Line in 1899 resolved a long-standing cause of dissension. Establishment of the Chief of Naval Operations in 1915 prepared the Navy Department to direct naval operations in the coming world war.

In short, the Spanish-American War was primarily a naval war, and the U.S. Navy was dramatically affected by the experience. Following the war, naval expansion continued at such a high rate that the Navy went from ranking sixth in the world in 1897 to being afforded equal status with Great Britain by the [[Washington Naval Treaty]] of 1922. The Spanish-American War served as a catalyst propelling the New Navy forward, preparing it to fulfill the country's added responsibilities as a major world power in the twentieth century.

==See also==
[[List of wars involving the United States]]

==Bibliography==
===References===
* Benjamin R. Beede, ed. ''The War of 1898 and U.S. Interventions, 1898-1934'' (1994). an encyclopedia
* Donald H. Dyal, Brian B. Carpenter, Mark A. Thomas; ''Historical Dictionary of the Spanish American War'' Greenwood Press, 1996 [http://www.questia.com/read/24402823?title=Historical%20Dictionary%20of%20the%20Spanish%20American%20War online edition]
* Hendrickson, Kenneth E., Jr. ''The Spanish-American War'' (2003). short summary
* Tucker, Spencer C. ''The Encyclopedia of the Spanish-American and Philippine-American Wars'' (3 vol 2009)
===Diplomacy and causes of the war===
* James C. Bradford, ed., ''Crucible of Empire: The Spanish-American War and Its Aftermath'' (1993), essays on diplomacy, naval and military operations, and historiography.
* Lewis L. Gould, ''The Spanish-American War and President McKinley'' (1982)
* Ernest R. May, ''Imperial Demoracy: The Emergence of America as a Great Power'' (1961)
* Walter Millis, ''The Martial Spirit: A Study of Our War with Spain'' (1931)
*H. Wayne Morgan, ''America's Road to Empire: The War with Spain and Overseas Expansion'' (1965)
* John L. Offner, ''An Unwanted War: The Diplomacy of the United States and Spain over Cuba, 1895-1898'' (1992). [http://www.questia.com/read/99426981?title=An%20Unwanted%20War%3a%20The%20Diplomacy%20of%20the%20United%20States%20and%20Spain%20over%20Cuba%2c%201895-1898 online edition]
* Offner, John L. "McKinley and the Spanish-American War" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'' 2004 34(1): 50-61. Issn: 0360-4918 [http://www.questia.com/read/5006516097?title=McKinley%20and%20the%20Spanish-American%20War%2c%20in%20Presidential%20Studies%20Quarterly online edition]
* Pratt, Julius W. ''The Expansionists of 1898'' (1936)
* Schoonover, Thomas. ''Uncle Sam's War of 1898 and the Origins of Globalization.'' 2003
* Tone, John Lawrence. ''War and Genocide in Cuba, 1895-1898'' (2006)

===The war===
* Donald Barr Chidsey, The Spanish American War ( New York, 1971)
* Cirillo, Vincent J. ''Bullets and Bacilli: The Spanish-American War and Military Medicine'' 2004.
* Graham A. Cosmas, ''An Army for Empire: The United States Army and the Spanish-American War'' (1971)
* A. B. Feuer. ''The Spanish-American War at Sea: Naval Action in the Atlantic'' (1995) [http://www.questia.com/read/6830920?title=The%20Spanish-American%20War%20at%20Sea%3a%20Naval%20Action%20in%20the%20Atlantic online edition]
* Frank Freidel, ''The Splendid Little War'' (1958), well illustrated narrative by scholar
* Allan Keller, ''The Spanish-American War: A Compact History'' 1969
* Gerald F. Linderman, ''The Mirror of War: American Society and the Spanish-American War'' (1974), domestic aspects
* G. J. A. O'Toole, ''The Spanish War: An American Epic--1898'' (1984).
* John Tebbel, ''America's Great Patriotic War with Spain'' (1996)
* David F. Trask, ''The War with Spain in 1898'' (1981)

===Historiography===
* Duvon C. Corbitt, "Cuban Revisionist Interpretations of Cuba's Struggle for Independence," ''Hispanic American Historical Review'' 32 (August 1963): 395-404.
* Edward P. Crapol, "Coming to Terms with Empire: The Historiography of Late-Nineteenth-Century American Foreign Relations," ''Diplomatic History'' 16 (Fall 1992): 573-97;
*Hugh DeSantis, "The Imperialist Impulse and American Innocence, 1865-1900," in Gerald K. Haines and J. Samuel Walker, eds., ''American Foreign Relations: A Historiographical Review'' (1981), pp. 65–90
* James A. Field Jr., "American Imperialism: The Worst Chapter' in Almost Any Book," ''American Historical Review'' 83 (June 1978): 644-68, past of the "AHR Forum," with responses
* Joseph A. Fry, "William McKinley and the Coming of the Spanish American War: A Study of the Besmirching and Redemption of an Historical Image," ''Diplomatic History'' 3 (Winter 1979): 77-97
* Joseph A. Fry, "From Open Door to World Systems: Economic Interpretations of Late-Nineteenth-Century American Foreign Relations," ''Pacific Historical Review'' 65 (May 1996): 277-303
* Thomas G. Paterson, "United States Intervention in Cuba, 1898: Interpretations of the Spanish-American-Cuban-Filipino War," ''History Teacher'' 29 (May 1996): 341-61;
* Louis A. Pérez Jr.; ''The War of 1898: The United States and Cuba in History and Historiography'' (1998) [http://www.questia.com/read/25040869?title=The%20War%20of%201898%3a%20The%20United%20States%20and%20Cuba%20in%20History%20and%20Historiography online edition]
* Ephraim K. Smith, "William McKinley's Enduring Legacy: The Historiographical Debate on the Taking of the Philippine Islands," in James C. Bradford, ed., ''Crucible of Empire: The Spanish-American War and Its Aftermath'' (1993), pp. 205–49

==Links==
*[http://www.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/1898/ United States Library of Congress entry on the War]

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{{License|license = This work is in the [[public domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the US Code.| source = [http://www.history.navy.mil/biblio/biblio7/biblio7.htm]}}

[[Category:Wars]]
[[Category:Spanish-American War]]
[[Category:Naval Battles]]

[[Category:Progressive Era]]

National Socialism

2019-03-15T23:28:43Z

Thetruejesusson: Change Statement

[[Image:Wille.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Political poster from Germany during the 1930s; translated, it reads ''National Socialism -- the organized will of the nation'']]
'''National [[Socialism]]''' ('''Nazism''') is a [[totalitarian]] system originally created in [[Germany]] immediately following [[World War I]], and characterized by intense [[nationalism]] (although, ironically, Joseph Goebbels indicated that Nazism hated the concept of nationalism due to it being a bourgeois concept when explaining the NSDAP's political position), dictatorial or draconian [[police state]] rule, mass appeal, brutal use of violence, disregard for the law, and a racial policy emphasizing the subjugation or extermination of people considered inferior, based heavily on a belief in social [[Darwinism]], as advocated by people such as Heinrich von Treitschke and Houston Stewart Chamberlain.<ref>[http://yesterday.uktv.co.uk/warzone/world-war-two/nazi-germany/article/what-national-socialism/ What is National Socialism? (yesterday.uktv.co.uk/warzone/world-war-two/nazi-germany/article/what-national-socialism)]</ref> This philosophy extrapolated Darwin's "survival of the fittest" theory and said that persons, groups, and races are subject to the same laws of [[natural selection]] that Darwin proposed for animals.<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/551058/social-Darwinism Britannica's entry on social Darwinism]</ref>

The name Nazi is a contraction of the full party name, [[Nazi Party|National Socialist German Workers' Party]] (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei; NSDAP). Nazism, in short, is simply one of several varieties of [[socialism]]. As a political party it controlled Germany from 1933-1945 under [[Adolf Hitler]], resulting in [[World War II]] and a campaign of mostly anti-[[Jewish]] and [[racist]] [[politics]], resulting in [[genocide]] (see the [[Holocaust]]).

Supporters of [[Communism]], or of [[socialism]] in general, like to pretend that Nazism was not socialist but "[[right wing]]", for similar reasons to why [[fascism]] is often associated with the right wing despite being left wing. Despite this, however, it featured enough similarities with Communism that they were in fact closer to the [[far left]], even including anti-Semitism, which Karl Marx had advocated.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20020116231910/http://russp.org/nazis.html</ref>

* It was common in those days, as it is in ours, to identify the [[Communist]]s as [[leftist]] and the Nazis as [[rightist]]s, as if they stood on opposite ends of the ideological spectrum. But [[Ludwig von Mises]] knew differently. They both sported the same ideological pedigree of socialism. "The German and [[Russian]] systems of socialism have in common the fact that the [[big government]] has full control of the means of production. It decides what shall be produced and how. It allots to each individual a share of consumer's goods for his consumption."

* The difference between the systems, wrote Mises, is that the German pattern "maintains private ownership of the means of production and keeps the appearance of ordinary prices, wages, and markets." But in fact the government directs production decisions, curbs [[entrepreneurship]] and the labor market, and determines wages and [[interest rates]] by central authority. "Market exchange," says Mises, "is only a sham." [http://mises.org/daily/47]

In addition, the Nazis never made an attempt at restoring the monarchy of Germany upon gaining national power. Further, during the late stages of World War II they had backed anti-monarchist forces in Hungary, one of their Axis allies, which acted as additional proof that they were not a right-wing ideology under the European definition (the origins of the terms "right-wing" and "left-wing" came from the French Revolution regarding the National Assembly, with monarchists sitting on the right side seating).<ref name="The Lies of Socialism">http://www.truthbasedlogic.com/lies.htm</ref>

On a similar note, thanks largely to the [[Frankfurt School]] (in particular [[Theodor Adorno]] and [[Herbert Marcuse]]) redefining fascism and Nazism as being right wing and manipulating the American Jewish Committee into assuming that the Nazis were such, the Nazis were also falsely assumed to be sexually rigid and puritanical relating to sexual relationships, when in reality, they were bohemians and sexual deviants/perverts (see [[Nazi Germany and homosexuality]]).<ref name="frontpagemag.com">http://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/267543/big-liar-dinesh-dsouza</ref><ref>http://www.wnd.com/2017/08/the-sex-pervert-as-anti-fascist/</ref>

==Origins==
{{main|Nazi platform of 1925}}

National Socialism is related to socialism in which the basic core is a control of people, property, and income by a centralized government. The core concepts of socialism were kept, transferred, and implemented in the 25 points of the Nazi Party Platform of 1925, which included:
*The abolition of unearned income;
*Nationalization of trusts;
*Inclusion into profit-sharing;
*Increase in old-age pensions;
*Creation and maintenance of a sound middle-class;
*Aguarian reform, which included the seizing of land without compensation;
*State control of education;
*Creation of a "folk" army to supplant or replace the regular army;
*State control of the press [http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/riseofhitler/25points.htm]
Several concepts, however, make National Socialism unique as a political philosophy:
*A regimented, militaristic style of governance which had its origins in the Prussian traditions exemplified by Frederick William I (1688–1740), Frederick the Great (1712–68), and Otto von Bismarck (1815–98);
*A belief of the Nordic “Aryan” man as superior in blood, intellect, and culture over all other races of man, given emphasis by the works of Frederich Nietzsche (''Mensch und Übermensch'') and other 19th century intellectuals.
Added to these beliefs was the science of the time, specifically the theories related to “survival of the fittest” and “natural selection” as postulated by British naturalist Charles Darwin; these theories would be used later as justification for Nazi removal and extermination of non-German people throughout much of Europe prior to and during World War II.

After Hitler joined and later took control of the German Workers' Party in 1921, he added what could be the most damaging elements:
*A rabid hatred for anything and anyone not German;
*and a passionate German nationalism which demanded an expansion of German territory by force or other means.
Prior to World War I, Hitler had been a homeless tramp eking out a meager living as an artist in Vienna, Austria, a multi-ethnic city which included Slavs and Jews among its population; his experience there, as well as the racial propaganda Hitler read voraciously - among them the classic forgery ''Protocols of the Elders of Zion'' - fed into his pro-Germanic racist beliefs.

National Socialism did not come into its own until after Germany's defeat in World War I. What gave it impetus was the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, in which Germany was forced to assume guilt and responsibility for causing the war and the death and destruction which resulted. The Allies’ insistence on the drafting of the Treaty without German participation, the heavy reparations, the despair and disillusionment felt by many Germans after the war, and those diplomats Hitler felt had agreed to cease the war (the “November criminals”) were all used in Hitler's propaganda to persuade as many Germans as possible to support the Nazi cause. The hyper-inflation of 1923 which wiped out middle-class savings and made the German mark worthless added to the National Socialist cause.

Hitler went into detail as to what National Socialism would be when he wrote his political testament while in prison in 1924. In ''[[Mein Kampf]]'' he outlined his racial policies and theories, his theories regarding German expansion, and his understandings of mass psychology and propaganda; in the latter he understood that a weak-minded people would be led by someone who can speak at their level, regarding "truth" less important than "success":

:''"It is part of a great leader's genius to make even widely separated adversaries appear as if they belonged to but one category, because among weakly and undecided characters the recognition of various enemies all too easily marks the beginning of doubt of one's own rightness."''

Before he was ousted from the Party, Hermann Rauschning, National Socialist President of the Danzig Senate in 1933-1934, recalled being told by Hitler that:
:''"Each activity and each need of the individual will thereby be regulated by the party as the representative of the general good. There will be no license, no free space, in which the individual belongs to himself. This is Socialism—not such trifles as the private possession of the means of production. Of what importance is that if I range men firmly within a discipline they cannot escape? Let them then own land or factories as much as they please. The decisive factor is that the State, through the party, is supreme over them, regardless whether they are owners or workers. All that, you see, is unessential. Our Socialism goes far deeper . . . ."''
:''"[T]he people about us are unaware of what is really happening to them. They gaze fascinated at one or two familiar superficialities, such as possessions and income and rank and other outworn conceptions. As long as these are kept intact, they are quite satisfied. But in the meantime they have entered a new relation; a powerful social force has caught them up. They themselves are changed. What are ownership and income to that? Why need we trouble to socialize banks and factories? We socialize human beings."'' (Peikoff, p. 231)

“To be a socialist,” said Nazi Propaganda Minister Josef Goebbels, “is to submit the I to the thou; socialism is sacrificing the individual to the whole.” (Peikoff, p. 19).

Furthermore, when asked about the position of National Socialism, Goebbels responded, "the NSDAP is the German Left. We despise bourgeois nationalism." (Der Angriff, Dec 6th, 1931).

==Doctrines==
National Socialism is revolutionary in nature and without end. National identity and nationalist ideology have been blended with a social radicalism in which liberalism, democracy, human rights, rationalism, and the rule of law were subordinated to the will of the state, the "state" being autocratic and concentrated in the person of the Fuhrer, i.e. Hitler. Loyalty to Germany, to the German State, and to Hitler in particular, was equated with the worship of God (meaning the Nordic god Woden/Votan/Oden). National Socialism in [[Germany]] 1925-1945 combined [[Norse mythology]], [[Darwinism]] and the [[Mysticism|mystical]], [[occult]]ic [[New age movement|New Age]] doctrines of [[Theosophical Society|Theosophy]] in a [[Racism|racist]], militant extremist opposition to Judaism and to Christianity "''with its [[Defeatism|defeatist]], effeminate Christ-figure''".<ref name=occult>''The Occult History of the Third Reich'' 4 program DVD documentary from [http://www.eagle-rock.com Eagle Media], copyright 1987/2004 Eagle Rock Entertainment. Disc 1: 100 minutes Disc 2: 109 minutes Total running time 209 minutes approx. Plus additional interactive content. Executive Producers for Eagle Rock Entertainment - Terry Shand & Geoff Kempin. An Eagle Media Release - Eagle Media is a division of Eagle Rock Entertainment Ltd. ISBN 0-9743194-6-5</ref> Once in power, the Nazis held on to it by threat, intimidation, violence, and the manipulation of the masses. It assumed that the strong had the right to rule the weak and the so-called "Master Race" had to expand its territory through the policy of [[Lebensraum]] (living space) and prepared Germans to accept an ethic of "ferocity" and "hardness".
::''I want to see once more in ''[our youth's]'' eyes the gleam of pride and independence of the beast of prey.''"
::--Adolph Hitler, 1934 <ref name=occult/>

==After World War II==
National Socialism as a political force in Germany ended with that country's defeat in 1945. Despite a “de-nazification” program by the victorious Allies, adherents to Nazism attempted to create new political groups as early as 1948 in West Germany, but were ineffective at reviving the movement; many were later banned, as with the symbolism that was part of it, such as the swastika.

Today, the only political party considered to have many elements of Nazism is the Baath Party of Syria and Iraq under Saddam Hussein. The [[National Democratic Party of Germany]] (NPD) has also many times been accused of neo-Nazism and has survived repeated attempts at banning; party president Udo Voigt has made repeated anti-semitic/anti-immigrant statements, including attacks against America. Small neo-Nazi hate groups operate in several European countries and the United States. Likewise, there are many areas of the Republican Party where experts have agreed Nazism is becoming popular.

In the media, including the Internet, neo-Nazism has also appeared. Radio programs hosted by such as David Duke and repeated appearances of noted Holocaust deniers such as David Irving are examples. Major hate sites like Stormfront and Metapedia contribute for Nazi/White Supremacist views.

==See also==
* [[Gun Control in Nazi Germany]]
* [[Second Book (Hitler)]]

==Further reading==
* Abel, Theodore. ''Why Hitler Came into Power.'' Harvard U. Press, 1986. 315 pp.
* Bracher, Karl D. ''The German Dictatorship: The Origins, Structure and Consequences of National Socialism'' (1973). Influential analysis by political scientist
* Burleigh, Michael. ''The Third Reich: A New History.'' (2000). 864 pp. Stress on antisemitism; [http://www.amazon.com/Third-Reich-New-History/dp/080909326X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198874312&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Bullock, Alan. ''Hitler: A Study in Tyranny, '' (1962) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=55427796 online edition]
* Evans, Richard J. ''The Coming of the Third Reich: A History.'' 2004. 622 pp., a major scholarly survey [http://www.amazon.com/Coming-Third-Reich-Richard-Evans/dp/B0007XWNGO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195982055&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
* Evans, Richard J. ''The Third Reich in Power: 1933-1939.'' (2005). 800 pp. The major scholarly study [http://www.amazon.com/Third-Reich-Power-1933-1939/dp/1594200742/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195982055&sr=1-3 excerpt and text search]
* Friedlander, Saul. ''Nazi Germany and the Jews: Volume 1: The Years of Persecution 1933-1939'' (1998); vol. 2: ''The Years of Extermination: Nazi Germany and the Jews, 1939-1945'' (2007), the standard history [http://www.amazon.com/Years-Extermination-Nazi-Germany-1939-1945/dp/0060190434/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195979435&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Geary, Dick. ''Hitler and Nazism,'' (2000) 97 pages
* Kershaw, Ian. ''Hitler, 1889-1936: Hubris.'' vol. 1. 1999. 700 pp. [http://www.amazon.com/Hitler-1889-1936-Hubris-Ian-Kershaw/dp/0393320359/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198874144&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search vol 1]; vol 2: ''Hitler, 1936-1945: Nemesis.'' 2000. 832 pp.; the leading scholarly biography, [http://www.amazon.com/Hitler-1936-1945-Nemesis-Ian-Kershaw/dp/0393322521/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198874179&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search vol 2]
* Koonz, Claudia. ''Mothers in the Fatherland: Women, Family Life, and Nazi Ideology, 1919-1945.'' (1986). 640 pp. The major study
* Overy, Richard. ''The Dictators: Hitler's Germany and Stalin's Russia'' (2004) [http://www.amazon.com/Dictators-Hitlers-Germany-Stalins-Russia/dp/B000FTCH5W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198874351&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Owings, Alison. ''Frauen: German Women Recall the Third Reich.'' Rutgers U. Press, 1993. 484 pp. oral histories
* Peikoff, Leonard. ''The Omninous Parallels: A Brilliant Study of America Today - and the 'ominous parallels' with the chaos of pre-Hitler Germany''; Plume, New York City (1983)
* Rempel, Gerhard. ''Hitler's Children: The Hitler Youth and the SS,'' (1989) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=94862712 online edition]
* Stibbe, Matthew. ''Women in the Third Reich,'' 2003, 208 pp.
* Tooze, Adam. ''The Wages of Destruction: The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy'' (2007), highly influential new study
* Welch, David. ''Hitler'' (1998.) 123pp [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=109000510 online edition]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Nazis]]
[[Category:Nazism]]
[[Category:German History]]
[[Category:Holocaust]]
[[Category:Anti-Semitism]]
[[Category:Liberals]]
[[Category:Socialism]]
[[Category:Liberalism]]
[[Category:Anti Second Amendment]]
[[Category:Anti-American]]

Islam

2019-03-15T23:26:29Z

Thetruejesusson: Correction

[[Image:Quran.jpg|thumb|right|Pages from the [[Koran]], the foundational text of the Islamic ideology, dictated by a single 7th century author who claimed to have been inspired by a supernatural being whom Muslims call 'Allah'. If the Constitution is the highest law of the United States, then the Koran is the highest law of Islam.]]
'''Islam''' is a major world [[Political|religion]] based on the teachings of [[Muhammad]] (sometimes Mohammed), a seventh century [[Arab]]. Muhammad claimed descent from [[Ishmael]], the son of [[Abraham]]. Muhammad claimed to have received revelations from Allah, the entity which adherents of Islam claim to resemble the [[God]] of [[Judaism]] and [[Christianity]], via the archangel Gabriel, which were written in the [[Koran]] – thus forming the core teachings of Islam. Adherents of Islam, along with their liberal allies (including in the [[mainstream media]]), claim it to be pure religion untarnished by any political agenda. However, unlike Christianity, Judaism and other religions, Islam is presented and acts in ways opposite to the teachings of legitimate religions, and it is more akin to the totalitarian ideologies of [[Nazism]], [[Communism]] or [[Capitalism]], based on the history of Islam and its followers.

The Koran's singular authorship offers no corroborating evidence, as the four Gospels do for example, of testimony of independent eyewitness accounts to its claim of divine inspiration as the Mosaic Law requires,<ref>Dueteronomy 19:15 ''By the testimony of two is a matter established''. The testimony of one - Mohammad - is insufficient to convict the human race, or infidels, of sin, ''per the Law of Moses'' or the Koran itself which claims descent.</ref> from which the Koran's author borrowed selectively.

==Overview==
[[File:World Muslim Population Pew Forum.png|thumb|The Muslim population of the world map according to the Pew Forum 2009 report.]]
The word "Islam"<ref>Arabic الإسلام‎‎, specifically referring to submission to Allah</ref> means "submission" or "surrender" in [[Arabic language|Arabic]]. Islam, as originally designed in the Koran, presents itself as an "Abrahamic faith" and has [[Moses]] in it,<ref>Brannon Wheeler. Moses in the Koran and Islamic Exegesis. Routledge, 2002.</ref> as well as [[Jesus]] as a prophet in Islam,<ref>Muhammad Ata ur-Rahim, Ahmad Thomson. ''Jesus: Prophet of Islam''. TTQ, INC., 2003.</ref> and it specifically denies Jesus's divine nature.

<blockquote>
The world’s Islamic population is expected to increase by about 35% in the next 20 years, rising from 1.6 billion in 2010 to 2.2 billion by 2030, according to new population projections by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life. In the United States, for example, the population projections show the number of Muslims more than doubling over the next two decades, rising from 2.6 million in 2010 to 6.2 million in 2030.<ref>[http://www.pewforum.org/2011/01/27/the-future-of-the-global-muslim-population/ The Future of the Global Muslim Population.]</ref>
</blockquote>

Islam has been criticized for some time because of its demanding of strict submissiveness (especially of women), its suppression and violations of human rights (also including those of women), and its predisposition to being violent toward those of true religious faiths and attacking those faiths deemed a threat to Islam. There have been over 23,000 terrorist attacks committed by adherents of Islam since [[September 11, 2001 attacks|the Islamic terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001]].<ref>http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/</ref> A more recent strain of Islam has combined European totalitarianism and a virulent [[anti-Semitism]]. This version is called [[Jihadism#Lesser jihad|lesser jihad]], [[Islamism]], radical Islam, or militant Islam. Without the historic institution of the Caliph, this form degenerates into stateless terrorist activity that strikes at the heart of civilized man. Some who identify as Muslim have denounced the violent jihadism while others remain silent. Some Muslims and non-Muslims theorize that mainstream Islam has become corrupted over the years that there needs to be an [[Islamic Reformation]] similar to that of the [[Protestant Reformation]].<ref>Michaelle Browers, Charles Kurzman. An Islamic Reformation? Lexington Books, 2004.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.danielpipes.org/954/distinguishing-between-islam-and-islamism|title=Distinguishing between Islam and Islamism|author=Daniel Pipes|date=June 30, 1998}}</ref> The Reformation movements were costly and bloody for well over a century.
[[Image:Mecca.jpg|thumb|left|[[Mecca]], one of the holy cities of Islam.]]
There are small groups of largely Westernized Muslims who publicly reject Islamism. Such moderate Muslim conservatives are in the [[Republican Party]], known as the [[Muslim Republicans]].<ref>http://www.muslimrepublicans.net/</ref> One of America's Founding Fathers, [[Thomas Jefferson]], who was a religious [[libertarian]], declared: "''freedom for the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and the Mohammedan, the Hindu and infidel of every denomination''."<ref>John A. Garraty, Story of America Beginnings to 1877, (1992) Holt, Rinehart and Winston, pg 706.</ref>

Issues with Islam arose in the 2012 U.S. presidential campaign. Republican presidential candidate [[Mitt Romney]] said that "''Radical, violent Islamists pose a threat to Americans and others around the world.''" and that "''they take a very different view of Islam than the Muslims I know.''" Romney said that when he lived in Detroit he knew Muslims, as Detroit has a large Muslim population, and says "''They are peace-loving and America-loving individuals. I believe that very sincerely. I believe people of the Islamic faith do not have to subscribe to the idea of radical, violent jihadism.''<ref>http://www.muslimrepublicans.net/</ref> Former Republican presidential nominee candidate [[Ron Paul]], a libertarian conservative, says that America should not fear Islam and said that America should just embrace people of all faiths.<ref>http://www.muslimrepublicans.net/</ref> American conservative author Margaret Hoover believes that the Republican Party needs to recognize Muslim Republicans, noting an example of Muslim Republican youth Suhail Khan who she describes as "''one of thousands of Muslim Americans who work to promote Christian-Muslim understanding''".<ref>Margaret Hoover, ''American Individualism: How a New Generation of Conservatives Can Save the Republican Party'', Random House Digital, Inc., 2011, pg 202.</ref> Candidates for the Republican nomination like [[Newt Gingrich]] and [[Rick Santorum]] strongly criticized Islamic extremism.<ref>http://www.muslimrepublicans.net/</ref>

[[Multiculturalism|Multiculturalists]] ignore or minimize violence in the history of Islam and exaggerate Christian atrocities to advance a [[moral equivalence]]. Proponents of this view often cite the [[Crusades|Great Crusades]]--an unsuccessful attempt by Western Christians to retake parts of the [[Byzantine Empire]] that had been conquered by Islamic armies--and various religious wars which were later fought in Europe between branches of Christianity. However, they brand critics of Islam "racists" (even though Islam is not a "race") and "[[Islamophobia|Islamophobes]]" (a smear term invented for the purpose of censoring and silencing legitimate criticism of Islam) for exposing today's threats by [[jihadism|jihadists]].<ref>http://www.bcbsr.com/topics/charity.html</ref>

A follower of Islam is called a "[[Muslim]]" (rarely "Moslem"), a term which means "one who submits (to Allah)." The older terms "Mohammedan" and "Muhammedan" ("follower of Muhammad"), have fallen out of use.<ref>Additional archaic terms for Muslims include "Hagarene", "Musselman", and "Saracen." Saracen as a term for Muslims was limited to the Crusades era, although it makes frequent re-appearances in pre-modern polemics. Hagarene was a more common term in pre-modern works, as it denotes the Biblical connection of Hagar, the mother of Ishmael, who is claimed to be a patriarch of Islam. Additional names for Muslims in pre-modern and Medieval works are generally derived from misspellings.</ref>

Because of its history of terrorism, mass murder, suicide attacks and the overall lack of value it places on human life, Islam, and those who adhere to it, are generally shown as having no regard whatsoever toward human life.<ref>[http://www.conservativenewsandviews.com/2017/07/09/human/permanent-rage-islam/ The Permanent Rage of Islam] at Conservative News and Views</ref>

==Theology==
[[File:Kaaba.jpg|thumb|Masjid al-Haram, the holiest site in Islam.]]

There are no clergy, but there are religious teachers, or [[Imam]]s, who have their followings. All Muslims are supposed to follow the teachings of Muhammad, whom they believe to be Allah's<ref>Arabic الله</ref> last and greatest [[prophet]] (although Jesus, in Matthew 7:15-20, warned "Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves. You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes are not gathered from thorns or figs from thistles, are they? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will recognize them by their fruit", which serves to explicitly describe Muhammad and such like him). The teachings of Muhammad are transmitted through the [[Koran]], the Hadith, and the Sunnah. The Sunnah is a general term for "the life and doings of the Prophet", which all Muslims are called on to replicate. Islam claims that the Archangel [[Gabriel]] appeared to Muhammad in a cave reciting verbatim a revelation from Allah. The first word that Gabriel says to Muhammad is "Iqra" or "Recite/Proclaim",which is found in the 96th Sura of the Koran.

Muslims believe that Allah revealed the Koran to Muhammad. The key miracle of Islam comes from the historical condition of the illiterate and uneducated Muhammad, as the Koran is composed in an erudite and complex form of Arabic prose and poetry.<ref>Proclaim! (or read!) in the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created- Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: Proclaim! And thy Lord is Most Bountiful,- He Who taught (the use of) the pen,- Taught man that which he knew not.(Surah 96:1-5)</ref> The Koran was not written down in a systematic fashion until a decade after Muhammad died, preferable transmission being through oral recitation. The Koran is claimed by Muslims to be the pure and holy word of Allah, uncreated and eternal. In Islamic belief the term uncreated is very important, as it implies that there is no author for the Koran, only the delivering of the word to Muhammad who delivered it to the Sahab and the Salaf (The Companions and the Pure), who delivered it to the scribe delegated to record it in the reign of the Caliph Uthman bin Affan.

==Origins==
Like Christianity and Judaism, Islam originated in the Middle East. Islam claims to trace its roots back to Abraham through his son Ishmael. Muslims do not believe that Muhammad was the founder of Islam, rather they claim that he restored the original faith of Abraham and the prophets that followed as recorded in the lost books of the Tawrat and Injil.

Based upon this belief, the [[Bible]], both the [[Old Testament|Old]] and [[New Testament]]s, is claimed by adherents of Islam to have become corrupted through the [[Bible translations|translations and misinterpretations]] accumulated over several millennia. The criticism of the [[Torah]] centers around the reconstruction of the existing Biblical text required after the "[[Babylon]]ian captivity". The criticism of the New Testament centers in the many disputed gnostic texts which contradict the orthodox biblical canon. Interestingly, Islamic jurisprudence accepts that the Injil was complete and whole up until the revelation of Muhammad. Therefore, there is some inconsistency in the claims made against the New Testament. For more information, see [[The Bible versus the Qur'an|The Bible versus the Koran]].

Muhammad spent many years attempting to unite disparate polytheistic Arab tribes in the power vacuum created by the fall of the [[Roman Empire]] through recitations of his epic poem, which borrowed heavily from Hebrew scriptures and dietary laws, meeting with only limited success. He was eventually driven out of Mecca by the powers that be for challenging state authority, an event known as the ''Hijra'' or "Flight from Mecca" which marks the beginning of the Islamic calender.

Eventually Muhammad was summoned back to Mecca by a faction of sympathizers, mainly tribal family members, as political chaos engulfed the city. Muhammad conqueered the city after a prolonged siege with attacks on the civilian population and hundreds of beheadings to any who refused to accept his claims to a divine mission of carrying out the will of Allah. The doctrine of abrogation (''nashk'') in Islamic scholarship teaches that the later instructions of Mohammad supersede any earlier contradictory verses in the Koran.<ref>http://www.quranicstudies.com/books/abrogation-in-the-quran-and-islamic-law/</ref> Hence was born political Islam,<ref>https://www.politicalislam.com/abrogation-and-the-koran/</ref> a doctrine of war, conquest, and vengeance, over any earlier utterances which teach Islam a religion of peace. Peace only exists in Islam insofar as all Islam's enemies are subjugated.

==Today==
Islam is the world's largest socio-political ideology, with over 1.6 billion followers, and is claimed to be the fastest growing ideology in America.<ref>[http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/the-fastest-growing-religion-in-america-is-islam]</ref> This rapid growth is mainly due to conversions, high birth rates, and convenient redefinitions of the term "Muslim". Conversions to Christianity (from ''any'' faith or lack thereof) outnumber those to Islam, but are keeping up with the birthrate discrepancy.<ref>[http://www.bible.ca/global-religion-statistics-world-christian-encyclopedia.htm World Christian Encyclopedia]</ref>
<ref>[http://www.orthodoxytoday.org/articles6/AlJazeerahAfrica.php Translation of AL-Jazeerah interview between Maher Abdallah and Shiekh Ahmed Katani]</ref>

Islamic doctrine, including what is taught in [[North America]], teaches that 1 John 4:9, "God is love", is a false doctrine.<ref>http://www.arabicbible.com/for-christians/1313-christians-common-questions-about-islam.html?start=2</ref> The doctrine of ''Al-Wala wal-Bara'' teaches true faith is measured in sharing Allah's hatred of the ''kufr'', non-believers, or infidels.<ref>http://www.meforum.org/3545/islam-hatred-non-muslim</ref> In other words, Islamic doctrine teaches that Allah hates his own creation, sinful man, which John 3:16 teaches, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son." ''Al-Wala wal-Bara'', or divine hatred, is used to justify terrorist attacks. The believing Muslim feels he is carrying out Allah's will in killing Allah's enemies. Rather than the [[atonement|atoning]] blood of Jesus for sinful man, the murder of infidels and attacks on their societal institutions and national governments is aimed at blotting out evil in the world.

Even Orthodox Judaism teaches that Jehovah loves sinners. Psalm 138:8 for example says, "The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands."

[[Indonesia]] has the largest Islamic population in the world.

==Historical Background==
According to Islamic belief, in approximately 610 A.D., [[Muhammad]], a 40-year-old merchant of the Quraysh tribe in [[Mecca]], located in the Hijaz (now eastern [[Saudi Arabia]]), was commanded by the angel [[Gabriel]] (or Jibreel) to "recite" the message of Allah (professed by adherents of Islam to be their god). Gabriel said mankind had lost sight of Allah's previous messages to earlier prophets, [[Adam]], [[Noah]], [[Abraham]], [[Moses]], [[Solomon]], and [[Jesus]], among others, and that Muhammad was to spread Allah's message to all people so that mankind would know how to live, how to show respect for Allah, and how to prepare for the judgment day.
[[File:Islam750.jpg|right|thumb|Map of the expansion of Islam]]
The message to Muhammad was to be Allah's last and fullest revelation, a direct copy of the Umm Al Khitab, the mother of all books located in heaven next to Allah; Muhammad was the "seal of the prophets." Muhammad won some converts to Islam in his local area, but his [[monotheist]] preaching threatened to undermine the profitable [[polytheist]] pilgrim traffic supporting many Meccan merchants. In 622 A.D., the merchants drove Muhammad and his followers out of Mecca to the city of Yathrib (later renamed [[Medina]], or the city – as in the city of the prophet). This flight (hijra) from Mecca to Medina marks the beginning of the Islamic lunar calendar, and is celebrated each year in the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca.

Muhammad's forces, composed of the sahaba (companions) from Mecca, and the Ansar (allied tribes from Yathrib) started attacking the trade caravans going in and out of Mecca, cutting off its economic lifeline. After a series of battles between the Meccans and Muhammad's forces, Mecca finally accepted Muhammad's ultimatum to succumb and convert to Islam. The city welcomed the prophet back in 630. Muhammad died in 632.

Tribal elders in a traditional council called the "Shura" elected [[Abu Bakr]] to be Muhammad's successor, or [[Caliph]] (Khalifa). Abu Bakr united the tribes of the Arabian peninsula during his two years as head of the new faith. Upon his death, the elders elected [[Umar ibn al-Khattab]] the next Caliph. During Umar's ten-year reign, Islam invaded and spread through conquest and negotiation into [[Egypt]], [[Syria]], [[Palestine]], [[Iraq]], and parts of Persia (modern-day [[Iran]]). Umar was assassinated by a Persian in 644, and was succeeded by [[Uthman ibn Affan]], who continued the invasions to spread Islam into [[North Africa]], [[Cyprus]], the rest of Persia, [[Afghanistan]], and parts of [[India]] and [[Pakistan]]. Over the next two centuries, Islamic armies continued to expanded Islam's empire into sub-Saharan Africa, [[Spain]], South-east and Central Asia, and [[Turkey]].

The Muslim armies conquered and superseded the ancient Sassanid and Byzantine empires which had ruled before. Within a generation of Muhammad's death Islamic armies occupied an empire stretching from the Nile river to the far-off Persian province of Khorasan. Reasons for the rapid conquest are varied and obscure. The Arab armies were more akin to tribal war bands raiding and settling where and when they could. The Byzantine and Sassanid empires had been at war for centuries. The constant simmering conflict between Constantinople and Persia reached a climax in the early 7th century. The Sassanids conquered briefly Egypt and the Levant threatening the central Byzantine heartland of Anatolia. Under the military reforms of the emperor Heraclius, the Byzantine army consolidated and counterattacked, recapturing all that they had lost and capturing the Sassanian capital of Ctesiphon in 628.

This brief end of the Roman-Persian wars disrupted the frontier areas which had predicated their economies on raiding and mercenary activities. Two major areas in Arabia were directly affected. The Lackmid tribe and the Gassanid tribe both acted as mercenaries for the Persians and Romans. The official religion of both tribes analogically mirrored that of their overseers. Monophysite Christianity was common, particularly of the Jacobite sect. The death of Muhammad and the subsequent Ridda wars occupied these warrior tribes until the reign of Caliph Umar. Additionally, there was great religious unrest in the Levant and Egypt. These areas resented the ruinous taxes and the harsh orthodoxy imposed by the emperor in Constantinople.

The same climate was present in the Sassanid realm with the rise of the dualism of the Manicheans. Under the Caliph Umar, the Arab tribes which had concluded the infighting following the death of Muhammad were allowed to raid into the Byzantine and Sassanid fronteirs. The weakened state of both regimes from both military and economic exhaustion and religious unrest made them fertile picking grounds for the tribal warbands. The Arabs were chiefly successful in holding these areas in that they upheld a lightweight regime of low taxes based in the Islamic laws and distant government. Rather than employing an army of bureaucrats and nobility, the early Arab empire was more favorable towards maintaining the existing government structures under the leadership of Arab tribes. In this atmosphere it is hardly surprising to note the reports from both Islamic and Christian sources of peaceful capitulation and invitation of the invading forces.

[[File:Madina Haram at evening .jpg|center|800px|thumb|Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (the Mosque of the Prophet) in [[Medina]], [[Saudi Arabia]], the site of [[Muhammad|Muhammad's]] tomb.]]

=== Islam and war ===

''See also:'' [[Irreligion/religion and war]] and [[Islamic terrorism]] and [[Atheism vs. Islam]]

In his book ''The Irrational [[Atheism|Atheist]]'', [[Vox Day]] wrote:
{{Cquote|It’s also interesting to note that more than half of these religious wars, sixty-six in all, were waged by Islamic nations, which is rather more than might be statistically expected considering that the first war in which Islam was involved took place almost three millennia after the first war chronicled in the ''Encyclopedia'', Akkad’s conquest of Sumer in 2325 B.C.

In light of this evidence, the fact that a specific religion is currently sparking a great deal of
conflict around the globe cannot reasonably be used to indict all religious faith, especially when one
considers that removing that single religion from the equation means that all of the other religious
faiths combined only account for 3.35 percent of humanity’s wars.<ref>[http://www.voxday.net/mart/TIA_free.pdf The Irrational Atheist - Abbreviated free copy on PDF]</ref>}}

==Divisions within Islam==
Uthman was assassinated in 656 A.D. by soldiers who then installed Ali ibn Abu Talib, Muhammad's son-in-law, as [[Caliph]]. Ali's followers believed Muhammad had chosen Ali to be Muhammad's heir, and had disagreed with the selections of Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman as Caliphs. Ali's claim to the position was challenged by Muawiyah, a kinsman of the murdered Uthman. Five years later, Ali was assassinated by Kharjites, dissidents who broke away from the main body of Islam because they rejected Ali's accepting arbitration to resolve his leadership dispute with Muawiyah. Ali's supporters, or the Shiah al-Ali (or Shiat Ali, partisans of Ali) believed that Ali was the true Caliph and was, in part, divinely inspired. Ali's sons, Hassan and Husayn followed as [[Shia]] Caliphs, Hassan dying in 669 or 670 A.D., possibly by poisoning, and Husayn slain by soldiers of his rival, the [[Sunni]] Caliph Yazid, in 680 A.D.

The Shia Islamic community has divided further as followers coalesced around several of Ali's descendants or successors, called [[Imam]]s. The "twelvers," predominant in Iran, believe the twelfth Imam is in hiding and will reveal himself just before judgement day. Ismailis rejected the seventh Imam and practice a spirituality that seeks hidden meaning in scripture. Ismailis ruled much of [[North Africa]] as the [[Fatimid Dynasty]] of [[Egypt]] in the tenth through the twelfth centuries, and today are found primarily in [[Pakistan]], [[Afghanistan]], and [[India]]. The Sunni majority reject the premise that men can be divine, including Muhammad, Ali, or Jesus, and did not accept any of the Imams who followed Ali. Sunnis remain more committed to traditions and less inclined to accept Shia mysticism. Today, about 15% of the world's Muslims are Shia and 85% are orthodox Sunni.

There are other factions within Islam. Sufis, a name possibly derived from the wool garments they wear, developed around mystical practices and trance-induced revelations. Sufis are found today in [[Turkey]], [[Syria]], and parts of [[Africa]]. One of the most famous modern followers of Sufism was American professional boxer [[Muhammad Ali]] in his later years. Other movements have taken reform tracks, such as the Unitarians of [[Saudi Arabia]], also called [[Wahhabi]]s after their 18th century reformist founder Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab. The conservative Wahhabis are found today in Saudi Arabia and [[Qatar]]. Today the Wahhabi line has a tendency to produce extremists, such as [[Osama Bin Laden]]. Some critics would argue that the [[Taliban]] of Afghanistan took conservative reform to an extreme. Other sects or break-away groups include, among others, the Alawis found in Syria and Turkey, the [[Druze]] in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Israel, the Ibadhis (Kharjites) in Oman and Africa, the Ahmadiya of Pakistan, and the Zaydis of Yemen.

==Islamic Guidance==
During his lifetime, Muhammad's companions learned and later transcribed the verses (surrahs) of the Koran as Muhammad spoke them. In Islam, the teachings of Mohammed were believed to be direct divine revelation from Allah.

The third Caliph, Uthman, collected and codified the various versions of the surrahs into one written Koran that became the standard Arabic text used by the world's Muslims today. The Koran is longer than the Bible and written in general order of longest chapters to shortest rather than in any order of when they were spoken, sometimes making the work appear to be confusing. In all there are 114 chapters. Most of the later recorded sayings of Mohammed, which were also more warlike, actually appear earlier in the text. Present-day Muslims look first to the Koran as a guide to life, then to the [[Sunnah]], or the way of the Prophet (his life as an example for others) as recorded by his early companions, and then to the [[Hadith]], a collection of the Prophet's sayings, comments, advice, and descriptions.

Frequently, Muslims disagreed over how to interpret certain passages in the Qur'an, the Sunnah, or the Hadith in their search for the ideal life and perfect path to heaven. From these interpretations Sunni Muslims developed four schools of law, or interpretations of law, named after their founders or early leaders: the Hanbali, considered the most strict school and predominant today in Saudi Arabia; Shafi, the school of widest acceptance, found in Egypt, parts of Palestine-Syria, south Arabia, and the Far East; Maliki, prevalent in North Africa, Sudan, and Nigeria; and Hanafi, considered the most moderate school, predominant in Ottoman Turkey and today found primarily on the Levant and Indian subcontinent. Frequently, Islamic countries have two separate legal systems, one for civil, criminal, or commercial law, and a second, and separate, system for religious law. Religious courts and their judges (qadis) might handle issues dealing with marriage, divorce, child custody, inheritance, religious education, charitable or religious property (Waqf), or family matters. Among Middle Eastern countries, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen have Shariah courts serving alongside their secular courts or have adopted [[Sharia]]h (Islamic law) as the basis of their legal systems.

====Clergy====
Sunni Islam does not have a priesthood or clerical hierarchy to conduct religious services or interpret scripture, but it does have prayer leaders, called Imams, and religious scholars, called Ulama, who often are educated men familiar with the Koran and able to offer commentaries on Koranic verses. Sunni Muslims also respect the teachings and interpretations of scholars, judges, and academics who may interpret laws, write treatises on Sharia (religious law) or Hadith, and issue Fatwas, religious declarations intended to enlighten or guide Muslims.

Shia Islam has a hierarchy that resembles a priesthood. Mullahs are prayer leaders, but usually do not interpret religious law. Mujtahids are religious scholars who may interpret law or passages from the Koran or Hadith. The lower order of Mujtahids are called Hojjatolislam. Ayat Allah (literally sign of Allah, also Ayatollah) is a higher order of Mujtahid who may issue Fatwas, or religious edicts, in addition to leading Islamic schools, interpreting religious law and the Koran, and offering sermons or discourses on proper Islamic behavior.

===Five Pillars of Islam===
*'''[[Shahadah]] (Profession of Faith)''' -The Shahadah is the Muslim profession of faith. 'ašhadu 'al-lā ilāha illā-llāhu wa 'ašhadu 'anna muħammadan rasūlu-llāh, a loose English translation reads "''There is none worthy of worship except Allah, and [[Muhammad]] is the messenger of Allah''" This testament can be seen as the foundation of all of the other tenets of Islam and swears off the divinity of Christ.

*'''[[Salat]] (Ritual Prayer)''' -All Muslims are required to pray to Allah five times each day while facing [[Mecca]]. Praying six times a day is consider willful disobedience to Allah, ''per shariah law'', an act punishible by death.<ref>The example is used by Prof. Quinten Wiktorowitz of an extremist considered by Muslim "moderates" as one who loves Allah so much he defies Allah's instructions. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10576100500497004</ref><ref>[https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://archives.cerium.ca/IMG/pdf/WIKTOROWICZ_2006_Anatomy_of_the_Salafi_Movement.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwiXlY7EttfTAhVF02MKHRExBFwQFggcMAA&usg=AFQjCNH4tKyamYaRwVVY8j23A0VjTOOWJg&sig2=zIzwl9aecd3zpGkLsveV0g "Despite the success of the Prophet’s mission and the growth of Islam, Salafis believe human desires continue to grip Muslims and challenge the purity of the message. In this view, there is an eternal temptation to manipulate and distort the religion through innovation. Although nefarious interests often drive deviancy, it can also result from good intentions. Muslims who pray more than the explicitly proscribed five times a day, for example, are likely motivated by love for God. They are, however, still engaged in innovation because they are inventing new practices to fulfill a human desire." p.4 pdf]</ref>

*'''Zakat (Charity)''' Zakat is often described as charitable giving. Able Muslims must donate to the poor based on the wealth one has accumulated. In current usage it is interpreted as 2.5% of [[net worth]] held for a full [[lunar year]]. However, funding violent jihad by wealthy Muslims has been ruled a form of ''zakat'' by Islamic scholars, a requirement to fillful their Islamic duty under the five pilars. There exists the poor, unemployed, and unemployable jihadis, and the ignorant (''jahiliyya'') infidel masses in need if Islamic enlightening, hence funding terrorism is considered charitable work.

*'''Sawm (Fasting)''' All able-bodied Muslims (children, pregnant women, the elderly, and the ill are exempt) must not eat during the daylight hours of the entire month of [[Ramadan]]. According to Muslims, this purifies the body and soul. Although Muslims and their mainstream media surrogates refer to it as a "fast," this in no way aligns with traditional Christian and Judaic concepts of fasting, and indeed violates the basic concept. Torturing oneself in an outward display of [[piety]] is deemed [[hypocritc]]al by the [[monotheist]]ic traditions of Christianity and Judaism. Some Islamic sects allow military, police and emergency services personnel to receive an exemption from fasting from an imam, on the grounds that their work supports the community or national good.

*'''Hajj (Pilgrimage)''' All able-bodied Muslims must make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lives. Many without funds for a round trip never made it back, having been sold off in the slave auction market place a [[Taif]].<ref>https://youtu.be/emRVkisdbhc</ref>

==Other Aspects of Islam==
====Jihad====
Jihad is the "struggle" each Muslim is called to against unbelievers (infidels). Participation in jihad in Allah's cause was the third most important good deed listed in the Hadith, after prayer and honoring one's parents. Jihad was a rallying cry for the military spread of Islam in the seventh through tenth centuries against non-Muslims, and is the same reason for Islamic terrorism and war today. 
Some Muslim apologists in the western world say that jihad refers to the difficulties a Muslim faces in the everyday trials of life, such as the effort to get better grades in school, or the striving to achieve better results from a job, or the struggle to avoid sinful temptations. It is, they say, the internal struggle of good and evil, or the pure and the impure. However, this is simply a fabrication, which has been publicly labeled as such by Muslim scholars in the middle east. Nonetheless, even some mosques not teach this, fostering a more peaceful version of Islam. Unfortunately, it is not based on the Koran and the Hadith, but rather modern revisions. Any Muslim believing this peaceful version can be corrected based on these sacred books, and thus become "radicalized."

====Osama bin Laden and Fundamentalists====
[[Osama bin Laden]], a follower of [[Wahhabism]], stated that Islam is at war with the United States and its allies. Some observers claim that the number of Islamic fundamentalists is growing and poses a threat to the West.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.danielpipes.org/255/islamic-fundamentalists-are-the-new-big-threat-to-the-west|title=Islamic Fundamentalists are the New Big Threat to the West|author=Daniel Pipes|newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer|date=Sept 16, 1994}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.city-journal.org/html/rev2006-06-04td.html|title=All or Nothing: The quest for a moderate Islam may be futile.|date=June 4, 2006|author=Theodore Dalrymple|newspaper=Cite Journal}}</ref> But other observers differentiate between conservative "fundamentalists" and the "extremists" who follow murderers such as bin Laden or other terrorists.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://townhall.com/columnists/dineshdsouza/2008/09/15/who_speaks_for_islam/page/full/|title=Who Speaks For Islam|author=Dinesh D'Souza|newspaper=Townhall|date=Sept 15, 2009}}</ref> In several major Islamic nations, bin Laden had the support of the majority of people in the early years after the 9/11 attacks. As he lost battles with the West and started to target fellow Muslims his popularity waned.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pewglobal.org/2012/04/30/on-anniversary-of-bin-ladens-death-little-backing-of-al-qaeda/|title=On Anniversary of bin Laden’s Death, Little Backing of al Qaeda|date=April 30, 2012|publisher=Pew Research Center}}</ref>

====People of the Book====
Christians and Jews are called "people of the Book" in the Koran and are considered earlier forerunners to Islam and viewed as brothers as long as they pay an extra tax when under Islamic rule. Islam, which claims roots tracing back to Abraham through his son Ishmael instead of Isaac as the Jews did, believes that they are the descendants of Allah's promise. Islam claims that both the Old and New Testament were corrupted and corrected by the Koran (though in truth, it is the Koran itself which plagiarized from and corrupted Biblical scripture), but there is still an earlier link claimed between the two religions and Islam. The view of Jews and Christians varied within different parts of the Koran and Islamic history. Much of current Islamic culture, even in places that were once very tolerant such as Egypt, has seen an upsurge in persecution and violence against Christians and Jews.

====Women in Islam====
[[File:Muslim girls at Istiqlal Mosque Jakarta Indonesia.jpg|left|thumb|240px|Muslim girls at Istiqlal [[Mosque]], Jakarta.]]
In pre-Islamic times women's rights were defined by tribal laws which differed among the tribes. Some women had absolute equity and the ability to hold power, while some women were treated worse than chattel; bride prices, unlimited polygamy, and female infanticide were a common theme. [[Sharia law|Islamic law]] offered a path for which Muslim men could regulate women in a legal system based on Muslim principles of jurisprudence on the Arabian peninsula. Treated merely as individual sex objects, women were granted very limited rights but as distinct legal individuals; forced to marry who their parents tell them to, women are required not to directly object in order for the marriage contract to have some form of validity.

Unlike the pre-Islamic times where unlimited polygamy occurred, [[Sharia law]] limits [[polygamy]] to a maximum of four wives at any one time, though the use of "temporary" marriage in effect rendered this restriction meaningless. Once married, only men are entitled to divorce any time they please. The reality of traditional Sharia law as applied in the modern era has shocked the modern conscience.<ref>Linda Rae Bennett, ''Women, Islam and Modernity'' (2005)</ref> These restrictions on women were put into place over a thousand years ago, and there has been little progress since. Women are still not allowed to drive a [[car]], they cannot ride [[bicycle]]s, are unable to [[vote]], have been prohibited from traveling abroad without permission, and they can't use public facilities when men are present.

[[File:Sharia.jpg|right|thumb|220px|Muslim woman tortured under Sharia law.]]
Women in Islam are treated as inferiors to men in almost every regard and women's rights are all but non-existent in Islam, a fact conveniently ignored by the ideology's liberal allies (including in [[feminism]] and the [[mainstream media]]). In [[Sharia]], the testimony of one man equals that of five women. Women are required to cover the head and body in public, by wearing the hijab. Hijab is applied in different ways: a small scarf around the head and western street clothes may be acceptable in Cairo or Damascus but a full length opaque [[burqa]] was enforced in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. As of 2008, [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Iran]], and [[Pakistan]] are the most significant Middle Eastern countries where the government requires women to wear some form of restrictive garb, though cultural pressure in most Islamic countries offers women little choice but to submit to the dictat of hijab. Women who are claimed by their husbands or family to have disgraced their family are put to death in "[[honor killing]]s"; buried halfway or sometimes up to their neck so they cannot run, women, who are in most cases victims, are stoned to death.

=====Islamic dress is a regular grounds for conflict in multicultural education=====
Treatment of women varies widely by country. In the Islamic state of Saudi Arabia women are forbidden from driving a car, traveling in public without their husband or a male family member as an escort, leaving their home without wearing Islamic dress, working or voting. Though not formally forbidden from owning property, they have no way of obtaining this as work is forbidden and only males are permitted to inherit – should a man die, his brothers, sons, and father will all inherit before his wife. These restrictions are part of Sharia law and enforced by the police and a special Islamic office. Pakistan has similar restrictions but to a lesser extent. In contrast, [[Turkey]] has a majority Muslim population and yet grants women some rights similar to those of men including property ownership, employment, and education to university level.

Islamic apologists suggest the extremely repressive policies of countries such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are cultural rather than religious, though these are the countries where traditional Islam is strongest. They point to the more moderate Islam practiced in Turkey as a demonstration that Islam and women's rights are compatible, ignoring the efforts of traditionalists in Turkey to end the few freedoms women were granted by men.

Islamic women's status is controversial. While Islamic men control and oppress Islamic women by compelling them to remain hidden behind the veil, sequestered in the home, and ignorant of the world by denying them access to education and worldly opportunities, Islamic apologists defend some practices. These men claim that many of the restrictions on women, such as the veil, are cultural traditions that pre-date Islam and are intended to protect women from predatory men. Unfortunately, such Islamic men ignore the fact that if a predatory man or group of rapists were to sexually assault an Islamic woman in Islam, she would be punished under Sharia law for "allowing" such an act to occur, and she would likely receive hundreds of lashes and years of jail time or be punished with death; the predatory man or men commonly go unpunished or only receive very light punishments at worst.

====Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem====
Muhammad's home city of Mecca was the site of his earliest preaching and conversions, and is the location of the Kaaba, traditionally held to be the foundation stone of the first mosque built by Adam and later restored by Abraham, and now the focus of the annual pilgrimage (hajj). Some historians suggest that the Kaaba, a black stone probably meteoric in origin, was venerated by pre-Islamic polytheistic religions.

At first, Jerusalem was claimed by Islam to be its holy city and the focus of prayers, but Mecca became the center of Islam after Muhammad's return in 630. Medina, because of its early association with Muhammad and as the site of Muhammad's tomb, is second in importance to Mecca. Jerusalem is revered by Muslims as the site of Solomon's temple, Abraham's near sacrifice of his son Ishmael, and the scene of Muhammad's miraculous midnight journey, the latter two now enshrined in the [[Dome of the Rock]] mosque. According to the Koran (Surrah 17:1, Isra) and Hadith, Muhammad and Gabriel were taken on winged mules from Mecca to Jerusalem, where they ascended through the seven heavens to the presence of Allah. During the visit, Muhammad learned, among other points, that Muslims were to pray five times each day and to honor Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and the other prophets.

====Abortion====
Muslims see [[abortion]] as ''haram'' (forbidden), but accept it if the life of mother is at risk.<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/islamethics/abortion_1.shtml</ref>

====Restrictions====
Observant Muslims are not supposed to eat pork and in general do not have dogs as pets; both swine and canines are considered unclean. Muslims can have dogs for safety. Muslims are prohibited from drinking alcoholic beverages, gambling, and from collecting interest on financial transactions.

===Female Genital Mutilation===
Female genital mutilation (also known as "female circumcision") is mentioned in Hadith as an "honorable" condition for a woman, and act to carry out. It is a pre-Islamic tradition in parts of sub-Saharan Africa and the Arab world, though not in Coptic Egypt as some Islamic apologists claim. Female genital mutilation is not called for nor is it supported by the Koran.

===Honor Killings===
Another violent practice continued in Islamic countries is [[honor killing]], in which a brother, father, or uncle "restores" or "defends" a family's honor by killing the sister, daughter, or niece that "dishonored" the family through supposedly "promiscuous" behavior. This "promiscuous" activity often includes women from Islamic societies living in the West aspiring to a more open lifestyle. The "honor killing" is more ancient, and pagan in origin, but tolerated and practiced more or less openly in some Islamic societies.

Some apologists might try to excuse or justify this practice by putting down this verse:

<blockquote>
'Because of that, We decreed...that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, [even] after that, throughout the land, were transgressors.' -5:32. [http://quran.com/5/32].
</blockquote>

Notice the ellipses between decreed and that? I hope you did, and if you followed the link you would know that this was decreed to the Children of Israel, who would be the Jews. Now, how could this be a defense against honor killing in Islamic countries if this wasn't even given to Muslims? The answer lies in the very next verse:

<blockquote>
'Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment, Except for those who return [repenting] before you apprehend them. And know that Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.' (5:33-34) [http://quran.com/5/33] [http://quran.com/5/34]
</blockquote>

So what we get from that, unlike the Jews where it is a blessing not to commit murder, for Muslims, it is a deed for Allah to murder those who have "caused corruption". Among these that "cause corruption" could be one's daughter, sister, or wife who is not wearing the headscarf, praying five times a day, not fasting in Ramadan, becoming too Westernized, etc., and thus honor killing would be "justified" in their view. Of course if you look at the next verse, it says that you should be merciful to those who have repented -before you apprehend them. This implies that they will be terrorized, and then there self-preservation instinct will kick in and they will repent. But what about those who don't? What if one's female relative doesn't believe that the headscarf is necessary while you do? And what if she still believes the same way after you apprehend her? You follow 5:33. As Muhammed himself proclaimed:

<blockquote>
I have been made victorious with terror.'
-Bukhari 4.52.220 [http://www.quranexplorer.com/Hadith/English/Hadith/bukhari/004.052.220.html].
</blockquote>

==Anti-Science==
Modern science started in Christian Europe, not the Islamic world, and not even China. The Islamic world has not accomplished anything major in the sciences, unless copying counts. The Muslims borrowed their architecture from the Byzantines. For example, the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem was built and designed by Byzantine craftsmen. Thousands of years before Muhammad was born, the Greeks discovered algebra and the Persians built the first astrolabe. Before Al-Ahzar University was established, there were two universities in China (Nanking University and Southeast University), the School of Nisibis (later absorbed into the School of Edessa), a school of medicine and theology built by the Syriac Orthodox Church in Mesopotamia, but in present-day Turkey, the University of Constantinople, Nalanda in India, and the Academy of Gondishapur in Iran; the first hospital was built by the heretical Nestorians.

==Islam and Christianity==
''See also: [[Dhimma]]'' 
While adherents of Islam do not believe Jesus to be the Son of God or in the Resurrection, they consider Him and His mother to be among Allah's most important prophets (Marian and Isa) otherwise known as Mary and Jesus. However, the Koran warns against worshipping Jesus, Muhammad, and other humans for fear of [[idolatry]].<ref>[http://www.ccg.org/_domain/ccg.org/Islam/Islam.htm Christian Churches of God Articles on Islam], March 10, 2007</ref>

The Koran states that non-believers will be punished, though the nature of the punishment is not specified (same as similar statements in the Bible and the Torah):

{{cquote|Surely, disbelievers are those who said:
'Allah is the third of the three (in a Trinity).' But there is no god but One, Allah.
And if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall the disbelievers among them.

Will they not repent to Allah and ask His Forgiveness? For Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.

The Messiah, son of Mary, was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother was a Siddiqah (i.e. she believed in the words of God and His Books ).
They both used to eat food (as any other human eat).
Look how We make the signs clear to them, yet look how they are deluded away (from the truth)."
}}
::(Koran 5:73-75)

However, Islam does recognize Christians and Jews as "people of the book" since both refer to one God only, and recognize Abraham (Ibrahim in Arabic) as a founding prophet.

==Sharia==
[[Image:StarCresent.png|thumb|right|220px|The Star and Crescent is a symbol of Islam. It is featured in the national flag of [[Algeria]], [[Azerbaijan]], [[Malaysia]], [[Tunisia]], [[Uzbekistan]], [[Mauritania]], [[Pakistan]], and [[Turkey]], amongst others]]
[[Sharia]] is the body of Islamic law. The term means "way" or "path"; it is the legal framework within which public and some private aspects of life are regulated for those living in a legal system based on Islamic principles of jurisprudence. It is not actually part of the canonical Koran; that is to say, it is not believed to be the direct word of Allah by Muslims, but rather the interpretation of it.

Sharia deals with many aspects of day-to-day life, including politics, economics, banking, business law, contract law, sexuality, marriage, divorce, and social issues. Most Islamic scholars regard Sharia as the body of precedent and legal theory established during the early stages of the Islamic Empire, though a few scholars also believe contemporary legal cases can and should shape the law, though such thinkers may be subject to ridicule and even threats from Islamists and their liberal allies.

Sharia law proscribes often brutal punishments for acts, that, in the western world, are relatively minor. For example, under sharia law, turning away from Islam is punishable by death,<ref>[http://www.ntpi.org/html/whyoppose.html]</ref> while women found guilty of adultery is punishable by stoning to death, which often includes many rape victims, as Sharia courts often regard a rape victim as guilty of adultery unless she can provide four witnesses to the act of rape.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6148590.stm</ref> In cases involving the death penalty of corporal punishment, methods of carrying out the punishment are often barbaric, and include public beheading, chopping off of the hand, and flogging.<ref>http://saudiwoman.wordpress.com/2009/08/25/punishment-in-saudi-arabia/</ref> Many Islamic groups have been attempting to have Shariah courts set up in European countries, initially to rule over civil cases between Muslims in Europe.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,422661,00.html</ref>

The need by Islam's adherents to add to and retain followers in its ideology through Sharia, deceit, force and intimidation, particularly through threats of death against those who leave Islam or who levy legitimate criticism against it for its barbaric ways and history, would indicate that overall, Islam is a weak ideology that would not withstand criticism or exposure of the truth of its ways and history. To facilitate retaining its membership and to keep the truth about Islam under wraps, its adherents have formed convenient alliances with sympathetic liberals in politics, academia, the courts, the mainstream media and Hollywood to deceive the public about Islam and what it really is, as well as to censor and silence critics of Islam through ridicule, false accusations of "racism", "hate speech" and "Islamophobia" and the illegal use of the legal system to punish critics.<ref>[http://nationalpost.com/news/weaponization-of-free-speech-prompts-talk-of-a-new-hate-law?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NP_Top_Stories+%28National+Post+-+Top+Stories%29 "Weaponization" of free speech prompts talk of a new hate law] at the ''National Post''</ref>

== Violent passages of the Koran championed by Islam ==
In its passages, the Koran has advocated adherents of Islam to commit acts of violence, hatred and insurrection against those who do not follow that ideology (in particular, Jews and Christians) or are critical of it, to subjugate Judaism, Christianity and other religions to Islam and to force the followers of legitimate religions to submit and adhere to Islam.<ref>[https://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/quran/violence.aspx What Does Islam Teach About Violence]</ref><ref>[https://thereligionofpeace.com/pages/quran/hell-and-hate.aspx What Does Islam Teach About Hell and Hate]</ref> Not surprisingly, attempts at pointing out the violence advocated by the Koran have been met with denials and excuses by Islamic apologists, who engage in [[taqiyya]] by claiming that the critics of the violent passages took those passages "out of context" and that "critics only quote the part which (suits) them" while the apologists do exactly what they accuse the critics of doing.<ref>[https://discover-the-truth.com/2014/08/12/quran-2191-and-kill-them-wherever-you-find-them-explained/ Quran 2:191- ‘And kill them wherever you find them…’ Explained] - an attempt by Islamic apologists to excuse violent passages of the Koran by offering deceitful explanations of what they claim those passages "really mean"</ref><ref>[http://islam101.com/terror/verse8_12.htm The Holy Quran, verse 8:12], from another Islamic apologist site which excuses the violent passages of the Koran and attacks its critics by claiming "Some non-Muslims either through ignorance or Islam-bashing continue taking the verses of the Holy Quran out of context and its history to justify their false propaganda"</ref><ref>[https://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/games/discover-truth/verses/47-4.aspx "Discover the Truth's" Game] - a refutation of the claims and excuses made by the Islamic apologist site Discover the Truth regarding Koran 47:4</ref><ref>[https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2005/01/jihad_quran_9123_v_matthew_103.html Jihad: Quran 9:123 v. Matthew 10:34] at American Thinker</ref><ref>[https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/06/obama_quotes_verse_532_omits_5.html Obama quotes (Koran) verse 5:32, omits 5:33] at American Thinker</ref> Among the more violent and hateful passages of the Koran are these:

*Koran 2:191 - “Slay the unbelievers wherever you find them.”
*Koran 9:123 - “Make war on the infidels living in your neighborhood.”
*Koran 9:5 - “When opportunity arises kill the infidels wherever you catch them.”
*Koran 3:85 - “Any religion other than Islam is not acceptable.”
*Koran 9:30 - “The Jews and the Christians are perverts; fight them.”
*Koran 5:33 - “Maim and crucify the infidels if they criticize Islam”
*Koran 9:28 - “The infidels are unclean; do not let them into a mosque.”
*Koran 22:19 - “Punish the unbelievers with garments of fire, hooked iron rods, boiling water; melt their skin and bellies.”
*Koran 47:4 - “Do not hanker for peace with the infidels; behead them when you catch them.”
*Koran 8:65 - “The unbelievers are stupid; urge the Muslims to fight them.”
*Koran 3:28 - “Muslims must not take the infidels as friends.”
*Koran 8:12 - “Terrorize and behead those who disbelieve (in Allah).”
*Koran 8:60 - “Muslims must muster all weapons to terrorize the infidels.”

==Terminology==
Additional archaic terms for Muslims include, but are not limited to, "Hagarene" and "Saracen." The term Hagarene was more common in post-crusade Europe as it made specific reference to the Biblical mother of Ishmael. In Islam, Ishmael plays an analogous theological role to Isaac. Muslims do not use it today to avoid confusing worship of [[Muhammad]] with worship of [[Allah]].<ref>Schimmel, (1992)</ref>

==Ex-Muslims==
[[Michelle Malkin]] highlights a group of Ex-Muslims hoping to change the terms of debate about Islam in Europe. Maryam Namazie, the head of the British group said "Too many things in the media and government policies have been geared to pandering to the political Islamic movements and Islamic organizations."<ref>[http://michellemalkin.com/2007/06/20/ex-muslims-stand-up-in-britain/ Ex-Muslims stand up in Britain]</ref> Ex-Muslims include Ibn Warraq, Wafa Sultan, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Mark A. Gabriel, Walid Shoebat, and Mosab Hassan Yousef.

==Critics==
Most contemporary critics of Islam are either atheists or nominally religious: [[Ibn Warraq]] (author), [[Wafa Sultan]] (psychiatrist), [[Ayaan Hirsi Ali]] (author), [[Hugh Fitzgerald]] (of JihadWatch), [[Oriana Fallaci]] (author), [[Geert Wilders]] (politician), [[Sam Harris]] (author), [[Pamela Geller]] (blogger), [[Bill Maher]] (comedian) and the crowd at the Ayn Rand Institute. The notable exception is [[Robert Spencer]], who while a devout Catholic, criticizes Islam as the socio-political ideology it is. Political critics include [[Winston Churchill]],<ref>[http://thefederalistpapers.org/us/winston-churchills-brutal-takedown-of-islam-means-more-today-than-ever Winston Churchill’s Brutal Takedown of Islam Means More Today than Ever]</ref> [[Herman Cain]], [[Rick Santorum]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news-press.com/article/20130323/NEWS0119/303230016/Santorum-delivers-warning-about-radical-Islam-during-Naples-appearance|title=Santorum delivers warning about radical Islam during Naples appearance|date=March 23, 2013|newspaper=Fort Meyers News Press|author=Lindsay Downey}}</ref> [[David Horowitz]] (author) and [[Pat Robertson]] (preacher). Neither [[Ronald Reagan]] (who helped mujahideen fight atheistic Communists) nor [[George W. Bush]] ("Islam means peace") saw Islam as the problem. Commentators note that the conservative response to fundamental Islam is a far cry from the complete and unequivocal condemnation of Communism during the heyday of the Cold War.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.liberty-and-culture.com/conservatives.html|title=The Conservative Response to the Islamic Threat.|author=Jason Pappas|date=Sept 5, 2004}}</ref> [[Dinesh D’Souza]] argues that Muslims are "God-fearing conservatives",<ref>{{cite book|author=Dinesh D’Souza|title=The Enemy At Home|year=2007|publisher= Doubleday}}</ref> even though they have formed convenient alliances with liberals and several Islamic countries (particularly Iran) have formed alliances with the Communist regimes in [[China]] and [[North Korea]] and the Marxist regime in [[Venezuela]] to oppose the United States and its Western allies.<ref>''Some of the text for this article was taken from "Islam: A Primer", Congressional Research Service Report for Congress (2003), a work in the public domain'' [http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/islam.htm#back]</ref>

== Atheism vs. Islam ==
See also: [[Atheism vs. Islam]] and [[Secular Europe]]
[[File:Europe pol 2004.jpg|thumbnail|right|325px|In 2014, the Pew Research Forum indicated that [[Europe]] will go from 11% of the world's population to 7% of the world's population by 2050.<ref>[http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/02/03/10-projections-for-the-global-population-in-2050/ 10 projections for the global population in 2050] By Rakesh Kochhar, Pew Research Forum, February 3, 2014</ref>]]
From a global perspective, [[Europe]] is more secular/[[Atheism|atheistic]] than the rest of the world although it does have a considerable amount of religious immigrants who have higher birth rates (see: [[Secular Europe]] and [[Atheist population]] and [[Global atheism]]).

=== Future of Islam in Europe and the desecularization of Europe ===
In April 2010, Eric Kaufmann indicated concerning the future of Islam in Europe:
{{cquote|I address this in some detail in the book, as well is in a [http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/features/europes-muslim-future recent article in the April issue of Prospect magazine] here in Britain. The short answer is that I don’t foresee a Muslim-majority Europe in this century or in the next. Why? Mainly because Muslim birthrates are plunging both in Europe and the Muslim world. Already, Iran, Tunisia, Turkey, Azerbaijan and several other Muslim countries have replacement-level fertility or below. In the UK, Bangladeshi and Pakistani fertility has halved in a generation and is now under 3 children per woman. This means their long-term growth will begin to tail off. The other part of the equation is the rise of non-Muslim immigrant groups (African and West Indian Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and other Eastern faiths) who are also increasing and therefore making Europe more plural and, in the process, rendering it harder for Muslims to increase their share of the population.

That said, Muslim membership retention and in-group marriage is exceptionally high (over 90 per cent) and they are a much younger population than the host society. So they are on course for steady growth. My colleagues and I expect their fertility to fall to host levels by 2030, but they will still make up 5-15 per cent of most West European countries by 2050 and 10-25 per cent by 2100. This is a major change from the 2-6 per cent levels of today<ref>[http://www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/shall_the_religious_inherit_the_earth/#sthash.nE0JGi2Y.dpuf ''Shall the religious inherit the earth?''], 2010 Interview with [[Eric Kaufmann]] by MercatorNet</ref>}}

Due to the growing number of Muslims moving into secular Europe/[[Western World]] and the ideological differences between the [[atheist worldview]] and Islam, there has been growing tension between [[atheism|atheists]]/secularists and Muslims - particularly between [[Militant atheism|militant atheists]] and militant Islam.

The [[New Atheism|New Atheists]] [[Richard Dawkins]], [[Sam Harris]] and the late [[Christopher Hitchens]] have received multiple accusations of engaging in "[[Islamophobia|Islamophobic]]" behavior.<ref>
*[http://www.salon.com/2013/03/30/dawkins_harris_hitchens_new_atheists_flirt_with_islamophobia/ Dawkins, Harris, Hitchens: New Atheists flirt with Islamophobia] by Nathan Lean, ''Salon'', March 30, 2013
*[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/apr/03/sam-harris-muslim-animus Sam Harris, the New Atheists, and anti-Muslim animus] by Glenn Greenwald, ''The Guardian'', April 3, 2013</ref> On the other hand, defenders of atheist criticisms of Islam/Muslims indicated that New Atheists should be able to criticize Islam without being accused of "Islamophobia".<ref>[http://www.newstatesman.com/religion/2013/04/new-atheism-should-be-able-criticise-islam-without-being-accused-islamophobia New Atheism should be able to criticise Islam without being accused of Islamophobia] by Andrew Zak Williams, ''New Statesman'', Published 19 April 2013</ref>

For more information, please see:

*[[Atheism vs. Islam]]
*[[Atheism vs. Christianity]]

== See also ==
[[Image:Africa islam 87.jpg|thumb|Islam in Africa]]
*[[Arab American]]
*[[Islamic republic]]
*[[Islamophobia]]
*[[Qur'an]]
*[[Jihadism]], an extremist, take on Islam
*[[Ramadan]]
*[[In the midst of a Maelstrom: the Holy Spirit and silence: an essay]] encounter of Israeli Messianic Jew and Egyptian Muslim in Alexandria
*[[List of countries by number of Muslims]]
*[[Undercover Muslim]]
*[[Islamic worldviews]]
*[[Islamophilia]]
*[[Judaism and Islam]]
*[[Atheism vs. Islam]]
*[[Islam and Christianity]]

==Further reading==
* Armour, Rollin. ''Islam, Christianity, and the West: A Troubled History'' (2002) [http://www.amazon.com/Islam-Christianity-West-Troubled-History/dp/1570754071/ref=sr_1_32?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259342713&sr=1-32 excerpt and text search]
* Armstrong, Karen. ''Islam: A Short History'' (2002) [http://www.amazon.com/Islam-History-Modern-Library-Chronicles/dp/081296618X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259342302&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Berkey, Jonathan P. ''The Formation of Islam: Religion and Society in the Near East, 600-1800'' (2002) [http://www.amazon.com/Formation-Islam-Religion-Society-600-1800/dp/0521588138/ref=sr_1_27?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259342713&sr=1-27 excerpt and text search]
* Campo, Juan Eduardo. ''Encyclopedia of Islam'' (2009), basic introduction
* Esposito, John J. ''The Oxford History of Islam'' (2000) [http://www.amazon.com/Oxford-History-Islam-John-Esposito/dp/0195107993/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259342302&sr=1-6 excerpt and text search]
* Glasse, Cyril. ''The New Encyclopedia of Islam'' ( 2nd ed. 2008)
* Lewis, Bernard. ''Islam in History: Ideas, People, and Events in the Middle East'' (2001), by leading conservative historian [http://www.amazon.com/Islam-History-People-Events-Middle/dp/0812695186/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259342525&sr=1-15 excerpt and text search]
* Martin, Richard C. et al. ''Encyclopedia of Islam & the Muslim World'' (2003), more advanced
* Newby, Gordon. ''A Concise Encyclopedia of Islam'' (2002) [http://www.amazon.com/Concise-Encyclopedia-Islam-Gordon-Newby/dp/1851682953/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259342942&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
* Robinson, Chase F. ed. ''The New Cambridge History of Islam'' (Volume 1) (2009), summarizes advanced scholarship
* Ruthven, Malise, and Azim Nanji. ''Historical Atlas of Islam'' (2004)
* Schimmel, Annemarie. ''Islam: An Introduction''. (1992)
* Sonn, Tamara and Mary Williamsburg. ''A Brief History of Islam'' (2004) [http://www.amazon.com/Brief-History-Blackwell-Histories-Religion/dp/1405109009/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259342302&sr=1-12 excerpt and text search]
* Wheatcroft, Andrew. ''Infidels: A History of the Conflict Between Christendom and Islam'' (2005) [http://www.amazon.com/Infidels-History-Conflict-Between-Christendom/dp/0812972392/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259342525&sr=1-13 excerpt and text search]

==External links==
*[http://muslim-canada.org/islam_christianity.html Islam and Christianity] - excellent article comparing and contrasting the two.
*[http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/ Qur'an online in English]
*[http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/ Sahih Bukhari (Hadith collection) online in English]
*[http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muslim/ Sahih Muslim (Hadith collection) online in English]
*[http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/abudawud/ Sunan Abu-Dawud (Hadith collection) online in English]
*[http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muwatta/ Malik's Muwatta (Hadith collection) online in English]
* Congressional Research Service, "Islam: A Primer", Report for Congress (2003), a work in the public domain and the source of part of this article [http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/islam.htm#back]
*[http://www.creativeminorityreport.com/2011/01/islamists-torch-pope-in-effigy-again.html Islamists Torch Pope in Effigy, Again]
*[http://www.tribecatrib.com/news/2010/december/849_kind-strangers.html Muslims Saving Jews During World War II.] By Shane Dixon Kavanaugh.
*[http://differencesbetween.com/islam-and-muslim/ Difference Between Islam and Muslim]
*[http://bertschlossberg.blogspot.com/ A Turkish Delight: they think so in Israel too!]
*[http://bertschlossberg.blogspot.com/ Turkey's Islamic scholar, Rabbi Meir Lau, and Cain speechless before Abel]

==References==
{{reflist|group=note}}

[[Category:Islam]]
[[Category:Political Ideologies]]

Barack Hussein Obama

2019-03-15T23:22:36Z

Thetruejesusson: Grammar error

{{Officeholder
|name=Barack Hussein Obama
|image=President Barack Obama.jpg
|party=[[Democratic Party]]
|spouse=[[Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama]]; may have had a prior marriage.<ref>Corsi, Jerome R. (July 19, 2012). [http://www.wnd.com/2012/07/was-barack-obama-married-in-college/ "Was Barack Obama married in college?"]. WorldNetDaily website. See [[WND]]</ref>
|religion=Islamic heritage, said to have converted to Protestantism (the liberal [[United Church of Christ]])
|offices={{Officeholder/president
|country=the United States
|number=44th
|terms=January 20, 2009 – January 20, 2017
|vp=[[Joe Biden]]
|preceded=[[George W. Bush]]
|former=n
|succeeded=[[Donald Trump]]
}}
{{Officeholder/senator
|state=Illinois
|terms=January 3, 2005 – November 16, 2008
|preceded=Peter Fitzgerald
|former=y
|succeeded=[[Roland Burris]]
}}
}}

'''Barack Hussein Obama II''' (reportedly born in [[Honolulu, Hawaii]] on August 4, 1961) was the 44th President of the [[United States]]. Elected to serve as America first "post-racial" president, race relations largely deteriorated under President Obama's leadership.<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2016/10/05/politics/obama-race-relations-poll/</ref> During the years of his administration, a hard veil of censorship fell on the [[mainstream media]] and any discussion by critics was typically smeared as racist.<ref>https://www.amazon.com/Smear-Shady-Political-Operatives-Control/dp/0062468162</ref> The US Intelligence Community was used to spy on, harass, and intimidate reporters and political opponents.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20120925054433/http://wikileaks.org:80/gifiles/docs/1210665_obama-leak-investigations-internal-use-only-pls-do-not.html</ref> Obama is arguably the best president in U.S. history.<ref>http://www.people-press.org/2018/07/11/obama-tops-publics-list-of-best-president-in-their-lifetime-followed-by-clinton-reagan/</ref>

Obama insisted on failed policies, such as [[ObamaCare]], and yet had an arrogant dismissal of his critics.<ref>
*[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/dec/7/assessing-the-obama-legacy-he-has-failed/ Assessing the Obama legacy], Washington Times, December 7, 2016
*[http://www.nationalreview.com/article/442299/barack-obama-progressive-arrogance-leads-backlash Its Arrogance and Condescension Finally Catches Up with the Left], ''National Review'', 2016
*[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/11/17/president-obamas-biggest-mistake-in-office-thinking-you-can-separate-politics-from-policy/?utm_term=.802d414c3589 President Obama admits his biggest mistake: Arrogance], ''Washington Post'', 2015</ref>
His presidency was marred by anemic economic growth, rising federal debt, his poor foreign policies and multiple political scandals<ref>
*[http://www.realclearmarkets.com/articles/2016/02/01/barack_obamas_sad_record_on_economic_growth_101987.html Barack Obama's Sad Record on Economic Growth], Real Clear Markets, February of 2016
*[https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/terence-p-jeffrey/debt-under-obama-9000000000000 Debt Under Obama Up $9,000,000,000,000], CNS News, October 2016
*[https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/01/18/barack-obama-was-a-foreign-policy-failure/ Barack Obama Was a Foreign-Policy Failure], ForeignPolicy.com
*[https://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2016/08/20/obamas-legacy-of-failure-in-the-middle-east/ Obama’s Legacy of Failure in the Middle East], ''Foreign Policy Journal'', 2016
*[https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/01/02/18-major-scandals-obama-presidency/ 18 Major Scandals in Obama’s ‘Scandal-Free’ Presidency], Breitbart, January of 2017</ref> Obama failed to see the political backlash against his presidency and said in February 2016, "I continue to believe that Mr. [[Donald Trump|Trump]] will not be president."<ref>[https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/obama-i-continue-believe-trump-will-not-be-president-n519751 Obama: ‘I Continue to Believe Trump Will Not Be President’], NBC, 2016</ref>

Obama was educated at [[Harvard Law School]]. In a paper he wrote as a student, he dismissed the American dream as "unfounded optimism" while noting that [[Donald Trump]] is the true idol of the American working class.<ref>Obama wrote: “[Americans have] a continuing normative commitment to the ideals of individual freedom and mobility, values that extend far beyond the issue of race in the American mind. The depth of this commitment may be summarily dismissed as the unfounded optimism of the average American—I may not be Donald Trump now, but just you wait; if I don’t make it, my children will.” ([http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2017/05/everything-wrong-with-obama-in-two-sentences-with-a-twist.php Everything Wrong with Obama in Two Sentences-with a Twist]").</ref>

Obama is [[pro-abortion]]. In fact, he was the most pro-abortion president to date.<ref>[http://www.sba-list.org/suzy-b-blog/obama-most-pro-abortion-president-ever "Obama: The most pro-abortion president ever"] (July 12, 2011). The Susan B. Anthony List website/The Suzy B Blog.</ref> Obama dedicated himself to promoting abortion—rather than reduce them as he promised. Just to name a few of the administrative actions by which he has done this would include expanding abortions through [[Obamacare]], appointing many pro-abortion judges and officials, moving to strip medical professionals of rights of conscience, and forcing taxpayers to support the pro-abortion movement around the globe.

Despite framing himself as an advocate for the poor, speaking about income inequality and [[socialism]], Obama is a [[limousine liberal]] as his life after his presidency atests.

==Biography==
'''Birth'''
{{TOC right}}
:''Main article : [[Early life and career of Barack Hussein Obama]]''
Obama claims to have been born in [[Honolulu, Hawaii]] on August 4, 1961, to Stanley Ann Dunham and [[Barack Obama Sr.]]—who had married just six months prior.<ref name=msnbc>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23257295/ns/msnbc_tv-documentaries/t/obama-becomes-rising-star-among-democrats/ "Obama becomes rising star among Democrats: Transcript of 'The Candidates: Barack Obama'"] (February 20, 2008). MSNBC. Retrieved from NBC News website/MSNBC TV documentaries. See [[MSNBC]].</ref> Some contend that this story is a complete fabrication. After many leading conservatives—including the leadership of this site and [[Donald Trump]]—called for Obama to release his birth certificate, he produced a document that he claimed was his birth certificate on April 27, 2011. Sheriff [[Joe Arpaio]] of Maricopa County in Arizona conducted an investigation of Obama's eligibility and questioned whether the alleged "birth certificate" was a fake; however, no charges were filed. [[Obama]] was reportedly assigned a social security number whose first three digits was assigned at that time to applications coming from zip codes in Connecticut.<ref>Beginning in 1972, all [[Social Security]] numbers were issued from a central office in Baltimore, Maryland. [http://www.ssa.gov/history/ssn/geocard.html "The SSN numbering scheme"] (March 2001 or bef.) Social Security: Official Social Security website/History/Social Security Numbers.</ref>

As an interesting side note, the Hawaii official (Loretta Fuddy, State Health Department Director) who verified Barack Obama's birth certificate died in a plane crash.<ref>[http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/20131211_Small_aircraft_crashes_off_Kalaupapa.html?id=235500801 "State Health Director killed in plane crash, 8 others survive"] (December 11, 2013). Honolulu Star-Advertiser website/News/Breaking.</ref> Besides Fuddy, Health Department Deputy Director Keith Yamamoto was also on board. The plane's engine had failed right after takeoff and crashed about a half-mile off Molokai's north shore on Dec 11, 2013, at about 4:00 p.m. Interestingly enough, Health Director Loretta Fuddy was the only death of the nine people on board; she died of "cardiac arrhythmia".

Claims that Obama was born in [[Kenya]] can be traced back to sources close to Obama. In 1991, Obama's literary agent, Acton & Dystel, published a promotional booklet that stated that Obama was born in Kenya.<ref>Multiple references:
*Pollak, Joel B. (May 17, 2012). [https://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/05/17/The-Vetting-Barack-Obama-Literary-Agent-1991-Born-in-Kenya-Raised-Indonesia-Hawaii "The vetting—exclusive—Obama's literary agent in 1991 booklet: 'Born in Kenya and raised in Indonesia and Hawaii'"]. Breitbart website/Big government. See [[Breitbart.com]].
*Newby, John (May 17, 2012). [http://www.examiner.com/article/publisher-s-1991-booklet-says-barack-obama-was-born-kenya "Publisher's 1991 booklet says Barack Obama 'was born in Kenya'"]. Examiner.com website/News/Politics/Republican.</ref> The claim that Obama was born in Kenya remained on the agent's website until 2007.<ref>Shapiro, Ben (May 17, 2012). [https://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/05/17/Obama-pamphlet-in-use-2007 "Obama's lit agency used 'born in Kenya' bio until 2007"]. Breitbart website/Big government. See [[Breitbart.com]].</ref> Internet archives confirm this information.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20070403190001/http://www.dystel.com/clientlist.html "Client list"]. Dystel and Goderic Literary Management website. Retrieved from April 3, 2007 archive at Internet Archive.</ref> In addition to the information from literary agents, Michelle Obama stated in a speech that Kenya is Obama's "homeland".<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLzJz2A2N1c "Michelle Obama: Kenya is Barack Obama's homeland!"] (Michelle Obama speaking at the 2008 LGBT Democratic Convention delegate luncheon hosted by the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund and the Human Rights Campaign: "The world as it should be", August 26, 2008) (April 7, 2010). YouTube video, 0:30, posted by Rubystars0000. See [[Human Rights Campaign]].</ref> At a speech in Kenya shortly after his presidency ended, Obama publicly stated that, "Now, three years ago, I visited Kenya as the first sitting American President to come from Kenya."<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L36sGc4Id2I Obama's speech at the launch of Sauti Kuu Foundation in Kogelo] at YouTube (Obama's admission starts at 5:48 of the video)</ref>

Barack Obama Sr. was not a [[Natural born citizen|citizen of the United States]]. At the time of Obama's birth, Kenya was a British colony, meaning that not only was Obama Sr. a British subject, but he passed that status on to his son. When Kenya gained independence, Obama and his father both ceased to be British subjects and became Kenyan citizens. Barack Obama was a dual citizen of the United States and Kenya until his Kenyan citizenship automatically expired in 1984, as he had failed to renounce US nationality and swear loyalty to Kenya. Even if he had been born with US citizenship through his mother, it has been argued that as he was born with dual nationality, he is not a natural-born citizen of the United States and thus constitutionally ineligible to become President. Despite this, when courts considered such arguments, they ignored this evidence and chose to find that Obama is a "natural-born citizen".<ref>See [http://www.scribd.com/doc/88910250/Purpura-Moran-Initial-Decision-of-ALJ-Masin Initial Decision by Jeff S. Masin] in ''Purpura and Moran v. Obama'' at 7 ("Thus, accepting for the point of this issue that Mr. Obama was born in Hawaii, he is a “natural born Citizen” regardless of the status of his father."), Tisdale v. Obama (E.D.Va 2012) Order at 2 ("It is well settled that those born in the United States are considered natural born citizens." (citing ''United States v. Wong Kim Ark'', 169 U.S. 649)), ''aff'd per curiam'' by 4th Cir., ''Ankeny v. Governor of the State of Indiana'', 916 N.E.2d 678, 685 (Ind. Ct. App. 2009) ("With regard to President Barack Obama, the Plaintiffs posit that because his father was a citizen of the United Kingdom, President Obama is constitutionally ineligible to assume the Office of the President....we hold that the Plaintiffs' arguments fail to state a claim upon which relief can be granted")</ref>

'''Early life'''

Obama's birth parents divorced in 1963 when his mother discovered Barack Obama Sr. was already married to a woman living in Kenya.<ref>Birrell, Ian (August 12, 2011). [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/article-2024819/Barack-Obamas-father-Bigamist-drunk-wife-beater.html "Barack Obama's father: Bigamist, drunk and wife-beater, [review of] ''The Other Barack'' by Sally H. Jacobs (Pubic Affairs £20)"]. MailOnline/U.K./Books [U.K.] This is one of the first misleading statements about Barack Obama when he was introduced to America as Keynote Speaker at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Advance publicity billed him as the "son of Kenyan economist" when, in fact, Obama Sr. was forced out of the graduate program at Harvard because of his bigamy. He returned to Kenya. Obama at the age 9 once briefly met his father who served in the corrupt Kenyan socialist regime's Department of [[Economic Planning]]. Obama Sr. killed himself in a drunken car accident.</ref> When Obama was 2 years old his mother married Lolo Soetoro, an [[Indonesian]] geologist. At age 6 his mother and adoptive father took him to Jakarta, Indonesia for 4 years while his mother pursued a Ph.D. in Anthropology requiring fieldwork there.<ref name="db mother">{{cite web|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-05-03/a-singular-woman-by-janny-scott-review-by-stacy-schiff/#|publisher=The Daily Beast website|date=May 3, 2011|title="Dreams of his mother": Review of ''A Singular Woman'' by Janny Scott|author=Stacy Schiff}} See [[The Daily Beast]].</ref> His mother then abandoned him in Hawaii with his grandparents (Stanley and Madelyn Dunham, who had moved to Hawaii in 1959) <ref name=revealed>Malveaux, Suzanne (August 20, 2008). [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0808/20/se.02.html Transcript of "Barack Obama Revealed"]. CNN website/Transcripts. See CNN</ref> so she could return to Indonesia after her divorce. Obama's grandfather arranged for his friend, the noted Communist writer [[Frank Marshall Davis]], to serve as a mentor and role model for an impressionable African-American youth.

Other siblings of Obama's include his half-sister Maya Soetoro-Ng and 7 other children born to his father by 4 different women.<ref name=raisingobama>Purdum, Todd (March 2008). [http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2008/03/obama200803 "Raising Obama"]. ''Vanity Fair''.</ref> For much of his early life, prior to his transfer to [[Columbia University]], he went by his nickname, "Barry." In the summer of 1988, before attending [[Harvard Law School]] (he'd just been accepted), he visited Kogelo, Kenya, to learn more about his father's family. When his mother died in 1995, he and his sister Maya scattered her ashes over Hawaii's south shore.<ref name=revealed />

Obama attended [[Jeremiah Wright|Reverend Jeremiah Wright]]'s Trinity United Church from 1984-1988 during his time as a [[community organizer]] (''See [[Barack Obama#1984-1988.2C Community Organizer|1985-1988, Community Organizer]] section''). Obama credits Wright with his alleged conversion to Christianity, and had both his daughters, Sasha and Malia, baptized there.<ref name=revealed />

===Education===
At age 6, Obama attended schools in Indonesia, the first a Catholic school while he was in kindergarten, and later a public school which taught religion. The school had mostly Muslim students (since most Indonesians are Muslim). In ''[[Dreams From My Father (autobiography)|Dreams from My Father]]'', Obama writes, "In the Muslim school, the teacher wrote to my mother that I had made faces during [[Koran]]ic studies."<ref>Obama, Barack (1995). ''Dreams from My Father'' (New York: Times Books), p. 14. Quoted at [http://www.ontheissues.org/Archive/Dreams_From_My_Father_Principles_+_Values.htm "Dreams from my father: On principles & values"]. OnTheIssues website. See [[Dreams From My Father (autobiography)|''Dreams from my Father'']]</ref> ''Insight'' magazine first reported [[Hillary Clinton]]'s organization had "questions about Obama’s Muslim background: ''Are the American people ready for an elected president who was educated in a [[Madrassa]] as a young boy and has not been forthcoming about his Muslim heritage?"''<ref>Schlussel, Debbie (January 19, 2007). [http://www.debbieschlussel.com/2899/hillary-clinton-agrees-with-schlussel-obama-suspicious-deceptive-on-muslim-background/ "Hillary Clinton agrees with Schlussel: Obama suspicious, deceptive on Muslim background"]. Debbie Schlussel website. See [[Debbie Schlussel]].</ref>

In 1971, at age 10, Barack Obama moved to Hawaii, and his grandparents helped him gain entrance to the prestigious Punahou Academy in Honolulu where he began substance abuse and illegal drugs.<ref>Johnson, Luke (May 25, 2012). [https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/25/obama-pot-smoking-details_n_1545904.html "Obama pot-smoking details revealed in David Maraniss book"]. The Huffington Post website. See [[Huffington Post]].</ref> He was accepted through a scholarship for disadvantaged minorities while he was in 5th grade.<ref name=revealed /> At this elite high school with 1,200 students he was just 1 of 3 black students. Obama failed to make the starting lineup of the school's state champion basketball team his senior year. He wrote a poem for the school's literary magazine, ''Ka Wai Ola''.<ref name=raisingobama />

In 1979, he began a 2-year stint at Occidental College college in Los Angeles,<ref name=msnbc /> and then transferred to Columbia University in New York, which he graduated from in 1983.<ref name=pragmatic>Scott, Janny (July 30, 2007). [https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/30/us/politics/30obama.html?pagewanted=all "In Illinois, Obama proved pragmatic and shrewd"]. ''The New York Times'' website. See ''[[New York Times]]''.</ref> During this time he published an anti-military tirade embracing Soviet General Secretary [[Leonid Brezhnev]]'s <ref>Obama supported [[Communist Party of the Soviet Union]] General Secretary Brezhnev's foreign policy over both Presidents [[Jimmy Carter]] and Ronald Reagan's decision to deploy the MX Missile in Europe.
* See Pond, Elizabeth (November 24, 1981). [http://www.csmonitor.com/1981/1124/112439.html "Brezhnev offers Schmidt moratorium on nuclear missiles"]. ''Christian Science Monitor''. See also ''[[Christian Science Monitor]]''.
* See also Obama, Barack (March 10, 1983). [http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/images/nytint/docs/obama-s-1983-college-magazine-article/original.pdf "Breaking the war mentality"]. Columbia [University] ''Sundial''. Retrieved from archive at ''The New York Times'' website. See also ''[[The New York Times]]''.</ref> proposal for a nuclear freeze in the campus newspaper and allegedly spoke at an Anti-Apartheid rally,<ref name=revealed /> although several prominent student leaders said they did not remember him there. Professor Michael L. Baron was impressed by Obama and wrote him a recommendation for Harvard Law School.<ref name=differs>Scott, Janny. (October 30, 2007). [https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/30/us/politics/30obama.html?pagewanted=all "Obama's account of New York years often differs from what others say"]. ''The New York Times''. See ''[[The New York Times]]''.</ref> From 1983 to 1988, Obama took time off from his education to work as a financial analyst and later a community organizer in Chicago. In the winter of 1988, Barack Obama decided to attend Harvard Law School, and left Chicago for Cambridge, Massachusetts. In his 2nd year a power struggle broke out among the dominant white liberals over control of the ''[[Harvard]] Law Review''. Obama was elected its first black president as a compromise candidate largely with help of conservatives following a "marathon voting session" in which he finally won on the 19th ballot.<ref name=raisingobama /> This led to national attention and numerous job offers, which Obama passed up, at age 30, to pursue his political career in Chicago.<ref>Multiple references:
*[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23257295/ns/msnbc_tv-documentaries/t/obama-becomes-rising-star-among-democrats/ "Obama becomes rising star among Democrats: Transcript of 'The Candidates: Barack Obama'"] (February 20, 2008). MSNBC. Retrieved from NBC News website/MSNBC TV documentaries. See MSNBC.
*Malveaux, Suzanne (August 20, 2008). [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0808/20/se.02.html Transcript of "Barack Obama Revealed"]. CNN website/Transcripts. See [[CNN]]</ref>

When Obama was attending Harvard Law School, he dreamed of him or his children becoming like [[Donald Trump]].<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/05/03/obama-once-dreamed-being-trump-manuscript-shows.html Obama once dreamed of being Trump, manuscript shows]. ''Fox News''. May 3, 2017. Retrieved May 3, 2017.</ref>

'''Personal life'''
According to ''Rising Star'' by David J. Garrow, in 1986 Obama tried hard to convince Sheila Miyoshii Jager, someone of Dutch and Japanese ancestry, to marry him.<ref name="MarryBefore"/> She refused his request to marry him due to her age. By 1987, Obama had his sights on becoming U.S. President.<ref name="MarryBefore">[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/05/03/book-barack-obama-asked-woman-to-marry-him-before-meeting-michelle.html Book: Barack Obama asked woman to marry him before meeting Michelle]. ''Fox News''. May 3, 2017. Retrieved May 3, 2017.</ref>

[[Image:Michelle Obama.jpg|frame|right|Michelle (Robinson) Obama, Barack Obama's domestic partner.]]
Barack Obama met his spouse Michelle Robinson, while he was an intern and she was on staff at Sidley Austin LLP, a very large corporate law firm.<ref name=msnbc /> Despite company policy prohibiting relations between staff and interns, the two became involved. The two continued a long-distance relationship while he finished law school, and on October 18, 1992,<ref>[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/03/obama-anniversary-20-years-married_n_1935840.html "Obama anniversary: Barack & Michelle celebrate 20 years of marriage (photos)"] (October 3, 2012). Huffington Post website. Huffington Post says it was October 3, 1992. See [[Huffington Post]].</ref> were joined in a domestic union officiated by Reverend [[Jeremiah Wright]] at Trinity United Church,<ref>http://hillbuzz.org/time-to-tell-everyone-you-know-about-jeremiah-wrights-down-low-club-barackobama-presobama-26407</ref> a church which has supported gay marriage since the 1970s.<ref name=revealed /> Michelle has not practiced law since 1994 when she failed to renew her law license, allegedly to start a family. Malia, the couple's oldest daughter, was born in 1999, and Natasha (often called Sasha) in 2001.<ref name=msnbc />

===Early employment===
'''1983–1984: financial analyst and writer'''

In 1984 Obama worked as a writer and financial analyst for Business International Corporation to help pay off some of his student loans. Business International Corporation was a small newsletter-publishing and research firm which aided multinational companies in understanding overseas markets. Obama served as a writer/researcher for a company reference service, Financing Foreign Operations, and wrote for their newsletter, ''Business International Money Report''. His supervisor was Cathy Lazere.<ref>Multiple references:
*Scott, Janny (October 30, 2007). [https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/30/us/politics/30obama.html?pagewanted=all "Obama's account of New York years often differs from what others say"]. ''The New York Times''. See ''[[The New York Times]]''.
*Henig, Jess (June 21, 2008). [http://www.factcheck.org/2008/06/obama-polishes-his-resume-2/ "Obama polishes his resume"]. FactCheck.org website.
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20091003011550/http://www.analyzethis.net/2005/07/09/barack-obama-embellishes-his-resume/ "Barack Obama embellishes his resume"] (July 9, 2005). Analyze This website. Retrieved from October 3, 2009 archive at Internet Archive.</ref>

====1984–1988: community organizer====
In 1984, Obama was hired by the New York Public Interest Research Group, a non-profit organization promoting environmental, consumer, and government reforms. He also was paid just under $10,000 annually as a full-time organizer for Harlem's City College to mobilize student volunteers.<ref name=differs />

From 1985–88, Obama worked as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago <ref>The Developing Communities Project (DCP) of the Calumet Community Religious Conference (CCRC)</ref> funded with a $25,000 grant by [[Bill Ayers]]' Woods Fund. ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported he was paid $1,000 a year, with $2,000 extra for a car<ref>Multiple references:
*Malveaux, Suzanne (August 20, 2008). [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0808/20/se.02.html Transcript of "Barack Obama Revealed"]. CNN website/Transcripts. See [[CNN]].
*Scott, Janny (September 9, 2007). [https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/us/politics/09obama.html?pagewanted=all "In 2000, a streetwise veteran schooled a bold young Obama]." ''The New York Times''. See ''[[The New York Times]]''.</ref> however stories vary wildly. Jerry Kellman, who hired him, says it was "$10,000 a year and a $2,000 car allowance". Obama himself gave different numbers; his memoir says $10,000 (as well as the car), in his Wesleyan speech he gave it as "$12,000 a year plus $2,000 for an old, beat-up car", and when he announced his candidacy for president, it was "a group of churches had offered me a job as a community organizer for $13,000 a year".

Ryan Lizza at ''[[The New Republic]]'' reported that "Jean Rudd of the Woods Fund...had provided Kellman with his original $25,000 to hire Obama". Ari Berman reported in ''[[The Nation]]'' that the "[Woods Fund] gave a $25,000 grant to the Developing Communities Project, which hired Obama". CBS Channel 2 in Chicago ran a story with a document showing that Obama's proposed salary in 1987 was $25,000, a number that the Obama campaign confirmed while insisting at the same time his original salary was $13,000.<ref>Beckwith (April 23, 2008 or bef.). [http://theobamafile.com/obamaworks.htm "Community organizing"]. The Obama File website/Politics.</ref> Many of the organizers that Obama worked with in Chicago were experienced in the methods of [[Saul Alinsky]], and taught Obama many of the methods found in his book ''[[Rules for Radicals]]''.<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2012/03/14/how%20saul%20alinsky%20taught%20barack%20obama%20everything%20he%20knows%20about%20civic%20upheaval/ How Saul Alinsky Taught Barack Obama Everything He Knows About Civic Upheaval]</ref>

During this time Obama joined Reverend Wright's Trinity United Church because in the words of Suzanne Malveaux of ''[[CNN]]'', "It was the church to join if you wanted to be one of Chicago's black movers and shakers." At the time, community organizing involved close affiliation with churches, which was how Obama met Wright. Obama abandoned the fight against asbestos contamination in the Altgeld Gardens housing project to pursue personal interests and a career by enrollment at Harvard Law School in the winter of 1988.<ref name=revealed />
[[File:Bookbio.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The Birther movement was started by Obama himself.]]
'''1988–1996: law practice'''
In 1988 Obama gained work as a Summer Associate at one of the most prestigious corporate law firms in the world, Sidley Austin LLP,<ref>Multiple references:
*Lattman, Peter (May 11, 2007). [http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2007/05/11/sidley-austin-when-barack-met-michelle/ "When Barack met Michelle"]. Wall Street Journal website/Business/Law Blog/Lawyers and Law Firms. See ''[[Wall Street Journal]]''.
*Malveaux, Suzanne (August 20, 2008). [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0808/20/se.02.html Transcript of "Barack Obama Revealed"]. CNN website/Transcripts.</ref> whose partners included [[Newton Minow]], thanks to the recommendation of Minow's daughter Martha, a professor at Harvard Law School. It was at the Sidley Austin firm that Obama would meet Michelle Robinson, his future domestic partner.<ref name=raisingobama /> From 1993-96 he practiced civil rights law including suing Citibank to force them into making [[Subprime loan|subprime mortgage]]s to minority borrowers.<ref>Schweizer, Peter (October 5, 2009). [http://www.forbes.com/2009/10/03/community-reinvestment-act-mortgages-housing-opinions-contributors-peter-schweizer.html "A poisonous cocktail: Expanding the Community Reinvestment Act"]. ''Forbes'' website. See [[Forbes]]. In ''Selma S. Buycks-Roberson v. Citibank'', lead attorney Obama alleged that although his clients had been denied mortgages "because of delinquent credit obligations and adverse credit," they were really victims of institutional racism. The suit was brought about by the Community Reinvestment Act, so called affirmative action mortgage lending. The plaintiffs won $60,000, and the court awarded Sidley Austin $950,000 for the work of Obama and two other attorneys.</ref> After graduating from Harvard he was hired by Miner, Barnhill, & Galland, a small politically-connected law firm.<ref>Lattman, Peter (May 11, 2007). [http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2007/05/11/sidley-austin-when-barack-met-michelle/ "When Barack met Michelle"]. Wall Street Journal website/Business/Law Blog/Lawyers and Law Firms. See ''[[Wall Street Journal]]''.</ref> It was at Miner, Barnhill, & Galland that he would meet influential real estate developer [[Tony Rezko]].<ref name=revealed />

'''1991–1992: Project Vote'''
In 1991 Obama was recruited by Sandy Newman to head the Chicago chapter of Project Vote!,<ref name=revealed /> and in 1992 was the Executive Director, overseeing a voter registration drive which registered 125,000 black voters and was credited with defeating popular incumbent Democrat Senator Alan Dixon in the primary and electing [[Carol Moseley-Braun]] as a reprisal for Dixon's support for Supreme Court Justice [[Clarence Thomas]].<ref name=PurdumandScott>Multiple references:
*Purdum, Todd (March 2008). [http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2008/03/obama200803 "Raising Obama"]. ''Vanity Fair''.
*Scott, Janny (July 30, 2007). [https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/30/us/politics/30obama.html?pagewanted=all "In Illinois, Obama proved pragmatic and shrewd"]. ''The New York Times'' website. See ''[[New York Times]]''.</ref>

'''1991-1995: Author'''

In 1995 Obama published ''[[Dreams From My Father (autobiography)|Dreams From My Father]]'' about his life and family background.<ref name=msnbc /> It was in a 1992 book Obama claimed to have been born in Kenya.

====1995: Nation of Islam====
[[File:Barack-Hussein-Obama-mit-Louis-Farrakhan-528x524.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Barack Obama with the notorious [[anti-Semite]], [[Louis Farrakhan]]. Farrakhan calls [[Jews]] "pigs and dogs." The [[Anti-Defamation League]] identifies Farrakhan as the nation’s “leading anti-Semite."<ref>[https://www.adl.org/resources/profiles/the-nation-of-islam The Nation of Islam], Anti-Defamation League.</ref>]]
According to the ''Encyclopedia Britannica'', prior to the information being scrubbed from its website in mid-April 2008 during the Democratic Presidential Primaries, Obama was one of three prominent organizers of black supremacist group the [[Nation of Islam]]'s [[Million Man March]] on Washington, D.C.<ref>Hoft, Jim (April 2, 2008). [https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2008/04/wright-obama-helped-organize-march-with-louis-farrakhan/ "Wright & Obama helped organize march with Louis Farrakhan"]. Gateway Pundit website. See [[Gateway Pundit]]</ref>

'''1992–2004: lecturer at University of Chicago'''
Obama taught part-time at the [[University of Chicago]] Law School<ref name=raisingobama /> from 1992-2004. Though Obama erroneously describes himself as a "constitutional law professor",<ref>Whiteman, Timothy (April 5, 2013). [http://www.examiner.com/article/obama-complains-of-being-constrained-by-a-system-founding-father-put-place "Obama complains of being 'constrained by a system' Founding Fathers put in place"]. Examiner.com/News/Politics/Republican.</ref> he was actually only a senior lecturer and the class he taught the most times was called "Current Issues in Racism and the Law".<ref>Holt, Mytheos (September 20, 2012). [http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2012/09/20/obamas-favorite-course-to-teach-at-the-university-of-chicago-revealed/ "Obama’s favorite course to teach at the University of Chicago revealed"]. The Blaze/Stories/Media. See [[The Blaze]].</ref> He was a Lecturer from 1992–96, teaching 3 courses per year<cite>, and a senior lecturer from 1996-2004. After Obama was criticized for lying about his job title, the University of Chicago released a statement stating that senior lecturers are considered Law School faculty and regarded as professors but not full-time or tenured. Obama was invited to join the faculty in a full-time, tenured track position several times during this period but declined each time.<ref>[http://www.law.uchicago.edu/media "Media inquiries: Statement regarding Barack Obama"] (March 2008 or bef.). University of Chicago Law School website. See [[University of Chicago]]</ref>

===Awards===
Obama shares the distinction with [[Richard Nixon]] and [[Josef Stalin]] as twice being named ''[[Time magazine]]'' person of the year.

'''2009 Nobel Peace Prize'''

On October 9, 2009, Barack H. Obama became the third sitting U.S. President<ref name=wilsons>Wilson, Scott (October 10, 2009). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/09/AR2009100900914.html "President Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize"]. ''Washington Post'' website. See [[Washington Post]].</ref> to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize "''for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples''".<ref>[https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2009/press.html "The Nobel Prize for 2009: Press release"] (October 9, 2009). Nobel Prize website [Oslo, Norway]/Nobel Prizes/Peace/Laureates/2009. Accessed May 13, 2012.</ref> Obama stated that he was "surprised and deeply humbled" to receive the unexpected award,<ref>CNN (October 9, 2009). [https://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/10/09/nobel.peace.prize/index.html?eref=ib_us "Obama: Nobel Peace Prize is 'Call to Action'"]. CNN website/World/Europe.</ref> and also said, "To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize—men and women who have inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace".<ref name=wilsons /> The award was widely criticized given Obama's then lack of accomplishments.<ref>Multiple references:
*Chazan, Guy and MacDonald, Alistair (October 11, 2009) [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125509603349176083.html "Nobel Committee's decision courts controversy"]. ''The Wall Street Journal'' website/World.
*Associated Press (October 9, 2009). [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/10/09/obamas-peace-prize-draws-criticism-liberals/ "Obama's Peace Prize draws criticism, even from some liberals"]. Fox News website/Politics. See [[Associated Press]].</ref>

==1996–2003: Illinois State Senate==
'''1996 election'''
{{main article|Radical roots of Barack Hussein Obama}}
In 1995 a cadre of like-minded individuals gathered for a fundraising event in the early career of Barack Obama hosted by [[Weather Underground]] (WUO) [[terrorist]] [[William Ayers|William "Bill" Ayers]]. Besides Obama, those in attendance were Ayers wife [[Bernardine Dohrn]],<ref>Geyer, Georgie Anne and Beech, Keyes (October 1970). "Cuba: School for U.S. Radicals [five part series]". ''Chicago Daily News''/''Chicago Sun-Times''. Excerpted in
[http://vault.fbi.gov/Weather%20Underground%20(Weathermen) ''Foreign Influence: Weather Underground Organization (WUO)''] (August 20, 1976), pp. 113-115. FBI. Retrieved from "Weather Underground (Weathermen)" webpage PDF rendering, part 3 of 6, pp. 5-7 at FBI website/FBI Records: The Vault. Located by The Real Barack Obama blog. See ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]''.</ref> and Carl Davidson, veterans of [[guerrilla warfare]] training in [[Cuba]] just prior to the 1968 Democrat National Convention riots. Ayers and Dohrn have taken credit for, and never denied, bombing the [[U.S. Capitol]], the [[Pentagon]] and the [[State Department]].

Ayers and Dohrn used their celebrity status among [[leftist]]s to launch Obama's career. Ayers, Dohrn and [[Jeff Jones]]<ref>Klein, Aaron (August 13, 2009). [http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=106653 "Obama's 'green jobs czar' worked with terror founder"]. WorldNetDaily website. "[[Van Jones]]...served on board of..." "activist group where ex-Weatherman serves as top director"'. See [[WorldNetDaily]].</ref> are authors of ''[[Bill Ayers#Prairie Fire Organizing Committee and Maoist thought|Prairie Fire: The Politics of Revolutionary Anti-imperialism]]'', the title taken from [[Quotations from Chairman Mao|''The Sayings of Mao Zedong'']].<ref>[https://archive.org/details/QuotationsFromChairmanMaoTse-tung/ ''Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-Tung''] (1966), 2nd ed. Retrieved from Internet Archive.</ref> The book declares "we are [[communist]] men and women."<ref>Klehr, Harvey (1988). ''Far Left of Center: The American Radical Left Today'' (New Brunswick: Transaction Books), p. 109.</ref> Ayers later jokingly, publicly admitted to ghostwriting Obama's book, ''[[Dreams From My Father (autobiography)|Dreams From My Father]]''<ref>Cashill, Jack (March 28, 2011). [https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/03/ayers_affirms_he_wrote_dreams.html "Ayers affirms he wrote ''Dreams from my Father''"]. American Thinker website/Blog. See [[American Thinker]].</ref> and Obama was to appoint several openly avowed Maoists to prominent White House and Executive Branch positions.<ref>Fund, John (October 21, 2009). [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704597704574487431322664964.html "From Mao to Obama"]. ''Wall Street Journal'' website.</ref>

===A Charter of Negative Liberties===
In a 2001 interview on WBEZ FM Chicago Public Radio, Senator Obama said some critically disparaging things about the [[United States Constitution]]. He said:

<blockquote>If you look at the victories and failures of the civil rights movement and its litigation strategy in the court, I think where it succeeded was to vest formal rights in previously dispossessed peoples. So that I would now have the right to vote, I would now be able to sit at the lunch counter and order and as long as I could pay for it I’d be okay. 
But the Supreme Court never ventured into the issues of redistribution of wealth and sort of more basic issues of political and economic justice in this society. And to that extent as radical as people tried to characterize the Warren court, it wasn’t that radical. It didn’t break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the founding fathers in the Constitution, at least as it’s been interpreted, and the Warren court interpreted it in the same way that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties. It says what the states can’t do to you, it says what the federal government can’t do to you, but it doesn’t say what the federal government or the state government must do on your behalf. And that hasn’t shifted. One of the I think tragedies of the civil rights movement was because the civil rights movement became so court focused, I think that there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organizing and activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalitions of power through which you bring about redistributed change and in some ways we still suffer from that.<ref>[https://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2008/11/03/barack-obamas-poor-understanding-of-the-constitution Barack Obama's Poor Understanding of the Constitution]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jr9mLB3yKs Obama Constitution Negative Liberties.flv]</ref><ref>[http://www.wnd.com/2008/10/79225/ Obama rips U.S. Constitution]</ref></blockquote>

'''Backstabbing fellow Democrats'''

Barack Obama ran for the Illinois state senate in 1996. He was initially supported by incumbent [[Alice Palmer]], who declared she would run for the U.S. Congress. However, when her bid for Congress failed on November 28, 1995, she tried to run for her old seat in the March 1996 election. Her supporters asked Obama to step aside, although whether this was with her permission remains uncertain.<ref name=pragmatic /> Not only did Obama not step down, he gathered a team of high-priced lawyers, including fellow Harvard Law School graduate Thomas Johnson, to challenge his opponent's petition signatures on technicalities after the filing deadline had passed. Such tactics are legal and frequently used in Chicago; in 2006 they eliminated 67 of the 245 aldermanic candidates;<ref name=bareknuckle>Jackson, David and Long, Ray (April 4, 2007). [http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2007-04-04/news/0704030881_1_petitions-voter-rights-candidates "Barack Obama: Showing his bare knuckles"]. ''Chicago Tribune'' website. See ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''.</ref> yet nevertheless led to the term "hardball" by ''The New York Times''<ref name=pragmatic /> and "cutthroat" by David Mendel as reported by both CNN<ref name=revealed /> and MSNBC.<ref name=msnbc /> The ''Chicago Tribune'' declared Obama had mastered "the bare-knuckle arts of Chicago electoral politics", noting "The man now running for president on a message of giving a voice to the voiceless first entered public office not by leveling the playing field, but by clearing it."<ref name=bareknuckle /> As one of Obama's four opponents, eliminated through his ballot challenges, would put it: {{cquote|"Why say you're for a new tomorrow, then do old-style Chicago politics to remove legitimate candidates? He talks about honor and democracy, but what honor is there in getting rid of every other candidate so you can run scot-free? Why not let the people decide?"
—Gha-is Askia, 1996 Illinois Senate candidate<ref>Jackson, David & Long, Ray (April 3, 2007). [http://web.archive.org/web/20130123154440/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/obama/chi-070403obama-ballot-archive,0,5297304,full.story "Obama knows his way around a ballot"]. ''Chicago Tribune'' website. Retrieved from January 23, 2013 archive at Internet Archive.</ref>}} Mark Ewell, another candidate, filed 1,286 signatures, and Obama's challenges left him 86 short of the minimum requirement (757).<ref name=spivak>Spivak, Todd (February 28, 2008). [http://www.houstonpress.com/2008-02-28/news/barack-obama-screamed-at-me/ "Barack Obama and me"]. ''Houston Press'' website.</ref> Ewell filed a federal lawsuit contesting the election board's decision but Tom Johnson intervened, and Ewell's case was dismissed just a few days later. Ewell and other Obama opponents were using early 1995 polling sheets to verify signatures of registered voters, but city authorities had just purged 15,871 unqualified people from the 13th district list, and Obama's challenges used the more recent, updated list. Askia was left 69 signatures short of the requirement. If names were printed instead of signed in cursive, they were declared invalid. If they were good but the person registering the signatures wasn't a registered voter (e.g. underage) they were invalid.<ref name=hardball>Griffin, Drew & Johnston, Kathleen (May 29, 2008). [https://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/29/obamas.first.campaign/ "Obama played hardball in first Chicago campaign"]. CNN website. Article text begins: "When the Democratic National Committee meets Saturday on the thorny issue of seating the Florida and Michigan delegations..."</ref> Palmer had according to Obama campaign consult Ronald Davis, used two children to help gather her petition signatures. To this day Palmer denies the challenges were valid, and maintains she could have overcome the objections with more time and resources.<ref name=bareknuckle /> Thanks to his lawyers, Obama would win the election without a single other candidate on the ballot.

'''2000 election'''
: ''Main Article: [[Illinois 1st congressional district election, 2000]]''
In 2000, Obama lost his only political election when he chose to run against experienced incumbent and former [[Black Panther]] Bobby L. Rush for the U.S. Congress in a 65% black district. Rush's name recognition began at 90%, Obama's at 11%. Michelle Obama opposed taking on such an iconic figure dear to the community and threatened divorce.<ref>Bates, Daniel (May 16, 2012). [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2145035/Michelle-Obama-prepared-divorce-papers-separate-Barack-leaving-suicidal.html "New book claims Michelle Obama prepared divorce papers to separate from Barack—leaving him so depressed friends feared he'd kill himself"]. ''Daily Mail'' website. See ''[[Daily Mail]]''.</ref> Establishment Democrats considered Obama "a white man in blackface".<ref>Gilmore, Jim (reporter, producer). (October 9, 2012). [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/government-elections-politics/choice-2012/transcript-29/ "Transcript of 'Barack Obama' in Kirk, Michael and Wiser, Mike (producers) '''Frontline'': The Choice 2012'"]. PBS website/WGBH/Frontline/film/The Choice 2012.</ref> Rush said of Obama, "He went to Harvard and became an educated fool," adding, "We’re not impressed with these folks with these eastern elite degrees."<ref>Ballasy, Nicholas (March 28, 2012). [https://dailycaller.com/2012/03/28/bobby-rush-in-2000-obamas-a-harvard-educated-fool-who-thinks-he-knows-all-about-the-civil-rights-protests/ "Bobby Rush in 2000: Obama a Harvard ‘educated fool’ who ‘thinks he knows all about’ the ‘civil rights protests’"]. Daily Caller website. See [[Daily Caller]].</ref> Todd Spivak would give voice to this impression of Obama, noting that
{{cquote|"My view of Obama then wasn't all that different from the image he projects now....One thing I can say is, I never heard him launch into the preacher-man voice he now employs during speeches. He sounded vanilla, and activists in his mostly black district often chided him for it."<ref name=spivak />}}
Rush would go on to win the Primary with 61.02% of the vote; Obama received 30.36%.<ref>Scott, Janny (September 9, 2007). [https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/us/politics/09obama.html?pagewanted=all "In 2000, a streetwise veteran schooled a bold young Obama]." ''The New York Times''. See ''[[The New York Times]]''.</ref> The loss led to Obama considering dropping out of politics altogether, particularly after the September 11, 2001 attacks, since his name sounds similar to "Osama bin Laden".<ref name=msnbc />

'''State Senate voting record'''

Obama entered the Illinois Senate promising change to a corrupt system. He mixed often radical votes with more pragmatic agreements. Possibly one of his most radical votes was against requiring medical care for aborted children who survive [[abortion|the procedure]] – in fact, the Illinois Planned Parenthood Council ascribed him a 100% rating for his consistently pro-choice votes.<ref name="cbs illinois">{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/17/politics/main2369157.shtml|title=Obama record may be gold mine for critics|publisher=CBS News website|last=Clark|first=Amy|date=January 17, 2007}} See [[CBS News]].</ref> He was criticized for using the statehouse as a stepping stone for a more illustrious career: Steven J. Rauschenberger, a [[Republican]], said prior to Obama's election as president: “He is a very bright but very ambitious person who has always had his eyes on the prize, and it wasn’t Springfield. If he deserves to be president, it is not because he was a great legislator.”<ref name="nyt illinois">{{cite web|publisher=''The New York Times'' website|title=In Illinois, Obama proved pragmatic and shrewd|last=Scott|first=Janny|date=July 30, 2007|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/30/us/politics/30obama.html}}.</ref>

The statehouse was majority Republican, so the Senator was sometimes forced to compromise. He formed allegiances across party lines to pass [[campaign finance]] reform that banned most gifts by lobbyists, prohibited spending campaign money for legislators’ personal use and required electronic filing of campaign disclosure reports.<ref name="nyt illinois"/> Obama also helped pass a so-called “driving-while-black bill”, which required the police to collect data on the race of drivers they stopped as a way to monitor [[racial profiling]].<ref name="nyt illinois"/>

Obama established himself as a chief spokesperson in opposition to the [[War on Terror]] during an October 2002 rally at Federal Plaza in Chicago<ref>The rally was organized by Chicagoans Against War in Iraq (CAWI) later renamed Chicagoans Against War and Injustice. See Davidson, Carl (November 2, 2006). [http://web.archive.org/web/20100811115415/http://www.noiraqwar-chicago.org/?page_id=2 "About CAWI"]. Chicagoans Against War and Injustice website. Retrieved from August 11, 2010 archive at Internet Archive.</ref> [[community organizing|organized]] by veteran [[Mao]]ist and webmaster of [[Progressives for Obama]],<ref>[http://www.linkedin.com/in/carldavidson Carl Davidson] (2010 or bef.) LinkedIn [Profile page/Experience/Webmaster]. Retrieved March 13, 2010 and February 13, 2016.</ref> [[Carl Davidson]].

'''2003 Emil Jones deal'''
: ''Main Article: [[2003 Barack Obama deal with Emil Jones]]''
When Illinois' U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald announced he would be retiring in April 2003, Obama jumped at the opportunity, declaring that he would be a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2004.<ref name=msnbc /> To boost his chances Obama approached the newly crowned president of the Illinois Senate, Emil Jones Jr., with a proposal. According to Jones, whom Obama has since called his "godfather"<ref name=godfather>Associated Press (March 31, 2008). [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/obamas-political-godfather-in-illinois/ "Obama's political 'godfather' in Illinois"]. CBS News website. See [[Associated Press]], CBS News.</ref> the conversation went as follows:
{{cquote|"After I was elected president, in 2003, he came to see me, a couple months later. And he said to me, he said, ‘You’re the senate president now, and with that, you have a lot of pow-er.’ And I told Barack, ‘You think I got a lot of pow-er now?,’ and he said, ‘Yeah, you got a lot of pow-er.’ And I said, ‘What kind of pow-er do I have?’ He said, ‘You have the pow-er to make a United States sen-a-tor!’ I said to Barack, I said, ‘That sounds good!’ I said, ‘I haven’t even thought of that.’ I said, ‘Do you have someone in mind you think I could make?,’ and he said, ‘Yeah. Me.’"<ref name=PurdumandScott/>}}
Because of the deal, Obama's entire Illinois Senate legislative record was, as longtime Obama reporter Todd Spivak put it, built in a single year. During his 7th and final year in the Illinois Senate, Obama sponsored an incredible 26 bills into law, including many he now points to when criticized as inexperienced<ref name=spivak />—as CNN's Suzanne Malveaux observed, "With help from on high, Obama got his name on hundreds of bills that he pushed through."<ref name=revealed /> Jones not only had Obama craft legislation addressing daily tragedies to raise his political profile,<ref name=godfather /> he also appointed Obama head of almost all high-profile legislation in the Illinois Senate, angering other state legislators with more seniority who'd spent years supporting the bills.<ref name=spivak /> Illinois State Senator Rickey Hendon, the original sponsor of the famous racial profiling bill requiring videotaped confessions in police interrogations, complained bitterly about Jones' decision.<ref>Multiple references:
*Malveaux, Suzanne (August 20, 2008). [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0808/20/se.02.html "Transcript of 'Barack Obama Revealed'"]. CNN website/Transcripts.
*Spivak, Todd (March 25, 2004). [http://www.illinoistimes.com/Springfield/article-922-in-the-black.html "In the black"]. ''Illinois Times''.</ref> Jones' influence had a major impact on Obama's chances in the 2004 elections, preventing major political players from backing Obama's opponents. To quote Emil Jones,{{cquote|"He knew if he had me in the run for the Senate, it would put a block on the current mayor. The current mayor and the father of the controller, which was Dan Hynes, they were roommates in Springfield when the mayor was a state senator, so they had a relationship. Another big financial backer for the governor was Blair Hull. Barack knew if he had me it would checkmate the governor, ’cause the governor couldn’t come out and go with Blair Hull, ’cause the governor needs me. Same with the mayor. So he had analyzed and figured all of that out. He knew I could help him with labor support. And I could put a checkmate on some of the local politicians that didn’t know him, but they couldn’t really go against me."
—Emil Jones<ref name=raisingobama />}}

==2004–2008: U.S. Senate==
:''See also: [[Early life and career of Barack Hussein Obama#U.S. Senate .282004-2008.29|Barack Obama:U.S. Senate (2004-2008)]], [[United States Senate election in Illinois, 2004]]''p
[[Image:obama.jpg|thumb|left|Senator Barack Obama]] Obama was a relatively undistinguished Senator.

'''2004 Primary election'''
Despite initially trailing in the polls to frontrunner [[Blair Hull]],<ref>Spivak, Todd (March 25, 2004). [http://www.illinoistimes.com/Springfield/article-922-in-the-black.html "In the black"]. ''Illinois Times''.</ref> Obama greatly benefited from what the ''Chicago Tribune'' called "the most inglorious campaign implosion in Illinois political history"<ref name=mendell>Mendell, David (March 17, 2004). [http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-03-17/news/0403170332_1_blair-hull-gery-chico-blacks-and-liberal-whites "Obama routs Democratic foes"]. ''Chicago Tribune'' website. See ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''.</ref> when pressure from journalists and opposing candidates, just weeks before the election, forced the unsealing of Hull's messy divorce files.<ref name=blairhull>Voegeli, William (March 19, 2004). [http://web.archive.org/web/20070826095930/http://www.claremont.org/publications/pubid.339/pub_detail.asp "The rise and fall of Blair Hull"]. The Claremont Institute website. Retrieved from August 26, 2007 archive at Internet Archive. See [[Claremont Institute]].</ref> The files revealed Hull's ex-wife's accusations of verbal and physical abuse.<ref name=spivak /> Hull would afterward criticize the media, stating, "As for the press, I will never read the newspaper the same way again."<ref name=mendell /> Obama would go on to win the Primary with 53% of the vote.<ref name=blairhull /> Obama's unexpected victory led to him being termed a "rising star" by the media.<ref>Howlett, Debbie (March 18, 2004). [https://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/2004-03-18-obama-usat_x.htm Dems "See a rising star in Illinois Senate Candidate"]. ''USA Today'' website/News/Politics-Elections/Nation/Campaign 2004. See ''[[USA Today]]''.</ref>

'''2004 General election, Jack Ryan'''

Once again Obama found himself trailing to popular front-runner [[Jack Ryan]], and once again a candidate's campaign imploded thanks to media intervention. In an unprecedented move, the ''Chicago Tribune'' and local TV station WLS sued to force the unsealing of Ryan's divorce files, despite opposition from both Ryan and his wife, Jeri Ryan, who in the files accused Jack Ryan of trying to coerce her to perform sex acts in public. Though Ryan advisors told him he could still win if using a negative attack on Obama, Ryan refused to engage in what he considered dirty politics.<ref name=abandon>Associated Press (June 26, 2004). [https://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/state/2004-06-25-ryan_x.htm "Jack Ryan abandons Senate bid"]. ''USA Today'' website/News/Politics-Elections/State/Campaign 2004. See [[Associated Press]].</ref> Ryan then dropped out of the race (per request by the Illinois GOP<ref name=idealist>Sangwan, Rahul (October 1, 2004). [http://web.archive.org/web/20060924232703/http://www.dartmouthindependent.com/archives/2004/10/jack_ryan_81_th.html "Jack Ryan '81: The conservative idealist"]. ''Dartmouth Independent'' website. Retrieved from September 24, 2006 archive at Internet Archive.</ref>), following which the Illinois GOP scrambled to find a replacement, leaving Obama uncontested for weeks to campaign and build up public support. On top of all this, Obama was selected to give the keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention (July 27<ref>Obama, Barack (June 26, 2004). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19751-2004Jul27.html "Transcript: Illinois Senate candidate Barack Obama [Keynote address at 2004 Democratic National Convention]"]. Transcribed by FDCH E-Media. ''Washington Post'' website. See ''[[Washington Post]]''.</ref>), catapulting him into the national spotlight, and leading to further media publicity terming him a "rising star".<ref>Page, Susan and Despeignes, Peronet (July 28, 2004). [https://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-07-28-obama-speech_x.htm "Rising star brings Democrats to their feet"]. ''USA Today'' website/News/Politics-Elections/Nation/President/Campaign 2004. See ''[[USA Today]]''.</ref>

'''2004 General election, Alan Keyes'''
: ''Main Article: [[Obama born alive controversy]]''
After a number of candidates including former [[Chicago Bears]] coach Mike Ditka declined to run,<ref>CNN (August 9, 2004). [https://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/08/08/senate.illinois.keyes/ "Keyes challenges Obama for Illinois Senate seat"]. CNN website/Politics/America Votes 2004. See [[CNN]].</ref> the Illinois GOP finally settled on fiery [[Alan Keyes]], a former Ambassador to the Economic and Social Counsel of the United Nations,<ref name=spivak /> with less than 3 months left before the November 2004 election.<ref name=msnbc /> His sudden entrance into the state for the election was initially attacked in the press as "carpetbagging".<ref>Multiple references:
*"[http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-08-06/news/0408060313_1_mr-keyes-judy-baar-topinka-alan-keyes "The GOP's rent-a-senator"] (August 6, 2004). ''Chicago Tribune'' website. See ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''.
*[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50885-2004Aug8.html "Mr. Keyes the carpetbagger"] (August 9, 2004). ''Washington Post'', p. A14. Retrieved from ''Washington Post'' website. See ''[[Washington Post]]''.
*Pearson, Rick (September 5, 2004). [http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-09-05/news/0409050304_1_selfish-hedonist-alan-keyes-illinois-republican-party "Keyes, state GOP gearing up blame campaign"]. ''Chicago Tribune'' website/News.</ref> Keyes repeatedly claimed his primary motivation for entering a race he had seemingly no chance of winning was his disgust at Obama's votes on the popular [[Born Alive]] bills.<ref>Keyes, Alan (August 18, 2004). [http://www.mail-archive.com/newsandviews@chuckmuth.com/msg00699.html "How YOU can help Alan Keyes for Senate!"] Message from Keyes2004 Inc. to multiple internet mailing lists. Retrieved from archive of newsandviews internet mailing list at The Mail Archive website.</ref> Keyes, from his first day of arriving in Illinois (August 9, 2004),<ref name=assails>Associated Press (August 9, 2004). [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5654128/ "Keyes assails Obama's abortion views"]. NBC News website/Politics.</ref> accused Obama of having voted against bills mandating medical care for newborn children, and supporting "infanticide" (the term twice used in the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act<ref>United States Congress (October 21, 2003). [http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/108/s3/text/enr "S. 3 (108th): "Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003"], sec. 2, subsec. 14, paras. G and O. Govtrack.us website/Congress/Bills/108th Congress/Senate bill 3/Text.</ref>) where hospitals left newborn infants to die like garbage.<ref>Multiple references:
*Keyes, Alan (June 2008 or bef.) [http://www.keyesarchives.com/transcript.php?id=341 "Alan Keyes on the Tavis Smiley Show"]. Alan Keyes Archives website. Transcript of interview by Tavis Smiley. ''Tavis Smiley Show'' (New York City: National Public Radio, August 31, 2004). See [[NPR]].
*Keyes, Alan (June 2008 or bef.) [http://www.keyesarchives.com/transcript.php?id=337 "Alan Keyes on CBS2 Chicago This Morning"]. Alan Keyes Archives website. Transcript of interview with ''CBS This Morning'' show. ''CBS This Morning'' (Chicago: CBS 2, August 30, 2004).</ref> Obama in a debate on October 13, 2004, defended himself against Keyes' accusations of infanticide by claiming that Illinois law was already sufficient.<ref>[http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-10-13/news/0410140004_1_alan-keyes-senate-race-first-of-three-debates "Debate or discussion?"] (October 13, 2004). ''Chicago Tribune'' website/News.</ref>

However, Keyes' rhetoric, calling Obama's votes "the slaveholder's position"<ref name=assails /> and saying "Jesus Christ would not vote for Obama"<ref>Keyes, Alan (June 2008 or bef.). [http://www.keyesarchives.com/transcript.php?id=348 "Alan Keyes on the Scott Thomas Show (AM1160 - WYLL)"]. Alan Keyes Archives website. Transcript of interview by Scott Thomas. ''Scott Thomas Show'' (Chicago: WYLL, AM 1160, September 7, 2004).</ref> was widely ridiculed by the press. Keyes' unabashed criticism of homosexuality as "selfish hedonism" was also targeted.<ref>Multiple references:
*Pearson, Rick (September 5, 2004). [http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-09-05/news/0409050304_1_selfish-hedonist-alan-keyes-illinois-republican-party "Keyes, state GOP gearing up blame campaign"]. ''Chicago Tribune'' website/News.
*Associated Press (September 2, 2004). [http://www.nbcnews.com/id/5897569/ns/politics/t/keyes-cheneys-gay-daughter-practicing-selfish-hedonism/#.VsR94_krKWg "Keyes: Cheney's gay daughter practicing selfish hedonism"]. NBC News website/Politics.
*Pallasch, Abdon M. (September 2, 2004). [http://web.archive.org/web/20040903052923/http://www.suntimes.com/output/elect/cst-nws-keyes02.html "Keyes' gay slam roils GOP"]. ''Chicago Sun-Times'' website/News/Elections. Retrieved from September 3, 2004 archive at Internet Archive. See ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]''. This article misquotes [[Liz Cheney]]; previous bulleted reference in this multiple reference gives full quote verified by CNN transcript.</ref> Obama would ultimately win the election, 70% to 27%.<ref>[http://cnn.hu/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/IL/S/01/index.html "America votes 2004: Election Results, U.S. Senate/Illinois"] (November 2, 2004). CNN Hungary website/Elections.</ref>

'''U.S. Senate voting record'''
Obama's incomplete term in the U.S. Senate was largely not noteworthy. In voting against raising the [[debt limit]] in 2006 Obama famously said, "The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. government can’t pay its own bills. ... I therefore intend to oppose the effort to increase America’s debt limit."<ref>Multiple references:
*''Washington Post'' FACT CHECKER, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/annotating-obamas-2006-speech-against-boosting-the-debt-limit/2013/01/14/aa8cf8c4-5e9b-11e2-9940-6fc488f3fecd_blog.html Annotating Obama’s 2006 speech against boosting the debt limit], Washington Post, Glenn Kessler, 01/15/2013.
*Kaplan, Rebecca (April 11, 2011). [https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/04/obama-once-opposed-debt-ceiling-hike/237129/ "Obama once opposed debt ceiling hike"]. ''The Atlantic'' website/Politics.</ref> In 2008 as candidate for president Obama called George W. Bush's request to raise the debt limit "irresponsible" and "unpatriotic".<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kuTG19Cu_Q "Obama says adding $4 trillion to debt is unpatriotic [July 3, 2008]"] (August 23, 2011). YouTube video, 0:38, posted by maywhitley31.</ref>

The ''National Journal'' ranked him the most liberal senator in 2007.<ref name="ranked">{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/8301-502163_162-3775451-502163.html|title="''National Journal'': Obama most liberal senator in 2007"|author=Montopoli, Brian|date=January 31, 2008|publisher=CBS News website}}. See [[CBS News]].</ref>

Obama frequently used the [[filibuster]] to obstruct the operations of government,<ref>O'Keefe, E. (2010, February 4). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/03/AR2010020303801_pf.html Obama criticizes Senate Republicans for delaying confirmation votes]. ''Washington Post''.</ref> and voted against the [[minimum wage]] bill<ref>Multiple references:
*Gill, Kathy (May 26, 2007). [http://web.archive.org/web/20070905140628/http://uspolitics.about.com/od/legislatio1/a/HR2206.htm "HR 2206 - Emergency appropriations [110th Congress, House of Representives, signed into law May 25, 2007]"], About.com website/News & Issues/U. S. Politics: Current Events/Legislation. Retrieved from September 5, 2007 archive at Internet Archive.
*[http://more.gov.mtopgroup.com/2007/05/votes-hr-2206-iraq-supplemental.html Votes - H.R. 2206: Iraq Supplemental], May 28, 2007. Retrieved from Deeper Inside the Mountain, June 4, 2007.</ref> he introduced because it included a provision to pay active duty U.S. troops. He voted for the $700 billion TARP program to bailout the big banks after receiving more than $120,000 in contributions from [[Fannie Mae]], a government-sponsored entity<ref>more than any other political candidate for office since 1989. [http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2008/09/update-fannie-mae-and-freddie.html Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Invest in Lawmakers], By Lindsay Renick Mayer, September 11, 2008. opensecrets.org</ref> taken into conservatorship for mismanaging its affairs and responsible for all the big banks' problems.

According to Opensecrets.org, of the 671,269 contributions to Obama during his time in the Senate, [[Goldman Sachs]], JP Morgan, Citigroup, and Morgan Stanley were among the top 20 biggest money donors to his campaigns.<ref>Multiple references:
*[http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.php?cid=N00009638&cycle=2008 Top 20 Contributors, 2007-2008]
*[http://www.votesmart.org/finance.php?can_id=9490 Barack Obama II's Campaign Finances]</ref> All four subsequently received approximately $70 billion in taxpayer assisted [[bailout]] money from the [[TARP]] program he voted for.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2008/10/14/business/14bailout.graphic2.html ''Beneficiary Banks'', ''The New York Times''. 2008-10-14.]</ref> UBS AG, a foreign bank and the 12th largest donor to Obama,<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/contrib.php?cycle=2008&cid=N00009638 Top 20 Contributors, 2007-2008]</ref> was fined $780 billion in February 2009 in a U.S. Federal Court on charges it helped thousands of Americans evade taxes.<ref>[http://www.investmentnews.com/article/20090219/FREE/902199983 ''UBS fined $780 million in tax evasion scandal,''] Investment News, February 19, 2009.</ref>

==Presidential campaigns==
===2008===
{{main article|Barack Hussein Obama 2008 Presidential campaign}}
Unlike Democrat contenders Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, Obama's hands were not "stained" with the Iraqi war resolution; a number of Democrats wanted to punish candidates for acting [[bi-partisan]] and called for his candidacy. His only career accomplishment until then had been the delivery of a speech at the 2004 [[Democratic National Convention]].

Through heavy use of [[early voting]] by the Democrat political machine, Obama was elected president in 2008 in the midst of a severe economic meltdown and a foreign policy crisis. Obama outspent [[John McCain]] by hundreds of millions of dollars in 2008,<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/contriball.php?cycle=2008 "Candidate comparison: Top contributors 2008 cycle"] (betw. September–November 2013). OpenSecrets.org website.</ref> and spending more than a billion dollars from special interests to snag reelection in 2012.<ref>Multiple references:
*[http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/candidate.php?cycle=2012&id=N00009638 "Barack Obama (D): Candidate summary, 2012 cycle/Source of funds"] (betw. March–June 2013). Opensecrets.org website. 34% Individual contributions, 67% large and corporate.
*[http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/index.php "2012 presidential race/Overall spending"] (betw. August–September 2015). OpenSecrets.org website. These special interests count of over $1 billion may have decreased at least for a time since August–September 2015, where a grand total of individual contributions of less than $1 billion is reflected, but the grand total is presumably incomplete (shown, for example, by the uncounted University of California contributions revealed when comparing the subtotal from the time before August–September 2015 to the time afterwards, the subtotal thus ''increasing''), has every chance of remaining close to its precise revised estimated amount at the beginning of that time (of $964 million) and does not include Super PAC contributions, which is ''indirect'' spending.
**([http://web.archive.org/web/20150304050735/http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/contrib.php?cycle=2012&id=N00009638 Link to version of this reference] on March 4, 2015 [whose pertinent subtotal which follows was the same back to the time indicated in the first bulleted reference] which shows $1,212,245 in contributions from the University of California. This is ''vs.'' $1,350,139 in contributions shown in the version indicated by the Internet Archive to have been published between August–September 2015 and shown in versions at least for a time thereafter [version retrieved on February 7, 2016 shows the same amount].)</ref>

Former [[Democrat]] Presidential candidate [[Joe Lieberman]] endorsed Obama's opponent [[John McCain]] in 2008 and declined to endorse Obama for the [[Presidential Election 2012|2012 presidential election]].<ref>Lillis, M. (2012, April 22). [https://thehill.com/video/campaign/222929-lieberman-declines-to-endorse-in-presidential-race Sen. Lieberman declines to endorse in presidential race]. ''The Hill''.</ref>

'''Primary election'''

In 2007-08, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton competed for the Democrat nomination. Hillary Clinton cleverly resurrected the "Born Alive" controversy surrounding Obama that had lain largely dormant since 2004 (notwithstanding the continuing mentions by [[Jill Stanek]]), by accusing Obama of not being pro-choice for voting "Present" on a number of abortion-related bills<ref>Bettelheim, Adriel (2008, February 13). "[http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2008/feb/13/obamas-present-tension/ Obama's 'Present' Tension]." ''PolitiFact''.</ref>—including the Born Alive ones,<ref>Multiple references:
*Berman, Russell (2008, January 17). "[http://www.nysun.com/national/clinton-obama-should-vote-no-on-abortion-issue/69700/ Clinton: Obama Should Vote 'No' On Abortion Issue She Backed]." ''[[New York Sun]]''.
*Hernandez, Raymond & Drew, Christopher (2007, December 20). "[https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/20/us/politics/20obama.html?pagewanted=all It's Not Just 'Ayes' and 'Nays': Obama's Votes in Illinois Echo]." ''The New York Times''.</ref> and cowardly ducking the votes.<ref>Multiple references:
*''Politi-Fact''. "[http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2008/feb/13/hillary-clinton/yes-but-its-complicated/ Response to Hillary Clinton Comment for January 21st, 2008]." Truth-o-Meter.
*Dorning, Mike (2007, December 20). "[http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2007/12/criticism_of_obama_present_vot.html Clinton Camp Criticizes Obama 'Present' Votes]." The Swamp. ''Chicago Tribune''.</ref> This led to criticism of Obama by two pro-choice organizations, Emily's List, and the [[National Organization for Women]].<ref>Multiple references:
*Dorning, Mike (2008, January 14). "[http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/01/obama_campaign_mounts_defense.html The Swamp: Obama Campaign Defends His Abortion-Rights Record]." ''Chicago Tribune''.
*Dorn, Michael (2008, February 6). "[http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/2008/02/obamas_voting_record_on_aborti_1.html Obama's Voting Record on Abortion]." ''Washington Post''.
*Newton-Small, Jay (2008, January 14). "[http://swampland.time.com/2008/01/14/obama_campaign_defends_present/ Obama Campaign Defends 'Present' Abortion Votes]." ''[[Time Magazine]]''.</ref> However, Pam Sutherland, the long-time head of Illinois Planned Parenthood, came to Obama's aid, criticizing Clinton for making the attack, and stating repeatedly that Obama's present votes were part of a broader strategy used by Planned Parenthood to keep Illinois voters from knowing their state senators were voting against the controversial and popular bills.<ref>Hernandez, Raymond & Drew, Christopher (2007, December 20). "[https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/20/us/politics/20cnd-obama.html?_r=2&hp&oref=slogin Obama's Vote in Illinois Was Often Just 'Present']." ''The New York Times''.</ref><ref>Follmer, Max (2008, March 28). "[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/01/14/obama-emphasizes-prochoic_n_81460.html Obama Emphasizes Pro-Choice Voting Record as Clinton Questions 'Present' Votes]." ''[[Huffington Post]]''.</ref>
{{cquote|"He came to me and said: ‘My members are being attacked. We need to figure out a way to protect members and to protect women. A ‘present’ vote was hard to pigeonhole which is exactly what Obama wanted. What it did was give cover to moderate Democrats who wanted to vote with us but were afraid to do so" because of how their votes would be used against them electorally. A ‘present’ vote would protect them. Your senator voted ‘present.’ Most of the electorate is not going to know what that means."
-Pam Sutherland, President/CEO of Illinois Planned Parenthood Council, 1980-2012<ref>Davis, Teddy (2007, July 17). "[https://web.archive.org/web/20130414215754/http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2007/07/obama-abortion/ Obama Abortion Dodges Blessed by Planned Parenthood], ''[[ABC News]]''.</ref>}}As the contest in Iowa drew near and the former First Lady's inevitability was being usurped by a challenger, Hillary Clinton organizers began circulating rumors that Obama was secretly a Muslim.<ref>[http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/10/barackemail/ Obama Under the Clinton Microscope], By JEFF ZELENY, ''The New York Times'', December 10, 2007</ref><ref>[http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/12/06/clinton-volunteers-anti-obama-e-mail-causes-stir/ Clinton volunteer's sending of anti-Obama e-mail causes stir]. December 6, 2007. CNN</ref><ref>[http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=92143 Hillary Clinton Press Release - Sen. Obama Rewrites History], December 2, 2007, references Obama in the Muslim school in Indonesia in 3rd grade, quoting the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', 3/15/07</ref><ref>[http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/americas/article1995587.ece Obama ‘was educated in madrassa’], Tim Reid and Tom Baldwin, ''[[The Times of London]]'', January 20, 2007.</ref> Clinton also made the claim repeatedly that while Obama was leading in Delegates she was winning the Popular Vote,<ref>Koffler, Daniel (2008, May 28). "[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-koffler/hillary-clinton-and-the-p_b_103913.html Hillary Clinton and the Popular Vote: Not Wrong, but Meaningless]." ''Huffington Post''. Barone, Michael (2008, March 28). "[http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/barone/2008/03/28/projection-clinton-wins-popular-vote-obama-wins-delegate-count Projection: Clinton Wins Popular Vote, Obama Wins Delegate Vote]." ''U.S. News''.</ref> though this was in part because Obama hadn't been registered in Michigan.<ref>Romano, Andrew (2008, August 2). "[http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/blogs/stumper/2008/06/02/clinton-s-popular-vote-claim-close-but-not-quite.html Clinton's Popular Vote Claim? Close--But Not Quite*]." ''[[Newsweek]]''.</ref><ref>''[[RealClearPolitics]]''. "[http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/democratic_vote_count.html 2008 Democratic Popular Vote]."</ref> Obama's advantage with super-delegates over Clinton was about 2-to-1.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Superdelegate endorsements for Friday 6/6|work=Democratic Convention Watch|url=http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/06/superdelegate-endorsements-for-friday.html}}</ref> Obama was able to attract the support of [[liberals]] by pointing out that he had come out against the [[Iraq War]] "from the beginning" whereas Clinton had voted in favor of the war in 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-01-31-democrats-debate_N.htm|title=Obama, Clinton stress differences on Iraq, issues|author=David Jackson|work=USA Today|language=English}}</ref> On June 7, 2008, Hillary Clinton withdrew from the Primaries, conceding the race and endorsing her opponent,<ref>''Associated Press''. "[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24993082/ns/politics-decision_08/t/clinton-ends-historic-bid-endorses-obama/ Clinton Ends Historic Bid, Endorses Obama]." [[MSNBC]]</ref> when Obama passed the 2,118 Delegates required; winning 2,201 delegates to Clinton's 1,896.<ref>''CNN''. "[https://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/primaries/results/scorecard/#D Election Center 2008].</ref>

'''Jeremiah Wright controversy'''
[[File:Obamaatcampdavid.jpg|thumb|right|President Obama in Evergreen Chapel]]
{{See also|Barack Obama and Liberation Theology}}
One major dilemma that arose for Obama during his campaign was his connection to his preacher [[Jeremiah Wright]]. Obama and his wife (raised a Baptist) were members of the Trinity [[United Church of Christ]]<ref>[http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1776246/posts Trinity United Church of Christ Website (Barack Hussein Obama's Church)]</ref> in Chicago, a church that embraced [[black liberation theology]] and its emphasis on empowering so-called "oppressed groups" against "establishment forces". This denomination was the first in America to ordain gays as ministers.<ref>[http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/31079.html Obama's church pushes controversial doctrines], March 20, 2008</ref> Church pastor Jeremiah Wright had been making inflammatory comments and posting his sermons online for sale. These include the statement "G-d damn America," and in describing the September 11th attacks, "We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black [[South Africa]]ns, and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards. America's chickens are coming home to roost."<ref>[http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/Story?id=4443788 Obama's Pastor: G-d Damn America, U.S. to Blame for 9/11], [[ABC News]]</ref> In addition, Rev. Wright blamed America saying "We supported Zionism shamelessly while ignoring the Palestinians and branding anybody who spoke out against it as being [[anti-Semitic]]."

In April 2008, after 20 years in the church, candidate Obama made public statements poised to set him at odds with the man who conducted his wedding and baptized his children. With the negative publicity persisting, a month later Obama ended the friendship, left Wright's church, and blamed the media.<ref>[http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05/31/obama-resigns-church-membership-in-chicago/ Obama Drops Church Membership in Chicago], [[Fox News]] May 31, 2008</ref> Obama claimed “It’s not fair to the other members of the church who seek to worship in peace...", and distanced himself from Wright's sermons as "a bunch of rants that aren't grounded in the truth."<ref>USA Today, [https://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20080430/1a_offlede30_dom.art.htm ''Obama breaks with former pastor, Candidate cites rants on U.S. role in terror, AIDS''], by Kathy Kiely and David Jackson</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081211092533/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/bulletin/bulletin_080430.htm ''Obama Says He Is Outraged By Wright's "Rants"'']</ref>

===Born Alive record resurfaces===
On June 30, 2008, Obama's voting record on the "Born Alive" bills came once more to the forefront when CNN gave voice to the growing controversy and revealed the defense Obama had been using since 2004-2008, that the Illinois bills he'd voted against were different from the federal bill, was false, since he'd brought up for a vote a bill word for word identical to the federal bill in the Health and Human Services Committee he chaired, and voted against it, defeating it.<ref>''CNN''. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPZCXcTwZPY How He Really Voted on Abortion: Obama's Record Under Attack]." ''The Situation Room''. Uploaded to ''YouTube'' by [[Jill Stanek]].</ref><ref>''CNN''. "[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0806/30/sitroom.02.html Transcripts: June 30, 2008]." The Situation Room.</ref> This led in August to a confrontation between Obama and the [[NRLC]].<ref>''[[National Right to Life Committee]]''. "[http://www.nrlc.org/news/2008/NRL08/ObamaCoverup.html Obama Cover-up Revealed on Born-Alive Abortion Survivor's Bill]." NRL News, Vol. 35, Issue 7-8, pg. 5.</ref> After Obama accused critics of 'lying'<ref>Brody, David (2008, August 16). "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Skq5M1Ksp_c McCain/Obama Forum]." ''CNN''. Uploaded to ''YouTube'' by [[Jill Stanek]]. David Brody (August 16, 2008). "[http://blogs.cbn.com/thebrodyfile/archive/2008/08/16/obama-gets-heated-on-born-alive-infant-protection-act.aspx Obama Gets Heated on Born Alive Infant Protection Act]." ''[[CBN]] News''. The Brody File.</ref> the NRLC challenged the assertion, and the Obama campaign conceded he "misspoke" and had voted against an identical bill to the "federal bill that everybody supported" but focused on Obama's new claim, that Illinois law was already sufficient to protect newborn children.<ref>Berman, Russell (2008, August 18). "[http://www.nysun.com/national/obama-facing-attacks-from-all-sides-over-abortion/84059/ Obama Facing Attacks From All Sides Over Abortion Record]." ''[[New York Sun]]''.</ref> The NRLC promptly declared "Senator Barack Obama's four-year effort to cover up his full role in killing legislation to protect born-alive survivors of abortions continues to unravel."<ref>Johnson, Douglas (2008, August 18). "[http://www.nrlc.org/ObamaBAIPA/Obamacoveruponbornalive.htm Obama Cover-up on Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Continues to Unravel After Sen. Obama Says NRLC is 'Lying']." ''[[National Right to Life Committee]]''.</ref>

'''Result'''
Obama made an effort to portray John McCain as similar to George W. Bush, drawing attention to McCain's refusal to criticize the unpopular president. McCain was particularly criticized for saying of how many years we should be willing to stay in Iraq, "Make it a hundred."<ref>Dobbs, Michael (2008, April 2). "[http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/2008/04/mccains_100year_war.html FactChecker: McCain's '100-Year War']." ''Washington Post''.</ref>{{cquote|"John McCain went on television and said that there has been great progress economically over the last seven-and-a-half years. John McCain thinks our economy has made great progress under George W. Bush? How could somebody who has been traveling across this country, somebody who came to Erie, Pennsylvania, say we’ve made great progress?"
-Barack Obama<ref>Zeleny, Jeff (2008, April 18). "[http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/18/obama-criticizes-mccain-on-economic-stance/ Obama Criticizes McCain on Economic Stance]." ''The New York Times''.</ref>}} On August 22, Obama selected [[Joe Biden]] as his running mate for the vice presidency,<ref>''CNN'' (2008, August 23). "[http://articles.cnn.com/2008-08-23/politics/biden.democrat.vp.candidate_1_biden-john-mccain-barack-obama?_s=PM:POLITICS Obama Introduces Biden as Running Mate]."</ref> which would be contrasted one week later with John McCain's selection of [[Sarah Palin]].<ref>Cooper, Michael & Bumiller, Elisabeth (2008, August 29). "[https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/30/us/politics/29palin.html?pagewanted=all Alaskan is McCain's Choice; First Woman on G.O.P. Ticket]. ''The New York Times''.</ref>

On November 2, 2008, Barack Obama won the presidential election with 365 electoral votes to John McCain's 173.<ref>(2008, November 14). "[http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/results/president/explorer.html Electoral Explorer]." Election Results 2008. ''The New York Times''.</ref> Obama received 53% of the popular vote to John McCain's 46%.<ref>(2008, November 17). "[https://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/president/ President]." Election Center 2008. ''CNN''.</ref>

===2012===
:''Main article: [[Presidential Election 2012]]''
During his campaigns, Obama said that he intended to "[[Redistribution of wealth|spread the wealth around]]" and was portrayed as saying that entrepreneurs and employers deserve no credit for building their businesses.<ref>Multiple references:
*Zuckerman, Mortimer B. (July 16, 2010). [http://www.usnews.com/opinion/mzuckerman/articles/2010/07/16/obamas-anti-business-policies-are-our-economic-katrina "Obama's anti-business policies are our economic Katrina"]. ''U.S. News and World Report'' website.
*Barnes, Fred (July 22, 2009). [http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/016/619dvjlm.asp "An anti-business president"]. ''The Weekly Standard''. Vol. 14, No. 38. Retrieved at The Weekly Standard website. See [[The Weekly Standard]].
*Shedlock, Mike (August 20, 2010). [http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2010/08/small-businesses-are-not-hiring-why.html "Small businesses are not hiring—Why should they?"] Blogspot website/Mish's global economic trend analysis.
*Wright, C. Edmund (February 12, 2012). [https://www.americanthinker.com/2010/02/dear_mr_president_why_we_are_n.html "Dear Mr. President: Why we are not hiring"]. American Thinker website. See [[American Thinker]].</ref> On March 1, 2013 Obama issued [[Executive Order|executive orders]] to implement his [[Budget sequester|sequester]] of budget cuts which<ref>Bedard, Paul (February 27, 2013). [http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/dnc-boosts-obama-job-cut-threat-of-750000-to-2-million/article/2522664?custom_click=rss "Sequester hype: DNC adds 1.25 million job cuts to Obama's 750,000"]. ''Washington Examiner'' website. Article located by Weasel Zippers website.</ref> has been widely criticized for destroying jobs in what was an anemic and fragile recovery.<ref>Foys, Bob (February 26, 2013). [http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-02-26/news/chi-20130226-foys_briefs_1_sequester-president-obama-press-secretary-jay-carney "President Obama's sequester"]. ''Chicago Tribune'' website. See [[Chicago Tribune]].</ref>

Warren L. Dean Jr., an adjunct professor of law at [[Georgetown University]] Law Center, wrote:
*{{obama income inequality}}

According to a [[NBC News]] poll, from August 2014, Obama's approval rating was a dismal 40%,<ref>Murray, Mark (August 5, 2014). [http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/poll-americans-dissatisfied-economy "Poll: Obama’s approval rating hits all-time low"]. MSNBC website. See [[MSNBC]]</ref> showing that six in ten Americans disapproved of his [[liberal]] policies. Given that liberals frequently engage in [[Liberal lies|deceit]], the actual approval ratings could be much lower. When Obama left office, the same pollsters who prognosticated a blowout win for Hillary Clinton maintained Obama's approval rating was above 50%.
===Birth certificate controversies===
: ''Main article: [[Barack Obama Controversies#Birth Certificate]]''
On April 27, 2011,<ref>CNN Political Unit (2011, April 27). "[http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/27/white-house-releases-obama-birth-certificate/ White House Releases Obama Birth Certificate]." ''CNN''.</ref> a long-running controversy surrounding Obama's birth was largely put to rest<ref>Winter, J. (2011, April 29). "[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/04/29/expert-says-obamas-birth-certificate-legit/ Expert: No Doubt Obama's Birth Certificate is Legit]." ''[[Fox News]]''. Tuchman, G. (2011, April 25). "[http://articles.cnn.com/2011-04-25/politics/birthers.obama.hawaii_1_birther-controversy-obama-opinion-research-corporation?_s=PM:POLITICS Obama Birther Claims Have No Merit]." ''CNN''. (2011, April 27). "[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42779923/ns/politics-white_house/t/obama-releases-detailed-us-birth-certificate/ Obama Releases Detailed U.S. Birth Certificate]." ''MSNBC''.</ref> when Obama had his long-form birth certificate posted at WhiteHouse.gov.<ref>"[https://us-east-1.tchyn.io/snopes-production/uploads/2014/02/obama-longform.jpg Certificate of Live Birth]." Originally ordered by Obama to be posted on ''WhiteHouse.gov'', but it is no longer there.</ref>[[Donald Trump]], who had been critical of Obama for allowing the divisiveness to linger was then leading Republicans in polls for the upcoming GOP primary<ref>James, F. (2011, April 15). "[http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/04/15/135446314/poll-donald-trump-birther-darling-leads-gop-field-at-26 Donald Trump, Birther In Chief? Poll Has Him Leading GOP Field with 26 Percent]." ''NPR''.</ref> and has been credited with bringing final resolution to the issue. The birth certificates of Michelle Robinson, which would disclosure her birth-sex, and the two children which would clarify their birth parentage, however, remain undisclosed.

The following is a synopsis of previous events leading up to the release:

Hillary Clinton top advisor [[Sidney Blumenthal]], and his son, Max Blumenthal, were the origin of the rumors in 2008 that Barack Hussein Obama was a Muslim in order to stir up fear among white Democrats and women, intended for Hillary's benefit.<ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-great-islamophobic-crusade/ The Great Islamophobic Crusade], CBSNEWS, December 19, 2010. cbsnews.com</ref> McClatchy Washington Bureau Chief James Asher relayed, "Mr. Blumenthal and I met together in my office and he strongly urged me to investigate the exact place of President Obama’s birth, which he suggested was in Kenya."<ref>http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/election/article102354777.html</ref> Snope's has identified a claim that a 1991 promotional booklet by Barack Obama's then-literary agency, Acton & Dystel, touted Obama as "born in Kenya and raised in Indonesia and Hawaii" as being true.<ref>http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/birthers/booklet.asp</ref>

[[Hillary Clinton 2008 presidential campaign|Hillary Clinton's 2008 campaign]] team then began spreading [[Islamophobic]] rumors that Obama was a [[Muslim]] schooled in a ''madrassa'' as a child in Indonesia.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/sep/05/bill-clinton-barack-obama-bromance-long-slow-making Bill Clinton and Barack Obama: an alliance long and slow in the making], Gary Younge, ''Guardian'' UK.</ref><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20080506093354/http://www.stop-obama.org/?page_id=23 Who is BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA?] Mission Statement, stop-obama.org</ref> A group registered as People United Means Action (PUMA) was made up of Hillary Clinton supporters who not only opposed Barack Obama's nomination but also sought to delegitimize his presidency.<ref>https://youtu.be/bifsEkjTAc8</ref> PUMA members charged that the media directed [[sexism]] and [[misogyny]] at Clinton during the 2008 primary campaign and expressed anger at [[Democratic Party]] leaders' failure to speak out or otherwise respond appropriately.

Hillary Clinton had received a majority of votes in the 2008 Democratic primaries and PUMA felt the [[Superdelegate]]s robbed Hillary of the nomination.

'''Retribution killings'''

Obama transformed the Bush administration War on Terror from a preventative measure against terrorism to a cry for vengeance, mob bloodlust, and retribution killings which spawned a fresh, new, and larger cycle of violence.

On May 1, 2011, Obama misled the public when he announced <ref>Obama, B. (2011, May 2). "[http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/05/02/osama-bin-laden-dead Osama Bin Laden Dead]." ''White House''.</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kf1SLhNoUNY Nobel Prize Winner with a kill list].</ref> that Osama bin Laden was "killed in a firefight" after a U.S. special operations group infiltrated a compound in [[Abbottabad raid|Abottobad]], Pakistan.<ref>Baker, P., Cooper, H., & Mazzetti, M. (2011, May 1). "[Bin Laden is Dead, Obama Says]." ''The New York Times''. "[http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Osama_Bin_Laden/ Target Bin Laden: The Death of Public Enemy #1]." ''ABC News''. ''[[NPR]]''. "[http://www.npr.org/series/135908383/osama-bin-laden-dead Special Series: Osama Bin Laden Killed]."</ref> Attacks, murders, and kidnappings of Americans have since escalated as reprisals for bin Laden's death. [[Al Qaeda]], once broken and on the run, operates openly as the jihad has now become global. Relations with Pakistan, a longtime ally throughout the Cold War and War on Terror, became strained. The government of Pakistan denied White House claims it allowed Americans to kill Muslims on its territory.<ref>''Associated Press'' (2011, May 10). "[http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/05/10/pakistani-president-claims-bin-laden-deal/ Former Pakistani President Claims There Was Never Bin Laden Deal With U.S.]." Retrieved from ''Fox News''.</ref> For all his duplicity and criticism of the War on Terror, Obama experienced only a temporary blip in approval ratings.<ref>Dao, J. & Sussman, D. (2011, May 4). "[https://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/05/us/politics/05poll.html For Obama, Big Rise in Poll Numbers After Bin Laden Raid]." ''New York Times''. ''Pew Research Center'' (2011, May 2). "[http://www.people-press.org/2011/05/03/public-relieved-by-bin-ladens-death-obamas-job-approval-rises/ Public 'Relieved' by Bin Laden's Death, Obama's Job Approval Rises]." Jones, J.M. (2011, May 5). "[http://www.gallup.com/poll/147437/obama-approval-rallies-six-points-bin-laden-death.aspx Obama Job Approval Rallies Six Points to 52% After Bin Laden Death]." ''Gallup''.</ref><ref>''[[CBS News]]/Associated Press'' (2012, May 1). "[https://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57424622/1-year-after-osama-bin-laden-killed-still-no-answers-from-pakistan/ 1 Year After Osama bin Laden Killed, Still No Answers from Pakistan]."</ref>

An NBC investigation revealed Obama was informed of bin Laden's whereabouts one full year before he attempted to use it as an election year issue. NBC further reported that there was no "firefight" at all, contradicting what the president told the nation.<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3077864/NBC-investigatin-says-bama-DID-edit-role-Pakistan-killing-Bin-Laden-change-facts-credit.html NBC investigation claims Obama knew where bin Laden was ONE YEAR before 2011 raid and backs Seymour Hersh's claim Pakistan intelligence hid al-Qaeda chief], [[Daily Mail ]]</ref> As early as the day after bin Laden was executed, it was learned bin Laden was not armed in the alleged "firefight" that Obama claimed took place.

'''Defends Mohammad'''

After the [[Benghazi terrorist attack]] which his administration knowingly and fraudulently blamed on the creator of an irreverent YouTube video critical of the founder of Islam, Obama made a speech at the UN in which he said, {{Cquote|The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam.<ref>https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/09/25/remarks-president-un-general-assembly</ref>}}
Four Americans died in the terrorist action intended to commemorate the [[9/11 attack]]s. The attack occurred on the US Consulate at Benghazi, part of the territory of the United States. Administration officials did nothing to repel the attack in progress while huddling to discuss the domestic political ramifications for the upcoming presidential election, less than two months away. The creator of the video was jailed on bogus charges unrelated to the video. In 2015, a series of terrorist attacks in France, Denmark and the United States claimed the lives of at least 15 people with dozens injured, including security and police officers, motivated by Muslim extremists defending what, in their view were, unflattering depictions of the founder of Islam, [[Mohammad]].

'''Voting irregularities'''

According to Stanley Kurtz - author of ''Radical-in-Chief: Barack Obama and the Untold Story of American Socialism'' (2010) Obama in 1995 sought and obtained the endorsement of a left-wing third party, the [[New Party]] in his quest to be elected to the Illinois State Senate.<ref>Kurtz, S. (2012, June 7). [http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/302031/obamas-third-party-history-stanley-kurtz Obama's Third-Party History]. ''[[National Review Online]]''.</ref> Obama's "Fight the Smears" campaign has denied this, as has [[Politico]]'s Ben Smith.<ref name=pollack>Pollack, J.B. (2012, June 7). [https://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/06/07/Obama-Caught-Lying-Again-He-WAS-Member-of-New-Party-Says-Kurtz Obama Caught Lying Again: He WAS Member of 'New Party', Says Kurtz]. ''Breitbart.com'' Smith, B. (2008, October 25). [https://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1008/The_dread_New_Party.html The Dread New Party]. ''[[Politico]]''.</ref> Others who claim he was affiliated with the New Party/ACORN include [[The Blaze]]'s Billy Hallowell,<ref>Hallowell, B. (2012, June 7). [http://www.theblaze.com/stories/report-new-documents-show-obama-was-a-member-of-the-far-left-new-party/ News Docs Reportedly Show Obama Was a Member of the Far-Left 'New Party']. ''The Blaze''.</ref> [[Breitbart News Network|Breitbart]]'s Joel Pollack, [[Human Events]]' Erick Erickson,<ref>Erickson, E. (2008, June 10). [http://www.humanevents.com/2008/06/10/obama-and-the-new-party/ Obama and the New Party]. ''[[Human Events]]''.</ref> Newsbusters' P.J. Gladnick,<ref>Gladnick, P.J. (2008, October 12). [http://newsbusters.org/blogs/p-j-gladnick/2008/10/08/will-msm-report-obama-membership-socialist-new-party#ixzz21JfE3z1z Will MSM Report on Obama Membership in Socialist New Party?] ''[[Newsbusters]]''.</ref> Rick Moran at AmericanThinker.com,<ref>Rick Moran. [https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2008/06/obamas_alliance_with_marxists.html Obama's Alliance with Marxists], ''American Thinker'', June 03, 2008.</ref> and various writers at [[Discover the Networks]] (which include Kurtz and Erickson).<ref>[http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=7434 NEW PARTY (NP)], ''[[Discover the Networks]]''.</ref>

Kurtz in 2012 has claimed to find minutes of the New Party Chicago chapter that say, "''Barack Obama, candidate for State Senate in the 13th Legislative District, gave a statement to the membership and answered questions. He signed the New Party 'Candidate Contract' and requested an endorsement from the New Party. He also joined the New Party.''"<ref name=pollack /> Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod responded to Kurtz with silence and when asked if that meant "yes or no", Axelrod stated, "You can take that as I have no idea what you are talking about."<ref>Pollack, J.B. (2012, June 7). [https://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/06/07/Exclusive-Axelrod-Plays-Dumb-on-Obama-and-Socialist-New-Party Exclusive: Axelrod Plays Dumb on Obama and Socialist New Party]. ''[[Breitbart.com]]''.</ref>

'''"You didn't build that"'''===
{{main|You didn't build that}}
On July 13, 2012, at a campaign event in [[Virginia]], Obama attacked [[capitalism]] in a speech that immediately stirred up controversy. Speaking about the government's role in the success of private business, he said:<ref>[http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/07/13/remarks-president-campaign-event-roanoke-virginia Remarks by the President at a Campaign Event in Roanoke, Virginia], White House</ref>
{{cquote|If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business - you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.}} The [[Romney]] campaign has used "If you’ve got a business—you didn’t build that" in ads to show America that Obama believes it is government that creates business rather than hard-working individuals. The Obama campaign has alternatively stated that the sentenced was poorly worded since he was not giving a scripted speech and that when Obama said "that" he was referring to roads and bridges. Obama points to a later portion of his speech in which he said, "The point is, is that when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together," to support his claim.

'''Results'''

On November 6, 2012 Barack Obama won reelection with 332 electoral votes to Mitt Romney's 206.<ref>[https://www.politico.com/2012-election/results/map/ 2012 Presidential Election], Politico</ref> Obama received 51% of the popular vote (65,899,660 votes) to Romney's 47% (60,932,152 votes).<ref>[http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/fe2012/2012presgeresults.pdf Official 2012 Presidential General Election Results], [[Federal Election Commission]]</ref>

==2009–2017: Presidency==
{{main article|Obama administration}}
The [[liberal claptrap]] that elected Obama seems silly today. It was claimed, for example, that Obama had millions of followers on Twitter, when allegedly some 70% of them were fake.<ref>Jackson, David (August 24, 2012). [http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2012/08/obama-has-millions-of-fake-twitter-followers/1#.UDfQVqA2et_ "Obama has millions of fake Twitter followers"]. USA Today website/The Oval blog. See [[USA Today]].</ref> And although the [[lamestream media]] promoted Obama as a great orator, in fact, he relied almost entirely on teleprompters for his speeches and press conferences, and at one point even had teleprompters set up for him in a middle school classroom in order to speak to the media.

[[File:Obama and George H. W. Bush.jpg|thumb|right|300px|President Barack Obama meets with former President [[George H. W. Bush]] in the Oval Office, Feb. 15, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza).]]
Five years into Obama's presidency the number of people holding jobs still was 3 million below the all-time high of 138 million<ref>The effectiveness of [[American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009|Stimulus]] and deficits: [http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/fredgraph.png?graph_id=112811 Job growth under President Obama's first term;] Source: [[United States Department of Labor]].</ref> workers – despite an increase of 10 million people in population over the same period of time.<ref>[https://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/fredgraph.png?graph_id=112809 U.S. Population growth during Obama's first four years in office.] Source: [[U.S. Census Bureau]].</ref> Under Obama and Senate Democrats<ref>The Democrat-controlled Senate did not propose, vote on, or pass a budget for nearly five years. [https://www.cnn.com/2013/03/23/politics/senate-budget-bill/index.html Senate passes its first budget proposal in four years,] Ted Barrett and Alison Harding, CNN, March 23, 2013.</ref> budget management, the United States suffered its largest [[Federal budget deficit|deficit]]s<ref>Edwards, B. et. al. (2009, November 6). [http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/107xx/doc10708/11-06-mbr.htm Monthly Budget Review: Fiscal Year 2009]. ''[[Congressional Budget Office]]''. Delisle, E.C. et. al. (2010, November 5). [http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/118xx/doc11873/NovemberMBR.pdf Monthly Budget Review: Fiscal Year 2010]. ''[[Congressional Budget Office]]''.</ref> in history and its credit-worthiness downgraded from [[Standard and Poor's]]. Obama assured Americans that unemployment would not rise above 8% if his [[economic stimulus]] program was adopted, however, it rose and stagnated in the 8-10% range<ref>Di Leo, L & Lynch, S.N. (2010, August 20). [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704476104575439172480870774.html Jobless Claims Jump in New Sign Recovery is Sputtering]. ''Wall Street Journal''.</ref><ref>[[United States Bureau of Labor Statistics]]. [http://data.bls.gov/PDQ/servlet/SurveyOutputServlet?data_tool=latest_numbers&series_id=LNS11300000&years_option=specific_years&include_graphs=true&to_month=1&from_month=2 Databases, Tables & Calculators by Subject: Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey]. ''[[United States Department of Labor]]''. Data extracted on: July 19, 2010 (4:31:11 PM).</ref> for the entirety of his first term.

Patrick H. Caddell and Douglas E. Schoen, writing in the ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'', noted, "Rather than being a unifier, Mr. Obama has divided America on the basis of race, class and partisanship." The commentators also note Obama's approach to governance has encouraged [[radical left]]ists to pursue a similar strategy on his behalf. Mary Frances Berry, former head of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, acknowledged that the [[Obama administration]] has taken to polarizing America around the issue of race as a means of diverting attention from other issues, saying, "Having one's opponent [[race card|rebut charges of racism]] is far better than discussing [[Unemployment|joblessness]]."<ref>Berry, M.F. (2010, July 20). [https://www.politico.com/arena/perm/Mary_Frances_Berry_91E3D9D5-C40D-440C-9D48-1C50CBC60C87.html Energy Arena, Driving the Conversation: Contracting Out U.S. Security? And will Branding Tea Party Racist Work?] ''[[Politico]]''.</ref> Caddell and Schoen, who worked for President Carter and Clinton, respectively, further stated, "Mr. Obama has also cynically [[class warfare|divided the country on class lines]]. He has taken to playing the populist card time and time again. He bashes Wall Street and insurance companies whenever convenient to advance his programs, yet he has been eager to accept campaign contributions and negotiate with these very same banks and [[corporation]]s behind closed doors in order to advance his political agenda... President Obama's divisive approach to governance has weakened us as a people and paralyzed our political culture."<ref>Caddell, P.H. & Schoen, D.E. (2010, July 28). [http://online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ_PUB:SB10001424052748703700904575391553798363586.html Our Divisive President]. ''Wall Street Journal''.</ref>

===Domestic policy===
Obama's economic [[stimulus]] package in response to the [[Crash of 2008]] took seven years to return [[unemployment]] to historically acceptable levels. Economic growth remained below 2.0% throughout his two terms as poverty and income inequality increased.

Obama sought to end the "schoolhouse-to-jailhouse pipeline" by bribing public school districts through grants for not having law enforcement authorities arrest students for arrestable offenses – this policy led to a major school shooting in Florida over a year after he left office.<ref>Multiple references:
*Richardson, Valerie (March 5, 2018). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/mar/5/nikolas-cruz-avoided-police-scrutiny-help-obama-po/ Obama policies to end ‘schoolhouse-to-jailhouse pipeline’ helped keep Nikolas Cruz off police radar]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
*Sperry, Paul (March 1, 2018). [https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2018/02/28/obama_administration_school_discipline_policy_and_the_parkland_shooting.html Behind Cruz's Florida Rampage, Obama's School-Leniency Policy]. ''RealClear Investigations''. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
*Evans, M. Catharine (February 26, 2018). [https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2018/02/how_federal_funding_kept_nikolas_cruz_from_getting_arrested_and_unable_to_purchase_firearms.html How federal funding kept Nikolas Cruz from getting arrested and unable to purchase firearms]. ''American Thinker''. Retrieved March 5, 2018.</ref>

====Obamacare: 8 years of stagnant growth====
{{main article|Obamacare}}
Thanks to "stupidity of the American voter" in the words of the bill's author, Obama passed his signature legislation, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) on March 10, 2010. Also known as Obamacare. In keeping with his progressive ideals, the bill used coercive measures to force Americans to buy insurance they didn't want or need.

The employer mandate – the requirement that employers pay 50% of a workers insurance – held down new job creation and wages. Overall [[GDP]] growth barely exceeded 1% throughout Obama's years, while population continued to grow at a 2.5% rate, thus steadily impoverishing the nation as a whole.

The act originated in the Democrat-controlled House, was amended and passed the Senate just prior to Sen. [[Ted Kennedy]]'s death with no Republicans and 44 Democrats voting to oppose. 60 Democrats in total lost their seats afterward in the 2010 Midterms.

In what was construed as a de facto rejection of the bill, [[Massachusetts]] voters elected a [[Republican]] candidate, [[Scott Brown]], who promised to vote against the bill if given the chance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/senate/scott-brown-wins-massachusetts-senate-race.html|work=Washington Post|author=Chris Cillizza|date=January 19, 2010|title=Scott Brown wins Massachusetts Senate special election race|language=English}}</ref> After Obama made a promise to issue an [[executive order]] that would ultimately prohibit the use of taxpayer subsidies to pay for [[abortion]] services,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2010/mar/22/nation/la-na-healthcare-passage22-2010mar22/3|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|language=English|title=House passes historic healthcare overhaul|date=March 22, 2010|author=Noam N. Levey and Janet Hook}}</ref> the Democratic [[House of Representatives]] would pass the bill as it left the Senate 219-212, with 34 Democrats and all other parties dissenting.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.cnn.com/2010-03-21/politics/health.care.main_1_health-care-entire-house-democratic-caucus-pre-existing-conditions?_s=PM:POLITICS|date=March 21, 2010|author=Alan Silverleib|work=CNN|language=English|title=House passes health care bill on 219-212 vote}}</ref>

The [[individual mandate]] required everyone to purchase health care insurance or suffer punitive measures, with the typical [[Marxist]] provisions for exemptions and transfer payments from taxpayers to protected classes of Democrat voters. The individual mandate was upheld by the [[Supreme Court]] with Chief Justice [[John Roberts]] – himself the victim of Obama era [[FISA abuse]] – casting the tie-breaking vote.

====Economic policy====
[[File:Keynes.jpg|thumbnail|right|190px|[[Barack Obama]] advocates the use of discredited [[Keynesian economics|Keynesian economic concepts]]<ref>[http://centurean2.wordpress.com/2011/03/20/fabian-john-maynard-keynes-the-stealthy-enemy-of-human-freedom/ John Maynard Keynes the stealthy enemy of human freedom]</ref><ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-02-22/deathbed-of-keynesian-economics-will-be-in-u-k-matthew-lynn.html Deathbed of Keynesian Economics will be in the UK]</ref><ref>[http://www.iwf.org/inkwell/show/23102.html Will the G8 Repudiate the Philosophy of Living Beyond Our Means?]</ref><ref>[http://www.keynesatharvard.org/book/KeynesatHarvard-ch09.html KEYNES AT HARVARD Economic Deception as a Political Credo BY ZYGMUND DOBBS]</ref>]]

{{see also|Obamunism|American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009}}
Critics of the Obama administration have coined the word "[[Obamunism]]" to describe Barack Obama's [[socialism|socialistic]] and "[[fascism]] light" [[economic planning]] policies.<ref>[[Benito Mussolini]] defined fascism as the wedding of state and corporate powers. Accordingly, trend forecaster [[Gerald Celente]] labels [[Obama administration corporate bailouts|Obama's corporate bailouts]] as being "fascism light" in nature.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thebigmoney.com/articles/daily-intel/2009/07/20/obamunism-inc|work=The Big Money|publisher=Washington Post.[[Newsweek]] Interactive Co. LLC|language=English|title=Obamunism, Inc.|author=David Sessions|date=July 20, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smallbusinessadvocate.com/small-business-interviews/gerald-celente-6944|author=Jim Blasingame|title=Is the government creating a bailout bubble?}}</ref> Obamunism can also refer to Obama's [[Obama administration fiscal policy|ruinous fiscal policies]] and [[Obama administration monetary policy|reckless monetary policies]].<ref name="gerard">{{cite web|url=http://seekingalpha.com/article/120883-monetary-policynot-obama-s-stimulusis-what-needs-watching|title=Monetary Policy-Not Obama's Stimulus-Is What Needs Watching|author=Gerard Jackson|date=February 16, 2009|work=Seeking Alpha}}</ref><ref name="bam">{{cite web|work=[[New York Post]]|date=May 17, 2009|url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/05172009/postopinion/editorials/bams_wise_words_169731.htm|title=BAM'S WISE WORDS}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.heritage.org/2009/03/24/bush-deficit-vs-obama-deficit-in-pictures/|title=Bush Deficit vs. Obama Deficit in Pictures|work=The Foundry|publisher=[[Heritage Foundation]]|author=Conn Carroll|date=March 24, 2009}}</ref> As seen in his own actions, Barack Obama instructed his advisors to find loopholes that would enable the president to act as a [[dictator]] by pushing through legislation and increases in spending without congressional authority.<ref>Naked Emperor News (2011, October 12). [http://www.theblaze.com/stories/executive-dictatorship-obama-instructs-advisers-to-push-through-stimulus-projects-without-pesky-congressional-authorization/ Exclusive Dictatorship: Obama Instructs Advisors to Push Through Stimulus Projects Without Pesky 'Congressional Authorization']. ''[[The Blaze]]''.</ref>

Nevertheless, budgets passed under President Obama have included the smallest average annualized growth of federal spending (1.4%) since before President Reagan. Federal spending grew an average of 8.7% per year during Reagan's first term and an average of 8.1% per year during George W. Bush's second term.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2012/05/24/who-is-the-smallest-government-spender-since-eisenhower-would-you-believe-its-barack-obama/|title=Who Is The Smallest Government Spender Since Eisenhower? Would You Believe It's Barack Obama?|publisher=[[Forbes]]|author=Rick Ungar|date=May 24, 2012}}</ref>

[[Wall Street]] firms and banks that were bailed out were among Obama's biggest campaign supporters.<ref>''OpenSecrets.org''. [http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/contrib.php?cycle=2008&cid=N00009638 Barack Obama: Top Contributors]. The Center for Responsive Politics.</ref> Therefore, the Obama administration bailouts of corrupt, unproductive, and reckless Wall Street firms was hardly surprising, and many argue that it was not helpful in making the United States economy more productive and prosperous by encouraging more risk taking through letting banks off with a slap on the wrist. Others argue that bailing out the banks kept credit flowing and prevented a much deeper recession and a total collapse of the financial system. The government will recoup some though not all of its capital infusions over time. A 2005 study found that government corporate bailouts are often done for mere political considerations and the economic resources allocated exhibit significantly worse economic performance than resources allocated using purely business considerations.<ref>Faccio, M. et. al. (2005, March 1). [http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=676905 Political Connections and Corporate Bailouts]. ''Social Science Research Network''.</ref> Proponents of [[free market]] capitalism said Bernanke should not have bailed out failing firms and instead should have allowed free market capitalism to quickly recover as it did in the depression of 1920 without government intervention (free market capitalists assert that government intervention drags out economic recessions and depressions).<ref>Woods, T.E. (2009, April 10). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czcUmnsprQI Why You've Never Heard of the Great Depression of 1920]. ''[[Ludwig von Mises Institute]]''. Hosted on ''YouTube''.</ref>

The Obama administration has been sharply criticized for [[Obama administration deficit spending|its massive deficit spending]] and [[Obama administration monetary policy|its reckless monetary policy]] via vast increases in the [[money supply]], although inflation under Bernanke has been below the historic mean.<ref name="gerard"/><ref name="bam"/><ref>Carroll, C. (2009, March 24). [http://blog.heritage.org/2009/03/24/bush-deficit-vs-obama-deficit-in-pictures/ Bush Deficit vs. Obama Deficit in Pictures]. ''The Foundry''. [[Heritage Foundation|The Heritage Network]].</ref> Celente predicts that if a "second American Revolution" occurs in a peaceful and productive manner, it may include a [[Third Party System|third party movement]] of governance that will advocate a more [[free market]] [[capitalism]] approach to the American economy and a more strict interpretation of the [[United States Constitution]] as far as the authors' [[original intent]].

During what the [[White House]] billed as [[Recovery Summer]], one half million workers per week continued losing their jobs. His signature legislative achievement, [[ObamaCare]],has been found to be [[unconstitutional]]<ref>Schoenberg, T. & Fisk, M.T. (2010, December 13). [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-13/u-s-health-care-law-requirement-thrown-out-by-judge.html Obama's Health-Care Law Ruled Unconstitutional Over Insurance Requirement]. ''Bloomberg''.</ref> by several judges and constitutional by others, and is credited as a major cause of uncertainty, high [[unemployment]],<ref>[http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=33220 Obamacare: Unemployment You Can Believe In], [[Human Events]]</ref> lagging job creation,<ref>Foster, J.D. (2010, August 5). [http://blog.heritage.org/2010/08/05/it%E2%80%99s-official-medicare%E2%80%99s-finances-shadowed-by-uncertainty/ It’s Official: Medicare’s Finances Shadowed by Uncertainty]. ''The Foundry''. [[Heritage Foundation|The Heritage Network]].</ref> and risk of a credit default crisis.<ref>Samuelson, R.J. (2010, March 29). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/28/AR2010032802353.html With health bill, Obama has sown the seeds of a budget crisis]. ''Washington Post''.</ref><ref>Cramer, J. (2010, March 19). [http://newsbusters.org/blogs/jeff-poor/2010/03/19/mad-money-cramer-health-care-passage-will-topple-stock-market 'Mad Money' Cramer: Health Care Passage 'Will Topple the Stock Market']. ''[[Newsbusters]]''.</ref>

His 2012 Budget plan has been roundly criticized in the mainstream and liberal press as not a serious effort to deal with the nation's economic crisis.<ref>[http://www.republican.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/blog?ID=1551d6f5-2ac9-4b8d-97ab-74def354024e Newspapers Call Out White House: ‘What Would That Path Be, Mr. President?’]</ref>

[[Jeffrey Tucker]] wrote, "President Obama's economic policy has been catastrophic for liberty, enterprise, and the American dream—the very archetype of what not to do to end recession."<ref>[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1118186176/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=anncoulter-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1118186176 Debacle: Obama's War on Jobs and Growth and What We Can Do Now to Regain Our Future]</ref>

According to conservative investigative journalist [[Peter Schweizer]], Obama weaponized the regulatory process to help his friends buy businesses that had been devalued through Obama Administration policies.<ref>Kraychik, Robert (March 20, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/radio/2018/03/20/smash-grab-schweizer-explains-how-obama-weaponized-regulations-enrich-buddies/ ‘Smash and Grab’: Schweizer Explains How Obama Weaponized Regulations to Enrich His Buddies]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved March 20, 2018.</ref>

'''Stimulus'''
{{See also|Recovery Summer}}
In early 2009, Obama lobbied Congress and the public to pass a sweeping Stimulus package<ref>(2009, January 3). "[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28479998/ns/politics-white_house/t/obama-urges-congress-pass-stimulus-plan/ Obama Urges Congress to Pass Stimulus Plan]." ''Associated Press''. Parsons, C. & Nicholas, P. (2009, February 10). "[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28479998/ns/politics-white_house/t/obama-urges-congress-pass-stimulus-plan/ Barack Obama Sternly Urges Congress to Pass Economic Stimulus]." ''Chicago Tribune''.</ref> known as ''The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009'' (H.R. 1).<ref>"[http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.1: Bill Text Versions: H.R. 1]." 111th Congress (2009-2010). ''[[Library of Congress]]''. "[https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=204335,00.html The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: Information Center]." ''[[IRS]]''.</ref> The report of the Congressional Budget Office mandated by law stated that the legislation would ultimately harm the economy.<ref>Dinan, S. (2009, February 4). "[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/04/cbo-obama-stimulus-harmful-over-long-haul/ CBO: Obama Stimulus Harmful Over Long Haul]." ''U.S. News''.</ref> Contrary to his promise of bipartisanship,<ref>Dinan, S. (2009, March 28). "[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/mar/28/mccain-obama-breaks-campaign-promises-shuns-bipart/?page=all McCain: Obama Breaks Promise of Bipartisanship]." ''[[Washington Times]]''.</ref> the bill passed the House 244-188 on January 28, 2009, with 11 Democrats voting with the entire Republican caucus against,<ref>Calmes, J. (2009, January 28). "[https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/29/us/politics/29obama.html House Passes Stimulus Plan With No G.O.P. Votes]." ''The New York Times''.</ref> and received just 3 Republican votes when passing the Senate 61-37.<ref>Herszenhorn, D.M. (2009, February 10). "[https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/11/washington/11web-stim.html Senate Approves Stimulus Plan]." ''The New York Times''.</ref> One third of the massive $838 billion bill consisted of [[Backdoor spending authority#Backdoor tax expenditures|backdoor tax expenditures]]<ref>(2009, February 11). "Senate Passes $838 Billion Stimulus Bill." ''Associated Press''.</ref> and the rest direct [[new spending]] on "just about every pent-up Democratic proposal of the last 40 years."<ref>(2009, January 28). "[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123310466514522309.html A 40-Year Wish List]." ''Wall Street Journal''.</ref> In responding to criticism of the broken bipartisanship promise at the time, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi famously quipped, "We won the election. We wrote the bill."<ref>Kane, P. (2009, January 23). "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/22/AR2009012203961.html Stimulus Plan Meets More GOP Resistance]." ''Washington Post''.</ref> On February 18, 2009, the Stimulus was signed into law by Obama.<ref>(2009, February 17). "[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29231790/ns/politics-white_house/t/obama-stimulus-lets-americans-claim-destiny/ Obama: Stimulus Lets Americans Claim Destiny]." ''Associated Press''.</ref> In August 2009, Republicans and Democratic Senator David Obey drew attention to mistakes on the Recovery.gov site claiming millions of Stimulus jobs created that didn't exist. Obama responded by saying the errors just indicate his accounting is an "inexact science".<ref>(2009, November 18). "[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/11/18/obama-calls-stimulus-data-errors-issue-says-focus-job-growth/ Obama Calls Stimulus Data Errors 'Side Issue,' Says Focus Is on Job Growth]." ''[[Fox News]]''.</ref>

'''[[Sequestration]]'''

According to [[Pulitzer Prize]] winning journalist [[Bob Woodward]] of the ''[[Washington Post]]'', Obama misled the American people in a Presidential debate only two weeks before the 2012 election when he said, "The sequester is not something that I’ve proposed,”<ref>[http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-02-22/opinions/37238840_1_jack-lew-treasury-secretary-rob-nabors Obama’s sequester deal-changer,] By Bob Woodward, ''Washington Post'', February 22, 2013.</ref> when in fact his chief budget negotiator and current Chief of Staff, [[Jack Lew]], made a call to Democrat [[Harry Reid]] at 2:30 pm on July 27, 2011 with the proposal after clearing it with Obama,<ref>[https://dailycaller.com/2012/10/22/fact-check-woodward-wrote-that-obama-administration-proposed-sequester/ Fact-check: Woodward wrote that Obama administration proposed sequester]. [[The Daily Caller]]</ref> as fully documented in Woodward's book, ''The Price of Politics''. Federal Reserve Chairman [[Ben Bernanke]] warned of immediate jobloss of about 750,000 jobs – about the same level as under George W. Bush<ref>[http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/fredgraph.png?graph_id=109262 Monthly Jobloss under George W. Bush, Jan 2007 - Jan 2009]. See also [http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/fredgraph.png?graph_id=109266 Initial Unemployment Claims] over the same period, annualized. Source: [[U.S. Department of Labor]], Bureau of Labor Statistics.</ref> – if Obama's budget and economic plans were allowed to take effect.<ref>[https://money.cnn.com/2013/02/26/news/economy/bernanke-burden-recovery/ Bernanke: Spending cuts add 'significant' burden to recovery,] By Annalyn Kurtz, CNN February 26, 2013.</ref>

Woodward, who's reporting on [[Watergate]] is credited with toppling the administration of [[Richard Nixon]], told Wolf Blitzer of CNN he was told by a senior White House official he'd regret talking about the President Obama's positions on the sequester.<ref>[http://www.businessinsider.com/bob-woodward-obama-sequester-white-house-reporting-price-politics-2013-2 Bob Woodward: White House Threatened Me On Sequester,] businessinsider.com</ref>

'''Spreading poverty and raising the debt'''

Following the 2011 debt ceiling standoff between Obama and House Republicans,<ref name=Swann-Aug>{{cite web|url=http://www.standardandpoors.com/servlet/BlobServer?blobheadername3=MDT-Type&blobcol=urldata&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobheadervalue2=inline%3B+filename%3DUS_Downgraded_AA%2B.pdf&blobheadername2=Content-Disposition&blobheadervalue1=application%2Fpdf&blobkey=id&blobheadername1=content-type&blobwhere=1243942957443&blobheadervalue3=UTF-8 |title=United States of America Long-Term Rating Lowered to 'AA+' on Political Risks and Rising Debt Burden; Outlook Negative |publisher=[[Standard and Poor's]] |date=August 5, 2011 |accessdate=April 3, 2013}}</ref> the United States Government's credit rating was, for the first time in its history, downgraded from AAA to AA+, and [[poverty]]<ref>[http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/data/incpovhlth/2009/pov09fig04.pdf Figure 4: Number in Poverty and Poverty Rate: 1959-2009]. ''[[U.S. Census Bureau]]''. Current Population Survey, 1960 to 2010 Annual Social and Economic Supplements.</ref> increased markedly. By and large, his programs, said to combat the recession, unemployment, slow growth, and deficits, have failed<ref>"The vast majority (73%) of respondents reported the fiscal stimulus enacted in February 2009 has had no impact on employment to date. While 68% also believe a jobs bill, such as the one recently enacted into law, will have no impact on payrolls, 30% do believe it will boost payrolls moderately". [http://www.nabe.com/press/ind1004.pdf Industry Survey], ''National Association for Business Economics'', April 2010, p. 2.</ref> leaving the country saddled with an $18 trillion [[national debt]] and climbing.<ref>During Obama's first two years in office, the rate of new U.S. federal debt added per year to its total tripled the rate of new debt accumulated by Bush to place the U.S. on a war footing, and during Obama's first six years in office, the total National Debt has nearly doubled ($7.5 trillion added). See [[National Debt]].</ref> One of his most well-known tactics was blaming someone else, such as George W. Bush, for all his failures instead of taking responsibility. Also on the domestic front, Obama passed an expensive [[health care]] bill in 2010 with no national consensus or [[bipartisan]] support and 34 Democrats dissenting. Recently, the [[Congressional Budget Office]] wrote an open letter to [[John Boehner]], the Speaker of the House, outlining the effects of repealing [[Obamacare]] and explaining why a net loss of over 100 billion dollars would occur from the repeal.<ref>[http://cbo.gov/publication/43471 Letter to the Honorable John Boehner providing an estimate for H.R. 6079, the Repeal of Obamacare Act], Congressional Budget Office</ref>

During Obama's presidency, the national debt nearly doubled, going from $10.6 trillion to $19.9 trillion.<ref>Meyer, Ali (January 21, 2018). [https://freebeacon.com/politics/obama-leaves-office-debt/ Obama Leaves Office Having Added $9.3 Trillion to Debt]. ''The Washington Free Beacon''. Retrieved May 16, 2018.</ref>

====Illegal immigration====
[[File:Obama detention.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Obama held children separated from their parents penned up in dog kennel-like conditions behind a chain link fence.<ref>https://qz.com/1291470/photos-immigrant-children-detained-at-the-placement-center-in-2014/</ref>]]
The Obama Administration was weak on [[illegal immigration]]. It established the [[Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals]] program (DACA)<ref>Munro, Neil (July 21, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/07/21/daca-seven-facts-obamas-amnesty-decree/ DACA: Seven Facts About Obama’s Amnesty Decree]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved July 21, 2017.</ref><ref>Nolte, John (September 5, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2017/09/05/14-things-msm-wont-tell-daca/ 14 Things the MSM Won’t Tell You About DACA]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved September 6, 2017.</ref><ref>Klein, Aaron (September 3, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/09/03/obama-administration-usurped-constitution-bypassed-congress-grant-de-dacto-amnesty-dreamers/ How the Obama Administration Bypassed Congress to Grant De Facto Amnesty to Young Illegal Aliens]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved September 3, 2017.</ref> in 2012, which gave protection and work permits (jobs which could have gone to American citizens) to illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. In his 2013 memoir, liberal Democrat U.S. Representative [[Luis Gutiérrez]], an ally of Obama on immigration issues, stated that Obama did not believe that DACA was legally possible until he enacted it.<ref>Pollak, Joel B. (September 5, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/09/05/luis-gutierrez-daca-2013-obama-said-illegal/ Luis Gutiérrez on DACA in 2013: Obama Said It Was Illegal]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved September 6, 2017.</ref> The Obama Administration was able to give green cards to about 40,000 of those DACA illegals.<ref>Munro, Neil (September 1, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/09/01/daca-backdoor-granted-green-cards-45000-illegals/ 45,000 Illegals Using DACA Backdoor to Get Green Cards]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved September 1, 2017.</ref><ref>Binder, John (September 26, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/09/26/feds-confirm-40k-illegal-aliens-shielded-by-daca-already-given-amnesty/ Feds Confirm 40K Illegal Aliens Shielded by DACA Already Given Amnesty]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved September 26, 2017.</ref> Additionally, it was reported the administration let 2.2 million deportable illegal immigrants, including 400,000 with criminal convictions, remain on the streets,<ref>Price, Bob (April 22, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/texas/2017/04/22/report-ice-failures-under-obama-administration-leave-more-than-2-2-million-supervised-aliens-on-streets/ REPORT: ICE Failures Under Obama Administration Leave More Than 2.2 Million ‘Supervised’ Aliens on Streets]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved April 22, 2017.</ref> while releasing 68,000 with criminal records in 2013 alone.<ref>Mass, Warren (April 1, 2014). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/immigration/item/17963-obama-administration-releases-68-000-illegal-immigrant-criminals Obama Administration Releases 68,000 Illegal Immigrant Criminals]. ''The New American''. Retrieved June 8, 2018.</ref> He nearly doubled the number of illegal immigrant juveniles with the EB-4 visa, which gave them legal status.<ref>Binder, John (May 30, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/texas/2017/05/30/obama-nearly-doubled-number-juvenile-illegal-aliens-given-amnesty-says-expert/ Obama Nearly Doubled Number of Juvenile Illegal Aliens Given Amnesty, Says Expert]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 30, 2017.</ref> The Administration "administratively closed" up to 200,000 deportation cases, meaning those illegal immigrants were free to go where they wanted in the U.S.<ref>Bedard, Paul (August 28, 2017). [http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/200000-deportation-cases-quietly-closed-under-obama/article/2632724 200,000 deportation cases quietly 'closed' under Obama]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved August 28, 2017.</ref> The administration also obstructed deportation cases<ref>Bedard, Paul (October 9, 2017). [http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/group-memo-shows-obama-team-obstructed-deportation-cases/article/2636910 Group: Memo shows Obama team obstructed deportation cases]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved October 9, 2017.</ref> and blocked 550,000 illegals from deportation.<ref>Bedard, Paul (December 6, 2017). [http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/obama-blocked-deportation-of-550000-illegals-more-than-atlantas-population/article/2642694 Obama blocked deportation of 550,000 illegals, more than Atlanta's population]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved December 6, 2017.</ref> The Obama Administration issued 140,000 U visas, which are given to illegal immigrants who testify against criminals in court and allow them to eventually gain citizenship, massively expanding the program.<ref>Munro, Neil (June 27, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/06/27/u-vsa-becomes-backdoor-amnesty-for-200000-plus/ Obama Backdoor Amnesty Provided ‘U visas’ For 140,000 Illegal Aliens]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 28, 2017.</ref> The Obama Administration's failure to close an immigration loophole caused over 250,000 illegal minors to be separated from their parents,<ref>Binder, John (June 19, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/06/19/immigration-loophole-separated-more-than-quarter-million-child-border-crossers-under-obama/ Obama’s Inaction on Immigration Loophole Separated More Than Quarter Million Child Border Crossers]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 19, 2018.</ref><ref>Spiering, Charlie (June 21, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/06/21/obama-criticizes-trump-for-family-separation-but-fails-to-acknowledge-role-in-child-detention/ Obama Criticizes Trump for Family Separation, but Ignores Own Record of Separating Families]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 21, 2018.</ref><ref>Duke, Selwyn (June 22, 2018). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/immigration/item/29349-obama-separated-families-and-detained-kids-media-said-nothing Obama Separated Families and Detained Kids, Media Said Nothing]. ''The New American''. Retrieved June 22, 2018.</ref> and those minors faced significantly worse conditions in their holding facilities than under the Trump Administration, which also took tougher action.<ref>Price, Bob (June 20, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/texas/2018/06/20/trump-vs-obama-two-approaches-to-migrant-families-and-minors/ Trump vs. Obama: Two Approaches to Migrant Families and Minors]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 20, 2018.</ref>

In 2014, President Obama announced the [[DAPA]] program, which would have expanded protections from deportation to a total of about 5 million illegal immigrants. This order was blocked by a federal judge,<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/02/17/federal-judge-temporarily-blocks-obama-immigration-executive-action.html Federal judge temporarily blocks Obama's immigration executive action]. ''Fox News''. February 17, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2017.</ref> upheld by an appeals court,<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/11/09/appeals-court-rules-against-obama-immigration-plan.html Appeals court rules against Obama immigration plan]. ''Fox News''. November 10, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2017.</ref> and a split 4–4 Supreme Court ruling upheld the appeals court ruling.<ref>de Vogue, Ariane; Kopan, Tal (June 23, 2016). [https://www.cnn.com/2016/06/23/politics/immigration-supreme-court/ Deadlocked Supreme Court deals big blow to Obama immigration plan]. ''CNN''. Retrieved April 22, 2017.</ref>

Under President Obama, [[Immigration and Customs Enforcement]] released 564 convicted sex offender illegal immigrants, in many cases because various countries refused to accept them back.<ref>Price, Bob (May 22, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/texas/2017/05/22/obamas-ice-released-nearly-600-sex-offenders-countries-refused-deportation/ Obama’s ICE Released Nearly 600 Sex Offenders after Countries Refused Deportation]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 22, 2017.</ref> In May 2017, a whistleblower revealed that the Obama Administration knowingly let illegal immigrant [[MS-13]] gang members into the country.<ref>Dinan, Stephen (May 24, 2017). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/may/24/whistleblower-dhs-knowingly-let-ms-13-gang-members/ Obama admin knew gang members were part of illegal immigrant surge: Whistleblower]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved May 24, 2017.</ref><ref>Saavedra, Ryan (May 24, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/texas/2017/05/24/obama-let-admitted-ms-13-members-whistleblower-says/ Obama Let in Admitted MS-13 Members, Whistleblower Says]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 25, 2017.</ref> In January 2018, the DHS inspector general reported that the Obama Administration did not identify and arrest terrorist aliens classified as "highest risk" due to them not being screened.<ref>Mora, Edwin (January 11, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2018/01/11/ig-obamas-ice-missed-opportunities-arrest-high-risk-terror-linked-aliens/ IG: Obama’s ICE ‘Missed Opportunities’ to Arrest High-Risk Terror-Linked Aliens]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved January 13, 2018.</ref><ref>Harrington, Elizabeth (January 16, 2018). [https://freebeacon.com/national-security/obamas-ice-didnt-follow-procedure-for-checking-illegal-immigrants-ties-to-terrorism/ Obama’s ICE Didn’t Follow Procedure For Checking Illegal Immigrants’ Ties to Terrorism]. ''The Washington Free Beacon''. Retrieved January 16, 2018.</ref>

The Obama Administration moved illegal migrant teens across state lines so they could have [[abortion]]s.<ref>Freiburger, Calvin (October 24, 2018). [https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/obama-admin-moved-illegal-immigrant-teens-across-state-lines-for-abortions Obama admin moved illegal immigrant teens across state lines for abortions, emails reveal]. ''LifeSiteNews''. Retrieved October 24, 2018.</ref>

After assuming office in 2017, the [[Trump Administration]] made [[Donald Trump achievements|a large change in its policies]] towards illegal immigration compared to the Obama Administration.<ref>Llorente, Elizabeth (April 17, 2017). [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/04/17/sessions-immigration-policies-mark-big-change-from-obama-policies.html Sessions' immigration policies mark big change from Obama policies]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved April 18, 2017.</ref> Secretary of Homeland Security [[John Kelly]] of the Trump Administration strongly criticized the Obama Administration for its failures regarding illegal immigration and national security.<ref>Munro, Neil (April 18, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/04/18/dhs-kelly-sacred-duty-protect-america/ DHS Kelly Slams Obama’s Policies, Proclaims ‘Sacred Duty’ To Protect America]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved April 18, 2017.</ref><ref>Mora, Edwin (April 21, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/texas/2017/04/21/dhs-chief-obama-nothing-truly-secure-border/ DHS Chief: Obama Did ‘Nothing’ to ‘Truly’ Secure Border]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved April 21, 2017.</ref>

'''Rising migration levels'''

Because of the Obama Administration's [[open borders]] policies, total migration into the U.S. in 2016 and 2017 reached record high levels, at 1.75 million people per year.<ref>Dinan, Stephen (October 31, 2018). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/oct/31/total-immigration-us-ties-all-time-record/ Total immigration to U.S. ties all-time record]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved November 1, 2018.</ref><ref>Munro, Neil (October 31, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2018/10/31/obama-migration-record-almost-one-migrant-for-every-two-graduates-in-2016/ Obama’s Migration Record: Almost One Migrant for Every Two Graduates in 2016]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved November 1, 2018.</ref>

====Soft-on-crime====
The Obama Administration failed to act upon warnings by federal drug investigators and state officials about the growing problem of illegal fentanyl as the drug killed 70,000 people between 2013 and 2017.<ref name="SlowFentanyl"/> In fact, the administration softened its enforcement against "low-level nonviolent drug offenses."<ref name="SlowFentanyl">Llorente, Elizabeth (March 13, 2019). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/obama-administration-slow-to-answer-early-alarms-about-fentanyl-report Obama administration slow to answer early alarms about fentanyl: report]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved March 13, 2019.</ref><ref>Hayward, John (March 14, 2019). [https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2019/03/14/obama-administration-refused-declare-public-health-emergency-fentanyl/ Obama Administration Refused to Declare Public Health Emergency for Fentanyl]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved March 14, 2019.</ref>

====War on police====
:{{See also|Riots during the Obama Administration}}
Cop killings increased dramatically in Obama's final years.<ref>https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/police-killed-line-of-duty-increase-2016/</ref> But the groundwork was laid in the early months of Obama's presidency when he made a televised statement that the police "acted stupidly". Obama gave encouragement to [[Black Lives Matter]] and the [[Antifa]] terrorist organization.

====Attacks on Christian religious freedom====
[[File:Schlafly phyllis.jpg|thumbnail|right|140px|[[Phyllis Schlafly]]'s book ''No Higher Power: Obama’s War on Religious Freedom'' documents Obama's attack on religious freedom.<ref>[http://www.crisismagazine.com/2012/obamas-attack-on-religious-freedom-its-worse-than-you-think Obama’s Attack on Religious Freedom: It’s Worse Than You Think], ''Crises Magazine''</ref>]]
When first running for office Obama angered religious conservatives with his comment about working-class voters in old industrial towns. Obama said, "They get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/apr/14/barackobama.uselections2008 Obama angers midwest voters with guns and religion remark], The Guardian</ref>

The Obama administration has been widely criticized for his policies which encroach on religious freedom in areas such as: health care, freedom to dissent on matters relating to the [[homosexual agenda]], religious freedom in the military and religious freedom in other spheres of American life.<ref>
*[http://www.crisismagazine.com/2012/obamas-attack-on-religious-freedom-its-worse-than-you-think Obama’s Attack on Religious Freedom: It’s Worse Than You Think], ''Crises Magazine''
*[http://dailysignal.com/2016/01/21/obamas-hypocrisy-on-religious-freedom/ Obama’s Hypocrisy on Religious Freedom]
*[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/apr/15/us-military-losing-christians-because-of-hostile-c/?page=all U.S. military ‘hostile’ to Christians under Obama; morale, retention devastated], ''Washington Times''
*[http://www1.cbn.com/beltwaybuzz/archive/2015/10/08/senator-seeks-answers-from-obama-on-religious-freedom Obama and Religious Freedom], ''CBN News''
</ref>

In addition, the Obama administration has been criticized for promoting religious freedom for [[Islam|Muslims]] and restricting religious freedom for Christians.<ref>[http://townhall.com/columnists/michaelbrown/2015/10/29/the-obama-administration-religious-freedoms-fro-american-muslims-not-american-christians-n2072727 The Obama Administration: Religious Freedoms for American Muslims, Not American Christians], Townhall</ref>

====Environment and energy====
{{See also|Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster}}
President Obama authorized offshore oil drilling in the [[Gulf of Mexico]]<ref>[http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0430/Gulf-of-Mexico-oil-spill-imperils-Obama-s-offshore-drilling-plan Gulf of Mexico oil spill imperils Obama's offshore drilling plan,] By Mark Clayton, ''[[Christian Science Monitor]]'', April 30, 2010.</ref> stating, "oil rigs today generally don’t cause spills"<ref>White House Press Release, [http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-a-discussion-jobs-and-economy-charlotte-north-carolina Remarks by the President in a Discussion on Jobs and the Economy in Charlotte, North Carolina,] Office of the Press Secretary, April 02, 2010. Retrieved from whitehouse.gov 3 May 2010.</ref> and was widely criticized for his mishandling of the "[[Gulf oil spill disaster|worst environmental disaster]] in US history."<ref>[http://www.examiner.com/x-33986-Political-Spin-Examiner~y2010m4d29-Worst-environmental-disaster-in-US-history-Oil-slick-in-Gulf-of-Mexico-is-set-on-fire Worst environmental disaster in US history,] Maryann Tobin, ''Examiner'', April 29, 2010.</ref><ref>[http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/30/the-oil-spill-is-obamas-fault/?src=twt&twt=NytimesKrugman Conscience of a Liberal: The Oil Spill Is Obama’s Fault,] Paul Krugman, ''The New York Times'', April 30, 2010.</ref>

The Obama Administration enacted many environmental regulations and used scientific studies to back up the supposed need for the regulations, but after the [[Trump Administration]] began undoing the Obama-era rules, many of the merits of the studies were found to be dubious.<ref>Lucas, Fred (December 26, 2017). [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/12/26/junk-science-studies-behind-obama-regulations-under-fire.html 'Junk science'? Studies behind Obama regulations under fire]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved December 26, 2017.</ref>

====Labor law====
Obama's first act of office was to sign the [[Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (2009)|Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act]] – effectively nullifying the [[Supreme Court]] case ''Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.'', which ruled that Ledbetter had to have filed a pay [[discrimination]] suit within 180 days of the first time Ledbetter was paid less than her male peers;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/us/politics/30ledbetter-web.html|work=The New York Times|language=English|title=Obama Signs Equal-Pay Legislation|author=Sheryl Gay Stolberg|date=January 29, 2009}}</ref> the law made corporations subject to suit within 180 days of each time the employee was unfairly paid.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://writ.news.findlaw.com/grossman/20090213.html?=features|work=FindLaw|author=Joanna L. Grossman|date=Feb. 13, 2009|language=English|title=The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009}}</ref>

'''9/11 responders'''

On January 2, 2011, Obama signed the James Zadroga [[9/11]] Healthcare and Compensation Act.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wnyc.org/articles/wnyc-news/2011/jan/02/obama-signs-zadroga-act-law/|publisher=New York Public Radio|title=Obama Signs Zadroga Act into Law|author=Fred Mogul|date=January 2, 2011|work=wNYC|language=English}}</ref> The act, which afforded 9/11 first responders who were sickened by the dust from the collapse of the [[World Trade Center]] health care and compensation, passed [[Congress]] after its sponsors agreed to scale down the pricing from 7.4 to 4.2 billion dollars.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wnyc.org/articles/wnyc-news/2010/dec/22/zadroga-911-bill-passes-senate/|publisher=New York Public Radio|work=wNYC|language=English|title=Congress Approves 9/11 Health Bill|date=December 22, 2010}}</ref>

'''Diversity over safety'''

During the Obama Administration, the [[Federal Aviation Administration]] issued new hiring rules for air traffic controllers which placed achieving diversity over ensuring that new employees were talented, educated, and even knew what they were doing.<ref>Multiple references:
*[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/06/02/obama-era-faa-hiring-rules-place-diversity-ahead-airline-safety-attorney-tells-tucker-carlson.html Obama-era FAA hiring rules place diversity ahead of airline safety, attorney tells Tucker Carlson]. ''Fox News''. June 2, 2018. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
*Duke, Selwyn (June 5, 2018). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/29215-danger-in-the-skies-obama-dumbed-down-air-traffic-controllers-with-diversity-rules Danger in the Skies: Obama Dumbed-down Air-traffic Controllers With “Diversity” Rules]. ''The New American''. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
*Haverluck, Michael F. (June 3, 2018). [https://www.onenewsnow.com/politics-govt/2018/06/03/obama-put-diversity-over-safety-at-faa Obama put diversity over safety at FAA]. ''OneNewsNow''. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
*Poor, Jeff (June 2, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/video/2018/06/02/aviation-attorney-to-tucker-carlson-faa-is-putting-diversity-ahead-of-safety/ Aviation Attorney to Tucker Carlson: FAA Is Putting Diversity Ahead of Safety]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 6, 2018.</ref>

====Meeting with an atheist group====
:''See also:'' [[Atheism and American politics]]
The Obama administration became the first administration to met with an [[Atheism|atheist]] group. It met with the Secularism Coalition for America which is a coalition which represents the [[American Atheists]], the American [[Secular Humanism|Humanist]] Association, and the Military Association of Atheists and [[Freethought|Freethinkers]].

According to the ''USA Today'', the group met with the White House officials to "discuss problems that they believe are fueled by religion."<ref name="content.usatoday.com">[http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Religion/post/2010/02/atheists-meet-with-white-house-officials/1#.VypYTzEn_7Y Atheists meet with White House officials], USA Today</ref> Among the issues the group discussed were the issues of "military proselytizing" by [[evangelicalism|evangelical]] Christian members of the military and faith-based initiatives<ref name="content.usatoday.com"/>

====Gender politics====
{{main article|Don't Ask Don't Tell}}
Candidate Obama promised to repeal a policy that originated with President Clinton and passed by a Democrat-controlled Congress that prohibited inquiries into military personnel's [[sexual orientation]] while barring openly gay [[homosexuals]] from serving in the military. [[Liberals]] expressed anger when time passed and no effort to repeal the law was seen;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/21/obama-to-delay-repeal-of-dont-ask-dont-tell/|work=[[Washington Times]]|title=Obama to delay ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ repeal|language=English|author=Rowan Scarborough|date=November 21, 2008}}</ref> in fact, Obama's [[justice department]], as part of their duty to defend all laws passed by any administration, filed a brief arguing against the [[Supreme Court]] granting a [[writ of certiorari]] to a gay soldier challenging the law (the writ was not granted). In response, the soldier, James Pietrangelo II, a former Army infantryman and lawyer, said, "(Obama's) a coward, a bigot and a pathological liar. This is a guy who spent more time picking out his dog, Bo, and playing with him on the White House lawn than he has working for equality for gay people."<ref>{{cite web|work=[[Time Magazine]]|publisher=Time Inc.|url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1903545,00.html?imw=Y|title=Dismay Over Obama's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Turnabout|author=Mark Thompson|date=Jun. 09, 2009}}</ref>

On December 15, 2010, a bill was introduced in the [[House of Representatives]] to repeal the law – it passed a day later by a vote of 250–175;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2010/roll638.xml|title=FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 638|work=Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives}}</ref> it passed the Senate three days later 65–31.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=2&vote=00281|work=The U.S. Senate|title=U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 111th Congress - 2nd Session|language=English}}</ref> Obama signed the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 on December 22.<ref name="g dadt">{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/22/obama-repeals-dont-ask-dont-tell|work=[[The Guardian]]|language=English|title='Don't ask, don't tell' repealed as Obama signs landmark law|date=22 December 2010}}</ref> The [[Pentagon]] itself could not immediately implement the repeal and questioned whether it would hurt combat readiness.<ref name="g dadt"/>

On the day Rev. [[Jim Jones]] left for [[Jonestown]], [[Harvey Milk]] wrote to Jones and said "my name is cut into stone in support of you - and your people."<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=24taDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT254&lpg=PT254&dq=%22my+name+is+cut+into+stone+in+support+of+you+-+and+your+people.%22&source=bl&ots=ynq76x7v9F&sig=ACfU3U1baSHsO8-hnZ5MVbDiNeBbUn9TbQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiz8vLNi6XgAhWG1IMKHfWVCZQQ6AEwB3oECAcQAQ#v=onepage&q=%22my%20name%20is%20cut%20into%20stone%20in%20support%20of%20you%20-%20and%20your%20people.%22&f=false Harvey Milk: His Lives and Death], Lillian Faderman, Yale University Press, May 22, 2018.</ref> President Obama honored Milk posthumously with the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] on the anniversary on his death.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvKOv8HA76o President Obama Honors Harvey Milk With Presidential Medal of Freedom], youtube.</ref>

====Civil service corruption and the revolving door====
Obama criticized the "revolving door" of government and business.<ref>"We need to close the revolving door that lets lobbyists come into government freely, and lets them use their time in public service as a way to promote their own interests over the interests of the American people when they leave." [http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-welcoming-senior-staff-and-cabinet-secretaries-white-house REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT IN WELCOMING SENIOR STAFF AND CABINET SECRETARIES TO THE WHITE HOUSE,] January 21, 2009. [[White House]]</ref> After appointing [[Peter Orszag]] his first Budget Director to dole out the stimulus cash, Orszag resigned to become Citigroup's Vice Chairman of Global Banking. Citigroup was the recipient of $476 billion in [[bailout]] money - more than any other bank - after the disastrous [[Financial crisis of 2008]].<ref>[http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2011/03/citibank_received_more_bailout.html Citigroup Received More Bailout Money Than Any Other Bank,] By Nitasha Tiku, 3/16/11.</ref> Before the bailout, Orszag's expert opinion of the chances of a mortgage meltdown was 1 in 500,000.<ref>[http://www.pierrelemieux.org/stiglitzrisk.pdf Implications of the New Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Risk-based Capital Standard,] by Joseph E. Stiglitz, Jonathan M. Orszag and Peter R. Orszag. Fannie Mae Papers, Volume 1, Issue 2, March 2002, Conclusion p.6.</ref>

===Foreign policy===
[[File:Obama and the media.jpg|right|250px|thumb|[[Ben Rhodes]] is the Assistant to the President for Strategic Communications and Speechwriting, and Deputy National Security Advisor to [[Susan Rice]]. Rhodes is also the brother of David Rhodes, President of CBS News.]]
Unlike Presidents [[Abraham Lincoln]] and [[Franklin Roosevelt]], Barack Obama has shown scant concern about the revival of [[slavery]] which took place on his watch shortly after his "apology tour", intended to diminish U.S. influence in the world.<ref>[http://womensenews.org/story/international-policyunited-nations/150527/un-sex-violence-envoy-focusing-syria-iraq UN Sex Violence Envoy: Focusing on Syria, Iraq]</ref><ref>[http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2009/06/barack-obamas-top-10-apologies-how-the-president-has-humiliated-a-superpower Barack Obama's Top 10 Apologies: How the President Has Humiliated a Superpower], Heritage Foundation</ref> Obama, who was raised a Muslim<ref>[http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2007/01/was_obama_blood.html Was Obama bloodied by madrassa story?]</ref><ref>[http://www.danielpipes.org/11952/obama-muslim-childhood Obama's Muslim Childhood]</ref> and is not a descendant of slaves, criticized Christians and the Crusades as reports of thousands of women and girls being captured, sold, and raped flooded in.<ref>[http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/579393/ISIS-Michelle-Obama-prostitute-justifies-raping-slave-girls-Koran ISIS calls Michelle Obama a PROSTITUTE and justifies raping slave girls with the KORAN]</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obamas-speech-at-prayer-breakfast-called-offensive-to-christians/2015/02/05/6a15a240-ad50-11e4-ad71-7b9eba0f87d6_story.html Critics pounce after Obama talks Crusades, slavery at prayer breakfast], Washington Post</ref>

The number of jihadis worldwide has grown by a factor of 4 or 5 at least, since Obama took the reins of power as Commander-in-Chief.<ref>The number of Islamic extremists susceptible to jihadist recruitment during the George W. Bush administration worldwide was estimated at 12,000; the Islamic State alone by 2015 had estimates of a standing army of jihadis as high as 70,000 to 200,000.</ref> Remarkably, the ''[[New York Times]]'' was critical of Obama's incessant boasting about the killing of [[Osama bin Laden|bin Laden]].<ref>Baker, Peter and Shear, Michael D. (April 27, 2012). [https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/28/us/politics/critics-pounce-on-obamas-trumpeting-of-bin-laden-death.html?_r=0 "Obama trumpets killing of Bin Laden, and critics pounce"]. ''The New York Times'' website. See [[The New York Times]].</ref> With the complete disengagement of American troops from [[Iraq]] and the assassination of [[Osama bin Laden]], the [[Islamic State]] arose and recruitment of global [[jihad]]is multiplied exponentially.

Obama entered his second term mocking and ridiculing the idea that Russia was America's prime geo-strategic competitor; by the closing days of his presidency, Obama was in a panic fanning the flames of a Third Red Scare. Vladimir Putin and Russia had thoroughly embarrassed Barack Obama on the world stage as Obama withdrew America from its traditional role of global leadership and repudiated the idea of [[American exceptionalism]]. Respect for America degenerated in the world as issues such as transexual bathrooms occupied more of Obama's time and attention than the 12 million homeless refugees Obama had driven from their homes in his failed "[[Arab Spring]]" policy. Having been thoroughly rebuked politically with the election of Donald Trump, as a [[lameduck]] Obama attempted to coverup [[DNC]] scandals uncovered by [[Wikileaks]] by scapegoating Vladimir Putin and fostering an atmosphere of paranoia about Russia, the future, and a Trump presidency.

'''Commander-in-chief'''

As Senator, Obama was highly critical of President Bush and promised change. As President, Obama tripled down in Afghanistan, widened the war into Pakistan, multiplied by drone attacks, bombed Yemen and Somalia, and started an undeclared NATO war in Libya. On presidential war powers, surveillance questions, Guantanamo, detention policy and habeas corpus, Obama similarly stayed the course or expanded Bush's precedents. In a speech on May 19, 2011, Obama fully embraced the [[Bush Doctrine]] of preventative war.<ref>Krauthammer, C. (April 19). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-news-in-obamas-speech/2011/05/19/AF4dFN7G_story.html The News in Obama's Speech]. ''Washington Post''.</ref>
From the Boston Globe:
<blockquote>
'The New America Foundation, which tracks the strikes, has listed 23 raids since the beginning of April 2011, all but one in Pakistan’s tribal regions of North and South Waziristan. A June 20 attack was reported in Kurram, an area north of North Waziristan along the Afghanistan border.'
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
'The drone program has become increasingly controversial as the Obama administration has expanded its use beyond the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Lethal missiles have been launched from unmanned aircraft in at least five countries in addition to Pakistan: Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, and, most recently, Somalia. The military’s Joint Special Operations Command used a drone last June to attack what officials said were two senior members of the Al Shabab militant group on the Somali coast.' <ref>DeYoung, K. (2011, July 4). [http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2011/07/04/cia_halts_drone_launches_from_pakistan_base/ CIA Halts Drone Launches From Pakistan Base]. ''[[The Boston Globe]]''.</ref>
</blockquote>
A commentator says:
<blockquote>
'Obama is commendable when he says he wants to avoid war. His policies, however, favor war by destabilizing the Middle East making it extremely hostile and favoring radical Islam over America’s ally, Israel, and American interests in the region... The president has chosen a very dangerous path for every American and one that promises great difficulty for Israel.' <ref>[http://www.thejerusalemconnection.us/blog/2012/03/14/obamas-words-disguise-his-israel-foreign-policy-actions.html Obama's words disguise his Israel foreign policy actions.]</ref>
</blockquote>
By Obama's third year as Commander-in-Chief, over 1200 American troops died in Iraq and Afghanistan - significantly more than the number who died during President [[George W. Bush]]'s term of office. And growing numbers of civilian contractors also have fallen. In the first half of 2010, 250 contractors reportedly died in Iraq and Afghanistan - more than the 235 military personnel who fell during the same period.<ref>http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/05/24/114662/what-price-war.html#ixzz1Nz07pg5O</ref>

'''National Defense'''

President Obama signed into U.S. law the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), only after his administration successfully lobbied to remove language from the bill that would have protected American citizens from being detained indefinitely without trial.<ref>Aaron Dykes. [http://www.infowars.com/president-obamas-ndaa-signing-statement-i-have-the-power-to-detain-americans-but-i-wont/ Obama’s Signing Statement on NDAA: I have the power to detain Americans… but I won’t], Infowars.com, January 1, 2012.</ref> After the legislation cleared Congress, the ACLU commented that if President Obama signed the bill it "will damage both his legacy and American’s reputation for upholding the rule of law," while executive director of the ''Human Rights Watch'' blasted the President for being ‘on the wrong side of history,’ noting that "Obama will go down in history as the president who enshrined indefinite detention without trial in US law."<ref>President Decides to Sign Ill-Conceived National Defense Authorization Act. [http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/12/14/us-refusal-veto-detainee-bill-historic-tragedy-rights US: Refusal to Veto Detainee Bill A Historic Tragedy for Rights], ''[[Human Rights Watch]]'', December 14, 2011.</ref><ref>[https://www.aclu.org/national-security/white-house-backs-away-defense-bill-veto-threat White House Backs Away from Defense Bill Veto Threat], ''[[ACLU]]'', December 14, 2011.</ref>

Section 1031 of the NDAA bill, which itself defines the entirety of the United States as a “battlefield,” allows American citizens to be snatched from the streets, carted off to a foreign detention camp and held indefinitely without trial. As reported by Infowars.com, the bill states that “any person who has committed a belligerent act” faces indefinite detention, but no trial or evidence has to be presented, the White House merely needs to make the accusation.<ref>Paul Joseph Watson. [http://www.infowars.com/obama-administration-demanded-power-to-indefinitely-detain-u-s-citizens/ Obama Administration Demanded Power To Indefinitely Detain U.S. Citizens], Infowars.com, December 12, 2011.</ref><ref>S.1867 [http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?c112:2:./temp/~c1122VN0Iv:e548990: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (Engrossed in Senate [Passed Senate] - ES)], ''[[Library of Congress]]'' THOMAS, 112th Congress (2011-2011), Accessed January 25, 2012.</ref><ref>Text of S.1867 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012. [http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-s1867/text?version=es&nid=t0:es:281 Sec. 1031. Affirmation of authority of the Armed Forces of the United States to detain covered persons pursuant to the Authorization for Use of Military Force.], [[U.S. Congress]], ''OpenCongress.org'', (Accessed January 25, 2012).</ref>

'''Escalates Afghan conflict'''
{{main article|Afghanistan War}}
American deaths in [[Afghanistan]] more than doubled in Obama's first few years compared with the preceding eight years of George Bush <ref>Chesser, S.G. (2012, July 12). [http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/R41084.pdf Afghanistan Casualties: Military Forces and Civilians - CRS Report for Congress]. Pg. 3. ''Congressional Research Service'''.</ref> as he increased troop strength for no discernible purpose and to "win" unstated objectives. Against his own Defense Secretary's advice, Obama [[Libyan uprising 2011|attacked Libya]] and forced [[regime change]] without Congressional authorization in violation of the post-Nixon era reform measure, the [[War Powers Act]].

After he took personal credit for killing [[Osama bin Laden]], the [[U.S. State Department]] warned of increased risk to the lives and safety of Americans.<ref>''KABC-TV/DT'' (2011, July 27). [http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/national_world&id=8273909 Risk of anti-US violence up after Osama bin Laden's death]. On ''ABC7 News''.</ref> Bin Laden's successor, [[Ayman al-Zawahiri]] confirmed the [[Benghazi Attack]] which took place on the anniversary of 9/11 and killed more Americans, was motivated by al-Qaeda's desire for revenge.<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2012/09/12/world/africa/libya-attack-jihadists/index.html Pro-al Qaeda group seen behind deadly Benghazi attack], By Nic Robertson, Paul Cruickshank and Tim Lister, CNN, September 13, 2012.</ref> Bin Laden's death, as Obama's advisers warned, freed up jihadis who swore an oath of allegiance to the 9/11 mastermind to swear allegiance to rival and competing factions. The competing factions advocated the immediate establishment of the Islamic State, rather than after the overthrow of the Saudi monarchy and retaking of Mecca. As was well known, bin Laden always held a controversial and minority position among jihadis on the strategy for global jihad by attacking the United States first. Bin Laden's killing, intended as an election year gimmick, brought Obama no improvement in approval ratings and spawned unprecedented growth in global terror and jihadi recruiting.

Obama needlessly escalated troop strength<ref name="pbs">{{cite web|url=http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/obamaswar/themes/strategy.html#ixzz1LhWNImZp|title=Obama's New Strategy (March '09)|author=George Packer, Seth Jones, David Kilcullen, Rory Stewart, Andrew Exum, Col. Andrew Bacevich (Ret.)|work=[[PBS]]|language=English}}</ref> and defense costs in Afghanistan from $43.5 billion in George Bush's last year to $113.7 billion for 2011.<ref>Congressional Research Service, quoted in Gregory Anthony, ''What price war?''</ref> Adviser to General [[Stanley McChrystal]] David Kilcullen wrote, "One of the big strategic shifts is the use of language now which talks about Pakistan and Afghanistan as the same theater. Now we talked about Af-Pak long before the Obama administration came about, but the public use of that term, and the description of it as the Afghanistan-Pakistan campaign, sends a new message to people about how the administration is going to think about Afghanistan and Pakistan."<ref name="pbs"/>

====Libya and rebirth of the slave trade====
{{main article|Libyan uprising 2011}}
In February 2011, the political unrest that spread through the Arab world showed up as protests in Libya. Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, leader of Libya for 41 years, responded to the violence<ref>[http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article28376.htm There Was No Libyan Peaceful Protest, Just Murderous Gangs and Nic Robertson]</ref> with legitimate steps.<ref name="nyt libya">{{cite web|url=http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/libya/index.html|work=The New York Times|publisher=The New York Times Inc.|language=English|title=Libya — Protests and Revolt (2011)}}</ref> The [[United Nations Security Council]] voted to impose [[sanctions]], and later passed a resolution to protect civilians. Obama, without approval from Congress and over the objections of his own National Security staff,<ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gates-libyan-no-fly-zone-means-attacking-libya/ Gates: Libyan no-fly zone means attacking Libya], CBS News</ref> directed American forces to take out Libya's air defense system.<ref name="nyt libya"/> Secretary of Defence [[Robert Gates]], National Security Adviser Tom Donilon, Deputy National Security Adviser Denis McDonough, and [[White House]] counterterrorism chief [[John O. Brennan]] all opposed the action. Obama later said, "if we waited one more day Benghazi, a city nearly the size of Charlotte, could suffer a massacre that would have reverberated across the region and stained the conscience of the world."<ref>{{cite web|author=Barack Obama|url=http://www.npr.org/2011/03/28/134935452/obamas-speech-on-libya-a-responsibility-to-act|title=Obama's Speech On Libya: 'A Responsibility To Act'|date=March 28, 2011|publisher=National Public Radio ([[NPR]])|language=English}}</ref> [[Alan J. Kuperman]], in an editorial for the ''[[Boston Globe]]'', suggested this statement was false, writing, "intervention did not prevent genocide, because no such bloodbath was in the offing. To the contrary, by emboldening rebellion, US interference has prolonged Libya’s civil war and the resultant suffering of innocents."<ref name="kuperman">{{cite web|author=Alan J. Kuperman|work=The Boston Globe|url=http://articles.boston.com/2011-04-14/bostonglobe/29418371_1_rebel-stronghold-civilians-rebel-positions|title=False pretense for war in Libya?|date=April 14, 2011}}</ref> Kuperman, a professor of public affairs at the [[University of Texas]] who authored a book called ''The Limits of Humanitarian Intervention'', further stated that the rebels had tricked the world into thinking a bloodbath was at hand and that Obama had lied to the American people in order to act on this theory.<ref name="kuperman"/>
<blockquote>
Gaddafi [never] threaten[ed] civilian massacre in Benghazi, as Obama alleged. The “no mercy’’ warning, of March 17, targeted rebels only, as reported by ''The New York Times'', which noted that Libya’s leader promised amnesty for those “who throw their weapons away.’’ Gaddafi even offered the rebels an escape route and open border to Egypt, to avoid a fight “to the bitter end.’’ <ref>[http://politicalcartel.org/2011/04/17/libya-and-the-obama-doctrine/ Libya and the “Obama Doctrine”.]</ref>
</blockquote>
Gaddafi wrote to Obama and told him he bore no ill will. "We have been hurt more morally than physically because of what had happened against us in both deeds and words by you," he wrote. "Despite all this you will always remain our son whatever happened. We still pray that you continue to be president of the USA. We endeavour and hope that you will gain victory in the new election campaign."<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/06/gaddafi-obama-nato-libya?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487 Gaddafi begs Obama to halt 'unjust war' ], [[The Guardian ]]</ref>

'''Syria and Obama's "red line"'''

In 2012, during the [[Syrian Civil War]], President Obama stated that if the Syrian dictator, President [[Bashar al-Assad]] used [[chemical weapon]]s against Syrians, that would be unacceptable and cross a red line. However, after it was confirmed that Assad did use weapons against his people, Obama did practically nothing. He went to Congress to authorize a military strike, but this request was rejected (he had the ability to order a military strike without Congress's approval). Later, the Obama Administration (particularly [[Susan Rice]])<ref name="RiceTakesHeat">Chakraborty, Barnini (April 7, 2017). [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/04/07/susan-rice-obama-colleagues-take-heat-for-past-claims-on-syria-chemical-weapons-purge.html Susan Rice, Obama colleagues take heat for past claims on Syria chemical weapons purge]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved April 7, 2017.</ref> and the mainstream media<ref>Nash, Charlie (April 7, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2017/04/07/politifact-pulls-2014-mostly-true-rating-of-john-kerrys-claim-of-eliminating-syrian-chemical-weapons/ PolitiFact Pulls 2014 ‘Mostly True’ Rating of John Kerry’s Claim of Eliminating Syrian Chemical Weapons]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved April 7, 2017.</ref> claimed they had worked with Syria to remove its chemical weapons. In April 2017, Syria again used chemical weapons against its people, proving their claim wrong.<ref name="RiceTakesHeat"/> The new president, [[Donald Trump]], unlike Obama, quickly ordered a large airstrike against a Syrian airbase.<ref>Griffin, Jennifer; Tomlinson, Lucas (April 7, 2017). [http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/04/07/us-missiles-target-syria-airfield-in-response-to-chemical-weapons-attack.html US missiles target Syria airfield in response to chemical weapons attack]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved April 7, 2017.</ref>

'''Turkey'''

President Obama attempted to overthrow the legitimate government of Turkey, a vital NATO ally. Turkish President [[Recep Erdoğan]] repeatedly warned Obama's support of [[Kurd]]ish forces and [[ISIL]] threatened the NATO alliance. Turkey slowly began establishing closer ties with Russia.

====Hillary Clinton and the FBI's collusion with Russia====
:{{See also|Uranium One bribery scandal}}
Obama and his administration had a weak stance on Russia.<ref>Pollak, Joel B. (July 22, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2018/07/22/pollak-media-let-obama-alums-off-the-hook-on-russia/ Pollak: Media Let Obama Alums off the Hook on Russia]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved July 22, 2018.</ref> He and Secretary of State [[Hillary Clinton]] tried to "reset" relations with Russia, and he mocked [[Mitt Romney]] for calling Russia the most dangerous geopolitical threat to the U.S. in a 2012 debate. According to Brett Bruen, the White House director of global engagement from 2013 to 2015, the Obama Administration ignored his warnings about Russia.<ref>Morton, Victor (March 26, 2018). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/mar/26/brett-bruen-obama-official-says-nsc-slept-his-2014/ Obama official says NSC slept on his 2014 Russia warning]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved March 26, 2018.</ref> Obama criticized president of [[Russia]], [[Vladimir Putin]] for carrying out a referendum for the seizure of [[Crimea]] to Russia.<ref>[http://cnsnews.com/news/article/obama-calls-rethinking-crimea-vote Obama calls for a 'rethinking' on Crimea vote]. [[Cybercast News Service]]</ref> After taking office in 2017, [[Donald Trump]] took several actions against Russia that Obama never went so far as to do.<ref>Berger, Judson (December 26, 2017). [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/12/26/trump-administration-ends-2017-confronting-russia-after-year-collusion-accusations.html Trump administration ends 2017 confronting Russia after year of collusion accusations]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved December 26, 2017.</ref>

'''Cuba'''

During his presidency, Obama instituted a major détente with the oppressive Communist dictatorship of [[Cuba]], despite its failed leftist governance and human rights violations.<ref>[https://www.wsj.com/articles/obamas-cuban-detente-1418862551 Obama’s Cuban Detente]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. December 17, 2014. Retrieved January 15, 2017.</ref><ref>Spetalnick, Matt; Gardner, Timothy (December 13, 2016). [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cuba-whitehouse-idUSKBN1422U6 Obama to press Trump to preserve Cuba detente: White House]. ''Reuters''. Retrieved January 15, 2017.</ref> In August 2015, the U.S. and Cuba reopened each other's embassies.<ref>Frumin, Aliyah (July 1, 2015). [http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/obama-announces-historic-deal-cuba Obama announces historic deal with Cuba]. ''MSNBC''. Retrieved January 15, 2017.</ref><ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/08/14/kerry-in-havana-for-reopening-us-embassy-tough-negotiations-ahead.html Kerry marks opening of US Embassy in Havana, critics rip 'diplomacy for show']. ''Fox News''. August 14, 2015. Retrieved January 15, 2017.</ref> In September 2016, Obama nominated the first U.S. Ambassador to Cuba in 55 years.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/09/27/obama-nominates-first-us-ambassador-to-cuba-in-more-than-45-years.html Obama nominates first US ambassador to Cuba in more than 55 years]. ''Fox News''. September 27, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2016.</ref> Obama did everything in his power to normalize relations with the failed dictatorship, but the [[United States embargo against Cuba|U.S. embargo against Cuba]] remained in place due to opposition from the Republican-controlled Congress.<ref>Spetalnick, Matt; Marsh, Sarah (October 14, 2016). [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cuba-usa-idUSKBN12E1H3 Obama eases restrictions on Cuba, lifts limits on rum and cigars]. ''Reuters''. Retrieved January 15, 2017.</ref> No one knows the extent of underground bunkers of Soviet-era weapons consisting of [[AK-47]]s and [[MANPAD]]S stockpiled between 1959–1986 when the collective stated foreign policy aims of Cuba and the Soviet Union were armed revolution and violent overthrow of the United States government and the capitalist system. The United States remains unprepared for trade talks and lifting travel restrictions on tourists.

Despite Obama's support for mass immigration and amnesty for those who immigrated illegally, he ended the "wet foot, dry foot" policy that allowed Cuban refugees to legally stay in the U.S.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/12/obama-reportedly-to-scrap-wet-foot-dry-foot-policy-for-cuban-refugees.html Obama announces end to 'wet foot, dry foot' policy for Cuban refugees]. ''Fox News''. January 12, 2017. Retrieved January 15, 2017.</ref>

Liberal mainstream media regarded Obama's private meetings with the murderous thugs who run Cuba as a breakthrough in relations.

'''Guantanamo Bay'''
{{main article|Guantanamo Bay}}
One of Obama's campaign promises was that he would close the American detention center at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba - detainees would be flown to other countries while the ones awaiting trial would enter the American court system. Two days after taking office he signed an order directing the military to do so.<ref name="salon">{{cite web|url=http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/04/25/obama_guantanamo_rhetoric|work=Salon|title=The Obama/Gitmo timeline|author=Natasha Lennard|language=English}}</ref> But, in November 2009 Obama admitted that his self-imposed deadline of January 2010 would be missed, and in March 2011 the president went back on his campaign promise, signing an executive order to create a formal system of indefinite detention for the prisoners.<ref name="salon"/>

Obama ultimately failed to close Guantanamo Bay, although he continually attempted to reduce the number of detained terrorists held at the base, even in the last days of his presidency.<ref>Saxena, V. (January 6, 2017). [http://www.westernjournalism.com/obama-to-release-18-hardened-gitmo-terrorists-before-leaving-office/ Obama To Release 18 Hardened Gitmo Terrorists Before Leaving Office]. ''Western Journalism''. Retrieved January 15, 2017.</ref><ref>Ryan, Missy; Tate, Julie (December 28, 2016). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/with-final-detainee-transfer-obamas-guantanamo-policy-takes-its-last-breath/2016/12/28/dfdf8cb2-cd0f-11e6-a747-d03044780a02_story.html?utm_term=.62bebcb1f672 With final detainee transfer, Obama’s Guantanamo policy takes its last breath]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved January 15, 2017.</ref>

====Anti-Israel policies====
Obama has had very poor relations with the conservative [[Israel]]i Prime Minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]], and he disregarded U.S. commitments to the country.<ref>Klein, Aaron (May 9, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/jerusalem/2018/05/09/klein-obama-accuses-trump-flouting-agreements-ex-prez-just-betraying-israel/ Klein: Obama Accuses Trump Of ‘Flouting’ Agreements, But Ex-Prez Did Just That By Betraying Israel]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 9, 2018.</ref> During the very tight and closely-watched 2015 elections, the Obama Administration attempted to influence the election—in order to elect a leftist government in the nation and defeat Netanyahu—by financing a liberal Israeli political organization.<ref>Klein, Aaron (July 13, 2016). [https://www.breitbart.com/jerusalem/2016/07/13/israeli-lawmakers-fume-obama-administration-intervention-defeat-netanyahu/ Israeli Lawmakers Fume Over Obama Administration ‘Intervention’ to Defeat Netanyahu]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved December 28, 2016.</ref> Netanyahu decisively won the election, despite opposition from left-wing world leaders such as Obama.<ref>[http://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-claims-victory-as-vote-count-shows-likud-further-ahead/ Netanyahu scores crushing victory in Israeli elections]. ''The Times of Israel''. March 18, 2015. Retrieved December 28, 2016.</ref>

On December 23, 2016, Obama broke over 35 years of American policy by abstaining from a UN vote and allowing a blatantly anti-Israel resolution to pass, showing his true anti-Israel stance.<ref name="StrikeAgain"/><ref name="FedUpDrastic"/> On December 28, 2016, just a few weeks before the [[Trump Administration]] was to take office and a few days after the anti-[[Israel]] resolution was adopted, Kerry gave a major 72-minute<ref>Hanchett, Ian (December 28, 2016). [https://www.breitbart.com/video/2016/12/28/nbcs-neely-kerry-speech-firing-a-flare-across-israel-he-wanted-to-give-it-for-some-time-but-wh-blocked-it/ NBC’s Neely: Kerry Speech ‘Firing a Flare’ ‘Across Israel’ He Wanted To Give It ‘For Some Time’ But WH Blocked It]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved December 28, 2016.</ref> speech viciously attacking Israel and paying worthless lip-service to American "support" for the nation.<ref>Pollak, Joel B. (December 28, 2016). [https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2016/12/28/kerry-on-israel-peace-un-resolution/ Kerry Attacks Israeli Government, Defends UN Resolution]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved December 28, 2016.</ref> Israeli Prime Minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] responded harshly but appropriately to the Administration's blatant betrayal.<ref>Key, Pam (December 28, 2016). [https://www.breitbart.com/video/2016/12/28/netanyahu-i-must-express-my-deep-disappointment-with-john-kerry-israelis-do-not-need-to-be-lectured/ Netanyahu: ‘I Must Express My Deep Disappointment’ With Kerry — ‘Israelis Do Not Need To Be Lectured’]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved December 28, 2016.</ref>

Despite these actions, the U.S. House passed a motion on January 5, 2017, condemning Obama's allowing of the UN resolution.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/05/house-overwhelmingly-votes-to-condemn-un-resolution-on-israel-settlements.html House overwhelmingly votes to condemn UN resolution on Israel settlements]. ''Fox News''. January 5, 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2017.</ref><ref>Cortellessa, Eric (January 6, 2017). [http://www.timesofisrael.com/us-house-passes-repudiation-of-un-security-council-resolution-on-israel/ US House passes motion repudiating UN resolution on Israel]. ''The Times of Israel''. Retrieved January 6, 2017.</ref> Additionally, Republican President-elect [[Donald Trump]] voiced strong support for Israel during this time.<ref>Pollak, Joel B. (December 23, 2016). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/12/23/trump-hints-defunding-un-anti-israel-vote/ Trump on UN Anti-Israel Vote: ‘Things Will Be Different After Jan. 20’]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved January 6, 2017.</ref><ref>Swoyer, Alex (December 29, 2016). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/12/29/trump-im-very-very-strong-on-israel/ Trump: ‘I’m Very, Very Strong on Israel’]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved January 6, 2017.</ref>

Soon before leaving office, Obama bypassed Congress and gave the [[State of Palestine]] $221 million.<ref name="221MLastHours">[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/24/us-quietly-sent-221m-to-palestinians-in-obamas-last-hours.html US quietly sent $221M to Palestinians in Obama's last hours]. ''Fox News''. January 24, 2017. Retrieved January 24, 2017.</ref>

====Pro-Iranian policies====
In contrast to his anti-Israel policies, Obama took a friendly stance toward Iran, helping negotiate the [[Iran nuclear deal]] with the country, something Obama's successor, President Trump, chose to reverse. The Obama Administration actively worked to give Iran access to American banks.<ref>Multiple references:
*Taylor, Guy (June 6, 2018). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/jun/6/obama-hid-efforts-to-aid-irans-windfall/ Obama hid efforts to aid Iran's windfall]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
*[https://www.onenewsnow.com/ap/politics/report-obama-administration-lied-about-iran-deal Report: Obama administration lied about Iran deal]. ''OneNewsNow'' (from the ''Associated Press''). June 6, 2018. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
*Edson, Rich (June 6, 2018). [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/06/06/obama-administration-allegedly-gave-iran-access-to-us-financial-system.html Obama administration allegedly gave Iran access to US financial system]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved June 8, 2018.</ref> According to a high-ranking Iranian official in 2018, the Obama Administration granted U.S. citizenship to 2,500 Iranians during the nuclear deal negotiations, including the friends and family of Iranian government leaders.<ref>Irvine, Chris (July 2, 2018). [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/07/02/obama-administration-granted-citizenship-to-2500-iranians-during-nuclear-deal-iran-official.html Obama administration granted citizenship to 2,500 Iranians during nuclear deal: Iran official]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved July 2, 2018.</ref>

====Opposition to U.S. sovereignty====
{{See also|War on Sovereignty}}
Preferring international cooperation and equality to American [[sovereignty]] and independence (despite the U.S.'s obviously superior geopolitical position), Obama intentionally reduced American power and strength during his presidency. One of his actions as president was to give up the nation's control of [[Domain name|internet domain name system]] and transfer control over to an international organization in 2016.<ref>Solomon, Howard (October 3, 2016). [http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/new-era-in-internet-governance-starts-as-us-cedes-control-of-domain-name-system/386903 New era in Internet governance starts as US cedes control of domain name system]. ''IT World Canada''. Retrieved October 14, 2016.</ref><ref>Lieberman, Eric (September 24, 2016). [https://dailycaller.com/2016/09/24/obama-admin-wants-to-surrender-us-control-over-internet-to-global-bureaucracy/ Obama Admin Wants To Surrender US Control Over Internet To Global Bureaucracy]. ''The Daily Caller''. Retrieved October 14, 2016.</ref>

Obama also entered the U.S. into the [[Paris climate agreement]] and attempted to have it join the [[Trans-Pacific Partnership]], which was under negotiation. Both of these agreements would have reduced American sovereignty and [[self-governance]].

Obama also endorsed the United Nations 2030 Agenda in 2015, which called for "a 'new universal agenda' for all of humanity" and served as a major step toward a [[one-world government]].<ref>Hohmann, Leo (September 30, 2015). [http://www.wnd.com/2015/09/obama-puts-u-s-on-fast-track-to-world-government/ Obama puts U.S. on 'fast track' to world government]. ''WND''. Retrieved December 26, 2017.</ref>

===Congressional relations===
Obama has maintained tense relations with Congress throughout his term as President. Each of his budgets was voted down, and many of his judicial appointments have not come to a vote. When Supreme Court Justice [[Antonin Scalia]] died on February 13, 2016, Obama made a point of addressing the nation to say that he would nominate a replacement, which drew criticism and rebuke from Republican Senators and Presidential candidates. Obama executive action in areas such as immigration policy drew extensive criticism as infringing upon Congressional legislative powers.

===Scandals===
Obama turned the [[Justice Department]] into a cesspool of corruption.

Obama was complicit in the whitewash of Hillary Clinton's email investigation. In fact, Obama himself crafted the language of "careless," reducing the charge of gross negligence punishable by 10 years in prison down to nothing. Obama himself had much to hide; he knew of Hillary's illegal email server. Obama communicated with Hillary on her illegal server at least 30 times, including from the territory of a "hostile foreign power," presumably Russia, where their communication was most certainly hacked.

When Comey whitewashed the incident by saying Hillary communicated with "a senior government official," it was Obama himself and his complicity in the reckless handling of classified information that Comey was covering up, not just Hillary. Over the course of his presidency, Obama cost taxpayers $35 million to cover his Christmas vacations.<ref>Harper, Jennifer (December 23, 2018). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/dec/23/inside-the-beltway-aloha-the-35-million-obama-chri/ Memories of Christmas past: The $35 million Obama travel bill]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved December 24, 2018.</ref>

====Fast and Furious====
[[File:Eric Holder.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[[Eric Holder]] resigned as Attorney General in light of Fast & Furious<ref>[https://www.americanthinker.com/2011/10/fast_and_furious_in_a_rotten_nutshell.html#ixzz27iRBCN28 Fast and Furious in a Rotten Nutshell], Ronald Kolb, ''[[American Thinker]]'', October 7, 2011,</ref> and other scandals.]]
:''Main article:'' '''[[Operation Fast and Furious]]'''
:{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Mexican drug related gun murders skyrocket during Obama's Fast and Furious campaign<ref>http://www.telesurtv.net/english/multimedia/Timeline-Mexicos-Failed-War-on-Drugs-Deaths-and-Disappearances-20150324-0033.html</ref>
|-
| 2006 || 62
|-
| 2007 || 2,837
|-
| 2008 || 6,844
|-
| 2009 || 11,753
|-
| 2010 || 19,546
|-
| 2011 || 24,068
|-
| 2012 || 18,061 (by October 31, 2012)
|-
| 2013 || 23,640 killed in 2013 (through to March 2014)
|}
Before Obama's Fast and Furious operation was exposed, the number of dead victims in drug cartel violence has been estimated as high as 160,000 deaths.

The ''Washington Post'' reported that White House officials stopped a requirement for gun dealers to report bulk sales of high-powered semiautomatic rifles commonly used by illegal drug cartels. [[Justice Department]] officials had asked for White House approval to require thousands of gun dealers along the border to report the purchases to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Explosives. ATF investigators expected to get leads on suspected arms traffickers. Senior law enforcement sources said the proposal from the ATF was held up by then White House chief of staff [[Rahm Emanuel]].<ref>Horwitz, S. & Grimaldi, J.V. (2010, December 17). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/17/AR2010121706598.html White House Delayed Rule Meant to Stop Gun Flow to Mexico]. ''The Washington Post''.</ref> Gun dealers had been required for decades to report the sales of multiple handguns to the ATF.

====IRS scandal====
:{{Main article|IRS scandal}}

====Aid to Benghazi rebels====
A March 29, 2011 article in the ''[[Washington Post]]'' included these paragraphs:
{{Cquote|"It’s almost a certitude that at least part” of the Libyan opposition includes members of al-Qaeda, said Bruce Riedel, a former senior CIA analyst and adviser to President Obama. Riedel said that anti-Gaddafi elements in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi have had “very close associations with al-Qaeda” dating back years....I would hope that we now have a good sense of the opposition in Libya and can say that this is 2 percent, not 20 percent,” Riedel said. “If we don’t, then we are running the risk of helping to bring to power a regime that could be very dangerous.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/libyan-opposition-includes-a-small-number-of-al-qaeda-fighters-us-officials-say/2011/03/29/AFRlXWyB_story.html Libyan opposition includes a small number of al-Qaeda fighters, U.S. officials say], Washington Post</ref>}}
[[File:Mass beheading of Christians in Libya.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Gadaffi was an ally of the US against the jihadis until Obama armed the jihadis to overthrow Gadaffi. One of their first acts was the mass beheading of Christians.]]
This set off a fierce debate in the [[Obama administration]] over the wisdom of arming terrorists.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/30/world/africa/30diplo.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss Washington in Fierce Debate on Arming Libyan Rebels], The New York Times</ref> It is now known sometime prior to March 31, 2011,<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/31/world/africa/31intel.html?_r=2&hp C.I.A. Agents in Libya Aid Airstrikes and Meet Rebels], The New York Times</ref> at the urging of Hillary Clinton<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/19/world/africa/19policy.html?_r=3&hp& Obama Takes Hard Line With Libya After Shift by Clinton], The New York Times</ref> and over the objections of his National Security Council, Obama signed a Presidential Finding authorizing support for the rebel jihadis.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/30/us-libya-usa-order-idUSTRE72T6H220110330 Exclusive: Obama authorizes secret help for Libya rebels], [[Reuters]]</ref>

By October 2011, [[Libyan rebel fighting group]]s with support from [[NATO]] overtook the capital and toppled the government. Gaddafi was captured and brutally and sadistically murdered.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPzeLLL9V-c Leading from behind - a critique of Obama foreign policy]</ref> The jihadis were immediately recognized by the U.S. and the U.N. as the new legitimate government. Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, chairman of the National Transitional Council, announced [[Sharia]] will be the source for all legislation and all laws conflicting with Sharia are null and void.<ref name="Sharia">[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8861608/Libya-Al-Qaeda-flag-flown-above-Benghazi-courthouse.html Libya: Al Qaeda flag flown above Benghazi courthouse] - [[Daily Telegraph]]</ref> Abdel Rahim al-Kib, the country's interim prime minister, echoed Jalil's words days later.<ref>[http://www.presstv.ir/detail/207953.html New Libyan PM backs Islamic sharia law]</ref> The al Qaeda flag was flown above the Benghazi courthouse, and reports surfaced that the Libyan jihadis had imposed Sharia law in some parts of the country even earlier.<ref name="Sharia" /> By February 17, 2013, four foreign nationals were arrested for distributing Christian literature, a charge that could carry the death penalty.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/17/libya-arrests-suspected-foreign-missionaries Libya arrests foreign 'missionaries' Four foreign nationals accused of distributing Christian literature] a charge that could carry the death penalty, Chris Stephen [[The Guardian]], Sunday 17 February 2013.</ref>

In 2014, the Obama Administration gave a $200,000 grant to a Sudanese group with ties to [[Al Qaeda]].<ref>Pappas, Alex (July 27, 2018). [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/07/27/obama-administration-approved-200g-grant-to-group-with-al-qaeda-ties.html Obama administration approved $200G grant to group with Al Qaeda ties]. 'Fox News''. Retrieved July 27, 2018.</ref><ref>Kirkwood, R. Cort (July 28, 2018). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/foreign-policy/item/29656-obama-administration-funded-al-qaida-front Obama Administration Funded al-Qaida Front]. ''The New American''. Retrieved July 28, 2018.</ref>

====Benghazi massacre====
[[File:Benghazi attack.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Amb. Stevens was specifically in Benghazi to oversee and facilitate transfer of captured weapons from the Gadaffi regime to groups in Syria which ultimately became the [[Islamic State]]. Few people had knowledge of this program beyond Stevens, Clinton, and Obama. Once the mission was completed, Stevens was expendable.<ref>https://www.amazon.com/REAL-Benghazi-Story-White-Hillary/dp/1531817130</ref>]]
:{{main|Benghazi Attack}}
With several U.S. embassies besieged on the anniversary of the [[September 11 attacks]], White House Press Secretary [[Jay Carney]] declared there was no reason to believe the attack on the sovereign territory of the United States consulate in Benghazi, less than two months before the [[2012 Presidential election]] which killed Americans, was a terrorist attack.
{{Cquote|The unrest that we’ve seen around the region has been in reaction to a video that Muslims, many Muslims, find offensive.}}
This became the official White House line. Between laughs with [[Jon Stewart]] on [[Comedy Central]], Obama said the death of Americans was "not optimal".<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/10/18/Obama-Benghazi-murders-not-optimal Interview with Jon Stewart of the ''Daily Show''], Breitbart.com</ref> When pressed by reporters, who pointed out evidence that the violence in Benghazi was a terrorist attack, Press Secretary Carney argued “the unrest around the region has been in response to this video.”

Leading suspected jihadis in the murders and terrorist attack were the local Benghazi branch of Ansar al-Shariah, known to have ties to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121023114113/http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2012/10/19/when-an-obama-adviser-called-benghazi-an-al-qaeda-hotbed/?cxntfid=blogs_political_insider_jim_galloway When an Obama adviser called Benghazi an al-Qaeda hotbed]</ref> A commander of the terrorist group boasted jovially about the attack over drinks with reporters for the ''New York Times'' in Benghazi.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/16/world/africa/election-year-stakes-overshadow-nuances-of-benghazi-investigation.html?pagewanted=2&ref=world Election-Year Stakes Overshadow Nuances of Libya Investigation], The New York Times</ref><ref>[https://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/10/frappe-libya-attack/ Frappe-Sipping Libyan Militant Laughs at U.S. Manhunt for Benghazi Killers], [[Wired (magazine)]]</ref>

====Funding the Islamic State====
Two more Americans were killed, along with 35 others, after being taken hostage by rebel jihadists in Mali shortly after the Libyan upheaval.<ref>[http://world.time.com/2013/01/21/algeria-37-foreigner-hostages-killed-in-attack/ Algeria: 37 Foreigner Hostages Killed in Attack], Associated Press, Jan. 21, 2013. ''[[Time Magazine]]''.</ref>

Hillary Clinton testified before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee in the wake of the Benghazi murders under her stewardship, that weapons and fighters equipped by the Obama administration made their way to [[Mali]] and [[Algeria]]:
{{cquote|There is no doubt that the Algerian terrorists had weapons from Libya. There is no doubt that the Malian remnants of AQIM [Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb] have weapons from Libya.<ref>[http://news.yahoo.com/clinton-says-militants-used-weapons-libya-algeria-attack-154222664.html Clinton says militants used weapons from Libya in Algeria attack] [[Reuters]], Jan 23, 2013.</ref>}}

====Spygate====
[[File:170509-andrew-mccabe-ac-1043p c043e7050b32e4ad26bd45b92eb651eb.nbcnews-ux-2880-1000.jpg|right|275px|thumb|McCabe (left) with co-conspirator Attn. Gen. [[Loretta Lynch]] (right). McCabe took $700,000 from a Clinton campaign operative to fix the email investigation and save Hillary's nomination. Lynch colluded with Bill Clinton at the Phoenix tarmac meeting to whitewash Hillary's email investigation and meddle in 2016 election.]]
:{{See also|Obamagate timeline|FBI scandal|FISA abuse|Crossfire Hurricane}}
On July 31, 2016 FBI deputy head of the [[counterintelligence]] division [[Peter Strzok]] began an unpredicted investigation without [[probable cause]] into [[Donald Trump]]. Two days later Strzok had this exchange with [[Lisa Page]], an attorney in FBI deputy director [[Andy McCabe]]'s office: {{Quotebox|'''Lisa Page – He’s not ever going to become president, right? Right?! Strzok - No. No he’s not. We’ll stop it.'''
}}
On September 2, 2016, Lisa Page wrote about preparing talking points for Dir. [[Jimmy Comey]] because “[[POTUS|potus]] [Obama] wants to know everything we’re doing.”<ref>https://theblacksphere.net/2018/02/fbi-text-message-potus-wants-know-everything/</ref> The text raised questions about the extent of Obama's personal involvement in on ongoing the FBI investigation.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/fbi-texts-obama-wants-know-everything-we-re-doing-n845531</ref>

[[Susan Rice]] sent an email to herself about a secret [[Oval Office]] meeting where the ''[[Clinton-Steele dossier]]'' was discussed;<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/10/politics/donald-trump-intelligence-report-russia/index.html</ref><ref>https://apnews.com/152579d488a740b2a8d39fbe2f34506d</ref><ref>https://apnews.com/a82309544e9e465fa2ad4f83e5a48540</ref> (the email was written and sent to herself 15 minutes after Trump was sworn in on Jan. 20):<ref>https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-graham-uncover-unusual-email-sent-susan-rice-herself-president-trump-s </ref> {{Quotebox|"On January 5, following a briefing by [[IC]] leadership on Russian hacking during the 2016 Presidential election, [[President Obama]] had a brief follow-on conversation with FBI Director [[Jim Comey]] and Deputy Attorney General [[Sally Yates]] in the Oval Office. [[Vice President Biden]] and I were also present. President Obama began the conversation by stressing his continued commitment to ensuring that every aspect of this issue is handled by the Intelligence and law enforcement communities "by the book". The President stressed that he is not asking about, initiating or instructing anything from a law enforcement perspective. He reiterated that our law enforcement team needs to proceed as it normally would by the book. From a national security perspective, however, President Obama said he wants to be sure that, as we engage with the incoming team, we are mindful to ascertain if there is any reason that we cannot share information fully as it relates to Russia. [Redacted section] The President asked Comey to inform him if anything changes in the next few weeks that should affect how we share classified information with the incoming team. Comey said he would."<ref>https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2018-02-08%20CEG%20LG%20to%20Rice%20(Russia%20Investigation%20Email).pdf</ref>}}[[File:112 2016 b4-napo-comey-hoove8201 c0-389-1420-1216 s885x516 (1).jpg|right|300px|thumb|[[Jimmy the Weasel]] beside [[J. Edgar Hoover]]. Under Obama the FBI returned to the use of sexual innuendo and domestic spying on political opponents.<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/04/19/comey-trump-cnn-news-hook/</ref>]]At the conclusion of the briefing, Obama asked Sally Yates and James Comey to remain. Together with Susan Rice, is where the “by the book” CYA comment comes into play. The 90-day surveillance period under the FISA warrant had just a bit over two weeks left to run — it was set to expire just as Trump was to take office. (Reporting suggests that there may also have been a [[FISA]] warrant on [[Paul Manafort]] around this time.) The Obama administration was confronting a deadline if the FISA warrant was to be renewed while Obama was still in power. The officials in the meeting needed to figure out how the investigation could continue despite the fact that its central focus, Trump, was about to be sworn in as president. Rice's “by the book” bunkum is transparent: Obama officials claimed to adhere to a book that forbade consultations between political leaders and investigators. But here they were consulting. So Rice tried to cover their tracks in her email: She revises history such that the consultation morphs into a mere friendly reminder that Obama wanted everything done by the book.<ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/02/susan-rice-email-president-obama-russia-investigation/</ref>

The [[Russia collusion hoax]] was predicated on the unverified premise that [[Wikileaks]] was a front for [[KGB]] activity. Nonetheless, Obama commuted the sentence of [[Chelsea Manning]] who passed [[national security]] secrets to WikiLeaks two days before Obama left office.

On March 4, 2017, after becoming President, Trump tweeted:
<blockquote>How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!<ref>https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump</ref></blockquote>
and
<blockquote>Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!</blockquote>

Members of the mainstream media called this wiretapping claim an "astonishing and reckless accusation".<ref name=wiretap>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-trump-experiment-may-come-to-an-early-tipping-point/2017/03/05/87d38b3a-0055-11e7-99b4-9e613afeb09f_story.html?utm_term=.edb071c61986|title=The Trump Experiment may come to an early tipping point|first=EJ|last=Dionne Jr.|work=Washington Post|date=March 5, 2017|accessdate=March 5, 2017}}</ref> It was later all found to be true and accurate. Nixon resigned over attempting to spy on DNC headquarters at the [[Watergate]] hotel; Obama got away with it on scale no one could ever imagine.

===Pardons and commutations===
According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission, President Obama issued 1,928 grants of clemency, with 1,716 being commutations, more than any other U.S. president.<ref>Bedard, Paul (September 5, 2017). [http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/obama-broke-the-record-for-commuting-jail-sentences-1716/article/2633400 Obama broke the record for commuting jail sentences, 1,716]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved September 6, 2017.</ref>

===Controversies===
:''Main article: [[Barack Obama Controversies]]''
Several major controversies have dogged Obama throughout his political career and have received major media coverage and prominence.

'''Obamaisms'''

Obama's bizarre gaffes, or [[Obamaisms]], were frequent and embarrassing, but typically unreported by the [[liberal media]]. Some examples are: spelling respect as R-S-P-E-C-T when he was attempting to sing that line from [[Aretha Franklin]]'s famous song, spelling Ohio as O-I-H-O, and saying that we built the Intercontinental Railroad instead of the Transcontinental Railroad, saying "How's it going, Sunshine" when he was in the city of Sunrise, Florida.<ref>Kurtzman, Daniel (March 6, 2014 or aft.) [http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/barackobama/a/obama-isms.htm "Obamaisms: Dumb quotes and gaffes by Barack Obama"]. About.com website/About entertainment/Political humor/Funny political jokes/Political gaffes.</ref> Many hardworking American businessmen took offense to a 2012 campaign speech about the economy where, referring to infrastructure improvements, he said "[[You didn't build that]]." Obama offended [[Poland]] by referring to the [[Nazi]] death camps there as "Polish death camps." Later Obama apologized.<ref>Sink, Justin (June 1, 2012). [https://thehill.com/blogs/global-affairs/europe/230419-obama-letter-says-he-regrets-polish-death-camp-gaffe "Obama apologizes in writing for 'Polish death camp' verbal gaffe"]. The Hill website/Policy/International.</ref> Gaffes are inevitable for people with a high profile, but several of Obama's were very revealing ("you didn't build that"), and they show how the [[mainstream media]] tends to emphasize the gaffes of conservatives as opposed to liberals.

'''Famous quotes'''
*"I continue to believe that [[Donald Trump]] will not be president." (stated when asked by a reporter a month prior to Election Day)<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4iZSW_76TE Democrats and Media Agreed: There Was No Way Donald Trump Could Be Elected], Video</ref>

===Election meddling===
By custom, President Obama stayed neutral during the primaries, even though his close friend and Vice President [[Joe Biden]] was seriously considering a Presidential campaign.

Once Hillary Clinton won the Democratic nomination, Obama campaigned for her and also attended fundraisers. Obama publicly criticized the Republican candidate, [[Donald Trump]] who had previously spent years claiming that Obama was not born in the United States.

===Last days and transition===
:{{See also|Trump transition|FISA abuse}}
In a stunning repudiation of Obama's policies, Republican businessman [[Donald Trump]] was elected over Democrat [[Hillary Clinton]]. In a frantic attempt to leave some sort of legacy, Obama issued a very large amount of far-Left executive orders and regulations which revealed his true political views if any doubt remained.<ref name="ActionsSpree">Lucas, Fred (December 26, 2016). [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/12/26/spree-obama-actions-revives-gop-concerns-over-midnight-regs-agenda.html?refresh=true Spree of Obama actions revives GOP concerns over ‘midnight’ regs, agenda]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved December 26, 2016.</ref> These orders included blocking large areas of the [[Arctic Ocean|Arctic]] and [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] oceans from oil and gas drilling, effectively barring the U.S. from real [[Energy Independence|energy independence]]; breaking the record of pardons and commutations in a single day for criminals (many of them were sentenced for drug-related crimes), showing his soft stance on crime and drugs; ending the defunct NSEERS program to register male immigrants from North Korea and [[Islam]]ic countries (the necessary, beneficial, and useful program was suspended by the Obama Administration in 2011<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/12/22/obama-ditches-registry-focused-on-immigrant-men-from-muslim-countries.html Obama ditches registry focused on immigrant men from Muslim countries]. ''Fox News''. December 22, 2016. Retrieved March 9, 2017.</ref>); attempting to transfer even more terrorists out of [[Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp|Guantanamo Bay]]; allowing an anti-[[Israel]] resolution pass in the [[United Nations]]; enacting a record amount of unnecessary, useless, and job-killing regulations; and even more.<ref name="ActionsSpree"/> Obama added 120,000 illegal immigrants to the DACA program in the last three months of his presidency.<ref>Binder, John (May 16, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/texas/2017/05/16/obama-stamped-120k-dreamers-trump-takeover/ Obama Stamped 120K DREAMers Before Trump Takeover]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 16, 2017.</ref> Obama made these actions knowing that Trump, who had almost completely opposite political views on these issues, was going to enter the [[White House]] in such short a time.

Although all of Obama's actions were worrisome, his actions in regards to Israel were particularly noteworthy. He broke over 35 years of American policy by abstaining from a UN vote and allowing a blatantly anti-Israel resolution to pass, showing his true stance concerning Israel.<ref name="StrikeAgain">[https://worldisraelnews.com/israel-fears-obama-will-strike/ Israel fears Obama will strike again]. ''World Israel News''. December 26, 2016. Retrieved December 26, 2016.</ref><ref name="FedUpDrastic">Berkowitz, Adam Eliyahu (December 26, 2016). [https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/80855/fed-up-with-obamas-trickery-netanyahu-takes-drastic-actions/#VbVlRMtkx4zLRc3f.97 Fed Up With United States Trickery, Netanyahu Takes Drastic Actions]. ''Breaking Israel News''. Retrieved December 26, 2016.</ref> Soon before leaving office, Obama bypassed Congress and gave the [[State of Palestine]] $221 million.<ref name="221MLastHours"/>

Obama continued to believe that he could have successfully "won" a third term as president had he been able to run.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/12/26/obama-could-have-won-third-term.html?refresh=true Obama: I could have won third term]. ''Fox News''. December 26, 2016. Retrieved December 26, 2016.</ref> Regardless of the factuality of that claim, Democrats lost 1,042 seats—including U.S. House, Senate, state governorship, and state legislative seats—during his eight years in office.<ref name="1,000Seats">[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/12/27/democrats-lost-over-1000-seats-under-obama.html Democrats lost over 1,000 seats under Obama]. ''Fox News''. December 27, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2016.</ref> Obama also believed that "the Democratic Party has stayed pretty grounded in fact and reality" despite its negative policies that suggest otherwise.<ref>Lawler, David (December 26, 2016). [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/26/barack-obama-says-democrats-will-not-disintegrate-like-labour/ Barack Obama says Democrats will not 'disintegrate' like Labour under Jeremy Corbyn]. ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved December 26, 2016.</ref>

Obama made Trump's transition much harder and rockier than it could have been by his leftist executive orders, decisions, and comments during the transition period.<ref>Swoyer, Alex (December 28, 2016). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/12/28/donald-trump-responds-to-president-obamas-many-inflammatory-statements/ Donald Trump Responds to President Obama’s ‘Many Inflammatory’ Statements]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved December 28, 2016.</ref><ref>Scott, Eugine (December 28, 2016). [https://www.cnn.com/2016/12/28/politics/trump-obama-statements-not-smooth-transition/ Trump: 'NOT' a smooth transition after Obama 'roadblocks']. ''CNN''. Retrieved December 28, 2016.</ref>

Obama received the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service from [[Secretary of Defense]] [[Ash Carter]], an Obama appointee in the same administration.<ref>Huston, Warner Todd (January 4, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/01/04/president-obama-awards-himself-distinguished-public-service-medal/ President Obama Awards Himself Distinguished Public Service Medal]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved January 7, 2017.</ref> Although the award was created in 1947, the only other presidents to have received the medal (all during their tenure) are [[Bill Clinton]], a left-wing Democrat, and [[George W. Bush]], who holds [[RINO]] positions on certain issues.

In an interview, Obama claimed that "we are probably the first administration in modern history that hasn't had a major scandal in the White House,"<ref>[http://insider.foxnews.com/2017/01/13/president-obama-60-minutes-no-white-house-scandals-during-my-administration Obama: I'm the 1st Modern President Without a Major Scandal]. ''Fox News Insider''. January 13, 2017. Retrieved January 16 2017.</ref> and Obama's Chief of Staff [[Denis McDonough]] claimed likewise,<ref>Shelbourne, Mallory (January 15, 2017). [https://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/314396-obama-chief-of-staff-most-proud-we-are-scandal-free Chief of staff: Obama administration 'historically free of scandal']. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 16, 2017.</ref> despite the strong and massive evidence to the contrary.<ref>Dickens, Geoffrey (January 16, 2017). [https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/geoffrey-dickens/2017/01/16/ The Seven Most Undercovered Obama Scandals]. ''[[NewsBusters]]''. Retrieved January 16, 2017.</ref><ref>Hemingway, Mark (January 9, 2017). [http://www.weeklystandard.com/the-obama-era-had-scandals-aplenty/article/2006197 The Obama Era Had Scandals Aplenty]. ''[[Weekly Standard]]''. Retrieved January 16, 2017.</ref>

====Massive increase in regulations in 2016====
In addition to his other actions in 2016, Obama massively increased the number of federal regulations during his last days in office.<ref>Harper, Jennifer (May 30, 2017). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/may/30/inside-the-beltway-obamas-unprecedented-surge-of-r/ Inside the Beltway: Obama’s unprecedented ‘surge’ of regulations]. '' The Washington Times''. Retrieved May 30, 2017.</ref><ref>Lawler, Joseph (May 31, 2017). [http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/new-rules-surged-in-obamas-last-year-to-3853-most-pages-in-federal-register-ever/article/2624503 New rules surged in Obama's last year to 3,853, most pages in Federal Register ever]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved May 31, 2017.</ref> More regulations were finalized in every year since 2005, and they cost the economy $2 trillion.<ref>Sherfinski, David (May 31, 2017). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/may/31/obamas-regulations-in-2016-to-drain-economy-by-2-t/ Obama’s regulations in 2016 to drain economy by $2 trillion]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved May 31, 2017.</ref>

==Post-presidency==
Obama made an ungraceful departure from office claiming on October 18, 2016, Donald Trump's complaints of lies spread about Trump were corrosive to American democracy and an invented conspiracy theory.<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2016/10/18/politics/obama-trumps-rigged-election-claim-whining-before-the-games-even-over/</ref> Less than two months later after Trump had won, Obama claimed he himself had been derelict in his duty and had fallen asleep at the switch allowing Russian hackers to steal the election for Donald Trump.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/15/us/politics/russia-hack-election-trump-obama.html</ref>

Despite Obama's opposition to Trump's plan to build a wall along the U.S.–[[Mexico]] border in order to secure it, it was reported in early 2017 that he was building a wall around his new mansion, obviously to keep unwanted people out.<ref>[http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/obama-building-a-wall-around-his-new-dc-house/article/2611130 Obama building a wall around his new DC house]. ''Washington Examiner''. January 6, 2017. Retrieved January 7, 2017.</ref>

After the end of his presidency, Obama spent much of his time vacationing in exclusive and elite locations around the world.<ref>Bennett, Kate (March 17, 2017). [https://www.cnn.com/2017/03/17/politics/where-in-the-world-is-barack-obama/ Barack Obama is probably lying on a beach in a deserted paradise right now]. ''CNN''. Retrieved March 18, 2017.</ref> He spent much time with left-wing celebrities, such as spending [[Good Friday]] 2017 on a $300 million yacht with celebrities such as [[Bruce Springsteen]], [[Tom Hanks]], and [[Oprah Winfrey]].<ref>Hudson, Jerome (April 17, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-hollywood/2017/04/17/barack-michelle-obama-join-oprah-springsteen-hanks-on-david-geffens-yacht/ Good Friday: Obamas Join Winfrey, Springsteen, Hanks on David Geffen’s Yacht]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved April 27, 2017.</ref> In addition, Obama accepted a $400,000 speech backed by Wall Street,<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/04/27/obama-spokesman-defends-reported-400000-wall-street-backed-speech.html Obama spokesman defends reported $400,000 Wall Street-backed speech]. ''Fox News''. April 27, 2017. Retrieved April 27, 2017.</ref> something that stunned even many liberals.<ref>Wallace, Christopher (April 27, 2017). [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/04/27/obamas-400g-wall-street-speech-leaves-liberal-base-stunned.html Obama's $400G Wall Street speech leaves liberal base stunned]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved April 27, 2017.</ref> Despite the criticism over the speech, Obama gave another $400,000 speech shortly afterward.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/04/28/obama-reportedly-pulls-in-another-400g-for-speech.html Obama reportedly pulls in another $400G for speech]. ''Fox News''. April 28, 2017. Retrieved April 28, 2017.</ref> [[Bernie Sanders]] described Obama's speaking fees as "unfortunate."<ref>[http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/04/28/unfortunate-bernie-sanders-criticizes-obama-for-accepting-400k-for-wall-street-speech/ ‘Unfortunate’: Bernie Sanders criticizes Obama for accepting $400K for Wall Street speech], [[The Blaze]]</ref> In May 2017, Obama traveled to Italy to give a speech on [[global warming|climate change]], but used pollution-heavy transportation to get to his destination.<ref>Zanotti, Emily (May 21, 2017). [https://heatst.com/politics/obama-speaks-on-global-warming-then-spews-co2-with-private-jet-13-car-motorcade/ Obama Speaks on Global Warming, Then Spews CO2 With Private Jet, 13-Car Motorcade]. ''Heat Street''. Retrieved May 22, 2017.</ref> On June 6, 2017, Obama gave a $400,000 speech to the Chamber of Commerce in [[Montreal]] in which one of the topics he spoke about was "warning against income inequality and the concentration of wealth."<ref>Starr, Penny (June 7, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/06/07/obama-warns-income-inequality-delivering-7700-minute-speech/ Obama Warns Against Income Inequality While Delivering $7,700-a-Minute Speech]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 7, 2017.</ref> After leaving office, Obama bought a house in D.C. for $8.1 million.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/05/31/obamas-purchase-d-c-house-for-8-1-million-new-report-says.html Obamas purchase D.C. house for $8.1 million, new report says]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved June 7, 2017.</ref><ref>Bennett, Kate (June 2, 2017). [https://www.cnn.com/2017/05/31/politics/obama-house-kalorama/index.html Obamas purchase their DC rental house for millions]. ''CNN''. Retrieved June 7, 2017.</ref> In August and September 2017, Obama made a combined $1.2 million from three Wall Street speeches.<ref>Shelbourne, Mallory (September 18, 2017). [https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/351138-obama-making-big-money-speeches-to-wall-street-firms-report Obama making big-money speeches to Wall Street firms: report]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved September 18, 2017.</ref><ref>Yilek, Caitlin (September 18, 2017). [http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/obama-making-400000-speeches-to-wall-street-firms-report/article/2634736 Obama making $400,000 speeches to Wall Street firms: Report]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved September 18, 2017.</ref><ref>Kight, Stef W. (September 18, 2017). [https://www.axios.com/trump-wants-a-july-4th-military-parade-2486828811.html Obama to make $1.2 million from 3 Wall Street speeches]. ''Axios''. Retrieved September 18, 2017.</ref><ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/09/19/obama-cashes-in-on-wall-street-appearances-report-says.html Obama cashes in on Wall Street appearances, report says]. ''Fox News''. September 19, 2017. Retrieved September 19, 2017.</ref>

Several of Obama's failures as U.S. president were revealed shortly after he left office, as it was found that [[Syria]] continued to possess chemical weapons after Obama stated they were gone, that the Obama Administration misrepresented the release of some Iranian prisoners, and that the Obama Administration had unmasked [[Trump Transition]] officials (See: [[Barack Obama Controversies]] and [[Obamagate timeline]]).<ref>Shepherd, Todd (April 29, 2017). [http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/obamas-first-100-days-as-ex-president/article/2621662 Obama's first 100 days as ex-president]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved May 1, 2017.</ref>

After leaving office, Obama started his own foundation, the Obama Foundation, and set to work on building his presidential center and library.<ref>Berger, Judson (May 3, 2017). [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/05/03/clinton-obama-return-to-public-eye-with-new-ventures.html Clinton, Obama return to public eye with new ventures]. ''Fox News''. May 3, 2017. Retrieved May 3, 2017.</ref> Obama's 2018 budget request, which was over $1.1 million, made him the most expensive U.S. president in the country's history.<ref>Multiple references:
*Rodriguez, Katherine (September 2, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/09/02/obama-is-the-most-expensive-ex-president-for-american-taxpayers/ Obama Is the Most Expensive Ex-President for American Taxpayers]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
*Dinan, Stephen (August 31, 2017). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/aug/31/obama-will-top-bush-most-costly-ex-president/ Obama will top Bush as most costly ex-president]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
*Caralle, Katelyn (September 1, 2017). [https://freebeacon.com/politics/obama-most-costly-former-president-2018/ Obama Poised to Be Most Costly Former President in 2018]. ''The Washington Free Beacon''. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
*Bohon, Dave (September 2, 2016). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/26826-obama-most-expensive-ex-president-ever Obama Most Expensive Ex-President Ever]. ''The New American''. Retrieved September 2, 2017.</ref> It was reported in June 2018 that construction work related to his presidential library would cost Illinois taxpayers nearly $200 million.<ref>Shaw, Adam (June 16, 2018). [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/06/16/work-related-to-obama-presidential-center-to-cost-illinois-taxpayers-nearly-200-million.html Work related to Obama Presidential Center to cost Illinois taxpayers nearly $200 million]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved June 16, 2018.</ref><ref>Rodriguez, Katherine (June 16, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/06/16/report-obama-presidential-center-cost-taxpayers-200-million/ Report: Obama Presidential Center to Cost Taxpayers Nearly $200 Million]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved June 16, 2018.</ref> Despite promising not to cut down any trees in Jackson Park, where the library was planned to be built, the Obama Center and Chicago Park District began removing trees anyway for work related to the library construction.<ref>Huston, Warner Todd (August 11, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/08/11/obama-center-breaks-promise-remove-trees-jackson-park/ Obama Center Breaks Pledge Not to Remove Trees in Jackson Park]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 11, 2018.</ref>

It was reported in May 2017 that the Justice Department under Obama likely discriminated against veterans – in violation of federal law requiring the government to give preference to veterans in job hiring – by attempting to influence them to withdraw their applications.<ref>Dinan, Stephen (May 17, 2017). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/may/17/obama-doj-refused-hire-veterans-jobs-investigation/ Obama’s Justice Department refused to hire military veterans for jobs]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved May 19, 2017.</ref>

Obama did not give any mention of [[Independence Day]] on his Facebook or Twitter on that day in 2017 while he was visiting [[Seoul]].<ref>Huston, Warner Todd (July 5, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/07/05/july-4th-no-mention-independence-day-barack-obamas-twitter-facebook/ On July 4th: No Mention of Independence Day on Barack Obama’s Twitter or Facebook]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved July 5, 2017.</ref>

Obama denied the existence [[Barack Obama Controversies|of any scandals]] "that embarrassed us" during his presidency.<ref>Spiering, Charlie (February 27, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/02/27/obama-didnt-scandal-embarrassed-us-presidency/ Barack Obama: ‘We Didn’t Have a Scandal that Embarrassed Us’ in My Presidency]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved February 27, 2018.</ref> In May 2018, he repeated his claim that the Administration "didn't have scandals" and was less corrupt than other modern administrations.<ref>Manchester, Julia (May 24, 2018). [https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/389188-obama-jokingly-brags-i-didnt-have-scandals-during-my-presidency Obama jokingly brags: 'I didn't have scandals' during my presidency]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved May 24, 2018.</ref> He repeated these false claims in March 2019.<ref>Chaitin, Daniel (March 6, 2019). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/obama-brags-in-canada-my-team-never-experienced-scandal-made-mistakes-of-integrity Obama brags in Canada: My team never experienced scandal, made 'mistakes of integrity']. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved March 6, 2019.</ref> In July 2018, he gave a speech in [[South Africa]] calling for [[basic income]], saying he wanted to pay more taxes, and advocating for other left-wing ideas such as criticizing income inequality despite admitting he was very wealthy.<ref>Multiple references:
*Newman, Alex (July 24, 2018). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/world-news/africa/item/29624-in-south-africa-obama-outlines-globalist-agenda-for-humanity In South Africa, Obama Outlines Globalist Agenda for Humanity]. ''The New American''. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
*Singman, Brooke (July 17, 2018). [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/07/17/obama-slams-populist-right-wing-billionaires-touts-liberal-push-for-universal-income.html Obama slams populist 'right-wing billionaires,' touts liberal push for 'universal income']. ''Fox News''. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
*Caplan, Joshua (July 17, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/07/17/barack-obama-preaches-wealth-redistribution-in-south-africa/ Barack Obama Lectures World on Racial, Wealth Inequality in South Africa]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
*Boyer, Dave (July 17, 2018). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/jul/17/obama-surprised-his-wealth-wants-pay-more-taxes/ Obama says he's 'surprised' by his wealth, wants to pay more taxes]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
*Hoft, Jim (July 18, 2018). [https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2018/07/obama-ridicules-the-rich-theres-only-so-big-a-house-you-can-have-obamas-just-bought-8-1-million-house/ Obama Ridicules the Rich: “There’s Only So Big a House You Can Have” …After Obamas Just Bought $8.1 Million House]. ''Gateway Pundit''. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
See also:
*Pollak, Joel B. (July 17, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/07/17/barack-obama-government-individual-south-africa/ Barack Obama in South Africa: ‘Government Exists to Serve the Individual, and Not the Other Way Around’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
*Lee, Tony (July 17, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/07/17/obama-concedes-new-international-elite-out-of-touch-for-exploiting-lower-cost-immigrant-labor/ Obama Concedes ‘New International Elite’ Out of Touch for Exploiting ‘Lower-Cost Immigrant Labor’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved July 17, 2018.</ref> He also advanced his [[War on Sovereignty|anti-nation-state agenda]] in the speech,<ref>Munro, Neil (July 17, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/economics/2018/07/17/obama-abolish-the-nation-state/ Obama: Abolish the Nation-State!] ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved July 17, 2018.</ref> and he praised the country's racist strongman leaders.<ref>Newman, Alex (July 25, 2018). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/world-news/africa/item/29634-amid-racist-land-grabs-obama-praises-south-african-strongman Amid Racist Land Grabs, Obama Praises South African Strongman]. ''The New American''. Retrieved July 25, 2018. See also:
*Newman, Alex (July 29, 2018). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/world-news/africa/item/29658-obama-slams-trump-while-deifying-communist-terror-leader Obama Slams Trump While Deifying Communist Terror Leader]. ''The New American''. Retrieved July 30, 2018.</ref> On September 7, 2018, Obama made a speech in which he harshly criticized President Trump, breaking his promise not to publicly make such statements.<ref>Multiple references:
*Spiering, Charlie (September 7, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/09/07/bitter-barack-obama-breaks-months-of-silence-to-trash-donald-trump/ Bitter Barack Obama Breaks Months of Silence to Trash Donald Trump]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved September 7, 2018.
*Schallhorn, Kaitlyn; Shaw, Adam (September 7, 2018). [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/09/07/obama-returns-to-campaign-trail-with-fiery-speech-trump-counters-fell-asleep.html Obama returns to campaign trail with fiery speech; Trump counters, 'I fell asleep']. ''Fox News''. Retrieved September 7, 2018.
*Duke, Selwyn (September 8, 2018). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/30014-obama-s-back-slamming-trump-and-projecting-his-own-sins-onto-gop Obama’s Back, Slamming Trump and Projecting His Own Sins onto GOP]. ''The New American''. Retrieved September 9, 2018.</ref> He also tried to take credit for the strong economic growth under President Trump.<ref>Byas, Steve (September 13, 2018). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/economy/item/30062-obama-brazenly-tried-to-take-credit-for-better-economy-under-trump Obama Brazenly Tried to Take Credit for Better Economy Under Trump]. ''The New American''. Retrieved September 15, 2018.</ref> Obama made speeches criticizing [[nationalism]] and promoting [[globalism]].<ref>Caplan, Joshua (September 28, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/09/28/barack-obama-lectures-europeans-about-nationalism-in-denmark/ Barack Obama Lectures Europeans About Nationalism — in Denmark]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved September 28, 2018.</ref> On November 2, 2018, Obama called on Florida voters to vote Democrat because it would help [[Cuba]].<ref>Spiering, Charlie (November 3, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/11/03/cuba-first-barack-obama-says-florida-democrats-help-make-cuba-great-again/ Cuba First: Barack Obama Says Florida Democrats Will Help Make Cuba Great Again]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved November 3, 2018.</ref>

Many of the candidates that Obama campaigned for in the [[2018 midterm election]]s lost.<ref>Lowe, Tiana (November 7, 2018). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/obama-loses-again https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/obama-loses-again]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved November 7, 2018.</ref>

==Legacy==
In September 2016, a [[Parasite|parasitic]] worm, the [[Baracktrema obamai]], was named after Obama.<ref>Kaplan, Sarah (September 9, 2016). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2016/09/09/scientists-like-barack-obama-so-much-that-they-named-a-parasite-after-him/ Scientists like Barack Obama so much that they named a parasite after him]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved September 9, 2016.</ref> As of December 2016, at least 15 schools in the United States have been named after Obama. [[Illinois]], a very liberal state, enacted a law making August 4 "Barack Obama Day," and it almost made the day a paid holiday for its state workers despite its dire financial situation caused by leftist policies.<ref>Multiple references:
*Huston, Warner Todd (August 7, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/08/07/illinois-makes-obama-birthday-state-holiday/ Deep Blue Illinois Makes Obama’s Birthday a State Holiday]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
*Carter, Brandon (August 6, 2017). [https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/345523-illinois-makes-barack-obama-day-a-state-holiday Illinois makes 'Barack Obama Day' a state holiday]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
*Siciliano, John (August 6, 2017). [http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/barack-obama-day-is-official-holiday-in-illinois/article/2630769 'Barack Obama Day' is official holiday in Illinois]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
*[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/08/07/illinois-governor-signs-law-to-honor-barack-obamas-birthday.html Illinois governor signs law to honor Barack Obama's birthday]. ''Fox News'' (from the ''Associated Press''). Retrieved August 7, 2017.
See also:
*Gearty, Robert (August 4, 2018). [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/08/04/illinois-celebrates-first-official-barack-obama-day.html Illinois celebrates first official 'Barack Obama Day']. ''Fox News''. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
*Rodriguez, Katherine (August 4, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/08/04/illinois-residents-celebrate-first-annual-barack-obama-day/ Illinois Residents Celebrate First Annual ‘Barack Obama Day’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved AUgust 5, 2018.</ref>

Conservatives strongly criticized Obama for his far-left and negative policies and the negative impact of those policies.<ref>Scaliger, Charles (February 23, 2017). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/25433-barack-obama-s-legacy Barack Obama's Legacy]. ''The New American''. Retrieved June 20, 2018.</ref><ref>Adelmann, Bob (January 20, 2017). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/25183-is-obama-worst-u-s-president Is Obama Worst U.S. President?] ''The New American''. Retrieved June 20, 2018.</ref><ref>Vargas, Mark (September 16, 2018). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/the-legacy-of-barack-obama-and-its-not-a-good-one The legacy of Barack Obama (and it's not a good one)]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved September 16, 2018.</ref> [[Dinesh D'Souza]] wrote, "Obama's legacy is to double the national debt & dramatically reduce US influence in the world."<ref>https://twitter.com/dineshdsouza/status/760447860638789632</ref> During Obama's 8 years in office, Democrats lost over 1,000 seats in the federal and state governments.<ref name="1,000Seats"/> Obama abused his power by using [[surveillance]] tools granted under the [[Patriot Act]], intended to fight terrorism and [[Al Qaeda]], against domestic political opponents and the [[Republican party]]. Obama may best be remembered for his use of coercion, [[police state]] tactics and [[authoritarian]] tendencies.

Upon assuming office, President [[Donald Trump]] wiped out much of Obama's last-minute regulatory actions through [[Congressional Review]].<ref>Korte, Gregory (March 27, 2017). [https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/03/27/trump-signs-four-bills-roll-back-obama-era-regulations/99690456/ Trump signs four bills to roll back Obama-era regulations]. ''USA Today''. Retrieved March 28, 2017.</ref><ref>Pollak, Joel B. (April 15, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/04/15/trump-congressional-review-act-legislative-milestone/ Trump’s Use of the Congressional Review Act Is a Legislative Milestone]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved April 15, 2017.</ref> Trump also adopted a stronger foreign policy.<ref>Llorente, Elizabeth (April 14, 2017). [http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/04/14/ex-obama-officials-say-hesitation-to-use-force-in-syria-elsewhere-emboldened-adversaries.html Ex-Obama officials say hesitation to use force in Syria, elsewhere, emboldened adversaries]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved April 14, 2017.</ref><ref>Collinson, Stephen (April 14, 2017). [https://www.cnn.com/2017/04/14/politics/donald-trump-military-afghanistan/index.html Trump carves out tough commander-in-chief posture]. ''CNN''. Retrieved April 14, 2017.</ref>

Many commentators have noticed similarities between Mr. Obama and Breaking Bad's [[Walter White]], including ''The New York Times'',<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/08/fashion/barack-obama-bryan-cranston-table-for-three.html?mcubz=0</ref> Politico,<ref>https://www.politico.com/blogs/click/2013/12/obama-is-hooked-on-breaking-bad-180326</ref> and USA Today.<ref>https://www.usatoday.com/story/theoval/2013/12/30/obama-television-shows-breaking-bad-house-of-cards-homeland/4247651/</ref>

==Further reading==
*Margolis, Matt; Noonan, Mark (2018). [https://www.amazon.com/Worst-President-History-Legacy-Barack/dp/1682618137/ ''The Worst President in History: The Legacy of Barack Obama'']. New York: Bombardier Books. ISBN 978-1682618134.

==See also==
*[[Obamagate timeline 2009-2015]]
*[[Obamagate timeline|Obamagate timeline 2016 election year]]
*[[Russiagate timeline 2017]]
*[[Russiagate timeline|Russiagate timeline 2018]]
*[[Political positions of Barack Obama]]
*[[Barack Obama and uncharitableness]]
*[[Barack Obama and abortion]]
*[[Ukrainian crisis]]
*[[Essay:Born Outside the U.S.A.!]]
*[[Essay: The Special Interests Candidate]]
*[[Lobbyists ties to the Obama administration]]
*[[Obama doublespeak]]
*[[Obama inauguration]]
*[[Religion of Barack Hussein Obama]]
*[[Barack Obama's Muslim Heritage]]''
*[[The Honorable James David Manning]]
*[[Essay:The Obama Manifesto]]
*[[Obama syndrome]]
*[[Barack Obama's past dog meat eating and 2012 election campaign]]
*[[Barack Obama's "Last chance at dinner" fundraising letter]]
*[[Barack Obama is the antichrist speculation]]
*[[Essay: Does Barack Hussein Obama care if America defaults on credit?]]
*[[Essay:The lie that we are safer under Obama]]
*[[Essay: Foes Want Obama to Fail, A Republican Perspective]]
*[[Essay:Impeach Obama]]
*[[Benghazigate timeline]]
*[[Obama's second term agenda]]
*[[ObamaRail]]
*[[Obama sequester]]
*[[Obama (disambiguation)]]
*[[Essay: President's speech after the defeat of two tyrants]]
* [[Unconstitutional]] [[Executive amnesty]] via Obama [[Executive Order]]s
* [[Universal health care]] for [[Illegal immigration|illegal aliens]] via [[ObamaCare]]
*[[FusionGPS]]
*[[Deep state coup]]
*[[Crossfire Hurricane]]

==External links==
*[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=O000167 Profile] on the ''Biographical Directory of the United States Congress''
*[http://barackobamadoubletalk.com/ Barack Obama Doubletalk]
*[https://hotair.com/archives/2013/07/03/national-journal-obama-facing-crisis-over-incompetence/ National Journal: Obama facing crisis over incompetence]
*[http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/6130/ The New Cult of Personality]
*[http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/06/23/che-obama-and-the-revolutionary-agenda/ Che, Obama, and the Revolutionary Agenda]
*[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jun/09/americas-first-muslim-president/ GAFFNEY: America's first Muslim president?] Washington Times
*[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-l-esposito/barack-obama-and-islam_b_212519.html Barack Obama and Islam.] by [[John L. Esposito]].
*[http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=78931 Democrat: Obama's grandma confirms Kenyan birth.]
*[http://www.ontheissues.org/barack_obama.htm Barack Obama on the issues.]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xO8qZP_iU9I Obama - The Anti-Israel President]

==References==
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