When Barack Obama took the oath of office in January 2009, the vibe was basically "don't let the ship sink." The world was staring down the barrel of the worst economic collapse since the Great Depression, and expectations weren't just high—they were borderline impossible.
He had a lot on his plate. Wars in the Middle East. A failing auto industry. Millions of people losing their homes. Honestly, looking back, it's a miracle the whole thing didn't just cave in. But if you're asking what did Obama do as president, the answer isn't just one thing. It’s a massive, messy pile of legislation, executive orders, and a few "Hail Mary" plays that still define American life today.
The Big Fix: Saving the Economy from the Brink
The first thing on the to-do list was stopping the bleeding. He signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009. It was a $787 billion stimulus package. Some people hated it, calling it "big government" run amok, but economists generally agree it’s what kept the recession from turning into a full-blown depression.
He also did something pretty gutsy: he bailed out the auto industry. General Motors and Chrysler were basically dead. Obama pushed through a rescue plan that saved roughly 1.5 million jobs. It wasn't just about cars; it was about keeping the Midwest from becoming a ghost town.
Then came Dodd-Frank. This was the Wall Street reform meant to stop banks from gambling with your money like they were in a Vegas casino. It created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which was a huge deal for regular people who were tired of getting screwed over by fine-print credit card fees and predatory loans.
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The Health Care Battle (Obamacare)
You can't talk about what did Obama do as president without mentioning the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Most people just call it Obamacare. This was easily the most exhausting fight of his presidency.
It did a few major things that we now take for granted:
- It stopped insurance companies from denying you coverage because of "pre-existing conditions."
- It let kids stay on their parents' insurance until age 26.
- It expanded Medicaid in a lot of states.
Nearly 20 million people got insurance who didn't have it before. But it also made a lot of people's premiums go up, and the "individual mandate" (the fine for not having insurance) was super unpopular. It’s still one of the most debated pieces of law in modern history.
Foreign Policy: From Bin Laden to the Iran Deal
Obama’s approach to the world was... different. He wanted to move away from the massive ground wars of the Bush era. He pulled most troops out of Iraq by 2011, though that later got complicated when ISIS showed up and he had to send some back in for airstrikes.
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The big one, though? May 1, 2011. That’s when he gave the order for the Navy SEALs to raid a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. They got Osama bin Laden. It was a massive moment for the country, even if it didn't magically end the war on terror.
He also made some big bets on diplomacy:
- The Iran Nuclear Deal: He got Iran to agree to limit their nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions. Critics called it weak; supporters said it was the only way to avoid another war.
- Opening up Cuba: He became the first sitting president to visit Cuba in nearly a century, trying to bury the Cold War hatchet.
- Paris Climate Agreement: Obama was huge on the environment. He pushed for this global deal to cut carbon emissions, which was a massive shift in how the U.S. handled climate change.
Social Changes and the Supreme Court
Obama didn't just pass laws; he changed the face of the government. He appointed Sonia Sotomayor (the first Hispanic justice) and Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. These appointments were pivotal. They played a huge role in the 2015 decision that made same-sex marriage legal nationwide.
He also signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which made it easier for women to sue for pay discrimination. And he ended "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," finally allowing LGBTQ+ Americans to serve openly in the military.
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What Most People Miss
A lot of the "smaller" things he did actually had huge impacts. He established DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) through an executive order, protecting "Dreamers" from deportation. He also protected more land and water than any other president—over 550 million acres.
He used drone strikes more than anyone expected, which is still a major point of criticism from human rights groups. It was a "cleaner" way to fight, sure, but it raised a ton of ethical questions about civilian casualties.
Why It All Still Matters
The reason people still argue about what did Obama do as president is because so much of his legacy was built on executive orders or razor-thin margins in Congress. When Trump took over, he spent a lot of time trying to undo it all. Some stuff stayed, like the pre-existing condition protections, and some stuff went, like the Iran Deal.
If you're trying to figure out the "real" impact, look at your healthcare, your bank's regulations, or even the fuel efficiency of your car. Chances are, a decision made between 2009 and 2017 is still touching your life today.
Next Steps for You
If you want to dig deeper into how these policies affect you right now, here is what you can do:
- Check your healthcare status: If you have a pre-existing condition, research how the ACA currently protects your specific insurance plan in your state.
- Look into DACA updates: If you or someone you know is a Dreamer, visit the official USCIS website to see the current legal standing of the program, as it has changed frequently since Obama left office.
- Review your student loans: Obama's administration changed how federal student loans are handled (moving away from private bank intermediaries). Check your loan servicer to see if you are eligible for the income-driven repayment plans that were expanded during his term.