With His Pledges to Pursue Reforms in Health Care, Education

question 64

Essay

With his pledges to pursue reforms in health care, education, and environmental and immigration policy, Barack Obama won the 2008 presidential election with 53 percent of the popular vote and a two-to-one victory in the Electoral College, while Democrats also increased their majorities in both the U.S. House and Senate. What factors explain the Obama administration's failure to realize its agenda during its first four years? What reforms did Obama manage to carry out, despite the challenges he faced?

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Definitions:

Incentives

Are extrinsic or intrinsic rewards or penalties for performing an action or refraining from one, motivating behavior change.

K-12 School Year

The educational period or academic years that include kindergarten through 12th grade in many countries, marking the compulsory stages of schooling.

Resources Are Scarce

The economic principle that the amounts of natural resources, goods, and services available are limited in relation to the desires and needs of people.

Households

The basic economic unit of a society, typically consisting of people living together in the same dwelling.