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Barack Obama Quotes

44th U.S. President

Barack Obama, born on August 4, 1961, served as the 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama's presidency was marked by significant achievements, including the Affordable Care Act and the normalization of relations with Cuba. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009.

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Famous Barack Obama Quotes

“You're the reason why selfless soldiers won't be kicked out of the military because of who they are or who they love.”

Reason Military Gay Soldier Reason Why Selfless Gay Rights

Author:Barack Obama

“If you give up on the idea that your voice can make a difference, then other voices will fill the void: lobbyists and special interests; the people with the $10 million checks who are trying to buy this election and those who are making it harder for you to vote; Washington politicians who want to decide who you can marry, or control health care choices that women should make for themselves.”

“I was reminded that it is my obligation not only as an elected official in a pluralistic society, but also as a Christian, to remain open to the possibility that my unwillingness to support gay marriage is misguided.”

Christian Support Possibility Gay Obligation Officials Gay Marriage Gay Rights Misguided Elected Officials Support Gay Marriage

Book:The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream

Source: The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream

“I believe that marriage is the union between a man and a woman. Now, for me as a Christian - for me - for me as a Christian, it is also a sacred union. God's in the mix.”

Men Believe Christian I Believe Gay Sacred Unions Gay Rights Traditional Marriage

Author:Barack Obama

“What you saw was the people of New York having a debate, talking through these issues. It was contentious. It was emotional. But ultimately, they made a decision to recognize civil marriage. And I think that's exactly how things should work.”

People Thinking Should Made Decision Talking Issues Saws New York Emotional Debate Contentious

Author:Barack Obama

“We may disagree about gay marriage, but surely we can agree that it is unconscionable to target gays and lesbians for who they are - whether it's here in the United States or, as Hillary (Clinton) mentioned, more extremely in odious laws that are being proposed most recently in Uganda.”

May States Law United United States Gay Agree Clinton Target Disagree Gay Marriage Uganda

Author:Barack Obama

“I support ensuring that committed gay couples have the same rights and responsibilities afforded to any married couple in this country. I believe strongly in stopping laws designed to take rights away and passing laws that extend equal rights to gay couples. I've required all agencies in the federal government to extend as many federal benefits as possible to LGBT families as the current law allows. And I've called on Congress to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act and to pass the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act.”

“The more freely information flows, the stronger the society becomes, because then citizens of countries around the world can hold their own governments accountable. They can begin to think for themselves.”

Thinking World Country Government Information Citizens Flow Stronger Around The World Censorship Information Flow

Author:Barack Obama

“Last time I checked, Congress was created to uphold the values of the Constitution, not the Bible and its biased teachings. 'All men (including women) are created equal' and are afforded unalienable rights. Way to go, Mr. President! Stand up for what you believe and for the people of this country.”

People Men Way Believe Country Lasts Values President Rights Teaching Gay Equal Constitution Including Congress Last Time Gay Marriage Biased Unalienable Rights

Author:Barack Obama

“I think it's about time! Who cares whether he is looking for votes or not! At least your country is moving forward with the times!”

Thinking Country Care Moving Gay Vote Moving Forward Who Cares Gay Marriage

Author:Barack Obama

“A little reminder to those who don't back Obama and gay marriage. It's probably cause you're gay.”

Littles Causes Gay Reminders Gay Marriage

Author:Barack Obama

“We should raise the minimum wage so that no one who works full time has to live in poverty”

Should Money Poverty Raises Minimum Minimum Wage

Author:Barack Obama

“It should be the power of our vote, not the size of our bank accounts, that drives our democracy”

Should Money Democracy Vote Accounts Size Bank Accounts

Author:Barack Obama

“You now have the potential of 200 people deciding who ends up being elected president every single time.”

People Ends President Money

Author:Barack Obama

“We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year”

Years Mind Earth Lasts Nations Money Powerful Week Months Needed Crisis Workers Productive Goods Last Year Prosperous Goods And Services

Author:Barack Obama

“I don't think that any economist disputes that we're in the worst economic crisis since the great depression. The good news is that we're getting a consensus around what needs to be done.”

Thinking Needs Done Money Economic Worst News Crisis Economist Good News Disputes Consensus Great Depression Economic Crisis

Author:Barack Obama

“What we also have to recognize is that the deficit levels that I'm inheriting, over a trillion dollars, coming out of last year, that that is unsustainable. At a certain point, other countries stop buying our debt, at a certain point, we'd end up having to raise interest rates, and it would end up creating more economic chaos and potentially inflation.”

Years Ends Country Lasts Certain Interest Levels Money Economic Creating Raises Dollars Chaos Rate Debt Buying Coming Out Last Year Other Countries Inflation Deficit Interest Rate

Author:Barack Obama

“We reward people a lot for being rich, for being famous, for being cute, for being thin... one of the values I think we need to instill in our country, in our children, is a sense of 'usefulness', in other words, are we useful, are we making other peoples' lives a little bit better?”

People Thinking Needs Children Littles Country Values Bits Money Rich Little Bit Our Children Rewards Our Country Cute Usefulness Instill Being Famous Being Rich

Author:Barack Obama

“Let me tell you another place to look for some savings. We are currently spending $10 billion a month in Iraq when they have a $79 billion surplus. It seems to me that if we're going to be strong at home as well as strong abroad, that we have to look at bringing that war to a close.”

Ifs Wells Looks War Home Seems Strong Money Months Let Me Iraq Spending Billions Saving Savings Surplus

Author:Barack Obama

“We right now give $15 billion every year as subsidies to private insurers under the Medicare system. Doesn't work any better through the private insurers. They just skim off $15 billion.”

Giving Years Money Right Now Billions Medicare Subsidies

Author:Barack Obama

“Here's what I can tell the American people: 95 percent of you will get a tax cut. And if you make less than $250,000, less than a quarter-million dollars a year, then you will not see one dime's worth of tax increase.”

People Ifs Years I Can Money Millions Cutting Taxes Percent Increase Dollars Quarters Million Dollars Dimes Tax Cuts Tax Increases

Author:Barack Obama

“We start this new year in the midst of an economic crisis unlike we have seen in our lifetime.”

Years Money Economic Crisis Lifetime Midst New Year Economic Crisis

Author:Barack Obama

“Our resources may be finite, but our will is infinite, and I am confident that if we come together and summon that great American spirit once again, we will meet the challenges of our time and write the next great chapter in our American story.”

Ifs Writing May Stories Together Spirit Next Challenges Money Resources Infinite Our Time Chapters Finite Great American American Spirit

Author:Barack Obama

“Families across America are feeling the pinch as they watch debts mount, bills pile up and savings disappear.”

Feelings America Money Watches Bills Debt Disappear Saving Savings

Author:Barack Obama

“Let's not only provide a jumpstart to the economy and immediately or save 3 million jobs, but let's also put a down payment on some of the structural problems that we have in our economy.”

Problem Jobs Money Millions Economy Payment Jumpstart

Author:Barack Obama

“Is this money well spent? This is taxpayer money, it is going to be adding to the deficit short term and if we can't justify it, then we're not going to spend tens or hundreds of billions of dollars, just to make somebody happy, if it's not good for the economy.”

Ifs Wells Term Money Economy Dollars Billions Justify Deficit Short Term Taxpayers Money Well Spent

Author:Barack Obama

“Insist that the first question each of us asks isn't "What's good for me?" but "What's good for the country my children will inherit?”

Firsts Children Country Asks Money My Children

Author:Barack Obama

“That's why the American Recovery & Reinvestment Plan won't just throw money at our problems, we'll invest in what works”

Problem Money Plans Recovery

Author:Barack Obama

“I don't take a dime of their [lobbyist] money, and when I am president, they won't find a job in my White House.”

Jobs House President White Money White House Dimes Lobbyists

Author:Barack Obama

“Instead of having a set of policies that are equipping people for the globalization of the economy, we have policies that are accelerating the most destructive trends of the global economy.”

People Money Economy Policy Destructive Trends Globalization Global Economy

Author:Barack Obama

“To the extent that we've got a fiscal crisis right now, part of it is prompted by a bullheaded insistence on the part of the president, for example, that we should extend all of his tax cuts, make all of them permanent.”

Should President Money Cutting Example Right Now Taxes Crisis Permanent Tax Cuts Insistence

Author:Barack Obama

“Tonight, more Americans are out of work and more are working harder for less. More of you have lost your homes and even more are watching your home values plummet. More of you have cars you can't afford to drive, credit card bills you can't afford to pay, and tuition that's beyond your reach.”

Home Values Lost Money Pay Car Harder Bills Credit Cards Tonight Credit Card Tuition

Author:Barack Obama

“When George Bush came into office, we had surpluses. And now we have half-a-trillion-dollar deficit annually. When George Bush came into office, our national debt was around $5 trillion. It's now over $10 trillion. We've almost doubled it.”

Money Half Office Dollars Debt Deficit Surplus National Debt

Author:Barack Obama

“Short term, the most important thing is to put people back to work ... If they're working, that means they're paying taxes, that means that they're buying goods and services - and the economy, instead of being on a downward spiral, starts back up on an upward spiral.”

People Ifs Mean Important Term Economy Taxes Important Things Buying Goods Taxation Short Term Spirals Back To Work Goods And Services Paying Taxes Downward Spiral

Author:Barack Obama

“I think that we've had an economy that's been out of balance for too long. So the general principle of raising taxes on higher income Americans, like myself, and providing relief to those who haven't benefited as much from this new global economy, I think is a sound one.”

Thinking Long Sound Principles Economy Havens Balance Higher Taxes Income Relief Providing Taxation Global Economy Raising Taxes

Author:Barack Obama

“I will eliminate capital-gains taxes for the small businesses and the startups that will create the high-wage, high-tech jobs of tomorrow”

Jobs Tomorrow Taxes Gains Taxation Small Business Capital Gains Capital Gains Tax

Book:Yes, We Can

Source: Yes, We Can

“Slowly, but surely, we are moving in the right direction. We're on the right track. The economy is getting stronger”

Moving Economy Stronger Track Right Direction Moving In Right Track Getting Stronger Slowly But Surely Moving In The Right Direction

Author:Barack Obama

“A green, Fifa Coins| Fifa Coins| Fifa Coins| Fifa Coins| Fifa Coins| replica watches|renewable energy economy isn't some pie-in-the-sky, far-off future - it is now. It is creating jobs - now. It is providing cheap alternatives to $140-per-barrel oil - now. And it can create millions of additional jobs, an entire new industry, if we act - now.”

Ifs Jobs Energy Watches Millions Economy Sky Industry Creating Green Oil Alternatives Providing Pie Coins Barrels Renewable Energy Creating Jobs Replica Fifa

Author:Barack Obama

“All across the world, ...increasingly dangerous weather patterns and devastating storms are abruptly putting an end to the long-running debate over whether or not climate change is real. Not only is it real, it's here, and its effects are giving rise to a frighteningly new global phenomenon: the man-made natural disaster.”

Source: An American Story: The Speeches of Barack Obama : a Primer

“Global warming is not just the greatest environmental challenge facing our planet - it is one of our greatest challenges of any kind.”

Kind Challenges Planets Environmental Global Warming Our Planet Environmental Challenges

Author:Barack Obama

“We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories.”

Running Politics Sun Car Wind Climate Change Soil Fuel Factories Harness

Author:Barack Obama

“And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.”

World Suffering Politics Nations Enjoy Effects Changed Resources Regard Climate Change Plenty Borders Indifference Relative

Author:Barack Obama

“It's not a choice between our environment and our economy; it's a choice between prosperity and decline.”

Choices Economy Environment Climate Change Prosperity Decline Our Environment

Author:Barack Obama

“I hope we can all agree that, instead of continuing to subsidize yesterday's energy sources. We need to invest in tomorrow's.”

Needs Politics Energy Source Tomorrow Agree Climate Change Yesterday Continuing Energy Sources

Author:Barack Obama

“I strongly agree with Vice President Gore that we cannot drill our way to energy independence, but must fast-track investments in renewable sources of energy like solar power, wind power and advanced biofuels...”

Way Energy President Wind Source Agree Independence Investment Climate Change Track Vices Gore Vice President Drills Solar Power Biofuels Energy Independence Wind Power

Author:Barack Obama

“We don't have time for a meeting of the Flat Earth Society.”

Earth Meetings Climate Change Global Warming Flats

Author:Barack Obama

“Sticking your head in the sand might make you feel safer, but it’s not going to protect you from the coming storm.”

Feels Might Protect Climate Change Storm Global Warming Sand Protect You

Author:Barack Obama

“I don't have much patience for anyone who denies that this challenge is real.”

Real Challenges Climate Change Deny

Author:Barack Obama

“We have to all shoulder the responsibility for keeping the planet habitable, or we're going to suffer the consequences - together.”

Together Suffering Responsibility Planets Consequence Climate Change Shoulders Global Warming

Author:Barack Obama

“Our planet is changing in ways that will have profound impacts on all of humankind.”

Way Planets Impact Profound Climate Change Global Warming Humankind Our Planet

Author:Barack Obama

About the Author

Born: August 4, 1961
Known for: 44th U.S. President
Quotes: 3188

Books & Sources

The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American DreamRelated source material

Barack Obama: Speeches on the Road to the White HouseRelated source material

Dreams From My FatherRelated source material

Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and InheritanceRelated source material

An American Story: The Speeches of Barack Obama : a PrimerRelated source material

A Promised LandRelated source material

Change We Can Believe InRelated source material

Yes, We CanRelated source material

The Inaugural Address, 2009: Together with Abraham Lincoln's First and Second Inaugural Addresses and The Gettysburg Address and Ralph Waldo Emerson's Self-RelianceRelated source material

Barack Obama & His Inspiring Speeches Vol 9Related source material

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