Top 10 Highlights of Barack Obama's Presidency

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Friday, January 13, 2017

Shotguns are shown for sale at the AO Sword gun store in El Cajon, California, January 5, 2016. President Barack Obama said on Monday his new executive actions to tighten gun rules were 'well within' his legal authority and consistent with the U.S. right to bear arms, a warning to opponents who are likely to challenge them in court. — Shotguns are shown for sale at the AO Sword gun store in El Cajon, California, January 5, 2016. President Barack Obama said on Monday his new executive actions to tighten gun rules were "well within" his legal authority and consistent with the U.S. right to bear arms, a warning to opponents who are likely to challenge them in court. | (Photo: REUTERS/Mike Blake)

10. Efforts to Push Increased Firearms Regulations Following Mass Shootings

During Obama's administration, public outcry over mass shootings grabbed headlines. Tragedies like the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting led a great push to ban assault weapons.

Despite broad support for increased regulations of firearms, especially guns with rapid-fire capabilities and high payloads, Congress rejected any legislative proposals.

"There have been more guns sold since I have been president than just about any time in U.S. history. There are enough guns for every man, woman and child in this country," insisted Obama in response to a critical gun-owner.

"There is a way for us to make sure that lawful, responsible gun owners like yourself are able to use them for sporting, hunting, protecting yourself, but the only way we're going to do that is if we don't have a situation in which anything that is proposed is viewed as some tyrannical destruction of the Second Amendment."