Afghanistan

While fighting in Iraq, the United States was also engaged in a long-term war in Afghanistan. The terrorist group al-Qaida—the perpetrators of the September 11th attacks—used the mountains of Afghanistan as a home base. This war was kind of like trying to find terrorists in a haystack.

Arlington

A major military cemetery in Virginia. Arlington National Cemetery is a symbol of the U.S. military's contributions, both past and present, to American society. You probably know it as the site of that super emotional scene from Saving Private Ryan.

The Father of Our Nation

A reference to George Washington. In the 2009 inaugural address, Barack Obama draws heavily on references to American history. Though an African American president was a new thing, Obama suggests a return to the old.

Gross Domestic Product

A measure of the size of the economy. All the goods and services bought and sold add up to a nation's gross domestic product. BTW, "gross" means "total," not "ew."

Health Care

One of America's major domestic policy issues. How do we take care of sick people? The United States has a system of health insurance where folks pay into a pool in order to get benefits back later. From 2008 to 2009, Obama promised to reform the health care system to make it more affordable. The law he signed was called the Affordable Care Act and labeled "Obamacare" by critics.

Iraq

An oil-rich Middle Eastern country the United States invaded in 2003, under the leadership of the Bush administration. The war in Iraq started out popular, but as it dragged on for years, it became a major gripe for critics of Bush. Iraq has been called Vietnam 2.0.

The Muslim World

A catchall term to describe the Middle East and other areas where Islam is the dominant religion. During the Obama administration, the United States prioritized trying to improve relations with the Muslim world while still keeping up Bush's war on terror.

Non-Believers

A less blunt way of saying "atheists." These are people who don't identify with a religious group and often don't believe in God/gods. Obama's 2009 inaugural address was the first to explicitly reference non-believers (source). For better or worse, godlessness is about as popular as body odor in American politics.

Recession

Economists talk about the economy "growing" or "shrinking." During a recession, the economy is shrinking. A lot. This usually leads to higher unemployment and reduced incomes. Recessions can be devastating, but they tend to roll around every few years no matter what people do.

Scripture

A fancy, indirect way of saying "the Bible." Obama likes to quote and reference Scripture, and his speaking style has been likened to that of an African American preacher. Obama also likes saying things without saying them because it sounds cool.