When Barack Obama was elected president, many Americans felt hopeful that social and economic disparities would be resolved through transparency and change. However, a counter movement from wealthy elites intended to maintain the status quo and their control over politics and business. The Affordable Care Act did little beyond rearranging aspects of the failing healthcare system and failed to create meaningful reform due to deliberate lack of education and the influence of lobbyists, who spent over $500 million to influence Congress to protect pharmaceutical and insurance industries' profits over Americans' health.