As, the November elections draw closer, I thought it would be wise to remind people just exactly what President Barack Obama has done thus far. I had some help via Google with some of these. Read, remember, and vote accordingly!
Here is a list of 109 things that Obama has accomplished during his presidency so far:
1. Saved the collapse of the American automotive industry by making GM restructure before bailing them out, and putting incentive money to help the industry.
2. Shifted the focus of the war from Iraq to Afghanistan, and putting the emphasis on reducing terrorism where it should have been all along.
3. Relaxed Anti-American tensions throughout the world.
4. Signed order to close the prisoner “torture camp” at Guantanamo Bay.
5. Has made the environment a national priority, and a primary source for job creation.
6. Has made education a national priority by putting emphasis and money behind new ideas like charter schools, but speaking directly to school children in telling them they have to do their part.
7. Won the Nobel Peace Prize.
8. $789 billion economic stimulus plan.
9. Appointment of first Latina to the Supreme Court.
10. Attractive tax write-offs for those who buy hybrid automobiles.
11. Authorized construction/opening of additional health centers to care for veterans.
12. Renewed dialogue with NATO and other allies and partners on strategic issues.
13. Beginning the process of reforming and restructuring the military 20 years after the Cold War to a more modern fighting force… this includes new procurement policies, increasing size of military, new technology and cyber units and operations, etc.
14. Better body armor is now being provided to our troops.
15. “Cash for clunkers” program offers vouchers to trade in fuel inefficient, polluting old cars for new cars; stimulates auto sales.
16. Changed the failing/status quo military command in Afghanistan.
17. Closed offshore tax safe havens.
18. Deployed additional troops to Afghanistan.
19. Ended media “blackout” on war casualties; reporting full information.
20. Ended previous policy of awarding no-bid defense contracts.
21. . Ended media blackout on war casualties and the return of fallen soldiers to Dover AFB.
22. Ended previous policy of cutting the FDA and circumventing FDA rules.
23. Ended previous practice of forbidding Medicare from negotiating with drug manufacturers for cheaper drugs; the federal government is now realizing hundreds of millions in savings.
24. Ended previous practice of having White House aides rewrite scientific and environmental rules, regulations, and reports.
25. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has created 2.1 million jobs (as of 12/31/09).
26. Ended previous policy of not regulating and labeling carbon dioxide emissions.
27. Ended previous policy of offering tax benefits to corporations who outsource American jobs; the new policy is to promote in-sourcing to bring jobs back.
28. Ended previous policy on torture; the US now has a no torture policy and is in compliance with the Geneva Convention standards.
29. Launched Recovery.gov to track spending from the Recovery Act, an unprecedented step to provide transparency and accountability through technology.
30. Ended previous practice of protecting credit card companies; in place of it are new consumer protections from credit card industry’s predatory practices.
31. Ended previous “stop-loss” policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date.
32. Energy producing plants must begin preparing to produce 15% of their energy from renewable sources.
33. Established a National Performance Officer charged with saving the federal government money and making federal operations more efficient.
34. Established a new cyber security office.
35. Expanded the SCHIP program to cover health care for 4 million more children.
36. Expanding vaccination programs.
37. Families of fallen soldiers have expenses.
38. Provided the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with more than $1.4 billion to improve services to America’s Veterans.
39. Federal support for stem-cell and new biomedical research.
40. Funds for high-speed, broadband Internet access to K-12 schools.
41. Responded with compassion and leadership to the earthquake in Haiti.
42. Immediate and efficient response to the floods in North Dakota and other natural disasters.
43. . Launched Business.gov – enabling conversation and online collaboration between small business owners, government representatives and industry experts in discussion forums relevant to starting and managing a business. Great for the economy.
44. Improved housing for military personnel.
45. Improved conditions at Walter Reed Military Hospital and other military hospitals.
46. Changed failing war strategy in Afghanistan.
47. Improving benefits for veterans.
48. Increased infrastructure spending (roads, bridges, power plants…) after years of neglect.
49. Donated his $1.4 million Nobel Prize to nonprofits.
50. Increasing opportunities in AmeriCorps program.
51. Provided tax credits to first-time home buyers through the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 to revitalize the U.S. housing market.
52. Increasing pay and benefits for military personnel.
53. Increasing student loans.
54. Instituted a new policy on Cuba, allowing Cuban families to return “home” to visit loved ones.
55. Cracked down on companies that deny sick pay, vacation and health insurance to workers by abusing the employee classification of independent contractor. Such companies also avoid paying Social Security, Medicare and unemployment insurance taxes for those workers.
56. Limited salaries of senior White House aides; cut to $100,000.
57. Limits on lobbyists’ access to the White House.
58. Protected 300,000 education jobs, such as teachers, principals, librarians, and counselors through the Recovery Act that would have otherwise been lost.
59. Limits on White House aides working for lobbyists after their tenure in the administration.
60. Children’s Health Insurance Reauthorization Act on February 4, 2009, provides quality health care to 11 million kids – 4 million who were previously uninsured.
61. Lower drug costs for seniors.
62. Making more loans available to small businesses.
63. Many more press conferences and town halls and much more media access than previous administration.
64. . Signed the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, the first piece of comprehensive legislation aimed at improving the lives of Americans living with paralysis.
65. New Afghan War policy that limits aerial bombing and prioritizes aid, development of infrastructure, diplomacy, and good government practices by Afghans.
66. Announced creation of a Joint Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record for members of the U.S. Armed Forces to improve quality of medical care.
67. New federal funding for science and research labs.
68. New funds for school construction.
69. Ordered all federal agencies to undertake a study and make recommendations for ways to cut spending.
70. Ordered a review of all federal operations to identify and cut wasteful spending and practices.
71. . Negotiated deal with Swiss banks to permit US government to gain access to records of tax evaders and criminals.
72. Phasing out the expensive F-22 war plane and other outdated weapons systems, which weren’t even used or needed in Iraq/Afghanistan.
73. Reengaged in the agreements/talks on global warming and greenhouse gas emissions.
74. Provided tax credit to workers thus cutting taxes for 95% of America’s working families.
75. Reengaged in the treaties/agreements to protect the Antarctic.
76. Removed restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research.
77. . Helped reverse a downward spiral of the stock market. On January 19, 2009, the last day of President Bush’s presidency, the Dow closed at 8,218.22. In February 2010, the Dow closed at 10,309.24.
78. Renewed loan guarantees for Israel.
79. Restarted the nuclear non-proliferation talks and building back up the nuclear inspection infrastructure/protocols.
80. Provided attractive tax write-offs for those who buy hybrid automobiles.
81. Returned money authorized for refurbishment of White House offices and private living quarters.
82. Sent envoys to Middle East and other parts of the world that had been neglected for years; reengaging in multilateral and bilateral talks and diplomacy.
83. Unveiled a program on Earth Day 2009 to develop the renewable energy projects on the waters of our Outer Continental Shelf that produce electricity from wind, wave, and ocean currents. These regulations will enable, for the first time ever, the nation to tap into our ocean’s vast sustainable resources to generate clean energy in an environmentally sound and safe manner.
84. Signed national service legislation; expanded national youth service program.
85. States are permitted to enact federal fuel efficiency standards above federal standards.
86. Students struggling to make college loan payments can have their loans refinanced.
87. Successful release of US captain held by Somali pirates; authorized the SEALS to do their job.
88. The FDA is now regulating tobacco.
89. Ended the previous stop-loss policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date.
90. The missile defense program is being cut by $1.4 billion in 2010.
91. The public can meet with federal housing insurers to refinance (the new plan can be completed in one day) a mortgage if they are having trouble paying.
92. The “secret detention” facilities in Eastern Europe and elsewhere are being closed.
93. US financial and banking rescue plan.
94. US Navy increasing patrols off Somali coast.
95. Signed the Weapons Systems Acquisition Reform Act to stop fraud and wasteful spending in the defense procurement and contracting system.
96. Visited more countries and met with more world leaders than any president in his first six months in office.
97. Improved relations with Iran.
98. Improved U.S. policy on climate change.
99. Set timetable for exiting Iraq (already started removing troops).
100. Improved relations with Russia.
101. Improved relations with the Islamic World.
102. Made progress towards greater cooperation on limiting nuclear proliferation.
103. Economic stimulus plan has created jobs. (Unemployment rate decreasing).
104. Drastically slowed down the recession.
105. Saved Wall Street.
106. Passed the Lilly Ledbetter Act (equal work for equal pay).
107. HEALTHCARE REFORM.
108. Ordered the military operation that killed Osama Bin Laden.
109. Was the first sitting President to take a definitive stand on the issue of marriage equality.
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